MoreBikes August 2024 issue **FREE TO READ!**

August2024# 217

LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTWEIGHT CHALLENGER

Could CFMOTO’s 450MT bethe perfectround-the-worldadventurer?

SNOWDON LOOP

Ablastroundsomeof the best roadsin Wales

BEATTHE TRAFFIC

Howtomaster overtaking andfiltering

LEARNTORIDE

INSIDE THISMONTH

DOINGBATTLE

Itdoesn’tseemallthatlongagothatI wasayoung,carefree,and floppy-fringed learner,blastingabout onmy Yamaha XT125.Nowlook atme. Thegreysare peekingthrough,thewrinklesarecoming,and I’vespentthelastfewyears gettingpaidto rideand reviewbikesforyou lovelylot. Itactuallytookme afewmoreyears thanI’dhavelikedtogetmyhandson mylicence.I’mlucky–I comefrom motorcyclingstock and was fortunate enoughtospend afew of myformative yearsbeltingaroundthegardenon alittle scrambler,sotheseed wasplantedlong beforeIactuallypulledthe trigger.Itwas alwaysgoingtohappen.

Backinthe60s,70sand80s,itseemslike everyone rode.Bikesweretheaffordableway togetaround,anditwascomparativelyeasy topassyourtestand getoutona ‘proper’ bike.Thatdoesn’tseemtobethecasewith thepeopleIgrewupwith,though. Acouple of guys Iwenttoschool with,andoneguyI metatuniversityareintobikes –and that’sit. Prettymucheveryoneelse Imeetthesame ageasmeiseitherterrifiedattheprospector wholly indifferent,despitemewaxinglyrical aboutthemagic of ridingateveryopportunity. There’shope,though.I’vebeenoutandabout alotinthelastmonth –atshows,festivals,and bikenights,andI’vebeenheartened to see loadsofL-platedyoung’unsbeltingaround.

rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

Maybethetides finallyareturning… That’swhywe’vefocusedourattentionon thelearnerlegalsideofthings this month–squeezing awhopping24pages ofgood stuffin amongstall the usualgeneralbikingbrilliance.If you’rejuststartingout,itshouldequipyouwith alltheknowledge to takeyourtest,sortsome kitandbuy abike.Andifyou’vebeenridingfor years,maybeyoucoulddo agoodturnand passthiscopyon to animpressionableyouth andtell themhowbloodybrilliantbikesare.The morethemerrier,right?

Ridesafe,

THEKINGISDEAD LongLiveThe King

BMW’sjustlaunchedthelatestversionof its ever-popularadventure-specked GS –andthistime you canadda semi-automaticgearboxfromthe extensivepartscatalogue

EversinceBMWlauncheditsnewR1300GS,we’ve beenquietlywaitingforthebig revealofitslatest fullyloadedoff-road-readybeast.And it’sfinally happened,withtheBavarianbrandwhippingthe coversofftheR1300GSAdventureatthisyear’s MotorradDaysfestivaloverinthemotherland.

Justlikethe standard GS,thenewAdventureis abigdeparturefromtheoldmodel.Itlookslikean entirelydifferentmotorcycle –andalthoughthere’sa goodchanceitwon’tbeto everyone’stastes,theGS wasdefinitely due avisualupdate.

Andasyou’dexpect,it’sallforgood reason.The HeadofBMWMotorradDevelopment,Christof Lischka,said:“Neverbeforehaveseating comfort, ergonomicsandwindandweather protectionbeen soharmoniouslycombinedwithprecisehandling, exceptionalsuspensioncomfortandsmooth running.”Soundsgoodtous.

ItsharesplentywiththestandardGS.The beatingheartofthebikeisits1300ccboxermotor, which’llcomeinlargely the samestateoftune.But there’replentyofdifferences, too. Forone thing, thefueltank’sawhopping30litres, whichmeans it’sheavier(tipping the scalesat aclaimed296kg) andwider.Anicetouchon thetankarethethree mountingpoints, which’llmakeiteasy to fix BMW’s aftermarkettankbagintoposition.

There’s someluggageasstandardthough,inthe formof asolid aluminium37-litretopbox, anda pairof pannierswith73.5litresofstoragespacebetweenthem (andtheleftone evenhasa built-inUSBcharger).

Thesuspension’s different,too. Ituses amorerigid EVO TeleleverandParaleversystemandthefrontand rear respectively,butit’salsokitted outwithDynamic Suspension Adjustment.It’sessentially asemi-active systemwhichadjustsdampingandspringrateonthe

flytokeepthingssmooth.It’llalsoadjustthespring ratebasedon howmuchyou’vegotloadeduponthe bike.Cleverstuff.

Thereare bagsofelectronicgoodiestoplaywith andbenefit from.Itgetsself-lowering suspension; four ridingmodes(withEndurocosting alittlebitextra);hill holdcontrol;corneringABS;heatedgrips;andkeyless ignition.Asalways,there’replentyofextrastochoose from,too.Oneofthemisparticularlyinteresting.It’san AutomatedShiftAssistant (ASA)function,which,like Honda’sDCTsystem, removestheneedfor aclutch. Itdoesn’tcomecheapthoughandwillupthepriceof theGSAto£21,300. Withoutit,thebasemodelGSAispricedat£18,870. Whileit’sagoodchunkofchangeandmore expensive thantheoutgoingR1250GSAdventure,whichyoucould getyour handsonfor anotinsignificant£16,360,there’re bagsofchangesthattaketheflagshipGSevenfurther.

CLOSINGTHE GAP

Vogelookaboutreadytotakeonthe established competition withtheirnewDS900Xmiddleweight adventurebike

Chinesefirm Voge Motorcyclesareflying. They’reknockingbikes togetherleft,rightand centre–andtheycontinue tosurpriseallwhogivethem aproperlook,withtheir value-for-moneyfocusand eyefortheimportantthings. We’veridden afewin relativelyquicksuccession thisyear,andthey’ve impressed –offeringplenty ofpoiseandperformance for afractionofthepriceof theequivalentridesfrom the‘big-name’competition. They’veshowntheycan buildandsellbikestoa budget,buthow’rethey goingtodowhentheprice creepsup abit? Well,we’reaboutto find out.That’sbecause Voge’vejust released anew middleweightadventure that’snot amillionmiles awayfromthecostofthe likesofHonda’sXL750 TransalpandYamaha’s standardTénéré700.

Itdoesholditsownin termsofspecification though,andthere’ssome nicestuffasstandard,with a895ccBMWF900-derived paralleltwinmotorproviding thepower;KYBspringsfront and rear;Brembobrakes; PirelliScorpion Trailrubber; andproperoff-road-ready 21-inchfrontand17-inch rearspokedwheels.Itgets ABSandtractioncontrol; fourridermodes; aheated seatandheatedbars;abig 7-inchTFTdashwhichoffers abasicsat-navsystem;a built-inHDcamera;anda pairofUSBsockets,too.

Pricedat£8999 +OTR, there’snodoubtyou’re getting alotofgearfor your money –butaswithany newbrand,it’sdifficultto besurehowwellit’sgoing tostandthetestoftime. Thegoodnewsisthatthe dealernetwork’sgrowing swiftly,soatleastyou’llbe lookedafterissomething didgowrong.

BIGMILE READY

Ducati’sjustrevealed anewfully loadedtravel-readyversionof itsDesertXadventurer

Following inthefootstepsofthe Desert Xandthe recentlyreleased Rally, Ducati’s addedanotherbike to itsadventure stable:the Desert XDiscovery.

Kitted outwith bags of goodies to make it‘theidealtravel companion’,the Italianfirmis lookingtotakeittoHusqvarna’s Norden901 Expedition and Yamaha’s Ténéré700 Explorein theincreasingly busy adventure travelmotorcyclemarket.

It’s exactlythe same base bike astheexistingDesertX,with the same937cc110bhpand68lb-ft motor,KYB springs, Brembo brakesandPirelli Scorpion Rally STRrubber.But there’sstillplenty of good stuff to getexcited about. Forprotection,it gets some sturdy reinforcedhandguards, engine bars and aproper aluminium bash plate, andfor

ACCESSIBLE AUTOS

Yamaha’sthelatestfirmtoconfirmit’s bringing asemi-automatictransmission toitsnextgenerationrides

Semi-automatictransmissions arenothingnew. Honda’shad oneonthe go for years; BMW’s just announcedits ownasan aftermarketoptiononits new GS Adventure;andKTM’s just trialledone at the gruelling RedBull ErzbergRodeo. Andthat’s without mentioningthat Yamaha itself actuallyhad agoatsomething sort of similarnearly 20 yearsago.TheJapanese firm developed the YCC-Ssystem forits FJR1300 sports tourer. It wasn’tquiteasemi-auto transmissionlikeweknowit today, butitdid asimilar job, employinghydraulics to allow riderstomanuallychangegear usingafinger-operated gear lever. Clever stuff. Like the othersonthe market today,thenew Y-AMT systemisallelectronic,but thebiggestdifference between

Yamaha’s latest technology andthat ofthecompetition isthat the Japanesefirm’s interested in performance ratherthan simply practicality. It reckonsthatit’llactually allowforfastershiftingthan atraditional manual gearbox, evenwhenit’skittedout with aquickshifter.

It utilises twoelectronic actuators,eliminatingthe need for boththe clutch and gearleverinitsfullyautomatic guise– though therewill be amanualmode whichallows riderstotoggle up anddown usingthe two switchgear-mountedpaddles.

Yamaha’s been smartwith that, too, designingthe switchgear to be operated usinganindexfinger rather thanthumb, meaningriders canalwayskeepa solidgripon the bars.

comfortitgetsheatedgrips and ataller screen.There’smore, includinganall-importantcentre stand to make it easy to lookafter the chainandfix anyrearwheel punctures by the sideofthe road ortrails,andthere’sa pairof chunkyaluminium panniers, too, whichofferawhopping76litresof storagespace.Itgetsa new paint job, too: asharp blackand red schemethat’s very,veryDucati. It looksgreat.

Pricedat£17,295,itis two-anda-bitgrandmoreexpensivethan the standardmodel –but when you considerallthe good stuff you’regettingfor yourmoney (andthenlook at howmuchit’d costtospec-upthe Desert X), it starts to looklikeprettygood valueindeed.

If you want to knowmore, visit: www.ducati.com

Whilethere’sbeenno official word onwhat it’s goingtobefitted to, andwhen we’reactually goingtosee itintheflesh, Yamaha hasreleaseda statementsayingthatit’ll ‘beginintroducingY-AMT to arange ofmodelsinthe nearfuture, bringingthis innovation to sportriding, touringandcommuting’.

Chancesarewewon’t

have to waitallthat long, then. Yamaha’s gotquiteabitof work to do to bringahostof itsmodelsinline with theimpendingEuro5+ emissions regulations by nextyear, andit wouldn’t be asurpriseifa fewof this year’s releasescome kitted outwith thenew performance-focused technology.

ONTHEBIG SCREEN

It’snotveryoftenyougettosee motorcyclesinthe mainstream,but anew filmwithsomeseriously bignamesisoutincinemasrightnow

The Bikeriderstellsthe story ofThe Vandals,a fictional60s motorcycleclubwhichdescends into chaosasitsmembers becomeinvolved in gambling, drugs,murder, and gangwarfare. Soundslikefun, right? It's gotacrackingcast, too, with some topactingtalent on hand totellthe storyright, includingTom Hardy, Jodie Comer,NormanReedusand Austin Butler.

Writtenanddirectedby experiencedhand JeffNichols, who’s beenbidinghis time after readingDannyLyon’scult book

ofthe same name over20 years ago, the film’sbeenaproper labouroflove –andit’s even hadLyon’sapproval.

Speaking aboutthe book, Nichols said: “Itwas,quite simply,thecoolestbookI’d ever comeacross. My hopewas to make afilmthat captured this feeling,andmoreimportantly, transferredittoalarger filmgoingaudience.”

Thefilm wasreleased inUK cinemason June21.If you missedit, don’t worryasyou’ll be able to bagyourself acopyor streamitonline.

RECORDBREAKERS

Twobikershavejustbecometheyoungestpairto

circumnavigatetheworld

If you’ve gotakeen interest inadventure, and youliketoknow what sort of brilliant stuffcoolfolksare gettingupto, then you’lllikelyalready be familiar with Suzuki V-Strom-riding explorersLaviScholl and Ollie Gamblin. Overthe past couple of yearson the road Laviand Ollie have beendocumentingthe trialsandtribulations oftheiradventure andsharingitwithan ever-growingfollowing on YouTubeand social media.

Settingofffrom theiconic AceCafe onaSuzukiV-Strom 1050XT, the pairvisited 39countriesand racked up awhopping 46,705milesinjust 589 days –and madeit back withan average ageofjust33years and 247 days,whichmade themthe youngest pair to evercircumnavigate

the world. Fairplay. LeavingLondon andquickly passing throughFranceand Spain,theyhopped ontheferry to Africa and gotstuck into two monthsofexploring Morocco,Mauritania, and Senegal.Thenit wasintothe Sahara withthe sat-navsetfor DakarinSenegalwhere theyshipped thebikes over to South America.

Reunited withtheir bikeinRiode Janeiro, theywentsouth to UshuaiainArgentina beforeturning round to headthrough Chile, Bolivia, Peru,Ecuador, and Colombia. Then theypackedthebike on to aplane again to avoidthe Darien Gap and rode rightthrough the USAandupinto Canada.

Theyneeded another flighttoget over to SeoulinSouth Korea, beforejumping onaboattoget to

Vladivostokwith an openexpanse of land waitingforthem out west.A‘short’ hop, skip, and ajump acrossMongolia, the ’Stans,Azerbaijan, Georgiaand Turkey andthe pair were back in Europe withtheir sights setonhome20 monthsafterdeparture

and withtheir passportsthoroughly filled.

Inspiringstuff, right? Nowthey’relooking for someadventurea little closer to home–havingjustboughta coupleof Suzuki Van Van’stoget stuckinto theUK stretch ofthe Trans EuropeanTrail.

OURTOP THISMONTH PRODUCTS FIVE

TheArai Tour-X(or TourCross) lidis astalwartintheadventure touringsector,with flagship-level buildqualityandprotection,plus strongstyling.Thisisthelatest fifth-generationversion,whichhas beenhittingtheshopsthisseason with afull revamp.There’salarger visorsystemandaremovablepeak soyoucanhavethehelmetinADV stylewithpeakandvisor, off-road withpeakandyourowngoggles, oron-roadwithnopeakand visorinplace. Youalsoget anew ventilationsystemandtheusual high-end removableinnerlining.It comesin awiderangeofgraphics, includingthistastyDiscoveryRed.

1 5 3 4 2

It’s acommoncomplaint:bike bootswhichhavezerogripon thesoles,makingthemuseless foranyseriouswalkingwhenoff thebike.TheseTCXClimatreks addressthathead-onwitha designthatcoversbothbiking andhiking. They’re short,witha toughtextile outershell,impact protectionbuiltintotheankle,toe, andheel,andthermalandGoreTexbreathablewaterproof lining. Thechunkysolehelpsgripwhen walking,andtheylook decentoff thebike,too.

protection built into the ankle, toe,

Fourshellsizes;lightweightcarbonaramid construction;widereyeporttoimprove view;cheekpadswiththeemergency accessdesign;5-yearwarrantyfrom dateofpurchase(or7-yearfrom date ofmanufacture,whichevercomes first); comeswithclearandtintedvisors;Pinlock; chincurtain;andbreathdeflector. Four intakes,andthreeexhausts, removableand washablecheek,andcrownpads.Gold anodisedaluminiumdouble-Dring.

optimal cooling airflow. There are PU impact absorbers in the palm with tough abrasion-

Ano-fussshortsummerridingglovefrom OxfordProducts.TheRP-4Shas aleather baseconstruction,withperforationsand meshpanelsinlow-impactareasfor optimalcoolingairflow.Thereare PUimpact absorbersinthepalmwithtoughabrasionresistantlayers,andtwinwristandcuff straps. Touchscreen fingers arepresentand correct,andtheycomeinthreecolourways: black, red,oryellow.

Touchscreen fingers are present and correct, and they come in three colourways:

Summerseemstogethotter(Iwonderwhy),someshjacketsaregettingmore popular.ThisLS2 Alba hasextra-largeDiamondMeshFabricpanelscovering theentirefrontandbackofthetorsoandoneacharm,formaximumairflow. The Albaisabrasion-resistantandcomeswith removableCE Level 1‘SoftBounce’ shoulderandelbowarmourprotectorsasstandard;theelbowprotectorsare adjustabletotwopositions.There’salsotheoptionto fit an LS2CELevel2 backprotectorwhichcosts £29.99.Thejacketitself hasplentyofadjustmentat thewaist,oneacharm,andzippedcuffs,too.Theycanbeattachedtosuitable trousers,andyou’vegotthreezippedpocketsontheoutsideandtwointernal ones,too,one of whichis adrypocket,designedtohold asmartphone. Available inblack or dark grey,sizes S-5XL.

10 EVENTS

DIARY DATES

Theridingseason’snowinfullswing, andtohelp you getthemostoutof your timeontwowheels, we’vehandpickeda few eventsthatare wellworth acloser look.

BRITISHSUPERBIKECHAMPIONSHIP

July19-2 1/

www.britishsuperbike.com

It’stimefor roundsix.Thistimethecircus descendsonBrandsHatchforthreedays ofincredibleraceaction.

KEMPTON PARKAUTOJUMBLE

July20/ www.kemptonparkautojumble.co.uk

Onthehuntforthatelusivepartto completeyourlatestproject?Thisisthe placeforyou.

VJMC &70SBIKE DAY

July21/ london.acecafe.com

We likethesoundofthis retrobikemeet atthe iconicAceCafe.Ifnothing else, the breakfastsaremega.

CHESHIRECLASSICCAR &MOTORCYCLE SHOW

July21/ www.classicshows.org

Ifyou’reintotwowheelsasmuchasyou arefour,thismight be theoneforyou. Properchilledfamily-friendlyeventin thegroundsofCapesthorneHousein Cheshire.Soundslovely.

THEADVENTUREBIKESHOW

July26-28/ www.theadventurebikeshow.co.uk

After abitmoreofa low-keyaffairtothe ever-growingABRfestival?Thiscouldbe justtheticket.There’sallthesamegood stuff–juston asmallerscale.

ARMOYROADRACES

July26-27/ www.amrrc.com

Roadracingisbasicallythenationalsport ofNorthernIreland– and TheRace of LegendsinArmoyisoneofthebest. You needtoseeittobelieveit.

SQUIRES CAFÉAUTOJUMBLE

July27/ www.squires-cafe.co.uk

There’s amonthlyautojumbleatthe infamousbikerhauntjust outsideLeeds. Pitchesarea fiver, butit’sfreetogetin. Perfectwaytospend aSaturday.

NATIONALBMWAIRHEAD DAY

July28/ www.sammymiller.co.uk

EverbeentoSammyMiller’splace down intheNew Forest?Hismuseum’sbrilliant –andhealsohas apackedcalendar of eventstohelpbringtogetherlike-minded riders. Worththetrip.

RUNWHATYABRUNG @MELBOURNERACEWAY

July28/ www.straightliners.events

Fancyblastingyourbikedown arunway asquicklyaspossible? This istheevent foryou.

MOTOGP

August2-4/ www.motogp.com

Thebiggestmotorcycleraceseries on the planetfinallymakesthejourneytoBritish shores –taking overSilverstoneforthree daysoftop-flightaction.

FIMENDUROWORLDCHAMPIONSHIP

August2-4/ www.fim-live.com

Off-road gods and goddesses willbein Walesforthreedays of seriouslyspecial off-roadaction atthebrilliantCwmythig Hill inRhayader.

YORKSHIREPUDDINGRALLY

August2-4/ www.mapevents.co.uk

Intocustombikes, rockmusicandgreat beer?Thisisoneforyou.

ABERDARE PARKROADRACES

August3-4/ www.aberdare-park-road-races.co.uk We lovethisevent.It’sa prettyspecial thing,whichseesbikesblastingaroundin beautifulVictorianParkland.Marvellous.

FESTIVALOFWHEELS

August3-4/ www.motorshowevents.com Loveallthingsautomotive?Headdownto TrinityParkinIpswichforaheartymixof bikes,cars,andtrucks.

TRACKTRAININGWITHJAMES WHITHAM

August 7/ www.malloryparkcircuit.com Wanttohoneyourriding skills?Get yourselfbookedin withJamesWhitham atMalloryPark.

YORKSHIREROCKANDBIKESHOW

August8-10/ www.yorkshirerocknbikeshow.co.uk Threedaysofcoolbikesandbigtunes. Whatmoredoyouneed?

BRITISHSUPERBIKECHAMPIONSHIP August9-11/ www.britishsuperbike.com ThebestracersinBritain areheading toThruxton for threedaysof fast-paced raceaction.

BMF DAMBUSTERRALLY August16-18/ www.bmf.co.uk Thisis alovelylittleeventwhich hasbeengoing for years. Taking placeatThorpeCampVisitors CentreinLincolnshire,there’s music,beers, amuseumtoexplore, andbagsofgreatridingon yourdoorstep.

MANXGRANDPRIX August18-26/ www.manxgrandprix.org

We lovetheManx.It’sa specialevent thathasallthesamegreatstuffgoing foritastheTTproper,butit’sjust abit quieter.Perfect.

Q&A

Ourspecialistmotoringsolicitor

AndrewPrendergast guides readersthroughtheir legaltrialsandtroubles

QIliveoutinthe sticks so it’s currentlylike WackyRaces withthetractorboysandgirls whizzingabout gettingtheircropsin,etc.Right offthebat, Iwanttostressthatunlike certain members ofthevillagewholove to moan about them onthelocalFacebookgroup,Igetit’s ahardjob andthefarmers must go like the clapperstobeatthe weatherandtryand earn aliving. However, I’malsoa firmbelieverin healthand safetyasmyold mangot killedina buildingsiteaccidentwhen Iwas akid.With that inmind,as Iwas ridingtowards my village after work on my virtuallynewTriumph Speed 400,three tractorsandtrailerscamewhizzing towardsme, filling theirsideofthe road and someofmine,bouncingontheir huge tyres. As Iwas on abike, Imoved to theleft so we could pass.However,atthat very moment ahay bale felloff atractortrailer straight infront ofme (thankfullynot on topofme).I triedmybest to go arounditandnearly madeit.However, my handlebarcaughtit, and Iwentdownhard onthe road,breaking my arm. After Icaught my breath,Igotup to find Iwasonmyown. Notatractorin sight! Icalledmy husbandto come and pickmeupand take me to hospital andaneighbour kindlypickedupmytrashed

bikeinhis van. We calledthe Policewho kindly came round buthavesaidthereisnothingthey candoastheydonotknowwhattractor the haybale camefrom.I suggesteddoingsome investigationandusingforensics,looking for videofootage from ring doorbells,etc.The Police were politebut saidit wasn’t goingto happen. Canyou ‘bale’meout?(I apologisein advanceforthe badpun!) Idon’tknowwhatto donextabout claimingfor my injuries.

