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THEGOLDEN R THE GOLDEN RATIO

TOP TARMAC

Thebestroads toridein Cumbria

Isthelatest version of Yamaha’s massively-successfulMT-09thebestyet?

y

Big-mile tests ofour favourite luggage

CARRYON

QUICKSPINS

DucatiHypermotard /SuzukiGSX-8R/ HusqvarnaSvartpilenandVitpilen 401

INSIDETHISMONTH

’m abig fan ofoldbikes.I reckon there’s something pretty specialaboutrides that’ve been doingtheirthinginstylefor half acentury(ormore).Borninthe early 90s, Igrewupatatimewhen sportsbikes were king.My mates ogledthem as theyblastedpast, frontwheel aloft.Ihad agood look, too, butmyeye wasproperlycaught by agroupofoldboyson classic scramblersandtrialsbikes goingout for aday on thelocaltrails. I’m stillpartialto somethingshod

MEMBER

Youcan have MoreBikes delivered straighttoyourdoor –and get your handsonthe latestandgreatest reviews, roadtestsandproduct reviews from some ofthebest in thegame. We’renot askingmuch, just coverthe costof delivery, andit’syours. Want toknow more? Scan theQRcode (orvisit www. morebikes.co.uk andlookoutfor thesubscriptions sectiononthe drop-down menu).Easy.

EXPERTADVICE

Keystuff toconsider when

andrestoring aclassic

with knobblies andabig upswept exhaust (ortwo). Theonlyproblem isthatI’m not allthat handywitha set of spanners… Icantinkerand fettleanddomost ofthebasicstuff, butascomparativelysimpleasthey mightbe to workoncomparedto modernbikes,owning andrunning aproperclassic requires adegree ofmechanical know-howthat Ijust don’tpossessasyet.I’m workingon it,andhave a70s Bultaco Sherpa 350intheshed to prove it. It’s still awayoffbeing finished,

rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

soI’ve hadtogetmy retrofixin other ways, recently snaggingthe keysto Ducati’sutterlycharming ScramblerNightshift for amonth. It’sahandsome-looking,greatsounding,top-handling bitofkit thatstartswiththepress of abutton andactually hasbrakesthatwork! What’s nottolike?Which campare you in?Old ornew?

AISPEEDCAMERAS COMING

There’sanewkindofspeedcameraonthewaywhichusesartificialintelligence todetectwhendriversareusingtheirmobilephone atthe wheel

Itmightbeillegal,butplentyofmotoristsstillseem tothinkit’sokaytousetheirphonewhenthey’re behindthewheel.The goodnewsisthattheNational Highwaysagencyisinvestingin technologywhich cancatchoutserialscrollersinanefforttomakeour roadssafer.

Riding amotorcycleforces agreater level of awarenessofwhat’shappening on theroadsaround you. You’vegottohaveeyesinthebackof yourhead, assumethateverycar’sgoingtopullout,andwatch outfordriversthatclearlyhaven’tseenyou.Butride anywhereup,downandacrosstheUKand you’llsee motoristswith aphoneintheirhand.

NationalHighwayswantstomakethat athingof thepast,andhasbeentrialling anewkindof speed camerawhich aimstocatchout peopleusinga mobilephoneatthewheel, thosenotwearinga seatbelt,andthosespeeding,too.

Producedwiththehelp ofengineering

firmAECOM,thecameras havebeenaboutinthe UK since2021,andthey’re now beingusedrightacross thecountryinDurham,Manchester,Humberside, Staffordshire, WestMercia,Northamptonshire, Wiltshire,Norfolk,Thames ValleyandSussex.

Atthe momentthey’refittedto aspecialistvan ortrailer,withmultiplecamerasworkingto capture themostcompleteviewofdrivers andpassengerspossible,though thereare planstomakethem morepermanentandfixthem tooverheadgantries.

Backwhen thescheme wasfirst launched,offenders weresentwarnings,butnowthe images aregoing to besentdirectlytothePolicefor review,meaning thatdriverscouldbefined£500for notwearing aseatbelt,orbagsixpointsanda£1000fine forusing theirphone.DevonandCornwallPolicehave had plentyof‘success’withtheclevertechnology,with afreestandingAIcameraon theA30near Launcestoncatching 297offenders in justthreedays.

HAZARDPERCEPTION TRAININGFOR BIKERS

Devon andCornwallPoliceareworkingtomake young riderssaferon the roadusingsomeclevernewtechnology

Motorcyclingisdangerous.The statisticsdon’tlie; withbikers accountingfor aquarterof all road deaths nationally,despite only accountingforone percentoftraffic. ButDevonand Cornwall Police reckontheycanhelp make usall safer. That’s whythey’ve decidedto establish adedicated taskforcein anefforttoimprove road safety. Lastyeartheyspent timeinteracting withlocalbikers, deliveringa series of ‘Streetwise’ sessionswhichthey claimdelivered animpressive 56% reductioninmotorcycle-related deathsand seriousinjuries.Now they’vetakenthingsone stepfurther, investinginamotorcyclesimulator andmakingplans to engage with ridersagedbetween16-24. It'sthe first ofits kindintheUKand will be used to seehow simulatedhazard awarenesstrainingcanhelp reduce seriousandfatalcollisions.

In basicterms,it’saHondaCB500X andafew screensthat sitinsidethe back of avan, to test ridersontheir hazardperception abilities.That’s maybedoingitadisservice.It’s notquitethat simple; with custom software and real-life handling.

It’llallowuserstoaccelerate, brake and change gearastheywould on anormalmachine.It’llalsoallow you tochange the weather,and with screens surroundingthe rider,it’ll be properly immersivewiththe sights accompaniedby sounds,vibrations and asetof workingmirrorsto add to the realism.There’scloseto100miles ofaccurateUK roadnetwork available to explore, andit offersthe abilityto choose froman‘unlimited number ofexercises withdifferentlevelsof complexity’.

Oncethe riding’sdone,the data fromthe simulatorcan be analysed to comeup with relevant feedback to make the ridersafer outinthe real world. Clever,cleverstuff.

Motorcycle CasualtyReduction Officer,Ian Harvey,said:

“Motorcyclistsareoneofthehighest risk roadusersinDevonand Cornwall andacrosstheUK, and we’rehoping the simulatorwillhelpustoprovide vitalskills to inexperiencedridersina safeenvironment.

“Every deathand seriousinjuryon ourroads hasadevastating impact. We’ll be usingthe simulatoratevery availableopportunitytoengagewith

ridersabout howtheycanhone their skillsand helpus to reducethe numberofdeathsor seriousinjuries onUK roads.”

Firstthe simulator’sgoingtobeoff onitstravelsaroundthecollegesof Devonand Cornwall, before heading off to aselectionofbig biker-friendly eventsincludingTheMegaRide

Speakingaboutthenews,HeadofNationalRoadUser SafetyDeliveryatNationalHighways,Matt Staton,said: “Workingwithourpolicepartnerswewantto reduce suchdangerousdrivingand reducethe risksposedto boththedriversandotherpeople. We believethatusing technologylikethiswillmake peopleseriouslyconsider theirdrivingbehaviour.”

It’snotveryoftenwepraisespeed camera proliferation, butwe’rebehindanythingthat’sgoingtodiscourage someoftheworsthabitsofourfriendsonfourwheels.

Festival,andthe Formula1,MotoGP and BSBrounds.Ifyou seeitonyour travels,goand have agander.

ROUNDTHEWORLD

RoyalEnfield’sjustlaunched acool new ‘Rentals and Tours’servicewhichmakesiteasytosnagthe keysto arangeofitsridestheworldover

TheIndian firm’sgonefrom strengthtostrength over thepast fewyears.Whileitsold-school back-to-basicsthumpers have alwaysprovedpopularamong ridersof acertaindisposition,its pairof650twinsand adventurereadyHimalayanmarkedthe start of anewera. With awhole hostofnew modelsthatsticktothat retro ethoswhilelookingtothefuture, RoyalEnfield’sprobablyabout aspopularasit’severbeen. That’sprobablywhyit’sdecided it’stimetobuildonthesuccess ofitsRoyalEnfieldRentals scheme in Indiaand rolloutthe goodtimesto awhopping52 destinationsaroundtheworld. Andit’snotjust rentals anymore…Alongsideitspartners aroundtheworld,it’sofferingthe chancetogetinvolvedinsome seriouslyspecialorganisedand guidedrides,aswellasoffering independent routestoo.Sounds brillianttous.

Speakingaboutthe news, CEO BGovindrajansaid,“Royal Enfieldhaslongbeenassociated withepicjourneysofexploration,

withenthusiaststraversing countries,andcontinentsonour motorcyclesfordecades.” “Webelievewedeeply understandthedesirefor adventureandtodiscover theworldontwowheels.The RoyalEnfieldRentalsandTours programmenotonlysimplifies thelogisticsofmotorcycle tourism,italsoopensaworldof newopportunitiesforthosewith thespiritofadventure intheir hearts.”

You’respoiltforchoicewhen itcomestowhereyoucanride. There’sstuff goingoninIndia, France, South Africa,Peru, Indonesia,Colombia, Turkey, Namibiaandthe U.K. Andthat’s justthe halfofit.Ifyouwant to findoutmore, headoverto theEnfield website,tapinyour detailsandconfirmyourinterest, andthensomeonewillbeback intouchfromtherelevantbranch ofthebusinesstofillyouinonall thedetailsandgetyoubooked in.Easyasthat.

Formoreinformation,visit: www.royalenfield.com/rentalsor www.royalenfield.com/tours

TOP-DRAWER TOURER?

MVAgusta’sgettingintotheadventurebikegameinabig way, releasingitstrick£20,000Enduro Velocetothe masses

TheItalianfactory’sbeenteasing uswithbitsand bobsaboutitsproductionadventurebikefor afew years, butnowit’sfinallyhere.

Followingonfromthewell-received butnow cancelledpairofLuckyExplorerswhichdidthe roundsbackin2021,the Enduro Veloce buildson thesolidfoundationssetbyits superlimitededition andsuperpricey£26,700LXPOrioliwhichwas revealedlastyear.

Thegoodnewsisthatthemass-production adventurerisprettymuchidenticaltoitsmore expensiveandmoreexclusivesibling –andeven betteristhefactthatthenewestMV’sbenefitedfrom KTM’sparentcompanyPiererMobilitysnagginga largerchunkofthecompany.

ThatmeansthattheEnduroVelocehasbeenable totakeadvantageofthebrains andbrawnat KTM, whichhasawealthof experience whenitcomes to creatingbikesbuiltforadventure.TheKTMteamhas donethejobright,coveringover10,000kminthe processofdevelopment toensurethatthe Enduro Veloce’scapablebothonandoffthe Tarmac,withan emphasisonmaintainingtop roadhandlinginspite ofitsbig21-inchfrontwheel.

Gettingintothefactsandfigures,there’splenty togetexcitedabout.TheItalian-builtadventurer gets apunchy931cctriplecylindermotorthat kicksout arespectable122bhpand75lb-ftof torque.There’s210mmtravel bothatthefrontand

rearfromitsSachssprings,whichare adjustablefor reboundanddamping(and preloadatthe rear).Italsogets thatallimportant21-inchfrontand18-inch rear wheelcombination,with seriouslytrick TakasagoExcelrims.

Forstopping it’s kitted outwithtopnotch BremboStylema calipers,andas you’dexpect, there’s araftofelectronic goodiestoplay with,too.There’re eight levels of tractioncontrol,twolevels of corneringABS and rear liftcontrol, wheeliecontrolandlaunch control. Oh, and it’s gotanup/downquickshifter,too.

Thetechnologysoundsprettysweet. MV claimsyou won’thave tomess around whentransitioning from Tarmac totrails,and reckonsit’scapableofrecognisingthe differenceandadjustingthelevel of TractionControl interventionautomatically.

There’salsotheincreasinglycommonarrayof smartphone-compatible technology,too,withtheMV Rideappallowing phoneconnectivity,turn-by-turn navigation, routesharingand ride recordingthrough the7-inch TFTdash. Ittakesthingsfurtherthough, as the app will alsoallowyoutotweakthebike’s settingsremotely. It’llthenmakethe changes when youconnectyourphone upusingthebike’sin-built Wi-Fi. Cleverstuff.

Its namemightbealittlemisleading,andit’smuch morelikely to be at home onthetwisties thanthe trails, butthere’s stillanawfullotto likeabout the newEnduroVeloce. It’sanexpensive bitofkit,but with MV’s attentionto detailand focusonthe finer things,there’slittledoubtthatit’sgoing to be wellput-together,funto ride,andaseriouslystylish new option in theincreasingly crowded adventure bike market. We’ve managed to snaga rideonone ahead of itsexpectedarrivalon British shoresthis June, so keepyoureyes peeled if you wantthe fulllowdown.

TOP PICKS

NEXXX.WED3 ADVENTUREHELMET

From£329.99/ www.nexx-helmet.co.uk

We reallylikethelookofthelatest helmetsfromNEXX.Onethat’s caughtoureyeistheX.WED3.A realtwo-in-one,itconvertsfrom anoff-road/adventurehelmetto afull-facestreetriding lidwithout anytools,offeringunbeatable value.It retailsfromjust£329.99 with amulti-compositefibreshell and£509.99infullcarbon.

ALPINESTARSMO.ST.

EQFIELD WATERPROOF PRIMALOFTJACKET

£479.99/www.eu.alpinestars.com

TheMotoStreetwearEquipmentField jacketfromAstarsis aproperlycoolbitof kit.Firstly,it’sproperstylishandwouldn’t lookoutofplaceoutonthetown –but it’sactually averycapablemulti-season waterproofnumberwitharemovable Primaloftthermalvest, whichworksas itsownsharp-lookingbomber.There’s plentyofprotection,too,withCELevel1 ratedNucleonFlexPlusarmourwhichis externally removableatthe elbows.Nice.

DEUSEXMACHINA

TEES

£45.00/ www.urbanrider.co.uk

DeusExMachinaknowwhat they’redoingwhenitcomesto creatingseriously=stylishcasual gearforbikers.There’sbagsof stufftochoosefrom,butour eye’sbeencaughtbytherange ofteescurrentlyonsalefrom thegoodfolksoveratUrban Rider.Thebaseis atop-quality 150gmOrganicCombedCotton Jersey –andthen Deussticka brilliantbiker-themeddesignon thefrontorback(orsometimes both). Wellworth alook.

AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES

MTRVINTAGE MXEVO

MTRhas launchedthree new crash helmets for2024,and oneofthem’s asuper-cool classicMXstylelid.Those classiclooks come with ashell constructedof lightweight fibreglass anditmeetsthe latest ECE22.06 safetystandards. You’ve gota removablepeakattached by threemetal pressstuds (takes usback); atabatthe rearof thehelmettokeepgoggle straps in place;comfort lining; chin andforehead ventilation; andadoubleD-ringfastening strap. www.louis-moto.co.uk

Knox’sflagshipHandroid gloveshavealways hadan excellent reputation. Andnow theyannouncedthatthe fifth generation’supforgrabs. saward-winningdesign mainslargelythe same, withtheall-important ScaphoidProtection System

thecentrepiece.There’sexo skeleton fingerspines which helplookafterthetopsof yourfingersshouldtheworst happen andyouend up coming acropper;and there’s thebrilliantBoaclosingsystem to helpyougettheperfectfit, too.

OXFORDFARINDONJACKET

TheFaringdon jacketfeaturesa water-resistant andwindproof construction,CE level 1protectors at theshoulders and elbows,anda removablejersey hood –itseems like agoodspring/ summer jacket tous! Thejersey hoodcan befully removedvia apressstudfastening and azip guardplacket protectstank paintwork. It hasplentyofstorage (pockets toyou andme)andadjustability/comfort viathe zippedcuff expanderand shoulder expansion gussets. www.oxfordriderwear.com

LS2 FENG GLOVES

HelmetmanufacturerLS2hasintroduced asportridingglove. Madefrom full-grain cowhide andgoatskin, theyclaim tooffer bigprotection.They feature carbon-fibre armouronthe knuckles andfingers,aswell as thepalm,which also benefitsfrom ‘Superfabric’ reinforcementfor addedabrasion resistance. TPU protectorsonthe wristandmetacarpals provide further shielding. www.ls2helmets.com

DUKELEGENDSTEES

We love these!Thepeople behind those topDVDsandBlu-Raysalsogive us some toptees! These representlegendary bikes, ridersand events.These include:Barry Sheene,Jarno Saarinen, MikeHailwood andSteve Hislop,through bikessuchas the BrittenandTriumphSlipperySam,as wellascelebratingthe1992SeniorTT between SteveHislop andCarlFogarty. Grand! www.dukevideo.com

£99 9

THEBIKESHEDMOTOSHOW

We reckonBikeShed’s annualcustom showmightbejustaboutoneofthe coolestthingsonthemotorcycling calendar.

Thelongstandingevent’srunbythegood folksoveratthesuper-slickBikeShedin Shoreditch,butfor afew daysinMaythey takeoverthehistoric TobaccoDockdown the road,withtheiruniquemixofstyleconsciousmotorcyclingbrilliance.

RunningfromFriday,May24to Sunday, May26,visitorswillbespoiltforchoice

MAY24-26

acrosstheweekend,with500exhibitors; 300 custombikes;ninebars; fivelive bands;19foodanddrinkvendors;five barbers;and16tattoo artists. That’s notall –there’reeight'ShedTalks', too, withsome toppeople talkingshopinfront of thegatheredcrowds.

