Motorcycle Monthly June 2017

GET UP TO SPEED

SPY SHOTS

BMW’s 2018 GS caught in tests

June 2017

Our MEGA Spidi competition: ★ Venice trip for two ★ Visit to the Spidi factory ★ £1000 to spend on Spidi gear!

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Yamaha’s SUPER Tourer

Tom Cruise flies like a missile He’s on a Mission

Britain’s most profitable speed cameras REVEALED!

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Pass YOUR Mod 1

Top insurance company Carole Nash has identified the UK speed cameras raking in the most cash fines. Some of the yellow boxes are racking up THOUSANDS of speeding offences a year with the biggest earning automated traffic watchers pulling in more than £1600 a DAY! Despite the camera boxes being painted in bright yellow and plenty of warning signs for motorists that speeding will result in a fine and points on a licence it seems as though these particular units are pulling in unbelievably big bucks day after day.

See more on Page 4

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NEWS 3

Suzuki files 13 new patents for its turbocharged roadster Designs are getting close to finished machine now Our ongoing series of articles of the upcoming turbocharged Suzuki roadsters (one in particular) has received a boost with the latest set of production-protecting patents filed from the Japanese factory.

This month has seen Suzuki granted protection on 13 separate patents filed with the USA patent office. The drawings are further, more detailed versions of the parallel-twin motor that we first told you was going into production when we uncovered Suzuki’s secret plans for the machine nearly two years ago.

As with our earlier articles on the project which we brought you on the MoreBikes.co.uk website in July 2015, September 2016 and last December, the latest drawings bear a very close resemblance to the XE7 turbocharged roadster that Suzuki showed as a concept at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show (that’s the image of the

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completed motorcycle, alongside).

What looks to have changed the most between those first production designs and this new set of drawings is the frame-design.

The latest frame has changed from the beam-frame original idea on the XE7 show bike to a trellis frame that uses the motor as a stressed member with the production version in the patent designs.

In the designs for the motor you can see the top-mounted radiator that’s a key component with the cooling of the engine, it sits directly on top of the charging unit and runs on a separate pipe route to the main oil cooler and radiator which both sit in a conventional position at the front of the motor.

The bike is likely to appear at the end of this year at the large motorcycle shows and be included in Suzuki’s 2018 line-up.

SHARK Helmets’ new Race-R PRO ‘White SHARK’ Lorenzo replica

SHARK Helmets has released a limited and numbered edition of the Race-R PRO White SHARK Replica of the helmet worn by Jorge Lorenzo at the 2016 Aragon MotoGP. There’s a worldwide production run of just 1500 and each lid comes in special premium packaging.

White SHARK Replica is expected in the UK from early June 2017 with an RRP of £659.99.

You can see how close the latest design (left) is to the concept model (rig ght) from 2015. Asiide from the framee, they’re virtually identical.

Gotcha! Registration documents for the TVS (BMW) 310cc mini-sportbike revealed It’s not called the BMW yet, but that’s only a matter of time...

The Akula 310 all-carbonfibre race bike concept (based on the BMW G 310 R), was unveiled earlier at the 2016 Auto Expo in India and now there’s news on what the final production version of the bike will be called.

A trademark filed by Indian firm TVS on the Government of India’s Intellectual Property website reveals that its latest machine will be called the ‘Apache RR 310S’.

Over the last few months, we’ve brought you images of the TVS in its full-faired beauty taking part in tests, ahead of its expected launch this July.

Built jointly by TVS and BMW (who’ve been working together since early 2013), we’re expecting the bike’s

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internals to be the same as the recently released BMW G310R with a 310cc singlecylinder, liquid-cooled motor kicking out around 34bhp and 28Nm of torque.

Images confirm that the Apache RR 310S will retain similar styling to the concept machine which was unveiled at the Indian show last year. The bike features twin-projector LED front headlights, an air scoop (placed under the lights), a decent sized front screen and relatively high handlebars.

Like the G310R, we’re expecting the upcoming TVS Apache 310 to include LED indicators, USD front fork set-up, clipon handlebar, split seat, alloy wheels, ABS disc brakes and a monoshock suspension at the rear.

Editor Tony Carter Editorial design Fran Lovely Publisher Dan Savage Picture desk Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield and Angie Sisestean Production editor Dan Sharp Divisional advertising manager Martin Freeman 01507 529538 Advertising Zoe Thurling 01507 529412 Sam Dearie 01507 529583 Kate Hayes 01507 529411 Advertising deadline for July issue Tuesday, May 30, 2017 Distribution 01507 529529

£10

2018 Isle of Man TT ferry crossings bookings to open

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has confirmed provisional bookings for sailings to the 2018 TT will open at 8.30am on Monday, May 29.

Provisional bookings, which are held with a deposit, can be made by visiting www.steam-packet.com or by calling 08722 992 992 (UK) or 0044 8722 992 992 (ROI & outside UK).

Deposits for foot passengers have again been held at £10, with vehicle deposits remaining at £50.

Confirmation of sailings and fares will be sent out towards the end of 2017, with final balance payments due during February 2018.

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Marketing manager Charlotte Park Commercial director Nigel Hole Customer services number 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm

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Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies

Triumph is offering the chance to win the use of a free Triumph Tiger adventure bike for a whole year. To be in with a chance of winning you’ve got to have test ridden or bought a Triumph adventure model by May 31, 2017. You’ll be automatically entered into the prize draw. The winner, who will be chosen at random, will then get their very own Tiger adventure to use for 12 months.

4 NEWS

REVEALED! Britain’s most profitable speed cameras

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■ The most productive camera charges £1661 a day ■ The same camera racked up over 6000 speeding offences in just one year The nation’s highest earning speed cameras have been revealed, as part of new research from Carole Nash Insurance Consultants.

The UK insurance broker submitted freedom of information requests to the UK’s largest county police constabularies. The results reveal which speed cameras have caught the most instances of motorists breaking the speed limit over one year and highlight the dangerous areas of the UK’s roads where motorists are advised to take extra care.

Located just south of Grantham in Lincolnshire, motorists driving northbound along this stretch of the A1 racked up the most fines in the UK, according to the new data. The camera charged an average of £1661 a day in just one year, making it one of the most lucrative cameras in the country.

Bikers and drivers travelling along the M180 close to Scunthorpe are also prone to speeding, with a camera on this stretch of road, west of the River Trent, racking up 5853 speeding offences in a year, totalling £583,500. Unsurprisingly, Britain’s busiest motorway had two locations

The data revealed Britain’s five highest earning speed cameras were: 1. A1 / Great Ponton North Bound, Lincolnshire – £606,400 2. M180 West of River Trent, Scunthorpe – £583,500 3. M25 London Orbital junction 17-18, Rickmansworth – £538,500 4. M25 London Orbital between junction 5 and Clacket Lane Services – £373,300 5. A12 Stratford St Mary Southbound – £305,400

that featured in Britain’s five highest earning speed cameras.

A camera between junctions 17 and 18 of the M25, close to Rickmansworth, was responsible for 5385 speeding tickets in one year, with motorists travelling an average of 62mph in the 50mph zone.

A camera between junction 5 and Clacket Lane Services on the London Orbital issued 3723 fines to motorists who were averaging 61mph on this 50mph stretch of road.

Rebecca Donohue, head of marketing at Carole Nash, said: “With some speed cameras issuing

tickets that amount to well into the hundreds of thousands it’s understandable that, at times, motorists feel like they are being taxed again.

“It’s really important to remember that such cameras are put in place to reduce accidents and save the lives of motorists and bikers, something which is far more important than any amount of money.

“We wanted to find out which roads are prone to speeding motorists to help raise awareness of the dangers in those areas and encourage bikers and drivers alike to take extra care on these roads.”

Get your Isle of Man TT fix with Island Racer 2017 OUT NOW!

MXGP3 game released later this month

The brand new official motocross videogame, MXGP3, will be available on PS4, Xbox One and PC later this month.

Three new main features have been added to the gameplay – dynamic weather conditions, dynamic terrain deformations and brand new sound – all working together to make the gameplay as realistic as possible.

And if that’s not enough, you’ll also find an enhanced customisation and career mode, along with all official MXGP and MX2 2016 riders, official tracks (including the MXoN), in both offline and online modes.

It’s the BEST TT publication of the year – crammed with everything you need to know PLUS a FREE DVD of some great Isle of Man on-board action. Don’t miss it.

Out now, Island Racer is the TT publication that you just can’t miss.

Costing only £7.99 the 148 page annual brings you the story of the men and the teams competing at this year’s Island event.

Packed with the world’s BEST photography from the 37 75-mile e 37.75 mile long Mountain Course and detailed information about every single competitor taking part, Island Racer is a must-have before, during and after the Isle of Man races.

Also, there’s a massive double-sided multi-part poster in this issue featuring TT living legends Ian Hutchinson on one side and Michael Dunlop on the other.

You can find Island Racer on sale at all good newsagents or you can order a copy by going to: http://www.classicmagazines.co.uk or calling: 01507 529529.

BMW confirms 212bhp HP4 RACE carbon superbike fi 212 bik Yours for £68k and there’s only going to be 750 of them made

Key details

The bike is the first BMW motorcycle to feature a full carbon fibre frame and made its global outing at the Auto Shanghai 2017 show in China last month.

Weighing just 7.8kg, the frame will form the basis for the 750 individually-crafted HP4 RACE bikes being produced. Both wheels are also made using the same high-tech carbon fibre laying technology and are 30% lighter than those made of conventional materials.

BMW says that the RACE’s engine, electronics, brake

and suspension technology put this version of the HP4 on the same level as current factory superbike racing machines.

Weighing just 171kg when fullyfuelled and track ready, the HP4 RACE is lighter than the current World Superbikes and in the same league as most MotoGP factory prototypes.

Developed purely for the race track, the HP4 RACE

comes with a World Superbike spec engine, producing 212bhp. The HP4 RACE comes equipped with Öhlins FGR 300 upside-down forks and TTX 36 GP rear suspension – the same as used in both World Superbike and MotoGP racing series. Brembo GP4 PR monoblock brake calipers also come straight from the world stage.

An extensive package of electronic controls can be viewed and controlled through the 2D dash, with data logger included too. Dynamic Traction Control, Engine Braking and Wheelie Control can be programmed separately for each gear, according to the rider’s personal preference.

■ Carbon fibre main frame in monocoque construction weighing just 7.8kg.

■ Self-supporting carbon fibre rear frame with three-stage height adjustment function.

■ Carbon fibre wheels offering a weight reduction of some 30 per cent as compared to light alloy forged wheels.

■ Öhlins FGR 300 upside-down fork.

■ Öhlins TTX 36 GP spring strut.

■ Brembo GP4 PR monoblock brake calipers with 320 T-type racing steel brake discs (thickness: 6.75 mm) at the front.

■ Close-ratio racing gearbox with adapted transmission ratios.

■ Engine Brake EBR (programmable for selected gears at 15 levels).

■ Wheelie Control (programmable for selected gears).

KTM’s 2018 range has new KTM 85 SX

For 2018 KTM introduces a brand new KTM 85 SX for junior riders that are cutting their teeth in the schoolboy ranks. With the serious competitor in mind, this machine has a new engine that is 0.69kg lighter than the previous model, with improved power and rideability throughout the complete rpm range.

The KTM 85 SX receives a lighter chassis with a revised chromium molybdenum steel frame as crafted

by WP Performance Systems, as well as a lighter subframe. The bike joins the KTM 50 SX and KTM 65 SX in KTM’s line-up of premium junior equipment and is fitted with Formula brakes, WP AER 43 forks and a specifically developed fully adjustable WP Xplor progressive damping system (PDS) shock absorber.

World record wheelie smashed on a scooter

Japanese rider Masaru Abe set a new world record for the longest wheelie at the Kawaguchi Auto Race facility in Saitama, Japan on Bank Holiday Monday.

Riding a Yamaha Jog scooter, the 33-year-old kept the front up for eight hours, 18 minutes and 43 seconds.

Copious amounts of painkillers were needed by the mono-wheeling man to keep the ache in his back at bay as he set the new record of 500.5322km (311.016miles) at the Auto Race facility in Saitama in Japan.

NEWS 7

It’s doing the rounds again:

Volkswagen looking to sell Ducati

Only this time around, there might be a bit more to the story from ‘anonymous sources’.

It’s a story that we’ve heard before (the end of last year, for example) and – it’s worth stressing this – this latest flurry of news about the Italian company is nothing more than mere talk in the financial press world, but the money press that matters has reported that Volkswagen is looking toward selling Ducati.

The news comes as Volkswagen starts an ‘operational streamlining’ of costs to help fund an overhaul of the company in the wake of the recent emissions scandal.

Citing sources from inside the car maker, the claims say that VW is also

pulling in costs across the company in an effort to help fund its proposals for a group-wide shift of focus towards electric vehicles.

According to reports on news service Reuters, VW has tasked investment banking boutique Evercore (EVR.N) with evaluating possible options including a sale of the Ducati brand, which its Audi division (NSUG.DE) acquired for about 860 million euros ($935 million) in 2012, the sources said.

While Wolfsburg-based VW has started reaching out to potential buyers to sound out their interest,

no decision has been taken on whether the brand will be sold, they added. If VW does not attract sufficient interest, it may also consider a stock market flotation for Ducati. VW referred to Audi for comment. Audi and Evercore declined to comment.

He’s started his own motorcycle tour company in the old man’s country. Yep. whose giant image looks down on Havana’s Revolution Square.

Ernesto is a former lawyer but has passed over the legal game in favour of leading a group of motorcycles across Cuba.

The company is called La Poderosa Tours and is named after the motorbike his father rode as a young man on his epic journey through South America.

If you fancy seeing more then go to their website: www.lapoderosatours.com

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Classic Racer’s latest issue on sale now!

Fancy riding across Cuba with Che Guevara’s son?

Using a convoy of HarleyDavidsons, you might not expect the youngest son of the revered revolutionary to be making a buck riding around his homeland and giving tourists his point of view on the Cuban land, but he is and that’s what’s happening.

And the company has just released new dates for later this year.

Tour leader is Ernesto Guevara, the youngest son of the revolutionary icon Che Guevara,

A WHOLE YEAR OF BIKING FOR JUST

You’re a fan of motorcycles so you definitely don’t want to miss the latest issue of the excellent Classic Racer magazine.

This is a special edition of the magazine with the legendary John Surtees featured in detail,, a FREE DVD on the cover and plenty of amazing articles and exclusive pictures from the heyday of motorcycle racing.

Packed from cover to cover with the biggest names from the greatest eras of motorcycle racing, Classic Racer is the onestop shop for anyone who wants to see heroes in action.

Classic Racer is available in all good newsagents (and we bet it’s on sale in some bad ones, too), but if you want to get this gorgeous slice of motorcycle racing history and legend delivered directly to your door for cheaper than it would cost you for the same amount of issues in the shops then go here: classicmagazines.co.uk/issue/CR

New TCX waterproof sneakers launched

Italian footwear specialist TCX has just launched its latest fashion conscious ‘biker sneaker’ – an updated version of the Street Ace. The boots are made from full grain (vintage-look) leather, feature a redesigned sole with improved tread, and have a waterproof lining to help keep you dry in the wet. Most importantly, the boot is CE-certified and features additional protection on the toe, heel and ankle.

They’ll set you back £119.99 and are available in sizes 36-48 in Black, Coffee Brown, Dakar Brown and Cold Grey.

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✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ WIN THIS ✮ ✮

YAMAHA MT-10

Yep, that’s right, you can get this awesome naked superbike (and all you’ve got to do is get the entry form from this month’s Fast Bikes magazine in Tesco).

Ever since the MT arrived on the scene its relentless torque, superb sports-bike handling and great all-round ability has raised the bar and changed the biking world.

It’s close to being the perfect motorcycle (yeah, really) and we’vve found a way that YOU can get hold of this amazing

motorcycle for nothing. Nil, zip, nada. Zero is the amount of cash you’ll need to enter this competition.

All you’ve got to do to get the entry form for this brilliant once in a lifetime competition is go to Tesco and buy a copy of our sister publication Fast Bikes.

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EXCLUSIVE TO

Then, just fill in the form in the Tesco issue (and it’ss got to be the Tesco one, people – th his competition isn’t in any Fasst Bikes magazine sold elsewhere), send it to the FB team and YOU could find yourself the proud own ner of a brand spanki king i new Yamaaha mega-muscle bike worth £10,799!

It really is that straightforw ward.

But don’t thank us. Thank our chums at Tesco, who’ve maade this all possible and Princip pal Insurance who’ll throw in £400 towards insuring it. Good luck!

Meet the mini-me 110cc Monster that Ducati definitely HASN’T built

(and it costs just over a grand!)

You know, this is probably one of the cutest ‘lookalikes’ we’ve seen from the Asian copycat market so far. And when you consider that this bike, all-in – with the plastics, decals and everything else – costs just over £1k, then you might end up liking this as much as we do.

Called the Monster 110, this mini-me isn’t made

by Ducati (you probably guessed that) but by Ho Chi Minh City-based Quang Phu’ong Motor. The tiny take-offs have gone on sale in Vietnam and are physically the same size as a Honda MSX125 – but much better looking.

Based on the Thai GPX Demon minibike the little Monster is a full-on doppleganger for the bigger Monster with the same split headlight, exposed subframe and Ducati-esque seat unit too.

£10

£3789 worth of Ducati bits for £1500

Ducati UK is offering a Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup package worth £3789 for just £1500 when purchasing and registering a brand new 959 Panigale. You get Akrapovic race silencers, brake and clutch reservoirs, race screen, brake lever protector and new lower fairings.