AAt leastyou haven’tlostyoursenseof humour! Icanindeed look to ‘bale’you out ofthis situation. Firstthingsfirstand to state theblindinglyobvious,itappearsclearthatthe tractordriverwasdrivingwithan‘unsecure load’because ahay bale fell off into the road. Therefore, if you could findthetractor,you could bringa claim againsthim/herandtheirinsurer. However, it sounds likeyou would be looking for a‘needle in ahaystack’ (myturn to apologise for apun!). On the basisyou cannotidentifythe tractor,then youwill have to directyourclaim to the MotorInsurers’ Bureau (MIB).Asthe hay bale camefrom avehiclethat should have had insurance,you canmakeaclaim againstthe MIBunderthe ‘UntracedDriver’s’ Agreement’.

Asanuntraceddriver, i.e.thetractordriver caused thisaccident, theMIB will step inand payout for your personalinjuryanduninsured losses.

QLastmonth Iwenttotrial at Court. Briefly,I wasfilteringthroughtrafficpasta buswhen acar pulledout from my leftand Ihitthe side ofthe car. Liabilitywasdeniedthroughoutand after twodaysattrialthe judgefound we were both to blameandordered therebea50/50 split regardingliability. WhilstIwould have rather won100%, Icould followwhy the Judgeordered asplitliabilityoutcome.Withregards to the moneysideofthings,the Judgeordered Iget £150,000, subjecttothe50/50 split,i.e.Igota net sumof£75,000.As forthe cardriver, it was just a‘bent metal’caseandhe gota net sumof £1,700afterthe50/50 split for his carrepairs. To be fair,hisinsurer paid outsuper-quick and within14 days asordered by the Judge. However, my roadtrafficinsurer (who should be picking upthetabforme) hasnot paid withinthe14 days asordered.Further,mysolicitor hasjust toldmethat my insurer says Iwas notinsured to rideotherbikeswhentheaccidenthappened (I wasonmymate’sbikeatthetime). He also

The MB legalcolumn iscompiled bymanagingpartnerAndrew‘Chef’ Prendergastandhisbike-ridingbarristers andsolicitorsatWhiteDaltonMotorcycle Solicitors. Thefirmdealswithpersonalinjuryclaims anditssistercompany, MotorDefence Solicitors,dealswithallthemotoring offences.WhiteDaltonlawyers havea vastknowledgeofbikelaw,and theyhave fullbikelicences,too.Theydon’tactfor insurancecompaniesortheprosecution. White DaltonisBritain’s premierspecialist motorcyclelawpractice,andifits professionalsdon’t knowtheanswer

toldmethat if Idonot paythe£1,700 personally, the cardrivercouldcomeaftermethroughthe Courts.I couldn’t believe it andtold my solicitor I’mnot goingtopay andI’m goingtosue him andmyinsurerforcockingthingsup.Thoughts?

AFirstthingsfirst,asliability splitand yougot aCourt Order againstyou,ifyou donot pay the sum, then yes, theother sidecould pursue you throughthe Courts forthis.Myadviceis that as youhavethefunds,i.e.the£75,000, you paythe£1,700as soon as possible.Ifyou donot dothat, you couldendup having to paymore with regardstocostsandinterest,etc., ifthe car driver takes you back toCourttoenforcethe Order.Thereafter,you need to checkthe terms of your road traffic insurance policythat was inforce at thetimeoftheaccident. If youhave compliedwith that andyou were insured to ride otherbikesthirdparty,then you should getthe £1,700 back fromthem.Ifyourinsurer willnot pay, you cansue them.However,ifyou were notactuallyinsured,then Iamafraidthe£1,700 restswith you,andonlyyou to pay.Lastly,I would ease back on yoursolicitor becausethey have notactuallydoneanythingwrong,and you mayneedhim to help youmovingforward.

toyourquestion,there probablyisn’t one. Don’t relyonthe advicefromyour insurance-appointedsolicitor,get proper independentadvice.

For roadtraffic offences,calltheMotor Defencesolicitorson0800 2800912. Fornon-offencecases,call WhiteDaltonmotorcyclesolicitorson 08007836191.

Ifyouneedadviceona biking-relatedlegal questionorquery,emailmail@whitedalton. co.uk.ThebestQ&Awillbepublishedin MB,inconfidence,ofcourse.

It’stimetogetout your pens andpencilsandput your grey mattertothetest

THE WIN! MOQUIZREBIKES

We love abitoftriviahereatMoreBikes. Nomatterwhetherwe’reatapubquizwith abeerinonehandand apencilin theother or beingquestionedbyourmateswhen we’restoodaroundat abikenight,there’s somethingaboutknowingtheanswertoan unexpectedquestionthatgivesusanice fuzzyfeelinginside.Andifwedon’tknow, thenthere’sagoodchancewemightlearn something.That’swhywe’vedecidedto introduce aregularquizsectionsponsored byourgoodpalsatFowlers(who’llbe supplyingtheprizes).

We’llbeaskingyouquestionsaboutall

manner of two-wheeledstuff,pushingyour memoriestothelimitandaskingyouto digdeeptotryand rememberallkinds of strange stufffromrightacrossthebiking spectrum.It’sa chanceforyou toshowoff yourinfinitewisdomandbeinwith ashot ofbaggingsomecool prizes. Allyou’vegottodoisjotdownthe answersontheentryformbelow andsend itinusingthedetailsprovided. We’llthen pickthewinnerfromanupturnedhelmet crammedwithcorrectanswers,andthat personwillbesent abrand-newbitofkit that’llhelpthemstaysafe outonthe road.

How muchpowerdoesKTM’s Super Duke1390make?

Atwhatagecanyouride a125cc motorcycleorscooter?

HowtallistheseatonDucati’soffroad-readyDesert XRally

WhichJapanesefirm’sjustrevealed anewsemi-automatictransmission system?

WhatdoesCFMoto’sMTacronym standfor?

There’ssomething brilliantabout bike gear that’s comfortableand coolenoughto wearboth on and offthebike. This StealthHoodie from Weiseisthe perfectexample. Properstylishbut stillofferingplenty of AA-ratedprotection, it’sessentially abig, thick,heavy-duty cottonfleece(with aremovablehood) thatcomeskitted outwith CE armour andanabrasionresistantlining. Lovely. Ifyouwanttoknowmore,visit:www. weiseclothing.com

Whattowndoes 2 5 8 3 9 6 1 10 4 7 LASTMONTH:

What’sthename takesyouuptoMount

WhenwasHonda’ introduced?

Yamahamotordid workwonderswithin

Whichbikesharesthesamemotorand chassisplatform

BMWR12nineT

AdamChild /300miles /Onemonth

Welcometomylong-termR12nineT. Forgetabout theunusualname,thisisthe firstserious revision of thedecade-old RnineTboxertwin,and perhaps themostgratifyinglyblended retroyettocomefrom BMWforsometime.Some regular readerswho knowmy roadracing pastmight be surprised by my choiceofbike.However,IthoughtI’d trysomething different…

For2024,BMW’staste ofnostalgiahasbeen significantlyupdated.There’sanew,lighterchassis andthoroughlyupdatedelectronics, asmoother look,and,via acomprehensivemodelconfigurator, generousscopeforcustomisation,too.Theprice is£14,420 –afractionmorethantheolderbike’s–althoughwehaveticked afewaccessories.Option 719Aluminium –£2100;ComfortPack (gearshift assistpro, heatedgrips, cruisecontrol,hillstart control) –£980;Option719ClassicWheelSpoked–£550;ConnectedRideCradle– £280;DigitalDisplay –£120;allpushingthetotalto£18,450.

An1170ccair-cooledboxerengine remains.On start-up,there’sstillthatenduringboxerrocking movementatidleastheesteemed shaft-driventwin warmsits coolingfins,followedbyatrademarkbark when thethrottleisblipped.Itmakesyou realise how refinedandsmoothmodern,liquid-cooledBMW boxershavebecomeandappreciate thecharacter andmechanicalfeelofthisGermanbike.

Peakpowerremainsatthe RnineT’s109bhp/80kw butarrives250rpmsooner, withpeaktorquenowat 115Nmat6500rpm(84.8lb-ft),whichis1Nmlessand 500rpmhigherinthe revrange.Changestothefourvalvespercylinder,DOHCunitareminimal,although anewairboxispositionedundertheseattoeliminate theairintakeductthatrandownthe right-handside ofthe RnineT’stank,and thestandard exhaustisalso redesigned.

IrodethebikeonitsworldlaunchinSpainand

wasimpressed.Admittedly, somepotentialcustomers arenot goingtoenjoy theR12nineT.The rocking movementofthemotor, thepull of theshaftdrive, and agearboxthatisn’tthequickestwon’timpress everyone.But,forme, alittlepersonality,justlikewe hadinthe olddays,will only be agoodthing. Ilikethis charactereverytime Ipressthestarterbutton. Onceyouadapttoitsquirksit’saneasybiketoride. Beautifully fuelled,it’senrichedwithtorquefrom the verybottomofthe revrangeandcan givemuch‘faster’ bikes ascarewhen let offitsultra-coolretro leash. Meanwhile,the revisedchassismakesshorterriders welcome,canhustlelikeallthebestboxers,anddoso

withoutdraggingitspegsorpipeonthe road. ButwouldtheBeemerdeliveronthe road,indamp, coldEast Yorkshire?Initiallyweareoff to agoodstart; thedramaticlooksofthebold‘hipster’stylingare just asappealingindamp Yorkshireasitwasinsunny Spain.Everytime Iopenthegaragedoor,Istillgetthat wowfactor.

We’veonlydoneahandfulofmiles,butI’mloving theeaseofuse,andtheheatedgipshavebecome invaluable.However,Ihavediscoveredkeepingthe chromeexhaustscleanisgoingtobe hard work.But nowsummerhasarrived, Ican’t waitforeveningrideoutsandblaststotheEast Yorkshirecoast.

Suzuki V-Strom800RE

Onpaper,thedifferencesbetweenthe DEandREversionsofthe V-Strom800 shouldn’tamounttoasmuchasthey do.Thefactis,changestothechassis geometryanddimensionsofsomekey components givethebike adistinctly differentpersonality,triggeringan alternativesideofmyown!

Feelingdistinctlysportier,thequicker steeringREhasbroughtouttheracierside ofits rider.Eagertogetmoreofamoveon, I’ve reallyenjoyedridingtheSuzukimore brisklyattimes.Thoughbefore anyofyou feeltheneedtoberatemeformyspeedier rateofprogress,letmequicklyaddit’sall beendonewithintherulesandwithout increase in risk.

If Iwasaskedtopointout asingle reason fortheRE’spowertoentertainmemore, it’sthesmaller19”frontwheel.Froma personalpoint of view,theway abiketurns affectsitsoverallappealandpersonality justasmuchasthewayitsenginedelivers itspower.Thekeenerwayitchanges directiongivesthe800 anotablymoreagile feel.Betterstill,theimprovedfeedback fromthefronttyrereallyboostsconfidence, allowingmetopushonandevenhappily trailbrakedeeperintobends. There’sno doubtmydecisiontochangethetyres beforeIeventook‘ownership’hashelped metofeelmore athomewhenridingmore swiftly.Withappreciablymoregripand feedback,theDunlopMutantrubberallows metoexplorethehandlingabilitiesofthe V-Stromquite abit further.TheOEDunlops justcan’tmatchtheaftermarketMutant

alternatives,especiallyinpoorweather conditions. And withvirtuallyeverylonger rideI’vedoneontheSuzukiinvolving rainofvaryinglevelsatsomepoint,that advantagehasmademe alothappierand moreabletodealwiththeadversity. Thatbonuswasmoreevidenton a300mile roundtriptothePeakDistrict.It’sa journeyI’vemadecountlesstimes,andasit includessuch awidevarietyof roadtypes, it’sagreattestofthe V-Strom’sversatility. Asexpected,itgave agreataccountof itself,never reallydrawingany sortof significantcomplaintfromme.

Withallthekeyboxesticked,the 800’s thesortofbikeyoucanenjoyvirtually allthetime. Iparticularlylikethebike’s comfort,itsplushseatandroomy riding positioninfluencingitsabilitytoventure far withease.

Ineedtokeepmyfeettuckedin abitto keeptheworstoftheweathertarnishing theappearanceofmyboots,butthe protectionabovethatpointisexcellent.The tallscreensheltersmewell,evenifitwould bebetterifitsadjustmentdidn’t requiretoo muchtimewithtools.

I’mconstantlypraisingtheaccessory handguardsI’vehadfitted, whichnotonly keepmyhandsdrier,butalsoallowme towear alightertypeofgloves.Suzuki’s heatedgripsmakesuremyfingersdon’t suffertoomucheither.Thebig tankrange isveryusefulandthough fillingitcancost nearly£30thesedays, Iliketheextra convenienceofnotneeding to interrupt journeys toooften.

ChrisMoss /2000miles/3 months

ON THE MONEY

There’smoreappetite thanever for ‘lightweight’adventurers–and the Chinese-madeCFMoto450MTticks alotof boxes

CFMoto 450MT

WORDS: AdamChild/ PHOTOS: CFMoto

CFMotohascome alongwayinthe35 yearssinceitsformation.TheChinese bike manufacturer, which nowhas 3000 dealers globallyandemploysover5500 staff,is emergingas aseriouscontender as we move into2024 –soseriousitevenhasentriesinthis season’sMoto2andMoto3series.

Theall-newCFMoto450MT(forMulti-Function Touring)isthecompany’slatestoffering:a 449.5ccadventurebike thatisaimed primarily, butnotexclusively,at theA2licencemarketand sitsalongsidethewell-regarded650MT,700MT and800MT. Featuringpurposeful, big-bikerally stylingand aslim,270-degreecrankparallel twin,the450MT boastsanappetite-whetting specthatincludeslong-travelmulti-adjustable KYBsuspension,220mmofgroundclearance, and adirt-focused21-inch/18-inchfront/rear wheelcombination.There’s alsoa 5-inchfullcolourdash alongwith Bosch tractioncontrol, dual-channelABS,andanadjustableseatand rally-stylescreen.Price?A seriouslyimpressive £5699.

The449.5cc parallel twinfeaturestwinbalance shaftsand a270-degreecrankshaftandis designedandproducedbyCFMotoinChina. Thebasemotorisalreadydeployedinthe450SR and450NKmodels,butCFMotohas introduced keyupdatestothecamshaft,intakesystem, fuellingandexhausttomakeitmoreadventure focused.

Asexpectedfortheprice,theMThas asimple setupwithnoridingmodestoalterthetorque mappingalongwith astraightforwardmechanical

throttlewithoutride-by-wire.Thisold-school simplicitymeansthere’slittletechnological wizardryto go wronginthemiddle of nowhere, butalso resultsin asnappythrottle response, especially offthebottomofthe revrange.Once thethrottleisopenandanyslackinthecableis takenup,thepowerdeliveryis relativelysmooth, andthebikefeelseagertogetonwiththeride. Yes,there’sonly41.57bhpavailablebut Iwas surprisedbytheliveliness of thetwin –andthe exhaustsoundspleasingly fruity,too.

You’llhavetousemore revsand gears tostay withthefastertraffic –andyousoonrealisethat revvingthe450MTtothe redline resultsinplenty ofvibration andnoise,butlittleelse.On onerare occasion Isawanindicated80mph on thedash, butnotfor long,and Isuspectthat,75mphor-abovecruisingmightbe aseriouslyvibey experience,andanythingabove90mphwillbe hardgoingindeed.

Ondirt,thatsharpthrottle givesthe450MT’s Chinese-madeCSTAmbrorubber atoughtime, butequallyit’sfunhavingenoughgrunttoslide the rear.TheMT’s lowandmid-rangetorque gavetheMT realpurposeanddrive(relatively speaking) onthedustytrailsencounteredon testandallowedthe reartobreakfreeeasilyand predictably(oncethetractioncontrolhadbeen switchedoff).

The chassiscomponentsareall newand bespoketothe450MT,andfeaturea tubular steelframethathas aremovableunderslung sectionandsubframewhichcanbothbe replacedeasilyshouldthey get damaged.KYB

suspensionhas200mmoftravelat both endsandissupposedlyfullyadjustable (although Icouldonlyfindadjusters forthe rebounddampingandspring preloadonthe rearshock)andgivesan impressive220mmofgroundclearance. Thewheelsarespokedandhavea 21-inchdiameterfrontandan18-inch diameter rear,whiletheMT’sdryweight is aclaimed175kg.

Stoppingpowerisprovidedby asingle 320mmdiscandfour-pistoncaliper, withtwo-channelABSprovidedby Bosch.TheABScanbeswitchedoff on themove,butatthe rear only.Onthe road,there’senoughstoppingpowerto makethefronttyresquealandskipon straight-linebrakingbut,onceagain,

there’s alackofbiteandfeel(thoughour testbikehadalmostzeromilesshowing, meaningthediscsandpadswere brand-new,sothebrakingperformance mayimproveovertime). TheABSworks tothesameparameterswhether offroador on-roadsokicksinpredictably earlywhenyouhittheloosestuff,butfor newridersthiswilladdextrasafety.

The450MTcopedwelloff-road. Some 90percentofour routewas on trails comprising of dustytracks,sonothing tooserious,butwhenwedidpush on abit the CF soakeduptheterrain superbly,thatlong-travelsuspension quiteunfazed.Presentedwithsteep inclines,thetwin’storquepulledus fuss-freetothetop(butonlyafterI’d

switched offtheTC). Facedwithmud, sand,deepwater,thebikejustdrove forwards,completelyunflustered,and showed itselftobea solidand robust off-roadbike –particularlyfortheprice. Pushhard,andthosetyresstruggle forgrip,whilethesuspensionlacksthe control ithasduringnormaltrailriding. Butthisisn’tabikeforoff-roadexperts, it’sforeverydayriderslookingfor alittle weekendadventure–andforthemthe CFMoto450MTundeniablydoes ajob. It’sdrop-it-in-the-mud,bounce-it-offa-rocksolidaswellasadoddletoride off-road.Mostcustomersaregoingto appreciatethatit’sbuiltto aprice,and justenjoyitsuncomplicatedqualitiesas adecenttrailbike.

BUYING USED

RoyalEnfield Himalayan411

2016-2023 /£2000-£4500

Theback-to-basicsand easy-tomanagesinglefrom theIndianfactoryhaswon legionsoffanstheworldover. Itmaynotbeblessedwith thesameoff-roadcredentials astheMT450,butit’sproven itself aseriouslycapablemud pluggerthatwillpullthrough prettymuchanythinginits owncharming,tractor-like, fashion.

SuzukiDR350

1992-1999 /£1500-£2600

Thisbike’searneditselfan enviable reputationamong thoseintheknow,whovalue itsrugged,go-anywhere, do-anythingabilitiesandits remarkableabilitytokeep goingwhenmanyotherrides wouldhavegiven up the ghostlongago. Youcanstill findthemcheap,too,whichis always abonus. Andtheyare super-simpletoworkon,even whenyou’reoutonthetrails.

HondaXL500S

1979-1984 /£2500-£4000

Theseareprettymuchclassic bikesnow.Prices haveshot up in recentyears –andif youwanttogetyourhands onone,you’regoingtoend up paying abitof apremium. Theyarebrilliantbitsof kitthough,with alovely, tractablemotor,easy-going handling,andHonda’sfamed bulletproofbuildquality.

JUSTDESERTS

We hitthedeep,sandystufftoseewhether

Ducati’slatestadventurebike should beon yourwishlist.

WORDS: Bruce Wilson/ PHOTOS: Dangerous /AlexPhoto/Ducati

DucatiDesert XRally

It’snoteveryday Iwipebloodfrommy lips,dirtfrommyeyes,andarchmy backin agony.Thenagain,it’s notevery day Ireturnfromhittingthe desertona 211kilo,110bhppukkaadventurebike, havinghadtwodaysofutteroff-roading extravagance.WhentheinviteforDucati’s DesertXRallylandedinmyinbox, Iwas expectinggoodthingsbutcouldn’thave imaginedthedirt-fuelleddelightsI’d indulge incrossingtheAtlasMountains andcampingoutamong thecamels. It’stimeadmitthatI’dneversomuch assatonthe road-inclined DesertX thatwastoformthecoreforthemore ‘goanywhere,doanything’Rally-spec machinethatsaw asolidhandfulof enhancementsoveritsbasemodel brethren.Newforks, anewshock,and awhopping910mmseatheightweren’t theonlyfeaturestojointhe party,made allthemoreutilitarianwithanadded skidpan,enhancedoff-roadelectronic algorithms,andtubedtyresonlighter Excelrims. You’reprobablystartingtoget thepicture,buttohammeritsoff-road focushome,Ducatitookthingsthat bit furtherwith atallmountedfront fender, MX-stylegraphics,and acockpitmount abovethevertically-placed5inTFTdash tomimicthestyleandpurposefulness ofthekindofbikeyouseehittingthe Dakar.Ofcourse,witha 937cc V-twin motorandmoretorquethana small car,thisthingpromised to benothing likethefeatherweightsinglesyousee boundingthroughthedesert,butthat’s nottosayitwouldn’thave themineralsto tackle400kmofunforgiving,unruly,and unrelentingtrailsin aplacesoaridnot evenweedswanttogrowthere. Butbeforeanysuchanticscould getunderway, firstwehad to leave thehospitableshelter ofourfive-star hotel,dodgingtractors,trucks,andthe maddestofscooterriders,swarmingthe

streets ofMarrakeshandthesurrounding suburbs. TheDucati,with itslofty riding positionandpunchymotor,made light work ofthatfirststretch,winningmeover quicklywith itscomfyridingpositionand impressiveagility,despitebeingkitted out withoff-roadinclinedPirelliScorpion Rally rubber.

Outof thetraffic andon tothetrails, thefunlevelcrankedup -highlighted by theever-growingdustclouds that onlybecame thickerandhigherasour confidencegrewand thepaceupped. My firstimpressionswerethatof abike well-suited to thelighter-going kindof track we were tackling,interspersed withtheoddpotholeanddrainage channel thatdoubledupas aplinthto get the Ducatiairborne.

Big rocks,sheerdrops and unpredictable gulleyskeptme on my toes,bouncingthelivingdaylights out ofmybonesas Istood tallonthepegs, grippingthesturdy,broad barsforallthey wereworth.Asmuchas Itriedto readthe ever-windingtrailahead,thedustwasso thickitwasoftentoolatetochangeline or reactbeforemybike’s21infrontwheel wastakingtheterrain on thechin, giving aworkouttomyheartrateandtheplushfeelingKYBclosedcartridgeforks.

