MoreBikes July 2022 issue

J U LY 2022 # 193

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On Two Wheels

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Honda’s CB500F, CB500R and CB500X take on the North Coast 500

GETTING DIRTY

At the Mick Extance Experience

A DAY WITH A COPPER Improve your riding with BikeSafe

LOOK TO THE FUTURE On board the Yamaha NEO’S electric commuter

RETRO COOL Kawasaki Z650RS gets put through its paces

NEWS 3

A nod from the Editor What we’ve been up to this month...

Ross Mowbray

Roman Holiday

I

’ve spent a lot of time riding scooters this month. Not in this country, but in Italy, where everyone and their grandma seems to be riding them.

First I spent a few days in Sardinia exploring the coast on an old Piaggio (with my girlfriend on the back), and then on a Honda job riding its range of 350s from its R&D centre in Rome to its factory in Atessa. I had a great time, and found myself falling in love with the simplicity and practicality of a punchy little automatic. But it got me thinking about why scooters aren’t as popular in the UK as they are on the continent. Sure, there’re the hardcore scooterists who like Vespas, Lambrettas, rallies and ska (not to generalise, of course...) and the massive number of commuters and delivery drivers who see scooters primarily as a tool, but it seems to me that there’s a bit of prejudice amongst ‘proper’ bikers.

I’m not quite sure why. Anyone on two wheels deserves a nod in my book.

Editor Wouldn’t you agree?

MAG campaigns for BUS LANE ACCESS FOR BIKES

Bikers should be allowed access to all bus lanes in the UK, campaigners say.

At present, the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists isn’t consistent. Some transport authorities allow it, others ban bikers from the routes.

Now a Motorcycle Action Group report has identified that only 56 of the 159 transport authorities in the UK with bus lanes allow motorcycles to use them. The group says it’s confusing and is campaigning to change that.

Currently, 48% of all ‘with-flow’ (that’s the ones that run alongside the flow of normal traffic) are able to be used by motorcycles, but MAG wants bus lane access to become uniform across the UK and follow the lead of Northern Ireland, who’s Department for Infrastructure allows motorcycle access in all bus lanes.

Speaking about the variability of the rules, report author Colin Brown said: “It has led to a confusing picture for motorcyclists who can have access to bus lanes on one part of a route, only to cross an authority border and fall foul if continuing to access a bus lane on the same route. The picture in London is even more chaotic where Transport for London (TfL) allows access on bus lanes managed by them, but many of the boroughs do not allow access on the lanes they manage”.

He continued: “This research has revealed the successes of three decades of campaigning by MAG on this issue. Given the complexity and stumbling blocks placed between a coherent national policy and a totally unnecessary exclusion of motorcycles from bus lanes, we have done well to gain access to 48% of the nation’s bus lanes.

“We have also shown the ludicrous situation where access permissions change along certain routes or in opposite directions on the same road. We have had three decades of expensive local trials but the overwhelming result of all these is that motorcycle access to bus lanes is not a problem.

“It is time for a consistent default access for motorcycles, just as already exists informally for pedal cycles.”

As you’d expect, MAG is already hard at work to make change happen.

A petition has been raised by Birmingham-based barrister Dr Mirza Ahmad which asks the Government to require local authorities in England to permit motorcycles in bus lanes.

Visit the Motorcycle Action Group website for more information on how to sign it.

The next part of the process is to meet with Roads Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, who previously asked MAG to list its top five priorities.

Bus lane access was priority number one, as voted for by its members.

Then MAG will approach decisionmakers in Wales and Scotland to promote the sensible approach taken in Northern Ireland. And finally, MAG plans to redouble its efforts with key authorities that still do not allow access (and is pushing for meetings with Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham and Leicester, as well as discussing with Transport for London on how best to get London Boroughs to accept a common policy).

There’s a long way still to go, but with your help MAG plans to make motorcycling in the UK easier, safer and less confusing. Credit to them.

SPEED LIMITERS coming to motorcycling?

Speed limiting software is set to become mandatory for all new cars in the UK from this July. Are motorcycles coming next?

The British Motorcyclists Federation has spoken out about the possibility of all new bikes being fitted with speedlimiting software.

It comes ahead of the implementation of new rules which see new cars being legally mandated to come fitted with the technology from this month.

Called Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), the software is already implemented by some car manufacturers (including Ford, Mercedes and Renault), but will become standard practice from July.

The ISA system works by limiting the speed of the car to the limit on the road the car is on. So, if you’re driving in a 30mph, it will limit you to 30mph. Though the BMF does note that the software can be overridden by the driver.

Speaking about the introduction of ISA, Anna Zee, political and technical services director of the BMF said: “ISA is part of the General Safety Regulation (GSR) passed by the EU in October 2021 and includes a number of items besides ISA, such as Automatic Emergency Braking.”

She added: “Yes, we will see this on cars sold in the UK because there is no law to say they must not be included and the manufacturers will get type approval for Europe and supply the same cars to the UK. Road safety bodies such as the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is keen to see the whole package implemented in UK legislation – the point is that the combination of measures included amplify the benefits of each measure individually. It says that selecting only some of the measures will dilute the safety benefits.”

For now, ISA will not be mandatory for motorcycles. Of course, manufacturers are free to implement ISA on their

​ oreBikes, Media Centre, M Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Editor Ross Mowbray

latest bikes, but there is no legislation (in Europe or the UK) which says motorcycles must be fitted with ISA. It does seem likely we’ll see it on bikes in the not-toodistant future, though. However, as motorcycling is always a few years behind the car industry with regards to such advances, and considering we’re only just starting to get more bikes with radars and radar-assisted cruise control, it’s probable we’ve still got a few more years left of throttle freedom.

E​ ditorial design Fran Lovely Publishing Director Dan Savage Publisher Tim Hartley Email editorial@morebikes.co.uk Production Editor Mike Cowton

Group Advertising Manager Sue Keily Divisional Advertising Manager Tom Lee Advertising Simon Meyer 01507 529310 Advertising deadline for August issue June 30, 2022 Sales and Distribution Manager Carl Smith Marketing Manager Charlotte Park Commercial Director Nigel Hole Customer services number 01507 529529

‘Noise Camera’ fines for loud exhausts NOT YET!

It was announced recently that the Department for Transport would be trailing noise cameras aimed at catching and fining drivers and riders with loud exhausts across four areas in England and Wales.

Understandably, many bikers were concerned, particularly those who adhere to the adage, ‘Loud Pipes Save Lives’, and believe that making a bit of noise is one of the best ways to ensure you’re seen on the road.

But it turns out that the results of the trial aren’t quite as damning as first thought.

While it was first thought that fixed penalty notices would be dropping on to doormats every time an excessively loud exhaust was detected, the reality is far more complex.

The latest trial will be run by the Atkins-Jacobs joint venture, the same group that operated a limited noise camera trial back in 2019. Interestingly, the trial proved that roadside cameras couldn’t replicate those controlled conditions; with ‘an error of 0.1m in the placement of the microphone can alter the [noise] level by up to 1.5dB’.

As such, the trial suggested that ‘any further development or trials of noise cameras should consider the use of a

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microphone array’, which is exactly what’s being used for the ‘Medusa’ system that’s being trialled in Paris. Medusa uses four microphones to triangulate the source of a sound, allowing it to pinpoint and track a noisy vehicle.

But even with the more sophisticated technology, it’s still complicated. While all modern vehicles are typeapproved to meet noise levels at the time of being built, they’re measured in very controlled circumstances.

Microphones are carefully placed, background noise levels are reduced, and specific rules about the revs, speed, gear, acceleration, road surface and weather are all met.

And. of course, type-approval rules have changed over the years, so newer bikes must meet different standards to older ones.

What does all this mean? Well, at this stage it’s still not clear.

Considering the challenges of measuring a noisy vehicle, it seems unlikely the current technology will ever be used to administer on-the-spot fines.

It’s much more plausible that you’ll be sent a warning to ensure your bike meets the right standard.

MB recommends bikesafe.co.uk

Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies

4 NEWS

Yamaha UK’s new Certified Pre-Owned platform

Yamaha has announced the launch of its new Certified Pre-Owned platform, enabling riders to buy used Yamaha motorcycles with the extra peace of mind that it has been checked and approved by an authorised Yamaha dealer.

In essence, YOU (Yamaha Offers You) Certified Pre-Owned is a guarantee that a pre-owned Yamaha has been thoroughly checked by an authorised dealer to ensure that it meets Yamaha’s standards of quality – and as a result means that punters can be provided with a minimum of 12 months’ warranty coverage and roadside assistance in the unlikely event there is an issue. Sounds like a good idea, right? So what’s actually involved?

For a machine to be advertised via the Certified Pre-Owned programme, the dealer will have to conduct a full examination of the bike, in addition to competing a mileage investigation, checking that the previous owner has paid off any outstanding finance, and confirming that the bike has not been stolen or subject to an insurance write-off.

Once that’s been done, the bike can be listed in the Yamaha Certified PreOwned motorcycles section on the Yamaha Motor UK website… Simple.

Of course, you can still visit your local dealer today and ask them to help you find the used Yamaha you’re looking for.

Speaking about the news, Andy Pumfrey, divisional manager, new business – Yamaha Motor UK, said: “The introduction of our new Certified Pre-Owned platform gives customers a ‘one-stop shop’ to search for their approved used Yamaha motorcycle or scooter, where they can see all of

the UK Franchised Dealer stock in one place.

“The platform has been designed with an easy-to-use search function enabling customers to view by model type and location, meaning it has never been easier to find a used Yamaha with the added peace of mind that each bike has been quality checked and comes with a year’s warranty and roadside assistance.”

Honda’s new campaign encourages more people to give biking a go!

New Rider Hub launches to support new and young motorcyclists South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) is launching a one-stop shop for new and young powered twowheeler (PTW) riders to help them safely navigate life on the road.

SYSRP is helping to promote the new website, which contains a host of information on subjects including training, maintenance, security and insurance.

It is hoped that the platform will improve young riders’ road skills and knowledge, and help to spread road safety messages, ultimately reducing casualties.

Joanne Wehrle, Manager of SYSRP, said: “We are delighted to signpost our local riders to this new hub, which also features our own YouTube series ‘Mech It Better’.

“It will help to support and empower young people who want to take advantage of travel on two wheels to commute or get around their communities.

“Powered two-wheeler riders are classed as a vulnerable road user group, which is why it is so important that we engage with them using a relevant and ageappropriate platform.”

The Hub has been created by the National Young Rider Forum (NYRF) following a project titled ‘Understanding Young Riders’, which was published in 2021.

The research recommended the creation of a website directly

aimed at young riders, featuring videos and links to on-line theory and hazard perception resources. It also suggested that young riders would benefit from having the opportunity to engage directly with NYRF experts as well as accessing information on the gig economy.

One of Safer Roads’ partners, national charity Mental Health Motorbike, is also supporting the new site.

Founding member Paul Oxborough said: “Starting your motorbike journey as a young

rider carries a number of risks, both to the rider’s pockets and the potential effect on their mental health well-being if they take unnecessary risks.

“The Hub is a powerful online resource that helps young riders make the transition towards becoming a safer and more responsible rider. This is a website that the team at Mental Health Motorbike is very proud to be supporting.”

If you’re interested in finding out more, you can access the hub at: www.newriderhub.net

Honda’s new ‘Ride Free’ campaign aims to encourage more people to try riding motorcycles – and they are offering frees ride to anybody who’s interested.

Honda knows that motorcycles and scooters are good fun, as well as great transport. So it has a simple and straightforward offer to those contemplating getting started on two wheels – ride a 125cc Honda motorcycle for free.

The Ride Free experience aims to introduce as many people as possible to motorcycling through the Honda Dealer and Honda School of Motorcycling network in an enjoyable, informative and no-pressure environment.

The Ride Free day is completely free and will provide training and sales specialists to help new riders towards a new motorcycle, scooter or full licence. In addition, there’s a £50 bonus towards the cost of a CBT on purchase of a new

125cc Honda motorcycle or scooter, and £500 off a new Honda motorcycle over 125cc if a full licence is attained at a Honda-approved training school.

Ride Free is already in operation across the Honda dealer network, with places ready and waiting to be booked over the coming months.

Courses are available across the country and the demand for trying out life on two wheels is high. For more information on locations, dates and booking, head to the website.

You never know, it could be the start of your adventure on two wheels! This is a great opportunity to try biking in a closed and safe area with expert tuition and guidance on hand from approved trainers.

6 NEWS

MOTO MORINI

GOES BIG The Italian factory has just confirmed that there are 11 more models on the way in the next two years.

Speaking to the press, Moto Morini’s General Manager Alberto Monni said that there’s a whole host of new machines earmarked for production in the not-too-distant future.

Following its takeover by Chinese automotive giant Zhongeng in 2018, things went a bit quiet at the historic Italian firm.

It stated its plans to significantly increase production and begin building smaller and more affordable bikes that’d have broader appeal. And that’s exactly what it has done, with the recent release of its CFMoto 650ccpowered X-Cape 650 adventure bike. But since then, we’ve been eagerly awaiting news about what’s going to come next.

Thankfully, the wait is over, with Monni revealing plans for two new 650s powered by the same engine (the STR roadster and SCR scrambler), which are expected to be available

later this year. Admittedly, these two shouldn’t come as a massive surprise, following the reveal of the 6 1/2 at the EICMA motorcycle show back in 2021.

That’s not all. He confirmed that a range of bikes built around a Euro-5 1200cc V-twin engine will be launched at the end of next year (ahead of them going on sale in 2024).

The headline bike will be a new version of its Granpasso adventure bike, and there will be two more models using the same engine platform not too far behind. And beyond that?

There are also plans for a new 700cc and a new 900cc engine, which will each get its own three-bike range.

It's a serious statement of intent from the resurgent Italian brand… now it’s just got the task of actually developing and building the bikes. We can’t wait to see them.

PRODUCTION READY: MV Agusta’s adventure bikes are coming Boss Timur Sardarov has revealed that we won’t have wait too much longer to see production versions of its Lucky Explorer 5.5 and 9.5 – and he also confirmed that there’re more adventure models on the way in the future.

Benelli’s next adventure bike:

The TRK702 Alongside the TRK502 and TRK800, it’s reported that Benelli is planning to release a third middleweight adventure bike to its line-up.

Benelli’s TRK502 adventure bike has been a massive success for the Italian-cumChinese firm, managing to claim the top spot in the Italian motorcycle sales charts in both 2020 and 2021. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Qianjiang-owned firm is looking to capitalise with the addition of more TRKs. We’ve been telling you that a larger TRK800 is on the way for months, but now it turns out that there’s another in the works: the TRK702.

The new 693cc parallel-twin powered machine has been type-approved in China, where images of the bike have emerged as part of the official paperwork.

Details are still scarce, but looking closely at the images it would appear as though the 702 shares the same styling

cues as the TRK800 – but from what we can see it looks to use a chassis that’s much more closely related to the smaller TRK502. Power will come from the same engine that’s currently used in CFMoto’s 700CL-X (which in turn is a reworked version of Kawasaki’s 650cc parallel twin). The documents do reveal that the bike will weigh 220kg and have 75bhp to play with.