This offer is available from now until June 30 and includes free fitting. For more information about it go check out ducatiuk.com.

Speed Triple gets Rizoma treatment

Italian accessory manufacturer Rizoma has developed a line of bolt-on goodies for the new Triumph Street Triple. There’s a full line of model-specific accessories made from lightweight aluminium. Everything from ride-by-wire throttles to levers to licence plate holders (underseat and swingarm mounted) are included in the swanky range.

It also has upside-down forks and digital instrument cluster. The small bike comes in three colours; Red, White or Black. Sweet.

The 3D printed bike that gets to 60mph in four seconds Italian Volt has created the Lacama – a customisable electric motorcycle made from 3D printed parts that can go from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, and can be charged in just 40 minutes.

The new bike, which is built with 3D printed bodywork and high-end performance parts, including Brembo brakes and Ohlins suspension has a top speed of 112mph, thanks to the 94bhp and 153lb-ft of torque on tap.

Thanks to the 3D printing technology, the 12 aluminium parts that make up the bike’s body can all be customised in terms of shape and colour, which gives riders the chance to really make the Lacama their own but then, at £35,000 you’d probably want something a bit bespoke...

Volt says that it has also been working hard to improve the charging efficiency of the bike – and as a consequence the bike comes equipped with a touchscreen display which allows you to monitor battery status.

Not only that, according to the bike builder it has a ‘fast charging’ process available that can produce an 80% charge in just 40 minutes. A full charge will take about three hours.

Buy your next bike on MoreBikes.co.uk!

It’s like a dream wrapped up in a nice, free duvet of goodness. Well, it is if you want to buy or sell a motorcycle.

That’s because we’ve only gone and put a FREE classifieds section on the huge MoreBikes.co.uk website. Yeah, it’s FREE. If you want to buy or sell motorbikes, or anything to do with motorbikes just go to MoreBikes.co.uk and click on the More Bikes For Sale bar handily positioned on the right side of the screen.

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10 WHAT’S ON To get your event on these pages email jclements@mortons.co.uk

What’s On: the essential dates MAY 20 Southern Classic Motorcycle Show & Jumble, Kempton Park, Staines Road East, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex TW16 5AQ. Tel: 01507 529435. www.kemptonparkautojumble.co.uk 20-21 Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride sponsored

by Principal Insurance, Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants NN29 7XA. www.racerockride.co.uk 20-21 CRMC Mallory Park www.crmc.co.uk (provisional) 21 Haynes Biker’s Breakfast Ride-In. Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, near Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LH. www.himm.co.uk 21 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes, Ribble steam Railway, Preston Dock.

Tel: 01772 782516 21 Ace Cafe London, Two-Stroke Blue Haze Day. www.ace-cafe-london.com 21 Romney Marsh Bikejumble Marsh Road, Hamstreet, near Ashford, Kent TN26 2JD. www.elk-promotions.co.uk 24 Bike Night, The Plough Inn Town Street, South Leverton DN22 0BT. Tel: 01427 880323.

26 Warrington Wheels Youth Motorcycle Competition. Woolston Brook School, Green Lane, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4JL. Tel: 07949 337508.

Email: bobtowler57@hotmail.co.uk www.bobsbikeclasses.co.uk 27 LE Velo Northampton, The Sun Inn, Kislingbury NN7 4BB. Tel: 01604 499858 27-28 Sunbeam MCC Conyboro Run and autojumble, Chiddingly, Sussex. Tel: Rob Pond 01306 628297; 07907 649751 events@sunbeam-mcc.co.uk 27-29 Enfield Pageant of Motoring, The Playing Fields, Great Cambridge

Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN13PL. Tel: 02083 671898 www.whitewebbsmuseum.co.uk 28 Ace Cafe London, RBLRB Day in aid of the Poppy Appeal. www.ace-cafe-london.com 28 Pendle Powerfest, Nelson & Colne College, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 7YT. www.pendlepowerfest.com 28 Open Day, Coalhouse Fort, E. Tilbury, Essex RM18 8PB. Tel. 01375 844203. www.coalhousefort.co.uk 28 Autojumble, The Clitheroe Auction Mart, Lincoln Way, Clitheroe BB7 1QW. www.hoylespromotions.co.uk 28 Sowerby Bridge Classic Bike & Scooter Show. Shire Cruisers Wharf HX6 2AG. www.rotarysowerbybridge.org 28-29 Cheshire Classic Motorcycle & Car Show Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9JY. Email: info@ classicshows.org Tel: 01484 667776 www.classicshows.org, 29 Ace Cafe London, Margate Meltdown. www.ace-cafe-london.com 29 The Kettle Autojumble, Church Farm, Kettleburgh, near Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 7LF. Tel: 01728 724858.

JUNE 1 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes, 21st anniv, Knott End Prom. (F&Chips@ WM Club) Tel: 01772 782516 1 TT Night. Krazy Horse, Empire House, Lamdin Road, Lark Valley Business Park, Bury St Edmunds IP32 6NU. www.krazyhorse.co.uk.

Tel: 01284 749645.

2-4 The Big Knock Diesel Motorcycle Rally, Bat and Ball pub, Newpound,

Get to Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride this month near Wisborough Green and Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 0EH. Tel: 07763 305967. Email: dieselbike. net@gmail.com www.dieselbike.net 3 Rufforth Autojumble, Rufforth Park, York. Tel: 01904 738620. www.rufforthautojumble.com 3 Classic Motorcycle Show. Halls Green, Weston SG4 9DP. Tel: 07963 609143.

3-4 Coventry Motofest. Across Coventry city centre. www.coventrymotofest. com/get-involved 4 Wimborne MCC Grasstrack Meeting at Merley Hall Farm, Willett Road, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3DH. 4 Ace Cafe London, Mad Sunday in aid of SERV. www.ace-cafe-london.com 4 Normous Newark Autojumble, Newark Showground, Newark, Notts.

NG24 2NY. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 4 The British Two-Stroke Club Ltd (Leicester Section) The John Lee Memorial Run, The Lady Jane, Coalville, Leics. Tel: Eric Hathaway 0116 275 0532.

4 Tortoise and Hare Run, Wells, Somerset. Tel: 01749 675991. www. wellsclassicmotorcycleclub.co.uk 4 Classic Motorcycle Show. Coach & Horses, 133 High Street, Stevenage SG1 3HT. Tel: 07963 609143.

7-11 Harley-Davidson Open Road Fest.

Camping utca 19, Alsoors, Lake Balaton, Hungary. www.openroadfest.hu/en 10 Radcot Classic Festival of Speed.

Ye Olde Swan, Radcot, Faringdon, Oxfordshire OX18 2SX. Tel: Mike Leahy 07530 006960.

10-11 CRMC Cadwell Park www.crmc.co.uk 10-11 Shakespeare Raceway Street

Fancy a high-speed, tyrescreeching weekend of action at the famous Santa Pod quarter-mile strip? How about following that with a few beers and some awesome music in Fuelers? Then get yourself along to Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride on May 20-21 for a proper thrash about.

The weekend-long festival of motorcycling is back for its second year at the Bedfordshire track – sponsored once again

by Principal Insurance – and critically acclaimed tribute act Limehouse Lizzy will headline the evening entertainment for weekend campers.

Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride also has an action-packed couple of days featuring the ACU National Drag Bike Championships, death-defying stunt bikes, 270mph rocket bike and Legal Public Track Weekend. Long Marston Airfield, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8LL. www.shakespearecountyraceway. co.uk. Tel: 01789 720180.

11 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes, Arnside, (meet car park by Viaduct) Tel: 01772 782516 11 Ace Cafe London, Triumph Bike Day. www.ace-cafelondon.com 11 Kenley Autojumble The Portcullis Club, Kenley Airfield, Victor Beamish Avenue, Caterham, Surrey.

Tel. 07772 169524 or 07971 823314 www.facebook.com/ KenleyAutojumble 11 Sunbeam MCC Rose of the Shires run, Stoke Bruerne, Northants. Tel:

club displays. You can grab a bargain or two from trade stands as well.

Plus there’s Fast Bikes magazine’s famous Santa Pod Run What Ya Brung – a chance for showgoers to show what they’re made of on the strip against their peers; and Back Street Heroes magazine plays host to the Custom Show.

For a full list of what’s on over the weekend, and to book, visit: racerockride.com Andrew Leslie 07599 291787 Email: ajdleslie@gmail.com 11 Garstang Autojumble, Hamilton House Farm (on A586, off A6), Garstang, Preston PR3 0TB. Tel: Ian Sherrard 07836 331324 (day) or 01772 323654 (6pm-8pm) Email: info@ garstangautojumbles.co.uk www.garstangautojumbles.co.uk 14 Bike Night, The Plough Inn Town Street, South Leverton DN22 0BT. Tel: 01427 880323.

16-18 All Indian Motorcycle Rally. The Gate Hangs High, Whichford Road, Hook Norton, Oxfordshire OX15 5DF. Email: robertangel1@gmail.com 16-18 TOMCC Thunderbird Rally, Staffordshire

12 NEWS

Spy Shots: REVEALED!

BMW’s 2018 F900GS gets caught out in finished trim Here’s the latest spy shots of BMW’s next-gen middleweight GS – this is the BMW F900GS. The bike is due to enter the range as the top-of-the-range for the middleweight Adventure machines with familiar but sharper styling. It gets an all-new aluminium frame and revised engine layout to make the new parallel-twin motor more narrow than others in the range. The final drive is also moved from the right of the bike to the left.

The exhaust on the new bike now exits the chassis on the right, the old F800GS’ unit was a left-side exit.

From our pictures you can see how narrow the bike’s shoulders and petrol tank cover are, also.

The bike also gets a new aluminium swingarm and a stronger subframe to increase luggage carrying capability.

Below is the old F800GS Adventure (on the right), alongside the new F900GS – you can really see how much smaller the new bike is in comparison to the older machine.

The new bike was run in the test session with a small, standard windscreen and no handguards.

What is also clear from our picture left is that the mid-point of the bike, where a rider’s legs reach down to the floor, has been made specifically more narrow than on the older machine.

BMW has done this to make the bike easier to paddle about on and to increase the amount of foot on the floor without having to reduce seat height.

Tom Cruise rides (and crashes) a BMW R nineT Scrambler during Mission Impossible 6 filming Production has kicked off for the new Mission Impossible 6 film, and we’ve been sent these behind the scenes snaps of Tom Cruise (intentionally) crashing a BMW RnineT Scrambler during filming.

BMW is back on board for the latest instalment of the long running franchise. During filming for Mission Impossible 5, Cruise was caught racing around on a BMW S1000RR in the company of BSB rider Jenny Tinmouth – but this time he’s been given a BMW R nineT Scrambler to play with.

In the images we’ve been sent, Cruise is seen riding a BMW R nineT Scrambler through the streets of Paris, before crashing into the side of car (while hooked up to a rig for safety, of course).

Tom Hardy catches scooter thief after dash through Richmond!

Batman film actor can claim to be the Bane of little bike thieves... ahem

The film isn’t due to be released until July 27, 2018, and with the images from Paris marking the beginning of production, we

can probably expect a few more motorcycle related stories and snaps emerging over the next few months.

Actor Tom Hardy has foiled a scooter theft in London by sprinting after the scumbag as he tried to flee the scene of the crime.

According to The Sun newspaper, the Taboo star, 39, sprinted after the scooter crook after the youth was spotted stealing the bike and rode off on it.

Reportedly, witnesses to the havea-go-hero’s antics said that Hardy chased the thief after the man crashed the scooter into a £50,000 Mercedes.

One of the riders on the scooter was injured in the crash with the second then sprinting away from the scene of the crime, Hardy took off after the runner who headed off across gardens in Richmond, London last month.

Those who saw the event then told the paper that the Dark Knight Rises star pinned the kid to the floor and held him there until the police arrived.

The Taboo star reportedly checked that the thief didn’t have any concealed weapons and even confirmed his ID before handing the crook over to the police.

Witness Arun Pullen, 22, told The Sun: “It was mental – like he’d switched to superhero mode in an action movie. Two boys on the nicked moped had jumped a red light and smashed into a car.

“Tom must have been walking down the road. He went off like a shot in pursuit and looked furious. If the kid had been dumb enough to resist I reckon Tom would have given him a good hiding.”

He added: “I asked Tom what happened and he told me he chased him through my back garden and caught him around the block — but the route was like an assault course.”

The other thief who was also riding the scooter was detained by police, two people are now facing theft charges in relation to the incident.

13

14 COMPETITION

WIN W WIN WIN! A megaa competition prize with Spiddi Get you ur skates on and enter this brilliant competition with top riding kit company Spidi – it’s a chance to win that you can’t miss.

Spidi has just launched its awesome new website (http://spidiuk.com) and to o celebrate this the company has come up with this once-in-alifetime competition prize.

The winner will get:

✮ A weekend in Venice for two ✮ ✮ A visit to the Spidi factory ✮ ✮ A £1000 voucher to spend in Spidi kit ✮ To enter just go to Spidi’s new website and click on the ‘C Competition’ section. You will find all the information you need to know and the entry form for this brilliant celebration of the new Spidi website. Good luck.

race-ready lubricants arrive in the UK

If you’re into modern motorcycle racing, you’ve probably heard of Liqui Moly. It is Europe’s leading motor oil manufacturer, a global lubrication powerhouse, and official partner of Moto2 and Moto3 – and their top quality motorcycle products are finally available to buy in the UK. Who are Liqui Moly?

Founded in Germany in 1957, where its products are still developed and manufactured, Liqui Moly is a globally renowned manufacturer of premium quality lubricants, motor oils, additives, vehicle care products, chemical repair tools, service products, glues and sealants.

Liqui Moly claims that its products are perfect for use at home, in professional workshops, or for industrial use – and the company is confident that its high performance products lengthen the service life of motors and aggregates, ensuring that they will go on performing just as they should for years to come.

And Dorna thought that made the firm a perfect partner for the world’s fastest motorcycle racing championship, MotoGP.

Liqui Moly and MotoGP

When the lights go off at the start of a race, it’s not (just) the best start that counts in the battle for the podium, but the best overall performance. Man and machine must be able to cooperate in absolute harmony if they are to be uccessful at the highest level of racing – and the use of su to op quality lubricants can make that cooperation a little bit easier.

In 2015, Liqui Moly joined forces with the FIM MotoGP World Championship, as the Exclusive Lubricant Supplier to o Moto2 and Moto3 (an agreement which runs right th hrough to 2020). This season (as in previous years) all teeams will use the same ‘Made in Germany’ motor oil, a commercially available Motorbike 4T Synth 5W-40 Street Race. The fact that the oil is eminently suitable for both to op level racing and general consumer use, is surely a teestament to the very high quality of product that Liqui Moly turns out.

Peter Baumann, marketing director at Liqui Moly said: “We’re proud to see our brand related to the most in nteresting and exciting events in global motorsports and it’ss also a great feeling seeing all Moto2 and Moto3-tteams

of the FIM MotoGP World Championship using our products in and on their bikes.”

While Pau Serracanta, managing director, commercial area at Dorna Sports added: “We are proud to continue our relationship with a company such as Liqui Moly, who are a global player in providing one of the most important yet unseen aspects of top level competition.”

And that’s not all either; Liqui Moly is also involved with the IntactGP team, whose riders Sandro Cortese and Marcel Schrötter race in Moto2 under the Liqui Moly banner, while making use of the extensive range of top notch products available to them. And in North America Liqui Moly sponsors both the National MotoAmerica Racing Series and the Canadian Superbike Championship Series.

So no matter what you need, be it engine and gear oils, oil and fuel additives, chemical problem solvers, service products and special lubricants, everything you might conceivably require to keep your pride and joy in the best possible condition and performing exactly as you need it to is available from a single source – Liqui Moly. And with their commitment to racing, you can guarantee you’re going to get some top level tech.

For more information on the new range of Liqui Moly motorcycle products, go online and visit: www. bikeittrade.com

16 FIRST RIDES

Honda’s X-Adv

It’s the on-road and off-road Adventure super scooter thing

Is this something silly or a brilliant mash-up of several two-wheeled worlds for those who want a bit of fun, wherever they go?

Words: Mikko Nieminen Photos: Honda Honda took the adventure biking scene by the horns when it launched the reborn CRF1000L Africa Twin last year and achieved near-universal praise for the new bike. Now the Japanese bike giant is causing a stir in the adventure sector again, but with a completely different type of machine.

Combining its expertise in adventure bikes and scooters (yes, you read that right, scooters), Honda is introducing the new X-ADV crossover motorcycle.

It’s the brainchild of Italian Honda designer Daniele Lucchesi, whose aim was to take an easy-to-ride, nimble and frugal city commuter, give it some genuine back road scratching ability, and throw in a hint of off-road potential for good measure.

After some initial hesitation, Honda finally gave the green light for this project, and the first crossover motorcycle (or adventure scooter, whichever way you want to look at it) was born.

It sounds like an outlandish idea, but in a way it makes a lot of sense: if you can have both practicality and ability in the same package then why not? But is it a motorcycle or a scooter, and most importantly, what’s it like to ride? We went to Sardinia for a test ride to find out.

Origami styling

It takes a while to take it all in as I stand and stare at the X-ADV. It’s not only the concept of a crossover motorcycle that needs some processing, it’s also all the detail jumping out and demanding your attention. The angular, almost origami-like design has so many surfaces and intricate details that you could look at the bike for hours. You can appreciate that this started out as a design, rather than an engineering project, but the engineers sure had their work cut out with all the angles and the number of panels involved.

The build quality is just superb; every panel and component joined together with incredible accuracy.