Thegoingwastough,thepacewas quick,andthesound of theDucati’s boomingexhaustnotewasmakingme feelallfunnyinside. Therewas alot to likeaboutthe V-twin,especiallywiththe bikesetinrallymode,thetractiononlevel one,andthedeliveryindynamic. The thingwas abeast,pumping outponies liketheconsummatepowerhouse.But whatelsewas Itoexpectfrom amotor thatboasts atasty92Nmoftorque?

Inrallymode,the rearABSwas completelydisconnected,andthefront’s tech intrusionwasallbutvoid. Thebike’s powerfulBrembomonoblocsdidan

acejobofhaulingthebikeup,offering goodfeelwhendoingso,butthefinesse requiredwhenweaningdownthepace ontheloosestuff wassomethingan algorithmcouldnotpredict. Bythispointintheride,I’dnot messed aroundoverlywiththebike’selectronics, feeling relativelycontentwiththerally mode’spotencyandthesecurityofthe TCthatcamewithit. Talkingtooneof theotherjournos,whowasthe fastest inourgroup,hesuggested Iswitched toenduromode,keepingthepower upatfullbutchangingthethrottlemap from‘dynamic’to‘smooth’.Thatkindof figured,buthissuggestiontocompletely disengagethetractiondidmakeme questionwhetherhewasjustwanting toseemecrash.Atthatpoint,thetrails hadneverfeltmoretreacherous,sothe ideaoflosingthatbitofsafetynetmade methinklongandhard…foralloftwo seconds.Infor apenny,infor apound.It wasmind-blowingtograsphowdifferent thisbikenow felt,and IonlywishI’d gonedownthis routesooner.Forthe nextfewhours, Ifound anewlevelof adorationforthebigDucati.I’m all for bigpowerandbigthrottle,butonthis kindofridethesmootheryouwere,the fasteryouwent.

It’sclearthatDucati’striedtodoits ownthingwiththissteed,buildingon the firm foundationsof awannabedirt devil(DesertX) andspec’ingit so well thatithasbecomean actual fiendinthis field. Thatfeataloneisimpressive –but it’sataprice.Ifit floatsyourboat,you’ll probablyhavetolooklongandhard downthebackof afewsofasfor afigure sohighitmakestheseatseemlow.At £18,995itain’tcheap,butifyouwant toseetheworld, andbeabletotackle prettymuchwhatevercomesyourway, thereare muchworsetravel companions outthere.

Yamaha Ténéré700

2019-Now /£4000-£10,116

WhileFastBikes’ breadandbutteris spinninglapsonthe latestandgreatest sportbikes,they’vea properpenchantforthe roughstuff,too.They’re seriouslyhandyonthe dirt –andiftheysaya bike’s good,you’ddo welltolisten.Formore goodstuffjustlikethis, scanthe codeandbag yourselfthelatestcopy. Whatare youwaitingfor?

The Ténéréneedsno introduction.Themuchanticipated‘new’version of Yamaha’sDakar-inspired middleweightadventurebikehas dominatedsinceits releaseback in2019.Atthe timeofits launch, thekeenlypriced,stripped-back, and relativelysimpletwinoffered somethingdifferent(andmore manageable)to the increasingly bloatedadventurebikesthathad beentopping the saleschartsfor years;anditwassuch asuccess thatothermanufacturershave followedsuit.

HondaCRF1000L Africa Twin

2016-2019 /£5500-10,000

The first generationofbig H’smodernAfrica Twinwas awinner.Excellentvalue, ruggedlyhandsomegoodlooks, realoff-roadcredentialsanda flexibleand rewardingparallel twinmotor.Sure,it’sabigold lump -butit’ssurprisinglyagile onthe roughstuffinthehands oftherightrider.Itsoldvery well,sothereare plentyofbikes ingoodshapeupforgrabsthat won’tbreakthebank.

2003-2012 /£3500-£7000

Thisisbyfartheclosestof the bunchto the Desert XRally. Withrally-raidstylinganda reputationforbeingjustasgood onthe roadasoffit, the990 Adventureremainsagreatbuy ifyou’reafter aproperlycapable do-it-allride.It wasabigdeal atthetimeofitslaunch,making wavesandnabbingsalesfrom BMW’sever-dominantGS range,andhassinceearnedan almostcult-likestatusamong riderswholike theirfueltanks bigandtheirtyres knobbly.

LONG-LEGGED LUNATIC

BiggerisbetterasfarasKTM’snew Super Dukegoes.Johnny getsstuckinwiththe massivetwinontrackandgives us histake.

WORDS: JohnMcAvoy/ PHOTOS: KTM

KTM1390 Super Duke

Forallit’savailable performanceand technicalfeatures,theSuperDuke absolutelynailstheonethingany motorbikemustdeliveronaboveallelse –fun.Inthecompanyofbikeswithmore power,greatertechfeaturesand,insome cases,smallerpricetags,the1290Super Duke Rhasbeenabletorisetothetop ofthepileeverytimebypullingoffoneof motorcycling’s hardesttricks –tobeariot torideand allkinds ofnaughty, butnotat allintimidatingordifficulttogetalongwith.

Onpaper,the1290’sengine,whichis actually1301cc,shouldbelumpyanda bitof ahandfulthankstothetwomassive 108mmdiameterpistonsthatthrash aroundinsideit,butthe realityisthetotal opposite.Themotordelivershuge torque numbersinalltherightplaceswhilebeing asmechanicallysmoothasaV4.

The1390gets acapacityincrease to 1350cc,which,byvirtueof thefactthat theactualcapacity of the1290isbigger thanitsnameandtheactualcapacityof the1390issmallerthanitsname,means thatitgets a49cccapacityincrease.The resultofthelargercapacityandvariable valvetimingis anew peakpower figure of187bhpandnewpeaktorque figureof 107lb-ft;forcontext, aDucatiStreetfighter V4makes90lb-ftandthe BMWM1000R produces83lb-ftoftorque.Theengine isbeyondepic,it’sa totalmasterpiece ofengineering,butcruciallyit’sbeen developedwiththeriderinmindinstead of aspecsheet.

KTMsaysthatthe1390 SuperDukeis60 percent differenttothe1290,so onceyoufactorinthenew cylinderhead,new pistons

forthenewbore size,anddifferent gear ratiosforfifthandsixthgearstomake themshorter(theywereverytallonthe 1290), abiggerairbox,biggerfueltank, andbiggerradiatortocope withtheextra power,that’sprettymuchthe60percent KTMis referringto.The rest of thebikeis moreorlessthesameasthe1290.

Theanaloguesuspensionon the Ris updatedtothelatest WP Apexkitand theelectronicsuspensionon theEvo getsnewforksand awholenewsetof electronicmapsandparametersthat canbeaccessed,includinghigh and lowspeeddampingviathe‘Pro’ screen, whichbringsmeneatlytomy ongoing–andonly real –bone of contentionwith theSuperDuke…

Inordertogetallthe ridermodes, rider aids,thequickshifter/blipper,adjustable enginebraking andtraction control unlocked –allofwhichyougetasstandard ontheKTM’scompetition –youneed to handoveranother£1086ifyou’re buying theEvoor£850fortheR,whichtakesthe priceto£18,849forthe Rand£20,685 fortheEvo.These arebignumbers, andactuallycancelouttheKTM’sprice advantageoverits rivals.Without those featuresallunlocked,theSuperDuke actuallyhas aprettyordinaryspecinthe techdepartment,andactuallymanyof thosefeatures reallyaddtotheoverall positiveexperienceofridingit,soyou wouldbemadnottogetthem‘unlocked’.

We only got totesttheSuperDukeon track,sointerms of electronicrideraids itwasthebestplacetoplayaroundwith alotof theminthetimeavailable. Iended upusingthesmoother,softer‘street’ throttlemap,adding aload ofpreloadto the rearshocktohelpthebikegripatfull lean(more onthatin abit). Ididn’ttouch theenginebraking,ABS,ordamping settingsbecause Ireallylikedtheones thatcamewiththebikeintrackmode, and Iturneddownthetractioncontrolto itslowestlevel(again,to helpwith alack of reargrip),andanti-wheeliewasoffjust cozwheeliesarecool.

Ontrack,it’sinstantlyfamiliarandso easyto get alongwith. The ridingposition isstillspaciousandforan uprightnaked bike,youreallyfeelconnectedtothe fronttyreina waythat givestheKTM asportsbikefeelduringtheturn-inand mid-cornerphases of cornering.The brakesarestillthesameBrembo Stylema caliperandMCSmastercylinderset up, which is prettymuchthebestbrakeset upthatmoneycanbuythesedaysfor aproductionbike. TheMichelinfront tyredeserves amentionatthispointfor beingstableandpassingon reallyclear feedbackwhileunder alotofstress,and nodoubtcontributingtotheSuperDuke’s rateofturnandstability.

DucatiMultistrada 1200

2010-2015 /£4000-£9000

Whileit’s‘technically’an adventurebike,the ’strada’s probablybetterdescribedas asportsbikeonstilts,offering sharphandling,bagsofpower and anear-perfectbalanceof long-leggedpoiseandbigmilecomfort.It’saremarkable bike –buttheyholdtheirvalue well,soyou’llhavetodo abit ofsearchingto findonefor reasonablemoney.

Thisisjust asmalltaste ofthefull,in-depth track reviewfrom serious,experienced testerJohnnyMacin FastBikesmagazine.If youwanttoknowmore aboutthelatestSuper Duke,youneedto get yourself acopy.It’s proper.

We didn’tgettoridethe 1390onthe road,which,infairness,isits natural habitat,butgiventhefactthattheonly weaknesswe’veever noted fortheSuperDukewason track,it’sgreattohave had the opportunitytospin alot oflaps on itandcomeaway satisfied.

BMWR1200R

2006-2014 /£2500-£6250

BMW’sfamedbigboxer engineofferssomething abit differentintheincreasingly crowdedbignakedmarket. Everyoneknowsit’sacracking motor –butit’sprobablynot themostobviouschoice forsomeonewho’sinthe marketforsomethingsporty. They’remissingoutthough; the first R1200Risseriously underratedand awell-puttogetherall-rounderthat willsatisfyallbutthemost aggressiverider.

2013-2016 /£5000-£9000

It’dberudenottoalsohavea lookatthebikethatthe1390 replaces.Thisone’sthe first generationbigone (which replacedthe990) –andwhile it’sbeennippedandtucked, tweaked,andimprovedover theinterveningyears,itsarmwrenchingpower,bagsofmidrangepunchandlightweight handlinghaveagedverywell.

SNOWDONIA

Ride anetworkofwide,sweepingroadsthrough an area of intrigueencapsulatedin hauntinglandscapes.It’s timetoturnthemyths intorealityinNorthWales.

ThereislittlewonderthatSnowdonia remainsso popularwithbikers,particularlyaroundthefavoured spotsofBalaandBetwys-y-Coed.Thelattervillage liesintheConwy Valley,locatedinthehistoriccounty ofCaernarfonshire,rightontheboundarywith Denbighshire,intheGwydirForest.Itisfavoured bymanyforan overnightstaywithitsabundanceof B&Bestablishments,cosypubsandeateriesinthe mainstreet,HolyheadRoad.Littlewonder,then, that Betws-y-CoedisNorth Wales’mostpopularinland resortandaccommodationprovider.Incorporatesome fabulousmountain roadssuchasthatwhichrunsfrom Betwys-y-CoedtoBlaenauFfestiniogandyouwill havefoundNirvana.

WHAT’S YOURS?

There’snothingquitelike abitof localknowledgewhenitcomesto finding thebestroadsanareahas tooffer.Ifyou’vegot atopblast onyourdoorstep(andyoudon’t mindsharing),we’dloveto hearfromyou.

Andwhatcouldbebetterthanenjoying aridearound theenormousbulk of MountSnowdon?

StartingfromCaernarfon,jointheA4085,whichwill takeyouintothefoothills.Asyou crestthehillhaving pastRhyd-Ddu,makesureyouglanceupleftover themountain’sflanksandyoushouldbe abletospot thesummitcaféifit’saclearday.Havingarrivedin Beddgelert,headleft alongtheA498 andleftagain fora differentperspectiveofthesummit,thistime beingmore jaggedandtriangular,andsetamongst ahorseshoeof cliffs.OnceatPen yGwrydturnleft,andyouwillride throughLlanberisPass.Itishere,atPen-y-Pass,which marksthestartofMountSnowdon’smostpopular hiking routes.Fromhereit’sapleasantridedownhillto

LlanberisandbacktoCaernarfon. AlapofSnowdonis just alittletasterofwhatthisareahastooffer. YoucaneasilyextendtheridebyheadingtoBetws-yCoedontheA4086andtheA5.Fromthisbeautiful,but busytown,youhave acoupleofgreatoptions if youwant to returntoCaernarfon. YoucantaketheA470toBlaenau FfestiniogovertheCrimeaPassandenjoythefaster roadwiththedramaticslate-stonescenery.Oryoucan carryon alittlefurthereastontheA5,thentake aright towardsYsbytyIfanontheB4407.Thisisamuchsmaller road,withlovelymountainviews.Attheendofthe road turnrighttowardsFfestiniogandBeddgelert if youwant to returntoCaernarfon,butdon’tmissthe CwmCynfal viewpointsoonafteryouhavejoinedtheB4391.

Don’tfollowthat car

– overtake it!

–overtakeit! SAYNOTOQUEUES

PartFour:

Overtakingand filteringarepart of whatmakesmotorcycling great.Butthey arealso litteredwithpotentialhazards. We spoketoEnhancedRider Scheme (ERS)trainerIanBurchellfromPhoenixMotorcycle Training tofindouthow to overtakeand filter,butstillkeepitsafe…

Thebigadvantageofridinga motorcycleisthatovertakingslower vehiclescanbecompleted quicker andsafer on twowheels. Overtakes areapartofwhat makesyourride flowandsetmotorcyclesapart fromcarsbecauseoftheirsizeand manoeuvrability.Getitrightandit’s safeandeffective,butasyoumay havesuspected,it’snotassimpleas itsounds,norwithoutitshazards.

Thereare somekeyrulesto rememberaboutovertakes.The firstoneis‘Do Ineedtoovertake’? Whileyoucouldarguethatit’srare toabsolutely‘haveto’overtake, insomesituationsthebenefitsof overtakesaregreaterthaninothers. Forexample,ifyouarefollowing aslowtractorwithhaybalesona trailer,andit’s safetoassumethat itwillnotbeturningoffthe road anytimesoon, asafeandskilled overtakewillletyougetonwithyour ridewithouthavingtositbehindthe tractorinthedustfromthehayor anydebrisfallingfromthetrailer. Withsomanydifferentvariables involvedinovertaking,fromthe speedsto roadconditions,andthe weathertovehiclestoname buta few,itisalways acaseofassessing thebenefitsoftheovertakeonan individualbasis.

Anotherquestionto askyourself before overtakingiswhetherthe overtakeisappropriateinthe circumstanceyouareinatthetime. Again,thereare severalvariedfactors atplay,butforinstance,youmight wantto stay behind aslowervehicle ifyouareplanningonturningoffthe roadsoon.Overtakinginthatsituation wouldonlyoffer amarginalgain,and potentiallymeanthatyouthenneedto slowdownrightin frontofthevehicle youjustovertook. Not cool. Aswithanyotherareaofriding,you shouldalsobe carefulnottoexecute anovertakenear ahazard.Even somethingthatwouldn’trequire any actionfromyouatnormalspeedcan be aproblemifyouareaccelerating ontheothersideofthe roadduring anovertake.Goodobservations

and readingthe roadandyour surroundingswillhelpwiththis. Thereisalsothequestionof whetheryourbikeiscapableof doingthe overtakesafely.You should befamiliarenoughwiththebike youare ridingtoknowhow quickly andstronglyitovertakes,butthis canalsodepend on theloadyou arecarrying(especiallyifyouhave apillionpassenger)andexternal factorssuchasaltitudeandwind. Agood ruletofollowisthatyour overtakeshouldnothaveanimpact onanyother roadusers.Thismeans thatasyouare doingyourovertake, thevehicleyouareovertakingand any roadusersnearthemshouldbe abletocontinuetheirjourneyasif youweren’teventhere.

Asyou cangatherfromallofthis, planningisessentialtoexecutea nice,safeovertake.But aplanfor anovertakeshouldalsoallowforan optiontoabandontheovertakeatany pointif anewhazard comesintoview. Infact,neitherovertakingnor filtering (which isslowovertaking, really)should evenbestartedunlessyouknow whereyou aregoingtofinishback onyoursideofthe road. Before you starttheovertake,youshouldcheck thatifyoumoveouttoovertake,and thenwanttoabandontheovertake, youcan returntowhere youstarted fromwithout aproblem. Youshould thenidentifyenough placesto pull intoduringtheovertakesothatyou haveyouroptionsopenforthewhole durationofthemanoeuvre.Andfinally, thereshouldbe anice,safeplaceto finishtheovertake.

Overtakingisalwaysdone on the offsideofthevehicleyouare overtaking(inthe UK that’sonthe right). Theonlytimewhen anearside overtakeisacceptableiswhenyou are on amulti-lanecarriagewayina slow-movingqueue of traffic. Slow-moving traffic bringsusneatly toanother wayofgettingpastslower vehicles: filtering... Manyriders regularly filterthrough whenfaced withlong,stationary, or slow-movingqueuesofvehicles.Itcan

Howtoovertake

and filter safelyandeffectively

be a great way to save time by using your bike’s size and agility to find a way past other

be agreatwaytosavetime byusingyourbike’ss agilityto findawaypastother traffic. Justaswithovertakes,filtering comeswithits challengesandhazards, soit’snot alwayssimple. Filtering requiresgreat careandcan exposeyoutoadditionalhazards. Don’tforgetthatyouare very vulnerableonyourbikeinbetween allthevehiclesyouare filtering through.Itonlytakes oneofthemto switchlanesinfront of youtocreate apotentiallydangeroussituation. Manypeoplegetfrustratedintheir vehicleswheninqueuingtraffic, andit’snotuncommonforpeopleto changelaneswithoutindicatingor checkingifit’sdefinitelyclear.This isdifficult toanticipate,butgood observation,planning andanticipation willhelpminimisethe risks.

Theremayalsobe aphysical reasonforthequeuingtraffic, such as roadconditions, debrisorother hazard.Andifthetrafficis very slow,theremaybepedestrians andcyclistsmovingbetweenthe vehicles.Being readytonegotiate allthesepotentialhazardsispartof your filteringplan.

Makingyourselfaseasily noticeableaspossibleisimportant when filtering.Usinglightsis recommended,aswellasusing yourhorn ifthathelpstomakeyour presenceknownto others.

Youshouldtakeextremecareand moveslowenoughtobeableto reacttoanyhazardswhen filtering. Evenifitseemstemptingtozip throughlines of traffic,youshould only moveat aspeed whereyouare abletostop or negotiatehazardsthat maycomeintoviewveryrapidly. Be ready,andmakesureyou constantlyidentifyspotswhereto jointrafficifthe queuestartsmoving atnormalspeedagain.

There’s alot tothinkaboutwith overtakingand filtering,but agood placetostartisaskingyourselfifit’s necessary,safe,andlegal.Ifit’sall thosethings,thenjustuseyourskill andgoahead.

Where toget the skills?

PhoenixMotorcycle Trainingare theUK’slargest motorcycletrainingorganisation,withERS coursesavailableatseverallocations. To findyour nearestlocation,visitphoenixmotorcycletraining. co.ukorcall 0330 2234000.

Howtoget better quick?

Unfortunately,thereare noshortcutstobecoming anadvancedrider,itwilltaketimeandpractice. However,youcanmaketheprocessmuch quickerandeasierbysigninguptodoatraining dayliketheone-dayEnhancedRiderScheme (ERS)with aqualifiedandDVSAapprovedtrainer.

SAFETYFIRST

It’s easytogetcomplacent andleave yourpride andjoy unprotected,butwithbiketheftrampant, you’dbe afoolnottohave at leastonesecurity deviceinyourarsenal.

ISTHERE ARATINGSYSTEM?

Forphysicalsecurity, the Sold Secure sticker is amust. Sold Secure is ownedbythe Master LocksmithsAssociation, workingwiththe Police,majorinsurancecompaniesandusing formercriminals’knowledge.

Motorcycles have ageneral‘Gold’rating (scootersget atwo-tier system). To earn this,theproduct must resist fiveminutes of attackfromacombinationof toolslike screwdrivers,hacksawsanddrills with variousblades,pry/wrecking bars,bolt croppersandfreezingagents.

Thereisahigher ‘Diamond’rating. To earn thistheproduct must resist attackwithan anglegrinder!

BUYSOMETHING ‘SOLD SECURE’ ANDI’MFINE…?

Sadly,no.It’ssad to say, butwhat you’retrying to doismove scumbagonfromyourbikeon to an easiertarget. Security islikeanonion;it worksinlayers. If you have adisclock(maybe alsofront brakeleverlock),plus achainand anchor,then Scumbagwill go andlook at anotherbikewithlessinplace.

WHATELSEIS AVAILABLE?

Physical? We’relooking at GroundAnchors. Many bikesarestolen at home; aground anchorisanimmovableobjecttoattachyour bikeonto. It workswithaChainand Padlock. Alsouseful away from home,achainand

padlock should be fittedthroughthe rear wheel/throughthe frameand keptOFFthe ground(it’s harder tocutachain ifit’s inthe air). Away fromhome,use inconjunction with aDiscLock. They’rethemostportable and easiesttouse,simplyslideon to thefront discandlock.Thekey here is space; there shouldn’t be agap that allowsThievingFilth to getatthe barrunning throughthedisc.

WHATABOUTIMMOBILISERSAND TRACKER?

Notobvious,but worthwhile.Immobilisers stop Filthfrom startingthebikeand riding away.Trackers?Seenfor myselfhowuseful thesecan be.OneofthedealersIworkwith

hada demobikestolen by Scum.Fittedwitha tracker, theyhad thecompany activate, then trackedittoaspecific garage,andcontacted the Policewho attendedwith them to retrieve.

ISTHEREANYTHINGELSE ICAN DO?

If you have agarage, youcan fit aGarageDoor Defender.It’sanadditional layerofsecurity at home,working by stopping thedoorfrom openingunlessitisunlocked.If your bikehas to be stored outside,doyourbesttomakeit invisible.Use abikecover –ifyou can’t see it,then at aglanceitcould be aWinterRat Bike or aHyperbike.Use as many layers of security as possible,andif you canitshould be securedtosomethingimmovable.