Sounds good,right? And we’re alsofans ofthetheme forthisyear's showtoo. It’s 'CommonGround'; withthemessage being toleaveyourdifferencesatthedoor andcome togethertoenjoymotorcycles withgreatfood,drink, shoppingand entertainment.Nice. There’sstilltimetosnagyourself asetof advanceticketsand get in ontheactionfor theweekend. Ifyouwanttoknow more, checkout theshowwebsiteat www.bikeshedlondonshow.com

Q&A

Ourspecialistmotoringsolicitor

AndrewPrendergastguides readersthroughtheir legaltrialsandtroubles

Q

Nowthat spring hassprung, IthoughtI woulddrag my trusty CB1000R outofthe shedandhead outoverthemoorstograb someairand soakupthe sunshine. Unfortunately, Idid getafacefullof ‘spring’, quiteliterally,as Igotsmackedoffmy bike by an old bedmattress. Youcouldn’tscriptit!

Ihad beenfollowing abatteredTransit flatbed vanfor acoupleofmiles.Itlookedlikeithad just done ahouse clearance,asitwasfullofall sorts, whenthe wind caught it,and flipped the mattressoffthe back,straightintomyface.

I’mabig ladand went down likea sack of potatoes.Mymatewho wasbehindreckoned Ilookedlikethehippofromthe silent night advert lyingnexttothe mattressafterwards. Haha.Theb#stard!Anyway,theTransit driver just trundledoffdownthe roadoblivious. Thankfully, my mategothis registration number,and Igothisaddressandinsurance detailsfromthe Police.However,other thanthat, the Policedon’t want to knowand won’thelpme getcompensationfor my brokenarmandtrashedkit.I’mthinking of suingthe Policefornegligence.What do you think?

AThe hippocommentmademe chuckle. I’mgladyou’vekept your senseofhumour. Regardingthe issues,thatdoesseempretty poorbythe Police as youhavethe registration numberand have youand your mate who will giveevidenceofthe Transit driverdrivingwithan ‘unsecured load.’Isee no reason whythe Transit drivershouldn’t be prosecuted forthat.Asfor suingsomeone,it’snotthe Police youshouldbe aimingfor,butthe Transit driverandhis insurer.It should be astraightforward case,i.e.ifthe mattress hadbeensecured properly,itwouldn’thavefallen off,wiped youout and caused youtosustain personal injury andloss. Youwillwin.Iwould just addthat if you’reunhappy withthe Police,you canraiseacomplaintwith them,irrespective of bringingaclaim againstthe Transit driver.

QMy wife waskilledjustovertwo yearsago whilstshe wasovertakingalineof stationary traffic.Longstory short, somelittlescrotepulled outofthelineinhis car, side-swiped herintoa wallandleftthe scene. Apparently,he‘panicked’ and was‘very sorry’,butit wasn’thisfault,but my ‘speeding’ wife.I’vejustsat through atwoweektrialinthecriminalcourtand the Jury has

just foundhim notguilty of causingdeath by careless driving. Iwaspinningall my hopeson this case and forbringingaclaimfor meand my twoyoung daughters.Mywife wasthe brainsin ourhouse and the main‘breadwinner’sowe arestrugglingfinancially. The Policeand CPS apologised forthe outcomebut saidthe Jury has madeitsdecisionandthat’s it.TheCPS barrister said Inow need to speaktoanother type of lawyer.Acivil lawyer as the carwasinsured or something!?Can youhelpexplain things? I’m reallyconfused.Iamdevastatedanddon’tknow whichway to turn.

AIamverysorry foryourloss. Having representedagreat deal of bereaved families overtheyears,notonlyisthe lossofa lovedone utterly devastating, butalsoyou then have to deal withthelegal system,which canbevery slow and confusing.Toassist, in simple terms, thePolice’sjob wastogatherthe evidence and theCrown Prosecution Service(CPS) then presentedthatevidence, on behalf of the State, againstthe cardriverinthecriminal court. The cardriverwill have thendefendedthe case and managedtoraise‘reasonabledoubt’that he was

The MB legalcolumniscompiled bymanagingpartnerAndrew‘Chef’ Prendergastandhis bike-riding barristers andsolicitorsatWhite DaltonMotorcycle Solicitors. Thefirm deals with personalinjuryclaims anditssistercompany,Motor Defence Solicitors,dealswith all the motoring offences. White Daltonlawyers havea vastknowledge of bike law,andthey have full bike licences,too.They don’tactfor insurancecompaniesor the prosecution. White DaltonisBritain’spremier specialist motorcyclelawpractice,andifits professionals don’tknowtheanswer

notdrivingwithout due care andattention,and theJuryfoundhimnot guiltyinthecriminal court. Thatisthe endof thecriminalcase. Why theCPS barristerhas recommendedyou speak to acivil lawyer is becausedespitethe not guilty verdict, youmay be able to bringaclaimin thecivil court(thisisdifferenttothecriminal court)forcompensationfollowing thedeath of your wife.Thelegal test inthe civilcourt is lower, so if youcan ‘prove on thebalance of probabilities’ thecar driver wasnegligent, in full, or even in part,you will be able to recover some compensationfromhim/his carinsurer. However, thesecases canbecomplicated with regardstoboth liability andworking outtheir value, so youdoneed to speaktoaspecialist solicitor ASAP.Isay this becauseunderthe law you onlyhavethree yearsfromthe date of the accidenttohaveeither settledyourclaim or to have issued Courtproceedings.Bearing in mind theaccidenthappened‘just over twoyears ago’, you donot have longtoget legaladviceandget yourcaseinorder if youare able to settle this,or if you have to issueCourt proceedings.Icannot stress enoughthatyou shouldnotdelay in finding asolicitoras time is of theessence.

to your question,there probablyisn’t one.Don’t rely on the advicefrom your insurance-appointedsolicitor,getproper independentadvice.

For road trafficoffences,calltheMotor Defencesolicitorson0800280 0912. Fornon-offencecases,call WhiteDaltonmotorcyclesolicitors on 08007836191.

If youneedadviceon abiking-relatedlegal questionorquery,emailmail@whitedalton. co.uk. ThebestQ&A willbepublishedin MB,inconfidence,ofcourse.

THE WIN! QUIZ MOREBIKES

We love abitoftriviahereatMoreBikes.No matterwhetherwe’reata pubquizwitha beerinonehandand apencilintheother, orbeingquestionedby ourmateswhen we’restoodaroundat abikenight,there’s somethingaboutknowingtheanswertoan unexpectedquestionthatgivesusa nice fuzzyfeelinginside.Andifwedon’tknow, thenthere’sagoodchancewemightlearn something.That’swhywe’vedecidedto introduce aregularquizsectionsponsored byourgoodpalsatFowlers(who’llbe supplyingtheprizes).

We’llbeaskingyou questionsaboutall

It’stime togetout yourpens andpencilsandput yourgrey mattertothetest

manneroftwo-wheeledstuff,pushingyour memoriestothelimitand askingyou to digdeep totryand rememberall kindsof strangestufffromright across the biking spectrum.It’s achancefor youtoshowoff yourinfinitewisdomandbeinwith ashot ofbaggingsome coolprizes.

All you’vegot to do isjotdownthe answersonthe entryformbelow,andsend itinusingthedetailsprovided.We’ll then pickthewinnerfroman upturnedhelmet crammedwithcorrectanswers,andthat personwill besent abrand-newbitofkit that’llhelp themstaysafe outonthe road.

WhenwasYamaha’s MT-09first released?

Husqvarna’spairof401sare builtfrom thebonesofwhichbike?

FromwhichbikehasDucatinickedpart oftheengine forits newHypermotard?

Whendidracingfirsttakeplaceat CadwellPark?

Namethefamousroad thatcuts throughtheBlackForestinGermany

There’sonly onewayto getthebest outofyour bike(andyour kit).Lookafter it properly. Thatmeans cleaning, treatingand maintaining iton aregularbasis. You’ll needsomelotionsand potions to do it right though,whichis whywe’ve joinedforceswiththe goodfolksat S100to offer the chancetowin amega motorcycle carebundle worth £100. TheGermanfirm knowswhat it’s doing whenitcomes tomotorcycle care.It’sbeenaroundsince 1980,and intheintervening yearshas won100 awardsfor itsqualityproducts. We’ve put together abundle ofthebestof them;with aboxful of itsmost popular cleaningproductsforyourbike, helmet andriding kit.Formoreinformationvisit: www.thekeycollection.co.uk

WhatdoesIPSGAstandfor?

Howmuchpower does Harley’s SportsterS kickout? 2 5 8 3 9 6 1 10 4 7 LAST MONTH:

Nametheiconic framedesignfeatured in Yamaha’s pioneeringTDM850

Which Italianfirm hasjustreleaseda triple-poweredadventurebike?

Wherewasthe firstroundofthisyear’s BritishSuperbikeChampionship held?

Yamaha TénéréWorldRaid

Dave Manning/7459miles /£11,910

Iusedtothinkthat thelowaverage mileageclockedupbysomany Britishriderswasjustdowntothe factthattheyweren’tusingtheir bikesonthedailycommuteto work. And,fouryearsago,thesituation changedquitedrasticallyformany ofus,withworkingfromhome becomingthe normratherthanan occasionalbonus.Despitethat,the lastmonthhasseenmoremiles piledintothe YamahathanIhad expected.

Ihadn’tthought I’dactually done thatmuch,until Itottedthemup forthisarticle,butbearinginmind thatthetimesthat Ihadusedthe bike,only acouplewere the24-mile roundtriptotheoffice,andevery otheroutingsawatleast100miles covered.Addin ablast downto Heathrow(mostdefinitelythemost bike-friendlyofalltheUKairports, withfreemotorcycleparking),and allof asuddenmydailyaverage washigherthanifI’dbeenintothe officeeachandeverydaythrough March…

Thatalsomeans Ihave,finally,had toadjustthechain;noticingthat thegearchangewasbecominga littlelessprecise,butgiventhatI’d clockedupinexcessoftwo-anda-halfthousand milesoverwinter it’sperhapsfairtosaythatI’dleft it abitlatetogetthespanners

out,despite regularlubing…the flip-sideofthatisthatadjusting thechainisconventionallyeasy. Nothingintheway of oversizednuts orspindlehexes,andeasy-peasy wheeladjusters only needing apair ofspanners.Muchbetterthanthe wheeladjustment on some other bikes,particularlya certainItalian adventurebike…

I’dknownthatthetyreshadbeen heading towardsthepointatwhich they’dneedtobechanged,butthe closerproximitythat Igainedwhile adjustingthechainjust reinforced thatknowledge.Whilestilllegal, thePirellisweregetting reallyclose tothewearmarkers,and Ihad areturn tripto Heathrowon the cards.They’dbefineforthat,but the260-mile roundtripwouldbe suretogetthe rearveryclosetothe pointthatI’dwantittobechanged assoonaspossible.Andthatis whereIgettowiththis report,with thebig Yamnow parkedinthework lock-upawaitingeither anewpair ofshoesor areturntoitsmaker. Butit’sworthnotingthat,asfaras Iam aware,thetyres on the Ténéré are theoriginals,andway over7000 milesfrom arearis,inmymind, perfectlyacceptable!

Andwhile Ihave anewlong-termer waitinginthewings,the WorldRaid isn’tfinishedwithjustyet…

SuzukiGSX-8S

It’stimetobida fondfarewelltothe fabulousSuzukiGSX-8S –abikewhich provedtobefarmorethanthesumofits parts on thespecsheet.

Abudget776ccparalleltwindidn’t exactlygetmeexcited,somyexpectations werelow when Icollectedthe 8S. Butthat wassoontochange. Thefirstthingthat struckmewashowcool thebikelooked. Colour-matchedwheels,allsharpangles andfunkyaggression;itcertainlydidn’t looklike abudgetcommuterbike.

I’veneverbeen afan ofparalleltwins; they’reusuallyassociatedwithprettydull bikesandtheyusuallysound flat and plodding,butthecleverengine design onthe8Smeansitfeelsmore likea V-twinthan aparalleltwin.In afirstfor productionmotorcycles,the 776cc,DOHC, 270-degreecrank,paralleltwinengine hastwinbalancershafts,positionedat90 degreestothecrankshaft(paralleltwins usuallyhave asinglebalancershaft), andthe resultis asuper-smoothengine, withmost of theprimaryandsecondary vibrationscancelled out.

Handling is superb,too.Thebikeislight (169kgdry);thechassisiswellbalanced; thebrakesaregreat;andthesuspension isjusttherightside of firmonsmoothA roads,althoughitdoeskickyourbackside onbumpier Broads.

Infact,the8Shandlessowellthat, when ItookittoSuzukiLiveatCadwell Park,topriders like SteveParrish,John Reynoldsand Taylor Mackenzieall admittedtohavingmore funonthelittle

Suzukithanonanyotherbikethey rode thatday.Ithadjusttherightbalanceof weightandpowertobeanabsolutehoot, especiallyon atight andtwistytracklike CadwellPark.

Butthe8Sis no one-trickpony. Byfitting anofficial Suzukisoftsidecaseset(£315 plus£57.43formounting brackets),anda smalltank bag(£104 plus£36.68fortank ring) IturnedthesportylittleGSXintoa perfectlycompetenttourerandheaded forScotland. Apartfromwindblaston extendedmotorwayruns, Iwasperfectly comfortabledoingsomeseriousmiles onthebike,anditseemedjustas happy doingthem.

Reliabilityhasbeensuperb,too.Theonly problem Isufferedwiththebikeallyear wasingetting apuncture,butthatwas hardlythebike’sfaultand,when Ireplaced theoriginalDunlopSportmaxRoadsport2 tyreswithBridgestone’snewBattlaxT32 Sport Touringtyres,thewiderfootprint andheaviertreadsgavemeevenmore confidenceaswintersetit.

I’vespent ayearlookingforfaultsonthe 8Sbutneverdid find asignificantone.It reallyisoneofthemostfunbikesI’veever riddenand,despiteitsbudgetprice,it proveditselfcapableoftrackwork,touring, andeverydayriding –somethingIwould neverhaveexpectedfromjustlookingat the figuresonthespecsheet.So,don’t believethe numbersanddon’t be apower snoblikeme!Book atestridebefore judgingthislittlegemof amotorcycle.I guaranteeyou’llbesurprised.

Stuart Barker /3282miles /£7999

NUTS

Yamaha’sMT-09is aspecialbike.Itsbigtorque,big wheelies,and apractical,comfyridingpositionhave helpedsellthedreamtothe massesin awaythefactorycouldhaveprobablyneverimagined. Adecadeandover200,000bikes later, there’sanewfourth generationonthecards.

WORDS: BruceWilson PHOTOS: ANT Productions andJonathanGodin

Yamaha MT-09

TheMT’smovedonwith anew face, projectorheadlightsandsplitpillion andriderseats,mountedonanew rearsubframethat’salsonarrower. The ergonomicshave been tweakedtoo,with lowerbarsandmorerearwardpegsin abidtogivethebike asportierfeeland moreconnectionwiththefrontend. What’slessobvioustoseearethe differencesmadetotheframe aroundthe headstock,orthenewenginemounting bracketsthatcombine togetherto inducemoreagilityandstability,while areductioninthecasteranglefrom25 degreesto24.7has also happened. To eggthehandlingonfurther,thefullyadjustableKYBforkshavebeenmadea littlefirmer,whilethe rear’s beensoftened andkittedwith anewlinkage.There’s also afancynewfive-inchTFTdashthat brings awholenewleveloftechnology andinteractiontothe Yamaha.It also allowsforthegovernanceoffiverider modes(includingtwocustomisable maps),plusalterablepowermaps, wheeliecontrol,slidecontrol,engine brakingandtractioncontrol.Cruise controlisalsostandard,andtheselfcancellingindicatorsnowhavewhat’s bestdescribedassoft-touch,paddle shifters.Andthenthere’s Yamaha’s latest-generationmulti-directionalshifter andblipper,thatallowsfordownchangeswhileyou’reonthethrottleand upshiftswhileyou’reslowingdown… shouldyoufeeltheurge.

Yougetthepoint:there’rea lotof tweakstotheMT,thoughthe engineis

FastBikesknowtheir way around asetof twisties on anaked,so iftheysay thelatest MT’s good –itmust bemega. Ifyouwant to checkoutthefull lowdown(andseesome seriouslyimpressive wheelies),thenbag yourselfacopy now. Scanthe code, tapin yourdetails and it’llbe onthewaysharpish.

largely as youwere, withthe only real tweakbeingtothe airboxand induction, thankstonewvelocitystacks(two insteadofthree). It’sall good stuffbut havingtaken allthisinduringthemodel’s presentation,the only thing on mymind wasjusthowwellitwould wheelie.

It’s beena whilesinceI’dlastriddenan MT-09,which is anotherway of sayingI’d forgotten justhowgenius theCP3triple motoris.Thetorqueon tapistantalising, makinggeneralriding adoddle regardless ofwhatgearyou’reinorwhat revsyou’reat. But if youwant to get the bestof thisbeast, the punchonofferat about3000-4000rpminsecondand third gearis insane andmakes wheelie-pulling child’s play.

TheMTwaseverybitasplayfulasI hoped,anditwasalsomuchsmoother, too.Throughoutthe years,andespecially ontheearlier models,thethrottlepickuponthe Yamaha wasnothingshort of brutal…butthat’sa thingofthe past. Even with the powersettinginitsmost potentofthreemaps, gettingonthegas wassilky-smooth, and thatgenuinely caughtmebysurprise. Thespreadof powerissomething towritehomeabout, too,offering grunt andexcitementup toitspeakat10,000rpm. But whatelse wouldyouexpectform atriple with 93Nm oftorque ontap?