FIRST RIDES 17

Well-built it may be, but what exactly is the X-ADV then: a motorcycle or a scooter? You could look at where the design was started: the engine and around 50% of the chassis are inherited from the existing Honda Integra scooter, and even with all the Africa Twin-esque design cues, the overall shape of the machine is rather scooterish. But the same 745cc, liquid-cooled parallel twin engine also powers Honda’s NC bike range, which swings the argument right back. And looking at the large spoked wheels (front 17in, rear 15in), long suspension travel (154mm at the front and 150mm at the rear), the aluminium bash plate and the near-vertical exhaust, it starts to take on much more of an adventure bike guise. And how about the chain final drive and the motorcycle-style swinging arm? It doesn’t look so much like a scooter any more, huh?

On the road

The large wheels and long suspension travel raise the seat height to 820mm, making this a very tall scooter indeed.

To mount the bike you have to swing your leg over rather than step through, as the space in front of the seat is raised higher than on most scooters.

The seat is fairly narrow at the front, and my 31in legs are just long

enough to allow me to plant both feet on the ground.

Moving off, the X-ADV has an instantly recognisable scooter feel to it, with the large footboards and feet semi-forward riding position. The handlebars, however, are more like something you’d find on an adventure bike, and make it easy to countersteer the machine like a motorcycle.

Despite the substantial weight (at 238kg the X-ADV is heavier than the non-DCT Africa Twin), it feels light on the move. The steering lock is generous and the X-ADV is easy to manoeuvre, especially if you’re used to the scooter-style riding position.

TECH SPEC Honda X-ADV

Engine: 745cc, liquid-cooled, 8-valve, parallel-twin, SOHC Power: 54bhp (40.3kW) @ 6250rpm Torque: 50.2lb-ft (68Nm) @ 4750rpm Brakes: (F) Dual radially mounted four-piston calipers and 310mm discs (ABS) Front suspension: 41mm USD forks (preload and rebound adjustable), 154mm travel Rear suspension: Single shock (preload adjustable), 150mm travel Tyres: Tubeless, (F) 120/70 R17 (R) 160/60 R15 Fuel consumption: 77.7mpg (27.5km/l) Wet Weight: 238kg Seat Height: 820mm Wheelbase: 1590mm Transmission: DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission), 6-speed, chain final drive Price: £9599 Contact: www.honda.co.uk

18 FIRST RIDES

Adventure-style foot pegs are available as accessories, and make a huge change in the ride feel. They’re positioned just behind the footboards, placing your feet further back, and making the riding position feel much more motorcycle-like. For light offroading when you want to stand up, they’re essential.

Overall, the X-ADV manages to perform much better than the spec sheet would suggest, feeling much lighter and more eager to go than I had expected. The 745cc parallel twin engine produces peak power of 54bhp, and 50.2lb-ft of torque. The power to weight ratio isn’t particularly great, but other than during highspeed overtakes, the X-ADV never felt restrictively under-powered.

The DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) settings have been slightly altered for this model, with shorter gear ratios, which makes acceleration feel swift and helps to get the most out of the power supply. You can choose from Drive, three levels of Sport, or Manual mode. The highest level of Sport mode proved to be the

ideal choice for the windy Sardinian roads, making the ride smooth and fun, without having to worry about switching gears. The X-ADV is only available as a DCT version, and no manual or CVT (continuously variable transmission) models are planned.

Claimed fuel economy is 77mpg, but on our (admittedly quite spirited) ride we achieved 56.5mpg. With a steadier pace the real-world figures should be in the 60s.

Bird or plane?

Maybe the question is not whether this is a scooter or a motorcycle, but whether it offers the kind of ride that works for you. If you appreciate the carefree nature of scooters but want a bit of an adventure flavour thrown in, this bike is worth a test ride.

The £9599 price tag may be a restrictive factor to some, but it’s pretty much in line with competitors such as the Yamaha Tmax (£9399) and BMW C650 Sport (£9600). The X-ADV has a fresh look with superb build quality, and most important of all, is great fun to ride.

20 FIRST RIDES

Yamaha’s MT-10SP: Moving the goalposts Take one of the most incredible superbikes ever and spawn from that a sibling that can do big miles. The result is something very special indeed.

Words: John Millbank Photography: Yamaha

Yamaha’s MT-10 is a stunning machine. Launched last year, the company was keen to stress that it wasn’t ‘just’ an R1 with wide bars, though given the fact that it uses the hyper-sports bike’s frame, swingarm, suspension and headlights, not to mention many of the crossplane crank motor’s main parts, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the motorcycle’s huge success has been down to it being just that.

And what a success it’s been – in June and July of 2016, the MT-10 was the UK’s biggest selling powered twowheeler, of any capacity. In August it was the biggest selling over 125cc, and in September it had sold out.

Now, as stock starts to become available again, the MT-10 gets a

quickshifter (for clutchless upshifts) and a new engine map for ‘enhanced throttle response’. That helps soften the blow of the increase in price to £10,799 (it was £9999 this time last year), but the standard bike, which makes 158bhp @ 11,500rpm and 82lbft @ 9000rpm, now gains two siblings, the MT-10 Tourer edition at £11,649 and the MT-10 SP at £13,399.

All three models use the same motor, which unlike the R1 that makes 197bhp @ 13,500rpm and 83lb-ft @ 11,500rpm, has single injector throttle bodies, a revised cylinder head, cams, pistons and valves, as well as steel con-rods to replace titanium, and a 40% heavier crank. It’s all about lowto-midrange delivery in the naked machine, which is also helped by a larger air-box and a revised exhaust system. The gearbox ratios are the same as the R1, but the rear sprocket is two teeth larger, at 43, for sharper acceleration. And easier wheelies if you’re interested, thanks in part to the shorter wheelbase… even with the traction control turned on. All three MT’s share the same excellent semimonobloc calipers, despite different plugs in the bodies.

New options

In the December 2016 issue of MSL we reviewed a standard MT-10 with touring accessories fitted. Our test (as well as one from MCN), which saw us ride a 1000 mile UK tour was what Yamaha UK’s marketing manager told us was the reason for the new Tourer Edition’s launch. Panniers and frames, a comfort seat, knuckle guards, high screen and a universal sat-nav mount are all added to the bike by dealers, saving £183 plus fitting over the price of buying them separately.

There’ll also be the offer of a half-price TomTom Rider 410 – around £175.

Like the standard machine, the Tourer Edition has an LCD dash, three levels (and off ) of traction control, cruise control and three riding modes, all giving full power, but with progressively softer throttle response. A slip/assist clutch is fitted to all the bikes, making down-changes less likely to lock up the rear wheel, and giving a lighter feel to the cableoperated clutch.

And then there’s the top-of-therange SP model. A new TFT display echoes the R1’s dash, the new paint scheme matches the R1M, and

FIRST RIDES 21 TECH SPEC Yamaha MT-10 Tourer Edition [MT-10 SP]

fully adjustable Öhlins electronic suspension is fitted. Using the same main components as the R1M, different base settings are designed to suit road riding conditions, while a two-channel Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) supports the Suspension Control Unit to analyse the bike’s pitch, speed and throttle position at 100Hz to give two automatic suspension modes – A1 and A2, the latter being the softer of the two, but both can be adjusted by a small degree for compression and rebound at the fork and shock. Three manual modes allow full control of damping front and rear, though these are unreactive, so it’s effectively traditional suspension with an electronic screwdriver.

While all three riding modes deliver full peak power, the softest would be most suited to the rain, while mode two was my choice for the majority of our ride. It’s stunningly fast, but just took the sharp initial bite out of the throttle in mode one. The quickshifter is far more than a track gimmick – it makes for much smoother changes that your pillion would certainly thank you for (no more headbutting the back of your lid), and I soon realised that running in a higher gear also made for a less snatchy feel to the fuelling – the engine pulls in sixth as low as 50mph, so you can afford to be pretty lazy with the ’box.

All that power makes overtakes incredibly easy, and safe – see the gap, pull the trigger and you’re past.

It’s a machine that makes absolute sense on fast, twisty roads. On the motorway, the screen is pretty good.

It’s not got anything like FJR1300 levels of protection of course, but it takes the edge off autobahn speeds.

I found the riding position to be pretty good, with enough room for my 5ft 10in frame, and a very good level of comfort from the model’s seat.

210

The wet weight in kg for the 158bhp tourer

Riding the Tourer Edition

This bike doesn’t make any compromises. The power delivery, especially in the sportiest mode, gives arm-wrenching acceleration, and in the less intrusive traction control settings, constantly wants to lift the front wheel. Exciting is something of an understatement.

Price: £11,649 [£13,399] Engine: 998cc, liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve four-cylinder Power: 158bhp (118kW) @ 11,500rpm Torque: 82lb-ft (110Nm) @ 9000rpm Transmission: Six speed, chain final drive Chassis: Aluminium deltabox frame, aluminium swingarm Suspension: (F) fully adjustable 43mm fork; (R) fully adjustable shock [(F) Öhlins fully adjustable electronic 43mmm fork; (R) Öhlins fully adjustable electronic shock] Brakes: ABS (F) 2x semi-monoblock four-piston calipers, 320mm discs; (R) Single-piston caliper, 220mm disc Tyres: (F) 120/70-17; (R) 190/55-17 Seat height: 825mm Tank capacity: 17 litres (3.7gallons) Kerb weight: 210kg Contact: www.yamaha-motor.co.uk

22 FIRST RIDES PANNIERS

The panniers are not waterproof or lockable and if you want a topbox then it’s either that OR the panniers. Not both.

TYRES

The 190 section rear tyre and 120 front help easy handling.

SEATING

The 825mm seat is comfortable with an easy reach to the ground making life across miles with the MT-10 Tourer nice and easy.

IN THE FRAME

Aluminium Deltabox keeps the R1’s narrow feel on the move.

FUELLING IT

Our launch bike returned 41mpg during the test which makes for a tank range of 154 miles from the 17 litre capacity.

ENGINE

Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valve is super smooth.

WIND PROTECTION

While not as comprehensive protection as on proper tourers, the screen really does a decent job of keeping the wind off.

FRONT FORKS

The front 43mm forks have 120mm of travel.

The outsides of my hands tended to ache, though this was more down to gripping the bars too tightly as we made ‘spirited’ progress through the South African roads. The tank’s shape makes it easy to grip with your knees, which does help take the pressure off your hands and wrists.

At 17 litres and with the 41mpg I saw on the test, that tank made for a potential 154 mile range (though our gauges were flashing by 110 miles). This would improve with more considered throttle control, but serious touring riders will likely be disappointed. The panniers are plastic-backed fabric, so not 100% waterproof, and not lockable (though there is a ring on the zips for a small padlock). A rack is available for a top-box, though it’s that or panniers, not both.

Ultimately, this isn’t a machine for someone dedicated to touring. For a solo rider looking for the best roads in Europe, it’s a stunning bike with the capacity to get your kit across borders to the next glorious stretch of Tarmac. Pillions won’t appreciate the high pegs, and as Bruce found on his trip to Scotland (see page 30), a top-box’s back-rest helps them feel

23

24 FIRST RIDES

safer and more comfortable. This is a sports naked motorcycle with a nod to practicality, and if that’s what you’re after, there’s little else that comes close to balancing the price and performance.

The ultimate MT

Besides the R1M-inspired colour scheme, the gold Öhlins forks are what really grab you, before turning the key and seeing the R1-inspired TFT full-colour dash come to life.

Performance is the same as the standard and Tourer Edition models, but the automatic suspension feels instantly firmer and more precise than the already very good kit fitted to the other bikes. We didn’t have time for a good fiddle with the manual settings, but after trying to soften up

the A1 and A2 modes, I found them a little more harsh than the standard bike’s setup.

The faster riders in the group loved the Öhlins kit, appreciating the reduced squat under hard acceleration, as well as the relative lack of dive under heavy braking. I’m more of a comfort man myself, so would have appreciated a more plush option; it’s likely I could have found this by tinkering with the manual settings, but that makes the £2600 premium over the standard MT seem less attractive.

The SP seat of course isn’t as nice a place to be as the Tourer Edition’s ‘Comfort’ unit, but it’s not bad. Both have good mirrors, and while the standard bikes’ nose gives a reasonable level of wind deflection, maintaining speeds above 100mph

£175

That’s the price of a TomTom 410 sat nav for the bike

certainly puts a strain on the neck.

But a sportsbike fan who wants a less cramped riding position, and has the money will jump at the SP model.

As well they should – it’s got a superb engine and chassis that delivers incredible performance. If anything, this top-spec model also drives home the value of the standard bike.

Sales of the MT-10 in the UK have been justifiably excellent. In Europe, it’s a hugely successful hypernaked machine, coming second in registrations only to KTM’s 1290 SuperDuke. That machine lacks the electronic suspension, but does have cornering ABS; which of those is more important to you will dictate whether you compare the KTM’s price to the standard MT-10 or the SP model. Either way, the Yamaha offers good value when you consider the outstanding performance.

But the cost savings can be found – a non-span adjustable clutch lever here looks rather cheap compared to the super-lightweight action of

KTM’s hydraulic Magura, while the plastic panels of the Yamaha won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you’re willing to pay for it, the KTM’s build quality feels, to some extent, worthy of the extra investment.

Ultimately, one’s a big V-twin and one’s a blindingly powerful fourcylinder. If you’re considering the MT-10 Tourer Edition, the price difference compared to KTM’s 1290 Superduke GT is huge, though the Austrian’s electronics package makes the Japanese model look rather basic.

If you’re in the market for either of these new Yamahas, you (and your pillion) have some very exciting test rides ahead…

26 ICONS

In the autumn of their Lives

Remember w when these machines ruled the roads? Long since knockeed off their thrones, do the Suzuki Hayabusa and K Kawasaki ZZR1400 still offer any relevance?

There was once a time when the ZZR and Hayabusa marques commanded the utmost respect from riders. The arrival of the ’Busa blaster in 1999 heralded a stepping up of the arms race between Japanese manufacturers – particularly the intense rivalry between Suzuki and Kawasaki. This was w real Cold War stuff, played out on two wheels; biking superpowers battling each other with super power.

Massive motors, huge speed and the abilities to chew up and spit out a rear tyre in half an afternoon ensured that these machines sat comfortably at the top of the tree. While the Hayabusa’s powerplant remains as strong as ever, times have moved on. Dramatically.

All A the while, Suzuki has stood still, with just a mild revision to the ’Busa in 2008 countering the competition.

The ZZR1400 has been at the forefront of fast since 2006, with Kawasaki upping the game further in 2012 and then making the ZZR1400 Euro 4 compliant this year – while also going to town on the extras in the form of this pimped up Performance Edition.

But is the concept of the Hypersport bike dated in these more humble and restricted times? To find out we took the Hayabusa and ZZR1400 on a trip down memory lane to see if we couldn’t coax some old school shenanigans out of them…

fairing still looks current. Decent looking suspension and a set of Brembo brakes also made the next two weeks promising, and whatever outdated notion I had of the almost extinct bike happily evaporated into the ether.

It soon condensed again with the appearance of the second half of the bike, whose rounded form and clumsy styling sit at odds with the front of the bike – this despite the Yoshi’ cans of the Z model. I’ve lived with this bike for a year, and though fond of it, never grew to love its looks.

I know that’s anathema to ’Busa fans, but to me it’s a bike that’s long, low and not particularly lean. Riding back from Bletchley, Suzuki’s HQ, I was reminded how easy they are to pilot – so long as you’re not on a mission. Yes, their ergonomics are an acquired taste, but it’s a flavour I like, and the sharpness of the front’s styling translates into a surprising turn of speed when you’re steering.

Because there’s a lot to this lump, you know to thread it though a Tarmac needle with care, and the minute you try to treat it like a GSX-R you ramp up your own inputs enormously.

The DLC-coated KYB-based front steers well, and on the first day of the year where you could see your breath I was quickly down on one knee, asking for the unity with the bike to continue – while preparing myself in case it didn’t. So long as things stay smooth, you can arc round a corner well. But how often does that happen in the UK? Soon you encounter lumps, bumps, cambers and deviations and it’s now that the Hayabusa’s sporting

TORQUE 143 Nm

Suzuki Hayabusa

When the technician wheeled the ’Busa out of its bay up at Suzuki HQ I was surprised at how sharp it still looked. The snout and first foot of

148 Nm

ICONS 27

credentials head south. With a wet weight of over 266kg (we’d filled up the 21-litre tank on the way to the shoot), any undulation translates to huge stresses passed on to the aging tyres – Bridgestone BT-016s – meaning that confidence comes in short supply. I had a scary first session at Cadwell on one of these a few years back, although my nervousness eventually wore off. I ended up having a blast holding everyone up in the turns, while vanishing at a vast rate of knots on every straight.

Back on the road you’re not afforded the luxury of a second crack at a corner, and as such it’s hard to commit.

Plus you’re probably still bricking it from the newly found lack of braking power. Lack is a relative term, but these Brembos should really offer more. They probably do – with a change of pads and a set of lines – but as standard there’s simply not enough power available on the initial squeeze.

Braking markers are consequently pushed back, not edged forward, another sign of the bike’s age and era.

I’ve not even talked about the motor,

largely because it’s been spoken about in such positive terms up to this point.

It’s fast, but there’s the sense that it needs winding up way more than, say, an S 1000 RR. Kick back and relax and the motor feels like its supping creamy smooth Ambrosia Devon custard. Wind it up and punish the redline and there’s loads to get out of it, as you’d expect with its 178bhp output. Sit anywhere in between and expect to be punished by any big bike with a committed rider on top. The days of the ’Busa ruling the road are no more.

Then there are the dated clocks, the awkward riding position, the mortgagelike fill-ups and a distinct lack of anything approaching electronics – lowtech S-DMS buttons notwithstanding.