Rumours suggest that there are four versions of the TRK702 on the way, in the form of two road-biased models with cast wheels and less ground clearance, and two more offroad ready machines withy 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wire wheels plus some taller suspension.

Interestingly, the TRK702’s paperwork refers to the bike as ‘BJ700-5’. Does that mean that there are more Benelli ‘BJ700’ models powered by the same engine in the works?

We’ll have to sit tight to find out.

Following its unexpected reveal at EICMA last year, everyone’s been wondering when we’ll get to see a ready-to-ride Cagiva Elephantinspired adventure bike from the Italian factory. But in a recent interview, MV’s CEO broke the news that a production-ready version of the 554cc 5.5 will make its debut at this year’s EICMA show in November ahead of its release next year.

He then went on to speak about the 9.5 – which is powered by a 931cc liquid-cooled, triple-cylinder engine and is claimed to produce a spritely 121bhp and feature lean-sensitive electronics – saying that there’re six prototypes out for testing ahead of production kicking off in April 2023.

Interestingly, Sardarov went on to speak about the company’s plans for fully kitted out versions of the bikes,

confirming that the first model will be the bike in its base form, with more technically advanced machines following later. The more advanced bikes (with Tiptronic gearboxes, radar cruise control and more road-focused designs) are expected to come in sixmonth intervals, but at this stage we still don’t know exactly what’ll be coming and when – though it does seem we’re getting close to finding out more.

NEWS 7

More affordable: Harley-Davidson LiveWire S2 Del Mar breaks cover That’s right. Harley-Davidson has released a cheaper version of its flagship electric motorcycle – and it’s expected to be nearly 10 grand cheaper than the original.

The second-generation LiveWire (or more accurately the LiveWire S2 Del Mar) is essentially a simplified, more affordable follow-up to the original electric bike which won plaudits for its performance, but received criticism for its hefty £29,000 price tag.

The S2 Del Mar is actually the first electric bike to appear since the American factory created a separate brand for its electric bike last year. It features an all-new ‘Arrow’ monocoque chassis which houses a 60kW electric motor and 100-mile capable battery. As a result of the new chassis, it’s claimed to weigh in at 199kg, which makes the S2 significantly lighter than H-D’s first LiveWire (which weighed 249kg).

Pictured here is the special Launch Edition (of which only 100 are being produced) but, sadly, you won’t be able to get your hands on one, because the $17,699 machines sold out almost immediately when they went on sale last month. Thankfully, there’s a standard version heading into production imminently, which is expected to be even cheaper (in the USA at least), costing a respectable $15,000. If we look at the LiveWire 1’s (that’s what it’s called now…), which costs $22,799 in the States and £28,995 in the UK, it’s reasonable to estimate that the Del Mar will come in at around the £19,000 when it eventually arrives on British shores.

And there’s more good news. The Del Mar design is modular, which means it can be nipped and tucked to create a whole host of unique models from the same base – and it’s rumoured that we’re going to see an ‘urban street tracker’ with 19-inch wheels first. Sounds good to us.

Speaking about the bike, Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, said: “The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand.

The Arrow architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed in-house at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.”

Become a RIDING MASTER with

DAINESE

Italian kit specialist Dainese has just announced its latest batch of once-in-alifetime experiences – including the chance to ride with Valentino Rossi at his legendary VR46 Ranch.

The Dainese Riding Masters programme offers deep-pocketed punters of all abilities the chance to improve their on-road, off-road and track skills alongside some of the biggest names in the game.

The Dainese Road Class (£149) and Dainese Racing Class (from £89) both sound pretty special, but in theory they’re fairly standard training experience days, focused on improving rider skills for beginners and experienced riders alike.

As part of the Racing Class, there’s also the MotoGP Class. It’s a properly cool event which buys you the opportunity to learn from world champions Valentino Rossi and Franco Morbidelli on track.

The Dainese Off-Road Class (£1499) is a swanky two-day immersion into the world of adventure, with time on an enduro track, a tour of the Terre di Canossa region and the Emilian Apennines all on a Yamaha Tenere 700.

Finally, there’s the Dainese Expedition Masters. In July you can head to Chile and Bolivia for an 11-day trip through the Atacama Desert, and in August you can spend seven days exploring the extreme landscape of Iceland. The expedition events cost up to £7500, but they are all-inclusive so the travel, gear and bikes are all sorted, meaning you’ve just got to turn up and ride.

If you’re interested in finding out more, visit: www.dainese.com

8 NEWS

Herald confirms production-ready

BRUTE 500

The ‘first British designed, engineered and manufactured motorcycle’ from Cambridgeshire-based Herald Motor Company is now on sale.

Herald has gone from strength to strength over the past few years since its inception in 2012, as it continues to turn out an extensive range of retro-styled 125cc, 250cc and 400cc motorcycles that hark back to the glory days of British motorcycling. But it reckons its new Brute 500 street tracker is its biggest and best yet.

Herald made a name for itself by doing things slightly differently to other UKbased importers. The initial part of the process is similar. They work with an exclusive partner in China to create each bike, but once they arrive at Herald HQ, they get overhauled with a range of higher specification aftermarket bits and pieces, before being checked top to bottom by the team of dedicated on-site mechanics.

It’s a successful formula, with its range of bikes proving popular with styleconscious youngsters and city commuters looking for something different.

But the firm had big ideas ‘to bring manufacturing back to the UK’. The first step was its Brat 125 which was released in 2020, designed and (partly) assembled at its Huntingdon base (although it did still feature mostly Chinese parts).

The Brute 500 goes further still. While its 43bhp liquid-cooled single cylinder engine and parts of the chassis are still coming from China, pretty much everything else has been looked after in the UK. The design and tuning (using Herald’s own dyno) have been done in-house, while the wheels and suspension are from its sister company Racetek. The frame castings, aluminium swingarm, yokes and

spindles are all machined in-house; the front four-piston radial brake comes from Devon-based HEL (although the rear is from J-Juan); while the seat, wiring loom and other plastic mouldings (excluding the fuel tank) are also made in Britain.

“It’s definitely been a challenge,” said a Herald spokesperson. “We’ve tried to design as much in-house as possible to establish the Brute as a British designed and made bike, which it is. We machine a lot of the components of the bike here from billet.”

It’s a cracking effort from the evergrowing brand, and we can’t wait to get the chance to put the new Brute through its paces. Priced at £6950 (plus £250 of onthe-road fees), it’s not a cheap bit of kit, but when you consider some of the quality British parts that are fitted, it’s easy to see why. Interestingly, Herald is planning further models using the base of the Brute 500, and we’re told there’s a Scrambler version on the way in the not-too-distant future. For more information, visit www.heraldmotorcompany.com .

READERS’ RIDE 9

In partnership with EBC Brakes

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

Here’re some of our top picks from the last month.

George Hutchison’s Suzuki Hayabusa and Triumph Trophy. He’s done the paint for them both himself. Top work, George!

Lee Rayner and his BMW GS look ready for adventure James McPake’s Suzuki GSX-R 750 and Ducati Multistrada

Chris Cameron’s Yamaha Tenere 700. It looks cracking in the 70s-inspired Dakar colour

Steve Murphy’s UM Renegade. Now that’s a cool-looking learner legal bike

Stephen Niblett’s fully loaded Triumph Tiger

Steve Wiles’ Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX. We bet he has some fun on the supercharged smile machine Jake Maidment’s Suzuki GSX-R looking sharp Ricky Enson’s sleek Ducati Streetfighter V4

Stuart Balsillie’s KTM 1290 Super Duke GT gleaming in the sunshine

LEFT: Ed Horwood’s Royal Enfield Himalayan. We love the brilliant, budget bike from the Indian factory

Robert Butal’s immaculate Suzuki GSX750E from 1981

10 BIKER-FRIENDLY GUIDE

BIKE NIGHTS EVERY THURSDAY

2 High Street, Market Deeping, Peterborough PE6 8EB

5-9pm

The Iron Horse Ranch House www.ironhorseranchhouse.co.uk

If you're near Market Deeping and you like good grub, live music and bikes, then there’s one place you need to visit.

Decked out in the style of a rustic American diner, the Iron Horse Ranch House has been welcoming bikers, hot rod aficionados and families through its doors since 2008 – and its easy to see why it’s been such a success.

There’s an extensive menu of tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner options, beers on tap, a big marquee out the back, plenty of parking, and an ever-growing list of events.

Importantly, there’s a bike night every Thursday, but there's plenty of other cool stuff happening too, including gigs, open mic nights, comedy shows, movie nights and karaoke.

The flat fens of South Lincolnshire might not be renowned for its roads, but if you’re in the area (or even if you’re not...) and you’re looking for a proper biker-friendly place that does quality food, the Iron Horse Ranch House is well worth a visit.

DATES FOR THE DIARY The biker season is now in full swing, and to help you get the most out of your time on two wheels, we’ve handpicked a few events that are well worth a visit over the coming weeks.

JUNE 17-19

www.britishsuperbike.com 19

The annual VMCC Banbury Run returns.

The action kicks off at the British Motorcycle Museum. www.banbury-run.co.uk

19

Rickman Enthusiasts Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum. www.sammymiller.co.uk

20

Ride to Work Day. Do your bit and show that motorcycles and scooters are the best way to get around. www.ridetowork.org

23-26

Goodwood Festival of Speed. Bikes, cars, stars and motorsport royalty will all be on hand at the swanky venue in Sussex for a cracking weekend.

www.prescottbikefestival.co.uk

JULY 2-3

25-26

3

AMCA MX Championship. It’s time for Round 4 at Hawkstone Park.

3

The Brooklands Motorcycle Show. It’s an iconic event with a mix of classic and modern bikes on display and in action.

3

Honda Bike Day at the world-famous Ace Café

3

www.abrfestival.com

www.motolegends.com 7

Boston Bike Night. Join thousands of bikers as they descend on the market town of Boston in Lincolnshire. www.bostonbikenight.co.uk

7

Krazy Horse Bike Night. Modern and classic bikes, classic cars, American

Southern 100 International Road Races on the Isle of Man. www.southern100.com

15-17

World Superbike Championship. It’s time for Round 5 at Donington Park. www.worldsbk.com

16-17

VMCC Festival of 1000 Bikes. The largest classic track weekend in Europe at Mallory Park. www.festivalof1000bikes.co.uk

16-17

www.london.acecafe.com

ABR Festival. Held in the grounds of Ragley Hall, if you like adventure bikes, this is the place to be.

Prescott Bike Fest. It’s back. The oneday event is all about bikes running the

11-14

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Sunday Morning at MotoLegends.

Breakfast and bikes. What more could you want? Well, Shoei, Schuberth, Auritech and CCM will all be in attendance, too, showing off their latest kit.

British MotorCycle Racing Club. Club racing at its finest at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire.

www.krazyhorse.co.uk

www.amca.uk.com

www.bemsee.net 26

Darley Moor Club Road Racing Championship. www.darleymoor.co.uk

www.goodwood.com 24-26

cars, hot rods. If you want to meet like-minded folk, eat, drink and listen to some good bands, Krazy Horse is the place to go.

hill, but there’s plenty to keeping you entertained if you like two wheels.

Round 4 of the British Superbike Championship at Knockhill.

Aberdare Park Road Races. Set in a beautiful Victorian parkland, expect some top action from modern and classic bikes. www.aberdare-park-road-races.co.uk

16

Kempton Park Autojumble. Time for a rummage to find that elusive part for your latest project, or just chat bikes with plenty of like-minded punters. www.kemptonautojumble.co.uk

17

Normous Newark Autojumble. Another jumble, but this time a bit further north.

It’s a great day out with an array of bikes, parts and restoration services all up for grabs. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk

11

12 COMPETITION

N O I T I T E P NEW COM ✪ 2 2 0 2 R ✪ FO

NAME THE BIKE WIN this Weise Jacket

To be in with a chance of winning this jacket from Weise, all you’ve got to do is identify the blacked-out bike in the image and send us your answer and your details either online or in the post. We’ll then pick the winner from an upturned helmet crammed with correct answers – and that person will be sent a brand-new jacket that’ll help look after them out on the open road.

It’s that simple. So, what are you waiting for?

Get cracking for the chance to win. Good luck!

Worth £179.9 9

Weise Jacket

We’ve teamed up with the good people at The Key Collection to offer you the chance to win a super-stylish AA-rated armoured textile jacket from Weise. It’s a quality bit of kit which combines comfort, practicality and safety, and features a 600 Denier polyester outer; a removable 120gram quilted liner; removable CEarmour on the shoulders, elbows and back; a neoprene trimmed adjustable collar; four external (and zippable) pockets; three internal pockets and a connection zip so you can attach it to a pair of compatible Weise jeans.

■ For more information visit: www.thekeycollection.co.uk or www.weiseclothing.com

■ YOU can also ENTER online! Just check out the MoreBikes social media channels for more information.

COMPETITION 13

Last Month: Did you get it?

Last month’s bike was the iconic YAMAHA FJR1300

Here’s the legal bit that you need to know

To be in with a chance of winning, fill in your details on the form or enter online and return to: MoreBikes, Weise jacket, 2022 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Competition closes: July 8, 2022 Answer:.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name:...................................................................................... Surname:..........................................................................................................................

Address:...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Town/City:........................................................................ County:....................................................... Postcode:....................................................................

Email:......................................................................................................... Telephone:............................................................................................................

There are no cash alternatives available. The winner(s) of the Weise jacket will be the first name(s) drawn at random from the upturned MB helmet. Terms and conditions apply.

To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of MB) please visit www.mortons.co.uk/privacy

14 PRODUCTS

KIT BUYING GUIDE Textile Suits

Furygan Voyager Textile Jacket

Whether you’re looking to deck yourself out for the first time or treat yourself to some new riding gear, we've got you covered.

If you’re after some truly versatile biker clothing that’s as capable in the pouring rain as it is in the scorching sun, you’ll want to consider getting your hands on a textile suit. To make sure you get the most bang for your buck, here’s a breakdown of the key features to consider and a look at some our favourite kit on the market today.

Waterproof Riding at this time of year in the UK, you’re looking for both warm AND waterproof kit. Look for items which have been made with Gore-Tex or another brand of waterproof membrane.

Depending on your budget, you could go for a ‘laminated’ jacket, which means that the waterproof membrane layer is bonded to the outer material of the jacket, instead of being a floating layer between the shell and inner lining. Benefits include improved breathability over non-laminate items and better insulation as the cold is prevented from reaching your body.

It also means that the jacket doesn’t become as heavy when raining as it doesn’t absorb the water, instead it simply runs off the outer shell as opposed to being soaked through to the liner. But on the flip side, laminated items are more expensive than non-laminated, so it really depends upon how much you would like to spend.

CE approval As with all riding gear, safety is paramount. You want to be protected from the elements, but you also want to be protected in case of an accident. Look for jackets and trousers with CE approval and with decent armour in strategic places – shoulders, elbows, knees and hips as standard – and even better if you have the option for back and chest protectors.

Warmth

Thermal liners are a must. You want something that will keep you warm but isn’t too bulky – after all, you need to be able to move freely. It might be worth considering what you’re going to be wearing underneath, too, so that you try them on with all the layers you intend on wearing so that you get the correct size! There’s nothing worse than buying a pair of riding trousers, getting them home, then trying them on with your thermals and realising that you can’t really bend your legs easily!