DundrodU-Locks utilisedouble-walled lockchambers, anddouble-locking shackleswitha corrosion-resistant coating. Theyare pick-proofand highly resistantto allcommonforms ofattack,including sawing,freezing, drilling,torque, wedge,cutting, andcropping. Milencochainsare constructedfrom thehighestquality chrome-molysteel, offeringoutstanding resistancetobolt cutterandsaw attacks.Notbad,right?

Withbothlockandchaincarryingthe SoldSecureGoldrating,I’mconfident bothitemswillkeepmybikesafe fromphysicalattack –sothetesting concentratedoneaseofuse,transport, andeffectivenessas avisualdeterrent. Thekeyturnseasilyinthelockevery time,anditiseasytosliptheshackle throughthechain.At1.4metres,the chainislongenoughtoslip rounda postbutshortenoughto –withcareful mounting –keepitfrom danglingonthe

SHADSERIES3 HANDLEBAR LOCK

JonathanSchofield /£61.98 /www.shad.co.uk

floor(makesithardertotrytocut). Ifyouareintendingtousethechain andlockawayfromhome,at5kgI’d suggestit’snot agood ideatostashin yourbackpack.Iftheworsthappens, youdon’twantthisbangingagainst yourspine.Milencomake acarrybag (£22.99).Itsecurestoyourbikebytwo lengthsofbungee –anditisexactly therightsizetotakethelockandchain combo.Nice.

Well,let’sthinkaboutwhatwouldturna bikethief offinstantly.Firstly,thatthebikeor scooternextto yourshasnoanti-theftdevicesonit. Youare locked toanimmoveableobject,orthere is abrilliantlyvisual deterrentstraightthereinplainsight!

TheSHADSeries 3handlebarlockisthelatter;a simple,practical,andvisuallystrongdeterrentthat’s convenientandeasytolivewith.Itconsistsofa mountingplatethat goesunderyourscooter’s seat unitand alengthof securitycable(threelengths currentlyavailable –38cm,44cmand49cm),which connectstooneendofthehandlebarcreatinga secure andvisibletheft deterrent.Withthissystem youarenotconnectedtothewheels or brake discs sothelikelihoodofsettingoffwhilestilllockedupis expunged.Whennotinusethecable/lock sitssnuggly underthefrontoftheseatunitcompletelyoutofthe way.Awonderfulpieceofsimplisticdesign.

It’sacleanandpracticalsecurity solution,witha bonusofmaking averyhandyand secure helmetlock, shouldyoubewearing afullface.

PÉGASEFLASHBIRDMOTO TRACKER

DomHumby/£270(withnosubscriptionfees) /www.smtperformances.com

Oneofthebestoptionsto keepaneyeonyourrideis atracker.Thereare afew differentoptions outthere,but recentlywe’vebeen givingthe PégaseFlashbirdMotoTracker ago.

Thesubscription-freesystem offers ahighchanceinthe realworldof finding your ride shoulditbetaken,plusit’lltell youwhenissuesarisewithits suspiciousactivitynotifications intheform of texts,emails, andappnotifications. Installation issimpleand straightforward.Simplyattach thetrackertoyourbattery (followtheinstructionsplease butit’sonlytwoclearly markedcables)and fix the trackersomewheresuitable onyourbike.Thendownload theappandfollowtheset upprocedure. Tenminutes laterandyou’re done! Younow havefull trackingcapabilityinthepalmofyour hands.

UsingthePégaseAppiseasy. Youcan lockanddisablethetracker,track,and shareyourrides,trackyourspeed (lowest, highest,andaverage)– andforyoutrack dayridersyoucan eventrackyourlean angle,too.Ifyourbikeis avictimof abduction,you’reabletofollowdirections

CROCLOCKHANDLEBARLOCK

RossMowbray /£25.95 /www.croclock.co.uk

Thisis apropernattylittlesolutionthat’s arguably eveneasiertocarry thantheaforementioneddisc lock.TheCroclock’s beenaround foryears –andhas earneditself asolid reputationforbeinganeasy-touseandhighlyvisibletheftdeterrentforscooters andbikes.

It’sasimplething,whichlocksthebrakelevertothe handlebartopreventyourprideandjoybeingpushed orriddenaway.It’sprobablynot thesturdiestof solutions,butitismadefrom reinforcedplastic,which isimpactandsaw resistant,which’llstoppotential thievesthinkingyourride’seasypickings. The Croclock’smorevisibleandeasiertofitthan adisc lock –andit’salsoimpossibletoforget.I’veseenmore than oneriderset offwiththeirdisc lockstill in place –andtheywereluckytogetawaywithveryminimal damage.Nosuchproblemswiththissuper-affordable andsimplesolution.

tothelocationofyourbike;handyif you’re inpursuitandcanguidetheemergency services.Ifyouhavemultiplemachines, thenyoucanhavemultipletrackersall syncedtooneaccountandmanagethem allfromoneplaceindividually. Pégaseareontosomething remarkable formotorcyclesafetyintermsofkeeping yourprideandjoysafefor aone-offcost. I’vebeenimpressed.

OXFORDNEMESIS16MM DISCLOCK

NicholasEllis /£89.99 /www.oxfordproducts.com

Forsimplicityandeaseof use,there’slittlethatcan beat agoodold-fashioneddisclock.Lightenoughto chuckinthebottomof arucksackortuck underyour bike’sseatandwhipouteasilywhenyougettoyour destination –but sturdyenoughtomakeittrickyfor light-fingeredloutstosimplysnapthesteeringlock andwheelawayyourbike.

TheOxfordNemesisis acrackingexample,featuring a16mm hardenedshackleandananti-pickdouble lockingmechanism –and itcanalsobe usedasa padlock(ifyouhave acompatiblechainthatyou’re happytolugaround).

I’vebeenusingthisforseveralyears,anddespite taking bottomofpan inthew still ho well.Evenbetteris approvedan SoldSecu meansyoucangetan insurancediscountwhen youuseone.Howgood isthat?

TWIN PEAKS

Suzuki GSX-8S,Honda Hornet 750

Paralleltwinfourstrokeswith acrank configurationof 270° areenvoguerightnow. Arethey the21stCentury’sanswer totheubiquitous UJMof40yearsago?

Words: DaveManning

Photography: GaryChapman

Ofcourse,the UniversalJapanese Motorcycleofthe late Seventiesand Eighties wasanair-cooledinline four-cylinder machineoffairly conventionalarchitecture:double overhead cams;camchain running in acentral tunnel;alternatoron theleft-handendofthe crank; four carburettors;and adoubledowntube framein steeltubing.Fairly unadventurous stuff.

Butthen,giventhat pretty much everymotorcyclemanufacturer that sells amachineof between600and 800cc rightnow is making abike that conforms to the parameters of water-cooled four stroke,parallel twin, fuelinjectionand perimeterframe, itcould be argued that that ispretty unadventurous,too.

However, in parity withthebikes beingbuilt to the UJMidiomof40 years ago, if amid-capacity270° parallel twin stillgivesaffordableandexciting motorcycling, what’s not to like?

SUZUKIGSX-8S

I’dbeenwaitingpatientlytohavea rideonthe Hammamatsu company’s new parallel twinforfar toolong. And theglowing reportsthatI heard from everyonewho rode one weren’t really helping. So,itwas with greatdelight that Islungmyleg overtheGSX-8’s seat, fingers crossedwiththethought that, afterallthat apprehension, Imay be disappointedintheend result…I wasn’t.

In comparisontomostoftheother twinsonthe market (or, forthat matter, just aboutany bikebuiltinthe last five or so years)there’snot much inthe way ofairboxroar, andwhileit spinsupquite nicely,the776cc twin does seem to run outofoomphinthehigher ranges,so it’s perhapsbesttoslightlyshortshift(despite that actuallybeingalittle less fun) rather than chasethe9750rpm redline. Thereare some slight vibesthrough the pegsataround5500rpm,and this doestend to tiein with aspeed that you’relikelytosit at whilecovering milesonthe motorway.Myresponse to that littlequibble would be to either change yourspeed,orchoosea more interestingroute…

The waythat it carriesthe revs higherupthe revrange doesgivea littleindicationas to thedirectionthat Suzuki went intheirdevelopment ofthisengine.Thecamlobeshavea reductionin widtharoundthe base circle, to reducedrag, andwhile there shouldn’t be anycontact betweencam

andfolloweratthis pointonthe cam, reducingthe potentialcontact patch reducesdrag that canresultfromtheoil filmbetweenthe twoand,ofcourse,it reduces weight, too.

Anyreductionin weight iscountered by the twin balanceshafts –one foreach piston,onein frontofthecrankshaft, one below–whereasmostmodern twins have asingle balanceshaft.

Unusuallyfor amodernengine,rather than have downdraughtinletsthethrottle bodiesaresited in aflatterplane,and they’reactuallysmallerthrottle bodies than you’d expect,maybetoinduce torque alittlelowerdownthe revrange, whichisalliedtotheundersquareformat (84mm stroke by 70mm bore)togive aspecificationthat would seem to be focusedontorque and bottom-endgrunt.

My initialthoughts to thisarethat Suzuki have along-termplan(not unusual,giventheir formwiththe vee twin650and1000/1050ccengines,the longevityofthe GSX-R1000K5engine and,previously,theair-/oil-cooled GSX-R/Bandit powerplants),andthat the parallel twin will be developed into larger-capacity/sportierformats. Iwonderhow much meat thereisin the barrels forlargerpistons?...and itfeelslikeitisasolid,undertuned powerplantthatwill last forever.

Thequickshifteris typical Suzuki fare, albeit withthe occasionalglitch inwhich it would stutterafter ashift, almostas thoughtheshifterthoughtthatitneeded

asecond go,but this wasrareand,while thefive-inchTFT dashis reallyeasy to read,itis alittle toobrightatnight, although I’lladmit to notlookingatthe settings to seeifthis canbechanged. Thereare three ridermodes,A,Band C, whichfrommyperspectiveare pretty much irrelevant.Why?Well,asthere’sa greatleveloffeedback fromthethrottle, withno snatchinessorhesitation even inthe sportiestofsettings,thenit’seasy enough to tricklearoundindubious conditions,evenwiththetractioncontrol switched off (which, onceitis switched off,stays off,unlikeothersystems that resetitwhenthe ignitionis turnedoff).I just leftitinthe sportiest, mostpowerful, anddirectmode. No problem. It lookssuperb, andwhilethe slimand pointy tail sectionisn’t goingtobeof benefittopillionsorluggagecapacity,it doeshelpthe style, andemphasisesthe factthat it’s gotabig, manly180 section rear tyre comparedtothe Honda’s wimpy160…

Forluggagethereare onlyhooks at the back ofthepillion peghangers and the numberplatebracketry,although Ifoundthat acargo netdidholda gallonfuel canonthepillion seat quite effectively.This wasn’tdown to anyfuel consumption paranoiawiththe GSX, butbecause Iwascommutingbetween homeand Cadwell Park forthe last roundofthe Bandit Challenge,and needed to pickupanextra gallonof fuel forthe racebikeatsome point.

Thatsaid,whenthefuel warninglight startedflashing, onlyasmidgeover 10litres went into atank claimedas being14litresin volume,soitmeans that you’vegot the best part of agallon (probably 35miles worth) beforeyou rundry.

Thatwiderreartyremay slow down the steering atad, butthe Suzuki isno supertanker –ithandles reallywell. Withtheprovisothat the road onwhich you’retravellingisofgoodquality. The suspension dampingis, to be frank,of abudgetlevel andwhileitis easy to assumethat thisisanissue, the reality isthat itisn’t! Much likevarious Suzuki modelsthat have come before, thefact that the GSX-8doesn’t have greatfork andshock dampingisactuallyquite endearing.

Boththe600 and1200 Bandit hadvery basicsuspension,asdidthe SV650,and theywereallfantasticbikes,andthe same canbesaid forthe GSX-8. It seems that Suzuki have an abilitytomakeabrilliant bikewhile keeping the suspensionR&D costs to aminimum.Ormaybe thisis philanthropyontheir part,opening thedoorstoaftermarket suspension suppliers?...

Theinitialcompetitiveprice hasgone up by acoupleof hundred quid since it waslaunched, so it’s nowovereight grand, so morethan£500morethanthe Hondaand Yamaha equivalents,anda coupleof hundred quidmorethanthe (builtin China) KTMDuke790.

TECHSPEC

SuzukiGSX-8S

Price: £8199

Engine: 776cc,water-cooledparalleltwin,270° crank, DOHC, 8valve

Power: 81.8bhp(61kW)

Torque: 60.2lb-ft(78Nm)

Frame: Steeltube,bolt-onsubframe

Wheelbase: 1465mm

Brakes: (F) Twin310mmdiscs, 4pistonradial mountNissincalipers,(R)240mmdisc,single pistonNissinslidingcaliper

Transmission: 6speed,chain final drive

Suspension: (F)KYBinvertedfork, nonadjustable,130mmtravel(R)KYBmonoshock, adjustablepreload

Wheels/Tyres: (F)Castaluminiumwheel, 120/70x17”,(R)Castaluminiumwheel, 180/55 x17”

Seatheight: 810mm

Fuelcapacity: 14litres

MPG: 59mpg(tested),67.2mpg(claimed)

Weight: 202kg(dry/wet)

Warranty: 3years(plus7-year/70,000service activatedwarranty)

Serviceintervals: 3750miles/6000km Contact: www.suzuki.co.uk

HONDA HORNET750

Whenthe BigHannouncedanew Hornet acoupleof yearsago,many ofus were expectingabikesimilar to that oftheoriginal600cc version, or eventhe very first,radically styled 250cc Japanese-marketonly inlinefour-cylinder screamer.So, discovering that thenew machine wastobeaparallel twin was somethingofadisappointment. Adisappointmentthatwas totally blown outofthe wateruponthe first ride…and,whiletheaesthetics areyet to trulymakeanimpression onme,the ridingexperience has remainedconsistently goodfun. Perhapsthe first surprisewas the nice,fruitybellowfromtheairbox,

with avee twin-alikesoundtrack rightthe waythrough to the redline (atwhichpointthe revcounter outer edge turns yellow), beforethelimiter clicks in.Althoughthere’snorealneed to actuallyrev it rightthe waytothe limiter,despitethe joyofthe aural accompaniment, butifyou’reholding on to above9000rpm before shifting, thenthe Hornet reallydoesboogie. Much likeaKTM parallel twin,there seems to be noletupordropoffof powerthroughoutthe revrange,and awillingnesstorev that lendsitself to clicking upanddown the boxand keepingitspinningregardlessofthe factthat there’snot reallyany need to doallthat cogshifting. Butitisfun…

The poweroutputof91bhpdoesn’t sound tooimpressivenowadays, butit isnearly 10bhpmorethanthe(larger capacity) Suzuki,andtheargumentof notneedingany morethan100bpon the roads oftheUKisprobably more validnowthaniteverhas been. Being able to useeachoneofthosehorses does make foramoreenjoyable ridingexperience,andit’s morethan enough to keepaheadofpretty much anyfour-wheeledtraffic that you’ll encounterona regularbasis. Judgingfrompublicconsensus, aestheticsis alittleonthebland side.Perhaps‘bland’istoo harsha word,asitcertainlyain’tugly, but it hasabitof amiddle-of-the-road

‘Honda-ness’ that remindsoneof theutilitarianmodels in therange. It just doesn’tlookasexcitingas the Suzuki.Maybe the grey livery doesn’thelp,andthe yellowdecals (that lookdecidedlysun-bleached) probably contribute. The narrow rear tyre perhapsagesthelookof thebikeaswell,althoughitdoes make forquickersteering(which is theexact reason it waschosen),and the Hornetis abreezeto throw from side-to-sideinthe twisties. Hondalistacoupleofupgradesfor the Hornet:the SportPackis£555 (excludingfitment),andincludes the (essential)quickshifter;the fly screenthat is seeninthesepictures;

arearseatcowl;anddifferentrider footpegs. Butifyou just want the shifter(tospecittothe sameasthe Suzuki,whichcomes with ashifteras standard),it’d be just £250, putting the Hornetanimpressive £650 cheaperthanthe GSX. Giventhe fuel consumption,that’d work outabout 5800milesforfreewhencompared to the Suzuki… Chiminginat£410(plusfitting), the StylePackcontainsbillet barend weights; aneatlystyledhandlebar upper clampholder;atankpad; wheel stripes; and skid bungs. As you cansee fromthepics,the Hornetthat we hadontesthad amixof Sport and Styleparts, althoughonlythe

quickshifter madeanydifferenceto howthebikerides. Havingsaid that, thepillion padcover wasnoticeable, inthat Ifound myself satbackagainst itquitea lot.I tend tositquiteforward on abike, nestledupagainstthe tank,but even so,Ifoundthat the pillion seat coverwas pressing,ever so gently,againstmyback. It wasn’t uncomfortable,quitetheopposite actually,inthat thepressure inthe smallof my back wascomforting, althoughitdid make me wonderif it would becomeintrusiveonalong journey. Idid clockupafairfewmiles while we hadthe Hornet, includinga daydowntoThat Londonand back (about300miles,allin)anditwasn’t

anissue, butmaybe if youhad afull, longday clocking up some serious miles? Mind you, howmanypeople lookingatbuyingthis type of machine will be spendingfullmile-crunching days inthe saddle?

The frontmudguardshakesand shimmies around when satat motorwayspeeds, whichprobably isn’tanyrealproblemprovided that the materialitismadefrom doesn’t getbrittle with age, andin that regard onlytime will tell.And, asfaraslong-termownershipand reliabilityisconcerned, you could arguethat aHondaisperhapsthe best choice(BMW owners, nowis thetime to standupand be heard!).

TECHSPEC

HondaHornet 750

Price: £7299(+£755Sportpack, +£410 Stylingpack)

Engine: 755cc,paralleltwin,270°crank,single overheadcam,water-cooling, 8valves

Power: 91bhp(67.5kW) @9500rpm

Torque: 55lb-ft(75Nm) @7250rpm

Frame: Steeldiamond

Wheelbase: 1420mm

Brakes: 296mmdiscs, 4pistonradialmount Nissincalipers(F),240mmdisc,singlepiston caliper(R)

Transmission: 6speed, chain final drive. Suspension: Showa41mmSFF-BPforks, 130mmtravel(F),Pro-Linkmonoshock,150mm travel(R)

Wheels/Tyres: Castaluminiumwheel, 120/70ZR17”tyre(F),Castaluminiumwheel 160/60ZR17”tyre(R)

Seatheight: 795mm(31.8in)

Fuelcapacity: 15.2litres

MPG: 64.7mpg /4.3l/100km(claimed)

Weight: 190kg(fullywet)

Warranty: Twoyears Contact: www.honda.co.uk

THE VERDICT

In short, they’rebothace. Okay,soyou want us to makea decisionand tell youwhichoneis the best?Well, the best wayfor you to be able to decidefor yourself is to have atestrideoneachone, and make your owndecision because, simply,theyare both reallygoodbikes that have their owncharactersand their ownplus points.And, yes, theydohavea coupleof very minornegatives, buttheyare so minoras to be only relative as beingthe pointson

whichyou canmakeadecisionof whichone to buy. Andas regardstheothermodelsin the same market segment, Yamaha’s MT-07ispricedbetween the Honda and Suzuki,whilethe Duke 790is the samepriceasthe Suzuki,albeit withoutthe ’shifter.TheYamaha hasbeenaroundawhile,andfolk often suggestthatthe KTMmay not have the same reliabilityasthe Japaneseofferings although,from ourperspective, whichhas yettobe proveneither way.

Withthesameengine configurations,similar chassisandthesame leveloftech,itmay be harderthanevertowork outwhichistherightride foryou.That’swhythese head-to-headtestsfrom MotorcycleSportand Leisureare sovaluable. There’ssomethingofthe sortacrossits pagesjust abouteverymonth–so ifyouwanttogetunder theskinofthelatest bikestobreakcoverand understandwheretheysitinanever-crowdedmarket, snag yourself acopy andsettleinfor atop read.

GETINVOLVED

Alwaysfanciedlearninghowtoride,butdon’t knowwheretostart? We’vegotyourback,with24jam-packedpagesof learner-orientedinspiration.

STAY SAFE

WELCOME

Wanttolearntoride amotorbikebutdon’t know wheretostart?

Havinga go at anything new canbedaunting, andthat’s especially trueofmotorcycling. Fromthe outside lookingin,there’salot to learn. You’llneed to knowhow to navigatethe multi-stagelicence process, takesometraining, pass varioustests,findthe rightbike

(andinsureit),and thensort yourself outwithsomequalitykit to help keep yousafe. Thankfully,it’s notascomplicated asit sounds –but to help seeyou on yourway,we’ve rustledupa 24-page learnerlegalspecialwhich bringstogetherallthekey stuff you’llneed to knowtokickstart yourmotorcyclingjourney. Enjoy.

THE LAW

CBT(CompulsoryBasic Training)

At age16you cantake yourCBT,whichallows you to ride50ccmopeds, andif you’re17you can takeyourCBT on a125cc geared motorcycle, and then rideon roads.TheCBT certificateisvalidfortwo years. Afterthat you must retakeyourCBT.

A1LICENCE

Youneed to be 17 years oldor over to getyour handsonanA1licence. Beforetakingthepractical test fortheA1licence you’llneed avalidCBT certificateand have passed yourtheorytest. Thepractical test consistsof Modules 1(at atrainingfacility)and 2(onthe road). TheA1 licenceallows youtoride motorcyclesup to 11Kw (14.8bhp) with apower-toweight ratiothat does notexceed 0.1kW (0.13bhp) perkg— theseare usually125cc motorcycles.

A2LICENCE

At age19 you’re able to get yourA2licence.You need avalidCBTcertificateand theorytestinplace,then aftercompletingthepractical test Modules 1and 2(same asforA1licence butona biggerbike).You’llbe legally allowedtoridemotorcycles up to 35kW(46.9bhp)witha power-to-weightratioofno morethan0.2kW(0.27bhp) perkg. Thiscaninclude restricted motorcycles —i.e. biggerbikesthathave been fittedwith restrictorkits— butthebikemustnot be derived from avehiclemore than twiceits power.

ALICENCE

Once you’re21you’ll be able to getafullunrestricted licenceif you’ve held your A2licencefortwo years ormore. Alternatively,if you’re24you cantakethe ‘DirectAccess’ route, which gives youa fulllicence straightaway.You’llneed to pass yourCBT, theorytest, Module 1and Module 2test first though

DitchingThe

TRAININGWHEELS

It’snotaseasyasitoncewastogetyourhands on afullmotorcyclelicence –butwithabitofguidance andsometoptraining,you’llbeblastingabout ona ‘big’bikein notime.