It is what it is; an old bike now nearly 10 years since its last revision – and even that was a minor one. It’s a perfect machine for replacing an old, mileage ravaged, weatherworn example, but beyond that it’s outclassed by its main rival, outcomforted by adventure bikes, and out performed by the latest crop of superbikes...

SIZE

1340 1441 cc cc

Kawasaki ZZR1400 Performance Sport

The days of whizzing round the massive Nardo test ring at 30 billion miles an hour and circulating Anglesey just a couple of seconds off a ‘proper’ sportbike seem a long way away now. I was in a cosy bed not 10 minutes ago, but now the onboard temperature gauge on the newfor-2016 dash is showing just four degrees, the tyres have yet to be scrubbed in and the top heavy feeling of the bike means that my first few miles on the effectively H2-equalling machine feel cold, awkward and downright miserable.

But, like Bagpuss, as the ZZR starts to wake up, so do I. With town safely negotiated, albeit a little awkwardly given its girth, the revs finally begin to creep northward. It’s imperceptible given the progression of the power curve, but all of a sudden I appear to have acquired some serious speed.

All the best bikes do this; their ability to turn foreground into background paying homage to the confidence you have in its ultimate ability.

On fast, sweeping roads the ZZR makes so much sense. You’re still at base camp in terms of the engine’s performance, but it swallows everything in its path with the occasional incursion higher

WHEELBASE

1480 1480 mm mm

up the rev range. Get to the 11k redline and prepare for a cerebral meltdown. Almost drowning in torque, top cog dispatches anything without resorting to changing to a perkier ratio. Drop down and you disappear, it’s as simple as that – and without resorting to a heavy supercharger, too. There is a flat spot, but it’s gone in an instant. Once you open the taps up the speed that’s acquired is hard to shake off. Not because the brakes are bad – they’re not, the Brembo M50s and the braided lines fitted are just the job on this edition over the non-braided Nissins – but because you’re now aware that both you and the bike can cope with all this extra speed.

The comfortable riding position, generously appointed seat, rubber pegs and weather protection – the lip

ICONS 29

on the screen being the perfect final touch – insulate you well from the reality of anything up to double the speed limit on a single carriageway road. It feels normal and safe, leaving you wondering why everyone else is going so slowly.

Try as you might, provoking the electronics is almost impossible on the road – much like it was on track. Even at Anglesey, as far out of the ZZR’s comfort zone as is imaginable, the sight of the TC light flashing was rare indeed.

So on the road you just have to comfort yourself with the knowledge that it’s got your back should you suffer a setback – something only ’Busa riders can dream of.

This electronic safety blanket suddenly starts to seem like a good idea when things start to get tighter and bumpier. It’s here when the ZZR stops feeling like a comfortable litre sportsbike and more like the quarter of a ton on the hoof bike it actually is (a bit more than that, if you’re being pedantic). Given how well hidden away it is, you’ll have to take it for granted that Kawasaki fitted the Öhlins TTX39 shock to the rear.

There is more support offered by the

Swedish shocker, of that there’s no doubt, but it doesn’t mate with the untouched front as well as it could.

Anodizing the fork tops green is one thing, but I would have revalved the forks for a more supported and progressive feel before making them shiny and flash on the outside.

The monocoque design doesn’t help matters here, either. Knowing that there’s a layer sandwiched between you and the heavy motor dulls sensations and gives the feeling that the ZZR would rather fall into slower turns than carve them up with a Stanley knife.

It’s plush up to a point, but push beyond this and you have to wake up to the fact that you’re trying to pilot a 265kg, 1480mm wheelbased super tanker through the Suez canal.

Ground clearance is okay, and the switch to the Akrapovic cans loses a little weight, but it’s still no scratcher.

Stick to more open stuff and everyone else is playing catch-up – keep it tight and you become a mobile chicane.

But these bends don’t last forever, and back in free flowing sweeper territory you can be crowned king of the road once again. There’s a

SEAT HEIGHT 805 800 mm mm

lot of bike, so it commands respect.

Wearing what look suspiciously like winglets on its fairing, it has a bit of the RF600/900 look about it, or a subtle cap-doffing to Monster branding, but the quality of the package oozes through – as well it should for an expensive bike that has been the recipient of care and attention from its responsible adult.

Add another few quid for the fork revalve and the Performance Sport really justifies the extra money asked for by Kawasaki. The aftermarket price for the shock alone accounts for the price differential before adding in the Brembo M50s and Akrapovic can.

Go all in and you’ll get a bike that delivers in spades...

Conclusion

The fact that there are no competitors to these two dinosaurs is telling.

Riding the Hayabusa does indeed feel like a blast from the past – it certainly offers a blast and its heritage is firmly in the past. I can’t see it appealing to anyone other than current ’Busa riders who have worn out their old one. Yes, it’s got a stonking powerplant, but everything else about it has been superseded in one way or another by a whole raft of new bikes.

Consistent love from Kawasaki, however, has

just about made it keep up with the rapidly changing game, meaning that if a ZX-10R is too hot for you and a Z1000SX leaves you cold – and an H2 just too expensive – then the ZZR1400 could be perfect for you.

But, like the ’Busa, there are many bikes that can do what the ZZR can do. Now Euro 4 compliant, the chances of another upgrade in the next few years is small; the only hope being when Euro 5 rolls round in 2020 Kawasaki might reckon that there will be mileage for a new ZZR. Here’s hoping.

DRY WEIGHT

266 kg

265 kg

30 GET OUT THERE (UK)

SCOTLAND: Get Touring Beautiful scenery, fantastic culture, rich in history and rammed with great roads; it’s the perfect place to test Honda’s VFR1200X. Words: Bruce Wilson Pictures: Anna Wilson For most of us, Scotland is within a single day’s ride, and yet so many of us overlook it in favour of the Continent. Warmer weather, exotic foods and money which looks as though it’s straight out of the Monopoly box are propositions hard to refuse. But Scotland is a hidden gem, which doesn’t require days stuck travelling motorways, expensive mobile phone roaming charges or pricey Channel crossing fares.

What you need is a few days spare and the inclination to see some of the most stunning views the world has to offer, complemented nicely by some outrageously winding roads and an abundance of characterful people. Of course, a bike would also come in handy.

In my case, a Honda VFR1200X was to be that handy motorcycle, complete with a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) auto gearbox, panniers and a top-box. Joining me, and placed in charge of the navigating and photography, was my wife Anna, who’d predetermined our first stop of the trip: Dunblane. Classed as a city, thanks to its cathedral, the historic settlement has a tiny population of

Plan your route If you’re planning a trip to Scotland make sure to have a good look at www.visitscotland.com.

The site is full of useful information on where to stop and things you can do, ensuring you make the most of your trip to Scotland.

around 10,000 people – two of whom just happened to be good friends of ours and had kindly offered to put us up for the night…

With panniers brimming and the Honda’s relatively small screen manually adjusted to its highest position, we were soon on our way.

Well, after a short spell spent figuring out exactly how the DCT worked.

Lacking both a clutch lever and gear selector, the Honda looks bizarre. In place of the conventional controls are a number of buttons, littering both sides of the bike’s wide and raised bars. Firing the VFR into life allows you to rev it, but it won’t go anywhere, as I learned to my embarrassment.

The rider has to select a mode to engage drive, of which you can toggle through two; D (which is more docile) and S (which is more sporty).

On application, the Honda gives a confirming nudge forward and your selection is highlighted on the clear, all-digital dash.

With that you just twist

the throttle and off you go, much like a big scooter.

Those first few miles were something of a revelation, having to remind myself there was no need to pull on a clutch lever or grind my way through the ’box. The DCT just did it all, and superbly smoothly as well in D-mode.

Eager taps on my shoulder were Anna’s way of insisting we stopped at the Ferrybridge services, just off the A1(M). We’d only been riding an hour and a half, but the saddle was proving a pain in the backside. I was questioning how on earth we’d survive four full days of riding; legs stretched, we cracked on and this time made it all the way to Penrith before throwing in the towel and performing a much-needed fuel stop. The VFR’s dash was saying we were down to our last 50 miles, and I didn’t fancy pushing the Honda.

The Crosstourer is a mammoth of a bike, weighing in at 285kg, minus the panniers or their contents. It’s also

A830

The road from Mallaig to Fort William. Ride this route

pretty high, with the seat at 850mm.

Just to manoeuvre the Honda by foot was an epic challenge (I’m 5ft 10in), and I was dreading the prospect of pulling up on some dodgy camber, at which point I’d probably struggle to get a foot fully planted on the ground, let alone manage the combined 500kg+ weight of our mass.

Over the border

Trip metre reset, we were soon on the M6 and following in the wake of a terrible storm. Huge boards on the motorway warned of imminent danger – not that I needed them to tell me the Honda was going to feel a bit wayward; by this point already being forced to lean the bike in a straightline. A whole 216 miles in, we reached Gretna Green and crossed over into Scotland, celebrating with another leg stretch, muffin and a coffee.

We saw no kilts, but remained optimistic. The M74 is perhaps the

most picturesque motorway in the UK. Follow it for long enough and you’ll eventually reach Glasgow, but not before you’ve ridden through some stunning scenery. Vast green hills smother you on both sides, moorland and forests lining the perfectly smooth Tarmac as it meanders along. It seems wrong to talk so enthusiastically about a motorway, but it really is quite unlike any other. And the best thing is that it’s typically underpopulated by other road users – the perfect time to click on the Honda’s cruise control and indulge in the surroundings.

Except, the Honda didn’t have cruise control, nor heated grips to fend off the chilly air we were encountering.

It did, however, offer three levels of traction control, which would have been handy if someone had thrown a bucket of oil at us – which they didn’t.

Instead, we technophobically ticked off the last 100 miles of our ride, making it up to Dunblane some five hours after setting off.

From Stirling, you can take a very straight and boring ride north along the average-speed-camera A9 carriageway. But having sat on it for all of 10 miles, we detoured onto the scenic A822, passing the famous Gleneagles golf course in the process.

As luck would have it, the weather was being kind, and allowed for some pretty spirited riding along the route,

GET OUT THERE (UK) 31

which proved reminiscent of the Dales. Woods, streams and stonebuilt walls decorated its path, rolling up and down with the undulating profile of the landscape. The Honda proved a real joy to throw around; up until this point, most of the roads had been big and boring, so it was fantastic to learn how planted and agile the behemoth could be.

The suspension is adjustable, but the standard settings were pretty decent, with my only criticism being a wallowing rear-end when the road got a little choppy.

Heading for Inverness

The A822 eventually merges with the A826 and then the A827, meeting up once more with the A9 at Pitlochry.

The original plan had been to head through the Cairngorms on the stunning Glenshee road, which I’d ridden previously and can’t recommend enough, but time was against us so we had to get back on the depressing A9.

The road itself still cuts through the Cairngorms, albeit in a much duller way, with far less attractive scenery and

constant speed cameras. Stirling had been a pleasurable experience, but our overindulgence in time spent visiting was making us pay the price on the final stint up to Inverness. Following the course of the River Ness eastwards, the A82 leads directly to the famous Loch, which grows in girth the farther you ride. Huge mountains on each side of the water make the vista even more impressive, with plenty of pull-in places for you to stop and take a moment to absorb the sights.

From Drumnadrochit we headed north on the squirrelly A833, which kicked off with uphill hairpins and offered a great view over Loch Ness behind us. For most of the journey the Honda had remained in D-mode, but this route warranted a shift to the pokier S-mode. The biggest difference between the two settings is the latter doesn’t short-shift through the ’box, so you have more revs and better drive to tackle steep climbs.

At Achnasheen we took the A890, which narrowed to a single track, full of potholes

and surrounded by woods. The scenery became reminiscent of the Alps, the traffic morphing from holidaymakers to logging lorries.

Having to constantly stop and give way to oncoming vehicles, the route became convoluted and the overwhelming amount of potholes didn’t make life any easier. The great views did help though, especially on arriving at Lochcarron, where the sea air filled our lungs instantly on reaching the coastal loch.

To the ferry

The final stint to the Isle of Skye saw us climb up high on a breathtaking trail, the coast to our right as we descended. Compared to the landscape where our ride had started, everything looked far more dramatic and spectacular. There’s no chance of confusing Scotland’s east and west coastlines, with the former being by far the more stunning. The route to

Skye had taken around five hours, and we were racing south to catch a ferry, having entered the island by a road bridge in the north. You can clearly make out the mainland from the island, the water between the two being crossed several times daily by the CalMac ferry (www.calmac.co.uk).

If you only ride one road in Scotland, make sure it’s the A830 from Mallaig to Fort William. Nothing can prepare you for its raw beauty, which stretches for 50 miles and incorporates everything from sea views to colossal rock faces and sporadic lakes, as the road leaves the coastline and heads inland after Arisaig. You’ll find yourself tootling around at 20mph, your eyes looking everywhere but the road as you try your utmost to take in the sheer splendour of the surroundings.

The A828 followed Loch Linnhe’s scenic course for 40 miles, bringing us out at a trellis-type bridge in Connel.

That’s where we waved goodbye to the coast and started working our way inland on the A85. Inverary was next. We arrived at the 18th century town in time for the start of its annual Highland Games, situated within the grounds of the impressive castle .

Heading for home that next morning, we decided to stretch the Honda’s legs down the A68. Once more, we were hampered by speed cameras, but it offered great views and a rollercoaster ride of undulations.

Jedburgh marked the last of the Scottish settlements before reaching English soil. The geographical ridge that divides Scotland and England is impressive, with some great views over both nations. Scotland had delivered in so many ways, generating nothing but fond memories every inch of the way. Easy to access, marvellous to experience and the perfect location for a short getaway, we couldn’t have asked for more.

32 TESTED

In depth test: Garmin Zumo and TomTom 410 sat navs Garmin Zumo 595LM | £549.99 | www.garmin.com | 0808 238 0000

There’s something of a rivalry between fans of the two sat-nav powerhouses, Garmin and TomTom. Much like users of PCs and Macs, owners very rarely even want to acknowledge the alternative.

Words: John Millbank For the last couple of years I’ve used TomTom’s Rider 400 and 410 – when the platform was released, one of the engineers told me that the company wanted to be the Apple of sat-navs, making systems that were stylish and easy to use. I can’t think of a better analogy…

The Garmin Zumo 595 carries full European maps (TomTom’s £429.99 Rider 410 Premium Pack has the entire world), which like its competitor are updated for free for the lifetime of the unit (you must update the maps at least once every two years).

Like the TomTom, a car mount is included, though unfortunately you don’t get a locking bike mount. While I wouldn’t leave the TomTom on the bike outside overnight, when paying for fuel or popping to the loo, it’s a very handy addition. Touratech does offer a locking mount, though it’s £124, or Zumolock.com sells one for 79 euros.

The bike mount has a very thick supply cable, though this also includes audio in and outs for wired intercom systems and music, as well as a USB data connector, which can

The finer details

be used to charge up your phone.

Optional tyre pressure monitors are available too, though they cost £79.99 per tyre.

The Garmin’s screen measures 108x65mm, whereas the TomTom’s is 95x54mm – that’s a hefty 37% larger area, but you wouldn’t think it. Thanks to a complete rethink of the display’s layout, the TomTom’s scrolling sidebar and compact but clear notifications help make much better use of the space, and create a more compact overall unit.

The Garmin uses a more traditional touch screen – it’s accurate and reliable, but feels a little oldschool compared to the TomTom’s capacitive screen (the same as used on smartphones). But the real difference is in legibility – while the Rider is bright and contrasty, giving a wonderfully clear display in almost all lighting conditions, the Zumo is rather washy, and even on an overcast day can require staring at to read… not great at 70mph. When the sun’s at the wrong angle, it can become completely unreadable.

Firing the Garmin into life, you’re presented with an irritating safety warning – it disappears after several seconds, or you can click ‘I agree’,

but like a PC, it’s things like this that bug me. Equally, if the Bluetooth connection to your phone is lost (I was using an iPhone 6), a message appears for a few seconds that covers the map. This happened five times in the centre of London, often at the worst possible time. When the connection is automatically renewed, regardless of whether you were streaming music previously, it suddenly starts again… another distraction.

So all this would probably lead you to believe that I’m a TomTom fanboy, and that I think the Garmin is the inferior product.

Not so fast… there are some fantastic features on the Garmin, and if you’re the kind of person who likes drilling down to the details of your route planning, it’s got a lot going for it.

Useful features

While the sudden music did annoy me, the way the Garmin works with your smartphone is brilliant. Unlike the TomTom (at the time of writing), the Garmin app, which needs to be running to provide traffic (essential in the car, and very useful on the bike) and speed camera information to the Zumo, also lets you browse your iPhone’s playlists, or search for music by artist, album etc. Plus, with a tab on the main map screen, you can easily pause or skip forward tracks.

As someone who enjoys listening to music while riding, this is a huge advantage. An Android phone allows you to skip between tracks, but doesn’t give the full browsing ability of iOS. MP3s can also be uploaded to the Garmin directly. The music interface is provided by Garmin’s well-featured Smartphone Link app, which also gives access to your phone, with alerts for text messages, calls, and app alerts. It’s important to activate two Bluetooth connections on your phone for this – something that took me a while to realise as they’re both named the same. Brilliantly – if you like being connected – the Garmin will read out text messages through your intercom.

There’s also a Live Track feature, to share your location on social media, and the ability to stream music through your Spotify account. Of course, all this data use will have an impact on you phone’s tariff, as well as its battery.

Unlike the Rider, there’s no speaker built into the Zumo, which relies on a connected headset, or the speaker built into the car mount.