Working together Look for a jacket and trouser combo that work well together. Jacket and trousers that have been designed to go together aren’t just coordinated stylistically. Because they have been developed specifically to work with each other, there will be no unexpected gaps where the trousers hang low and the jacket rides high. There will be connecting zips that fit like a dream; pocket systems that don’t get in the way of each other; and an airflow system for those warmer days that works as a complete entity. It just makes everything a lot easier, and often you can be cheeky and ask for a discount from your dealer if you’re buying both!

Features

It depends on the kind of suit you’re looking for as to whether you want it to have all the bells and whistles – not actual bells and whistles, but you get our drift – or not. Waterproof pockets are essential; reflective areas or piping for increased rider visibility are also a plus. Look for secure fasteners at the cuffs and also a waist adjuster if the jacket is longer length and then you can make sure you can get a nice, snug fit. Be sure to check if your trousers go over the top of your boots comfortably and have a nice zip to help you get them up and over easily.

Furygan Discovery Textile Trousers

PRODUCTS 15

One for every budget

Oxford Quebec Textile Suit

RRP: J - £119.99 / T - £99.99

With its own in-house testing facility, the quality of Oxford’s kit has been on the rise recently. It still knows how to balance quality and cost, and its Quebec textile suit is seriously good value for money.

Furygan Voyager Textile Jacket RRP: £369.99 / www.furygan.com

We’ve covered some big miles in Furygan kit over the years. It’s proved itself stylish and affordable without compromising on performance – and it's new Voyager 3C looks just as good.

Designed to take on all weathers, from extreme heat through to torrential rain, it features a high tenacity three-layer laminated polyester construction, which is sure to do a good job at keeping water out and heat in (alongside the neoprene insert on the neck). There’s a removable thermal lining, too.

When things start to warm up, the fixed mesh lining and vents on the back, chest and sleeves will allow you to get air moving through the jacket. There’s also CE certified D3O shoulder and elbow armour (and zips for attaching Furygan’s Fury Airbag System), in addition to 10 pockets, multiple adjustment tabs and a zip to connect it to a pair of compatible trousers.

RST Pro Adventure X Airbag Suit RRP: J - £549.99 / T - £229.99

RST gear is popular at MoreBikes HQ. This is the firm’s first airbag equipped adventure suit, which uses In&Motion technology to keep riders safer than ever before. You’ll need to pay a subscription to get the most out of it though.

Rukka Nivala 2.0 Textile Suit RRP: J – £1249.99 / T - £899.99

Furygan Discovery Textile Trousers RRP: £289.99 / www.furygan.com Designed to accompany the Voyager 3C jacket, these Discovery trousers feature the same three-layer waterproof and breathable laminated outer which Furygan claims is ready to handle any climate.

Just as well equipped as the jacket, the trousers come kitted out with a fixed lining for comfort, a removable thermal liner for warmth, and D3O armour at the hips and knees for protection.

There's also an AFS ventilation system; removable braces and a jacket to trouser connection zip; in addition to some stretchy material between the legs and above the knees to help to improve comfort and aid movement.

Rukka’s the best of the best when it comes to staying warm, dry and safe on the road. It’s expensive stuff, but rest assured you’ll be getting your hands on some top-quality kit that’ll look after you for years to come.

16 LAUNCH RIDE: KAWASAKI Z650RS

BACK

to the

Building on the success of the Z900RS, Kawasaki’s decided to give its Z650 a retrothemed refresh. We spent the day riding the new bike in and around Marseille, cutting through rush-hour traffic and pushing it to its limits on the twisty roads above.

Here’s how we got on.

WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOGRAPHY: Kawasaki Europe

LAUNCH RIDE: KAWASAKI Z650RS 17

Retro bikes are big business. Which is why Kawasaki’s decided to go up against some of the biggest names in the game with a revised and reimagined version of its much-loved Z650. Taking styling inspiration from the 1977 B1 Z650, ‘classic’ bike fanatics will no doubt balk at any comparison between the four-cylinder icon and the young pretender from Kawasaki. But you can’t blame the Japanese factory for making something of its heritage, even if the Z650RS is essentially a Z650 with a stylish new frock.

That’s no bad thing by the way. The Z650 is a cracking bike in its own right – light, agile and easy to ride while still being aggressive enough to put a smile on the face of even the most sour-faced of bikers. Add some extra goodies in the form of a ‘retro’ round LED headlight, a chunky fuel tank and a duck-style rear end, and you’ve got a Z650RS. Kawasaki’s expecting that it’ll be particularly popular with more style-conscious new riders (which is why there’s an A2 restrictor kit available from affiliated dealers), but it also reckons it’ll do well with more experienced lads and lasses who remember the original bike from back in the day (but don’t have the funds or the patience to own a classic bike).

There’s a hell of a lot of competition out there, though. The Z650RS costs a respectable £7549, which pitches it bang in the middle of an extensive selection of retro-ish middleweights.

Royal Enfield’s Continental GT is £1500 cheaper, but it’s not even close to matching up on the road.

Suzuki’s SV650X is £400 cheaper, but

it’s retro looks aren’t as sharp as the Kawasaki’s. At the other end of the spectrum, Moto Guzzi’s V7 Stone 850 is £350 more, while Ducati’s Scrambler Icon Dark is around £600 more expensive. The two closest competitors are probably Honda’s sleek CB650R which is £150 cheaper (but it’s noticeably less retro than the other options), while Yamaha’s XSR700 is just £150 more expensive. Of the big bunch of bikes, it’s probably the one that’s worth a look if you’re thinking about parting with some cold, hard cash for a Z650RS. As we’ve already touched upon, the Z650RS shares plenty with the ‘standard’ Z650. It’s engine, chassis, brakes and suspension are all pretty much identical to the naked sportbike, but there’re some subtle changes that help make it stand out.

Let’s get into specifics.

The engine is exactly the same as the latest generation Z650 with performance levels to match. That means there’s peak power of 67.3bhp available at 8000rpm and 47.2ft-lb of peak torque at 6700rpm. Those figures aren’t really anything to write home about, but they do stand up against the current crop of middleweight retro motorcycles (and even most of the similar-sized nakeds, too). It’s a lovely motor, with plenty of punch available right through the rev range.

Kawasaki says it’s been tuned for a more plentiful supply of power in the low and mid-range, but it’s by no means asthmatic up top. It’s a joy to ride in town, rolling on and off in second as I nipped through the rushhour traffic in Marseille, and it’s even better on the twisty roads above the French city, offering a rewarding ride soundtracked by the glorious noise

from the stylish standard exhaust.

It’ll happily barrel along at motorway speeds, too, with enough in reserve to make higher speed overtakes a breeze. Fitting with its retro outlook, simplicity is the name of the game; there’re no rider modes, cornering ABS settings or wheelie controls to mess about with. It’s a simple, backto-basics motorcycle with no faff and it works very well. As a quick aside, Kawasaki reckons the Z650RS is the perfect weapon for learner riders who are working their way up through the licence categories. As such it’s offering the option to add a dealer-fit restriction kit which will taper down performance to an A2-legal 35kW.

18 LAUNCH RIDE: KAWASAKI Z650RS

The 6-speed gearbox is slick enough with a reassuring click as you snick up and down the box and although there’s no quickshifter available, it’s unlikely you’ll ever think about needing one. Aggressive down changes on the approach to sharp corners did cause things to get a bit squirrelly at the rear on a couple of occasions, but that’s probably more down to the wet roads than any issue with the bike.

The Z650RS gets a 12-litre fuel tank, and with a claimed 62.7mpg, Kawasaki reckons you should be able to cover 150 miles without needing to top up. If you’re riding hard on faster roads that figure is going to drop down a fraction, with our relatively spirited test ride resulting in economy figures of 52.1mpg (which means you should have no trouble managing 130 miles from a single trip to the petrol station).

The suspension’s probably not the most sophisticated system you’ll ever come across. The 41mm conventional forks up front do their job well enough, with very little dive under aggressive braking, while at the rear the horizontal monoshock with pre-load adjustment seems to offer a decent compromise between comfort and performance. You’ll not be adjusting it on the fly though, as it’s tucked away under the seat and doesn’t look the easiest to get at, so once you’ve set it up for you, you’ll likely want to leave it be. When the riding was a bit more relaxed as we pottered through towns and over speed bumps, I did find myself thinking it’s probably a little soft, but as soon as the pace picked up it

TECH SPEC Kawasaki Z650RS

Price: From £7549 Engine: 649cc four-stroke liquid-cooled parallel twin, DOHC, 8 valves Power: 67.3bhp (50.2kW) @ 8000rpm (A2 restricted version: 47bhp/35kW) Torque: 64Nm (47.2lb-ft) @ 6700rpm (A2 restricted version: 58Nm/42.7lb-ft) Transmission: 6-speed, sealed chain drive Frame: Trellis, high-tensile steel Suspension: (F) 41mm telescopic forks, 125mm travel (R) Horizontal back-link, 130mm travel and pre-load adjustment Brakes: (F) Dual semi-floating 300mm discs, dual piston Nissin calliper (R) Single 220mm disc, single Nissin calliper Wheels/Tyres: (F) 120/70 ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2. (R) 160/60 ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 Seat height: 820mm (32.3in) Weight: 187kg (wet) Fuel Tank: 12 litres (2.6 gallons) Fuel consumption: Claimed: 62.7mpg (4.5l/100km) / Tested: 52.1mpg (5.2l/100km) Warranty: Two years, unlimited miles (with the option to extend) Servicing: First service 600 miles, then 7000 miles or 1 year Contact: www.kawasaki.co.uk

seemed to settle down with no undue undulations to unsettle the rear.

The brakes are more than up to the job, too. At the front, twin-pot Nissin callipers grab a pair of ‘moresuitable’ round 300mm discs (in place of the petal-style numbers on the standard Z650), while at the rear a single 220mm disc is on hand to help with stopping. There’s plenty of feel from the span-adjustable lever for when you want to keep things a bit more delicate, but when you need to slow down in a hurry, rest assured that there’s plenty of bite. There’s also plenty of engine braking if you knock it down a gear on the way into corners. I like that.

The chassis is very good. You’d be wrong to think that the retro Z650 prioritises style over substance. It definitely does not. The handling is light and agile with the wide bars making it easy to muscle the bike through tight turns and bob and weave around traffic in congested city traffic.

The cast spoked wheels (I know… seems strange, but it’s all about keeping weight to a minimum) are shod with a set of Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 rubber which more than held their own on cold, damp Tarmac before being pressed hard when things dried out in the afternoon.

It’s a comfortable place to be, too. The seat isn’t quite as plush as I’d expected, but there’s plenty of padding in there so I suspect it’d give a little bit the more you use it. The seat stands at a manageable 820mm tall, but shorter riders need not worry as there’s an 800mm low seat option available, too. I’m 6ft 1in and although it wasn’t the roomiest of rides (thanks in part to the relatively high footpegs), I didn’t have any aches or pains after a full day in the saddle. I reckon that anyone much taller than me wouldn’t have such a great time, so it’d definitely be worth taking a long test ride to see how you get on.

All in all, I was very impressed by the Z650RS. It has all the best bits of the Z650 but also gets some swanky styling to help make it stand out from the crowd. If you’re in the market for an easy-to-ride, stripped-back retro motorcycle that’s just as happy cutting through town traffic as it is being pushed hard and fast on the open road, then it’s well worth a look.

Kawasaki’s feeling very optimistic about how well the bike’s going to go down in the UK. It’s decided to order more of them than it has standard Z650s and Ninja 650s. That’s bold. But we like their confidence – and after spending the day riding one, it’s wellfounded.

1. BRAKES

3. LOOKS

Stopping is looked after by twin piston callipers which grip 300mm discs at the front and a single piston calliper gripping a 200mm disc at the rear. Kawasaki’s made the choice to change the petal-style rotors from the other 650s in its range to a pair of more retro round ones.

Taking inspiration from the Kawasaki Z650 B1 from 1977, the Z650RS is a cracking looking bit of kit. The tank flows nicely into the seat and the gold cast wheels complement the bold green paint scheme perfectly.

4. SUSPENSION

2. ENGINE

At the front there’re some 41mm diameter conventional forks, and at the back there’s Kawasaki’s horizontal link rear suspension acting on a shock that is adjustable for preload. It’s set up fairly soft as standard, but there’s a good balance between comfort and performance.

There’s a 649cc liquid-cooled parallel twin unit that’s the same as the popular Z650 and Ninja 650 – but it’s been retuned for more plentiful low and mid-range power. It’s a lovely motor, free-revving and flexible with 68bhp and 64Nm of torque.

WHO’S IT FOR?

Kawasaki’s aiming this bike at the younger generation, but it reckons it’s going to sell lots of this bike to all sorts of people. That’s why it’s ordered more of them than it has Z650s and Ninja Z650s.

3 4 2 1

LAUNCH RIDE: KAWASAKI Z650RS 19

TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X 21

CB500s ON THE NC500 We rode Honda’s popular midweight bikes round the North Coast 500 route in Scotland to see if they had the real-world capability to take on any roads.

WORDS: Mikko Nieminen PHOTOGRAPHY: Zep Gori & Ciro Meggiolaro Honda’s 500cc range is popular with riders who are looking for an easy-tolive-with commuter, an entertaining weekend blatter, or a bit of both. Not many would consider them for touring purposes.

So, when we got the chance to take the bikes round Scotland’s famous North Coast 500 route in the north-

west of the country, we jumped at the chance – this would be the perfect way to see how the bikes performed out of their comfort zone. Big miles, a vast array of different kinds of roads, rapidly changing weather, and all the challenges of touring would surely put the bikes through their paces. It was time for a road trip!

Sporty start

We set off from Inverness in glorious sunshine. Late September in north Scotland can be pretty bleak, but for now we were enjoying weather that even the southern European riders in the group weren’t complaining about.

The NC500 is a very tempting route when the weather is on your side.

22 TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X

I started the ride on the CBR500R, the sporty one of the lot. For a sportsbike, this is an easy one to ride, and rather comfortable, too, but it still has the Blade-esque looks and a sporty silhouette. That’s a combination sure to appeal to younger/less experienced riders and those who love the thought of sportsbikes, but can feel their knees aching just from looking at them.

Of course, with the 500 you have to remember it has an engine with only half the capacity and a quarter of the power of a Blade.

But for the fun factor it’s not lacking an ounce. Riding the R up the coast makes you feel like a racing hero when you have to make sure you are using every last bit of the available power to propel yourself forward.

Gassing out of junctions you have the throttle on the stop, and you hang on to gears as long as you can to hit the top of the powerband. Overtakes

are totally doable, but you need to be in the right gear, and you need to plan your move more carefully than you would on a bigger bike. There is enough power, but there’s none left over. This is a machine that you can take to the limit on public roads and still keep your licence clean. Try the same with a litre machine and prepare to have your licence decorated with points in an instant.

From Inverness, it only takes a few miles to get on good roads as you head up towards John O’Groats. The further you ride, the better the roads are. These are nicely flowing A-roads, with fast corners. Perfect for a bike like the CBR500R as long as it’s not too busy. We were in luck: the school holidays were over, and we had the opportunity to stretch the legs of our bikes as much as we wanted.

Out of the three bikes in the range, the R and F are almost identical, apart from the fairings and handlebars.