WORDS: ChrisBailey/ PHOTOS: GaryChapman

I’mChris! Youmay have seen me in thesepages overthe last year-anda-halfas ItackledmyCBT,walked my fellowmotorcyclistsintraining throughwhat to look outfor in your kit, and gotlucky enough to tryouta wide rangeofdifferentlearnerlegal machines to help youdiscoverwhich 125cc ride wasright for you. I’ve just passed my varioustests to earnthehighlycoveted ‘A’licence,

and wanted to sharewithyou allthe steps you need to taketoget outon twowheels,withnoL plates.

YOU’VEGOTTOSTART SOMEWHERE

Thefirststep to becomingafullyfledged motorcyclistisCompulsory BasicTraining. It’s essentiallya day-longtrainingcoursewhichdrills into you allthe basicskills you need

andinformation you’ll want to know, to safelyget outonthe roadon two wheels.

While technicallyyou can’t faila CBTandthey’ll keepdrillingyou on anyaspectyou struggle with,there areonlysomanyhours inthe day, so if you’re notup to scratch you’ll have to go back another daytocontinue whereyou left off.

REVISIONWORKSWONDERS

Thenextsteptogettingyourhands on a‘full’licenceis your TheoryTest. It canbedone at anyofthe many, many test centres scatteredacrossthe country,for agrandold totalof£23. It’s brokendown into amultiplechoice sectionand ahazard perception test.Forthe multiple

choice,you’ll be given57minutes to answer50questions,and you need to scoreatleast 43 to pass.A lotofthequestions arecommon sense. However, thereisa good numberwhichrequire morespecific knowledge.Ifyou’venever read the HighwayCode, make sure you familiariseyourself.

Oncethe multiple choiceis outthe way, youget to move on to ahazard perception test.You’ll be shown 14 videoclips of avastrange of everyday road scenes.Theconceptis simple. Watch thevideoandas soonas you seesomethingthat lookslikeit’s abouttoturn into ahazard(avan drivingrapidlyupthe laybywith its indicatorson; flashinglightscoming towardsyou on abusystreet; people

amblingabout near acrossing), click themouse. The earlier youcatch each hazardthemorepointsyou’ll get, startingatfive pointsfornoticingthe hazardassoonasitstartstodevelop, allthe waydowntoone point, or even zero,ifyou onlynotice at the last second. Outof75possible points you onlyneedtoearn 44 to pass this section,andaslongasyou keep your concentrationfocuseditspretty easy. After you’ve finishedthe hazard perception, you’ll make your way outtothedeskwhereyou’ll receive apieceof paper, whichwill eitherlet you knowifyou’vepassedorfailed (andhowyou scored). Make sure you keep it safe;it’s yourTheory Certificate. Just liketheCBT, it’ll last for twoyears.

TECHNICALPROWESS

Nowit’stimefor ModuleOne.This isallabout yourtechnicalprowess, andforme,itwasthe part Iwas dreadingthemost. To pass I’dneed to proveIwasconfidentenough to performeight keyskills.

ButfirstIneededtobrushup.I decidedtospendthe daybeforemy test withthe good folksatPhoenix MotorcycleTraining, whowere fantastic.Myinstructor tookme through each stepthat wouldcome upinthe test andshared abunch ofhintsandtips to helpavoid any unnecessary minors. Theyalsotook meon aride to the DVSA centre so we could seehow it waslaid out and walkusthroughwhat would be expectedofusonthe day.

Throughoutthecourse our instructor wasconstantlyoffering improvements rangingfromthe larger pointswhichcould make thedifference betweenapassand fail,down to thetiniestnudgesthat simply helped tightenupour riding skillsthat touchmore.

The test dayrolled round,andI

metaninstructor at the Phoenix trainingcentretopickupthebike Iwould be usingand getwarmed upforthetrialsahead. Atoptip passed on to mefromthe people at Phoenix MotorcycleTraining:the test doesn’t startwhen yourideup to the first test scenario,itstartsthe moment youget readytogeton your bikebeforeyou’veevenriddenin to the paddock,so make sure to park facingoutofthe bayyou choose, andthat youdon’t choose aparking baywhichisgoing to giveyou an awkwardanglefor ridingintothe paddock.It’sthis kindofadvice whichmakesbooking in fortraining prior to your testssuchacrucial step on yourjourney.

After ridinginthroughthe gatesI wasasked to stopin amarkedbay beforedismounting, and walkingthe bikebackwardsand turningitround, until Icame to astopina different bay,facingoutwards. The keywith this manual handlingexercise, andinfact everysingleoneofthe scenarios,isto treatitallasif you’re doingitoutonthe roads:lookboth

ways beforemovingoffevery single time,performyourlifesaver overthe-shoulder checks without fail, andalwaysmakesurethebikeisin neutralin betweenexercises.

The slalomand figure-of-eight camenext, somethingIhad been dreadingbeforehand, butwhich Inow feltcomfortabletackling, thankstoallthetrainingandadvice Ihad receivedthe daybefore. The manoeuvresthemselvesaresimple: aslow,smooth ride betweenaline ofcones beforedivingstraightinto the figure-of-eight, whereyou’ll loop round asetofcones twotothree times(potentiallymore; youneedto keep goinguntiltheexaminer calls you to move on to thenextarea).

AslowrideandtheU-Turn came next. Iknowalotof people worry abouttheU-Turn, butaslongas you keepthe speeddown, ahealthy amountofrevsontheengine,and remembertofullylookatwhereyou want to turn to,you’ll nailit.Ifound it alot easieronthe multi-millionpound Tarmacthan Ihad before in thetrainingcentre.

Withthoseslow-speed skills demonstrated and outthe way,it becomestime to move on to the three ‘high-speed’ manoeuvres.All three oftheseexercises startthe same way. Youride alongalineof cones beforegoing round alarge slopingcorner,comingout ofthe bendinto alongstraightwhereyou need to getyourspeed up beforeyou gettoaspeed tracking padonthe floor.Once you’ve passed the pad you’ll have to performacontrolled stopin amarkedsection,then you’ll repeat theexercise, butinstead you’ll perform anemergency stopwhen your examiner raises their hand, beforerepeating the ride round the bend athird time,andonce you’vepassedthe speedpad you’ll need to navigate yourway past somecones to

Important:

YourModuleOnepass certificateonlylasts until yourcurrentCBTexpires,so dependingon howlongyou haveleftonyourCBT,you couldhavealmosttwoyears tocompleteyourModule Twotest,oryoucould havea matterofweeks.

demonstrateyourhazardavoidance, beforestopping in amarkedarea. Fortheselastthree scenarios, the mostimportant thingistoget your speedup. Youmustdoaminimum of31mphon amotorcycleor19mph on ascooter,soassoonasyou come outofthe bend, you’ll find youneed to pinthethrottle back inorder to getenough speed topass the test. If you comethrough just underthe required speed,you’ll geta minor andmove on, butifyou comeina few mphtoo slow,you’ll be askedto repeat theexercise, earningaminor butgettingthe opportunityto tryagain to get yourspeed up to avoid aserious fault.Oncethese last tasks are completed you’ll rideup to the gate,waitforit to be opened, andthen ride to aparking baybefore

dismountingtogoandfind outyour result.

Remember, you’restillin test conditions at this pointsomakesure you’restill ridingasifyourlicence dependsonit.Itdoes. You’renot safeuntilthemomentyou’vepulled up in abay,put your bikeinneutral, switched off theengine,and putdown the kickstand.

Theentiretestwill onlytakearound 20minutes andyou’ll pass aslong as you’ve earnedzeroserious or dangerousfaults(you mightknow themas majors)ornomorethanfive ridingfaults (orminors). When you go in to getyourresult,theexaminer willlet youknowwhereyou gotany minorsyou mighthavepickedup, as wellas handingoveryourcertificate.

THEFINALHURDLE

The laststep: Module Two. You’re onthehome stretch. Thisbit’s all aboutyourroadridingability,and again, Icannot recommendenough that you seek outa trainingcourse inpreparationfor your test.Ispent anotherinvaluable daywith Phoenix MotorcycleTrainingthe daybefore my test.

Pretty much the entireday was spentout ridingthe roadsand routes that mightcomeupin my test,to help youfamiliariseyourself with thosedodgy streetswhichcantrip uptheunaware. Ahugepartofthe training isalsofocused ontightening upthosereal-world ridingskills, from roundabouts to carriageways and everythinginbetween, to make sure you’renot just ridingthe way you need to inorder to getthat allimportantpassfromyourexaminer, butalsoembeddingthoselifelong skillswhichwillhelp keep yousafe onthe streets.Theday passed all too quickly, butbythe endof my training Ifeltmore than readytotakeonmy test.

Thebigday rolledround,andafter meeting up with my instructor back at the Phoenix trainingcentreit wastime to head outtothe DVSA test centre. As with the Module One, Imadesuretopickagood parkingspotand backed in, soI wasinaperfect position to hitthe road withoutanyfaff.Imademyself known to the examiner to sign inand getthenecessary paperworksorted (you’llneed to bringyourlicence, CBTcertificate, Theorycertificate, and Module Onecertificate).

Firstupisthe age-old eyesight test,reading anumberplate from20 metres away.Once that firststepis taken care of,you and theexaminer will standaround yourbikewhile theyask youthree ‘ShowMeTell Me’ questions.Theseare all easy enough andthereare onlyabout13 potential questions theycanaskyou.Phoenix MotorcycleTrainingtookcareof

alltheprepfor thisforme,andnot onlydid we walk throughallthe potentialquestionsthe daybefore, buttheyalsosentoveralisttohelp prepare. Don’t worrytoo much if you getthequestionswrongthough,the maximumnumberofminorsyou canearnfrom thisexerciseisstilljust one. Questions outthe way, it wastime to fit theone-way intercomandhit the road.Andthe rest ofthe test is entirelyonthe road.Forthemost part you’ll be giveninstructions overtheintercomofwhichsigns to followorwheretoturn, butalso therewillbearound10minutesof independentriding, whereyour examiner will tell youtofollowsigns for acertain locationand then will ride behind youobservingyourride. Animportantnoteistonot worryif you make awrong turn. Do not panic and stop,justkeepridingsafelyalong thenew route, as yourinstructor will quicklygiveyou newinstructions; just trynot to go wrongtoo many times.Ontopof the regularriding, you’llalsobeasked to pullupon the sideof the road multipletimes, andthendemonstrateyourability to pull outnormally,fromanangled startorfromahill start, andtheywill likelyask youtodoallthesethings multiple times.

The best advice Ireceived is to simply tryandenjoy the ride.The test willtakeabout40minutesin totalandprovidingyou’reriding safelyandconfidently,takingcareto watchoutfor trafficconditionsand pedestrians,and performingyour lifesaversevery time youturnand performany kindof manoeuvre, then you’ll find you’ll settleinto the swing of itand you’ll be headingbacktothe test centrebeforeyou knowit. Following my examinerinto the office,Iwas thrilledtodiscoverIhad passed with onlytwo minors, one beingfor ridingtoo closetoparked cars down anarrowroad, andthe other becauseIhad checkedmy mirrors,then startedmovingofffrom astopbeforefullycompletingmy lifesaver check(Iwas very lucky here as Iwas told that if Ihadn’t checked my mirrors it would have beena seriousfaultand automaticfail).

Delirious with excitement,I strutted outofthe office to engage in abrief roundof self-congratulations beforeheadingbacktothe Phoenix trainingcentre.

I’mfullyaware that withthe formalityoftrainingover, my real learninghas just begun, so keep your eyes outforfutureissuesas I’ll be takingonvariouscoursestoimprove myselfas ariderandtakeona whole bunchofnewexperiences.Ihope thishelps someof you getthrough yourtests,bestofluck, andenjoy thoseroads!

AFTERSOMETOPTRAINING?

It’snosurprisethatPhoenix Motorcycle Trainingarethe UK’slargestmotorcycle trainingorganisation.They’ll keepyouontherighttrack rightthroughtheprocess,from CBTtoModule Two– and they’veevengotadvanced ridertrainingandoff-road coursestohelpyouridebetter onceyou’vepassed. Thecentresaremostlybased

downsouth,but it’swellworth travellingfortherightpeople andtherightschool.Have alookontheirwebsiteand findyourclosestlocationand thengivethem ashouttochat specifics.They’reagreatbunch ofpeoplewho’llbemorethan happyto help. VISIT:www. phoenixmotorcycletraining. co.uk /CALL:0330 2234000.

HEAD TO TOE for lessthan agrand

WORDS: ChrisBailey/ PHOTOS: GaryChapman

Whenitcomes to sortingout your equipmentfor riding, thereare so many different options youneedtoconsider, butwhen you’re first startingout, moneycan be akey factorinwhat

kityou go for.Thankfully, setting yourselfup with stylishand safe geardoesn’tneed to breakthe bank. Aheadof my fullbiketestIlooked aroundand managedtopickupa full setofbrand-new gear to cover myselffrom toptotoe forlessthan £1000.

Askanybikerandthey’lltell youthatyourlidisthe single mostimportantbitofkityou canownandisnotwhere youshouldbescrimping andsaving(andyoushould absolutelyneverpickone upsecondhand),butjust becauseitneedstobe robust enoughtokeepyournoggin’ protected,itdoesn’tneedto costanarmand aleg.The Exo491isthethirdhelmet I’ve pickedupsince startingriding, andalreadyithasbecomemy favouriteby alargemargin. Despitethelowcost,itlooks incredible,it’sincrediblycomfy anditisso,somuchquieter thaneitherofmyotherlids hadgivenmeany reasonto believe ahelmetcouldbe.

Ialwaysstrugglewithwhat tosayabouttrousers.I mean,theyhaveCEhipand kneeprotection,theyhave pockets,andtheyprevent mefromgettingfrostbiteof the‘nethers’whileI’mout andabout. Yetwiththese trousers Ihavecompliments aplenty.They’recomfortable tobesataroundinallday; they’reveryeasytotailor totheperfect fit foryou, thankstosuspenders,inner adjustablewaist fasteners, andanklezips.They’vegot aremovableliner for the warmermonthsand,asmany adownpourhasprovenfor me,theyoffer abrilliantlevel ofwaterproofing.

Youmightbethinkingthat £300is abitmuchtospend onyourjacket,especially sinceI’vejustsaidthehelmet isthemostimportantkit you canpickup.But Ihaveafew jackets,someforwinterand othersforsummer,and Iwas onthelookoutforsomething that’ddothejobatalltimesof theyear.TheBeringCalgaryis comfy -and Imeanfavourite hoodycomfy.Ithasaneasily removableinnerliningforthe hottermonthsandkeepsme warmonthosechillyearly morningrides.It’swindproof andhas reflectiveliningfor nightriding,andmany,many pockets.Theonlydrawback formeisthattheinternal pocketisn’tquitelargeenough tostashmychunky Google Pixel 7Pro phone.Not abig issue really,butworthnoting.

Thesearebyfarthemost expensivesetofglovesI own,buttheyarecertainly worthit.Theyhave apadfor wipingwetvisors;they’re luxuriouslycomfortable; andtheyoffergreatlevels ofprotection. Ithoughtthey weregoingtobe agreat all-rounderforallweathers, andwhilstthey fit the bill, unfortunately Ithinkthese willbegoingintohibernation throughthesummer.The ‘MicroPolarLining’should, infact, readas‘super-thick, hand-meltinglining’ –but foranyonelookingahead topickupsomewinter gloves, Ican’trecommend theseenough,and Iwilllook forwardtobreakingthem outagaininabout amonthand-a-halfwhentheweather turnsbadagain.

It’sagreatfeelingwhenyou find apairofbootsthatkeepyou warmwhenyou’reout riding on achillyday,and atthesame timeyoucancomfortablywear outfor hoursonendwithout yourfeetturninginto asweaty mess.They’reCEApproved, waterproof,andtheadjustablebuckleclosure systemmeansyou canbeguaranteedof agreat fit.Honestly,I’mnot ahuge fanof brownclothing,buttheselookstunning,anddespite notcoming upquitehighenoughtocoveryourwholeshin,theyfeellikethey offer areliableandrobustlevelofprotection.

THE RIGHTCHOICE

You’ve madethe decisiontopurchaseyour ownwheels.Thenextstepistofigure out whichtypeisbestfor you. Startbythinking aboutwhereand when youwill ride.Are you lookingfor adailycommuter, aweekend cruiser, or somethinginbetween?

■ Will you be ridingonmotorways,A-roads andB-roads,oraround town?Orwill yoube ridingacrossacombination?

■ Doesthebikeneedto have sufficient powerand seatingfor apassenger?

■ Is fuelefficiencya priority?

Mopedor Maxi?CrosserorCruiser? Findingthe rightmachinetosuityourneeds

You’vejustpassedyour test andareready to get your handson anew ride. There’sanabundanceof options outthere, so it’s

■ Saddlebagsor racks?

Thankstotheirenclosed designs, most scooters have at leasta small built-in storage compartment, and many have alidded andlockable spacelarge enough to stowa helmetorsmall bagsafely. In contrast, on amotorcycle, you mightwanttoconsider saddlebags, panniers, atop-box,orevenatail rack,whichtypicallyare mountedoverthe rearwheel behindthe seat.

■ Antilock brakes?

■ Do you need storageroomfor gearor groceries?

Next,givesomethoughttofeaturesthatmight make for amoreenjoyable,and safer, ride.

ABSisnow standardonallnew motorcycles (except125s,whichoften have linked systems).However,ifyou’rebuying used,you’reprobablygoingtogowithout. Nevertheless, ABSismoneywell spent–

keythatyou’vegotanideaofthe sort of machine youwantbeforemooching around adealer with apocketfulof cash.Don’t worryifyou’renot sure to startthough…We’re heretohelp.

statisticsprovethatmotorcycles equipped withantilock brakesare37per centless likelytobeinvolved in afatal crashthan models without.

■ WindscreenorFairing?

Thesecanhelpprotectyou fromthe wind and rain,andtheycan make longmiles at high speedslessfatiguing.

■ Crash bars?

Hoop-shaped bars mountedontheframe canhelpprotectridersinaspill by keeping the weight ofthe bike offthe rider’s body. If you’renew to twowheels,it’sfairly likely you’lldrop your bikeatsome point, so crash bars couldhelp keep you and yourpride and joysafe.

Don’tpickabikethat’slargerthanyou can handle.Ifyou’realearner,we’drecommend selectingamodelthat allows both your feet to be plantedfirmly onthegroundwhen at astandstill. Beginnersalsoshould be careful not to choose abikethat’s toopowerfulfor their ability;it’s better to startwith asmalldisplacementmodelinthe250-500cc range and work your wayup.

Completebeginnersmay find scooters morelearner-friendlythanmotorcycles, thankstotheir relativelight weight and automatictransmissions.Scootersalso tend to have someon-board storage, somethingthatcan’ttypicallybesaid for motorcycles.

THEOPTIONS

Touring/AdventureMotorcycles

Cruisers Kawasaki

With arelaxedridingposition,cruiserscombinethelookofa traditional motorcyclewith amoreimage-conscious,customappearance,a longerwheelbase,andforward footpegs.Fortheshorterriders out there, acruiser’slowseatingpositionprettymuchguaranteesyou’llbe abletogetyourfeet flaton thefloor.

Eliminator500

£5999/ www.kawasaki.co.uk

theJapanese firm’srevivedits much-lovedcruiserplatform;andit’s perfectlypoisedtotakeittoHonda’s CMX500Rebel.

Dual-SportMotorcycles

Designedtoberiddenbothon-andoff-road,dual-sportmotorcyclesaretheperfect choiceforriderswhoappreciatethelightweight,highground clearance, commanding ridingposition,all-purposetyres,andextrasuspensiontravel.Plus,they aretruly versatilemachines,ashappyhittingthetrailsascarvingthestreets,offeringtheirriders ahugeamountoffreedom.Dual-sportmachinesarecompletely roadlegal,fittedwith lights,indicators,andothernecessaryroad-goingequipment.Duetothe longtravel suspension,shorterridersmightstruggletoclamberoveranenduromachine.

Honda CRF300L Rally

£6549 /www.honda.co.uk

Thisis apropergoanywhere,doanything round-the-worldmachine.Easytorideandnigh onimpossibletobreak,it’seasytoseewhy they’vegotsucha following.

ElectricMotorcycles

Electricmotorcycles continuetogrowinpopularity, particularlywithinthe commuter marketwhichappreciatestheireconomicaloperatingcostsandlowmaintenancebut doesn’tnecessarilymindtheirlimited range. Arechargeablebattery isincludedandcan typicallybechargedusing aconventionalhouseholdsetup.

ZeroFXE

£13685 /www. zeromotorcycles.com

Becauseof aquirk in electric licensinglaws,thisisactually learnerlegal –butit’sgotbagsof powerandisanabsolute blastto ride.Notcheapthough…

Sportbikes

Withaggressivebodywork,highperformanceengines,lightweight frames,and acrouched ridingpositiontoimprove aerodynamics,sportbikesare allabout performance.In short, theyarenotgoingtobethe mostcomfortableorpractical modelstolivewith,butifit’s speedandhandlingyoudesire, thenlooknofurther.Models span fromaffordable,andfun,little 125ccmachinesrightthroughto monstrousperformancebikes bestsuitedtoexperiencedriders.

£6505 /www.yamaha-motor.eu

TheYZFplatformisiconic–andwhilethe‘little’R3 mightnotmatchuptotherange-toppingR1, it’sa seriousbitofkitthat’sperfectforless-experienced riderslookingfortheirsporty fix.

Designed forlong-distancetravel, touring bikesaregenerallypowerfulenoughand comfortableenoughfor twopeople to spend afull dayinthe saddle,racking upthemiles. Models rangefromthe very basic, rightthrough to kitted-out behemoths with saddlebags, fairings,windshields,stereos,and evencruise controlandheated handgrips.

Rieju Aventura500

£7499 /www.rieju.co.uk

Newtothemarketfor2024,Rieju’s mammoth-tankedadventurerlookslike agreat optionforriderswantingtocoverbigmilesonboththe Tarmacandtrails.

Naked/StreetMotorcycles

Quite abroadcategory,thiscoversmoregenericstreet-orientedmotorcyclesandmore conventional-lookingmachines.Goodforcommuting,comfortable(enough) touring, andgreatfora weekend blast.Modelsrangefromeconomical,lightweightdesignsright throughtopowerful1000cc-toppingbeasts.

Triumph Trident660

£7895/

www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk

Hotlytippedatthetime of itslaunch,theTrident’s seenplentyofsuccessintheinterveningyears.It hasmorecompetition thanever,butit remainsa great optionfor ridersaftersomethingsportyyet versatile.

SmallScootersandMopeds

Thesearethesmallest,lightest,andeasiestmodelsfor anoviceriderto handle –and theytendto returnthemostefficientfueleconomy,too.Notidealfortouring, but perfectforhotfootingaroundtown.