It’s unlikely this will bother many people, though when riding in town with an open-face lid, the TomTom can be heard enough to warn you of an approaching junction.

Warnings are something the Garmin excels at – particularly useful is the notification that the speed limit is soon to reduce. Of less limited value is the fatigue warning, the corner warning (maybe useful in America?), and the animal crossing warning.

Fortunately, they’re all selectable.

Clever details

Like TomTom’s ‘Winding Routes’ feature, which plots a more enjoyable journey on back-roads, Garmin’s ‘Adventurous Routing’ allows you to set the parameters for the amount of bends, hills, and the degree to which motorways are avoided. On the TomTom, you can choose to plan a winding route or a fast route direct from the home screen, but with the Garmin you need to delve into the menu structure to select the mode.

The problem is that you could forget, not noticing that you’re being taken via back roads. Of course, the route is automatically recalculated when the option is changed.

The adventurous routes, even when set to their maximum parameters, aren’t as enjoyable as those generated by the TomTom – the unit doesn’t appear to try as hard to find the twistiest routes, still often taking advantage of major A-roads. Having said that, the TomTom can take you on roads that would be no fun at all on a sportsbike, but on my KTM 1050 Adventure, I do enjoy the bumpy B-roads.

More impressive is the ability to plan a round trip, based on the distance you want to ride, time to ride, or a destination – this is great if you have some spare time and just fancy a blast.

TESTED 33

You’re given the choice of two routes, which aren’t always the same – repeatedly planning a one-hour ride from home gave me six different options, and while they could have been twistier, this is another gamechanging feature.

Also impressive, though not available in the round trip planner, is the route shaper – when a journey is planned, simply touch the map and the route will recalculate to accommodate that point. A trip planner also makes adding destinations simple, while ‘Scheduling’ is pure genius, allowing you to add the time you want to arrive at each point in a route, as well as how long you want to stop.

In map mode, by clicking on your vehicle/pointer, you’re immediately shown your coordinates, nearest junction, nearest address and buttons for hospital, police station, petrol station and another that tells you the

AA’s number. There’s also the option for off-road navigation, which doesn’t look for byways, but simply plots a straight line to your destination.

Customisable display tabs on the right of the main map can be used to display upcoming ‘points of interest’ (like petrol stations), trip data, bearing and, if your phone’s connected, weather reports (brilliant!), the music player, and traffic. Generally, it’s not as elegant as TomTom’s scrolling sidebar (and doesn’t have the great average speed display when riding through SPECS zones), but it is more versatile.

There are plenty of search options, like historical locations and zoos, though some give better results than others. Four Square gives you further results using your smartphone app.

There are a lot of POI overlays too (like McDonald’s), but they can be to the detriment of the map’s legibility.

Very cleverly, the device

recognises when it’s in the car or on the motorcycle mount, and will remember the planning options for that location, so if you use ‘Adventurous’ planning on the bike, the unit can revert to the fastest route in the car. Another advantage of this is the ‘dynamic fuel tracking’, which only operates with the bike mount.

You tell it the range of your bike’s tank, and it can programme the next three fills in the journey. It gives quick access to nearby petrol stations when it thinks you’re getting low, and recognises when you’ve stopped, asking if you’re filling up to automatically reset itself. This would be particularly useful in more remote areas overseas, but in the UK I’ve found the scrolling sidebar of the TomTom, which shows the next two fuel stops within 35 miles on the route, to be more useful, as I’m not taken away from my roads to find fuel, and can judge the need myself.

The Garmin’s pronunciation is slightly less clear than the TomTom, but still good, and while it’s also fractionally slower to recalculate when off course, there’s little in it.

Both plan subtly different routes – on one journey I deliberately went a different way, the Garmin spending longer asking me to turn around, while the TomTom more quickly found a different route. Planning Adventurous routes is very fast though – taking just one minute instead of the TomTom’s 30 in some cases, but remember that the TomTom will look at many more minor roads… it’s worth the wait.

Battery life

As I often ride many different bikes, I appreciate the TomTom’s excellent battery life – I can tuck the unit into a tank bag, and have enough juice for a good four-hour ride or more.

The Garmin, while it does have a removable battery (replacements are £41.99), can only manage about an hour and a half. Most people will be using a powered mount, but this could be frustrating when programming routes on the device before riding.

Routes can of course be programmed on a computer, using Garmin’s BaseCamp (very

complicated), or any other software capable of generating a GPX file, and are uploaded via the USB port from Mac or PC. Unlike the TomTom, wireless uploads aren’t possible. Oh, and when charging with a USB cable at home, the Garmin won’t charge if it’s turned off. The Garmin is more customisable than the TomTom – how valuable you find this depends on how much you enjoy tinkering, but the wealth of options can make it feel cluttered. Invest time learning all of the Garmin’s features however, and it will reward you.

The choice between the Garmin and TomTom is not an easy one – while the TomTom is incredibly capable, the Garmin ultimately has more features for those who want to programme the minutiae of their routes. TomTom owners can get the most thrilling rides by leaving the device to do the work for them, and they benefit from a far superior screen, but Garmin users can fill their display with a huge amount of information. Neither is a clear winner, but each has very definite strengths…

NEWS 35

Get ready for the return of a Long Way with Charley and Ewan!

Boorman says a third one could happen

Long-distance motorcycling man Charley Boorman has said that he and Ewan McGregor could do a third Long Way motorcycle trip.

The popular part-time Adventurer made the announcement on BBC Radio 5 live’s programme with Nihal Arthanayake and Sarah Brett.

During the chat Boorman told the presenters: “We always talked about doing a third one, whether that’s South America or somewhere else in the world…”

When Arthanayake asked: “Not the middle east?” Boorman replied with: “Well not at the moment but, you know, everything changes, but you know I’d love to do another one with Ewan and we said that maybe we would do it when we’re much older and really grumpy and we’d go ‘oh it was much better in our day!’ Going ‘Look at all these people riding so fast!’

“It would be quite fun, wouldn’t it?

“So there’s all these possibilities and there’s so much more to do in life and I love that. You know, I lost my sister to cancer quite a long time ago now and I remember thinking ‘Gosh, she died so young and so out of the blue really’ and I always thought that I don’t want to miss out and I don’t want to sit there, if I make it to 80, 90 I don’t want to sit there and think that I wish I’d done a bit more you know, there’s so much to do out there.”

A WHOLE YEAR OF BIKING FOR JUST

Call 01507 529529 or go to www.classicmagazines.co.uk/mcm20

Elbow down?

S’easy! A mere 15mph in a car park riding around a chair should do it...

Get over to MoreBikes.co.uk to see this video from Japan.

The anonymous rider of the Yamaha R3 featured in the fascinating footage makes getting his elbow on the ground while riding a real work of art.

“We always talked about doing a third one, whether that’s South America or somewhere else in the world…”

£10

Ross Noble takes on the Scottish Six Day Trial

Ross Noble has taken part in the infamous Scottish Six Days Trial for a new three part TV series called Ross Noble: All Torque.

The three, hour-long episodes will be shown on Dave and follow Noble as he takes part in the: “Legendary challenge where the best motorbike riders in the world come together to race a hundred miles each day in a true test of stamina, ability and willpower.”

Rare Belstaff Motorcyycle Jackets on saale Riding around a chair that’s standing in a couple of car parking bays under a flyover (because, well... why not...) the kid gets his elbow down at no more than 15mph.

It’s an impressive bit of bike skill. On the site just search ‘Elbow’ in the search bar on the right.

Belstaff has partnered up with online fashion-resale platform Vestiaire Collective to sell 10 vintage motorcycle jackets from its 60s and 70s archive. The cheapest jacket comes in at £800, and two of the hard-to-find red wax jackets are being sold for (in excess of ) £1500. A couple of the jackets also have patches and badges added by their original owners.

36 PRODUCTS

Liqui Moly Shooters

Shoei RYD helmet RRP: £349.99 // Sizes: XXS – XXL // Colours: Grey, Black, White, Tangerine, Matte Black, Matte Grey, Matte Blue

RRP: £4.99

Developed and produced in Germany, the new range of Liqui Moly Shooters additives targets three areas: increased performance, improved economy and enhanced engine life.

Liqui Moly claims that the single use 80ml Shooters will keep your fuel system and engine free of harmful and damaging deposits, and will offer better throttle response and performance – and all you’ve got to do is add it to the tank when you’re refuelling.

promote optimum combustion. It’s suitable for both four-stroke and twostroke engines, and one 80ml Shooter should last for 10 litres of fuel. It’s recommended that you use it at every fuelling for best results.

The Speed Shooter – for increased performance

Liqui Moly claims that the Speed Shooter will increase acceleration, improve engine performance and

Engine Flush Shooter – for enhanced engine life

4T Shooter – for improved fuel economy

Liqui Moly claims that the 4T Shooter will clean your fuel system, optimise engine performance, improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and protect against corrosion. Suitable for four-stroke carb and fuel injected engines, one 80ml Shooter should last between 5-10 litres of fuel – and again, Liqui Moly recommends that you use it at every fuelling.

Liqui Moly states that the Engine Flush Shooter will flush and clean the oil circuit, restore engine performance and offer thorough engine cleansing while promoting longer engine life.

For use between oil changes on machines with four-stroke engines only – Liqui Moly is confident it won’t harms seals or gaskets, and states that the Shooter is safe for catalytic converters too.

For more information visit: www.bikeittrade.com

The new Shoei RYD motorcycle helmet for 2017 is a full face, entry level, street sport lid featuring a multicomposite shell with advanced aerodynamics, maximum safety and an Emergency Quick Release System for easy helmet removal in case of an accident.

The helmet features multiple vents and an integrated moulded rear spoiler. It also comes equipped with a multiple density impact absorbing protective liner and a fully removable interior (so you can keep it both clean and dry).

The Shoei RYD is available in four different outer shell sizes, helping to provide a comfortable fit, while minimising weight.

The RYD also uses the same visor system as the Shoei NXR, so you’ve got a whole host of visor choices, including the transitions visor to choose from.

For more information visit: www.shoeiassured.co.uk

Oxford AQUAD Waterproof Packing Cubes RRP: £24.99

Oxford Products has just released this cool bundle of waterproof packing cubes.

The colour coded 12-litre, 7-litre and 5-litre waterproof bags look perfect for splitting and keeping track of your luggage on your next two-wheeled adventure.

For more information visit: www.oxfordproducts.com

38

LISTEN UP 39

Earplugs: essential info

WHAT IS SNR?

How important is wearing earplugs while riding? We said HOW IMPORTANT IS... you get the joke. But the answer is very serious. Ignore this at your peril.

Words and pictures: Bob Pickett In the April issue, we referenced a study by the University of Southampton which said about 25 minutes of riding at 70mph will damage your hearing. This is supported by another study conducted by Worcestershire Royal Hospital that demonstrated riding at 70mph reached a sound threshold of 89 Decibels (dB). In the workplace it is a legal requirement to wear ear protectors (read earplugs for bikers) if exposed to 85dB or higher for any length of time.

As we said, the budget option is disposable plugs. But there are so many out there, how do you know which ones to choose? At £5 a pack, it could be an expensive business finding the right ones, so we did a little homework.

In industry, the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) rating system is employed. For the workplace – where sound levels will be broadly consistent – the recommended SNR at the 85-90dB range is 20. Given the variable nature of sound when riding (bike, riding position, helmet, visor fit, wind and frequency of noise all affect the noise level), it makes sense to aim higher; 30 is the recommended SNR for the 90-95dB range.

Fit is the other problem. As Lucy Dell of ear protection experts Lucy Dell Earplugs (www.earplugsbypost. com) explained, ears are not a standard size so: “A ‘lower’ SNR plug that fits the user well might sometimes provide more effective protection than a ‘higher’ SNR plug SNR rating

that does not fit the user properly.”

Lucy Dell will send a random sample bag of around 20 different pairs of plugs for just £9.95. I ordered one, testing them on my regular 25 mile commute. This takes in town, country and major A-roads and perhaps most important, around half the ride has a 70mph limit on a road exposed on both sides.

Test criteria were: ■ Were they easy to fit?

■ Did they stay in place (if they come out when you take your helmet off, they fail)?

■ What were they like to wear and what was the soundproofing like?

■ SNR rating and material were also taken into account. If the SNR was low then I would be less inclined to wear them, and material is important as a lot of people are allergic to certain types of foam.

I have been surprised by some of the plugs I ended up recommending.

My favourites are the Howard Leight MAX; big, but fit well and expand to fill

the ear, they are effective at motorway speed and comfortable for the whole time. Demonstrating the value of trying out a range of plugs were the 3M 1120s. At a glance I would have rejected without trying, but they turned into real favourites, being the back-up plugs I carried in case the test pair turned out to be unsuitable.

What this test has shown me is the importance of trying a variety of different earplugs. There is a range of sizes and shapes out there.

Spending a little time to find earplugs that fit properly will make the difference between good hearing and permanent damage. The other surprise is how much fresher I feel at the end of each ride since I started wearing plugs all the time. The constant barrage of sound is far more draining than you realise.

Name

Material

Easy to fit

Stayed in place

3M 1120

Soft foam, ribbed

34

Yes

Yes

VERY easy to fit – the foam is so soft, but reverts to shape quickly.

Fantastic soundproofing, kept windblast out.

3M E-A-R- Classic

PVC foam, tubular shape

28

Yes

Yes

Big plugs, but compress down well (the dense foam means they compress for longer, but revert to shape well). Filled the ear well, sound/windproofing really effective showing the importance of fit as well as SNR rating.

3M E-A-R- Soft FX

Soft foam, bell shape

39

No

Yes

Very soft foam, slide in easily but had to fiddle to get them correctly in place. Very comfortable, soundproofing good up to 70mph.

Bilsom Form

PVC foam, tapered

33

Yes

Yes

Went in easily, stayed in place perfectly, comfortable to the point you forget they are in. Windproofing worked to 70mph.

E-A-R- Soft Neons (EN352-2)

Soft foam

36

Yes

Yes

‘Soft’ is an understatement! Extremely soft foam, I would recommend for anyone with tender/sensitive ears. Quite narrow so good for smaller ears.

Easy to fit, soundproofing effective.

Howard Leight Bilsom 303S

Soft foam, small size

33

Yes

Yes

Specifically marketed as small, easy to insert and stayed in place well.

Effective up to 70mph, again for those with smaller ears would probably work beyond that pace.

Howard Leight Laser Lite

Soft foam

35

No

No

Same shape as the Max Lite, but softer foam. I had trouble getting them in – took three attempts to get the right plug feeling okay. Once in they do a good job of soundproofing, but the right plug pulled out when I removed my helmet so correct placement in doubt.

Howard Leight Matrix

PVC Foam, tube shape with plastic rod in centre so No-roll, just push into ear

29

Yes

Yes

Plastic strip in centre means no rolling to insert, easy to fit. In very windy conditions could be noisy. Felt itchy after a time.

Howard Leight MAX

Soft foam, bell shape

37

Yes

Yes

Bell shape made them easy to insert and ensure correct placement.

Large plugs, I was concerned they would not fit, but made a great seal.

Very comfortable once in place, kept sound out effectively.

Howard Leight Max Lite

Soft foam

34

Yes

No

Slid in easily enough, but didn’t seem to come back to shape. One pulled out when removed helmet. Comfortable once in and the soundproofing was good.

Howard Leight Multi Max

Soft foam, conical shape

35

Yes

Yes

Unusual conical shape made them easy to insert. Foam is two-coloured making it easy to see which end is which. Very comfortable once inserted, soundproofing was effective (due to bad weather kept speed to 60, but strong winds).

Keep Safe

Soft foam, tapered

37

No

Yes

Took two attempts to get the left one in place. Once in they are all-day comfortable, keeping windblast out up to 70mph effectively but allowing ‘normal’ sounds in clearly. I think would be effective above this speed for those with small ears.

Moldex 7800 Spark Plugs

Soft foam

35

Yes

Yes

Great fit – really easy to put in, revert to shape quickly. Very comfortable and nicely quiet. Pack came with different coloured plugs – handy if you like to put the same plug in the same ear each time.

Moldex Mellows 7600

Soft foam

22

Yes

Yes

Great fit, really comfortable, kept the sound out up to 70mph. Low SNR is a concern on longer trips.

Moldex Pura-Fit

Soft foam, bell shape

36

Yes

Yes

Very easy to put in – the bell shape is a great help with inserting and holding in the right place. Extremely comfortable, couldn’t detect any windblast with them in.

North EP-07 Sound-fit

PVC foam, tubular shape

28

Yes

Yes

Dense foam, similar to that used in the Matrix plugs. Easy to insert and stayed perfectly in place. Good re: windblast up to 70mph. Narrower than the 3M E-A-R-Classic, so would suit riders who find the Classics too big.

Peltor Next Solar

Soft foam, narrow fit

36

No

No

Fiddly to insert, pulling out of my ears when removing helmet.

Comfortable once inserted and good soundproofing.

Uvex Com4-Fit (pink)

Soft foam

37

Yes

Yes

Narrow even before rolling, would suit people with small ears. Stayed in place well, kept out the windblast.

Uvex X-Fit (yellow/ green)

Soft foam

37

Yes

Yes

The Swedish must have little ears! Another set of small plugs that would be idea for those with tiny lugs. Went in easily (though I did fiddle to make sure in place properly) and kept the windblast at bay.

(not on label or Lucy Dell site (Not on label)

Green = My personal favourites/recommended plugs

SNR is a rating system devised by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Subtract the SNR from the average noise level, so using the 89dB generated at 70mph, if the plugs have a SNR of 20 the acoustic pressure on the ears is reduced to 69; well within safety standards.