The clip-ons on the R are noticeably lower than the bars on the F, and they make the riding position sportier as well as move your bodyweight forward. Talking about weight being forward, all the new 500s have slightly more weight over the front than the previous machines because the old single disc brakes have been replaced by a dual disc set up with radial four-piston brakes (two piston axial ones for the X). The front/rear weight balance is still very close to 50/50 on all bikes, but the R is the most frontheavy, and therefore in theory has more grip at front.

In practice, the riding position is very comfortable by sportsbike standards, and I found that I could quite happily ride without tucking in under the screen (our bike had the optional higher tinted screen on) unless I was really pushing the bike at speed. There is plenty of legroom, the seat is comfortable and the riding position relaxed despite the sporty flavour.

TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X 23 Weight

The new CBR500R weighs in at 192kg and places slightly more weight on the front wheel than previously (front/rear bias percentage is 50.7/49.3). Weight has been saved with new wheels, footpegs and radiator.

Rear shock

The single-tube rear shock absorber (as found on larger capacity sports bikes) with its large-diameter piston ensures excellent response and temperature management; it features 5-stage preload adjustment with spring rate and damping settings optimised to match the forks.

What’s different?

One of the updates for this year is suspension. At the front you have new Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD forks.

The rear suspension unit is the same as before, but with new settings. The swing arm is all new – it’s lighter, stiffer rotationally, and more flexible laterally. All this combined gives a great feel for the road, without sacrificing too much comfort.

The R is in its element at fast, smooth corners (which we had a lot of ), tracking a line with great precision and stability. The rougher the road surface gets, so does the ride quality, but for a sportsbike the R’s suspension is nicely road-oriented.

The CBR500R runs on new, lighter

Riding position

Seat height is low at 785mm, making the CBR500R very easy to manage. The pegs are low enough to give plenty of leg space. The clip-ons are lower than the bars on the F, but the riding position is still on the comfortable side of sporty.

Swingarm

A lighter redesigned swingarm is now constructed from 2mm steel (rather than 2.3mm as before) and employs a hollow cross member and crisply redesigned chain guard. Stiffer rotationally, the new swingarm is also more flexible laterally to improve handling.

wheels, which helps keep unsprung weight down, and the steering feels quick, accurate and sure-footed.

One thing that always impresses me about the 500cc Hondas is the engine.

This time there hasn’t been much need to tinker with it as it was already Euro5 compliant, and the peak power of 47bhp is right at the top of the A2 licence limit.

Honda has tinkered with fuel injection to get what it call ‘improved torque feel and character’ out of it.

I can’t honestly say whether there is much difference achieved with this or not – you would need to do some intensive back-to-back testing against the old model to find that out. But either way, the engine is thoroughly enjoyable.

Forks

New Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD forks are clamped by new top and bottom yokes. By dividing the functions – damper in one leg, spring mechanism in the other – reaction and ride quality are both improved.

Something borrowed There’re a few bits that have been lifted from the CBR650 to suit the smaller CBR, including the forks, dual LED headlights and front mudguard.

24 TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X Weight

The CB500F is the lightest of the three bikes at 189kg.

It’s essentially the same bike as the CBR500R but without the fairing, and handlebars replacing the clip-ons. This makes a difference of 3kg between the two bikes.

The free-revving nature of the engine almost lets you forget that it’s a parallel twin. It feels like it spins almost like Honda’s fours. Peak power is reached at 8600rpm, which encourages you to keep the revs high.

Our 120-mile ride from Inverness to John O’Groats included several overtakes of slower vehicles, and there was not a single overtake that I thought I would have needed a more powerful bike for.

Yes, you do need to work the gears a bit more, and you can’t just lazily sit in top gear and rely on instant power across the rev range, but that makes riding somehow more engaging.

And changing gears is hardly a chore with the excellent gearbox that the Hondas have. It is very accurate with a lovely reassuring feel from the gear lever, and the clutch lever is superlight to touch. In fact, the clutch is so light that you might struggle to say whether you actually used it or not.

The 2022 model has new aluminium footpegs, which are nice and grippy (and save a bit of weight), but at higher rpms you can feel a little vibration through them. It’s only very gentle, and not at all unpleasant, but you can definitely notice it.

Another weight-saving change is the radiator, which has been put on a diet.

And the front mudguard is new, or at least new for this bike as it has been lifted from the CBR650R. The last update to mention is the headlight, which now has more LED power, and can project more light on the road. We didn’t ride in the dark, so I can’t say how good it is, but it looks impressive even in daylight.

After the obligatory photos of bikes and riders at the famous John O’Groats signpost, we kept following the NC500 to Tongue for our first night. I had thought that the roads got more fun as we passed Wick on our way to John O’Groats, but they got even better as we got closer to Tongue. They do get narrow, and you have to keep your wits about you as there’s not always a lot of room to pass oncoming vehicles, but with plenty of passing places and the traffic levels fairly low, it was not a problem.

Wheels

The R & F both get new lighter wheels with five Y-shaped spokes rather than the six spokes of the previous model. The front wheel width remains 3.5in with a 120/70-ZR17 tyre and the rear 4.5in with 160/60-ZR17 tyre.

Naked in the north

Forget everything I said about the roads and scenery being good up until now. From Tongue, everything just gets better and better. It’s a tough choice between enjoying the roads or enjoying the views – you can’t do both at the same time without becoming one with the scenery…

Our destination for the day was Gairloch, halfway between Ullapool and Applecross, and all the way there this was an absolutely epic stretch of the NC500 – the mountains got bigger, the beaches looked like pictures in holiday brochures, and the road turned into a snaking ribbon of a rollercoaster.

Fuel tank

Instruments

The fuel tank that’s shared between the R & F holds 17.1 litres including reserve. With the engine being so frugal, you can expect a realistic 300+ miles from a tankful.

The same LCD dash on all three models displays speedometer, tachometer, dual trip meters, fuel level and consumption gauge, clock, water temp, gear position, and shift up indicator.

Engine

Brakes

A2-licence friendly 471cc, 8-valve liquidcooled parallel twin-cylinder engine was updated in 2019, and given that it’s already right at the top allowed power for A2 limit, it has been left unchanged. The only modification is a slight adjustment of fuel injection for more character.

I spent most of this day on the naked CB500F, and I think I struck lucky there as the roads really suited the bike. With the handlebars rather than clip-ons, you get a bit more leverage for cornering, and the riding position becomes a little more upright and relaxed.

As the road surfaces were a bit sketchy at times this helped make the ride comfier, and during the twisty sections you could really hustle the bike and feel like you were putting it through its paces.

The rest of the bike is exactly the same as the CBR, so the seat, footpegs, suspension, brakes and the rest is

The single 320mm disc and twopiston calliper front brake from the previous model has been replaced by dual 296mm discs and Nissin radial-mount, fourpiston callipers.

the same, but the bikes still feel quite different to ride. I have always had a soft spot for naked bikes, and I must admit that I enjoyed the F more than the R. I just prefer the riding position and the steering feeling from the wide(ish) bars.

Because the power output is limited and the way that the power is delivered is so smooth and unthreatening, you almost forget that there are no fancy electronics on board. No traction control, no ride modes, no cruise control, just ABS and the rest is on you. I didn’t miss any of those things. In fact, the omission of them felt good – I was

in charge of anything slipping or sliding; it was up to me to ride without having to rely on a computer to keep me upright. And with a bike that is fairly low, not too heavy, easy to ride and not awfully powerful, keeping everything under control by yourself is really not a chore.

As our second day on the NC500 progressed, the weather started to turn, and the last stretch was ridden in high winds and rain. Normally that’s the sort of weather I hate riding in, but the combination of a fantastic road (it had now got a bit bigger and faster, not a single lane with passing places any more) and an entertaining bike made me howl with laughter in my helmet as I whipped the bike through the rain.

The inclement weather also had the upside of highlighting that the little optional flyscreen that Honda had installed on the test bike was working far better than I expected. I wasn’t staying dry by any means, but it certainly took the edge off the ordeal.

TECH SPEC Honda CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X

Price: Prices not confirmed yet Estimate: R £6500, F £6000, X £6500 Engine: 471cc l/c parallel twin, 4 valves per cylinder Power: 47bhp (35kW) @ 8600rpm Torque: 31.7ft-lb (43Nm) @ 6500rpm Fuel capacity: R & F17.1 litres / X 17.5 litres Fuel Consumption: Claimed: 67.3mpg (28.6km/l). Tested: average 75mpg (26.6km/l), best 86.4mpg (30.6km/l) Transmission: 6-speed, chain final drive Frame: Steel diamond Seat height: R & F 785mm (30.9in) / X 830mm (32.7in) Kerb weight: R 192kg / F 189kg /X 199kg Suspension: (F) Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks, pre-load adjustable, (R) monoshock, pre-load adjustable Brakes: 2-channel ABS, (F) Dual 296mm discs with Nissin radial-mount four-piston callipers (axially mounted twopiston callipers on the X), (R) Single 240mm disc with single piston calliper Contact: www.honda.co.uk

TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X 25 Seat

Seat height is 830mm, but it feels lower because of the nicely shaped seat allowing easy reach to the ground. It is noticeably taller than the R & F though, and offers good visibility over other traffic.

Fuel tank

Adjustable screen

The X has a slightly bigger 17.5-litre fuel tank. If you ride it really steadily and manage to achieve the consumption of 86.4mpg (which I managed to do over 75 miles), you could ride almost 400 miles without refuelling.

Although the screen on the X is two-way adjustable, you need tools to move it. It works better than the modest size suggests.

Arriving at our hotel in Gairloch I was tired and wet, but still smiling.

The CB500F had been great fun to ride, it was capable of more speed than expected, and its agility had made the twisty roads a hoot.

Adventure riding

The last day of our tour started from Gairloch towards Applecross and the famous Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle). From there we headed back to Inverness with a little stop to meet Nessie by Loch Ness.

It was raining from the start, but the wind had dropped, so today was more of a test of our riding kit than paragliding ability.

By the time we had negotiated the Bealach na Ba pass with visibility of approximately 10 metres, the rain started to ease, and as we arrived in Inverness it was almost like all the rain had been just a dream.

Today I swapped the naked CB to the adventure-styled CB500X. Despite its rugged looks, the X shares the majority of its components with its two stablemates, but the difference in what it feels like to ride was more pronounced than I was expecting.

One instant discovery was that the X feels much bigger. It runs a 19-inch front wheel instead of the R and F’s 17-inch wheels, and although the suspension shares the technology with the others, it is taller to give more ground clearance.

The seat is higher and more padded, and the bars are big, wide and high.

The bigger tank (17.5 litres compared to the R and F’s 17.1 litres) extends the bike’s range, and all of this makes this a much more tempting option for touring.

Although I enjoyed riding the other models, it was instantly obvious that

Suspension

New Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD forks at the front, and the single-tube rear shock absorber at the back both have 135mm travel. Ground clearance is 180mm.

the X was more my kind of bike. It felt roomier, the suspension was more suitable for rough roads, and although it had that slight wollowyness that comes with longer suspension travel, it still kept things nice and calm in fast corners.

I like the upright riding position and the wide bars, too. They make steering easy, and even though the bigger 19inch front wheel must make turning a bit slower, you feel like it’s actually quicker because of the input you can put through the wide bars.

Rubber inserts in the footpegs help lessen the vibes, and the tool-

Steering

The 19in front wheel turns 38° from centred to full lock, and with the steering feeling light through the wide, tapered bars, the bike is easy to ride as well as manoeuvre.

adjustable screen is better than its size suggests.

For braking duties, the X gets two discs just as the other two bikes, but axial two-piston callipers instead of the radial four-piston ones on the R and the F. The lower-spec brakes are absolutely fine on the X, and because they are not quite as sharp as the radial ones, there is not so much pitching as you slow down. The brakes feel strong, and because the front brake lever is adjustable (as it is on the other bikes, too), it is easy to adjust it to suit your hand size.

Shifting weight

There’s a slight change in the dynamics of the bike.

Although the new 19in front wheel is lighter than before, the addition of twin disc brakes moves a little more weight to the front (front/rear weight bias percentage is 48.7/51.3). Kerb weight is 199kg.

No fuel crisis here!

A big surprise came when we parked our bikes and I glanced at the dash.

I did a double take when I saw the average fuel consumption. We had been going up and down windy roads at a reasonable pace, mostly fourth gear corners that were always followed by hard acceleration for the straights, then slowing down for the next corner, vehicle or sheep. It wasn’t what you might call economical riding. And the display read 75mpg average consumption. I didn’t believe it until the guy next to me said that he got 76mpg. Very impressive after such a fun and spirited ride.

I would have been happy with a number much lower. But then again, these are not thirsty litre-bikes. These are incredibly frugal machines that are still fun to ride.

Just to see how far I could push the mpg figure on the dash, I made a concerted effort to ride as economically as I could for the last 75 miles of our trip. At the end of the

stretch that combined A and B roads and some urban riding too, I had 86.4mpg on the dash. That would give you a range of close to 400 miles.

Incredible.

Was it all worth it?

Covering 500 miles in three days on 500cc bikes in challenging conditions should not be this easy or fun. I felt like the trip was an adventure in the sense that we ventured into something unknown to us, and experienced new things. However, there was not a single moment where I thought that the bikes were struggling with what they had to do. On the contrary, in many ways they were easier to live with than great big touring bikes; they offered enough comfort to make the long days tolerable; and their limitations became strengths as we delighted in pushing them to the limit.

If touring on 500s is this much fun, I wonder how much fun you could have on even smaller bikes…

26 TEST RIDE – HONDA CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X

FEELING REBELLIOUS...

In addition to the new 500s, we also had a chance to sample the CMX500 Rebel on the North Coast 500.

The Rebel has not been updated for this year, but it’s very similar to the new bikes in many ways. At the heart of it is the same 471cc engine that’s tuned ever so slightly differently to get the torque to come on a bit earlier in the rev range.

Being a cruiser, the Rebel is very low (seat height 690mm) with a riding position that has your feet further forward, and arms reaching out for the handlebars. It’s

comfortable – but only for so long. It runs on 16-inch wheels, and as is the case with cruisers, there is very little ground clearance, so the pegs are scraping Tarmac pretty soon if you are trying to keep up with the CBs. There’s no two ways about it, the Rebel is not the first bike that you would choose to do the NC500 on, but it got the job done just fine, as long as you appreciated its limitations. And one thing that stands out is that it seems

to have an extra helping of character. It sounds great, and it has a much more laid-back feel to it than the other 500s in Honda’s range. I can see why the £5849 bike is the best-selling of Honda’s 500cc bunch, although the ideal riding environment for it is a bit more urban than the rugged coastline of northwest Scotland.

OUT NOW

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – get your copy for less than a pint!

If you like the look of the bikes on this page, you’ll love Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine! We cover all the latest bikes, from ton-up café racers to globe-shrinking adventure bikes, and everything in between!

There’re also pages full of travel to give you an idea for a destination for your ride next weekend, as well as inspiration for a tour of a lifetime.

Add to that the latest news and products, buying guides for kit and bikes, and plenty of long-term bike tests, and you will get a picture of what’s on offer. We ride all kinds of bikes, all over the place, so there’s bound to be something in the mag that takes your fancy.