PiaggioBeverly300

£5100 /www.piaggio.com

Bigwheelshelpthe Beverly makeeasy workofourpothole-strewn roads.It’s acrackingoptionifyou want acity commuterwith enoughpowertoblast aroundonbigger roads.

LargeandMaxi Scooters

Combiningtheseatingposition,shift-freedriving,andon-boardstorageof ascooter withthehighwaycapabilityandrangeof acruisingmotorcycle,largerscootersarea greatchoicefortwo-wheeledtravellerswhopreferthelookandfeelof ascooterover amotorcycle.Whilelarger,heavier,and lessmanoeuvrablethansmallerscooters, they providebriskacceleration andeasilycancarrytwoathighway speeds.

KymcoDTX360320

£5299 /www.kymco.co.uk

The Taiwanese firmhasbeengoingfromstrengthtostrengthin recenttimes,andits ‘adventurescooter’hasplentygoingforit.Comfortable,plenty quickenoughand underseatstorage. Whatmoredoyou need?

ADVENTURE POTENTIAL

There’snot aloadofchoiceifyou’re alearnerriderafter yourfirsttasteofadventure, unless youwant tocompromise on comfortandroadmannerswith amorefocusedtrailbike.WhiletheZontesZT125-U1isn’tquite afull-on, continent-crossing, off-road-readybeast,itcomeskitted outwithsome keystuffthat’llmake lightworkoftheUK’schewed-upback roads,and evenmanagesome easy trails,too. Itlookscracking.

1.MOTOR

Apunchysinglecylindermotor isitscentrepiece.Itmakesa healthy14.5bhp,which putsit rightatthetopendofwhatyou can legallyrideonanA1licence. Capableofhitting70mph,the ZTwillhavenoproblemholding itsownonbiggerandfaster roads –andyouwon’tneedto stopforfueltooofteneither, with thehighcompressionsetupand 12.5-litrefueltankcombining to returnupto220milesfroma tankfull.It’s even gotaslipper clutchand asix-speedbox.

2.STOPPING

There’snobudgetlinked systemhere.Instead,the Zontesgetsproperdual channelBoschABS, which helpskeepthingssmoothand safewhenyougrab ahandful andcallintoactionitsfront and reardiscs.Nice.

3.SPRINGS

Theupside-downfrontforks andhigh-pressurednitrogen monoshockatthe rearareset upsoft,with afocusoncomfort

inanefforttokeepyoucontent whileyou’re coveringbigmiles. Soundssensibletous.

4.HOOPS

There’slotstolikehere.Superstylish17-inchspokedrims come fittedwithaset of chunky knobblytyresfrom CST.Thetyre carcassesarereinforced,and therimsaretubeless,soifyou dopickup apunctureasyou’re blastingdownthetrails, asimple plugwillseeyouright.It’sa nice touchfor alearnerlegalride.

5.ADVENTUREREADY?

Itcomeskittedoutwith somedecentadventure-spec goodies,including some prettyserious-lookingengine protection, apairofsturdy handguards,and aproper adventurebeaktokeepthe mudatbay.It’smaybe ashame itdoesn’tgofurther witha bash-plate,butyou can’thave itall(and many ‘big’adventure bikesdon’tcomewiththem asstandardeither).Theonly

concernwouldbethatlowslungexhaust –butitlooks greatandsounds fruity,too.

6. TECH

Zontesarebigontechnology. We’veridden afewoftheirbikes andthey’vealwayscomekitted outwithcoolfuture-focused stuffthatputsmanyofthemore established firmstoshame. Thisone’sgot akeylessignition system, apairofUSBcharging sockets,andevenfeaturesECO and SPORTridermodes.

PERFECT TOOL The

Aback-roadruntothe coast forabagofchipsmightjustbetheperfecttestto get undertheskin ofthis fleetoflearner legalnakeds

AJSBilston

There’sbagsofchoicefor ridersonanA1licence. Fromcommuter-friendly scooterstomud-plugging trailies,it’sdifficulttoknowwhat togoforwhenyou’re juststarting

WORDS:

out.Butifyou’reintobikesand youwantsomethingversatileand practicalonwhichtohoneyour ridingskills,there’s notmuchbetter thananaked.That’swhywe’ve pulledtogetherthissmorgasbord

ofridestoput throughtheirpaces; threefromthebig-namefirmsand threefromslightlylessestablished names,tomakesureyou’rewell informedabout whatyouroptions are,nomatteryourbudget.

AndyBell,AndyCatton,MarkLancaster,OwenHibbert,RichardGraham, Ross Mowbray

Yamaha MT125

HondaCB125R

Voge R125

ROSS’OPINION

TheKTM’sbyfarthemostsophisticatedofthe bunch,withswitchableABSand

lottolike.

HONDACB125R

Theonewiththefamedbuildquality

RichardGraham/ £4699/www.honda.co.uk

Firstimpressionsofthelittle Hondaarethatitlookslike alargermachine;thesleek stripped-backstylingalignedto itsbigger‘CB’brothersworks well.Thetubular steel frameis strikingwiththeangulartank followingthesharplines,but thereisanodtomoreclassic stylingwith acircularheadlight encompassingmultipleLEDlights with adistinctbezelbutdon’tbe misled,thisis asupermodern motorcyclewithlargediscsand low-slungexhaust.It’sa realhead turner.

Being aHonda,however, it isnotallaboutlooks.The bike isajoytoride,easytohandle, anditcomeswithallthelatest technologymakingit arefined andprecisebikeperfectforany roadridingconditions,around townoroutontheopen road.

Ourtest routetookusthrough theLincolnshireWoldswhere theupsanddownsgavethe opportunitytoworkupanddown thegearstofindthesweetspots. Withmy100kgmassitwas necessarytodrop downa gear ortwoonthesteeperclimbs,but freerunningonthe downhillsin topgearwascomfortableand relaxed.

Evenfor alargerriderlike myselftherideiscomfortable

andcompletelycomposedwith nounexpectedsurprisesfrom the suspension.The41mmShowaBPForksoffer aperfectfeelat thefrontend andatthe rearthe large-sized piston givessimilarly effectivesuspension atthe rear. Asweapproachedthecoast on thetestridethedrainsidecountry roadsworsenedandtheHonda copedadmirablywiththeuneven andunstable roadsurfaceand surpriserisesanddrops where the roadedgesdropped and mergedintotheverge.

Thebrakes areequally as capable as theengine;nofears aboutstopping.The Honda features aradial-mountedfourpistonfrontcalliper;296mm floatingdisc;singlepistonrear caliper;and 2ChannelABS,all managedbyan IMU.Thebalance ofbrakingwiththesuspensionis superbandinnormalridingthe ABSseems abitunnecessary,but asurprisestopintownmightjust bewhere thiswouldgetyou out oftrouble.

The5-inchTFT screenis perhapsthebest Ihaveseen withclearusefulinformation providedin avisiblelayout.In additiontotheessentialspeed andrpm,keyfeaturesforanew riderarefuellevel/consumption andgearindicator.The10.1-litre

The ‘baby’Duke’sabitofme. Aggressivestylingthatmatches itsbiggerbrothers,proper MichelinRoad 5rubber,anda fruityRemusaftermarketexhaust wasenoughformetomakesureI bagged thekeysfirst.

Settingoffandheadingstraight intothecountryside, Ifoundthe Dukewasgivingmequitealotof pleasure,and notjustfor a125.

Poweriscourtesyofthelatest iterationLC4cengine.It’seasyto spendtimewith.Themotorpulls wellandwasverysmoothwith thedelivery.Iwould havelikeda bitmore uptop,assixthgearwas often relegatedwith abitofan inclineintheroad or aheadwind.

Thefrontbrake disc isan impressive320mm,andwitha 4-pistonradialcaliper,notonly diditlookthe partbutalso did agreatjobof pullingbikeand riderupwhenneeded.After riding acoupleofotherbikesin thetestandswitching backto theDuke, Idid find therewasa bit toomuchmovementinthe brakelever beforetheinitial bite,which Ihadjust become accustomedtobefore.

TheDukedoeshave afewother goodiesthataddtoitsappeal. Aquick-shifterforboth up and

downshiftsispresentandthis didn’tfeellike acheapaddon either.Firsttosecondgeardid gowith abitof alurchattimes, so Ididusetheclutchforthis, butotherthattherewasnothing tofault.WPApexsuspension frontand rearalsois awelcome presence.Whilethe 43mmforks arenotadjustableandtherear onlyhaspreloadadjustment,they did abrilliantjobofgivingme confidencethrougheachturnand hadmelookingforwardtothe nextseriesofbends.

Myonly realgripewasthelack of roomtomoveaboutbetween thetankandpillionseat.Thisdid helptokeepmefeelingpartof thebike,but Iwould havelikedto moveback abittostretchoutmy agingknees.Fortheday,hopping onandoffitwasokaybutIfI had alongerrideoutthiscould possiblycreate aproblem. Overall,despitemyfewlittle moans Ienjoyedmytimeriding aroundontheDukethemost anditalsoprovedtobemy favourite.Ithas asportyfeel thatencouragesyoubygiving confidencewiththecombination ofsmoothpowerdelivery,decent suspension,tyrechoiceand stoppingpower.

tankseemstheidealsize;we consumedabouthalfatank on thedisplay overour75-miletest rideso ausablerangeof150 milesisentirelyrealistic.

TheHondaCBR125is undeniablyafantasticsmall motorcycle,thoughtfully engineered,beautifullydesigned, andconstructedtodeliver everythingthat alearner motorcyclistwill require around town or ontheopen road.

Motorcyclesofthisqualityand designwerenotavailablewhen Isetoutonmymotorcycling adventurebackinthe1980s. Itisdifficulttoarguethatthis isnota£4699motorcycleand wortheverypenny.Thequestion iswhether anewcomerto motorcyclinghas abudgetatthis pricepoint,but Iwouldarguethat thismotorcycleoffersmorethan more budgetoptions.Itoffers longevityandwouldsatisfy arider

whohaspassed atestandstill wantstogainmoreexperienceon acapablemachine.

ANDY B’SOPINION

WhiletheCBmaybe alittle lessexcitingtolookatthanthe KTM,there’snofaultinghow itrides.Themotorseemedto have alittlemorego,andthe brakesofferedbetterfeel.

aswankyTFT dash. Itlooksthe part, too,withits sharpstylingapingits biggerbrothers. There’sa

YAMAHA MT-125

Thelairy-lookingone

Andy Catton /£5103 /www.yamaha-motor.eu

TheMTiscoollooking.Inits midnightcyancolourscheme, blackwithturquoisewheels,it’ll turnheadswhereveryougo.And that’sjustthestart…

Theenginefeelsstrongfora geared125.Firstandsecondgear arelikeanyotherfour-stroke125 -theyhappenquickly -and third andfourtharewhereallthefunis tobehad.Fifthgearisyouruseful cruisinggearwithsome powerin reserveandisalsowhere youwill easilysee atopspeed of around 65mph(thoughdownhillinsixthI saw73mph).

Iwasimpressedwiththegear change,too.Itwasextremely slickandbenefitsfromhaving aslipperclutch,althoughgoing upanddownthegearboxon thiswatch-likegearchangewas incrediblefun.

Witharound 300milesracked uponthebikeincludingthis 125-grouptest,onethingthat didstandoutwastheexcellent fueleconomy.Yamahaclaim2.1 litres/100km,whichtranslates

BENELLI BN125

Thequietlycapableone

to112mpg,and Iwouldsay dependingonthewayyouuse it,thisfigureisnotsofar-fetched and adefinitehighlight over other lessexpensive125s Ihaveridden whereaccordingtothefuel figure quoted,youhavetoberidinglike averyslowsaint.

TheMTshinesonthetwisties; subtleandusefulbrakes,sticky tyres(thatgripwellinboth wetand dryconditions),and superbUSDforksupfrontand anadjustableforpreload rear shock,whichgive great feedback everywhereandworkacrossa varietyof roadsurfaces.Even the hard-lookingseatisa surprisingly comfortableplacetobe.

TheMTisa funbike,makeno mistake –and it’sasolid,easygoing,andsafeplacetolearnhow tooperatea gearedmotorcycle. Thereare manycheaperoptions onthemarketthough,andifyou were onlyplanningtorideona CBTfor ashortperiodoftime,I reckonyou’d bebetterpickingup somethingmoreaffordable.

MARKS’ OPINION

Owen Hibbert/£2499 +OTR /www.benelli.co.uk

Unlikemanyofthefinefolkwho havetakenpartinthese125tests, Ihappentobeunique...becauseI actuallytestedmy ownbike.

Benellihavebeenmakingbikes nowfor years…sincetheearly 1900s.Whiletheremaynotbethe

ROSS’OPINION

There’salottolikeaboutthe littleBenellidespiteitsittingat thebudgetendofthemarket. Lessaggressivethansomeof theotheroptions,itstillgoes, stops,andhandlesratherwell.

same level ofbrandawarenessas thelikesofHonda,Suzuki,and Yamaha,they’restill abigname inthebikeworldwith alegionof fanstheworldover. When Iwaslookingfor somethingtobuymyknowledge wassomewhatlimited. Iknew Iwantedsomethingthatwould maintain 60mphwhilealso providingme acomfortable uprightposition.Withthisin mind,andnot beingcompletely obsessedwithachieving acertain specification, IchosetheBN125. Itmightnotbethefastest,but intermsof 125syoucando alotworsethan aBN125.It’s lightweight,stylish,andcapable of asmoothride,bothinandout oftown. Icontinuetogoallmushy overmylovely 125. Thereare manylikeit,butthisoneismine. Sporting asingle-cylinder4-stroke engine, there isjusttheamountof powerneededtocruise withfellow 125folkon atestlikethis,withouta desperateneedforspeed.

Brakesoffer arapid response andtheCSTCM-NK01tyresdo asolidjobofstickingtothe road. Inthefullyear IhavebeenridingI havenot noticedanydegradation inthetyres,despitecoveringmy

Ifeltathomeinstantlyon Yamaha’spunchy,learnerfriendlybike. Arollonthe throttleproduced avery satisfyinggrowl,anditsoon becameevidentthattheMT is afanofthe revsand upfor abitoffun.

neardaily 40-milecommute. It’scomfortable,too,thanksin nosmallparttoitssoftlysprung suspension.I amover6ft,sothere was aworrythat Imightlook abit sillyonsuch acompactbike,and whilethebikecouldbebigger, I’mperfectlyhappyspendinglong daysbehindthe bars. So,arethereany issues? Occasionallygearswillslip between first andsecondandgo into afalseneutral... notfun on ajunction.ButI’mtoldthat’sa problemthat afairshareofthe competitionalso have.It’sall aboutperspective,right? Iamincrediblyhappywithmy BN125,andIwould happilybuy anotherBenelligiventhechoice. Ithasservedmewelland Iexpect ittocontinuetodosoforatleast anothertwoyearsuntil Icanget myfulllicencesorted.

AJSBILSTON125

Theleftfieldretro-styledoption

Ross Mowbray/£2349 /www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk

AJShavebeenaround along time.Foundedbackin1909, theyestablishedthemselvesas oneofthebignamesinBritish motorcycling –aidedbysome seriousracingsuccess.The manufacturerchangedhandsa fewtimesintheinterveningyears, butin1974competitionmanager FluffBrownboughtthenameand allofthestuffhe’dneedtokeep makingtheStormerandwentout onhisown.It’sactuallystillinthe family,withthefirmnowlooked afterbyFluff’sson,Nick. But thingsareabitdifferent.AJSare nowbestknownforbringingina hostoffunky,retro-styledimports whichwon’t breakthebank.

We’veridden aloadofthem inthepastfewyearsandhave alwaysfoundplentytolike.AJS’s pairofScramblerswereprobably ourfavourites.Greatlooking, solidlybuiltandwith ahandfulof neattouchestomakethemstand outfromtheotheroptionsonthe market.That’swhywedecidedto squeezethenewAJSBilston125 intoourlearnerlegalmegatest.

Itmightnotbequite as focused ineitherstylingorstanceasthe otherrideswe’vehad achance toputthroughtheir paces,witha slightlymoreretroaestheticand morerelaxedergonomics.But it’sstill anaked –andithas afew tricksupitssleevetohelpitstand outfromthecrowd.

Itfeelsmorecompactthan theothers,with a780mmseat

VOGER125

Thevalue-for-moneybelter

heightthat’sperfectforriderson theshorter endofthespectrum –andit’slight,too,tippingthe scalesatjust132kg(withoutfuel). Thatmeansit’ssuper-easyto geton with,and Ireckonfreshfacedlearnerswouldfeelrightat homeontheunintimidatinglittle commuter.

Yes. Isaidcommuter.Thatmight bedoingtheAJS alittlebitofa disservice,butthere’snodoubt thatit’sfarmorecomfortable beltingaroundtownthanbeing thrashedtogetuptothenational speedlimit.The11.4bhpaircooledsinglemotorwilldoit, and 55mphisachieved relativelyeasily, butagainstthecompetitionthe AJSfelt atadunderpowered,and it’snecessarytorattleyourway throughthefive-speed gearbox togetthethinghustlinginany kindofway.Ithandleswelland willmeanderthroughthetwisties withouttoomuchtrouble,though thebudget-focusedsuspension willhaveyoufeeling everylump andbumpif(andwhen)you encountersomeroughersurfaces. Itstopswell,withthelinked discbrakesofferingsmooth, predictablebitein aneasy-tomanagewaythat’sjustrightfor lessexperiencedriders.

Its piècederésistance isa whopping19-litrefueltank.That is alotoffuelfor acompact littlelearnerbike –andwiththe bikeeasilycapableof returning 100mpgevenwhenbeingridden

hard,youshouldbegoodforwell overthreehundredmilesbetween tripstothepetrolstation.That’s great for commuters,andit’d begreat for tourers,too.Ifyou werehappytoslowthepace downand simplypotter,Ithink theBilstonwould makealovely littleexplorer.There’sa reason AJSareofferinganaftermarket rearluggagerack… And

there’sacentrestandtomake maintenance adoddle,too.

TheBilstonis anicelittlebike, offeringbagsofbudget-friendly charm.It’ssuper-easytogeton withandit’lldoeverythingyou needitto.It’snotquiteas refined assomeofthecompetition,and it doesn’thandleaswellasthem either,butifyou’reinthemarketfor alearnerlegalridethat’llgetyou

FirstimpressionsoftheVoge R125areoverwhelminglypositive. Thebuildqualityissolid,with arobuststeeltrellisframeand acommendableoverall finish, especiallyconsideringthatat £2799,it’sover £2300 cheaper than Yamaha’sMT125.

fromA-to-Bin arelaxedand reliable manner,you’dnotgo farwrong.

RICHARD’SOPINION

The AJS standsapartfrom theothers.Itfeelsmuch bettersuitedtosteady urban commutes,althoughits19-litre tankoffersplentyofscopefor longerjourneys.

The VogeR125is astandout inthecompetitive worldof learner-friendlymotorcycles, combiningsleekdesign, impressiveperformance,anda surprisinglevelofcomfort.As abikeaimedatbeginnersand urbancommuters,itmanages to strike abalancebetweenuserfriendlinessandengaging,fun riding.Here’swhatyouneed toknow…

Attheheartofthe VogeR125is aliquid-cooled,single-cylinder, four-stroke125ccenginewhich produces14.7hpat9500rpm and12Nmoftorqueat8000rpm. Itprovidessufficientpowerfor citycommutingandwillhappily keepupwithtrafficflowonbigger roads.I’m6fttalland13 (and abit) stone,anditquitehappilypulled mealongat60mph,andwillbreak 65mph(indicated speed)aslong asthere’snoheadwindorhills! It’snoslouchgettingthereeither. Workthegears,andit’saheckofa lotoffuntothrowaround. That’spartlythankstothebike’s lowweight.At136kg,itfeelsagile, nimble,andeasytomanoeuvre. Thesuspensionsetup,featuring upside-downtelescopicforks atthefrontand amonoshockat the rear,strikes agoodbalance betweencomfortandhandling. It absorbsbumpsand‘irregularities’ well,providing asmoothrideon various roadsurfaces,andthe brakingsystemonthe VogeR125 isparticularlygood,too,withABSfittedhydraulicdiscsfrontand rearprovidingstrongand reliable stoppingpower. The seatingpositionis upright andcomfortable,offering goodvisibilityandcontrol.The ergonomicsarewellsuitedfor

arangeofridersizes,witha relativelylowseat heightof 795mmmakingitaccessible forshorterriders.However,it’s stillverycomfortableforlankier riderslikeme.There’saclean andconcisedashwithallthe usualinformation,andtheUSB chargingpointis anicetouch. It’sgoodonfuel,too. Throughoutthe test,which includedplentyofpinnedthrottle action,the Vogemanagedto returnanimpressive100mpg, makingit aseriouslyeconomical choicefordailycommuting.That meansthe10-litre fueltankwill provide asubstantialrangeof closetotwo hundredmiles.

The VogeR125is awellroundedmotorcyclethatoffers ablendofstyle,performance, andpracticality.Forthoseinthe marketforanentry-levelbikethat doesn’tcompromiseonquality orfeatures,the VogeR125isa compellingchoice.Itstandsout as apracticalcommuteranda bikethat newriderscanenjoy andgrowwith,makingitaviable optioninthe 125cc category. Would Ihaveitinmyshed?Even though Ihave afull licence,yes –youshouldhaveseenmygrin duringthefulldayoftesting…

ANDY C’SOPINION

The Vogepacksanimpressive punch,particularlywhenyou consider howmuchitcosts. It’salmosthalfthepriceof the YamahaMT125–andit’s faster,too!

Mark Eastwood /£2799 +OTR /www.vogemotorcycles.com

WHICHONE’S FORME?

We’reallunique,withdifferent wantsandneeds,sothere’sno realpointdeclaringanoutright winnerfromthistest.Inmany ways,that’dbefartoosimple. It’simportanttoconsider budgets, outrightperformance and,ofcourse,comfort,too.

Themostappealingtoa 17-year-old?It’satossup betweenthe Yamahaandthe KTM.The Yamahalooksleanand meaninalltherightways,and thosebrightbluewheelsmay be alittleMarmite,butchances arethatthey’regoingtohave

bigappealto ayoungster ofa sportydisposition.The KTM’s justasaggressive,anditlooks andfeelslike abigbike –andit’s SupermotoABS functionallows youtolockupthebackwheel andhave abitoffun. That’s certainlygoingtobeabig plus forsome.They’reboth great bikes –butthatqualitydoes comeat aprice. From abuildquality perspective,itprobablycomes aslittlesurprisethat theHonda topsthepile.It’sproper refined, andwithanextensivedealer

networkup,downandacross the UK,you’llbelookedaftershould anythinggowrong.It’dbe asolid betthat’dlastyouforyearsifyou neededitto.