The SNR rating is a rough average, based on ratings across low (63-1000Hz), medium (1000-2000Hz) and high (2000-8000Hz) frequencies, tested in independent laboratories. The plugs may carry more detailed information giving the results at each range, e.g. plugs with an SNR of 26 may give range results of H=32, M=23, L=14.

Wearing notes

CORRECTLY FITTING DISPOSABLE EARPLUGS

Just roll ’em up, shove ’em in and that’s that? No, not really.

1. Wash your hands. Got grubby hands? That is going to transfer onto a rubber thing you’re about to stick in your ear. It’s a quick and easy way of getting yourself an ear infection. So wash your hands before using the plugs.

2. Warm them up. A warm plug rolls better than a cold one. I tend to put them (in a carry-case!) in a pocket to get some body heat.

3. Roll them up. Roll gently between thumb and fingers until they are more like a tube (some plugs do not need rolling). They should be wrinkle-free.

4. Pull your ear. Seriously, you want to open and straighten the ear canal.

To do this reach over your head, take hold of your ear and gently lift upwards and outwards.

5. Put them in carefully.

Insert the tapered end of the earplug well inside the ear canal.

6. Hold them there. Hold for between 30-60 seconds until you feel the earplug expand.

Let go, wait five seconds then push for another five to insure the best fit.

If they’re nicely in place, the base of the plug should be located at the opening of the ear canal. If not part of the plug will be sticking out which reduces effectiveness and might get them pulled out by your helmet when pulling it on.

40 TRIED & TESTED Richa Bonneville Jacket Reviewed by: Ross Mowbray // RRP: £199.99-£219.99 // Colours: Black, Green, Sand // Sizes: S-6XL If you’re looking for a stylish motorbike jacket that keeps you safe and dry out on two wheels then you could do a lot worse than the retro Bonneville jacket from Belgian bike brand Richa.

Although vintage in appearance, the Richa Bonneville jacket has all the modern technical features you would expect from a brand new motorcycle jacket. It is fashioned from high quality waxed cotton from the British Millerain Company, which offers a high

level of abrasion resistance as well as the renow wned waterproofing qualities – to which I can testify (itt’s kept me bone dry in a downpour more than n once). There is also a removable padded inner lining too, whic ch makes this jacket even more versatile, suitable for all-yearround riding.

Thankfully I’ve not had to thoroughly test the quality of the protection on offer quite yet – but with CE E approve ed five piece armou ur in the back, shoulders and elbows, I’m onfident it would pretty co take ca are of me should it need to.

On the styling front, it ha arks back to the hea ady days of early mo otorcycling, and bo orrows a few fe eatures from the ic conic Barbour In nternational jacket – but comes in at a fraction of the priice. It features a waist belt and buckle collar closure, a small Union flag detail on the chest po ocket, a corduroy collar lining, checked cotton

inner and plenty of internal and external pockets for storage too.

Priced at just under £200, it comes in at a much lower price than anything you might be able to buy from Barbour, and it’s equipped with certified impact protection and a pretty impressive level of water resistance – so if you’re in the market for a new bike jacket that you’re able to wear both on and off the bike, you could do a lot worse than the Bonneville from Richa.

For more information visit: www.nevis.uk.com

Givi 40L Tail Pack RRP: £50.50 // Size: 40 Litres // Colours: Khaki, Black

Givi is well renowned for making top quality luggage – and I’ve recently got my mitts on a new khaki 40L roll top type tail pack from the Italian brand.

The bag is marketed as a perfect addition to an existing luggage setup, but I’ve been using the tailpack as a standalone kit (I like to travel relatively light), strapped to the back of myy bike usingg the sup pplied bunggee straps.

In principle it’s just a single spacious 40L compartment that is sealed with a Velcro strip along the top and is then rolled down to ensure it is fully waterproof. Ultimately, It’s a really well made bit of kit, constructed of PV VC tarpaulin and stitchless seams, thatt has managed to keep my gear dry in even the most torrential of downpours – which is really all I could ask.

It also comes with an additional shoulder strap, so once you take the bag off the bike, you can still use it to lug your gear around with comfort. Ultimately, the bag is a great piece of kit that has lived up to my (pretty) high expectations of what Givi gear should be capable of.

If you’re in the market for some new luggage, you could do a lot worse than checking out what Givi has to offer.

For more information visit: www.givi.com

TRIED & TESTED 41

Airoh ST 701 Helmet

Hutchy: Miracle Man RRP: £18.99

Reviewed by: Ross Mowbray // RRP: £399.99 // Colours: a wide range of colours and designs //Sizes: XS – 2XL Italian helmet manufacturer Airoh has long since been a stalwart of the off-road world, with its top quality helmets keeping dirt enthusiasts safe for many years – but its fantastic range of road helmets has only just made it across to British shores, so I got my hands on a new Airoh ST 701 ACU Gold approved full face helmet to see how well it held up.

The Airoh ST 701 is undoubtedly a good looking helmet – I opted for one in red, white and blue – and I’ve received many compliments, and answered many questions about the latest offering from Airoh on my more recent travels.

Now, let’s get down to the specifics. The outer shell is made up of a multi-axial system and uses mostly carbon fibre, so it’s pretty light-weight (about 1400 grams) – one of the lightest when taking into account both price and technical specification, in fact. In addition, the EPS inner shell has been subjected to some pretty intense testing, with the use of four different densities guaranteeing the highest safety standards (according to Airoh and the ACU).

It features evolved aerodynamics and a pretty impressive three-pronged internal ventilation system – plus an additional nose deflector to push air and humidity down and out of the helmet. There’s also an internal drop down retractable sun visor, and a quick release Pinlock anti-fog racing visor (which is pretty much impossible to fog up, and is complemented by a really wide field of vision).

The helmet comes in two different shell sizes – to ensure the best fit, no matter the size of your head. While all inner

linings are hypoallergenic, fully removable and washable.

Designed for both sports and touring use, this helmet was as comfortable on the track as it was taking on some (admittedly light) trails in deepest, darkest Lincolnshire. Yes, it comes in at just (and only just) under £400 – but it’s a really well equipped helmet that can stand side by side with much more expensive kit. It is phenomenally light, feels really well balanced once on, and cuts through the air with very little turbulence – and with being ACU Gold approved, it is pretty much guaranteed to keep you safe. Ultimately, I would wholeheartedly recommend the new Airoh ST 701 helmet.

For more information visit: www.bikeittrade.com

Hutchy: Miracle Man - The Autobiography, tells the story of Ian Hutchinson, an immensely talented road racer who has enjoyed spectacular success at the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix.

After setting the record for the most wins in a single Isle of Man TT festival in 2010 (five in total), Hutchy fell and was struck by another rider during a round of British Supersport racing, breaking his left leg so badly that at one stage it was feared he might lose it. After a long period of recovery, he fractured the same leg in 2012. And yet nothing could keep the Yorkshireman from racing, as he returned to win the Macau Grand Prix in 2013 and went on to achieve three more wins at the Isle of Man TT in 2015 (after more than 30 operations on his leg).

Throughout the book, there are comments from Valentino Rossi, Mick Grant, Jamie Whitham and Murray Walker to name but a few – and as you’d expect, Hutchy has plenty to say about his peers too.

In short, I couldn’t put this book down. I read it from cover to cover in two evenings – and then spent the next few night watching videos of the incredible man on the internet. I think Hutchy: Miracle Man is a must read for anyone interested in the life and career of a brilliant rider who is immensely popular, not just for his achievements, but for his modesty, kindness and resilience too.

For more information visit: www.dukevideo.com

42 NEW RIDER

GETTING ON TWO WHEELS

Motorcycle Theory Test

Thinking about getting on two wheels? This step-by-step guide will cover compulsory basic training, the motorcycle theory test, and module one and module two of the (full) motorcycle test.

Alright? My name’s Ross and I’m the new staff writer for Motor Cycle Monthly. I’ve been riding a used 2007 Yamaha XT125 on a CBT for the past 18 months and have just passed my full motorcycle test – so I have a pretty good idea of just how daunting a looming test date can be. I wanted to try and break down the process, share some of my thoughts and experiences and hopefully ease some worries while I’m at it. In the last issue of Motor Cycle Monthly we looked at Compulsory Basic Training, this time we’re looking at the Motorcycle Theory Test.

Firstly, I’d recommend that you check out the DVSA website, where you’ll find a couple of banks of practice questions to work through.

There are also a few practice tests available elsewhere online; just tap ‘motorcycle theory test’ into any good search engine and you’ll be able to work through a range of material.

More importantly, you should familiarise yourself with the Highway Code. You can get your hands on it in a variety of formats – including as an app, a book, or you can simply view it for free online.

Motorcycle Theory Test

Hazard Perception Test

There are two parts to a motorcycle theory test – a straightforward (multiple choice) question and answer section, and a hazard perception test. With the right approach and preparation, you can easily pass your motorcycle theory test first time.

Multiple Choice Test

During this part of the test, you’ll be asked 50 randomly selected questions over 57 minutes, and you need to answer 43 out of 50 questions correctly to pass. The questions are mostly common sense, and there’s a decent amount you can do beforehand to prepare.

The hazard perception test consists of 14 video clips, each about a minute long, showing real riding situations.

You have to identify the hazards that appear on the screen as they pop up in front of you, and you’re scored on how quickly you identify the hazards. You can achieve a maximum of five points per hazard, and need to achieve 44 points out of a possible 75 to pass.

Admittedly, practicing for the hazard perception part of the test is a little more difficult than the multiple choice test – but it is possible. There are loads of websites offering free practice videos, and a few offering (slightly dated) practice tests. Again, a couple of clever searches in your

PART TWO

Learners Commuters Buying On Two Wheels

Riding

For more information on getting on two wheels, check out our NEW sister publication – On Two Wheels.

favourite search engine should give you plenty to go at.

The DVSA does offer (slightly more official, and paid for) computer programmes and DVDs that will enable you to practice the proper test – and they often come bundled with a Highway Code too, so if you’re not on a budget, then I’d recommend opting for one of them. If you’ve already been out on the road regularly, either on two or four wheels, you should already be well equipped to spot a hazard – but no matter your level of experience, make sure you put in the practice.

To book your motorcycle theory test at a specialist centre near you, visit: www.dvsa.co.uk With your CBT and Theory Test certificates in hand, you are technically half-way to getting your full motorcycle licence!

A couple of things to note ■ Take your time, and keep practicing until you think you’re ready – and then book your test.

■ You’ll need to visit a specialist test centre with your licence and booking confirmation letter to take your test ■ Before the test starts, you’ll be offered a handful of practice questions/scenarios – do them, they’ll help you relax and get used to the

computer (or touchscreen system).

■ You are entitled to a three minute break between the end of the multiple choice test and the start of the hazard perception test.

■ For the hazard perception part of the test, you won’t get penalised for clicking more than once (but make sure you’re not clicking constantly).

■ You’ll find out if you’ve passed on the day.

THE INSIDE LINE TO CLASSIC JAPANESE IRON WITH STEVE COOPER FROM THE VJMC 45

The engine part 3: rebuild

“The home off the Japanese cllassiic””

On the premise that your engine has been gone through with the proverbial fine-tooth comb, you’ll be wanting to begin rebuilding but before you start there’s a few things that need to be addressed.

Words and image: Steve Cooper

The outer engine cases will be either bare alloy or painted and in either instance chances are the finish will need to be redone.

The apparently bare alloy used on many bikes was, in fact, covered in a transparent lacquer. There are similar modern materials but they need to be applied with a great deal of preparation and care.

The alloy needs to totally free of any polishing residue, fingerprints, oil etc.

Aim to use a self-etching clear lacquer and spray the cases when the weather or your spraying area are warm. The results should be okay but it’s worth knowing that the stone chips etc. will allow moisture under the clear finish and, potentially, ruin it. For this reason many VJMC stalwarts choose to leave the alloy bare and protect it with a decent wax polish.

If the outer cases and possibly the main engine case themselves are painted you’ll need to find a paint that is both heat resistant and petrol tolerant. Little looks worse than a newly refinished classic sporting

engine paint that’s discoloured or peeling off. If you’ve had the main engine cases blast cleaned you’ll need to clean out every single threaded hole and dowel location. The best method is to blow each hole with an airline (wearing safety glasses), wash the holes with brake fluid in an aerosol can and run a tap down each thread then blow clean once more.

Cleaned alloy cases oxidise rapidly so give them a good coat of something like ACF-50 to protect them.

As we are looking at engines on a generic basis it’s not viable to cover every aspect of an engine rebuild but there are some general principles that should be followed regardless of type, make, size etc. Replace every seal as a matter of course; one reused seal that fails may require a fundamental rebuild. The same goes for gaskets and talking of those apparently low tech pieces of thick paper, never use a cheap one unless the originals are totally unavailable.

The OEM gasket is always the one to have. Pattern gaskets can be okay but some are badly made while others simply do not fit. Before fitting components or sub-assemblies back

together, offer up the gasket and double check it actually fits. Most Japanese bike engine cases separate on the horizontal axis meaning many bearings are positively located via pegs or roll pins.

When installing cranks into bare cases it’s vital that the bearing locates accurately onto the pegs or pins.

Similarly some bearings are located via semi-circular retainers; make sure they are all present and located securely. Mating surfaces need to be totally clean. If a stud has pulled up slightly proud of the surface this will most likely have come about by previous over tightening. The stud should be removed and the case very carefully redressed back flat.

Run a tap down the hole and ensure the thread is viable; if not it will need to be recut via a Helicoil or similar. The mating surfaces of the crankcases are normally sealed via purpose designed sealer otherwise known as a gasketing agent. Unless your manual tells you otherwise never use a silicone-based sealer between crankcase halves. Excess silicone can break off and block vital oilways or the oil pump pickup, wrecking the engine

in seconds. The correct material is often referred to as Yamabond or Hondabond.

When the various shafts have been installed the cases should go almost together via hand pressure and a little wiggling; if they don’t something is out of place – don’t force it. Once sorted begin to add the bolts that hold the engine together and just pull them down gently. Your manual should explain the order in which the bolts are fitted. Work systematically tightening the bolts as per the specs.

Want your fix of Japanese classics? Then you need...

6 issues for £20

Visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/cmm87 Expiry: 31/12/17 Call: 01507 529529 and quote code: CMM87 *UK only offer

When the engine is together ensure the crankshaft is free to turn; if it’s not give it a firm tap with a copper mallet to settle it in the engine cases.

Assuming the crank now revolves freely you’re good to proceed.

The VJMC – run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists.

For membership enquiries only: Tel: 01454 501310 Email: membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk Address: PO Box 1949, Yate, Bristol, BS37 0BX Office hours: Monday-Thursday,10am- 4pm (please leave a message)

46 BIKER FRIENDLY GUIDE

Biker Friendly Guide

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1

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22

21

19

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4

22

7

6

15

1

20 8

13

17

9

5 8

18

23

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USED BIKE GUIDE 47

2012 Honda Deauville: the clever, clever choice For a smidge under £6k you get a bike that is far more able than its detractors give it credit for.

I once compared the Deauville to a Coelacanth. It should have died out millions of years ago, instead carried on along it’s own evolutionary cul-de-sac. The specs sound like a cruiser. But it isn’t. Born in 1998, changes were incremental. In 2002 the integral panniers got bigger; 2006 it got a capacity increase to 680cc;

ABS came on board a couple of years later. The model finally dropped off the production line in 2012, in which time it built a devoted fan-base, plus hoards of detractors labelling it the ‘Dullville’. Who was right?

Give me some spec

A 680cc, 52º V-twin puts out 65bhp/38.3kW @ 8,000rpm with max torque of 49lb-ft/66.2Nm @ 6500rpm, transferred to the rear wheel via shaft drive, housed in a twin steel spar chassis. Top speed is 125mph and bringing it (and the 236kg wet weight) to a stop in a timely fashion are twin 296mm discs with three-piston callipers up front, with support from a single 276mm, twin-piston rear.

Our test bike came with heated grips and a range of official Honda aftermarket goodies.

So what’s it like to ride?

The Deauville’s riding position is upright and supremely comfortable.

Built to rack up the miles (the 19 litre tank and frugal use of fuel suggests 200+ miles are possible), the neutral placement of bars, pegs and armchair-comfort-level saddle sets you up to ride all day. First thing to do though; find the sweet spot. Rev too gently and the ride is juddering.

Venture too far towards the end of the modest range and not just the bars but the frame shakes! I found between 4000 and 5000 revs with the odd trip up to 6000 for overtakes rewarded with a gentle hum and a smooth ride.

It is a better town bike than you’d imagine, soft suspension soaking up the bumps and a generous full lock allowing you to keep your feet up for all but tight U-turns. It isn’t at home on the back roads, preferring big A-roads and motorways where it can settle into a rhythm, sit the engine in the sweet spot and glide, with never

Words and pictures:

by Bob Pickett an ache translating to the rider. It turns better than you’d think; that 150-section rubber lets it tip in with more agility than looks suggests and rock-steady once leaning. It also stops without fuss or bother, braking system just getting on with the job.

Think of the Deauville as a smaller, lighter, cheaper Pan European. With the integral panniers, optional rack and top box, huge comfort levels and tank range, if you want to tour on a budget, give it a look.

What nick is it in?

Deauvilles are built to clock many, many miles and stay in great condition. This particular machine is very much a shining example.

What’s it worth?

The dealer wants £5999 for a 2012 model with just 16,000 miles on the clock (nothing in Deauville terms) and all the right accessories.

I restricted the dealer search to the NT700V model. This gave a price range from a 2007 bike with 36,975 miles for £1795 to a 2010 bike with just 5300 miles clocked for £5195.