And here’s the really good bit... you can get the magazine delivered to your door for less than you would spend on a pint of premium lager in a swanky bar.

Simply head over to www.classic magazines. co.uk/issue/MSL push a couple of buttons, and wait for the mag to arrive. No need to head out to town to find a newsagent, just click and enjoy. Cheers!

27

28 RIDER SKILLS

MICK EXTANCE We made the pilgrimage to deepest, darkest Wales to visit the Mick Extance Experience for some enduro-based action (and also took the chance to check out Rieju’s new Hard Enduro range, too). Here’s how Ross and the lads got on.

RIDER SKILLS 29

30 RIDER SKILLS

IT COSTS £250

www.mickextanceexperience.com

M

ick Extance doesn’t really need any introduction. But if for some reason you’re not familiar with the five-time Dakar Rally finisher, here’s a brief introduction to the man himself.

It might come as no surprise, but Mick has been around bikes all his life. His old man was a keen scrambler and a founding member of Poole Speedway – and at the tender age of 15 Mick bought his very first bike, which he used to compete in and win his first ever trial. Not a bad start.

He had a crack at Motocross for a few years, racing at British Championship level, but his true calling was Enduro. Mick had plenty of success racing at both British Championship and World Championship level, and in 1993 was approached by the Auto Cycle Union

and asked to be part of the team representing Britain in the infamous International Six Days Enduro. He gladly accepted and the team took home the gold.

Mick then took a bit of a break from motorcycling, instead focusing his attention on the UK Downhill Mountain Biking Championship. As you’d expect, he did very well, going on to compete at international level and becoming the 12th best ranked rider in the world.

After a bit of time away from motorcycles, Mick got back in the saddle for the European Enduros in 2000. Entering as a Veteran, he won the championship title. But there was a niggle in the back of his mind – one event that had evaded him so far, which at 17 he’d vowed to his mate he’d do: the Dakar Rally.

With his characteristic enthusiasm, can-do attitude and never-say-die

spirit – plus plenty of help from local sponsors, media, family and some begging, stealing and borrowing – the next year Mick made it on to the start line for his very first Dakar. It didn’t quite go to plan. Mick had little knowledge of the navigation system and a bike that’d be thrown together in less than six weeks, and by the rest day Mick was out of the running. But he came back to the UK determined to try again – and he’s done more than that since, entering a total of seven Dakar Rallies and finishing five of them. If you weren’t sure already, the man’s fairly handy on a bike, and he’s bloody determined to boot.

Now he puts all that knowledge, experience and talent into helping visitors to the Mick Extance Experience, which sits in the heart of the Berwyn Mountains,

near Llangynog in Wales. It’s a spectacular venue that offers 1500 acres of private woodland to play in. It’s got it all, from fast fire roads to tricky single-track sections with jumps, ruts, rock steps, drops and climbs enough to challenge the most talented riders. Add to that the stunning scenery and you’re on to a winner.

Part of the beauty of Mick’s place is that it caters for every type of rider of every level of ability. He instantly puts people at ease with his relaxed tuition technique, and he’s constantly assessing a rider’s level of skills and the progress they’re

making to ensure he’s pushing just enough to keep things challenging and help them improve. It’s a confidence-inspiring approach, and with his gentle approach, has people riding stuff that they’d never dreamt of. It’s no surprise that plenty of complete beginners who’ve never ridden a bike before make the trip to the Mick Extance Experience.

Three of us from the office were going down together. I’m not a complete beginner, but I’ve not ridden much ‘proper’ off-road for years. I do a bit of steady greenlaning, but I live in Lincolnshire and the terrain is far from challenging

RIDER SKILLS 31

in the most part. About six or seven years ago I did a couple of days up at the now-defunct MotoScotland, but that seems like a long time ago and I’ve likely forgotten almost everything I was taught. Mikko’s quite similar to me. He’s done a few adventure centres, has ridden offroad on launch events and has been getting quite into his green-laning recently, heading out on his aging Suzuki DR350 at any chance. Dave’s a little less experienced. He’s ridden across his share of muddy campsites and drunkard-strewn rallies, and together we had a go at a longdistance trail event up in the North

East on a pair of Chinese pseudoscramblers – but that’s about it.

Rocking up to the HQ for 9am, we were greeted by Mick’s son (and handy rider in his own right) Adam Extance, who stood beside a shining suite of new Riejus. Beckoned inside and offered tea and coffee to warm us up, it was time to get our gear on. It’s worth mentioning that gear rental is provided in the price so you don’t have to bring your own stuff with you. There’s a big range of RST textiles, boots and gloves, in addition to a host of AGV adventure-ready helmets.

Either way, geared up and ready

to go we climbed into Mick’s trusty Transit to be ferried up and up and up into the off-road base of the 1500-acre playground in the Berwyn Mountains, where we met our second coach (John – top bloke, top rider) who was busy warming up the Rieju MR PRO 250 and MR PRO 300s we were going to be riding for the day.

Mick told us that the morning session typically provides punters a chance to get to grips with the basics and for the coaches to assess their skills. No two days are the same as the challenges and activities are all tailored to best suit the riders in

attendance. If there’s one rider that’s not quite as confident, not to worry – one of the trainers will take you off for a bit and bring you up to speed before you rejoin the rest of the crew. It’s a no pressure environment where you’re encouraged to get comfortable with the bike. After a gentle ride along a fire track, we did some exercises which involved riding through muddy ruts (with Mick encouraging us to keep our feet down to catch any slips or slides); a small hill climb during which we used the clutch bite point to stop and roll back before moving forward again; a slow speed race where the

last person to reach the line wins; and a kind of flat-track race during which we were encouraged to lock the back wheel and get comfortable with it moving around underneath us. It was a good start and within an hour Mick deemed us ready to hit the trails (though it’s worth noting that usually you won’t get out exploring until after lunch).

So that’s what we did. Picking the pace up a bit with Mick in front and John at the back, we bombed along the fire trails until we arrived at a small gap in the trees with a 6ft drop down on to the track. Mick went first and told us to follow.

32 RIDER SKILLS – OFF-ROAD TEST He advised us to keep our feet down and make good use of the front brake (while ensuring we didn’t lock it and lose it). Easy… Down we went into the trees, where deep ruts criss-crossed each other forming a small circular track down, around and back up out of the trees. A couple of times around and with our confidence growing Mick beckoned us out of the trees and took us to our next challenge.

This one wasn’t so easy. A damp, slippery hill covered in trees and tree stumps with no clear route

through. Mick took us down halfway, turned around and told us to get back to the top. Sounds simple... it wasn’t. Sliding all over the place and weaving between the trees, I found myself going further and further off-course until I met a fallen tree which I had no chance of climbing. Right, so turn around and try again. Nope, there’s a tree stump that I can’t seem to get any traction on. Eventually, with much grunting, swearing and sweating, we all made it out (with a little help from Mick, I should add). That’s one way to keep

our growing confidence in check.

After seeing our performance in the trees, Mick let us stick to the gravel and rocks for the rest of the afternoon, and together we spent hours working our way right across the 1500-acre site, taking in some truly brilliant trails in the process.

Steep, rocky climbs; big ruts higher than the footpegs; tight and twisty downhill sections. And Mick told us We’d barely scratched the surface.

We covered some distance, but he still reckons you could do another two or three days without touching

any of the same trails. What a place.

What a man.

If you’ve ever thought about giving off-road a go, but you want some guidance and advice from one of the most qualified off-road instructors in the game, you should definitely book yourself a day at the Mick Extance Experience. You won’t be disappointed. Equally, if you're an experienced off-road rider and you just want somewhere safe and legal to play, Mick’ll look after you. You can even bring your own bike along and save a

few quid. And if you’re into your adventure bikes rather than your enduro bikes, Mick’s just joined forces with Harley-Davidson to take on a fleet of its Pan Americas and open a dedicated Adventure Centre to teach people how to ride a big adventure bike properly off-road.

Sounds good, right? I’ll be back as soon as I can.

RIEJU MR 300 PRO

Rieju’s been in the game for years, but it’s starting to get more serious about off-road competition with its new range of MR Hard Enduro bikes.

If your thing is riding off-road and you’ve never heard of Rieju before, you’re missing out. With racing prestige, a commitment to top-quality parts and an ever-growing dealer network, the Spanish factory’s new range of Hard Enduro bikes is well worth a look.

Rieju’s actually been about since the 1930s, and although it’s not quite managed to rise to the dizzy heights of some of its Japanese and European competitors, it has earned respect for its well-built, competitivelypriced machines that hold their own in an increasingly busy market. Enduro and off-road is what Rieju is most serious about.

While it creates learner legal bikes for riders working their way up the licence categories on a budget, it’s also been consistently turning out top-quality off-road weapons dripping with the very best quality kit. It might seem strange, but it seems that the highvolume learner bikes fly out the shops – and keep the cash coming in to fund its off-road exploits. It’s a solid business plan, and it seems to be working.

Interestingly, the latest batch of bikes are the result of Rieju buying up the technology and tooling from Gas Gas, prior to KTM buying the Gas Gas branding and its trials bikes.

RIDER SKILLS – OFF-ROAD TEST 33

“You might expect that a 300cc twostroke would be a bit too much of a handful for me, but actually it’s silkysmooth with plenty of grunt low down.”

It was a solid purchase, as Gas Gas had actually been hard at work in the years prior to its buyout – and it had some top-quality bikes in its stable, including the EC 300. That very bike has since become Rieju’s MR 300.

But the Spanish firm hasn’t just stuck some new plastics on the ‘old’ bike.

It’s continued the R&D precedent set buy Gas Gas, and the newest Riejus come kitted out with all-new cylinder head brackets, new starter motors, revised ignition mapping, new clutches and a new silencer (plus there’s a new gear lever and kick starter).

The good stuff doesn’t stop there.

Rieju’s kitting its bikes out with some serious trick kit. As an example, the MR Racing models get Excel rims, while the PROs come with anodised billet hubs, Goldspeed rims, X-Trig triple clamps and Renthal bars.

Basically, they’re proper bits of kit. But the big question is how they actually perform in the dirt. A day at the Mick Extance Experience in Wales offered the perfect opportunity to find out.

First off, I think it’s quite important to state that I’m not exactly the best qualified person to ride and review

a competition-ready hard enduro machine. I like riding off-road, but I’m no racer. But then again, it’s unlikely that most of you reading this are either. There are other places you can go for a ‘proper’ riders impression of the Rieju MR 300 PRO, but if you’re interested in hearing how capable the bike is even in the hands of a relatively inexperienced rider, you’re in the right place.

First things first, the size. Its seat is a fairly lofty 950mm – but actually, I found it just about the right size for my 6ft 1in frame and 34-inch inside leg. I’ve ridden some enduro bikes which feel small and cramped, but not the MR 300. I could get both feet on the ground with room to spare and found it straightforward enough to kick its motor into life.

It’s a lovely thing. You might expect that a 300cc two-stroke would be a bit too much of a handful for me. I thought as much when I first got on it, but actually it’s silky smooth with plenty of grunt low down to make it surprisingly easy to use. It’ll pull in

34 RIDER SKILLS – OFF-ROAD TEST third from a near standstill like a decent four-stroke, but work your way up the sweet six-speed box and get it singing, and you’ll be rewarded with a thrilling ride.

The KYB suspension handled whatever I threw at it without any fuss and not once did I get anywhere close to unsettling it. It’s a performance machine though, so if you’re expecting comfort from the springs you’ll likely be sorely disappointed. The Nissin brakes are bang on, too. Slightly sharper

than I’m used to, but then again this bike’s for top riders who are off to win races so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that it’s a little more clinical than the softer dual-sport bikes I’ve ridden in the past.

I think the MR 300 Pro is bloody brilliant – and I’ve had some much more talented riders agree with me. It might be a competition machine, but it’s surprisingly straightforward to ride. And that’s kind of what good bikes should be all about, right? If it’s

simple and straightforward and does everything well, surely it doesn’t matter that it’s not got the most modern or cuttingedge technology (who wants fuel injection anyway…)?

I’m confident that this bike would be an absolute weapon in the hands of an Expert rider, but it wouldn’t be too much for a Clubman either and would probably help to make them faster and more capable riders. That’s quite an achievement.

TECH SPEC RIEJU MR 300

Engine: 299.3cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled two-stroke Bore x stroke: 72 x 72mm Starter: Kickstarter (new lever) and electric oil bathed Cooling: Radiator + Electrical Fan Ignition: Digital CDI – Euro5 Double map: Dry / rain Carburettor: Kehin PWK 38 Intake system: Direct reed valve VForce 4 Transmission: Six speed, multidisc wet clutch with Magura hydraulic operation Exhaust muffler: Tecnigas – RIEJU Powered Chassis: Central spine in Chromium Molybdenum Steel Subframe: Aluminum Swingarm: Aluminium and Linkage system Suspension: (F) KYB 48 mm, AOS System, Closed Cartridge Anti-Friction Treatment DLC (R) Shock absorber with gas tank KYB Wheels: (F) 1.6 x21 – 90/90 (R) 2.15 x 18 Brakes: (F) 260mm floating disc Nissin calliper (R) 220mm disc, Nissin calliper Dimensions: Length x width x height : 2145 x 810 x 1235 mm Wheelbase: 1480mm Seat height: 950mm Fuel capacity: 9,8 litres Dry weight: 105kg Price: £8599 Contact: www.rieju.co.uk

KNOWLEDGE 35

Cost-effective

Classics

YAMAHA TRX850/TDM850 In a world traditionally obsessed with four-cylinder race replicas, if you dig a little deeper there’re some quality big-bore parallel twins that tick a surprising number of boxes. In fact there’re two options – a do everything all-rounder and sports version that thinks it’s a Ducati!

36 KNOWLEDGE

Faults and Foibles 1. BUILD QUALITY

Not necessarily Yamaha’s finest hour, expect corroded fasteners and the like.

2. VALVE CLEARANCES

The five-valve head design minimises servicing but many forget to check the valve clearances at all – every 25,000 is the service period.

3. ENGINE

Solid and reliable but listen for any rattles. If the bike’s been wheelied a lot the oil pump can be starved of lube with very obvious consequences.

4. GEARBOX

2 4

7

Some issues with gear selection have been raised so walk away from anything that doesn’t shift cleanly or precisely.

1

5. BRAKES

6

3 5

Some riders found the brakes (especially on the TRX) a little lacking. Numerous upgrades available and easily found via owner’s groups.

6. SUSPENSION

Typically budget conscious but again can readily be improved on via well-proven upgrades.

7 .CARBURETTORS

Tucked away and mounted at 45 degrees they’re not at their best when left with old ethanolbased fuel in them and will take time to properly strip and clean.

Yamaha has had something of an obsession with large capacity, four-stroke twins that goes back to the very late 1960s and it has remained a consistent theme over the decades. Our duo this month owe their existence to Yamaha’s slightly bonkers XTZ750 twin cylinder offroad machine that ran from 1989-96.

The resultant sports twin here had a relatively short life (1996-2000) but the general-purpose TDM850 ran for 10 years before being pensioned off in 2001.