Tackling thenadgery, winding roads we wereon, the engineprovedanabsolute weapon,aidedby theslickshifterand blipperand theunderstandingslipper clutchthatallowedformulti-gear

BUYING USED

TriumphSpeed Triple 955i

1997-2004/ £1500-£3000

Triumph’s Daytona-derived Speed Tripleisswiftly on its wayto modernclassic status. Thesecond-generation Hinckley-builtbeast helped putthe firm backonthemap, andit’seasyto see why. It’s abrilliantbike,andthattriple motor’sajoy.Youcanget amintlow-mileage onefor £3000. Mega.

KTM 990Super Duke

2005-2013/ £3000-£5500

downshiftswithoutthe rear endlocking orhopping.The brakesweregood, too, withmorefeelthanmosttypical Yams throughthe newBremboradialmaster cylinder, which gavemetheconfidence to plough deepintocorners. Featuring arelativelyshortwheelbase andsub-200 kilo wet weight,the figures suggestedthisthingwouldbepretty lithe,anditdidn’tdisappoint.It wasalso surprisinglystable,holding aline when put onitsear,withgood feelthrough thepogosateitherend. Yamaha says it reworked thefront forkstooffer more feelthrough theforks,but Inever had anissueonthe old bike.The rear shock alsogotfettled,butmaybenot enough formy liking. If Iwerebeing critical, thesetupwassimplytoo soft for properenthusiasticriding.Upagainst it fortime, Ididn’t havechancetogo fiddlingwiththeadjusters,but more compressionandaddedpreload would havebeenthe first of my tweaks.And I’dhave firmed thefrontup. While the bikefeltprettyplushandwell-connected tothe ground, itjustseemed to losea bit ofcomposure whenbeing givena thoroughworkout. Messingaround complete, withour holidaypics inthe bag, the rideback toourhotel wasprettyhilarious, with eachof uskeento getourfill of daftness whilewestillhadthe chance.That’sjust whatthisbikemakesyou do,sobuyer beware.But knowthis:with oneofthese in yourarsenal,chanceisyourlife will only bebettered.

KTM’sDuke’sactually been about in oneformorother for 30 years. That’simpressive. Oneofthe favourites ofthe past threedecades is the unsurprisingly bonkers990 SuperDuke– which was thefirstgeneration ofthe factory’sfire-breathing larger capacity Dukes. Brembo brakes, WP springsanda feisty 120bhp V-twinmotor. What’s nottolike?

Yamaha MT-09

2013-2020/ £3500-£6000

It’d be rude nottothrowthe original MTinto themix.It’s been awhopping successfor Yamahasince itsintroduction in 2014,and is nowthebestselling motorcycle in thefirm’s range. It’saversatilebit ofkit; popular withcommutersand stunt ridersalike, butit’satits best whenyouget itsrabid 115bhp,850cc inline-triple motor singing.

SINGLE

Ducatisurprisedusallwiththebig revealof its firstmass-productionsinglemotor –whichhas beensqueezedintothelatestgenerationofits bonkers,but brilliant,Hypermotard.

WORDS: BruceWilson PHOTOS: Ducati/Alexphoto

DucatiHypermotard698 Mono

Fouryearsago,someoneatthefactory reckonedtheycouldcreateapowerfuland playfulmotorbysevering acylinderfrom itsnow-defunctPanigale1299powerplant. Theprincipleprovedsound,and before itknewit,Ducatifounditselfinunknown territory,sportingaproduction-based single-cylinderinitsrange for thefirsttime ever.Andnotjustanysingle-cylinder, but onewithmagnesium casings, anoversquare racing piston, andanaluminium cylindersleevedesignedand builtforthe second-generationSuperleggera.

It’s onethinghaving atastymotor,but thenextchallengewascomingupwitha chassistodoitjustice.Thesolution was foundintheshapeof atubularsteel,trellis option,usingtheengineas astressed member.Italsodefied conventionfor typicalsupermoto-typemachines by givingtheHyper amorerelaxed,less MXstyleforkangle;thoughitdoesget some typicallongtravelsuspensionatboththe frontand rear.

There’saraftofelectronics,too.Four ridermodes,fourlevelsofABS,fourlevels ofwheeliecontrol, adjustableengine braking,andevenlaunchcontrolare someofthemaintalkingpoints;butit wasDucati’snewslide-by-brakesystem that reallycapturedmyimagination. Supposedlymaking itimpossible to highsideinto abend, thetechlinks the frontbrake, rearbrake,six-axisIMUanda fewothersystemstoallowtheusertoget the rearwheelwagging.

Thecharacterfulenginedidn’t takelong towinmeover,deliveringagood punch outofbendsand aludicrousnumberof revs,too,meaninggearscouldbeheldfor muchlongerthananticipated.

Thebikefeltniceandlightandeasy topitcharound,butletmebehonest… wewereallridingsoslowlyduetothe mingingconditionsthatthefirstthree sessionstaughtuslittlemorethansurvival techniques. Iwashalfexpectingto have worn solidthroughmy bootsbylunchtime, butluckilytherewas alittle left onthesole, so Iwasable to play onthenowalmost dry trackthat afternoon.

To spicethingsup,Ducatiexchangedour basebikesforthefancierRVEmachines, whichcostabout£900 moreand come kittedwith adifferent paintjob, plusanupand-downshifter. And,they’dalso been fittedwith afullTermignoniracesystem (one-in-to-two…costing£2000)thatnot onlyboostedpowerbyabout10bhp,but alsosaved roughly6kgfromtheweightof

MINGLE

LE INGLE

theHyper.Lastbut notleast, tokeep us onoursliders, the rubber waschanged toPirellislicks,meaningwe’dhave no excusefor leananglesas we got stuck intothe afternoon’strioofsessions. It didn’ttakelongforthe geniusofthe Ducatitostartshining.Thethingthathit me firstwas howagile thisbikewas,being abletothrowitonitsside soeffortlessly, and withthe reassurance of afront end thatfeltheaven-sent. Youonlyhad tothink where youwantedthe Hyper toheadand in an instant itwasonthe rightpath. Fora bikewithmorethan200mm of travelateither end, itwasmad tothink howstablethebikewas,withmy only gripebeingthe occasionalbitofpumping fromthe rearshockwhenfiring outofa bendatfull lean.

Ididgetthe chancetomessaboutwith the electronics though, andgavemybest go atmakinguse ofthe slide-by-brake system. Inever usuallytouch the rear brakesonroadbikes, sotheprocess of braking into acornerhardwiththefront anchorwhilestompingonthe rearand somehowsearchingoutanapexproved alittlechallenging. Icould seethatthe systemworked,especiallyhavingbeen given amasterclass initsfunctionalityby Ducati’s headof productcommunications, Giullio Fabbri,but Ijustcouldn’t getit right.Irealised Icouldbe awholelot faster,moreaccurate, andcontentby ridingitlike asportsbike,brakingpurely withtheimpressive,single-sidedBrembo frontcaliperandmakingmydesiredline everytime.Some peopleareblessedwith thetalents forsupermoto, butI’m notone ofthem.

Nomatter though.Perched on its massiveseat,grippingits widebars,I had apermanent grinon mycheesyfaceasI twistedthefun-tube and indulged inthe joys ofthe single-cylinder. Atcirca70bhp (withthe system fitted), theHyperwas hardly arm-wrenchingly fast,butaround thattrackitmadeperfectsenseand was morethanquick enough. What’smore, the characterof the engine wassoenticing. Downlow, itgave arealpunchat the initialpick-upand neverfailedto deliver acrossed-up wheelie with apopof the clutch.

I’dbeenworried theDucatiwould’ve beentoo focused or gimmicky,butthat simplywasn’tthe case.And whilethe juryis stilloutasfaras roadridinggoes, Idaresay thatyou’d stomachits lackof comfortforthejoysit brings.

This bike lookslikean absoluteblast, don’t youthink? Thelaunch might’vebeenplagued bysomepoor weather, buttheboysfrom Fast Bikesstillhadabrilliant time gettingtoknowthe tricknewHypermotard Mono.If youwant to properlyget underits skin,scanthecodeand getyourselfacopyof themagonorder.

BUYING USED

KTM 690 Supermoto

2007-2011/ £3000-£6500

KTM knowswhat it’s doing when it comestobuilding feistyandfunbikesthat’ll plaster asmileacross your face.It’sprettymuchtheir wholething. Andthe690 Supermotoistheperfect example ofthatethos.Fora whileitwasthebest roadgoingSupermotobikeon themarket –whichmeans it still remainsa great buy even if there’replentymoreto choosefrom nowadays.

HusqvarnaSM610

1998-2010/ £2500-£5000

Husky’sSM610hasa solid reputationas a‘real’ supermoto for theroad–andfor awhile in the90s and2000s it’s whatthey did best, with SMsaccounting forsomething like40% of sales. As aresult,there are afairfewvariantstochoose fromacrossthe610s’ 12-year production run.They’renot all winners,andalateronefrom when BMWtookover would be thebest betfor reliability.

CCM 644DUAL SPORT

2002-2008/ £1500-£3000

We’reprettypartialtoanold

CCM.The Bolton-based firm seemedtoget alotright,and the644 DualSport hasplenty goingfor it.It’sbasically aSuzuki single-powered thumperthatcanturn its attention fromthelanesto theroadwith aquickswap ofwheels. Withnot manyup forsale, if yousee oneforthe rightprice, just get it.

Husqvarna SvartpilenandVitpilen401

KTM’sDuke has rightlyearneditsplace inthehallowedhallsoftheNakedBike HallofFame.Therangecontinues to sell exceptionallywelltodiscerningbikers ofallshapesandsizes,fromfresh-faced learnerswho’vejustpassed their teststo super-experienced fastlads(andlasses) whoare temptedbythebonkerspower andupright, roomyride.

AndwithHuskyowned by thesame parentcompany(Pierer),itmakessense thatthey’dusethatwinningplatform forthemselves.Andthat’s exactlywhat they’vedone –buildingontheAustrian 390and125 basetoupdateandcreate twouniquemodels:theSvartpilenand Vitpilen.

Thereare actually afairfew similaritiesbetweenthetwonewest

Huskys.Morethan therewasbefore. Previously,theVitpilenwas muchmore focused, withasportier ridingposition. Butthat’sbeenchangedfor2024–andnowthey’re muchmoreclosely matched.

Awayfrom afewchoiceaccessories (namely areargrabrail, tankrack,skid plateandslightlymoreuprightbarsfor theSvartpilen), thebig differencesare the wheelsand tyres.ThescramblerstyleSvartpilengets asetofspoked 17”wheelswithPirelli ScorpionRally STRrubber,andtheVitpilengets some cast17”wheelsfitted withMichelin Power 6hoops.

Iknowthe oldmodelpretty well, having ranaVitpilen401as alongterm testbikewhenit firstarrivedon

thescene.And Iknowthe old motor pretty well,too,spending agoodfew months runningaroundon aKTM390 Adventure.It wasa lovely thing, tractable and rewardingto getthemostoutof. There’sanall-newenginefor2024 though –a more powerful399cc,45hp, single-cylindernumber.That’snotthe only change,as there’s anewframeand swingarm(whichcontributesto alower 820mmseatheight); updatedadjustable suspension (whichis offsetat therear); anewTFTdash;ridermodes;cornering ABS;switchable tractioncontrol;a quickshifterasstandard; andadominant newfrontheadlight.They’reover 90% different tothe outgoingmodels,which is aprettyseriousoverhaul in anyone’s books.Theonly thing that’snot really

changedisthe ByBre brakes.They’ve movedsidesbut arethe sameas before. It was abit of agrimstartinMalaga; headingalong theinfamous Ronda roadwewerebatteredbythe wind andrain.It’snot been idealfor seeing whattheHuskysaremadeof, but it didhighlightthatthey’recomfortable (still alittlecompact,butbiggerthan before)andcapable of beingfairly docile when necessary.They’dmake great commuters.It’d have been nice if the aftermarketheatedgrips werefitted though… Youcantelltheywanttogothough, even ifit tookus until theend ofthe daytoget achanceto reallyopenthem up.Sometightertwisties up in thehills helpedto highlight howagile, light and

Followingonswiftly from thelaunchofthevery closely-related KTM390Duke, Husqvarnaaskedustoflysouthand throwa leg over theirupdatedpairoffunkyroadsters

flickabletheyare,anda fast,flowing stretchofbendsback to ourdigsfor thenightprovedthatthey’restable at speed,too.

Iwasimpressedwiththetyres,too. They had ahardjobthismorning,but theMichelinPower6sontheVitpilen andPirelliScorpionRallySTRson theSvartpilenprovided reliablegrip throughout. Ifeltmoreconfidentinthe Pirellisintherain –brakinglater and pushingharder.Butthedry-ish roads were perfectfortheVitpilen’sMichelins. TheByBrebrakesaregood,too. They’rereassuringlycapable, with plentyoffeeland plentyofbite,and evenonsopping-wet,slippery roads theCornering ABSand TractionControl weren’tcalledintoaction.That’s right; there’sarespectablesuiteofelectronics

to playwith,with roadandrainrider modes,switchable tractioncontrol, and SupermotoABS(whichallows youto gofullteenagehooliganandlock upthe backwheelon command). They’re easy to navigate,too,using anicenewTFT dashwhich hasthesamesoftwareas thetop-specNorden901.

Thesuspensionworkswelland offers plenty ofadjustment. ThefunkyoffcentreWPrearshock has rebound andpreloadadjustment,whilethe WP Apex43mmopen cartridge forkshave compressionand rebound adjustment. AndHusqvarnahavemadeiteasy to do,withjust five clicksbetweensoftand hard.There’s adialfor reboundon the rightleg,adial forcompression onthe left leg,andyouonly need aflathead screwdriver tofine-tunethe rear.

Themotor’sgreat. It’sprobably oneofthebest things about these two bikes. Theold 401/390 motor surprisedmewithjust how capable it wasofgatheringspeed,and thenew onecarrieson that tradition.Itlikes to be revvedand it’ll pick up quickly, cruiseatmotorwayspeedsand top outinexcessof100mph.Froma 399ccmotor,that’simpressive. You’d probablyexpect asingleto be fairly vibey,andalthough there’salittlebit throughthepegsandmirrors, it’s not intrusive.

There’sanawfullottolikeabout the twonewA2-legal Huskys. They look sharp,goverywell,are remarkablywell equippedfor‘smallbikes’and at £5599 aremarginallycheaperthan themuchlovedKTM390Duke.

BUYING USED

KTM 390Duke

2013-2016/ £2000-£4500

The‘baby’Dukecleaned up when it was first released; offeringplentyofpoiseand performancetokeepfledgling ridersentertained. Nowadays, there’sabit moretogoatif you’reafter anakedtokeep you goinguntil you passyour full test.The earlyonestill remainsa greatoption,and isn’t allthatfaroffthenewest version(asidefromafew additionalelectronic goodies). Well worth alook.

FanticCaballero 500Scrambler

2019-on/ £4000-£7000

Ifyouwant the proper inside line on thispukka pairofA2licencelegal Husqvarnas,snag yourself acopy ofMSL. There’splentymore good stufftogetstuck into,too,with reviews of Yamaha’s MT-09, KTM’s 990Duke,andNorton’s newCommando,and threemega routes that’ll haveyougaggingtoget outonthe road.

Time forsomething completely different.The Caballero’sastylish, stripped-back, single-cylinder 70s-inspiredscrambler. What’s nottolike?Itmight have aChinese-builtmotor, butdon’tknock it untilyou tryit. It’sapeach.This thing’s still prettynew,soyouwon’t exactly baga‘bargain’–though hunting outanearly modelwill seeyou getting change from£5000.

RoyalEnfield Scram411

2022-on/ £2500-£4000

Basicallya tweakedversion ofthemuch-lovedHimalayan, theScram’sacoolbike; basic andbuilt to abudget, but all thebetterfor it.You’llnotbe goinganywhereinahurry, butifyou’recoolwithcruising in style, it could wellbethe bike foryou.Withachangeof distributor in theUK, there’re somecracking dealsto be hadatthe minute.

SuzukiGSX-8R

Asthesaying goes,youshouldnever judge abookbyits cover…ora sportsbikeby itstopyokemounted bars,questionablylongwheelbase,or significantly chunky205 kilos. Isay this havingfallen foulofassuming Suzuki’s newGSX-8R would be abitof aflop. Intheflesh, the8Rlooked decent;full oftech andshiny bits,andthesame donorframeand engineyou’ll findonthe S.That’snotall.There’sthesame rear subframeandseatunit,too,alongsidethe 14-litrefueltank and5-inch colourTFT dash.Butwhat’sitliketoride?

Slowlybuilding paceonthetwistsand turnsofMonteblanco, Iwas quickly remindedofthetorqueofthetwinwhich pumpsout78Nmthroughitslong-stroke powerhouse.Getthegearrightandthis thingwouldpunchimpressivelyoutof thetrack’ssuccessionof secondtothird gearcorners,delivering acredibleamount ofpaceasthethrottlegotpinnedand thestockfitmentshiftergot aworkout. Iimmediatelyfeltprettycomfywiththe motor,thebehaviourofthebike, andthe potencyofthemostaggressive ofthe changeabledrivemodes.