TheAJSis alittledifferent. It’smuchmoreofachilledoutride,and withitslowseat height,easy roadmanners andwhoppinggreatfueltank, it’sasensibleoptionforthose lookingfor awaytogetabout withoutspending afortune.The Benelli’sprobablysomewhere inthemiddle. It’ssportylooking enough to appeal to the‘yoof’of

today,butit’ssurprisinglyeasy tolivewith,thankstoitssoft springs,tractable,butsmooth, motor,anduprightriding position.

From apurelyvalue-for money-perspective,however, the Vogecertainlyseemslike the‘winner’.It’sa goodchunk ofcashcheaperthanthebikes fromthe‘bigthree’,anditheld itsown remarkablywellonthe road.Thereare alltheobvious questionsaboutChinese build qualityand residualvalue,but ifyou’reonlyafter abiketosee

yourightuntilyoupassyour fulltest,there’snodoubtit’sa crackingchoice. Andthisisjust ahandful(and abit)ofthenakedbikeson offer.KawasakihavetheZ125; Lexmotohavebeendoing solid businessandcarvedout asolid reputationoverthepastfew years;andthere’sa wholeload moreoptionstochoose from whetheryou’vegot£5000or £1500tospend.Whatever you choose,you’llnotgo far wrong –becausebikesarebloody brilliant.

KEEPIT COVERED KEEPIT COVERED

Doyouknowwhetheryou’ve gotTPFT orfully comprehensive?Doyouknowwhatthedifferenceis? We’veputtogether ahandy guidetoinsuranceto make gettingcoverforyourprideandjoyaseasyaspossible.

THECHOICES

Insuranceis alegal requirement.Noargument. Ifyouridewithoutit,thenyou’rebreaking the law, andyoucouldevenhaveyour beloved machinetakenawayfromyoubythePolice. Theindustrycanseem abitof aminefield, withabbreviationsbeingthrownat youfrom allangles –butdon’tdespair.Onceyou’vegot togripswith afewofthekeyterms,you’llbe abletomakeaninformedandcost-effective choicefor what youneed.

THIRDPARTY

Themostbasicmotorcycleinsurance required bylaw.It’simportanttonotethatthisonly coversyourliabilityfordeathorinjuryto someoneelseandfor damageto someone else’sproperty.Itwon’tcoveryouoryour bike.

THIRD PARTY, FIRE &THEFT

Itissimilartosimplethird-partyinsurance–as seenabove –butalsocoversyourscooteror bikeifit’sstolenordamagedby fire.

FULLY COMPREHENSIVE

Thiskindofinsurancenotonlycoversyou fromtheliabilitytootherpeopleandtheir property,butitwillalsocoverthecostof fixing or replacingyourride.Understandably, the priceofthiswilloftenbehigherthantheother twooptions.

ADDITIONALCOVER

Thereare anumberofadditionalcoverage optionsthatmaybeofferedtoyoutocover otheraspectsofyourride.Gear;transport; breakdowncover;legalassistance;European coverage;noclaimsdiscountprotection–thelistisendless.Chatthesethroughwith anadvisorandaskthemtodiscusswhat iscoveredsoyoucanmakeaninformed decisionaboutwhetheryouthinkyouneedit ornot.Considerthemcarefullyanddon’tbe afraidtosayyou don’t wantthemifyou won’t usethem!

HOW TO SAVEMONEY

There area numberofwaysyoucancutdowntheprice ofyourinsurance.Here’s abreakdownofsomeofthe easiestwaystodoit.

PAY ALLINONEGO

By settingupmonthlypayments,you’reentering acredit agreementandas aresultinterestgetsaddedontoyour premiumBypayingitallinonego,youbypassthis.Ifit’s financiallyviabletopayitoutright,you’llmake asaving.

KEEPYOURBIKESOMEWHERESAFE

Where youkeepyourbikehasanimplicationonyour insurancecosts,too.Keepingitin agarage is obviously classedasbeingsaferthanatthesideoftheroad.Fitting certaintypesofsecurity devices/alarms canhelpbring thepricedown,too.

BUILDUP ANOCLAIMSDISCOUNT

Thisprovesthatyouhaven’t claimed in acertain amount oftime, therefore illustratingyouarea ‘responsible’rider andowner.Themoreyearsnoclaimsbonusyouhave, thebetteryoulookon paperstatistically.

SEARCH AROUND

Don’tjust relyonyour existinginsurancecompany comingbacktoyouwiththebest renewalquote,ensure yousearcharoundwithothers andusethisasbargaining power– andmakesureyoutalktospecialistbike insurancefirms, too.

INCREASEYOUREXCESS

excess you offer to pay?

Temptedtohikeuptheamountofvoluntary excessyouoffert Greatideain principle as itwill bringthecost ofyourpremium down,butshould youhavetoclaim onyourinsurance andpayoutfor aclaim,canyou reallyaffordtofind that£1000?…

WHATTODOINTHEEVENT OFAN ACCIDENT

Shouldtheworsthappenandyou findyourself involvedinanaccident,thereare anumberofthingsto consider.Readourhandytipsforwhattodo…

ASSESSYOUR INJURIES ANDKEEP CALM

Firstandforemost,makesurethatyou’reokayand notinjured.Ifyouareinjured,thengetsomeonetocall fortheemergencyservicesandstayputwhilethey’re ontheirway.Ifyou’renotinjured,thengetyourselfto asafepositionoutofdangerandthinkaboutthenext steps…

GATHER EVIDENCEANDSPEAK TO WITNESSES

Getoutyourphoneandtakeplentyof picturesofthe sceneincludingvehiclesinvolved;theroad surface; thesurroundingarea;andanyoneelseinvolved.If thereare anywitnesses,thenaskthemtostay until the Policearrive,oriftheemergencyservicesaren’t on theirway,gathertheirdetailssothatyoucancontact themifnecessary.Exchangedetailswithothers involvedandtakedowntheirpersonalandinsurance detailsaswellasinformationabouttheothervehicle. Thinkaboutthingssuchasmake,model, registration numberandcolour.

Assoonasyouaresafelyable, notedownyour recollectionoftheincident:thetimeandlocation; directionoftravelofallvehiclesinvolvedandtheir estimatedspeed;weather;androad conditions.Beas detailedaspossible.

CONTACTYOUR INSURERS

Atthe firstopportunity,contactyourinsurersandlet themknowwhat has happened.Thiswillstarttheball rollingattheirendandmay ultimatelymeanyouget yourbikesortedquicker.

KEEPDAMAGEDPROPERTY

Whilstyoumightbein arushtoget newleathers andgetyourbike fixed,holdyourhorses.Itmightbe thattheinsurancecompanywanttohave alookat thedamagecaused.Keepyourridinggearasitcan sometimesholdanswersabouthowyoucameoff.

THEFUTUREOFDIRT BIKES?

Theelectricrevolutionishappening –andalthough there’sstillwork to bedonetomakebikesviableforthe road, araftofnewly-releasedoff-roaders are winning admirersamongthosewholovehittingthedirt

Withthe rollingoutofULEZ restrictionsandtheunpredictability ofpublictransport,it’sbecoming increasinglydifficulttodenythe value of electric bikesor scooters forcitycommuting.Butwhatif you’repartialto abitofoff-road action,too?

There’sawholenewgeneration ofbikesthatareclean,green, andcapableoftacklingtrailsin aseriousway.Whiletheymight

havebeenadoptedbysome ofsociety’smoreunsavoury characters,ifyou’vegot abike licenceandyou’reafter anew ridethat’snearlysilentatfull throttle,doesn’tblowoutany horriblefumes,andhasenough power,performanceandpoise to keepeventhemostexperienced ofracersentertained, thenhere aresomerides thatcouldbe well worth acloserlook.

SUR-RONLIGHT BEE

£4600/www.sur-ron.co.uk

RFNRSENDURANCE

£4095/ www.rfnbikes.co.uk

Sur-Ronisprobablythebest-knownbrandinthis world.They’vebeenaboutfor afewyearsandhave builtupanenviable reputationfortheir well-built, lightweight,andrapid-acceleratingrides.While they’vesince releaseda couplemore‘serious’ models,theLightBee’sthebestchoiceifyouwanta ridethat’lltackle Tarmacandtrails.

TheRFN’sagreatoption.Itmightbe agoodwhack heavierthantheSur-Ron,butthatextraweight translatestomoremilesfromitsmorepowerful43Ah batterypack.There’sa cool‘Rocketmode’which’llup thepoweroutputto12.5kwfor aquickhitofspeed, andit’salsothe cheapestofthebunch by quitesome distance,whichhasgottocountforsomething.

CAOFENF80ADVENTURE

£5295/ www.caofen.co.uk

Thishas hada slightlymorerecentintroductioninto theUK.It’safewhundredquidmoreexpensive thantheestablished Sur-Ron,butwith 8kWof power,260Nmoftorqueatthe rearwheel,anda batteryit reckonsis‘oneofthemosttechnologically advanced’onthemarket,it’seasytoseewhereyour cashisgoing. We reckonitlooksgreat,too.

ALWAYSLEARNING

It’smysecondsessionon thetrackandI’veforgottenwhichbend is comingupnext.Ah.Thechicane. Toolate –I’m over thekerb,momentarily intheairandontothegrass. Islowdown,red-faced,and sweaty-palmed butstillupright,whiletherestofmygroupthunders by.I’mquietly relieved whenthechequered flagdropsand Icancheck back inwithmy coach,sit downandrecomposemyself!

WORDS: HannahGodden, PHOTOS: IMGPhotography

Ipassedmytesteighteenmonths agoanddecidedtotrysomefurther trainingtoseehow Iwasdoing,and whereIcouldimprove. Ibooked ontotheEnhancedRiderScheme, followedby atrackdayatBlyton Park.BothwereorganisedbyMike AbottwhorunstheBritishSuperbike School,and Iwas on mynew-to-me HondaCB500F.

ImetMikeon ablusterybutsunny morningtobegintheERS. We went throughsomeinfoonthecoursethen setoff, firstmakingourwaythrough towncentretraffic.It’salwaysa bit dauntingto be followed, butaside froma coupleof roundaboutexit indicatorswhichMike picked meup on,theridegotunderwaysmoothly. Outoftown,wejoinedtheA1fora fewjunctionsbeforecomingoffonto somecountry roads. Istartedto relax abit(in betweengustsofwind atleast)andfeltlike Iwas making goodprogress.

Thatwasuntila scenariowhich maybefamiliartomany of you –an unexpectedlytightleft-handbend. Ratherthanlookingaheadand pushingthebike round, Ibraked sharplymid-corner.Mikechecked inovertheradio–Igavehim an embarrassedthumbsup –andwe pulledovershortlyafterwardsfor the firstfeedbacksession.This waspositiveoverallfor my road positioningandhazardawareness, andMikeemphasisedlookingahead forthelimitpointto readcorners moreaccurately.

Thenextpart of theridetook us throughLincolncitycentre:lunchtime traffic,extensive roadworks,anda one-waysystemI’donlyeverwalked through. Iwas relievedwhenwewere outinthecountrysideagain.

Our routeledustotheedgeof theLincolnshireWoldswherewe stoppedforlunchat Willingham Woods, apopularspotforbikers.

Forthe first time thisseason,I tookoff myjacketand rolledup mysleeveswhilewechatted.

Mike recommendedstraight-lining roundaboutswherepossibleand safe,andincreasingmyspeed slightly on some roads.

Ifocusedonputtingthesetips intopracticewhenwe got backon the road,andmy readingofcorners improvedastheafternoon wenton. Oncewe’d reachedtheendofthe ride,Mikegaveme adebriefanda congratulations. Iwasexhaustedbut hadthoroughlyenjoyedthedayand foundithelpful.Weagreedthatthe timeI’dspendatthetrackwouldalso helpwithmycornering.

Acoupleofdayslater,I signedon promptlyat07.45atBlyton Park. Theatmospherewaswelcoming andcheerful,withplentyofbikes toadmireandanexcellentcafé forbreakfast.Firstupwasthe introductionandsafetybriefing–with nodistracteddrivers,potholesor draincovers,thebiggestdangers tousherewouldbecold tyres,and eachother.

Despiteknowingthetrackissafer thanthe road,mystomachdida fewsummersaultswhile Iwaited forthe firstsession. My coach Rob gaveme acoupleoftips onbody positionincornersandtoldmeto followhimandtryto relax.Thenwe wereoff!Iwassurprisedhowtight some ofthebendswere,anditwas aweirdfeelingtohavenospeed limit.After acoupleofwarm-uplaps, Robencouragedmetoincreasemy speed gradually.Itwasthrilling,anda bitterrifying.

The firstclassroom sessionfocused notonenteringcornersbutexiting them –turninginlaterforasmoother lineandlesstimeleaning.Iwas lookingforwardtoputtingthisinto practice,butunfortunatelyitwas atthispointthat Iforgotaboutthe chicane,andbriefly turnedthe CB500 intoan off-road bike. Ispent the restofthatsessionwith stiff arms,wobblylines,and asighof reliefwhenitwastimeto headback in.Rob reassuredmethattheskills

Ineededwerethere–mybikewas goingwhereIwanteditto,whenI knewwhereIwasgoing. Thenextclassroomsessionlooked atbrakingandweighttransferfor frontvs rearbrakes –atLevel1 (beginners/roadriders),wewere encouragedto usethe rearbrakein cornersif needed.Thenitwastime togetbackontrack.Gulp!

Halfwaythroughthissession, somethingclicked –Irelaxedmore and realised IcouldfollowRob’s speedandstillgetmybikearound thecorners. Ialsostartedlooking furtherahead,which helpedtrickmy brainintothinkingIwasn’t goingat speedswhichwouldbe unthinkable on aroad.This time, Istoppedinthe paddockwith asmileonmyface. Robpulledupnexttomeandgave me afistbump. Iwasdelighted,and starving –itwastimeforlunch. Intheafternoon’sclassroom sessions,welookedatbikestability andtheeffectsofcornering –and puttingeverythingtogether.Outonthe track,myspeedonthecornershad pickedup,butnotonthe straights. Rob’sobservationsandfeedback werespot-on: Iwasn’tafraidofgoing fast, Iwasafraidofnotbeingableto slowdown.Heencouragedmeto followhimandpickupthepace,using enginebrakingbeforethecorners.He echoedMike’sadvicefromtheERS–you’reoftensaferonthe roadifyou’re going abitfaster(within reason).He recommended finding somewhere quietandpracticingbrakingfrom speed,tolearnhowquickly Icould slowdownwhen Ineededto. Isleptverywell thatnight.Andthe ridebackhomethenextmorning wasoneofthemostenjoyableI’ve hadsofar.Ifeltmore‘atone’with mybikeafterspending adaywith itonthe track,andmyridingand corneringwerenoticeablysmoother. ManythankstobothMikeandRob forsharingtheir timeandexpertise–theexperiencewasfantastic,andI’m alreadylookingforwardtogoingagain.

BIKESFOR THE MASSES

In productioncontinuouslysince1948,theBullet’s quitepossiblyoneofthebest-knownmotorcycles inexistence.

Words:DaveManning

Photography: GaryChapman

It probably comesas somethingofa surprisetomanypeople–giventhat the Bullet hasbeenthe backboneof Enfield’s productionfor,essentially,the greaterpartofthecompany’s existence (especiallysowith regard to machines built sincethemove to productionin India) –butthenew350cc Bulletisn’t anew machineinentirety. It’s based onthe Meteor,whichwas launched into theUK market back in2021 with thenewair-/oil-cooledoverhead camJ-seriesengine.TheMeteoritself replacedthe Meteor versionofthe previous pushrod-enginedBullet,which wasincrediblypopularinthe Indian home market,andthat wasprobably the root reason behindthe newMeteor beinglaunchedaheadofthenew Bullet, ratherthantheother wayround.

Whilenot chasingoutright power withtheJ-series,Royal Enfield has developed anenginethat isincredibly flexibleinitsdelivery.Impressively for

anengineofthis capacity, topgear(only five speedsinthis ’box)iscapable of pullingfromaslow as30mph,with no complaints(albeitnot at aparticularly rapid rate ofknots),thus making for averyrelaxing rideon twisting countrylanesor, forthat matter, in busy urbantraffic.Althoughit’sinthe former ruralenvironmentthatthebike excels,exploringtight and twisting byways,luxuriatinginthe slow speed manoeuvrability,leisurelypower deliveryand relaxing soundtrack.

byways, luxuriating in the slow speed dear, with the exhaust note defining

Forthat‘Dof-dof-dof’ofthe engineticking over reallyis‘the soundof India’.Whileon atourof the Himalayas, nighon adecade ago, Iwasintroducedtothefact that Indiansholdthe Bullet very dear,withtheexhaustnotedefining the soundtrackto boththe Indian countrysideandalsotownsand cities.Thenew Bullet hasn’tlost anyofthatcache –notonlydoes itlook right, butitalsosounds right. To the pointthat, when photographer Gary Chapman joinedmeonanicy Lincolnshire

laneforthepics,withthe Bullet mindingits ownbusiness, parked on itscentre-stand,andticking overinthe background, Gary commented: “That soundsnice,reallyrelaxingain’tit?”

Acommentthatbroughttomindthe young Indian gent whomentionedto methat heoften sitsand reads abook whilehis Bulletticks away nexttohim, likeatwo-wheeledmetronome…

Eulogisingtheacousticpropertiesof a349cc four-strokesingle, however, doesn’tinform you ofthebike’sridingproperties,so it’s time toslingaleg overthe805mmhigh seat and getthewheels rolling. Whileitwas afreshand frosty morning, the sunwastryingtoburn throughthemist, albeit withlittlehopeof dryingthe Tarmac.The Ceattyres were alittle sketchyonthecoldand wetroads,albeitnot quiteasbadas Ithoughttheymight be,and if theroads were warm anddryIwould’ve hadnoissueswhatsoever,butdidfeel that, ifit were mineand Iwereridingthroughthe winter,Icould easily be persuadedtofitsome potentiallygrippier tyres.

The ridingpositionseems,initially,to be alittlecrampedthankstothebike’s dimensions beingsmaller thansomany otherbikes.Butthe relationship between the seat, pegsand bars actuallyworks very well,and reallyhelpswiththeincredibly tightturningcirclethatthe Bulletenjoys, giventhat thereisnever astretch to thebars, evenwhenonfulllock.That, andthelight clutch action,meantthat turningaroundin the road,feetup,for another pass infrontof the camerawas acinch, agoodindicatoras to howcompetent thebikewould be inthe urbanchaosofthecommuter run.

The suspension maybebasic,andfollows formwith regardstowhatthe bike’sstyle and spec reflectsinthatthere isonly adjustabilityintheformofpreloadonthe rearshocks, butitcopes withthevagariesof BritishTarmacadmirably andit’s clearthat theknowledge broughttothe Indian firm whentheyinvestedinHertfordshirechassis experts HarrisPerformance hasensured that allofthe recentRoyal Enfield models have exhibited beautifullyneutralyet responsive handlingand steering.

The rearbrakeisveryeffective, andnot so harshastocause incident, andthefront isalsorathermoreimpressivethanI’d expectedgivenit’s somewhatdated nature and,whilethebrakesaren’tthe stop-on-asixpence,rubber-howlingstoppersthat’ll have the rearwheelwavingintheair and rubbersmeared across theroad,theyare significantlybetterthantheoldbikesthat themostrecentiterationoftheBullet

so faithfullyreplicates.Afterall,there’s absolutelynorequirement forfour-piston, radially-mountedcalipersbitingonapair of320mmdiameterdiscswhen you’reonly hauling195kgtoahalt fromnomorethan 70mph.When used together,thenew Bullet stopsfarquickerthanany classicbike.

Giventhatthe nationalspeed limitis, pretty much,all you’llbegettingfromthe 20hpengine,onedoes wonderaboutlonger tripsonthe Enfield–willitcope?Bearing in mindthat itdoes buzz along quitehappily at the nationallimit(well,itdidonthe longerstretchesof single carriagewayI rode on –there’snot alotofdual carriagewayin Lincolnshire, andnomotorways), I’dsay that longerjourneys willbringnoissues,witha side statementbeing that itmightfeela little overwhelmedifyou’reridingthelengthofthe M1,orencountering thefasterstretches of theM69orM40that seem to attracta higher averagethanthelegallimit.Any thoughts oftryingout German Autobahnsshould be dismissedswiftly. Butthen,if you’rethinking ofcovering largedistancesinminimaltime, the chancesare that you’dnot be lookingat the Enfield anyway.

But, that said,don’tdismissitentirely from touring. If youlooktowards exploring lesser-populatedroutes, smallerAroads,B roadsandunclassifiedbyways, then might Isuggest that the Bulletisclose to being ideal.All-day-longcomfortandbrilliantfuel consumptionmeanthat you canjustkeep covering themiles,whilstnot gettingcaught upinthe rush to arrive at your destination–surely themostrelaxingway to travel?After all,thephrase, ‘It’snot aboutthedestination, it’s allaboutthe journey’ wassurelyinvented formotorcycleuse?Thefactoryclaimsthat thelittle single will sipfuelata rate of 107mpg and,while Ididn’t recordtheconsumption whenthe Enfield wasinmycare, I’dguess at it beinga littlelessfrugal. Butwithalmost three gallonsinthetank, you’llcertainly be able to coverwellover200mileswithout even thinkingabout apetrol station.

And joyofjoys– thereare no ridermodes! Nothingtofettle with,nothingtochange, nothingtoconfuse. Only plainand simple motorcycling. The easy-to-readdash has

thebigspeedo, and adigitaltrip (odometer and twotrips), withthe clockand fuelgauge. Consequently, withlittleinthe wayofbuttons anddials,the switchgear is easy to use, on both sides.Thehorn buttondoesn’tinterfere withtheindicator switch (can you hearme Honda?),andthetrip buttonis easy to operate, too. There’salot to be saidfor keepingthings simple,andit’s not just ensuringthat thereis lesstogowrong.With lesselectronics,fewer accessories,andnotas much to distract you fromtheactual ridingitself,the Bulletbrings acertainlevelofpurity, offocus, of beingvery much ‘inthemoment’.Recenttimes have broughtagreater awarenessofmentalhealth, andtheimportanceof‘mindfulness’.AndI foundthat withthe Bullet. Andthere’salsoapointthat really impressedmeandis somethingthatjust aboutevery other manufactureronthe planetcoulddo with making noteof. The Bulletisincrediblypractical. Notjustin termsofitsinitial cost andthe efficient useoffuel, butday-to-day practical in the waythatsofew bikesare. It hasa centre-stand,andonethat is easy to use,

thanksinparttothegrab handleonthe left-handside.Soeasytouse,infact,that thebikedoesn’t reallyneedthe side-stand (which,also, is reallyeasytouse).The front mudguard,whichreallysuitsthe style, has theconvenientside effectofbeing brilliant at reducingthelevelofspray,mud and detritusthat getsflungontothefrontof so many engines.Compare this to,say,the frontmuddieona Ducati Scrambler…The aforementionedsteeringlockissuperb, not simply perfectforfeet-upU-turnsin narrow roads,but alsothreadingthroughtraffic and manoeuvringinparking spaces and garages. The electrics box, behindthe side panelonthe right-hand side,isnotonlyeasy to access, butalsocontainsanimpressively varied tool kit. Yes, acompletetoolkitthat includesmorethanjusta pairofAllen keys (pleasetakenote, Yamaha and Ducati). The pillion seat grab railandthe bars that run fromthe rear mudguardandwrap around the rear shocks arenotonlygreat for keeping fabric panniersinplaceand away from the back wheel, butalsoidealfor retaining bungee cords.Themirrors aren’tthe best

around, butnoraretheythe worst–theydowhatisrequired.