Both engines were configured around an 849cc parallel twin engine that ran five valves per cylinder, three inlet and two exhaust. The TRX850 featured a 270-degree crankshaft from day one which conferred a smoother running motor with a creamier torque delivery than the contemporary TDM which initially featured a traditional 360-style crank arrangement. The TRX850 was Yamaha at its most inventive with the 270 unit effectively running like a folded-up V-twin and also sounding like one. It was certainly no coincidence that the bike also featured a trellis-style space frame that looked suspiciously not dissimilar to the then all-pervasive Ducatis of the period.

In use, the TDM850 ran a lot faster than many would have given a parallel twin credit for and certainly dispelled any old myths about big twins with 360-degree cranks vibrating like road drills. Much of this was down to the fitment of twin balancer shafts that took out most of the vibrations inherent with, and normally associated to, big bore fourstroke twins. In essence the TDM850 was a forerunner to the adventure sports bikes and fulfilled the role of

the modern Ducati Multistrada. On the road the TDM was very much an enthusiastic Springer Spaniel eager to get on with the job in hand and just happy to be out and about.

The TRX850 with that 270-degree crank proved to be deceptively quick, getting machine and rider up to some serious speeds almost misleadingly soon. With a standing quarter of just 11.8 seconds, the big twin could get an indecently urgent wiggle on. It often caught out unsuspecting riders with its 61+ft-lb of torque which arrived at a relatively low 6000rpm. Looking at the torque curve today it’s amazingly almost flat, demonstrating just how good the 270 motor is.

At the time the TRX was seen as something of an oddball quite simply because so few riders of the period

really ‘got’ parallel twins. And yet those that could park their irrational preconceptions of the genre instantly fell for the bike’s almost deceitful power delivery and the way it was able to eat up the miles. Back at the TDM version those that gave it a chance found it was one of the best ‘generalpurpose’ machines out there. Whilst it did nothing especially well it did everything substantially better than just okay, and if you needed to be somewhere pronto and not contorted from the machinations of a sports bike, this was the one to go for.

1996 saw the TDM850 receiving the 270-degree crank from the TRX turning an already very competent all-rounder into an excellent one.

So good was it that its detractors nicknamed it the ‘TeDiuM’ simply

KNOWLEDGE 37 “Both engines were configured around an 849cc parallel twin engine that runs five valves per cylinder, three inlet and two exhaust.”

because it got on with the job in hand without drama or issue. Perhaps those naysayers would have preferred the unpredictable antics of Suzuki’s TL1000S! The world in general really couldn’t get its collective head around the sporting TRX and not long after the axe fell, perversely its status improved with many turning an already very competent machine into a honed missile with various tuning and chassis upgrades. The TDM850 later gained more capacity to become the fuel-injected TDM900 which ran on until 2011 as Yamaha revised its entire model range.

Both of the 850 twins were years ahead of their time and even today are hugely overlooked, which means it’s bargain time now for us!

Lineage and Legacy

Proof of concept had been established with both twins and it was only a decade or so later before other manufacturers apparently ‘rediscovered and reinvented’ the

Summary Few bikes that are overlooked and summarily dismissed are this good – fact. The TDM850 will do everything most of us could ever ask of a motorcycle and do it in comfort. And if you fancy one of the very best ‘Q bikes’ ever made you’d struggle to find something more applicable than the stunning TRX850 – they really are surprisingly good.

big bore four-stroke twin! Yamaha, however, had never given up and when it launched the MT-07 it received rapturous approval. Latterly morphed first into the XSR700 modern retro and now the Tenere 700 adventure bike, you can see where the ideas stem from. And, of course, the best of the genre now all use the 270-degree cross plane crank!

Why you might want one now

This pair of twins represents the best of Yamaha’s five valve technology dropped into big bore twins. They are almost still silly-cheap and represent outstanding value for money. Okay, so they’re carburated, not fuel injected like the modern iterations, but that’s not a reason to swerve them. Spares are good, insurance is cheap, they’re easy to ride and good to look at… especially the TRX. If you wanted a modern classic that would also cope with touring and/or long-distance work, we honestly couldn’t think of a better option.

Typical Prices An original and unmolested TRX850 could be yours for just £3500 and even the very best examples don’t seem to exceed our 5k budget – bargain or what? If you fancy a project example they’re out there and complete needing recommission for £1500 which has to be a steal. Stunning examples of the hugely overlooked TDM850 are on sale at dealers along with some comeback for less £2499 – come on, who could say no to a seriously cost-effective classic?

38 BIKE SAFE

IT’S A FAIR COP! Bikesafe is a unique training initiative by UK police forces, aimed at making British bikers safer.

Our man Alan Dowds went along to check it out

BIKE SAFE 39

WORDS: Alan Dowds PHOTOGRAPHY: Holeshot PR and BikeSafe Generally, when a motorcycle industry marketing bod invites you to a press event, it’s a good ’un. Maybe it’s a bike launch, or pit passes to cover a special anniversary race.

But this time, the nice Devitts Insurance PR bloke had me sucking my teeth down the phone. Because the invite was to spend the day riding around Essex, closely followed by a Metropolitan Police motorcyclist, as part of the Devitt-sponsored BikeSafe initiative.

The temptation to say I was washing my hair that day was strong, but you have to take the rough with the smooth. And I’m firmly in the camp of ‘never stop learning’. I’ve been riding motorbikes on the road for 33 years now, but there’s always something new to pick up, and I’m interested to see how these ‘gods’ of advanced motorcycle riding operate close-up.

I’ve written about BikeSafe before: local police forces take riders out for the day, following them along a range of different roads, and watch how they go. At the end they provide an assessment of your riding, and the idea is that you use that to tailor your own advanced training. So, if the officer reckons you need to work on your machine control, road positioning, or hazard awareness, you can go on to address that with a professional trainer.

The Police don’t aim to do any training on the day itself – they focus on assessment and feedback.

It all sounds good in theory, but I’d never tried it in practice. And now, I’m riding up to the Bike Shed in Shoreditch from my house in SW London for an early start. Once I make it to EC1, I’m met by a swathe of high-viz clothing and bikes, and the fight-or-flight reactions kick in…

Everyone is very nice though, and after some excellent coffee, we sit

down for some pre-ride training. It’s useful stuff, focusing on the basics of post-test skills: road positioning, cornering, hazard awareness.

Now, it’s time to go. I’m assigned a very nice officer called Matt (not his real name), and we have a bit of a chat about my riding history, what I expect from the day, and communication.

BikeSafe doesn’t use intercoms, so we work on simple signals.

Matt will ride behind me most of the time, and I’ll watch his indicators in my mirrors to see if we’re turning at junctions, otherwise it’s straight on.

At tricky parts of the route he sweeps in front and I follow him, till he waves me past.

This works for about 250 yards of clogged Shoreditch roads. All the presentation so far has emphasised the need to ride as you normally would – the assessor can’t give you feedback on how you ride unless they see it, of course. So while I’ve reigned in my speed, I’m still filtering as I normally would on my little Yamaha Fazer 600, and the big R1200RT cop bike gets, er, stuck behind a bus.

Matt catches me up, and we continue on out of town into Essex.

It’s pretty stressful, actually. There’s the weird feeling of having a cop bike right in your mirrors the whole time; I need to watch out for signals from Matt, and of course, I’m concentrating on riding in the hazardrich environment of a busy route through London.

We pull up at a service station near the M11, and Matt gives me the first bit of feedback on the town riding. My formative years as a despatch rider have tainted my urban skills, and he’s wagging his finger a bit at some of my filtering and overtaking. I get some useful advice on hazard awareness though, and we set off for the main part of the day.

What’ll it cost?

You can book the BikeSafe scheme directly via the website at www.bikesafe. co.uk. Courses are available across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a Scottish scheme currently still being set up. The assessment day costs just £65 – a bargain really. Lunch isn’t covered, and you need to make sure your bike has an MoT, is roadworthy and insured (they do check!). Also, make sure you start the day with a full tank of gas.

What’s covered?

■ Road positioning ■ Cornering ■ Hazard awareness ■ Group riding ■ Night riding

Save some cash Most insurance companies will provide a discount if you’ve taken some post-test training – check with your broker if the BikeSafe course qualifies. Devitt Insurance offers a 10 per cent cut on policies after taking a BikeSafe ride-out.

This is much better: proper, wideopen country roads, with the chance to stretch the Fazer’s legs a bit, and work on something other than grim city riding. After an hour or so we stop for lunch, and I get another indepth chat with Matt. He’s happier now; he’s pleased with my machine control skills: braking, acceleration, cornering, gears, and things like road positioning are fine. There’re some areas to work on, though: sitting too close behind a vehicle you’re about to overtake, meaning you get a bit less forward vision.

There’s another session after lunch, and this is the best part of the day so far. The roads are amazing, the sun is out, and while my riding partner is still a big yellow copper on a big yellow cop bike, it ends up feeling like a great ride out with a mate.

There’s a final debrief, and I also get an email a few days later with a detailed assessment of my riding – good and bad.

So – I had a top day out at BikeSafe.

The general atmosphere of the day was relaxed and friendly enough (considering you’re surrounded by traffic cops…); the riding assessment is definitely worthwhile; and even an old dog like me came away thinking about some new tricks. For the cost (£65), it’s a genuine no-brainer.

40

WATT BIKE 41

Welcome to Watt Bike. The electric market’s getting bigger and bigger – that’s why we’ve introduced this standalone section that’s dedicated to all things electric. We’ll be bringing you news, products, guidance, tips, tricks and, most importantly, reviews of the latest and greatest electric bikes, scooters and pedalecs to come to market every single month.

HOW TO CHARGE

There are a few different ways to charge up your motorcycle or scooter, but it all depends on the adaptors that come with your ride of choice. Most of the (cheaper) lower-powered machines can only be charged using your standard three-pin plug socket that you’d find in any home in the UK, and generally it’s only the bigger and more expensive machines that can make full use of the network of fast chargers.

Speaking of which, the public charging network is growing fast and at the time of printing there are over 45,000 connectors in the UK (according to www.zap-map.com).

THE KEY FACTS If you’re 14 or over, you can ride an ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle’ without the need for registration, tax or insurance. It must have pedals, and its motor should not propel the bike once it hits speeds of 15.5mph. If it’s not an EAPC and is propelled without pedalling (or exceeds the 15.5mph speed limit), it will be classified as a motorcycle or moped. As a result you’ll need a driving licence to ride one, and it’ll also need to be registered, taxed and insured. Oh, and you’ll need to wear a crash helmet, too. Simple.

There is a bit of confusion about what sort of size of electric bike you can

legally ride as you progress through the various licence categories. But it’s not as complicated as it may first appear.

Instead of paying attention to peak power like you would on a conventional petrol-powered motorcycle or scooter, UK regulations for electric machines focus on the amount of continuous power* available. That means you could buy an 11kW (15bhp) electric motorcycle or scooter, which is actually capable of delivering around 45kW (60bhp) of peak power. But because it doesn’t make that power ‘continuously’, you’d still be able to ride it with your CBT certificate.

✶

Continuous power is defined as the amount of power the motor is capable of sustaining (continuously) for 30 minutes.

42 LAUNCH RIDE: YAMAHA NEO’S

ENTER THE

MATRIX The latest big name brand to join the ‘electric revolution’ is Yamaha. Its NEO’S is the first model to appear as part of the Japanese factory’s Switch On electric range. In essence, it’s a £3005 50cc-equivalentWORDS: moped with a top speed of 27mph and a claimed 23-mile range.

Adam Child PHOTOGRAPHY: Yamaha Europe It comes equipped with underseat storage, two riding modes, keyless ignition, Bluetooth connectivity, and large 13-inch wheels wrapped in decent Maxxis rubber.

WORDS: Adam Child PHOTOGRAPHY: Yamaha Motor Europe

LAUNCH RIDE: YAMAHA NEO’S 43 TECH SPEC Yamaha NEO’s

Price: £3005 Motor: Lithium-ion, hub-mounted motor Power: 2.3Kw/3.1hp 424rpm Rated 2.5Kw/3.4hp @400 (Max) Torque: 100 ftlb / 136Nm 50rpm Top speed: 45 kph/ 27mph claimed Transmission: Automatic Average fuel consumption: Range up to 38.5kph/ 24miles claimed. 30 and 35km/18 and 22 miles tested.

Frame: Underbone Suspension: (F) Conventional KYB n/a mm 90mm Travel (R) Single rear shock 80mm travel Brakes: (F) 200mm disc, 2-piston caliper (R) Mechanical leading trailing drum brake Tyres: (F) 110/70/13 (R) 120/70-13 Seat height: 795mm Weight: 98kg (with battery) Warranty: Scooter: unlimited miles/2 years – Battery: 4 years Contact: www.yamaha-motor.eu

I remember when 50cc petrol scooters were everywhere, but now they are becoming increasingly rare. That’s because everyone seems to be going electric. After all, electric scooters do make sense. They have comparative speed and weight to bikes and scooters powered by internal combustion engines, are easier to ride,cheaper to run, and competitively priced, too. Okay, so range is still limited, but realistically, how far do you want to go on your moped?

Inner cities are becoming more congested, while petrol-driven vehicles are getting pushed out by congestion fees, less parking and stricter speed limits. So it should come as no surprise that electric scooters are predicted to continue to gain in popularity. And the Yamaha NEO’S is tipped to be one of the best.

There’s a lot of competition, though.

Attractive as the NEO’S price may be, there is even cheaper competition in the form of the Chinese-made Super Soco CUX (which costs £2549, has the same (restricted) 45kph/28mph top speed and a better quoted range of 40 miles); Piaggio has its own all-electric scooter (with a 45km to 55km range priced at £2500); and if you want oldschool petrol, Aprilia still produces the attractive SXR 4-stroke 50cc (at a price of £2400). With all those choices (and plenty more), we jumped at the chance to ride the NEO’S in Amsterdam to find out exactly how well it goes.

The NEO’S air-cooled electric motor is housed inside the rear wheel and according to Yamaha delivers a massive 136Nm or 100ft-lb of torque at just 50rpm, yes, 50. Normal power is 2.3kw/3.1hp @ 424rpm, with a maximum output of 2.5kw/3.4hp @ 400rpm. As you can see, torque is instant.

Top speed is restricted to 45kph/28mph, because that is the law.

An ‘ECO’ mode limits the top speed further to 38.5kph/24mph. Yes, that is low, but in some countries riders as young as 14 years old will be allowed to ride the NEO’S, while 30kph and 20mph limits are becoming all too familiar in Europe’s inner cities.

That said, Yamaha claims the new all-electric will out-drag its petrolpropelled predecessor, the 4-stroke 50cc NEO’S 4, covering 100 metres in 10.9 seconds from a standing start compared to 12.16 seconds for the older scoot.

It's a slightly strange sensation, as acceleration over the first 50 metres is perky, with instant torque, and you can out-drag unsuspecting cars from the lights. So while its speed is capped this is a nippy little bike until it simply stops accelerating at an indicated 45-47kph (just below 30mph).

Unlike most electric bikes there is no sound to the motor. You don’t hear it rev at all, so there is no real indication of speed aside from the speedo. On occasion I was left muttering to myself: ‘Why have we stopped accelerating!’ before looking down and realising the NEO’S had hit the very soft speed limiter. The silent running is very impressive by the way, but it does take a little getting used to.

ECO mode reduces the speed even further, and again the speed limiter is very soft: 38kph/25mph, and you’re done. In some cities this may prove useful, and it’s easy to flick between ECO and the standard mode to give an 8kph to 10kph boost.