What Iwasn’tsokeenonwas the notableengagementofthetraction control,whichI’dsetto levelone, the leastintrusiveoftheoptions.Ithadto go,andbychoppingthethrottleand tapping acoupleofbuttons,itwassoon outofthepicture.The resultwas afreer, tastiercornerexit,complemented bya strongbutpredictablethrottlepick-up. Mystraightlinespeedincreased,too,from 210km/hto218 downthesuperlongstart straight. Ialsosoonlearnedthattherewas nopoint revvingthenutsoffthisthing.The motor’ssweetspotwasbetween5000 and9000,meaning Ialsohadtoworkhard onmygearselections,quicklylearning that Ioftenneeded torunagearhigher thantheoneselected.

Ihad real reservationsaboutthelocation ofthebars,whichlookandfeelmore akintowhatyou’dfindon asports-tourer thananythingracier. Mythinkingwas thatit’dkeepmywristsandweighttoo

Couldslotting afairing inplace,addingan‘R’ to itsside,and fittingsome firmed-upsuspension transformthestreet-hustlingGSX-8R intoa track-fuelledfiend?

high, robbingmeof the poiseandfront wheel feelI needtotrust andpush abike hard,butthingsweren’thalfasbadas anticipated.Theuprated,non-adjustable Showaunitswereprettytellingand equallyimpressivewasthe agilityofthe Suzuki.Itwasn’thardtochangedirection orhold asolidline.Admittedly,bothends of thebikeweretoo softformyliking, buttherewas naffall Icoulddoabout it,soI just gotonwiththejob, nursingit whereneeded,whileleaning heavilyon thesuper-grippyDunlopSportSmartTTs that’d beenslotted on tothe bikesforour trackantics.

What also impressedmewas the general performance ofthe bike’sbrakes; only ina fewareasdid theABSshowits face,and itwasrelativelyquick to exit thestage, to the extentthatIcouldjustaboutaccept itsprescience. Thereare much,much worsesystems on themarket,including onsome otherSuzukis, Ishouldadd. Withthree 25-minutesessionsinthe bag,thetime came tohitthe road. Within afewmiles, the ergonomicsof the8R began tomakeperfectsense, offeringa chilled,pain-freeridingposition thanks toitslow seatandhigh-setbars.Thelow pegsmeant my knees were well looked after,too,andthebitofprotectionfrom thescreenandfairingsmeant themodel waslight-and-daybetterthanitsnaked siblingintermsofweatherprotection. IfI thoughttheSuzukimadesense ontrack, itwasevenmoreathomeonthe roads. Planted,pokey,andplayful whenasked, Iwas loving life onthismiddleweight maestro,madeallthe comfierbyits roadinclinedsuspension setup.

Itmightnotbea serioustrackweapon, butitmore thanmakesupfor itsflaws withversatility.It’saproperly rounded package,withall-daycomfortand good tech tosweeten the deal. It’s oneofthose bikes youneed togetonandtry,putting asideanypreconceptions...andbydoing so,I daresayyou’ll comebackfeelingjust asimpressedasI wasbythepackage. Because whateverthe8Ris, and however youwant to define it,itjustworks.

WORDS: Bruce Wilson PHOTOS: JamieMorris/JasonCritchell

This sort ofbikeisthe boysfromFastBikes’ breadandbutter. Hooning aroundon trackiswhattheydo best; andover acouple of days theyreallygot undertheskinofthe new8RfromSuzuki. Evenifitwasn’tquite asfocussedas they hoped,theyfoundlots tolike.Bagacopyif youwantthefullscoop.

BUYING USED

TriumphDaytona 675

2006-2008/ £3500-£4500

Withits recentreintroduction into theTriumphrange, it’d be rudenottoinclude the old675.Plentyofpotential puntersaredisappointed withthenew one, precisely because it’s notthe ‘original’. It’saremarkablemotorcycle; silkysmoothandtautwitha bigwhackof power from its triplemotor.Yes,yes,yes.

Yamaha R6

1998-2003/ £2000-£4500

While Yamaha’sR6isno longeravailablefortheroad, havingbeen replaced by the muchmoreroad-focusedR7, it’s stillsuper-easy to bag anoldonewithout spending afortune.This second generationversion’s agood bet; faststeeringandsupercapable on boththetrackor road.Justmakesureyou do yourdue diligencewhenon thehuntforoneasthere’sa chance itmight have gone downatsome point.

HondaCBR 600RR

2003-2006/£3000-£5000

Thelate 90sand early 00s wereasensationaltimeto be into sportsbikes, with bikes fromevery manufacturer offeringsomething slightly differenttoits leather-clad potential punters. Honda’s supersport was abig favourite;superb handing, a15,000rpm redlineand atop-quality finish. Itisa track bike though, so if you wantsomething alittlemore forgivingontheroad you shouldconsider the‘F’.

CUMBRIA CALLING

TheLakesareoneoftheUK’stopdestinationsforbikers,forgood reason!Herearethreecircularrouteswhichtakeinitsmosticonic passes.

William WordsworthdescribedtheLakeDistrictas‘asort of nationalproperty,inwhicheverymanhas arightandaninterest whohasaneyetoperceiveand ahearttoenjoy’.Beyond Wordsworth’shostofgolden daffodilslaymilesofstunning countrysidewithtoweringfellsandexpansivevalleys –and there’remassesofmega roads to enjoy,too.

WHAT’S YOURS?

There’snothingquitelikea bitoflocalknowledgewhen it comestofindingthebest roadsanareahastooffer. If you’vegot atop blastonyour doorstep(andyoudon’t mindsharing), we’dlove tohearfrom you.

Kirkstone Pass

This routebeginsinAmbleside.Onthe A591 north ofthetownandalmostoppositethe uniqueBridge House,turnrightupKirkstoneRoad. Youare soon pasttheoutlyingcottagesofthetownandintothe countrysideastheroad windseverupwards. Turn leftontothe A592 andyou’reonKirkstonePass, theLakeDistrict’shighestpassopentomotor traffic, connectingAmblesidewithPatterdaleand theUllswater Valley.

Continuenorthbound,passingstrikingfellsto yourleftandright,byBrothers Water,toeventually arrivein Patterdale,aroundthesouthernedge ofUllswaterandontoGlenridding,thestarting pointformanyhikers heading up Helvellyn.Now continuealongthewesternedgeofUllswater, pickinguptheA5091 towardsDockray,Matterdale Endand Troutbeck.Herewejointhe A66 fora briefsprinttoThrelkeld,afterwhichwepick up theB5322southwards.JustpastLegburnthwaite attheheadofThirlmerewejointhe A591, which skirtstheeasternedgeofthe reservoir.From Grasmereit’sbackalongtheA591to Ambleside, sweepingpasttheedgeofRydal WatertoBridge House,wherewebeganourdaytrip.

Honister Pass

Thisis afantasticrun,takinginsomeofLakeland’s mostamazingscenery.FromKeswick,headsouth ontheB5289alongtheeasternedgeofDerwent Water.Oncepastthesouthernedgeofthelake, the routeleadsyouintotheBorrowdale Valley alongsidetheRiverDerwenttoyourright. Passing throughRosthwaite,the roadswingsrighttowards thevillageof SeatollerandontoHonister Pass whereyouwillpass undertheshadowofimposing DaleHeadtothe north. Youare nowonHonister Passen routetoButtermere. PassingGatesgarthFarmatthesoutherntip ofButtermere,the roadrunsalongsidethelake toitsnortherntipwherethe villagelies.Carryon northboundalongtheB5289pastCrummock Water.The roadnowrunsthrough Lorton Vale, eventuallycrossingtheA66andintoCockermouth. YoucantaketheWhinlatterPass,B5292, by swinging arightin Lortonbeforeyougettothe A66.ThiswilltakeyoutoBraithwaite,andfrom thereit’sjust aquickhopontheA66toKeswick.

HardknottandWrynose Passes

We begininthe Westernlakesat WasdaleHead. Headalongthelakeside roadtoCinderdaleBridge byNether Wasdale,headingsouthto Santon Bridge.Hereweturnleft,headingeast.Followthe roadthroughBeckfoot,pastDalegarth Stationand overWhahouseBridge.Passingaparkingareaon yourright,youthenrideover acattlegridandon toHardknott Pass. Furtheruptheroad andtoyour leftliestheRomanfortofHardknottCastle.Itwon’t belongbeforeyouarefacedwithsomehellishly steep,tightzigzags,andcautionis recommended here,beforeyouarriveinCockleyBeck. Atthejunction,followtheroad leftonto Wrynose Pass,anothersteep,single-track road.Continue untilyou reachtheA593,turningright. Pass throughConistonandcontinuesouthtowards Torver.StayontheA593toHighCrossbefore turningrightontheA595. Passing Duddon Bridge, followthis roadthroughHillthwaite untilyou reach thejunctionatWhichamwhereyouturnrightand headnorth.Theroad leadsthroughBootleand Waberthwaite,Holmrook,GosforthandCalder Bridge. Turn offatGosfordfor Wellingtonand Nether Wasdale,andthenit’sagentleridethrough Woodhowandbackto Wast Water.

STAY SAFE

AVO

AVOIDHAZARDS

Motorcyclingisamazing,butriding on ourbusyroadsisnot alwaysfree from danger.Adopting adefensiveriding styleand akeeneye forpotential hazardscanmakeyourridemoreenjoyable–and keep you safe at the sametime.WetalkedtoEnhancedRiderScheme(ERS)trainerIanBurchell fromPhoenixMotorcycleTrainingtosee how to work on theseskills…

Oneofthekeypillarsofadvanced ridingisbeingassafeaspossible. Thereare plentyofwaystogetsafer onthe roads,andamongthetop onesaredefensive riding andhazard awareness.

Asourroadsgeteverbusier,itis essentialthat youplanwellahead (seelastissueorMoreBikesforour articleaboutplanning).Oncethe planningisdone,it’stimetoact, and justhowyou do thatcanmakea hugedifferencetoyourriding.

Agoodstartingpointistotryto avoidputtingyourselfin asituation whereyouaretryingtodotoomany thingsatonce.Aswithmostthings, whencomplexityincreases,the chancesofsomethinggoingwrong somewherealongthewayincrease, too.

Enhancingawareness

Buthowdoyougetaheadofthe gamebyspottingpotentialhazards early, andnothavingtoomuchto dealwith atanypoint?

Enhancingyourawarenessabout other roadusers,includingcyclists, drivers,animalsandpedestrians willgiveyou abetterchanceto anticipatewhatmighthappennext. It’s almostlikeyouarepredicting thefuture.

It’salsoimportanttounderstand howtheweatherconditionsaffect you as arider.Changesthatmight havenext-to-noimpactondrivers, mayhave amuchbiggerimpact onriders,andthosechangescan happensuddenly,makingitmore difficulttostayinfullcontrolof thesituation.

Inadditiontothe‘normal’traffic aroundyou,itisalsogoodtohave awarenessofvehiclesnavigating theroadsin adifferentmanner. This includesemergency vehiclesas wellasaggressiveroadusers,and thereare particularwaystodeal with differentsituationslikethese.

Skills andknowledge

Thereare manyskillsthatyou can workontoimproveyourriding. Two handysystemsto rememberarethe OSM-PSL and IPSGA acronyms.

OSM-PSLstandsforObservation, Signal,Manoeuvre–Position, Speed, Look.TheObservationpartmeans thatyoushouldlook in yourmirrors andallaroundyou soyou’reaware ofthetraffic situation. Youshould Signal clearlyand ingood time, and youshould Manoeuvre usingthePSL routineto Position yourmotorbike correctlyand in goodtime,adjust yourSpeedasnecessary,andLook for othertraffic.

IPSGA is shortforInformation, Position, Speed,Gear,Acceleration. TheInformationpartofthesystem continuesthroughoutthe process withtheridertaking,usingand giving informationaboutthesituation.The otherpartsof thesystemare run in succession,startingwithconsidering yourPositiononthe road, theSpeed youare travellingat,theGearyouare using, and finally Acceleration once youhavedealt withthehazard.Allof thesearedoneto putyou inthe right position,atthe rightspeed,and in therightgear to bestnegotiatethe hazard,then accelerateawayfromit, whatever itmaybe.

Inadditiontothememoryrules, thereare other, moreconcrete skillstodevelop, too. Oneofthem iscontinuouslyscanningyour surroundingsandprioritisingthe potential hazardsthatyoucan identify.It’sacase of playing agame of‘whatif?’inyourmindwhile riding.

It’salso good to beawareoftimes andplacesofhighrisk. Youmay know of ajunctionwherevisibility is restrictedatcertain times of year becauseof trees,oratcertain times of the daybecause oflowsunlight. Traffic volumes, roadconditionand people’sdriving canalsochange veryquickly.

ERSPART TWO:Defensive riding and hazard awareness

Controllingyourown speed, andbeingawareofyourreaction times isanother key skill. Youneed tobeabletoslowdown or stop if avoidingahazarddemandsit. To beabletodothis,youneedtobe travellingatthe right speedinthe firstplace, knowhow longit takes tostopyourbikefromthat speed, andbeingabletoapply emergency braking if required.

Weather and roadconditionsplay an importantpartinnot just howyour bike reacts to differentsituations, but also howyouareabletocontrol your bike. Being wet, coldandtiredonthe bike nevermakes ridinganyeasier. Finally,you shouldtrytoavoid distractions. Your phone maybea greathelpas anavigation device,but taking callswhile riding takesyour concentrationawayfromthejobat hand –stayingsafe.

Defensiveriding

Enhanced RiderScheme (ERS) trainerIan BurchellfromPhoenix MotorcycleTrainingsums up defensiveriding: “A commonmistake thatridersmakeistoexpectothers to do the right thing,whichin reality theydon’talways do.This is often shownwhen goingthrough small gaps with oncomingtraffic,following tooclosely,ornot givingspace when passingparkedvehicles.”

Thechallengesthatmotorcyclists needtodealwithcome inmany shapesandsizes,but applying advanced riding techniquesmakes it possible tomanagethese risks better, andenjoymotorcycling more. Thereare plentyofbooksand articles writtenaboutadvancedriding, but youcan makethe processmuch quickerandeasierbysigningupto do atrainingday likethe one-day Enhanced RiderScheme(ERS)witha qualifiedandDVSAapproved trainer. Here’s tomanyhappyand safe miles!

Whereto get the skills?

PhoenixMotorcycle TrainingistheUK’slargest motorcycletrainingorganisation,withERS coursesavailableatseverallocations. To find your nearestlocation,visitphoenixmotorcycletraining. co.ukorcall03302234000.

There’ssomecrackingbitsofkit onthemarketthat’llmakelugging around yourgearadoddle. To help youworkout what’ll bebest,we’veknockedupabuyers’guide andbroughttogethersometestsofour best-loved kitfromthepast12 months.

Whereshould Istart?

Let’sstartsmallandbuild up.Ifyou’rejustdoingsmall and/orlocal stuff,you can’t beat arucksack.Easytoslip on,noattachingtothebike andwith arangeofsizes. Propermotorcycleonesare water-resistant,somehave harnessesto redistribute weight.They’renotideal forlongridesastheyput pressureontheshoulders. Rollbagsareprobably theidealcompromise. Lotsofdifferentcapacities, waterproofandwiththeir ownstraps.Downsides? You can’tlockthem.Ifyou’re stoppingfor abreak,hopefor thebestortakewithyou… with a100-litrebagit’s not

somethingyoumay wantto dotoooften.

Bitofa variation ona theme...tailpacks.They fixto thebikeusingstraps(some use abasethatfixes tothe bikemakingthem easy tofit andremove). Anumber of themareexpandable;very usefulasitbroadenstheir rangeofuse.Like roll bags, they’renotlockablesoyou’re takingthemwithyou.

Whatif Icarrymore stuff, maybeeveryday,and needtokeepit safe?

Timetostartlooking at top boxes.You’llhave to attach amountingplatetothetail ofyour bike,butonceit’s on,it’llstorebundles of kit

(depending on sizeyoucan putyour helmet, gloves andsooninthere).They’re lockable, keepingthingslike laptopssafeandsound.The negativeistheyaffectweight distributionand can have an impactonaerodynamics.

WhatifI want todo some serioustouring?

Ifyou’relooking atserious miles,carryingyourworldly goods, you’re goingto wanthard luggage.This maybepanniers,maybe afullsetwithtopbox.The most robustarealuminium (thestrongest,safest,most durable kitout there);you cangetonesmadeofhard plastic.Lockable,you will

need tomountonaframe. Drawback is weight;they’re heavy,it’sgoing toaffectthe bike’s handling. Andwidth, yourbikewill be much wider, filteringis tricky. Ifyou’rethinking ofoffroadingor have asmaller/ lighter bike,thenconsidersoft panniers. Some attachviaa rackbutthereare throwover setsthat,as thename suggests,you throwoverand tiedown.Drawbacksagainst hardluggageis they’renot lockableand it’s alot more workgettingthemonand off the bike.

Anyother ideas?

Waist packsareaquickand easy waytostore smallstuff

like wallets,mobilephones andsoon. Thebestones work like aroll bag,keeping everything dry. Tankbagsareusefulfor storing things thatyoumay needtogettoeasily; alot have windowstosecure maps,satnavs, thatsortof thing.They’renarrowso don’t muck up youraerodynamics astheysit in frontofyou; depending on yourbikethat mightnot be agoodidea. If you’rejust looking to holddownthings (make sure you’ve got luggage points to securethem),bungeehooks, ROK strapsand cargo nets areall handy.Throwthem in yourrucksack (orunder your saddle ifit has storagespace).

www.kriega.com

Kriegamight havejustaboutoneofthe best reputationsinthebikeindustry whenitcomestothequalityoftheirkit. Onthehuntfor anewrucksackforthe bike, Iaskedaroundandwastoldby numerouspeoplethat Ineedtotake alookatthetop-notchgearfromthe Britishfirm.