Thanks to John’s of Romford Honda sales@johnsofromford.co.uk Tel: 01708 726048 Web: johnsofromford.co.uk

48

Th he MCM legal column is compiled byy managing artner pa Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast and P his bike-riding barristers and ssolicitors at White Dalton W Motorcycle M Solicitors.

S The firm deals with personal w injury claims and its sister a company, Motor Defenc Defence Solicitors, company 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 MCM, in confidence, of course.

Q&A

WHITE DALTON 49 Our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials and troubles...

Q

A young lad (who I’m pretty sure was on drugs) hit me off my MT-09 after he pulled out of a petrol station straight in front of me. Liability was admitted by his insurer so no issue there. I now have a problem with my solicitor because the other side has made an offer £15,000 and she says she can’t advise me. My solicitor says she can’t give definitive advice yet as I haven’t got final medical evidence. However, she has said I could be liable for some legal costs if I don’t get more than £15,000 at court later on. What can I do? £15,000 is a pitiful amount when some numpty on drugs could have put me in a coma.

A

Firstly, getting injured is rubbish but I’m glad you are here ‘walking and talking’. Bikes can be replaced but people aren’t always as lucky.

With regard to the offer, in England and Wales you don’t get compensation for the fact you have been put “in a coma”. You get compensation for your actual “pain, suffering and loss of amenity” caused by the accident. Your solicitor may well be correct in not providing definitive advice if you do not have finalised medical evidence. As for a way forward, you could accept the offer but it may not be enough i.e. if you needed physiotherapy etc. in the future. Alternatively, you could get further medical evidence and settle your claim once you know what the final position is. However, if the evidence doesn’t support an award of more than the current offer, you may well be liable for your legal costs, your medical disbursements and the legal costs of the other side from the time you could have accepted the offer until settlement. Lastly, as a ‘word from the wise’ I would be very careful slagging off the lad for being on drugs if you have no evidence of that being the case.

Q

I was riding on a motorway and filtered between lanes two and three on the motorway. I’m sure the driver in lane three moved to her right so I could filter through. Once past her I sped up from 70mph

to 95mph. As I’m a safe rider I wanted to make sure I was well in front of her. At that point the blue lights went on behind me and I got pulled over. I wasn’t happy and told the policeman I was late for work and asked why he didn’t have anything better to do.

He didn’t say much but advised he was reporting me for dangerous driving. I told him I would see him in court. I want to defend it on the basis I was filtering and that is legal. Will I win?

A

As an aside, I understand the government is looking for negotiators to assist with Brexit. I wouldn’t suggest you put yourself forward as I don’t think your particular ‘style’ of communicating with people would help that situation (or any other for that matter). As for the offence itself, this is not a case of filtering past stationary traffic at 15mph.

This is undertaking at speeds of at least 70mph on a motorway. This is text book “dangerous driving”.

Therefore if the CPS can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your riding fell far below what was expected of a competent and careful rider; and it was obvious that to ride in that way would be dangerous then a court will convict you. If convicted it’s a minimum disqualification of 12 months and you could be locked up for a maximum of 24 months; although that is unlikely in this scenario.

For more info, go to:

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

Three Sisters Race Circuit closes

The Three Sisters Race Circuit near Wigan has closed for the foreseeable future and staff have been made redundant. Inevitably, the unexpected closure has caused public outcry.

Coun Bob Brierly, a long-term supporter of the race track who also raises money to provide karts, spoke about the future of the facility: “This is my passion. It’s the Three Sisters complex, it was built for motorsports.

It cannot be sold off under the localism act. It’s a community asset and it’s too important to people for it to go.”

Mark Foulston explained that as the leaseholder of the facilities, Motorsport Circuit Management is now owed £700,000 by the tenant, Three Sisters Racing Circuit Ltd. Despite the unusual circumstances – the good news is that Motorsport Circuit Management is looking to put in place a new circuit operator in order to reopen the circuit as quickly as possible. As soon as they are in a position to confirm a reopening date.

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50 SPORT

Valentino Rossi – the oldest rider to top the World Championship since 1949!

At the grand old age of 38-years-old (and 66 days), at the Texas round of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi was still breaking records.

The 15-year veteran of the MotoGP grid bagged another huge milestone by becoming the second oldest rider in history to lead the MotoGP World Championship. He took the record with his podium in Austin.

Valentino is currently the oldest rider to top the overall provisional standings since 1949, having moved above British racer Leslie Graham, who on September 4, 1949, achieved the same feat at the age of 37 years and 340 days on a factory AJS Porcupine 500cc machine.

Ahead of Rossi sits British racer Harold Daniell, who rode a 500cc Norton to victory at the first two races of the Grand Prix World Championship in 1949 (the Isle of Man and Berne, Switzerland) at the grand old age of 39 years and 256 days. And, with a raft of younger riders hot on his heels, Valentino is going to need to keep up the pace for a few more seasons if he wants to knock Daniell off the top spot.

Both Leslie Graham and Harlold Daniell are also cemented in history as two of the oldest drivers to have won Grand Prix Championship races, at the age of 41 years and 21 days and 39 years and 240 days respectively – but it’s multiple GP World Champion Fergus Anderson who sits atop that list after winning the Barcelona GP in 1953 on a 500cc Moto Guzzi at the age of 44 years and 237 days.

Dovizioso on Ducati’s 2017 campaign ‘We have to rethink everything 360º!’

Ducati MotoGP man Andrea Dovizioso sounds like he’s already given up on this season with some pretty downbeat comments about the Italian team’s set-up and results following his sixth place finish in Texas.

After finishing 14 seconds behind winner Marc Marquez, Dovi let loose with his thoughts of the 2017 Desmosedici bike – to the point where he says that development of the machine has already lost too much time

(this comes after three races) and that the plan should now be to start focusing on the 2018 championship.

The comments might seem more than a bit left-field, especially so as Dovi is just 26 points behind series leader Valentino Rossi who is at the top of the points table with 56.

Dovi said: “This is not going well. We are not being competitive as expected. There is no plan that is too precise and having a plan that is precise is the most important thing.

With the way the bike is working, the limits we have with what we can do with the bike, it does not matter which circuit we go to.

“The time has come to think about the future. We cannot talk about how we will be performing at Jerez, Le Mans or Mugello.

This is not the speed that as an official team will allow us to fight for the world championship.

“If the future means looking at the end of the year or the coming season then that depends on a lot of factors and if there is not an approach with a clear idea then I cannot talk about how many months we will need to change things. What we know is that we have to discuss everything, to rethink everything 360º.”

Rossi’s pizza the competition

Get over to MoreBikes.co.uk to watch a funny video of our mate Steve Day asking the best MotoGP question of the year so far to Valentino – it involves pizza toppings. Yeah.

Worth a watch, pretty funny.

Don’t forget your Classic Racer

The latest issue of Classic Racer magazine is out now, so get your rush on for a fantastic fix of the true greats of racing in this special John Surtees memorial issue. The issue is packed with big names and brilliant articles from the best writers and experts in the business. There’s hundreds of photos from back in the day in every issue and plenty of never-seen-before facts and figures that you just don’t get anywhere else, too. Get it at newsagents or via: classicmagazines.co.uk.

51 ACCESSORIES

OFF ROAD

TRAILERS

BRAKE HOSES

CHROMING MOT AND SERVICING

PLASTIC REPAIRS

TYRES CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES PAINTWORK

SEATING

SPEEDOMETERS/COMPUTERS

WEB WATCH

DYNO

PARTS AND SPARES

SERVICES

EXHAUSTS

POLISHING

TRAINING COURSES

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

BMW K1200RS 1200cc, yellow/ black, 37k, full luggage system, brilliant bike, too heavy for 75 year old, everything works, MoT, need a loving home, got to go, £1750 Tel. 01707 870769. Herts.

APRILIA PEGASO 650cc, 2008, 8,600 miles, vgc, centre stand, light comfortable bike, fun to ride, MoT, £1650 ono Tel. 01797 320434 eves. Kent.

APRILIA TUONO GEN 1 1000, Vee Twin, low miles, long MoT, excellent condition, Blackbird stand oil jet mod done, many extras, £2500 Tel. 07979 714683; 01709 582960. S. Yorks.

ARMSTRONG MT500 1989, good condition, not raced, 14,400 mile, recent service, Mikuni carb, new bike forces sale, £1300 ono Tel. 01252 651425. Hants.

BMW F800GT 2013, 4,800 miles only, MoT March 2018, Valencia orange, full BMW s/h, BMW panniers, full comfort package, h/grips, elec suspension, comfort seat, BMW alarm, ABS, one previous owner, £5950 ono Tel. 07775 680094. Chelmsford.

BMW K100LT F reg, MoT 21/02/17, 90,224 miles, serviced, air/oil/fuel/ plugs all replaced, new seat cover, bundle of extras inc.computers/ relays/ign module & sensors/more plugs etc, £1800 ovno Tel. Mick 0787 7058995. Beds.

BMW R100RS 980cc, 1980, metallic gold, present owner 34 years, new battery, saddle, tyres etc, Sorned last 2 years, £2750 Tel. 077220 41560; 02476 303246. Coventry.

BMW R65 1982, panniers, engine bars, screen, rear rack, clock & voltmeter, full MoT, 54,400 miles, £1950 Tel. 07765 187298. S Yorks.

BMW R80RT 800cc, Mystic red, 69k miles, genuine, original, 1984, not messed with, panniers, history, no MoT, Sorned, got to be viewed, haggle, £2500 Tel. 07795 292828; 0116 2106136. Leics.

BMW R80 F800R SPORT 2015, light white/black, satin gloss, 3,300 miles, immaculate condition, BMW options incl ABS, ASC, ESA, OBC, TPC, c/ stand, rack, h/grips, part of dynamic and touring packs plus rear hugger, bar risers, comfort seat, K&N filter, full s/h, £5750 ono Tel. 01361 884222. Email. david.radford@tiscali.co.uk BMW K100RS ABS, 1000cc, 1990, silver, 33k miles, to box, panniers, vgc, handbook, tool kit, 50 mpg, Sorned, £1250 Tel. 01945 581440. Cambs.

BMW R1150RT 1150cc, red, 2004, 40k miles, full BMW service history, MoT Sept 2017, alarmed, new Pilot 4 tyres, new disc pads, panniers, tools, spares, extras, ready to tour, £3200 Tel. 0208 5955193. Romford, Essex.

BSA B40 WD 1967, MoT July, 9825 miles, small and flight, good work horse, £2300 Tel. 07765 187298. S Yorks.

BSA BANTAM B175 1970, MoT till August, been restored, engine been rebuild, new seat, new wheels, new front forks, all black paint work been powder painted, £1800 Tel. 01376 339426.

BSA C15 250cc, 1966, tax Dec 2017, new parts, new chain and sprocket, clutch cable, throttle cable and carburettor, good condition, £1800 ono Tel. 07570 129550. Staffs.

BUELL BLAST 2006, 492cc single cylinder, 6,500 miles only, MoT to 24/10/17, 648mm seat height, excellent condition, £1875 Tel. 01507 601644. Lincs.

CHOPPER long low hard tail with GS500 twin engine, wide back wheel, high bars, wide long front with 2 other sets of front ends, 2 rear fenders, wire harness, 3 petrol tanks, single seat base and banana seat, rear wheel engraved on drum and sprocket, not GS wheels, nice mag, wheels, frame has not been stamped yet, big box of parts, will not split, good project, swap for motorbike in running order over 200cc for daughter or sell £600 but prefer swap Tel. 0759 7174839. Chester, Cheshire.

CHANG JIANG M1 749cc, 1959, 9,500kms, horizontal twin side valve, shaft drive, 12v, electric start, locking boot, side car, windscreen, reverse gearbox bike, windscreen available, some tools, £2500 ono Tel. 01427 616450. W Lincs.

CLASSIC KAWASAKI KH125 1986, in good overall condition, in running order, been standing for a year, £595 Tel. 01670 515281 for further details.

Email. tus251057@hotmail.com Northumberland.

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000SDS 2005, 55 plate, red, 26,312 miles, Termignoni exhausts, Decat pipes, h/grips, gel seat, panniers, Ohlins, Ducati Specialist serviced, very tidy bike, great tourer, all service books, keys and original parts available, £3300 Tel. 01453 872492; 07785 276176.

HARLEY 883R Sportster Roadster, twin front discs, 2002, only 5,500 miles, racing orange, excellent condition, tested, new spare seat and silencer, new set brake hoses, owned 7 years, £3300 Tel. 01709 582960. S. Yorks.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low, 2016, amber whiskey & black, Rushmore, 2300 miles as new, one owner, £16,999 Tel. 01902 411919. W Mids.

HONDA 250N SUPERDREAM 1980, been standing since 2004, 12 mths’ MoT, new tyre on rear, new brake pads and two new mirrors, 40k miles, good condition, £1500 buyer to collect.

Cash on collection. Tel. 01299 210758. Stourport-on-Severn.

HONDA CX500 500cc, 1980, 30k miles, good runner, MoT till mid July, £1200 Tel. 07970 888199. Gtr Man.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT700 VA Trike, 56 reg, serviced, MoT, only 12,200 miles, heated grips, good tyres, colour coded boxes, ABS, wind deflectors, chrome radiator guard, trickle charger, spare set of keys, adjustable screen, on Sorn, £5950 Tel. 07799 000135. Cumbria.

HONDA NT650V Deauville, 2001, 11,933 miles, shaft drive, red, lots of accessories, £1500 Tel. 01485 541001. Norfolk.

HONDA NX650 Dominator, 1988, red, 35,000kms/18,700 miles, imported by me from Germany and fully UK registered, immaculate for age, Japanese built, fully serviced, braided hoses back and front, oil temp dip stick, engine spot on, no smoke or oil used between oil changes, Honda owners manual, nearly new (500 miles), Michelin Anakee 3 tyres, £1750 ono Tel. 01361 884222.

Email. david.radford@tiscali.co.uk.

HONDA VFR750 1996, blue, great condition for year, 22k miles, all MoTs, loads of s/h, new tyres just fitted and serviced, £2200 Tel. 01945 589322. Cambs.

HONDA ANF125 (Innova), 2011 reg, blue. Includes :- windscreen, carrier, removable large top box, only 2,800 miles, £975 Tel. 01788 810692. Warks.

HONDA CB250RS 248cc, 1983, MoT Oct 17, tax Aug 13, 17, £700 ono Tel. Chris 01342 894580. Surrey.

HONDA CBF SA 600cc, 2007, Givi luggage, Scottoiler crash bungs, low mileage, 12 months’ MoT, new tyres, battery, good condition, £2500 Tel. 01663 750827. Derbys.

HONDA CM250T 3 valve twin, mostly complete, running with V5C in my name, 1983 project, swap/px for 200cc-ish British bike/project, why? Tel. 0161 3038830. N West.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT 650cc, 2003, MoT, green top box, built in side panniers and fairing, screen rides well, £1375 Tel. 01392 255397. Devon.

HONDA LEAD 125 scooter, ex race team paddock bike, needs electrical attention but good runner, £150 Tel. 0208 3012913. Kent/S E London.

HONDA PAN EUROPEAN 1300, genuine Honda top box lid only, brand new, not a mark on it, grey colour, Tel. 01642 475649.

HONDA SH125I scooter, 2006, 17k miles, 5 months’ MoT, oil changed every 1000 miles, regularly serviced, good condition for year, ridden by 74 year old, £725 ono Tel. 07857 822653; 01626 776076.

Teignmouth, Devon.

HONDA SH300I 300cc, 2009, only 5,800 miles, full s/h, excellent condition, new tyre and fully serviced, MoT Aug 17, first to see will buy, silver, £2000 ono; wanted: Honda 125 PCX. Tel. 01626 776076. Devon.

HONDA VFR 750cc, red, 1996, 20k miles, one owner from new, immaculate condition, new tyres, riding position not suitable for me now, £2300 ovno Tel. 01189 678802. Berks.

HONDA XLV600VN Transalp, purple/silver, K, 1993, under 27k miles, 5 owners from new, last owner 8 years, new battery, 2 new CDI’s, MoT March 18, Givi rear top box plate, ideal first big bike, nice and comfy, also spare Reeve 600 engine/carbs, £1595 Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

HONDA VISION 2012, 2069 miles, two careful owners, £1600 Tel. Mike 07769 887086.

London.

HONDA CBR600F 1988, N, high miles, immaculate new tyres, two keys, cheap classic insurance, MoT, mature owner, garaged, not used this year,neverseen rain,£1050Tel. 02072 377899. S E London.

HONDA XL185 TRAIL lovely classic twin shock, restored, s/s exhaust, gold alloy silencer, MoT, sound, perfect, retiring mature owner, big Honda fan, £1950 Tel. 07784 783964. Man.

HONDA CBR600F 2008, vgc, one owner, well cared for bike, full s/h, all MoTs & receipts, s/s down pipes and rad guard, tank cover, d/b screen, braided b/hoses, £2500 ono Tel. 01709 549217. Rotherham.

HONDA XR600 1998, last used Nov 16, on Sorn, started first time last week, unrestored and well used condition, use for green lanes or project? £1750 ono Tel. 07474 713953 eves. Shrops.

KAWASAKI W800 2012, immac condition, 2200 miles, got all the best extras, MoT Mar 18, serviced Jan 17, new battery fitted Jan 17, lovely bike, just not used, £4350 ovno Tel. 07736 021456. Cheshire.

KAWASAKI ZX400 1987, 95% complete (taken apart), engine, carbs, exhaust, frame, front end, swinging arm, rear shock, electrics, wheels, petrol tank, rear mudguard, radiator, + other bits, £250 Tel. 07752 443794.

Denbighshire.