In Amsterdam, built for bikes and life on two wheels, a top speed of just under 30mph was more than enough, but I’m unsure how it would fair in London, where the pace is a little

higher. Yes, most of the inner city is restricted to 30mph or 20mph in places, but most don’t obey the limits like they do in Amsterdam.

The NEO’S is slightly more expensive than the Chinese equivalent competition, but this is where build quality and Yamaha know-how show. The ride quality from the KYB suspension is excellent for this type of bike. We are talking suspension with control, no matter what you throw at it, including severe speed humps and kerb hops.

Furthermore, quality rubber from Maxxis should perform equally in the dry and wet. According to the MyRide Yamaha App, I managed 27 degrees of lean, yet nothing touched down, not even the side stand, and for a light, 98kg bike, it felt planted and more like a 125.

44 LAUNCH RIDE: YAMAHA NEO’S

So the NEO’S is light, nimble and well put together – and that last feature is the key. With a silentrunning bike, any imperfections like rattly bodywork or poor suspension are more apparent, but the Yamaha feels engineered and premium, like it has been put together by people who know what they are doing and how to set up a bike, unlike some of the competition.

The throttle is soft and not snatchy like some electric scoots, and the NEO’S is a doddle to ride, too, with a super-useful tight turning circle thrown in. Low speed balance is spot-on and it’s easy to crawl along at a walking pace with your feet on the roomy footboards.

There is no ABS on the NEO’S’ relatively simple braking set up, which features a single 200mm disc at the front and an old-school cableoperated shoe brake on the rear. The front set up is more than adequate to stop a 100kg scooter from only 28mph, and thanks to the quality suspension, the forks hold their composure during heaving braking, too. The simple set up on the rear does the job, while I’m sure immature riders will appreciate the lack of ABS. So, no ABS and, as you’d expect, no traction control either. There are two riding modes, standard and ECO, but the ECO mode only adds a few kilometres to the battery range.

From a single battery, Yamaha claims 37km/23 miles in the standard riding mode, or 38.5km/24 miles in ECO mode. Add the second battery (for £980) and the range increases to a claimed 68km/42 miles. When battery life drops to around 20% it automatically goes into Turtle mode, which restricts the power and speed, to hopefully get you home.

On a single battery, you have around 30km/19 miles before you lose power.

Running two batteries, as our bike did on test, works well. You only run one battery at a time, and when battery one is about to go into Turtle mode, it automatically switches to battery two.

You don’t have to stop and unplug anything. When the batteries switch, the rider is notified via the simple dash. Frustratingly, the range isn’t shown on the dash – just battery life via a bar-chart symbol.

To check out your range you need to use the MyRide Yamaha app, which clearly shows the range of total battery in kilometres.

During road tests on slow bikes like this I usually ride slightly aggressively, testing acceleration, braking and handling and, after our 48.8km/30.3mile ride, I still had 24.9km/15.5 miles remaining, which gives a total range from two batteries of 73.7km/45.8miles – so not bad.

Earlier in the day, after 21.6km/13.4 miles, I had 40.8km/30.9 miles remaining – a total range of 62.4km/38.8 miles and a little less

than Yamaha’s claimed 68km/42 miles. So you can see that real-world range depends on how (and where) you ride your NEO’S. One battery is realistically going to last between 30 and 35km/18 and 22 miles to fully drained, while 60 to 70km/37 to 44 miles is my prediction for two batteries (though it will go into Turtle Mode at around 20%).

Ride fast, throw in some hills or take a pillion, and that figure could drop to 25km/15 miles – which means you are going to need the second battery, which costs £980 and represents nearly a third of the original cost of the scooter itself.

However, Yamaha labels this as an inner-city bike, a machine designed for nipping around town. It’s aimed especially at young riders dashing to school or college and back, or to parttime work, a few miles here and a few miles back, meaning 30km/18 miles should be enough for most... just.

There isn’t a fast charge option, and it takes eight hours to charge from 0% to 100%, which means overnight for most owners, while a 20% to 80% charge can be completed in four hours. If you opt for the second battery you will need a second charger, or to charge one battery, swap over and recharge the second battery. The batteries are easy to remove and only weigh 8k, and can be charged from any normal household three-pin socket.

The Yamaha MyRide app is useful and worth downloading. It’s easy to connect to the bike and clearly shows the remaining range – a very useful tool. It will also show your lean angle, and you can trace your route should you want to share it with your mates.

The simple dash will also highlight if you’ve received a text message.

There is a small open compartment to take a phone, with a 12v charger, and keyless ignition comes as standard.

If you want a USB charger, this is an optional extra. Yamaha also offers bar and mirror mounts, plus a large 34-litre top case. And if you want that

second battery, you will need to find a further £980.

As Yamaha enters a new era of electric models, this is an impressive start. The NEO’S is a quality 50ccequivalent scooter that is hard to fault.

The build quality is excellent, with no rattles and bangs, and its engine is perfectly silent like a magic carpet.

The ride is controlled and noticeably supple for this type of bike, while the handling is easy and responsive, just like the brakes. The connectivity and ease of use of the MyRide app are a nice bonus, while there is just about enough room under the seat for an open face lid (depending on if you’ve opted for one or two batteries), and the batteries are easy to access and simple to remove.

Now the downside. A top speed of just under 30mph might not be enough for some but, to be fair, all scooters in this category suffer the same restriction. However, the battery range does differ from bike to bike, and the Yamaha’s is on the low side. When I was young I wanted freedom and to ride everywhere, and I presume most young riders will feel the same. Will 30-35km be enough for an active teenager who wants to ride across town to get to college, meet friends for lunch, and go out in the evening? Or will they have to fork out an extra £980 for the additional battery? Only time will tell.

LAUNCH RIDE: YAMAHA NEO’S 45 STORAGE

Unlike many other electric scooters, Yamaha's actually managed to find a bit of storage space under the seat. As long as you only have one battery fitted, there's a respectable 27 litres available – which should be enough space to store an open face or jet lid.

BATTERIES

It comes with a single highdensity 50.4V/19.2Ah lithiumion battery, which should help the scooter cover 37km (according to Yamaha) before you need to charge up. There is also the option to purchase a second battery.

MODES

There are two rider modes to choose from: STD is for typical road use and delivers the highest power output, while ECO reduces battery consumption and will help you get the most miles out of the battery.

SMART

Yamaha’s MyRide app allows you to pair your smartphone with the scooter and receive incoming calls and messages on its LCD dash. It also offers more detailed information about the scooter, including its battery life.

DRIVE

It’s fitted with a Yamaha Integrated Power Unit, which consists of an aircooled brushless electric motor inside the rear wheel hub. It’s clever but simple, eliminating the need for gears and belts.

46 PRODUCTS

SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT: COOL COVERS If you do big miles, you’ll want to make your ride as plush as possible. Here’s one way to do it.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: Bob Pickett Bike seats, they’re what connects us to our bike. They’re also exposed to every weather condition. On hot days they can get unbearably warm. Rain? You come back to a sodden seat. And it’s rare to find one that doesn’t get uncomfortable after a while. That’s where Cool Covers come in.

Made from a 98% permeable material, air flows between you and your seat. It doesn’t heat up in the sun and keeps your bottom dry when it rains. It cannot be compressed so it creates a massage-like effect, reducing symptoms of fatigue.

The material is a complex design made up of 3D-like springs. Some might say a mesh, but until you get up close and actually touch and feel it you can see how effective the 8mm material really is. As the material does not fully compress, this is where all the above mentioned benefits your complete comfort. The material is made on a very technically advanced weaving machine.

And they’re effective. How effective?

Originally made in Germany in 2013, John Small was so impressed that he bought the company, moving operations to the UK! This is a typical review from a satisfied customer: ‘The journey home was three-plus hours, so a good test.

I am really pleased with it. I noticed the cooling effect almost immediately as my pants were already damp from the journey down and wind around and through the cover aided the drying process and kept me cool. This wouldn’t have happened on the seat without the cover.

‘The cover also felt comfortable/non fatiguing and this is critical, especially for long days in the saddle.’

All covers are made in the UK, using a specially developed material.

They have covers pre-made for a vast range of bikes, but if yours isn’t one. there is a custom service available, see https://www.coolcovers.co.uk/ product/custom-seat-cover/ for details.

PRODUCTS 47 What do they cost?

Prices vary depending on the bike and saddle type, but £65 for a rider and £45 for the pillon, and then £75 for a large bench/ one-piece seat type.

They also make custom covers for in most cases at

no extra cost, although you will need to send your seat for the initial templating, or they also offer an arrive and fit process by appointment only at their location in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

TRIED AND TESTED

Out of the bag, the cover reminded me a bit of a fishing net. It’s a heavy-duty sprung weave construction with two Velcro straps underneath to help secure it to the saddle. Fitting it to the Vulcan’s seat was easy. Just work out which way round (fitting instructions are provided); pull it over the edges and adjust until it grips all the way round; fasten the Velcro under the seat; and slot back in place on the bike. The whole process was quick and easy. I did wonder if it would make refitting more difficult given the added material, but it wasn’t an issue.

Once on, the Cool Cover felt grippy.

How would this affect moving in the saddle during a long ride? And would I stay cool on a warm (but not excessive 17 degrees C during my test period) day? Only one way to find out.

Initially it feels strange. You can feel it’s there, firm yet supportive (if you’ve ever experienced a mattress topper, it feels a bit like that), but you soon get used to it. And the air circulating under your posterior? Again it’s… peculiar to begin Phone: 01432 820375 with, but you quickly Web: come to appreciate the www.coolcovers.co.uk cool breeze circulating Email: beneath. It’s relaxing info@coolcovers.com and pleasant.

And yes, it is grippy, but moving about wasn’t an issue. The next big test: did it make the seat more comfortable on a long ride. I figured 50 miles was a fair test, so we set off on the route I use for bike tests; a mix of town, urban, motorway and backroads. That mattress topper comment still applies.

The Cool Cover feels firm but ‘squidgy’ at the same time. And yes, you do feel the benefit. Adding that bit of firmness counteracts any compression of the saddle material; I didn’t fidget at all during my ride.

Final test, the dry saddle. During my test spell it was dry, sunny and really rather nice. So to test, I filled the watering can and sprinkled over the seat (approximating a Summer shower). The ‘rain’ just passed through the mesh. So yes, a nice, dry bum.

Cool Covers do exactly what they claim. If you rack up miles, especially in hot weather, you will definitely get the benefit of fitting one of these. And even if your riding time is shorter, that cooling breeze as you ride is welcome.

HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH?

Where are they based?

Cool Covers are based in Ledbury in Herefordshire. Ledbury is a very quaint, essentially traditional ‘Black and White’ market yown.

Often, customers seeking a custom fit will book in and then explore the town, which is within walking distance from Cool Covers’ location. You can even leave your helmet and motorcycle gear safely while you go exploring.

QUICK SPIN 49

WORDS and PHOTOGRAPHY: Maja Kenney My friend has a Triumph Thruxton R. He’s had it from new and he loves it. It’s a beautiful machine, it sounds great and it goes fast. Its looks are just a bit too hipster for my taste. It is a cafe racer, after all. Saying that, I must admit I have always admired the bike and how cool he looked on it.

Curious about how it rides, I took it out for a day. It was a cold January day and the Thruxton is fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 tyres which I am very familiar with. This added to my confidence on the salty, slippery road.

At 1200cc I started off gingerly in case it spat me off.

I needn’t have worried. The ride was fairly comfortable with superresponsive throttle control and it almost felt a bit tame at the start. That was until I felt familiar enough with the bike to really open up the throttle.

It most definitely wasn’t tame. The 1200cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled parallel twin engine sounds good in low tones that don’t make your ears

bleed, yet still with the growl that gets you noticed.

Being a naked bike, my head was bobbing against the wind like the nodding dog, my knees were pushing hard against the tank to keep me on it, and my neck muscles were working overtime to keep me facing forward.

All this at just 60mph (-ish) speeds.

Admittedly, it was a very windy day.

I went for an overtake and because the road was incredibly bumpy, I felt like the bike would run off from underneath me and I’d be left falling through the air backward. There is little opportunity to really grip the bike. Wearing the textiles meant the tank felt slippery and I had to grip the handlebars to keep me connected with the bike. I was giggling under the helmet and then breathed a sigh of relief when I completed the overtake.

I’ve decided to keep to the main roads as they are less slippery and less chance of a black ice patch. Coming up to the first proper corner filled me

Who is Maja?

Maja is an adventurer by heart. From a young age she thrived on the unknown, pushing the boundaries and exploring new frontiers whether in travel or in business. Her zest for life and adventure are contagious and inspiring. She is running a motorcycle tour business sharing her passion for traveling on two wheels and exploring beautiful roads worldwide. Originally from Slovenia, she has made North Wales her home for the last 20 years. Join Maja on one of her tours at www.majasmotorcycleadventures.co.uk

with excitement until it was time to lean into the corner. The bike is heavy.

To make that bend I had to really push it and work hard to keep it on the line I wanted rather than ending up in the hedge. I figured it was just me and not being familiar with the bike until the next corner and the next. It is definitely the bike. I am not a fan of how much effort the rider has to put into cornering on the Thruxton. I certainly wouldn’t fancy taking on a Swiss Alpine pass on it.

The good news is, the bike is low enough for me to flat foot it and the weight is well balanced. You could ride the bike in any kind of traffic and on any roads quite comfortably. It

doesn’t hang about and would keep up with any sports bikes. The brakes are super sharp, and that took me by surprise when I squeezed the lever for the first time.

Overall, the bike is stunning to look at, well designed, and definitely the kind of bike that very much belongs outside the Bike Shed in London’s Shoreditch more than it does on the roads of North Wales. But, of course, that’s just my opinion and my friend will very much disagree because he rides it fast and leans into the corners effortlessly on any road. He is even considering a European tour on it. So perhaps it was just me struggling to corner on the Thruxton.

50 VJMC – ‘The home of the Japanese classic’

INTENSE RIVALRY

WORDS: Steve Cooper PHOTOGRAPHY: Mortons Media Archive By 1996 the NSR500 motor was an extremely well-honed and potent piece of kit. If it wasn’t perfect it was certainly close to it as HRC maintained a policy of continuous improvement. The V4 motor remained set out in its now established 112-degree included angle between the two banks of cylinders, yet year-on-year revisions had seen the power increase from an already potent 170bhp at 12,500rpm in 1993 to an astounding 190bhp at 12,000rpm in just three years.

It was little wonder the bike was seen as the weapon of choice. Despite Honda’s antipathy towards the two-stroke engine, it’d risen to the challenge and more that met it.

The official Honda team sponsored

by Spanish oil giant Repsol fielded four riders. The V4s were piloted by Mick Doohan and Spanish rider Alex Criville, with Japanese riders Tadayuki Okada and Shinichi Itoh on the newlyreleased V-twins. A further 11 riders were mounted on NSR500s of various types and specification.

Yamaha made up most of the remaining grid with a clutch of Suzukis, two of the Aprilia V-twins and a quartet of the Italian V4 Paton V70 C10/2s.