That’sexactlywhat Idid;eyeingup andthen‘bagging’ myself theRoam 34rucksackthat’sthe resultofa partnershipwiththefashionablefolks overatRolandSandsDesign. It’snot acaseofstyleoversubstancethough; despitebeingtoldaboutthequalityof theirkit, Iwasstillsurprisedbyjusthow goodthebagis.Aftersixmonthsof dailyuse,bothonandoff thebike,I’ve gotnothingbut nicethingstosay.

It’sagoodsize,with22litresofspace availableinitsstandardset up –but byunzippingaroundthebag,youcan quicklyandeasilyincrease capacity byeightlitresupto30litres.Thereare specificsectionstostorestuff,too,with awaterproofpocketwhichwilleasily storealaptop,andkeepitproperly protectedfromtherainwith arolltop andtwo-clipclosingsystem.InitiallyI was abitworriedabouthowsecureand durablethey’dbe,butafterincessant usetheystillclipeasilyandsecurely intoplace.Theshoulderstrapsare

super-easytoadjust,evenwhilewearing gloves.There’sacheststrap,too, helpingtosecurethebagbut also take someof thestrainofftheshoulders. It’s easyto seewhyKriegahave such asolid reputationamongbikers intheknow. I’ve beenveryimpressed withthedurabilityandversatilityofthe Roam34,and havenodoubt atallthat it’ll continue to dome well foryears to come.That’saboutallyoucouldaskfor.

SHADSH44TOPBOX (AND MOUNTINGKIT)

Jonathan Schofield /£122.99 +£116.99/ www.shad.co.uk

Ifyou’rethinkingaboutimprovingyourride’s carrying capacity,you’dlikelyoptfor abackpackfirst.Why wouldn’tyou? Youcancramitfullofstuffand easily takeitwhere you’re going Andthat’s fine,unless you’re covering bigmiles withbig weights, oryou’re regularly doingthewe shopontwo andyou’vehadyourfillofmushy bread. Thankfully,there’saraftofmoreserioussolutions. Butwheredoyoustart?It’samassivemarketplace andthereare alotofcompaniesouttheretryingto convinceyouthattheirproductisthe rightonefor you.It’snot agoodideato think cheapestisbest as youmayendupwithsomethinglittle betterthana milkcrateheldonbysomebungeecord(whichhas itsplace…).There’sonefirmwhoweholdinhigh regard,whoturnout amassiverangeofqualitygear that doesn’tnecessarilycost afortune.

That’swhowegave ashoutouttowhenweneeded atopboxforourKymco DTX360long-termtest bike.Theyimmediately camegood,firingovera fittingkitandtopboxthatwasaseasy toassemble as asmallpieceof Swedish furniture.

Theoneweendedupwithwasthe SH44.It’sa chunkything,withenoughspacetostashtwofull facecrashhelmets (ortwofamilyfeastbucketsof chickenfromthesecretrecipesplace).

Solidlybuilt,completelywaterproofandavailable withboth apillionbackrestandaninternalliner,it’s abrilliantbitofkitthat’snotputafootwrongover thepast nine monthsofneardailyuse.Andat£250 fortheboxandthefittingkit, Ireckonit’sexcellent value,too.

/www.oxfordproducts.com

Retrogear’sbig business. More thanever, style-consciousbikers areonthehuntforcoolkit that’ll look righton theirclassic-inspired steed.Quite often thatsortof stuffcomesat aseriouscost. Thankfully,Oxford’sdoneeveryone asolid bycreating awhole lineof Heritage luggage (and ridingkit) thatwon’t break the bank.

We’vehad aset ofthe vintagestyledwaxed cottonpanniersin regular useforfiveyears now. The military-inspiredstripped-back bagslookthepart,andthat’s because theyactually usethe sametraditionalmaterialsand manufacturingtechniques as properold kit. Ilikethat. But the reallygood news isthatthey also have afew niftyfeatures thathelp themstandup totherigours of regularuse,withoutleakingwateror falling apart.

Themainthingisthat each 20-litre baghas itsown removablewaterproof liner,whichissealedusing arolltop closuresystem.Simplebutproperly effective.Thewater-repellentwaxed cottonhelps keeptheworstofthe weather out,too, though it’sworth notingI’vehadto rewax mineafew times. Thepolyester liningisfinally startingto give uptheghost,too,

DAINESED-STORM

Ross Mowbray/£199.95 /www.dainese.com

Itshouldcome as nosurprise thatDainese’s weldedseamed waterproof rucksackis absolutely top-notch. They don’t seem to get it wrong. That’s probably why some of the finest racers in theland trust themtokeep themsafe andsecureon track. Creating luggage is alittleless lifeand death –but whenyou’re splashingout justshy of200 quid, it needstoberight.

I’veonlyhadthisforfourmonths,whichI’ll admitisn’tamassiveamount oftime,but it’sbeen an incrediblywet winter andI’vedoneplentyof milesinthevery worstofweathers. ThatmeansI cansaywith absoluteconfidencethatthisthing ismore than capableofkeepingyour gearwell protected.I’dusuallystickmylaptopinaseparate waterproof bag, butthere’sjustnoneedwiththe D-Storm.

The26-litreinternal compartmentand laptoppouch areproperly safeandsecure,withthewater keptat bayby itswelded 420DnylonandTPU outer, and welded waterproofrolltopclosure.Andforeasy access, there’realsothreesmallwater-resistant pocketsonthe outside.It’seasytoadjust to get the right fit,andyoucanclip itinto positionacrossthe chest,too.Butthat’ssort ofit.There’s nota lottoo it; it’s asimplebag whichdoes itsjob verywell.What’s nottolike?

but I’ve takentokeeping mystuffin aselectionof Oxford’sAquaBags insteadas theouterisstill solid. It’salso versatile,andproviding you’re mindful oftheexhaust whenyoustrap it on,youcan fit this set uponanynumber of bikes. That’sexactly what I’ve done; fitting it to Bonnevilles,Burgmansand arangeof BMW’sbig Boxer-powered bikes. AndI’llcontinueto do it,too. It’sone ofthose bits ofkit I’vefallen inlove with.Itmight notbethe most sophisticated,and itmight be slowly falling to piecesaftertensofthousands ofmilesofseriouslyrigoroususe, butI’ll keepusingituntilit cancarrynomore.

GIVIEA11540L TAIL PACK

Nicholas Ellis/ £69.50 /www.givi.com

I’m partialto agoodold tailpack.Forme,they’rejust aboutthesimplest yetmostversatilewaytocarrya load of stuff onthebikewithout having to faffabout toomuchorputupwith aheavyrucksack digging into yourshoulderson alongroadtrip.Ahandfulof bungeesstrappingit tothepillion seatandI’mgood togo.

There’sone that I’ve usedextensivelyoverthepast fewyearsfrom ItalianfirmGivi.They’rerenowned fortheirtop-quality luggage,andhavingdonetens ofthousands ofhard miles with its40-litre tailpack strapped behind me,it’seasyto see why.

It’sasurprisingly simple affair,witha single, spacious internal compartment protected fromthe elementswith aVelcrosealandrolltopclosure.

It’smadefromaproperlysturdyPVCtarpaulinand featuresstitchlessseams,which have helped to keepmygearbone dryineven themosttorrential of downpours. Iexpected it giveuptheghost long agoandlet in adrop,butuptonow it’s still proving impenetrable.

Even ifit setme back afew hundred quid,I’d have been properly impressed with Givi’s waterproof tail pack. It doesn’t costthat,though. Youcangetyour handsonone forsub-£70.Bargain.

ALL-AMERICAN

Formany motorcyclists,one oftheirbucket-list tripsisanAmerican road trip, takinginasmanyof thesightsofthe50States as possible –and there’sone firm whosebikesaresynonymouswithsucha trip.Harley-Davidson.

MotorcycleSportand Leisuredoeswhatit saysonthetin; bringing readers amonthly doseofgoodessfrom rightacrossthebiking spectrum.It’sthe thinkingman’s (and woman’s)favourite –with reviewsofthe latestbikes, in-depth interviews,technical features,bagsof routes andmore.

Harley-DavidsonSportster S&Pan America

Words: Dave Manning,RossMowbray &MattHull Photos: GaryChapman

Abig cross-countryStateside roadtrip would be entirely appropriate fora pair of Harley-Davidsons. And so that is exactlywhatweplanned,takingperhapsthemost diverse twosomefromthecompany’s range(or,atleast, thoseinthe rangethatare soldin theUK),andheading outtosee someofthosethingsthatmakeAmericagreat. With just onesmallproblem.Wehaveneitherthe budgetnorthetimetotravelacrossthe Atlantic,sowe hadtomakedoasbestwecould withinthe time and

financial restraints setuponus. Essentially, this meant just asingle dayriding within onecounty.Although it wasstill aratherpleasanttripouton alateOctober weekdayfairly devoid of traffic, albeitcoveringonlya tiny fractionof the mileagethat the equivalent Boston –New York –Vegas –Hollywood –Miami Beachtrip would have entailed. Yetall of thoseveryplaceswere representedinourmini adventureonthese twowatercooledMilwaukeesteeds.

SPORTSTERS

Agrunty V-twin motor,fattyresandfeet-forwardpegs.It couldonlybe aHarley

Words: MattHull

Lifeisnowaboutwhatyoulooklike. Whatsocialmediawilljudgeyou on.How‘friends’you’venevermet seeyourpositioninsociety.Tohell with reality,comfort,practicality or happiness –makinga statement is thenewwaytoearn aplaceinthis vainworld.Attitudeandmoney.The Sportster Sfitsthisbillwell. Thefat-tyred,1252cc, 120bhp V-twin,withitstwinhigh-uppipes and‘incontrol’ridingpositioniswell suitedtogiveyou alookofknowing whatyouwant.Youareincontrol.For years,Harleyshavebeenmodified bytheirownersforthat30sHarleyDavidson45lookthatservicemen had,andHollywood craved. But nowyoucanhaveitstraightfrom theshowroomwithoutgettingyour fingersdirty,for£13,887or£160 permonth.

RidingtheSportster Shas really surprisedme,andin agoodway. Thatridiculous,160-sectionfront

tyrehandles alotbetter thanyou wouldimagine.The geometry has beensetupto accommodateit,and even thesteeringlock is superbly tight –realworldpracticalityI hear? It’sa littlefirm,but thetemperature on thisautumndaywaslowandthe adjustablesuspensioncouldmakeup alittleforthat, givingfeedbackand the abilitytotailor it.Hell,older Harley ownerswould havelovedfrontforks withdamping…

Ridingthebendsfeelsdifferentto yournormal, 120/7017infronttyre, butnotunnervinglyso. Aweight of 225kg is nottoo heavy to adjustin cornersandthat ‘commandingriding position’putsyou in,well,command. Pushingandpulling the’barsand weightingtheforwardfootrestshas youaimingaccurately,alliedby asuperb –for acruiser –ground clearance. Youreallywouldhaveto beburyingthefront on thebrakes into aroundaboutto ground out, in whichcaseyouboughtthewrong bike.

Butit’snotalllooks,asthe riding‘triangle’ofhands,bumand feet reallyseemstobethought out. Yourbackisforwardenough tominimiseheftysuspensionjolts fromthe rear;the’barskeepyour armswideyetcomfy;andtheseat is –getthis –quitesumptuous! Theironyisthethree-gallon tankwillmeanyougettostretch morethan regularly.Butit wasa pleasuretoberidingtheSportster SwhilewatchingRosstryingto clamberupatopthePanAmerica like ascaffoldermountingan unbrokenhorse.And Ilooked much,muchmorecool.

The V-twinengineis astormer. Ithasmodernmanners;it responds reallywelltothethree nicelysetupridermodesof Sport,RoadandRain, givinga worthydifferencetosuitriders orweather.TheRoadmodehas anice,smoothinitialthrottle responseuntilitgains more revs, butbythattimethe120bhp enginehasgotyoumoving rapidly.Rainisasyouexpect, softashell,but Iwaslooking forwardtoSport.Mybetterhalf owns a2009XR1200,anoldeskoolEvoHarleythatmayonly have amere90bhp, butyouget it allwhenyouask,thanks toan old-fashionedmethod of what wecalled‘throttlecables’.This instantthrustisaddictive,soI waslookingforwardto30bhp more.Butthoughtwistingthe throttlegivesspeed,that‘crack’ ofpowerismissing, replacedbya moresensibleandperfectpower delivery.Thisbikeshouldn’tdo sensible.

Harley-DavidsonSportsterS

Price: From£14,805

Engine: 1252cc,60° V-twin,water-cooled, DOHC,variablevalvetiming

Power: 121bhp(90kW) @7500rpm

Torque: 92lb-ft(125Nm) @6000rpm

Frame: Steeltubular

Wheelbase: 1520mm

Brakes: (F)320mmdisc,radiallymounted, monoblock,4-piston Brembocaliper(R)260mm disc,floatingsinglepistoncaliper

Transmission: 6speed,beltfinaldrive

Suspension: (F)43mminvertedforkwith compression,rebound &springpreload adjustability,92mmtravel(R)Piggyback monoshockwithcompression,rebound& hydraulicspringpreloadadjustability,37mm travel

Wheels/Tyres: (F)castaluminiumwheel, Dunlop160/70R1773Vtyre(R)castaluminium wheel,Dunlop180/70R1677Vtyre

Seatheight: 765mm

Fuelcapacity: 11.8litres

MPG: 49mpg

Crucially,theSportster Sdoesn’t backupitspacewitha quality soundtrack.Originalexhaust,yes, buthitthestartandtheengine firstsoundslikethe oilpressure islow,thenjustsoundslikean engine.Where’s the‘potato, potato,potato’?Asthe revsrise thereisnoimprovement,itjust sounds,well,likeanengine. Thehardmanimagebecomes moreofathinveneer,being letdown by suchmiddleclass addictionsas‘electronicaids’, ‘phoneconnectivity’and ‘infotainment’.Thedashissofull ofinfoandsymbols on itastobe indecipherablewhenriding,and thereare morebuttonsonthe handlebars thanan F1 steering wheel.No, Idon’twantmy heatedgripson.Thought outand designedbymarketingpeople thatdon’tride.

TheSportster Sdoesn’tfeel orsoundlikeanolde-skool Harley. Buttheyheldonaslong astheycouldandhadtomove onsometime.Forme,leavethe electrogadgetssoyoucanenjoy thatfantasticblend ofattitude; thehandlingthathasnoright tobeasgood as it is;sameas thecomfort;andthatpowerful, well-sorted engine.£14kis alot of money,andyouaregetting alot ofbike.

PANAMERICA

Breakingconvention,H-Dsurprisedus allwithitsrefined, robustandwell-roundedadventure bike

Words: Ross Mowbray

Theworld’sanever-changingplace, andmotorcyclingreflectsthat.

Manufacturersare constantlynavigating thepeaksandtroughsofwhat’s ‘on trend’andwhatpunterswanttobuy. That’swhyHarley-Davidsoncan no longer relyontheirplethoraofcruisers andtourerstobringinthe bigbucks. Ahardcorebaseofenthusiastsina fairlyspecificsectorof themotorcycling marketwasn’tenoughfortheAmerican firmso,overthelastfewyears, they’ve beendiversifyingtherange and, most surprisingly,releasinganadventure bike.

Itcaughtmeoff-guardwhenI first rodeitin2021,farexceeding myadmittedlylimitedexpectations bybeing averycapableadventure motorcycle. Ispenta few glorious daysexploringDartmoorandExmoor, potteringdownquietcountry lanes, cuttingacrosswild,expansive moorland,and evenmanagingto

searchout afewgentlebyways toputitsoff-roadprowess to the test.Slowlybutsurely,Ifellfor the heftyAmericanbruiser,finding joy inworkingits un-Harley-likeV-twin motor;exploitingitsall-daycomfort; andmakingfulluse ofitsricharrayof rider technology.

ThePanAmwasalways going to have atoughtime;there’s araft ofestablishedbikesfromfirms which’vespentyears perfecting their adventurebike.BMW’smuch-lauded newR1300GSwilllikely remain the benchmark,butadd intothemix KTM’s 1290SuperAdventure,Ducati’s growingrangeofV4Multistradasand Triumph’sever-improvingTiger 1200, andtheH-Dshouldn’t get alook in.But itdoes.

It’sa bitdifferentforstarters,andI reckonthat countsfor alot.ThePan Am’slooks caused quite astirwhenthe bikewas first revealed,andplenty of potentialpunters were dismissive of the funny looking frontend,butin person

it’s refreshinglyunusualin arugged, still-an-adventure-bikekindofway. It’spackedwithtechnology, too. In additiontotheusual adventuregoodies (engineguards,centre stand,heated grips,cruisecontrol,rideraidsand modes), it comes withHarley’sown AdaptiveRide HeightSystem which lowers theseat heighttojustunder800 millimetreswhenthebike comestoa stop. Thesystem is onlyavailable for the1250Special,becausethelowering

kitrelieson itsmoreadvanced Showa electronicsuspension package. Itmight appearabit gimmicky,but actually,it’s aprettyneataddition –and with aload ofother manufacturers implementing theirownsystem in theintervening yearssince thePan Am’s launch, itlooksasthoughtheywereonto something. Andanything that’sgoing to makea bigadventure bike abit easier to manageforshorterriders deserves some praise.