KAWASAKI Z250 Smooth 4-stroke twin, complete and running, 1980, many new parts, £750 ono Tel. 07931 204726; 01423 565388 for details

KAWASAKI VERSYS 650cc, silver, late 07, very clean, low mileage 9,018 miles, extras include Givi, rack top box, Vince adj, screen, alarm, day lights, heated grips, f&r huggers, lowering kit fitted, if required, stainless b/pipes, recent service etc, new back tyre, great commuter bike, tourer, reluctant sale, £2695 ono Tel. Paul 0114 2589093. S Yorks.

KAWASAKI ZL1000 Eliminator, 1986, 24k miles, rare Japanese muscle bike cruiser, was converted from a ZL750 with a GPZ1000 rebuilt engine 2 years ago, just fitted a new front tyre, battery and fuel pump, ready for MoT which I’ve booked with my local bike shop to be done as soon as it’s sold, £1525 ovno Tel. 07995 6375573. Surrey.

KZ1 A4 KAWASAKI 900 1976, metallic green, USA import, fitted with a 1000cc big bore kit and Yoshi pipes for extra power, runs but needs recommissioning (ie motor needs a head seating set, gasket and oil seal, starter recon and an MoT for V5, insurance and a £55 fee and a completed V55 will acquire the V5 in 14 working days, work will take 5 hours at a cost of around £600 for a mechanic and parts. A serious 70s superbike for capital investment for the serious collector. Nicknamed by it’s creators ‘The New York STEAK’ this bike has a steady value of £10,000-15,000. I am relocating to Europe so I have not the time to do this work, £6500 Tel. 07475 942720. Hants.

KTM 990 ADVENTURE 2013, 10,964 miles, excellent condition, KTM heated grips, hand guards and engine bars, fender extender, serviced at 700, 4,500 and 9,300 miles, new rear tyre recently, MoT, alarm and immobiliser, very comfy ride, £6950 Tel. 0116 2607758.

Leics.

CLASSIFIEDS

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KTM 690 DUKE 2013, tail tidy, ABS, alarm and immobiliser, Pollisport hand guards, USB charger, Infrared speed camera detector, battery charger lead, carbon rear mud hugger, engine crash bars, h/grips, KTM service satchel, originally sold by Via Moto (1st reg keeper), owned for approximately two years, keeping it as a run around on the back of my canal narrowboat, a great bike to ride, have regularly ridden it with a pillion which it easily copes with, extremely agile and light, hence it fits easily on the back of my boat! Service and MoT expires June so will get them done as part of sale Tel. 07778 875252. Macclesfield.

MATCHLESS TRIALS 350cc, trials rep, alloy engine, enclosed push rods, comp mat, owned 20 years, V5, £4000 ovno Tel. 01909 721563; 07748 726102.

Notts.

NORTON COMMANDO 1972, Roadster 750cc, USA import, really original beautiful bike from the 70s, runs and rides, unmolested, not restored, really original paintwork and condition, low miles bike at 14,000 miles, own matching frame and engine nos on nice brass plaques, a real beauty, first come, first served, grab a really nice looking Norton and a slice of the 70’s for just £7500 Tel. 07475 942720.

RUDGE AUTOCYCLE 1954, excellent condition, all documents and manuals, injury forces reluctant sale, photos available, £800 Tel. 07919 158173. Hants. Email. geoffrey. downing@ntlworld.com

SOFTAIL BREAK-OUT fully customized, over 50 accessories, some specially fabricated, all brand new stock parts free, priced around £900 custom parts total £6000, all receipts and warranty, only 35 miles road test miles, a brand new Harley, bought and garaged late 2016, an eye catcher/show winning bike, will not see another like it, £22,000 Tel. Mike 07880 346236; 07856 823075 for details/viewing. Glos.

SPARE PARTS FOR Honda 250/400, two wheels, one with twin discs, one with 19” new tyre and other items as shown in picture, £150 buyer to collect.

Tel. 01299 210758. Stourport on Severn.

SUZUKI BANDIT 1200 22k miles, 05 plate, Ohlins rear shock, engine protector bars, newish tyres, chain and sprockets, serviced regularly, stored in garage over all winters. Tel £2200 ono Tel. 01604 905850.

Northampton.

SUZUKI GSF-S 1200cc Bandit, 197, R reg, 19,724 miles, tidy clean bike, MoT, £1800 ono Tel. Barry 01543 276037. Staffs.

SUZUKI BURGMAN 400Z DoR July 2015, full s/h, Special model, back rest and heated grips, not seen rain, 6,490 miles, new scooter reason for sale, superb condition, £4395 Tel. 07784 863633. Yorks.

SUZUKI 1250 Bandit, aluminium chainguard, £15 ono Tel. 07894 078815.

SUZUKI GSX1400FE 7,500 miles from new, mint cond, MoT July, std pipe, never been used, one owner from new, very reluctant sale, no time wasters please looking for offers around £5100 Tel. 07789 838687; 01565 723454. Cheshire.

SUZUKI TC120 1970, MoT Feb18, all original except for tank repaint and crank/bottom end rebuild, new Michelin M45’s, beautiful little bike, 3-speed, hi/lo box, Clymer manual inc, £2295 Tel. 07583 870029. Harrogate.

SUZUKI BURGMAN 400Z only 5,900 miles, full s/h, DoR July 2015, exc cond, superb Maxi scooter, dark grey, 70mpg, just serviced, new scooter on order, low price, £4295 Tel. 07784 863633. Yorks.

SUZUKI GSX1400 7,100 miles from new, mint condition, MoT July, standard pipe, never been used, dry use only, need to sell due to ongoing chronic back problem, £4995 ovno Tel. 01565 723454. Cheshire.

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1050 black, 15th Anniversary Special Edition, 2,431 miles, MoT, £5000 Tel. 07813 527097. Norfolk.

TRIUMPH TIGER 90 350cc, 1966 lovely condition, dry stored since restoration, two tone orange/white, show winner, starts and runs great, many new parts, £4500 Tel. 07719 451352.

Worcs.

TRIUMPH SPRINT RS/ST 2006, 955i, great bike ready for Summer, Sprint ST bars, Scottoiler, garage stored, on charge, for 9 months, only done 94 miles this year. Bad bits - had a low side (not me) which scratched engine casing and resulted in a category D write off, left fairing and belly pan replaced, front fairing cracked at bolt hole, good things - suspension currently wound down so lower seat height, I am 5ft 6” and its great for me, ST bars make for easy long distance riding, heated grips a boon in winter, no advisories on MoT, genuine and ready for the summer, five+ owners, two keys, belly pan, c/stand, e/start, h/grips, low seat height, r/hugger, tinted screen, green, £1995 Tel. 07777 694265. Warks.

TRIUMPH SPRINT ST1050 2005, stunning bike, s/h with every MoT from new, 35k miles, c/w all books and 2 keys, best of both worlds sports tourer and gives great fuel economy. Tel. 07725 644984. Durham.

TRIUMPH T100 500cc, 1964, runs, all there except clocks, £2000 Tel. 07765 187298. South Yorks.

TRIUMPH T100 07-57 reg, 24,000 miles, one owner, MoT Aug, P.S.H., accessories std parts inc, vgc, £3450 ono Tel. 01785 664093. Staffs.

TRIUMPH TROPHY Triple, 2013, 19,500 miles, full s/h, heated grips, c/control, luggage, electric adjustable screen, trip computer, adjustable seat, 12 months’ MoT, excellent condition, £7000 Tel. 07929 256392. E Renfrews.

VINCENT COMET 1953, 1000 miles since renovation, very clean, new wheels, tyres, exhaust, fork spindles and bushes, mag rebuilt, original reg, £17,500 ono Tel. 01625 421574.

Cheshire.

YAMAHA FJR1300A Sports Tourer, 2010, very good condition, 36,170 miles, ready to jump on tour, full s/h, ABS, panniers, c/stand, e/screen, h/grips, mushrooms, fenderextender, large top box, £5600 Tel. 01694 328253. S Shrops.

YAMAHA FZR600 1990, genuine low miles bike, with history, mature owner, MoT, new battery, possible delivery, £1150 Tel. 07484 732140. Lancs.

MOTO GUZZI WANTED. Any V twin in need of rescue, bashed, bent, broken, or rusty. Tel. 07564 253776. Essex.

Parts For Sale BELSTAFF KIDNEY BELTS 2 leather, original Stoke-on-Trent

made, never used, as new, £50 each plus p&p Tel. 01782 786696, 07742 151797. Stokeon-Trent .

BSA B25 Q/D rear wheel, c/w brake, £95; oil tank, clean inside, £30 seat base, rusty but sound with worn cushion, £25; manly front mudguard with bent stays, £10. Tel. 01293 410976.

Gatwick, Surrey.

FIREBLADE RR3 Rentec grab rail, £20; also front mudguard in black, disc lock damage but has had repair, £20 Tel. 01603 893663. Norwich.

GIVI MONOKEY fitting kits for:ZZR1100 1990-92; Triumph Tiger 900, Yamaha XJ600 Divvy, £20 each Tel. 0208 3012913. S E London/Kent.

GPZ900 passenger grab rail, Ducati 250cc manuals, Triumph 350-500, Suzuki GS550 VTR. Tel. 01432 265726.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Street Bob, full exhaust system and air cleaner, brand new, £100 Tel. 07948 017345. Man. HARLEY-DAVIDSON rigid leather locking saddlebags for the Sportster range, part number 53050-10, virtually as new, cost £746, will sell for £350 Tel. 07748 080455. Essex.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Screaming Eagle tuner, part number 32109 08C, £195 ono Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

HARLEY EXHAUST PIPES part no. 65682-40, vgc, fit 2006 softtails, FXST’s (Night train), ideal for MoTs, and black belt-guard air filter cover, footrests etc. Tel. 01296 713864. Bucks.

HARLEY FXDF FATBOB 2008, pair slip on baloney cut Rush silencers, low screen, brand new standard dual seat, washable air filter, new brake pads, standard Sportster silencers. Offers Tel. 0121 4433024. W Mids.

HONDA 200TLR 1983, steel fuel tank professionally resprayed in original red/white/blue colours, near perfect condition. Tel. 07581 489575. Oxon.

HONDA 600 ABS Hornet, 08 parts, blue petrol tank, complete odd marks and small dents, £500, new £1000; plus rear hugger, colour matched blue, £195; (discontinued item); rear wheel, complete, £350; swinging arm, £350, cost new £900; exhaust can, £70. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

HONDA CB1000R 2009 model, rear no plate, hanger/mudguard and tail light assembly, removed when new, so excellent condition, £30 Tel. 01603 893663. Norwich.

HONDA CB1000R 2009 model, rear no plate hanger/mudguard and taillight assy, removed when new so excellent condition, £30 Tel. 01603 893663. Norwich.

HONDA CB1-400 engine, £150; spares/repair, airbox, £35; carbs, £100; rear wheel rim, £25; rear disc, £25; swing arm, £15; rear spindle, £15; sat, £15; needs cover, rear brake, m/c pedal, £25; l/r rear foot pegs, £25; wiring harness, £25; rear mudguard and light, £25. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

HONDA CB1-400 frame, V5, £100; 88/89 petrol tank, black, £75 complete; Honda CBX650 Nighthawk motor, £135; spare/ repair VF750 Interceptor motor, £100; carbs, £60; fuel pump, £30; footrest hangers, £25 pair; rear m/c pedal/caliper, £35; other parts available. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

HONDA CBF 1000cc, genuine Honda rear panniers and stays, good condition, lockable, easy remove, £250; lots GL1200 spares, Hagon chrome rear shocks, large bikes, £150, boxed; American silencers, boxed, £300.

Tel. 07434 513161. Lancs.

HONDA FIREBLADE 1999, 2004, d/bubble screen, as new, £40 Tel. 0208 3012913. S E London/ Kent.

HONDA NC700/750: Sargent comfort seat, vgc, only 18 months use, £75 Tel. 07803 813875; 01233 610836. Kent.

HONDA NC700S 700cc, two screens, Vivaro touring, tinted with spoiler, adjustable, also one clear bought from Honda, good as new, £40 each plus p&p Tel. 01275 830922. Bristol.

HONDA ST1100 panniers, midi blue metallic, excellent condition, £80 the pair; rear wheel, grey metallic with cush drive, vgc, fitted with very usable Bridgestone Battlaxe, £50; original screen, as new, £30; rear number plate bracket, £10. Tel. 0208 5088994. London/Essex.

JUMBO AIR small paint spray set, gwo, ideal for bikes etc, £35; BSA petrol tank, painted, on chrome, few small dents but solid, poss B40, £15 ono Tel. 01744 25096. Merseyside.

KAWASAKI ZX400 1987, 95% complete in parts, engine complete, carbs, frame, clocks, front end, petrol tank, wheels, swinging arm, rear shock, electrics, wiring loom, + some other bits, £250 Tel. 07752 443794. Rhyl.

KAWASAKI ZX400 1987, 95% complete in parts, engine complete, carbs, frame, clocks, front end, petrol tank, wheels, s/ arm, rear shock, electrics, wiring loom, + some other bits, £250 Tel. 07752 443794. Rhyl.

KING & QUEEN seat, £100; rear rack, £50 for 465cc Hinckley Bonneville, £140 for the two; not for the new 900cc, good condition. Tel. Brian 01202 824086; 07817 457893. Dorset.

MOTO GUZZI V7 centre stand, new/unused, complete kit. Tel. 07855 163413. W Mids.

MV AGUSTA F4 750cc, tank red, £250; air box cover (small chip), £100 Tel. 01554 777209.

S Wales.

OPEN FACE HELMET small, excellent, £65; Honda CB 400 forks, excellent, £70; Honda C50 petrol tank, £30 all post free. Tel. 07919 158173. Hants. Email. geoffrey.downing@ntlworld.com SUZUKI 1250 Bandit aluminium chainguard, £15 ono Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

54 SUZUKI GSF1250/1250S Bandit 07-16 Powerbronze Gloss black/ silver mesh, bellypan with all fittings/instructions, absolutely as new, only used for 6 weeks before selling bike, will fit other models, £70; Renntec rear carrier also with fittings, in black for same bike again as new, will also fit other models, £30; Healtech Gipro gear indicator, model GPDS-S01, plugs into diagnostic socket, fits most Suzukis, was fitted to above Bandit 1250, £70; all as new..

Yamaha XJR1300 Renntec rear carrier off 2006 bike but will fit other years, with spacers, as new, £30. Collection only. Tel. 07941 385844. Lancs.

SUZUKI GSX-R400/GK71F spares: carburettors, complete rev counter, speedo assembly, radiator fan, coolant pipe, rear brake lever, starter relay, fuel tap, clutch inner basket, rocker

cover and oil filter gasket, rear brake cylinder and reservoir, footrest, exhaust collars, £75 the lot Tel. 01343 544528.

Morayshire.

SUZUKI M1800R full exhaust for B.O.S.S, been on bike for 800 miles only, £285 ono Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

SUZUKI M1800R full exhaust for B.O.S.S, been on bike for 800 miles only, £275 ono Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

SUZUKI RG125 engine casings, £30; c/head, £70; crank, £50; clutch, £30; kick-start mech, £20; clutch side casing, £15; all prices above include postage.

Suzuki TS50/80E frame no, V5, £50; gold rimmed wheels, £160 pair; yokes, £30. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

SUZUKI RM250 complete straight forks, f/wheel, offers; plus pair complete useable Honda CM200 wheels, offers.

Collect only. Tel. 0161 3038830.

Cheshire.

SUZUKI V-STROM 1000cc, 2015, seat never used, still wrapped, exchanged for a lower seat when purchased, £50 Tel. 0121 5505026. W Mids.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE America seat, as new, £50 Tel. 01392 255397. Devon.

TRIUMPH PRE-UNIT 650 cylinder barrels and pistons, £110; 8-stud cylinder head and valves, £120; square four front hub, £60 Tel. 01782 786696, 07742 151797. Staffs.

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 43T rear sprocket - brand new, unused and packaged, will suit most single S/A models, £14 post free Tel. 07929 960363. N Yorks.

TRIUMPH SPRINT 1050ST mirror and flasher units, new/ unused, £75; Triumph T160 workshop manual and parts catalogue, £10; Triumph T140V/

T140E/Tiger TR7V workshop manual and parts cat, £10; Honda CB550/650 Clymer service and maintenance manual, £5; Matchless parts, model not known; tool box, oil tank, chainguard with lugs for hand pump, £10; Givi 50ltr top box; Monokey system, c/w backrest and top rack; two keys, as new, £100; period oblong front crash bar and Wipac 4in spotlight, needs rechroming, £8; trailer 3ft lighting board, good cond, £5; all items plus p&p; Motorcycle mags, over 400 inc: Classic Bike, Classic Motorcycle, Motorcycle Classics, British Bike, British Bike Mag etc, all in good cond, £60 Tel. 07944 518704.

W Mids.

TRIUMPH TIGER 1050 and sport seats, as new, £100 each; also Tiger Sport standard screen, new, £40. Tel. 0208 3012913.

Kent.

YAMAHA R1 98-2001, air filter, quality Meiwa air filter, new, in box, part no 4XV-1445100, £9.00 Tel. 078060 95738.

Sleaford.

YAMAHA TOWN MATE in boxes, all there but no frame, £40 Tel. 01269 594309. Carns.

YAMAHA TY TRIALS 250cc, rear wheel, buyer must collect, alloy complete, good condition, £100 Tel. 01782 791574. Staffs.

YAMAHA TY175 petrol tank, two small dents £85; AJS twin alternator, alloy primary chain case, good condition, £120 Tel. 01782 786696, 07742 151797.

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