The results tables and individual race reports still read like a litany to HRC even now with the firm taking the first four places in the championship and, ultimately, eight out of the top 12 places in all. 1996 would be something of a learning year for everyone involved with the NSR500V twins, but to his credit Tadayuki Okada gained a hugely impressive seventh in the overall points and this was despite the fact his season was initially marred by three retirements and an 11th placing.

With Shinichi Itoh finishing in 12th position at the end of the season, HRC must have felt vindicated in pioneering the new V-twins.

The season proved to be something of a watershed for Doohan and Criville. The Aussie was supposed to be the number one rider but the Spaniard was effectively the ‘home team boy’, given the Repsol name plastered across the top NSRs. Criville had improved with each season aboard the NSR500 reaching fourth spot the previous year, and over the intervening winter season it was apparent he had improved both physically and mentally in his quest to be top dog. Criville had obviously been studying his teammate’s tactics and riding, and through the 1996 championship was able to take advantage when the occasion presented itself. Both of them had

total and utter confidence in their machines and both knew that only the other was likely to a real threat to them for the title. The rivalry was almost palpable, but nothing fans hadn’t seen before or would see again; just like Red and Ivy in the 1960s or Rossi and Lorenzo 20 years later, there was probably mutual respect but certainly no love lost between them.

Perhaps the bitterest pill to swallow would come at Criville’s home Grand Prix, which was marked by a catalogue of errors and missed opportunities.

After a tight race between a good half-dozen riders, Criville was still ahead of his teammate when chaos descended. The commentator lost his thread, mistakenly announcing the race had finished which meant Criville had won, which led to a mass track invasion by the partisan home fans. Criville was forced to slow down and at the final corner Doohan slipped his bike up the inside of his teammate to take the chequered flag. On the slow-down lap some of the fans went after Doohan, further exacerbating an already heated situation. At the podium the Spanish fans were chanting Criville’s name and then booed, whistled and jeered the Australian national anthem. From that point on the two top riders were effectively bitter rivals who just so happened to ride for the same team, and the Honda fans were split into

Team Criville and Team Doohan from that point on.

The season ended with Doohan on 309 points and Criville on 245, clearly demonstrating the Aussie had the better command of both the bike and the overall situation. The year 1997 would go on to prove to be both an interesting and prophetic one with something of a shock for V4 fans and a certain youthful Rossi winning the 125 title.

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

The firm deals with personal injury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences.

White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law, and they have full bike licences, too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution. White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer to your question, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insuranceappointed solicitor, get proper independent advice.

For road traffic offences, call the Motor Defence solicitors on 0800 280 0912.

For non-offence cases, call White Dalton motorcycle solicitors on 0800 783 6191.

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

Q&A

Q

I am big into the scooter scene and have owned all sorts over the years. I have a ‘few’ in the garage and shed (you get the idea, I am somewhat addicted!). However, my most favourite of them all is my Lambretta SX200, called Lucinda (I know, I’m sad! Haha!). It is the prettiest of all my scooters and to say I love her is an understatement. It also has particular sentimental value as I bought her about 25 years ago with some money my Nan left in her Will and then spent some years restoring it. About three months ago, I was waiting at a roundabout on Lucinda when I was rear-ended at speed by a bin lorry. How they let this muppet drive such a large wagon is beyond me. He would be better off with a stick and a guide dog. Anyway, I went down like a fat kid on a seesaw. One broken wrist and one very broken Lucinda. Liability has been admitted (not that they could deny it) and I understand I have to wait to see how I heal with my wrist. However, the biggest bugbear I have is Lucinda. I don’t want to claim off my fully comprehensive insurance company, and I don’t want to let the other side take her away as I have read all kinds of horror stories. Also, I want to claim for what it means to me, which is priceless, arguably. How can I do that? Ideally, I also do not want her to be written off as I would like to keep her.

A

It always makes me sad when I hear about or see a beaten-up scooter or motorbike.

So I feel your pain about Lucinda. Regarding a claim for Lucinda being ‘priceless’ to you, whilst I understand this, unfortunately the law does not work like that. If not, your SX200 would be valued more than, say, Mr Bloggs’ SX200 down the road, simply because you loved yours more and bought her with money from your Nan.

WHITE DALTON 51

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

Instead, the law means you are entitled to the pre-accident value of Lucinda if she is a ‘writeoff’, or the cost of the repairs if she is not. As to who to get the money from, you either claim off your own fully comprehensive insurance policy, or from the other side. There are pros and cons to both. The advantage in claiming off your own policy is your claim may be dealt with sooner rather than later. The disadvantage is you will have a claim on your policy and this may affect future premiums (even if liability is admitted and they get their money back from the other side).

Further, you will likely have to pay your excess and then look to claim this back from the negligent bin lorry driver/his insurer. The advantage in claiming directly from the other side’s insurer is you have no claim on your policy and no excess to pay. The disadvantage is, in my experience, it may take longer to sort out. I would also be very wary of letting the bike be taken away by anyone until it has inspected.

Most insurers can send an assessor to your house to look at it.

In either scenario, if an insurer does say the

bike is a write-off and offer to pay you in full, then the likely starting point is they will own the ‘salvage’ of Lucinda. If you do want to keep Lucinda, then you need to speak to them about this before you agree anything. Some insurers will agree you keep the salvage but on the condition they pay you less, etc.

For more info, go to:

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www.morebikes.co.uk

Selling your bike is

Classified FREE for private readers

ARIEL RED HUNTER 500cc, 1957 with tradesmans box sidecar, great fun to ride, ideal for going to rallies, £5450 Tel. 07909 914345. Warwickshire.

ARIEL RED HUNTER 350cc, 1954, maroon all complete, ideal restoration project, dry stored, £2450. Tel. 01299 266565.

Worcs.

BULTACO SHERCO 1990, 250cc, trials, which has had full engine rebuild and not used since, it’s in lovely condition, £1500 collectable, consider p/x road bike Tel. 01743 860362.

Shropshire.

HONDA SHADOW 1984, 500cc, V Twin repair or spares, also includes spares of exhaust, half engine, photos on request, £350 no offers only serious buyers Tel. 07736 714096. West Midlands.

1 2 3

ONLINE www.morebikes.co.uk EMAIL freeads@morebikes.co.uk POST MB Reader Adverts, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR

SUZUKI GSXR750W 1993, original condition, 18,000 miles, toolkit books and keys, new tyres, long MoT, £2150. Tel. 01684 563997. Worcs.

For Sale

AJS 1938, 1000cc Colonial style with sidecar, the motorcycle was completely restored few years ago, the engine was made at 0km, current odometer shows 61km, it’s approx 38 miles, with a four 19 x 400 Avon wheels, £22,000 Email. classicdream008@ gmail.com

Choose one of the following methods:

DUCATI ST3 2005, Aftermarket silencers, major service done including belts, valves, fluids, pads, rear tyre and chain, 41,000 miles, will MoT for buyer, in very good condition, more pics available on request, £2750 Tel. 07912 357859.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUSE3 Screaming Eagle Ultra Classic 1800cc, Vance & Hines Stage 1, 15,500 genuine miles, 2006 model, vgc, Led headlight and fog light conversion, TomTom rider sat nav, excellent condition, back luggage rack, amp and top box comes with bike but will need to be fitted, I took it off as didn’t need it, all fittings are there & all wires are plug & play, £9500 Email. billyjdburgess@hotmail.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDS EVO Dyna conv, 1995, one of last Evo’s, close to original condition, lovely slow EVO tickover sound, 33,000 miles, well run in, with original leather panniers and screen, heated grips, GPS Speedometer, excellent condition, £6500 ono Tel. 01162 707774. Leics.

HONDA VARADERO 125 complete, non runner, no keys, no documents, rack, topbox, been covered six years Tel. 07950 051835; 02036 380586.

London.

HONDA CB550/4 1977, metallic brown, 32,000 miles, vgc, regular oil change, service, good tyres, chain, battery, good exhaust, good chrome & paintwork, new ignition switch & throttle cables, £3850 Tel. 01273 812101. Email. babsroy@ hotmail.co.uk Brighton

HONDA DEAUVILLE 2011, 20,000 miles, MoT Jan 2023, fsh, wide panniers, heated grips, front fender ext, windshield ext, new tyres, new battery, genuine reason for sale, £3250 Tel. Roy 01302 340181. South Yorkshire.

HONDA SH125 scooter, 2013, 10,000, full Honda service history, MoT March 2023, very good condition, silver, topbox, mature owner for eight years, unmarked, £1650 ovno Tel. 01743 614823. Shrewsbury.

KAWASAKI ZX-6RJ 2000 Ninja, immaculate, 21,000 miles, two keys, Owners Manual, Haynes Manual, fitted gear indicator, new radiator and hoses, always garaged, Pilot Road 3 tyres, tool kit, datatagged, MoT June 2022, £1900 Tel. 01516 069983.

Wirral.

LEXMOTO ZSF125 2016, 3214 miles, good condition, full service history, one lady owner, MoT November, two keys, new bike forces sale, £1350 Tel. 01252 651425. Hants.

MOTO GUZZI V50 MKII, 1979, historic reg, 44,100 miles, new headlight heated grips, good tyres, recent engine rebuild, new rings etc, carrier topbox, workshop manual, regular visitor Moto Piston and Columbus Spain, various spares Tel. 07905 796557. Northants.

ROYAL ENFIELD EFI Bullet, 2011, 4500 miles, very clean, well looked after, Goldie exhaust, crashbars and back rest fitted, £2500 firm Tel. 01604 847920.

Northants.

ROYAL ENFIELD Interceptor 650, excellent condition, 7000 miles, Sept 2019, Hagon enclosed rear shocks, touring seat, engine bars, Givi rack, good tyres, owner retiring, full service history Tel. 07484 763919. Lanarkshire.

SUZUKI BURGMAN 650 2011, only 17,050 miles with 8 service stamps, last serviced at 17,006 miles, including brake pads and new rear tyre, 12 month MoT, 2 keys, good condition, engine and transmission are excellent, viewing highly recommended, £3750. Tel. Ron 07702 446488.

SUZUKI TU250 2000, 31,000 miles, beautiful condition, rides super, complete with topbox, need something bigger, £1500 consider swap part change, text only Tel. 07790 512582.

Shropshire.

Parts Wanted

TRIUMPH T100 Bonneville, 2009 Limited Edition, 650 made only 47 in Britain, mine is number 395, fsh, 19,000 miles only, offers call for more details Tel. 07811 129866. Email. lrobo4751@gmail.com

YAMAHA TRACER MT09, 2018, immaculate, low mileage, one owner, £5995. Tel. 07742 103066. Gloucestershire.

Parts For Sale TRIUMPH T100S 1970, built 1970, matching numbers, Boyer electrics, TLS front brake, 376 carb, Hagons, Avon Roadriders, excellent, unrestored condition, £5950 Tel. 01622 739007. Kent.

TRIUMPH Street Triple, 2008, 675cc, in green, excellent standard condition, 4 previous owners, the bike has only done a few hundred miles since last MoT and has had little use, owned for over 2 years, comes with an Owners Manual, spare key, service book and full dealer service history, added features such as a factory screen, handguards and a Givi rack, the tyres are in good condition and has recently had a new chain and sprockets and all the fluids changed plus new fork seals fitted by dealer, lovely bike which rides and runs very smoothly, £2850 Email. nigelpitt1@ hotmail.com

TRIUMPH AMERICAN 2005, 10,000 miles, lot of upgrades some spares, long MoT, well kept, now too heavy, £4000 ono or p/x for good T120/T140 Tel. 07823 693477. Notts.

YAMAHA XJR400 1993, very rare, real head turner, dry stored and very well looked after 1993, 43,000 kilometers, new rear tyre fitted, MoT till mid August 2022, great running bike, £2250 Tel. Albert 07856 878018.

TRIUMPH TROPHY 1970, 250cc, t&t exempt, excellent condition all round, recent rebuild, lovely machine, new tyres, indicators fitted, £2900 ono Tel. 07934 291765. North Yorkshire.

YAMAHA XJ6S DIVERSION 2009, 31,600 miles, 11 months MoT, Powerbronze grips, Pyramid hugger, Scottoiler chain lubrication system, oil change and cooling topbox, all round good condition, always garaged, £2500 Tel. 01214 536830; 07714 378253. West Midlands.

YAMAHA DIVERSION 1997, 600, 15,400 miles, immaculate condition, £2000 ono Tel. 07480 755567. Staffordshire.

BSA BANTAM side stand (prop stand) new old stock fits any Bantam model attaches to front engine mounting, £50. Tel. 01268 735135. Essex.

DUNLOP K82 300x18 tyre, never been used bought to fit onto 18” rim for Bantam but never used would fit similar sized bikes with 18” rims, £50. Tel. 01268 735135. Essex.

HONDA 400-4 1970-1980, new + used spares for Honda too many to list, ring for parts evening please Tel. 02089 508503. Herts.

HONDA VFR 800cc, 2000, windscreen, handlebars, seat (Gel) all stock, £50 the lot Tel. 07478 231203. Pembrokeshire.

TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 900, chrome headlight shell bucket, also fits Legend Adventurer Sport, excellent, £90 + £5 p&p.

Also clock covers for same bikes, black plastic, excellent, £80 + £5 p&p. Also master cylinder plate, £40 Tel. 07434 513161.

Lancashire.

Wanted ANY CLASSIC BIKE wanted, anything considered in any condition by enthusiast top price paid Tel. 01514 470147.

BELSTAFF WAXED cotton motorcycle jacket, the older the better, black or one of their coloured options, red, green, blue etc, any size and condition considered Tel. 07788 636027 evenings. Cambridge.

MICRON CHROME EXPANSION BOXES to suit Yamaha LC350 YPVS, £300. Also standard exhaust to suit Yamaha LC350 YPVS, F2, £150, collection only Tel. 01215 598529. West Midlands.

Miscellaneous CLARKE Strong Arm Motorcycle Lift, foot pedal operated hydraulic lift, 3 feet long 18” wide, £80 ono. Breaking Honda C90MG electric start model, ring for wants. Tel. 01926 770198.

BOX TRAILER ideal for motorcycle jumbler, 5’x3’ opening tailgate, cover lights spare wheel can carry two mopeds or Bantam size bikes, could be altered for other uses, bargain, £95. Tel. 01268 735135. Essex.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Die-cast model state police Polistil make, fully loaded, boxed as new, also two Harley T-shirts, size XL superb condition, worn about twice, £50 the lot Tel. 07504 327299.

MOLTON STANDARD BICYCLE 1960s maroon, 16” wheels, 3 speed, Sturmey Archer gears, all complete reliable or restoration, £85. Tel. 01299 266565. Worcs.

MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINES from 1960’s onwards, lots of, 350 to a charity will deliver short distance. Tel. 01142 453009.

MOTORCYCLE ATV LIFT Machine Mart CML5, hydraulic lift, new price, £178, 2 years old, hardly used, £70 Tel. 01157 28634. Notts.

OXFORD PANNIER BAGS pair of, little used, excellent condition, £20. Jackets, £10-£20 each.

Boots size 8, excellent condition, £15. Gloves various sizes good condition, £5 each, various trousers, £5-£10 each Tel. 01273 812101. Sussex.

TRIUMPH BARBOUR JACKET ladies, very good condition, size large £80 ono, if posted will need to add postage Tel. Sarah 07511 865455.