Theridingposition’snotquite yourtypicaladventurebike.It hasalltheconstituentparts:wide bars,neutralpegsand aplush seat,butitfeelslikeyou’resat inthebike,ratherthanontop ofit,whichmakesitfeelmore like atourerthananout-andoutadventuremachine. You’re encouragedtoleanforwarda littleand reachouttothebars, too. Ididn’tfinditthe roomiest ofrides(probablybecauseof mylonglegs),butit’sperfectly comfortableforlongdaysin thesaddle.There’splentyof protectionfromtheelements fromtheeasily-adjustablescreen, andthehandguardsdo anice jobofkeepingthecoldoff.The heatedgripsaregreat,too,and awelcomeadditionwhenbelting roundLincolnshireinOctober.

The1252ccliquid-cooled V-Twinmotorkicksout aclaimed 150bhpand94lb-ftoftorque. That’splentytobegoingonwith, andyetit’squiteunlikeanyother HarleyI’veridden;still proving itselfversatile,whilebeingless willingtochugalonginhigher gears.Thankfully,there’sstill plentyofmeattothebonesand enoughcharactertofallinlove with,despiteitlackingthaticonic H-Dsound.Ultimately,it feels plentysmooth,whileoffering ahealthywhackoflow-down gruntthat’llsoonseethescenery blurringandthespeedlimits bypassed.

Othertestshave bemoanedthe gearboxfor aslightlyagricultural feel,but Ihadnosuch issues.It’s notexactlylight,butI’dsooner

TECHSPEC

Harley-Davidson Pan America

Price: From£15,755

Engine: 1252cc,60° V-twin,water-cooled, DOHC,variablevalvetiming

Power: 150bhp(112kW) @8750rpm

Torque: 95lb-ft(128Nm) @6750rpm

Frame: Tubularsteel

Wheelbase: 1585mm

Brakes: (F) Twin320mmdiscs,radially mounted,monoblock,4-pistonBrembocalipers (R)floating,singlepistoncaliper

Transmission: 6speed,chainfinaldrive

Suspension: (F)47mminvertedforkwith compression,rebound &springpreload adjustability(R)Monoshockwithcompression, rebound &hydraulicspringpreloadadjustability

Wheels/Tyres: (F)Castaluminiumwheel, 120/70R1960VMichelinScorcherradialtyre (R)Castaluminiumwheel,170/60R1772V MichelinScorcherradialtyre

Seatheight: 850mm/890mm

Fuelcapacity: 21.2litres

MPG: 5.5l/100km

Weight: 245kg(wet)

Warranty: 2years

Serviceintervals: 5000miles

Contact: www.harley-davidson.com

havesomething reassuringly solid fittedtoanadventurebike. The Brembobrakesofferamplebite, andevenonslippery roads Ihad noissuespullingthePanAmup fromspeed. There’salittledive underheavybraking,butthat’s tobeexpectedwithlongtravel suspension,evenifitiselectronic. Thosespringsareactuallyone oftheHarley’sbestfeatures. TheShowaelectronicsystem isimpressivelysophisticated, allowingthePanAmtoboth measureandadjustpreloadand dampingasitgoes,dependingon yourspeed,loadandtheriding conditions.Flickingbetweenthe ridermodeshelpstotransform thebikefrom agentle-ishtourer that’shappypotteringaround (Rain)to acorner-hungrybeast thatfeelssurprisinglytaut(Sport). Andtheridermodesareincredibly easytoflickbetween –theH-D systemmightbeoneofthemost straightforwardandintuitive I’veused,particularly whenyou considertheraftofstuffyou’ve gottoplaywithtohelpgetthe mostoutofthebike.Thebig

screenandsimplebuttonlayout justwork(Honda,takenote).It’s notexactly ahandlingmarvel, andthefrontenddoessufferfrom someofthevaguenessyouoften experienceonbigadventurebikes, butultimatelyitfeels plantedand composed,thoughitdefinitely preferstobemuscled ratherthan nursedaroundcorners.

Ididn’tgetonsowellwiththe self-cancellingindicators,and Ididn’tlovetheridingposition asmuchasotheradventure bikesI’veridden,butthey’re bothpersonalthings,and neitherproveddetrimentaltomy enjoymentofthebike.It’sreally goodattheendoftheday.

Cominginatjustshy of

£17,000,therange-topping Harley-DavidsonPanAmerica Specialis aseriousproposition inthesaturatedadventure motorcyclemarket,holding itsownwithsomeofthemore establishedcompetition.It’snot cheap –but for abikeloaded withtechnologyandsometop standardequipment,itfeelslike goodvalue. It’sdifferentenoughinits styling,seriouslywellequipped anddecentvalueformoneyfor itsspecification.Ifyou’venever considered aHarley-Davidson before,now’sthetime. Personally,Ican’twaittosee whattheydowiththe next generationversion.

“Theridermodesareincrediblyeasytoflick between –theH-Dsystemmightbeoneofthe moststraightforwardand intuitiveI’ve used...”

Cost-effective Classics

It’s abigboreparalleltwin…before theybecame popularagain!

WORDS:SteveCooper PHOTOS: MortonsArchive

We’ll gettheacid drop rebuke outof the wayfirst–TDMis very much not acontractionof tedium.This sarcastic monikerhasplaguedthebigtwin fromtheoff by peoplewho simply didn’t ‘get’thebike. TheTDMhas often beendescribed by long-term ownersas… ”theonlybikeyou’ll ever need”…andifthat’s the case it’sa very strong compliment. Yamaha hasalong-term relationship withbigborefour-stroke twinsthat goesallthe waybackto the later1960s.Fromthe hugely successful XS-1650on to the flawed TX500/750sandthrough to the groundbreaking MT-07 seriesof today it’s been aconstanttheme.Yamaha haslongheldtheopinion that largecapacitybikesdon’t automatically have to runfourcylinders… andwith some justification.Properly designed bigtwinsarelighterand generally lessbulkythanfours and oftenhave amoreaccessible torque curve. The very factthat the market hasrecently swungheavilyinfavourofbig twins completelyand utterly vindicates Yamaha’s long-held beliefs. Oh,

andknow that thebikehereisnow referred to astheMultistrada12years before Ducatithoughtofit!

THEBIKE

TheTDMsowe their existencetothe bigtrailbike known astheXTZ750, akaSuper Ténéré.This wasabig bore trailiethatshookupthe off-road worldby thescruff of itsneck; this is themachinethat reallygalvanised the worldofadventure bikes.While the SuperTénérécertainlymadeits mark, it wasn’t ahugeseller so it wasalmost inevitablethat themotor wouldend upin aroad-goingmachine at some point. Yamaha upped thecapacityby 100ccsand revisedvarious keyareas. Theend result wasanothergroundbreaking motorcyclethattotally rewrotethe rules.

What you gotfor yourmoney was near superbikeperformancewrapped in Yamaha’s signatureDeltabox frameoftheperiodpowered bya liquid-cooledtwin-cylindermotor runningfive-valvecylinder heads. The stylingwaslikenothingelseof thetimewitha pair of insect-like

headlights mountedina half fairing whichofferedreasonableupper body protection.Thisgaveadecentriding position andtheonlycriticism ever levelledatthebike wasa slightly hard seat.Wide bars allowedthe rider to situpright –abig change therecomparedtothecontemporary sportsbikes– making forawellthought-outergonomicpackage.The suspensionwas deliberatelysetupon thesoftside to facilitate ease ofuse and fewthatfullygrasped the concept wanted to change it much.That said, suitablyequipped with race-type suspension, atweaked TDM makes fora stunning Qbike. Passengers had alsobeenintheoriginal designbrief astheTDM wasa very competentand comfortable‘two-up’ machine.

Performancewasn’t exactlyshabby andthe 77bhpmotorcould dispatch quartermilesinaround 12.5 seconds withthebiketopping outatsome 130mph.Notexactlyarocketship,you say? Possiblynot,but theway thebike made powerwas likelittle else. Almost60lb-ft of torque was delivered at the relatively lowengine speedofjust6000rpm.People who hadneverexperienceda bike with

such alarge,creamy, torque delivery were blown away. Salesinboth AmericaandtheUK were nevermuchbetterthanso-so, mainlybecause both buyers and the bike presswerestill irrationally focussed on performancefor performancesake. It alsotookawhile formainlandEuropetocottononto the850,do anything, go anywhere TDM, butoncetheycollectively gottheir headsaroundthebike’s designethosand itsunquestionable functionalitysalestookoff… theysold some 62,000 of them.

Thebike wasrevised annually duringits 11-yearmodel runbut the biggestchangeoccurredin 1996. Originallythemotorwas configuredaround a360-degree crank, butthiswas dropped infavour of a270-degree unitasusedonthe out-and-outsportsTRX850thathad been targeted at Ducati sportsbike owners. Thischangegavethe bikea Vtwinsoundtrackanddrivewhilst reducingvibrationatthe same time. It’s certainlynocoincidencethat the firm’slater MT-07bikeshad the same cross-planecrankdesign… or that many competitors’paralleltwins are

similarly configurednow.Yamahahas always been atrendsettersoitseems!

Yamaha billedthebikeasan Adventure-Sports machine,which is aprettyaccuratedescription –dual sportsistheothertitle sometimes used.Bothtitlesdepictthebike rather well. Fast enough to impressand get the jobdon,e butnot so silly-stupid as to putyourlicenceorlifeatrisk. Dual purposealsoworks well…easily competent as along-distance toure, butalsoequallyhappy to play the roleofcommuter.Yamaha’sTDM850 –oneofthemodern classic scene’s mostunderrated,undervalued motorcycles.

LINEAGEANDLEGACY

2002 sawthe releaseoftheTDM900 whichranuntil2011.The 900had anupgradedmotorandlightened runninggear, and reflected many of Yamaha’s TDM850 customerfeedback comments.

With asix-speed transmissionand fuelinjectionitbroughtthebike bang up-to-dateandinlinewith Yamaha’s corporatestyling. Sales remainedstrongbutforfansof the old850thelooksweretoo blandand anonymous –thevisual ‘edginess’had beendialledout.Morethanadecade on everyoneis making bigboretwins with270-degree cranks. Somemight arguewhereYamahaleadothers follow… eventually!

WHY YOUMIGHT WANT ONE NOW

TheTDMis simply oneof themost competent, all-things-to-all-riders, motorcyclesofthe last 30 years. Yes,

Faultsand Foibles

1. ELECTRICS

If thethermostatorfanswitchplay upthe radiator’scooling fanmaystay on.

2. CARBURATION

Needlesandmainjetsareknowntowear, giving roughrunning and flatspots.

themoderntakeson thesametheme arelighter,sharper,fastereven, but they’renot classics anddon’t benefit from discountinsuranceschemes. Thebike is,for many,oneofthebest blendsofoldermachine with real worldusability. It’s planted,fastenoughfor most riders, lookslikenothingelse (especiallythe earliestversions),and hascharacter by thebucket-load.

With theclass-leadingDeltabox chassis, provenfivevalveheads, twin-cylinder stompand astrong rep, there’sgenuinely not alot to dislike.

3. BACKFIRING

Smallcorrosionholes inthe exhaustcan causebackfiring.

4. CLUTCH

Some willhavehadthe clutchplates replacedunder the dealerrecall. If not, worthinvestigating.

TYPICALPRICES

Oh this bitis good.Aperfectly viable TDM850 with CatCinsurancestatus could be yoursfromjust£800!Written offasthecosts to repaintaminor off were ‘too much’, theone we spotted hadjustbeenserviced and hadthe R1 calipersupgradefitted.£1400 would getyou somethingslightlylessjaded; areallysmart one in Thundercat yellow/silverisonly£2000;and£3000 should buyyou averytidy,lowmileageexamplethat would want for very little.Our choice?Probablythe first yearmodel with itsslightlyedgy looksandpreferably in red.

5.SUSPENSION

Possibly abit tirednow butlotsofoptions available toupgrade.

6. OILLEAK

Checkfor aweeping oil seal behind thefront sprocket –easyto fix.

Summary

In themodernworld oftwo wheels, paralleltwin cylinder motorcyclesarethenewmusthave. Yet, decades before manufacturers rediscoveredthe concept, Yamahawasalready flyingthe flag. From 1991to 2001theTDM wasEurope’s secondbest-sellingmodel which say alotaboutthebike. Hugely underratedandcriminally overlooked,thebike hastobe oneofthebestcost-effective classicsoutthere.

BUYING

ACLASSIC

ThegoodfolksatClassicBikeGuide magazinehave been sharingtheirhard-won wisdomaboutwhat’sinvolved whenhuntingout andfixingup oldbikes

WORDSandPHOTOS: MattHull

Whatareyoubuying?

Lookatwhatyou’regetting– isit complete?Ifit’sa runner,thenget arideifyoucan(makesureyouhaveinsurance,andmostsellerswill insistoncashintheirhand first).Hopefully,it’scold first(hadtheyhad it runningbeforeyou came– thenwhy?).Hearitrun.Arethetyres legal(1mmtread)?Orhavecracks inthesidewall?

Here’saquickchecklist.Centrestand– doesitlift the bikeup? Wheels –are theystraight?Checkthe spokesforlooseorbroken ones;rockthewheelsforplayinthewheelbearings;lookforworn chains(willpullawayfromthe rear ofthesprocket)and worn sprockets...teethlikeshark’steeth. Aretheforkstanchionspitted? Aretheheadracebearingsloose/notchy/stiff?Dotheclockswork? Isthere rustatthebottomofthepetroltank?Istheseatripped? Isthereplayintheswingarm?Dothebrakes work/feelalright? Arethevariouscablesingoodorder?Andwehaven’teven gottotheengineorgearboxyet.Askquestions –lots.What oildotheyuse?Whendotheycheckthevalveclearances? Whatproblemshavetheyhad?Doesitlikechokewhen coldor not? You’llbegettinganideaoftheowner,which givesyouanideaofhow thebike’sbeentreated.Ifyou’re serious,thentakesomeone whoisn’twearingrose-tinted specs…

Legality

Istherea (V5) logbook?Isthename that of theseller?Doesthe addresstieupwiththestory?Sadly,manybikes arebeingsoldbythe familyof adeceasedowner, inwhichcasethere shouldbeevidence. Ifindoubt,politelywalkaway.

Legitimacy

Whatis‘matchingnumbers’?Thisiswhenthe registration number,engine number(stampedon theblock)andframe numbermatchfromthefactoryrecords.Theyshouldat leastmatchthoseonthelogbook.Somebikesmayhave hadtheir regnumbersoldand reissuedwithanage-related plate;otherswillhavehadanenginegopopanditwas moreeconomicaltoswaptheengine withanother.Thisis not aproblemaslong as everythingaddsup, but itmust be reflectedintheprice.

Paperwork

Paperworkisone of the bestways to lookback intothemachine’spast.OldMoTcertificates, service receipts,partsreceiptsand evenoldtax discscanhelpbuildup apictureofwhetheryou arelookingatanoldfamilyfriendora hastily put-togethermis-mashfor aquickprofit.

Price

Setabudget.Donot,underany circumstances,buythecheapest youcan afford–youarenot theexception.Talkto clubmembersandcheckdealer ads.Auction pricesareanaccuratereflectionofpricebut aremoreapplicableto expensivemachines. Knowhowmuch workwillcost:howmuch will arebuiltwheel,anexhaustoranoilleak costtofix?Andbeware,likethe plague,‘shiny shitsyndrome’.Lookbeyond nicepaintand chrome. Do yourhomework. Oldbikescanbreak,leak,misfire,notstartandhave scratches.There’snowarranty,andtheyassume some amountofcommonsense. Brakesarepoorandlightsare terrible.Sorrytobeharsh,butwesay this asmostproblems oldbike specialistsseeareownerswhodon’tknowwhatthey’ve got into.

42 KNOWLEDGE

You’vegot anewproject!

Howdoyouworkoutwhattodofirst,whatto leave,howtodoit, and costofallthis? We lookatorganisinganew project

Temptation

Firstofall,doyou reallywantit?Willyouuseit,canyou afford it,andisthereroom?Doesitgiveyou what you wantmorethananyotherbikesyouhave?Andifyou’re seeing a‘quickbuck’atthe end, areyousure?Dosums–willtherebea‘tickle’attheend? Breakdownthe amount oftimeyouthink itwill take into hours,thendividethat byyourestimated profit–chancesare thehourlyrate willseeyoubetteroffstackingshelves.Behonestwith yourself.