The classic,yetunderstated,good looksare only,in my mind, spoilt by theheadlightpeak, althoughIdo understandthat somefolkwilllike thelook.Iprefer anaked headlight rim, althoughtheheadlight/ forkshroudisa lovely shapethat incorporatesthe‘bullseye’ running lightsas wellas beingneatlyshaped aroundthe speedo bezel,and theshroudsthat extenddown to coverthe topoftheforksliderswill probably meanthat theforkseals willnever, ever,needtobechanged. Thereare somemodernities applied though,with aUSB port onthe bars if youwanttohaveacharginglead to phone/satnav, and,ofcourse, it does have thecompulsoryanti-lock brakingsystemrequired now.

In fact,asbeguiledasI wasby the Bullet,Iwould saythatitis only theotherJ-seriesbikesinthe company’s rangethatcandetract

TECHSPEC

RoyalEnfield350Bullet

BlackGold

Price: £4709

Engine: 349cc,single cylinder,singleoverhead cam,oil-/air-cooling,2v

Power: 20.2bhp(14.9kW) @6100rpm

Torque: 20lb-ft(27Nm) @4000rpm

Frame: Steeltwindowntubespineframe

Wheelbase: 1390mm

Brakes: (F)300mmdisc,twinpiston floating caliper,(R)270mmdisc,single pistonfloating caliper

Transmission: 5gears,chain finaldrive Suspension: (F)41mmtelescopicforks, 130mmtravel,non-adjustable,(R)Dualtwin tubeemulsion shockabsorbers,6-steppreloadadjustment

Wheels/Tyres: (F)Spoked wheel,100/90x19”

CeatZoonPlustyre,(R)Spokedwheel, 120/80x18”

CeatZoonPlustyre

Seatheight: 805mm

Fuelcapacity: 13litres

MPG: 107mpg(claimed)

Weight: 195kg

Warranty: Twoyears

Serviceintervals: 6000miles

Contact: www.royalenfield.com

fromitsdesirability. Whilethe Hunter,Meteor350and Classic don’t have the samecomfortable ergonomicsasthe Bullet,eachof themis cheaper(about£700,£600 and atenner respectively,the Black Gold versionofthe Bullet yousee hereis£80morethantheplain blackormaroonversions).And the sales success ofthecompany’s parallel twinsmeansthat folkare gettingusedtoseeingEnfields regularly,the resultofwhichisthat theyare nolongerviewed as being ahangoverfromtheBritishbike industry.The Bulletisnolonger just asecondbikefor someonewho wantsaneasyclassic,oracheap biketouse as acommuterwhile thefavourite machineis keptfor Sunday best.The Bulletisnowa refreshingantidoteto21stCentury life.Away ofescapingthenine to five, andofbringingasmile to cynicallips.Andisn’tthat exactly what motorcyclingisall about?

RENAISSANCEMAN

WORDS:SteveCooper

PHOTOS:MortonsMediaArchive

KelCarrutherswasn’t justgoodwiththe big GPbikesandtheTZ750 flattrackers -hewasalso awiz withthesmallerstuff.Facedwith potentiallyembarrassingsuperiorityof Kawasaki’snovelin-linetwinKR250s atDaytonaasKenny Roberts’mentor, hetrimmedtheexpansionchambers and revisedthe exhaustportsofthe 1976Daytona250ccrace. Itwasa totalsuccessandthehugelyintuitive engineerhadensured Yamahawon. Whatthe R&DguysinJapanknew andapplieddidn’talwaystranslateinto on-tracksuccess.Whentheexpected triumphsdidn’thappenwith anew motoritwasKelwhorippedthem

apartandworkedhismagic.Initially, thefactorybosses andmanagers struggledwiththis apparentmaverick approachbutsooncameto appreciate theAustralian’shugetalentand expertise.Itmighthavegone against everythingthescience,computersand R&Dteamsbelievedwouldorshould happenbutinthe endtheyknewKelsanwasthe‘manthatcan’.

AsColinMacKellarsummedup in oneofhisbooks,KelCarrutherswas amentortothefactoryriders,team manager,chiefengineer,sage,anda vitalconduitoftechnicalsolutionsback tothefactorydeliveringthe resultstime aftertime.Intotalhe’dhelp Yamaha gainsix500cctitles;threewithEddie LawsonandthreewithKennyRoberts. Suchwastheman’sknowledge thathestrippedandmodified

enginesinways that wouldhavegot mostengineers aone-wayplane tickethome. We’veseenhowthere wereoftenissues withmotorsthat weresupposedtobeall-singing, all-dancingsolutionstothe previous season’sproblemsbutoftenweren’t. The1981150bhp0W-54squarefourwas aperfectexampleand Robertscommented thatthebike justfelt flat.Carruthers remachined thebike’scylindersatthetrackona latheandRobertswentoutandwon. Evencutting the steeringheadsoff thefactorybikesand rewildingthem backonat adifferentanglewas everydaystufffor the guyandfew but the Ozzie wouldhavegotaway with it.

YamahaandKelCarruthersparted companyin1990andthelegendary

geniuswentontofreelanceteam managementforanother fiveyears beforeretiring.Manymightargue thatmotorcycleracingingeneraland Yamaha’searlier resultswouldbethe poorerwithoutthe supremetalents ofthisracer-cum-engineer.Arguably itwouldn’tbeuntilfellow Australian JeremyBurgess’careerblossomed thattheGPpaddockwouldsee anotherengineerwithsuchkeen insightandintuition.

TheVJMC;run by motorcyclists formotorcyclists For membershipenquiriesonly Tel: 01454501310

website: www.vjmc.com

Email: membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk

Address: PO Box1949, Yate,BristolBS370BX

Office hours: Office hoursMon-Thu10am-4pm 01454501310(pleaseleave amessage)

INSEARCHOFADVENTURE

In ourbusymodern lives,fewofuscantakeseveralweeks, monthsor even longer offwork to jumponabikeandgoexploring –whether thatbeinourown countryoronthe continent, or evenon aglobal expedition.Letaloneactually be able to financesuch alife-affirming experience. But,ofcourse,youdon’thavetojackin yourdailyjoband abandonallfriendsandfamily toselfishlyridearoundthe planet to haveanadventure.Thatcanbeaccomplishedinjust afew days,or evenanafternoonifyou’re feeling especially focused.

WORDS AND PHOTOS:DaveManning

With aDucatiDesertX satinthe startingblocks, Ibookedaferry from Portsmouth to Caen, withno hotels booked,no routes savedin anykindof satnav,andno real plan ofwhichdirection to head. Justa mapbook, atent, and ayearningto seenewplaces,and getsome warm sunonmyagingbones.

I’dstrappedonmyKriega luggagewhich, refreshingly, was easy to doonthe Ducatithanks to theflat pillion seat andthe tubularsubframethat isn’thidden behindsmooth bodywork,and with acargo net overthe top, plus acoupleofextrabungees,I’d got arucksackwith my cameragear and my little two-man tent all held securely inplace.So, without athoughtofworkingouthow tochange ridermodes,phone connectivityorany ofthe tech that

just aboutevery newbikeisspec’d with,Islungaleg overandheaded south.

The schlepdown to Portsmouth wasn’tasdullas I’dexpected, being mostlydual carriageway at each end (A1andA3) with somemotorwayin themiddle(M1andM25).Having carved my waythrough standing trafficaround Heathrow –thetall ridingpositionand narrow width making thisoh-so easy –Ifound myself swoopingalongtheA3 throughthe South Downswellahead oftime.A sarnieandbrew stop ata servicesconvincedmeIhadtime for anexplore, and Ifound alittletrail throughpinetreestoabeautifulpiece ofheathland. Perfectfor somepics and apiece to camera(yes, there’s avideo, seethelink)and achill-out listeningtobirdsongand chirruping grasshoppers.

My ferry wasanovernighter, plannedassuchsothatIcould

usedaysfor ridingandcovering interestingmiles,rather than be sat, wide awakeand twiddlingmy thumbs forsixhours whilecrossing the Channel. Consequently, Irolled on to Frenchsoil at around6am,into thecool,grey dawn of Caen witha handylackoftraffic to spoil my trip westwardsvisitingthe Normandy landingbeachesof Sword, Juno,Gold, Omaha, and Utah.Iwas tooearly forany ofthemuseums alongthe wonderfullytwistingandpicturesque routebetweenthe beaches,sowith thefive tickedoffIheadedfurther west,aimingfor Mont SaintMichel andanotherphotoopportunity, followedbyasoutherly blastonan autoroute, lookingfor warmth. Therefollowedfive days of riding away fromanykindofautoroute or peage, usingthe ‘non-motorway’ optionon Google maps to plot arough course to the kindofarea Ithought aboutheadingto. Past La Rochelle; on

theferry from RoyantoPortMedoc; southwardspastMontalivet;and throughgloriouspineforests alongsidepristine sandy beaches(nighdevoid of people); aride through Bordeaux to remind myself ofwhat traffic was; anddown to CapBreton. The weather took aturnfor the worseandI headedawayfrom thecoast, through Bergeracand towards Limoges, payingavisit to Oradour(see boxout), thennorthwards, the rainon my tail, beforebeing caughtinthe heaviestofmonsoon-likedownpours just 10milesfromtheferry terminal.

Throughoutallofthat, the DesertX wasmyfaithfulcompanion –taking autoroute; twistingforestry lanes;fire roads; sandy beachaccessroads; fraughtcitytraffic in Bordeaux; die-straight single lane roads throughmile uponmileof sweetcornfields; and someofthe quietestroadsI have ever ridden on.And,whilea lotofbiketests are undertaken overa shortperiodofmaybea dayortwo,thelong(very long) weekendthat I’dplannedallowed meandthe Ducati to become rather wellacquainted.

CAMPING OUT

Campsites in Franceare,to cuttothepoint,brilliant. Much betterthantheaverageBrit campsite,andfarmoreof them,thus relievingyouofthe needtobook in advance.I alsodidacoupleofnightsof wildcamping –just pottering down alittle laneorfire road lateintheday,finding abitof quietwoodland,andpitching mytent.Thenpackingupearly thenextdayandsneaking off, leavingnosignofmyever beingthere.Ofcourse,ifyou

wantsomehomecomforts (like ashower,ortoilet),then itmakesmoresenseto finda propercampingsite. Apparently,the restareas onthepeagecanalsobe usedtocamp,andthenyou’d havetheadvantageof atoilet blocktouse,but Iwasputoff theideasimplybecauseof passingtraffic –campingin theproximityof astretchof autorouteseemed alittletoo closetofolkgoingabouttheir normallifeforme; Iwanteda bitofdistance,andtotryand getthatfeelingofadventure.

SHOW US SHOW US YOURS

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

AllanAtkinsisclearly abig ColinEdwardsfan. We’reproper impressedwithhisHonda VFR400Rdoneupin2004-spec TelefonicaMovistarcolours.Nice.

Oooft. We’vebeendribbling over DougieMason’sgorgeous Honda Fireblade. We betthat Yoshimura exhaustsoundsjustpeachy.

EuanPriddy’sSuzukiGSX750 bringingus abitofearly80sclass.

Left: Youdon’tseemanyofthese! JessieCavanaugh’sMotoMorini 500Sport –withthatfamedv-twin motorfrontandcentre.

Rob O’Toole’saluckylad. We’vegot aserioussoftspotforBMW’searly adventurers –andhisR100GSis rightupourstreet.

Left: LynnBee’sHondaCMX500 Rebelis aseriousmilemuncher. “JustspentfourdaysinScotland. BasedinMoffatridingthe roads aroundDumfriesandGalloway. The Delveen Passis agreat road.Over 700milesoffun!”

Inpartnershipwith Forcefield BodyArmour

Left:MalcolmCupis’gorgeous HondaCB1100Fisaging very wellindeed.Almostlooksas thoughitcouldbe amodern retroratherthantheclassicitis.

We love aCubhereatMoreBikes –and TonyBarber’slittleHonda looks resplendentwhilesoaking upthescenery.

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCESSORIES SUSPENSION

BIKERFRIENDLY

TYRES

WEBWATCH

ForSale

ADLER MB250,1954,250cc, twostroketwin,mostwork done,fullpapersandhistory, onSorn,mustsell,candeliver, offersaround£1850Tel.07885 459197.NorthHampshire.

ARIEL Futura,2001,fullluggage, newtyres,averagecondition, good runner,everything works, blue,stillridesgreat,£1000ono Tel.01707870769.

BMW R1200GS,verywell maintainedandingood condition,54plate,55kmiles, 1170cc,newtouringscreen &mattblack crashbars,new tyres,newbatteryandnew heatedgrips,ULEZcompliant, fullservicehistory,£3200Tel. 07973713195.Surrey.Email. paul_lane@ic24.net Surrey.

BMW R1250GSTERallye,2022, 4000miles,BMWwarranty, MoTuntilJanuary2025,few wearandtearmarksbutstill inverygoodcondition,second ownerHPIclear,£11,750 Tel.07832485175.Email. marksmithzzr14@gmail.com Nottingham.

BMW C400GT,2019,blackgloss maxiscooter,superbcondition, newMoT at sale,7900 miles, newBMWscooterforcessale, garaged,£4499.Tel.07784 499299.Yorkshire.

BSA ShootingStar,1958, metallicgreen,500cctwin, Akrontalloywheels,Avons, Craventopbox andpanniers, new battery,wellpresentedgenuine bike,runningwell,readytoride, freedeliveryarranged,£5950 Tel.01723372219.Yorkshire.

HONDA CB250cc,year2000, Sorn10years,runsfine newgenuineHondaexhaust sprocketsandchainand battery,46,000milesbought asbackupbikebutnotused, £600£600Tel.02380821440. Southampton.Email.teaset@ tiscali.co.uk

KAWASAKI KH125,1996,good condition foryear, as new, MoT,only12,500milesonit nice lightweight, opentooffers £1495Tel.01275830922; 07719945399.

Classified

MOTOGUZZI V7IISpecial750cc, 2015,vgc,oneowner, 17,000 miles,rideswell,MoTAugust 2024,reliablebike,service history,rack,barendmirrors, comfortableridealldaymachine, touring,commutingorfunbike, genuinereasonforsale,£3500 Wraysbury.Tel.07947566494. Email.graemebyard@gmail.com

MOTOGUZZI TS250, 1976,blue/ gold,veryclean bike,original condition,ownedoneyear,just neverused,needsnoMoTortax, handbook,£2650onoTel.07710 467529.Lancashire.

NORBSTAR 1960GoldStar, featherbed frame,Roadholder forks,alloytopyoke,Akrontrims, 2L/Sbrake,3½Galloytank, BSA GoldStarbig-fin 500cc,through boltedcenterporthead,Dellorto carb,Billetcrank,Thorspark ignition,NEBclutch,e/start,12 volt,5 speedNovagearbox,new Avontyres,£10,500Tel.07976 526624.Lincolnshire.Email. mark.peatfield@hotmail.co.uk

HERALD Classic2015,250cc, black,1981miles,MoTjustrun out,2 keys,fsh,frontforksslight corrosion,£750.Tel.07779 692495.Cornwall.

HONDA CB500R,2014,original exhaustsilencerasnew,£120 onocash,buyercollectsTel. 01403217403.WestSussex.

HONDA CBR900RRFireblade, 1996,36,150miles,10months MoT,recentfullservice withsome servicehistoryOhlinsrear shock recentlycompletelyoverhauled starts &ridesas it should, comeswithOwnersHandbook, 2keys,workshopmanual,A4 folderofreceipts,MoTsand history,V5,£2550.Tel.07552 627685.BidfordonAvon.Email. stevenplincoln@gmail.com

MUTT Hilts250cc,grey 2022, very good condition, with only 41milesontheclock,as good asnew,collectiononly£3000 onoTel.07895300805. Email. callum15geddes@gmail.com Kent.

SUZUKI TC185,veryrare,10 speed, V5,185cc,t&t exempt, 1974year,electricstart, £4650onoTel.07772797112. Derbyshire.Email.Squida225@ hotmail.com

TRIUMPH Bonneville,1970, T120R,650cc,matchingframe andenginenumbers, runsvery well,nosmoke,rattlesoroil leaks,candopicturesbyphone, £6250.Tel.07887674467. Hampshire.

TRIUMPH T21,1963,bluesheen metallicpaintwork, matching numbers,greenlogbookand V5C,newreartyre,battery, Hagons,previousMoT’s,superb bikefrommyprivatecollection, freedeliveryarranged,£3950 Tel.01723372219.Yorkshire.

YAMAHA Fazer600,2003,9537 miles,newMoT,goodcondition, recentservice,setupfortouring with:-touringh/bars+60mm, loweredfootrests-25mm,raised gearing70mph at 4800rpm, heatedgrips &USBoutlet,s/ lessDelkevicexhaust,alloriginal partsinc,£2300Tel.07828 920371.Stourbridge.Email. stollerton@yahoo.co.uk

YAMAHA TTR600Belgarda, 1998,9824kilometers,Ohlins rearshockasstandard, Renthall fatbars,newMitasE-09tyres frontandrear,£2400Tel.07976 526624.Lincs.Email.mark. peatfield@hotmail.co.uk SUZUKI GSXR400,silver,54,000 miles,verygoodcondition, full MoT,rare bike,runsspoton, £3000.Tel.07894062585. Chorley.Email. karenmark@ hotmail.com

YAMAHA FZ750,1987,very nicecondition,41,000miles,the Genesiswasproducedbetween 1985 -1991, willcome with newMoT,£1795onoTel.01275 830922;07719945399.Bristol.

YAMAHA 125NMAX,2023ona ‘22plate,120mpg,asnew,150 milesontheclock,£3200Tel. 07805617964.WestMidlands. Email.susan.athersmith@sky. com

PartsForSale

BMW R1200GSadventuretank andpartstoconvertstandard GSto aGSAincludingfuel pumps,panels,crashbarsetc, thetankisunmarked,thereare somescratchesonthe lower crashbarsandthecylinderhead protectorsarescratched,oneof themetalsidepanelsisblack andonesilver,£500Tel.07976 526624.Lincs.Email.mark. peatfield@hotmail.co.uk BSA Bantam gear changelever, £15.Eversurecarramps,dry stored,nodamage,pair£20Tel. 01299266565.Worcs. HONDA CBF1000,2006,front andrearseatOE,excellent,£120 +£7postage.Also rear section silencers,smalldenttonarrow pipe,underneath otherwise excellentcondition, £750 +£15 postageTel.07434513161. Lancashire.

HONDA K2/K3, side panels with badges,red,perfect,£45pair. SuzukiGN250,sidepanelswith badges,newunused,red,£45 pair.Halcyongoggles leather withchromefittings, unused boxed,£30Tel.07778742954. Staffs.

TOURATECH seatto fit 2008to 2014YamahaXT660ZTenere, Ihadthisseatfittedtomy bikeforapprox 2000 milesbut looksunused,£190Tel.07976 526624. Lincolnshire Email. mark.peatfield@hotmail.co.uk

TRIUMPH sparesT140 &T120, swingingarm,£45.S/Scoiltray, £10.Forktubes,£40.Onepair h/barswitchgear,£60.Custom oiltank,£40.Headlight,£30+ more,mustcollectTel.07823 693477.Nottinghamshire.Email. felix31@live.co.uk

YAMAHA SZR660bothleftand rightrearsidepanelsandtail light£20Tel.07976526624. Lincs.Email.mark.peatfield@ hotmail.co.uk

Wanted

CLASSIC motorbikewantedin anycondition,anymakemodel genuinebuyer,goodpricepaid, cancollectTel.01514470147. ROYALENFIELD Scrambler to restore, 1950/60sTel.01524 735039.Email.bobwoof41@ gmail.com WANTED late343ccBSAB40G completeengineforan offroader projectTel.David07536002647. Email.thehubbards1954@ hotmail.com

Miscellaneous

MOTORCYCLE leatherjackets: Dannisport,size12,blackand red.Richa,size8,red,silverand black,outstandingquality,fully armoured,noscratches,scuffs ortears, first tosee willbuy, offersTel.Rob07748490599. Bath.

GIVI MaxiaTop BoxplusKappa panniers,completewithrack andall fixings, suitSuzuki GSF 1250/650 2007/2016,£45. Tel. 07977991624. Cumbria. BOOKS: new,Valentino Rossi/ MotoGP,192 &224pages, £6 &£8eachor£10pair.New Jethelmetc/wvisor 73/8”suit learner,£25.Newblackleather jacket,44/46”,£69.Used blackleatherjacket,verygood condition,44/46”,£40.Used black/redl/wcordjacket,£25. UsedAlpinestarboots,10,£45. Blacktopbox,40L,verygood condition,£50. Leatherracing suit,onepiece,5’10”44”,new, £125Tel.07759607498.

JACKETS BelstaffTrailmaster, D.LewisLightning1960-1970s, 38-40,806zippergloves,shirts: Heuer,Assen,TT,Agvhelmets etc,1960-70logosTel.01277 200530.

OPEL AstraTT,2011,convertible withgenuinecertified35,000 onclockwouldconsiderp/x forYamaha535,Astralovely condition,MoTuntilApril2025 andhistory,pleaseringfor detailsorsell,£1800Tel.01743 860362.Shropshire.

OXFORD Bone drymotorcycle jacket,black/blue,XL,detachable thermallining,elbow,shoulders, backprotection,£25.Openface motorcyclehelmet,visor,grey, large,£20.Motorcyclegloves, black,knuckleprotection,£10, allasnewconditionTel.01299 266565.

SUZUKI SV65099to08 HaynesManual3912,excellent condition,£10.BikersTours &BikerBritainbookbySimon Weir,bothexcellentcondition, £10eachwillpostatcostTel. 07874840347.Oldham.