Ifyou’restilllooking, youneedtoknowwhatis involved. Isit registered?What’s the story –whyisit aproject? This mayhelpwiththe workit will take.Diditgetleftin the shedbecauseavalvehadbent, pistonringbroke,or–a commonone –ithad beenrundryofoil?Did theowner passaway?Inwhichcase,thereismuchlesssuspicion inwhatfunlaysinsidetheengine. Askquestions,check onthecomputerfor previousMoTtestsandfailsor advisories,andleavethose rose-tintedglassesathome. Apologiesforthis,buttrustnoone –professionaldealer, autojumbletraderorinnocentoldlady.Dobelievehalf of whatyouseeandnoneofwhatyouhear. What’sactuallyincluded?Iseverythingthere?Manybikes getstarted,then spendyearswaitingfor some love, and partsmiraculouslydisappear.Dothenumbersmatch,or

istheprice areflectionofthis?Ifpresented withboxesofparts,takesometimetolook throughthem –are theyactuallyforthat bike? ATriumph, BSAorBMWarefairly easytoget partsfor, butAermacchiandsmallItaliantwostrokesmaybetrickier. Howgood areyou at makingdo or machiningyour own parts? Aproject is abigcommitmentintime. Askyourself again:doyouhave time,the space,the right tools,folkaroundwho will beable tohelp withthejobsyou’re notsoconfident with? Anddoyouactually wantit once it’s finished? Ifnot,keepingmotivatedwill beanissueandthebike could turnintoanotherunfinishedproject… Many projectshavequestionmarks hanging over them. Paintworkisobvious, wheels, tyres, tearsinseatsand rustychrome orbroken fairings...but what’sthe engine andgearbox like?Whatproof isthere –willithave to bestrippeddown?A seized gearboxisnot apleasant experience,trust us.Inshort,don’t berushed,knowwhat you’regetting,andknowitispossible. Lastly, don’tforgetyou havetogetthebikehome! Willit fitin atrailerorcanyouborrowavan(areyouinsured)?It alladdsup. Youcan be lucky– IpickedupaNorton ES2 inthe backofmyRenaultClio…

What do youwantfrom thisbike?

Aquestionyou must be honest about. Ifyou envisage returning from aconcourscompetitionwitha trophy,then you knowtheproject will be anut-and-bolt restoration, withhundreds ofhours, drybuilds,specialistservices andthousands of pounds spent–nothingbutperfection will do.You mustalso realisethattheamountoftimeand moneyinvested does notguaranteegettinganywhere nearthatamount back, if thatmattersto you. Ontheother hand,you may wish togetthebike running, makeitsafe,andget it ontheroad.Thatcould mean amajorservice/safetycheck,oritcouldmean rootingthroughtheboxesof bits andboltingeverything together.

We reckon ClassicBike Guide’soneofthebest magazinesinthegame; sharingplentyofhardearnedknowledgeand bagsofpracticaladvice aboutriding, restoring andkeepingyourold bikesrunning.Ifyou’ve nothad acopy before, now’sasgood atimeas any.ScantheQRcode andgetinvolved.

Workingoutcost

Someelementsare–formost,at least –agivencost oils,brakepadsorlinings,filtersandthemostcostly nowadays,tyres. Apairofblackhoopsaloneare between £150and£200.Plusfitting.Andunlessyouwanttorisk oldrubber,newtubes andrimtape.Wheelsmayneed spokesor,ifbuckled,maybe rebuildable. Arimwillbe about£200,while aspoke kitis£50to£75,plusbuilding. Alloywheelscanbe repaired,oftenby aspecialist. Bearingsmaybeneeded,butcheckastheymightjust needcleaningand repackingwithgrease.Cableslook alrightuntiltheysnap,so checkthe ends forfraying andlubetheinnercables. Electricsoften needclearing of dustorspiders,wirescheckedformicenibbling, andconnectionscleanedandlubedtogivethe best contact.Runthroughitwitha wiringdiagramifpossible, especiallyifsomepartslooklikethey’vebeenmeddled with.Anewsetofplugswillbeonelessthingtoworry aboutandarecheap. Batteries rangefrom£30to£100; mostotherwiringcostsarecheaporfree!Ifyouaregoing

further,thenlook atbudgetingforpaintwork,which with prep will easilycome tomorethan£1000foragreat job.Then there isthe frame:somepaint, while others powdercoat.Whicheverwayyou go,getallparts done at thesametimetosave oncost.Easysteps like chain andsprocketscanbecloseto£150for alargerbike,and exhausts,so often theicingonagreat restoration, can cost hundreds. Lastly,checkthefueltank, especially if there hasbeenfuelinit.Makesureitissafe,notrusty inside,andconsiderhaving it sealed.Replace the fuel hosesand fit afilter tostoprubbishblockingthe carbs.

Time

Ifthisisaretirement project, great,butthink realistically abouthowlongyouintendittotake.Dothekidshave clubsthreeeveningsaweek?Are younotoriousfor notturningdownovertime?Orisyoursocialcalendar full? Workallthisoutnowanditwon’tendupbeingyet anotherunfinishedprojectinthesmall ads.

“A project is abigcommitmentintime. Ask yourselfagain:doyouhavetime,thespace, the righttools,folkaroundwhowill be abletohelp withthejobsyou’renotsoconfident with?”

PARTYIN THEPARK

Thelandedgentrydon’toftengetthingsright.But when theydo…

Cadwell Park circuitnestlesinthe southofthe Lincolnshire Wolds, climbingfroma dip up theside of twoofthe many creststhat create thesurroundingrough,sea-like countryside –andis oneof the UK’s best racing circuits.

The tree-linedcircuitis likeno other.MostUKracetracksare former airfieldslikeSnettertonor Silverstone –flat,barren, butalready ahard surface. Donington,Brands Hatch and Cadwell comefromanera when lucky landownerscould indulge,using morethree-dimensionalland, andthat startedduringthe days ofunsealed roads.

Cadwell’s land waspartoftheestate ownedbyaMrMansfield-Wilkinson, withan ideaforshooting.But Mansfield-Wilkinson junior,Charles, lovedhis motorcyclesand in 1934the pair createdashort,grasstrackcircuit around theold hall –literally. Charles and friends racedeachotherand startedamotorsportclub to encourage moretoracethere, from 1934.

Afterthewar,onceweatherproved to be anissueand machineswere gettingquicker, thelargelypaved circuithostedhugecrowds, leadingto severalchanges to thetrack layout and

resultinginthe photo yousee here, from 1961.Thenew2.25-miletrack wasshown off,withgood startmoney bringing inthe bignamesandsome saymorethan25,000 spectators. It hasn’t changedmuchsince, other than tryingtoachieve the best safety possiblein aconfinedspace,while attempting to keep the‘park’feel.

Duetothe narrow track, Cadwell has predominantlybeena biketrack,and with little timeupright, abikeisthe best waytoexperience thechallenge. Cornerslikethe flat-out, uphill Coppice,the blind exitof Charlies Two, or theinfamousmountain leadingintothe flip-flop Hall Bends areintense. BSBalwaysdrawcrowds each August...240bhpoverthe mountain,anyone?

If you can,tryriding it.Ifyou don’t wish to,visittheCRMC,BHR orother classic race days there. It’s partly down to the park-like feel, partly the sound reverberatingoffthe hillsides, and theskillneeded forthisuniquetrack layout, butthere is somethingmagical aboutCadwell Park.It’sthe perfect antidotetomodernracetrackswhere binoculars areessential. Thank you, Mr Mansfield-Wilkinson, forlisteningto yourson.

SIMPLE KEEPINGIT

LexmotoRSS 125 Scrambler

For a17-year-old,there’snothing quitelikethatfirsttasteoffreedomthat comesfromtwowheels,anengine andthe open road.We’ve put onour rose-tintedspecstosee ifLexmoto’sRSS 125isthetoolfor the job

WORDS: RichardGraham PHOTOS: RossMowbray

Isuspectthat if youask most newmotorcycleownerswhy theychoosetoride ascooter ormotorcycle, thenalmost everyanswerthatyou receive will be relatedto freedom, ortheexcitementofriding, buteconomyisperhapsthe unspokenmajorfactorinthe decision to purchase yourfirst motorcycle.

My motorcyclingjourney began as astudentandthe objectiveofpurchasingmy first motorcyclewas to have an affordablemeansoftransport in my newlife away fromhomeand accesstoa car. Lexmotohave embracedthisphilosophyand offer arange of newmotorcycles that offer acost-effectiveentry to motorcycling.

The Exeter-based firmalso understandthat costofpurchase isonlythe first steponthe motorcyclingladder;and atwoyear comprehensivewarranty is offered onallnew machines –andthere’sanextensivedealer network,too,with individual experienceandexpertisemuch closer to yourhomethan many ofthe big-branddealerships.

There’sadiverse rangeof125cc motorcycles to choose from,and thenostalgically-styled RSS125 sits towardsthe topofthe Lexmotoprice range. Let’ssee what it hastooffer.

Arrivingatthelock-up to collect the motorcycle,thefirst stepis to getthe key. Howrefreshingwasthat;asimple key,nofobs.Then approachingthe motorcycleforthefirst time asimple ignition switch,offandon,and the steering lock positionedonthefront forks.

Suddenlythislittle Lexmototakes me back to thetimewhen Iwasa studentandinvested in my first motorcycle, aSuzukiGP100, my budgetintroduction to motorcycling back in1988.Thereare some similarities,notleastthe simple ignitionandfiddlysteeringlockon thefrontforks.Buthowfar have motorcyclesdeveloped inthe last 30 yearsintermsof technology performance,styleand safety?

Firstimpressionsaregood.The scrambleris agood size,everimportantasa6-footerofalmost 100kg, althoughsmaller ridersmight findits810mm seat heighta littletall for manoeuvring. It feels substantial, weighinginat163kg, making it solid, well balancedand stable.

Thismotorcycle’sdesignisstylish, andthe matt blackfinish suitsit perfectly;an appropriate colourfor this scrambler with abit of attitude. There’re crash bars with bobbins, agrillontheheadlightand some crossovertyresand spoked wheels, whichsuggestsome off-road capability. In realitythis motorcycleis goingtoremainfirmlyonthe Tarmac

TECHSPEC

LexmotoRSS 125Scrambler

Price: £2599.99

Engine: 124ccsingle cylinderliquid-cooled, efi four-stroke,single cylinder

Power: 14.1hp/10.5kW@ 9000rpm

Torque: 11.2Nm @8600rpm

Weight: 163kgMassinRunningOrder

SeatHeight: 810mm

Fueltank: 14.5litres

Contact: www.lexmoto.com

–andthe stylingisjuststyling. But it’s effective.Thesharply-styled matt blacktankat14.5litresalsogives asensiblerange andreducesthe numberoffuelstops.

Theengineis aEuro5liquid-cooled electronicfuel-injectedfour-stroke enginethat produces14.1 horsepower at 9000rpmbelow theUKleanerlimit of14.7horsepower,soideal forthose firststepsinmotorcycling. There isenough powertotackle thedaily commuteand at theweekend getout into thecountrysideandenjoy the freedomofmotorcycling.

That said,thisis perhapsnotthe machinefor youifyou areina hurry. Ihavenot managedtogetthe digital speedo past 60mph(some wayshortof the claimed69mph). Iamsurea lighter rider would be able to improvethe top speedbutthisis reallynotthe point ofthisbike. It’s designedtolookgood around town and offer agoodriding experience;anditisall aboutthe ride, nothowquickyou canget there.

Thefront and rear hydraulicdisc brakesaregood,thefrontcapableand responsivewiththeaddedfeature of ABStokeepyououtoftrouble. The rear hasalessresponsivefeel, but perfectforthe slow control required by learners ontheirCBT, and for slow manoeuvringintight spaces.

The frontsuspension consistsof some traditional telescopic forks, and at therearthere’s amonoshock unit. Together they keep themotorcycle well poised ontheroad.The17-inch spoked wheelsfit that all-important scramblerstyling, andthe110/70 frontand140/70 rear tyresdoa decentjob of sticking to theTarmac.

Ifound theRSS extremely comfortable;it’s agoodsizeand weight, andtheseathas clearly beendesignedtocarry apillion. If you’vepassedyourfull test anddo need to ferryarounda passenger, you’ll definitelyfeelit– andanything beyond potteringaroundtownisabit of achallenge. The5-inchTFT display is clearwith automaticallyadjusting dayandnight settings.Thecontrolsaresensibly positionedandthedisplay is easy to navigate, providing riderswithall thenecessary information,although Imustadmittheindicator flashes onthewhite screen were abitless visible than Imight have liked.The LEDindicatorsare effective, being very visible to other road users, as istherearbrake lightlocated in the rearoftheseat. The headlightisalso goodaroundtowninastreetlight environment, butmay struggle to light theway on ruralroadsinthedark.

The LexmotoRSS 125 Scramblerisa stylishandcapable motorcycleeither fora learnernew to motorcyclingor fora moreexperiencedriderlooking fora cost-effectivedailycommuter inan urbanenvironment. Theprice is extremely competitiveat£2759.99, whichisabout half thecostofthe similarly-styledYamahaXSR 125 Legacy listedat£5202.00.

Thereisclearly an economicreason whyyou would buythismotorcycle. If youhavelimited mechanical experienceand want acompetitively pricedmotorcyclewitha two-year warranty anda good dealernetwork thenthis maywell be the motorcycle to choose.Manyparents buying theirchild’s first motorcycle would alsobedrawn to this bike,safeinthe knowledgetheir child will have anew unabused motorcycle with warranty andlocaldealerback-up.Ifyou are amorecapable mechanic youmight consider asecondhandmotorcycle fromoneofthe larger manufacturers; aquick trawlofAutotrader threwup aYamahaMT-1252015 with 13,000 miles at £xxxxoraSuzukiGSXR2018 with16,000 miles at asimilar budget butthese will come with wearand tearand possible otherunseenissues. The other pointofnote–having hadreasontoobtain spares forthis motorcycle–isthattheyare readily available andeasilyordered on line withpromptdelivery; the back-up is thereand effective.

EUROTRIP: AUSTRIAN ALPS AND BACK

Atwo-week,two-and-a-half-thousand-miletrip through France, Belgium,Luxembourg,Switzerland,Austria andGermany

WORDSandPHOTOS: Aaron Walker

Lastspring, Aaron Walker setoff on hisfirst‘bigbike’ trip just afew months afterpassing his full test.Withhis partnerAlexonthe back ofhis Kawasaki Versys 650, thetwo of them spent14dayscovering2313milesacross eightcountries;packing in plenty of scenic goodness,adventurous activities,coolplacesand topfood. Notbad at all, right? Here’s what they gotupto.

Day1: LeedstoFolkestone

Ouradventure kicked off as we hitthe road bright andearly,ridingswiftly inthreestintsoftwo hours. In Folkestone,weenjoyed fishandchips anda walk alongthe iconic whitecliffsof Dover.

Day2: FolkestonetoLuxembourgCity

The daybegansmoothlyaswepackedupand setour sightsonthe Eurotunnel.Thetrain ride waspretty stressfuldue to the weight ofthefull-loaded bike and howmuchitmoved onthetrain!Afterdisembarking, we hadaprettyuneventful ridethrough flatFrance and Belgium.Westopped inthecharmingtownof Dinantand laterarrivedintheimmaculatecityof Luxembourg.Wesettled foracheaperhotelina converted houseand explored thelocal scene.

Day3: LuxembourgtoBaden-Baden

LeavingLuxembourgbehind, we crossedinto Germany, makingourway to Baden-Baden.The town's size andassortmentofshopsandrestaurants leftuspleasantlysurprised.WestayedinanAirbnbstylearrangement—aconverted front roomofa privatehouse.

Day4: Baden-BadentoZurichviatheB500

Themostanticipated legofthe tour! We packed up andheadedofftothe startofthelegendaryB500and climbedupdeeperintothe BlackForest. The climb into thetreeswasbrilliant. Despitetheconservative speed limit,therewereamazing viewswithroads to match.Wemade acoupleof stops at scenicviewpoints andlakes,chattingtoother bikers we metalongthe way. We made astopinTriberg to checkoutthehouse of1000 cuckooclocksbeforecarryingonalltheway to Switzerland, stopping just outsideofZurich.

Day5: ZurichtoStAnton amArlberg LeavingSwitzerland behind, viaarefreshingswim inLakeWalensee,wecrossed into Austria. Ourfirst stop wasatLakeLünersee, ascendingtothe summit viacable carfor ahikearound thelake. We werea bit surprised to seeloadsof snow stillabout! On the waytothehotel we gotcaughtina bitofrain butit wouldn't be atourwithout it!

Day6: StAntonamArlbergtoMieders

The firststopoftheday wasatUmhausentotackle theStuibenfall ViaFerrata,scalingthe sideof ahuge waterfall! In the evening we stayed at alovelyout-ofseason ski resort in theAustrianmountains.

Day7: Atrip to Innsbruck

After aweekofnon-stop riding, we decidedtostay at ahotelfor twonightsand to have arestday in Innsbruck. Gettingthere meantenjoyingthe short butamazingridethrough theAustrianmountain pass,whichwasarguably better thantheB500in my opinion. We explored thecolourfulcity withnice architecture.Wehad adeliciouslunch at Kröll Strudel Cafe,tryingmeatand potato as wellas spinach, feta, andpine nutstrudels.

forparagliding. Accompaniedbyaninstructor, we ascended themountainin acable cartoparaglide back down.Itwas athrillingexperience flyingthrough thevalley. Aftersomeglidingandtightturns,we landedina field, received certificates,and headedto Achensee.Atthe lake,werentedpaddle boardsand hadafantastictime.

Day9: 5Peaks ViaFerrata

The first (andonly) dayofourtrip we haven’tridden anywhere! We gotupand walked to thecable carfrom RofanSeilbahnupthemountainandheadedfor the second ViaFerrataofthetrip. We gottothe topofthe first viaferrata,Hochiss (2299m)and hadour lunch before hiking back down.Wehad arestandthen movedontosummitSpeiljock(2236m) before hiking back down to thecable car, narrowly avoidingthe rain.

Day10: AchenseetoMunich

Traversing themagnificentAustrianAlps,weventured into thepicturesque Bavarian Alps,wherewemade adelightful stop in thecharmingtownofGarmischPartenkirchen fora coffeebreak.Arriving in Munich, we checkedintoourhotelbeforeadventuring into the centre forthe evening, visitinglandmarks andshops, before gettingatraditional sausageand apretzeland sittingatabar fora coupleof beers.

Day11: Munich to Saarbruken

We ateour breakfast, fuelledupand made ourway to Stuttgarttovisit thePorsche museum.Stutgartt was fairly difficult to ridein, with roadworks everywhere and it’s quiteindustrial. It wasalsoabsolutely roasting at this point, thehottest dayofthe trip!The Porsche museum wasbrilliantand it tookus acoupleof hourstogetthrough, thehighlight formebeingthe Porsche-enginedMcLarenMP4/4 F1 car. We rodeon to Saarbrüken, checking into theIbis Budgetforthe night.

Day12: SaarbrukentoGent

We travelledtoGentinBelgium with acoupleof stops in Bitburgandtheiconic SpaFrancorchamps circuit. We unpackedand walked into Gent lookingfor food.Iwas surprised asit wasalovelytown; we didn’texpectitto be so nice! The architecture wasamazing with akind of medievalvibe. We endedupgettingthe biggestportion of chipsI'veevereatenalongwithaBelgian waffle.

Day13: GenttoCalais

Ourfirststopwasthecaptivating city of Bruges around 30minutes away.Weexplored forawhileincluding thebusycentreand foundsome quiet canals. Continuing alongthe coastal route, we rode towards Calais,stoppingalongthe waytohaveapicnic anda swimin thesea onthebeach at Normandy. Afterthat we checkedintoourhoteland went to bedearly as we needed to catchthe Eurostarhomeinthemorning.

Day14: Calais toLeeds

Day8: Mieders toAchensee LeavingMiedersbehind, we headedsouth to Neustift

DepartingfromCalais,wemade abrief journeytothe Eurotunnel, whereweboarded thetrain. It wasstrange as we were theonlybikeonthe train. Along theway back to Leedswetookthe opportunity to visitfriends in thecityofCanterbury.

IT’SGOODTOSHARE

Ifyou’ve beenonanadventureand fancystringing afew sentencestogetherandsharingyourexperience withthereaders ofMoreBikes,we’dlovetohearfromyou.Nomatterwhetheryour tripwasbig or smal,at home or faraway, we’ll be interested. If youwanttoknow moreabout what’sinvolved,fire overanemailto rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

FROM THEARCHIVE MINDGAMES?

Withanother WorldChampionshipinthe bagin1988, you’dhave expected Yamaha to havedoneeverything possibletoholdontoEddieLawsonforthefollowing season. That’snotwhat happened

Words: SteveCooper

There’sprobably nothing quitelikeinternecine raceteam politicsto destabilise arider,andwhenthat riderjustso happenstobeyourvery own WorldChampionthingscan rapidlyslidesideways.Lawsonfound himselfinpreciselythissituation despitebeingtheworld’sNumber One.It’sreportedLawsontoldthe media:“GiacomoAgostini,the MarlboroYamahateammanager, startedplayinggames,sayingstuff like,‘Idon’tknowifwecanpayyou thesameaswedidin1988.’ I’djust wonmythirdtitle,sothatwastough tohear.Also, IfoundoutAgowas talkingtoKevinSchwantz. Imet with

Erv(Kanemoto of Honda) and told himthat Ineeded achange. When Marlboro discovered Iwas talkingwith Honda,theydoubledtheiroffer,but itwastoolate. Iactuallytook apay cuttoridetheHonda.”WhetherAgo wasplaying mind gamesandtrying toclaw backsome of hisbudget to useelsewhereisanyone’sguessbut theend resultwasan owngoal –the star rider hadleftthe building.So Yamaha’s 1989seasonwas goingto be alittledifferent tothatenvisaged back atbase in Iwata,Japan. Team LuckyStrikeRoberts would field WayneRaineyand KevinMagee; TeamMarlboroAgostiniwouldlook afterNiall Mackenzieand Freddie Spencer withtwoItalianriders (CadaloraandRota)doingoneround each asstand-ins.Alsoadded intothe

mixwere NorihikoFujiwara, Michael DowsonandJohnKocinski along withChristianSarronridingfor Team Gauloises Blondes Mobil 1. Therehadbeensome serioustech stuffgoingonoverthe closedseason withlargerradiatorsand flat-topped pistonsfittedtosome of thebikes. Thetwinthoughtswerethat running cooler wouldfacilitatebetter, higher incoming fuelchargedensitywiththe revisedpistons facilitatingexhaust scavenging.Therewasalsothe nowannualminorrevisionsof port geometries.Handling issuesfromthe previousseason hadbeenaddressed to afairdegreebyadoptingthenew 17-inchwheels RobertsandRainey haddiscovered improved handling. Itwouldbea seasonofmixed fortunes.The newwheelsfacilitated

betterturn-inthanLawsonwas experiencingontheHonda, but Yamaha’sDunlop tyres hadsidewall issues. Rainey andLawsonfought it outwiththe Honda ridertakingthe title228 to210.5. Christian Sarron wouldbethirdinthe championship on 165.5, with Suzuki-mounted Schwantz close behindon 162.5. KevinMagee managed fifth on138.5. Yamahahad also lost theConstructor’sTitle with 227.5pointsto Honda’s257.Itwasn’t theseasonthey’d been hopingfor!

TheVJMC –run by motorcyclists formotorcyclists.For membershipenquiries only Tel: 01454501310

Email: membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk

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Photo: MortonsMediaArchive

We lovetoseewhatyoulot areriding –andweknow the restofyoulikeit,too. It’sjustlikepotteringaround abikenightandchecking outwhat’sbeenbrought outfor ablast.Nowwe’ve decidedtobringthebike nighttoyou,askingreaders tosendusphotos of their prideandjoyfortheworld tosee.Here’resomeof ourtoppicksfromthelast month.

We love anXT;propercoolbits ofkit.AndGaryHarris’ Yamaha XT250from81fitsthebill perfectly.

We betGaryColey’sMotoGuzzi Breva1100isanabsolutehootto ride;bagsofcharacterand plenty ofpunch.

Kawasakiknowhow tobuildbig, comfortableandproperlycapable sporttourers.CraigAschoff’s GTR1400from2009istheperfect example.

teenager’s

There’snothingquitelike aMoto Guzzi. Here’s Don West’smilemunching1000SP Spada.

AnotherGuzzi!Thisone’s aproper 70sicon.It’sScottSeiber’s Moto Guzzi750S.

Retrosalwaysbeen cool;andGordon Harold’sKawasaki Zephyr provesit.

Cammy Haggart’slivingevery70s

dreamwithhis‘ton-up’ SuzukiX7GT250.

DavidHazlewood’s handsome TriumphT100SS.We’dlove oneof these intheshed.

JohnSpeersisaluckylad.The Kawasaki Ninja1000SX isa remarkablebitofkit.Not jealous, honest…

The consummate all-rounder; we betDanielO’Brien’s Kawasaki ZR-7Sisup foranything.

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCESSORIES CHROMING

BIKERFRIENDLY

SUSPENSION

WEBWATCH

ForSale

APRILIA Mana,2009,850cc V-TwinUSDforks,radialbrakes, ABS,threeenginemaps,helmet storageintankfuelunderseat, 10,000miles,Givitopbox, superbcondition,greatbike, £2850Tel.07939145555.

Reading.

BSA A10GoldenFlash,1960, veryoriginal,650cc,twin,fully enclosedchaincaseandairfilter housing,newbattery,readyto ride,photosandV5Cavailable, freedeliveryarranged,£5450 Tel.01723372219.Yorkshire.

BSA A10alsoBSAA7, Ibought them3yearsago, theyarenot completeandrequirestripping andrebuildingorstrippingand sellingforparts,£5000Tel. 07395067513.Email.ralph. whitehead@btinternet.com

BMW C400GT,2019,5900 miles,glossblack,350ccauto maxiscooter,fsh,excellent condition,MoTFebruary2025, ornewMoTonsalenewBMW scooterforcessale,garaged, tyresexcellent,£4495.Tel. 07784499299.Yorkshire.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fatboy 2001,Y-reg,1450twincam, genuinesaddlebagmounts andseat,ScreamingEagle silencers,newbattery,2keys, 2fobs, arareopportunityto buy averylowmileagespotless mintunmolestedcarburettor original model, isspotless underneath,undertheseatand spotlesseverywhere,never seenrain/winter/salt, abikefor thepurist,£9950Tel.07835 709412.Exeter.Email.graham. woollacott@hotmail.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC 2002HeritageSoftail,oneowner, 16,000miles,hugerangeof chromeaccessories,black, fabulouscondition,phoneforfull speclistandphotos,£9500ono Tel.07713044125.IsleofWight.

HONDA CB250RS,goodoriginal condition,itrunsandrides perfectly,40,304miles,tax exempt,OwnersWorkshop Manualincluded,£1600Tel. 07729177211.Staffordshire. Email.susaneverill@icloud.com

HONDA TLR200,1982,trials, goodcondition,allstandard,new carb,chain,fork,seals,runslike Swisswatch,£2350.Tel.07775 671836.Cambs.

Classified

HONDA VFR800Vtec2005,lovely condition,26,000miles,brand newfairingsfittedasoriginals werelookingoldandtatty,new batteryfitted,justpassedMoT withnoadvisories,ridesvery nice,anyquestionspleaseask, £2700Tel.07961828165.Email. tomkilley@gmail.com

HONDA VFR750,1992,metallic green,excellentoriginal condition, owned20years,runsand drivesverywell,goodtyresand chain,MoT till Maycan re MoT ifrequired,£1450Tel.07775 925395.SouthLanarkshire.

HONDA VFR1200FD,2014, metallicred,29,000miles, (recall)servicedoptionalGivi rack,topbox,£4940.Honda CB750/4K8,1979,black,8754 genuinemiles,serviced,new 4x exhausts,wires,£5240.Norton InterstateFTDCB500special, black,£5240.Leatherjackets, new/used,black,44/46XLfrom £40 -£75Tel.07759607498. Berks.

MATCHLESS G2250cc,1962, didrunbutbeenstoredfora while,£1500onoTel.07905 712435.NorthBedsEmail. Russell.j.horton@live.com

MONTESA 1978,310trailbike, goodcondition,runs,red,310cc TeamMontesacover, £3000 onoTel.07905712435.North BedsEmail.Russell.j.horton@ live.com

ROYALENFIELD 350cc, Treg, sound,MoTAugust,alloytank, wheels,tyresasnew,£2400 ono.BSAA10clutchcovers, £275Tel.07956121054.

ROYALENFIELD Classic 500 LimitedEdition,Squadron Blue, 115outof200,servicehistory, MoTtill April2025, 2keys servicehandbook,extraspillion seatexhaust wrap,newbattery, Avontyres,2900miles,£3300. Tel.07989146630.Great Yarmouth.Email.tyrraven67@ gmail.com

RUDGE 500,1929project orparts,frame,forks,later chainstays,frontmagcrankcase, flywheels,conrodmagneto, gearbox,clutch,barewheels, 500rear,250front,withV5, historicregistration,opento offers,£2000.Tel.01485 540896.Norfolk.Email.jrbrent@ hotmail.co.uk

TRIUMPH Bonneville,1970 T120R,650cc,matchingframe andenginenumbers,excellent condition, runsverywell, no smokeorrattles, can sendphoto byrequest,£6495onoTel. 07887674467.Hampshire.

SUZUKI GSX1400,2003, blue,whitewheels,excellent condition,MoTJuly,Michelin Road4S,parthistory,allbills, 17,900 miles,£5750onoTel. 07774172081. Cheshire.Email. glynstanway@gmail.com

TRIUMPH TridentT160,1975, 11,031recordedmiles,original matchingnumbers,brand new Avontyres,stainlessfasteners, stainlessbrakemastercylinders, braidedbrakelines,newfuel taps,siliconespark plug wires, recentlyfitted clutch seal,factory workshopmanual,goodrunner, comfortableandgreattoride, £8499Tel.07470396685.Herts. Email.ian@kingracing.com

TRIUMPH 900Sprint,1995, 67,600miles,newtyres,AGM battery,vgc,Nightshade,gold wheels,ownedforlast 25 years, MoT,luggageincludedifrequired, £1250Tel.01621778184. Essex.Email.chrispryke.equipe@ hotmail.co.uk

TRIUMPH T595Daytona,1997, originalcondition,idealrestoration projecthence,£800. Tel. 07462 079361;07591841687Email. ann.fletcher@paragonbank.co.uk

YAMAHA Diversion900S,2001, bikeinfantastic condition, 34,000miles,justserviced, fullGiviluggage,many extras andupgrades, 2setsofkeys handbookandmanual,12 monthsMoT,gettingtooheavy forme,anyquestions contact me,£2400Tel.07870200124. Dumbarton.Email.jas.bell@ blueyonder.co.uk

YAMAHA R12001,standard, excellentcondition,29,000 miles,allkeysandhistory,good tyres,brakesandengine,last ofthecarbmodelsinglorious vividredcocktail,likeanR7, ownedforlast12years,no sillyoffers£3500Tel.07815 374761. Email. graham.carey@ bmwgroup.com

PartsForSale

BSA Bantam gear change lever, £15.PairEversure carramps, oneownerfromnew,drystored, nodamage,£20.PitmansBook oftheRoyalEnfield,bittatty readable,£7Tel.01299266565. Worcs.

HITCHCOCKS decatpipefor RoyalEnfield350 classic£50 +p&p.Shadtopboxliner36lt £20 +p&p.Rockbrosrearseat bag20-35lts£20+p&p.Puigtall wind screen for HondaNC750X 16/17 incdeflector,£40 +p&p Tel.Bill07713160796.

OEPANNIERS BMW S1000XR, twosetsofunusedsidepanniers forsale 1x redand 1x grey, unlocked andopen,bothnever usedbutbothbikes2015and 2017 nowsold, lookingat£355 perset, buyercollects or p&p negotiatedTel.07768051901. Edinburgh. SPARES used oddsandendsfor 1972PuchMaxi,sidebarsrusty £10,stand£10,rearhub£15, fronthub£10,greyspeedodrive VDOGermany,£15etc,canpost Tel.07852921265.MidWales. VELOCETTE andYamaha spares, earlyVeloMaccrankcase,no cracksorbrokenlugs,£140. Anotherweldedrepairtoflange, £120.Barrel,£25.Head£50. Rockerbox, £30.Mid70’sYamaha RS125PistonsVariousoversizes, £15.Barrel,£50.Head,£20Tel. 01485540896.Norfolk.Email. jrbrent@hotmail.co.uk

Wanted

BSA B25/C25orTriumphTR25 rebuiltenginewanted,cancollect Tel.David07436002647.Email. thehubbards1954@hotmail.com

CLASSICMOTORCYCLE wanted anyconditionanymake/modelfor aprojectformyfather,goodprice paidTel.Thomas07398052043.

CLASSICMOTORCYCLE wanted anymakeoragefrom aboxofbits to amintmachineBritishorJap decentpricepaidTel.Colin01514 470147.

CLASSICMOTORCYCLE wanted anybikeanymakeanycondition goodpricepaidbygenuine enthusiastTel.Alan07432 566835.

Miscellaneous

BOOKS newV.Rossi/MotoGP, 192and224pages,£6 &£8 eachor£10pair.New Jet7 1/4”helmetc/wvisor,£25 suit learner.BootsAlpinestarsize10, £35.Jacket size 44,black/red, l/w, £25. Topbox 40litre,black, verygoodconditionTel.07759 607498.Berks.

BSA Bantam,gearchangelever, £15. Eversurecar ramps,one ownerfromnew,drystored,no damage,pair£20Tel. 01299 266565.Worcs. ERDE310 motorbiketrailerfor sale,lights,newtyres,invery good order, £325.Tel.07872 969902

LEATHERJACKET pristine condition, Ihaveanasnew used BMWleather ‘heritage’ styleleatherjacket,size(Euro) 44,back,elbowandshoulder armour,plainblack withdiscrete BMWtag,emailmeforpicture etc,£125.Suffolk.Email.peter@ foxyman.co.uk

LEATHERJACKET good condition,size 44/46”, £45. Leatherboots,goodcondition, size10,£45.Newleatherjacket, 44/46”,£70.NewJethelmet/ visor, 73/8blue,£35Tel.07759 607498.Berks.

LEATHERWAISTCOAT black, sizemedium,zippedandstuds, fourpockets,asnew,never worn,£40collectorpaypostage Tel.07919884322.WestMids. OXFORD BoneDrygents motorcyclejacket,black/ blue,XLdetachablethermal lining,elbow,shoulders,back protection,£25.Openface motorcyclehelmet,visor,grey, large,£20.Motorcyclegloves, black,knuckleprotection,£10, allasnewconditionTel.01299 266565.Worcs.

RENAULT MastervanMotorhome conversionby Caledonian Glasgow,2016, 2berthF/F sink,hobmicrowavefolding walltable,plentycupboards, £26,000.Recentaluminium foldingwheelchair motorcycle ramp1x2.6mtr,17,000miles, vehiclehardlyusedTel.07899 750863.Scotland.

WATSONIAN motorcycletrailer, blue,fibreglass,newlights,new tyres,newinnertubes,£375 ono.NewHendlerhandlebars3/4 inch,£30ono,cansend pictures. AvonVenom tyre 150-80-16,like new,£30Tel.07704343331.