MoreBikes February issue **FREE TO READ**

LAPPING UP THELAKES

INSIDE THIS MONTH

READYTOGORETRO?

What

FIRST RIDE: VOGE 900

Could

Doyou ride all year? It’sa question Iseem to get asked less often these days, which isn’tabad thing. In truth, I don’t, or at least not in the typical sense, but I’ve served my time doing so daily for at least adecade. For several years Idid acommute of 40 miles each way and would often findmyselffrozen tothe bone amatter of miles in. This was at atime beforeheated kitwas available/ affordable for thelikes of myself, and I

had no car to fall back on. Iremember one journey home taking six hours on a Versys 650, tackling deep snow,which Ihonestly couldn’tcontemplate now.I guess that’swhy I’m always in awe of those folk that keep plugging on all-year round, often dressed up like the Michelin man in abid to keep abit of warmth in their blood flow.Itisinspirational andit’salso refreshing to hear abike’s motor at atime whensofew areout on theroads,soifyou arethat year-

BECOMEA MEMBER

Youcan have MoreBikes delivered straight to your door –and get your hands on the latest andgreatest reviews, road tests andproduct reviews from some of the best in the game. We’renot asking much, just cover the cost of delivery,and it’syours. Want to know more? Scan the QR code (or visit www morebikes.co.uk and look out for the subscriptions section on the drop-down menu). Easy

TORQUING POINTS…

What we make of Honda’snew V3 motor… and where it’slikely to end up

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

round warrior,fair play to you. And if you’renot, like myself, Iguess there’s excitement ahead as it’ll soon be spring and normal service will be resumed. In the meantime, Ihopethis new issue brings you abit of adistraction to help pass the time.

Headed your way…

Asif2025 isn’talready dripping with newly announced metal, the flow still keepscoming. Here’re afew more models to get excitedabout

Words: AlanDowds

DucatiPanigaleV4S Tricolore

It’s afine linebetween genius andinsanity.And in this economy,a£48,000 special edition superbikewill seem like madness to many out there. But this trick variant of the world-conquering Panigale V4 is areallyintriguing piece of design, with some unique chassis kit, and a one-offasymmetrical paint job that echoesthe Italianflag. Just 1000bikes will be built,which sounds likealot for alimited-edition model, but we reckon there’ll be abig queueofwell-heeled fans ready to splash the cash. Why? Well, the Tricolorecomeswith acouple of subtle yet key mods: lightweight five-spoke carbon fibrewheels, which save around akilooverthe already-light forged aluminium rims on the stockV4S, and anew top-end brakeset up from Brembo. The front carbon wheel wears apair of gigantic 338.5mm discs, which are thebiggest youcan getona170-inch wheelinour worldofEuclidean geometry.You’d need some sortofTARDIStechnology to getanything bigger on there.Bigger discs meanthere’s moreleverage from the braking forceapplied by the calipers,increasing power,and the serving-plate-sized rotors arealso extra thick at 6.2mm, with cooling fins, and Brembo’sT-Drive carrierset up. The ‘Brembo Front Brake Pro’ installation also includes apair of the firm’slatest Hypure road-going superbike four-piston radial monobloc calipers, with aspecial titanium anodising finish, and it’s rounded offbyanMCS 19.21 adjustable mastercylinder Brick-wall stopping looks to be assured, and together

with sharper steering from the light carbonwheels, Ducati says these mods make abig difference to the bike’strack abilities. How many owners willbeschlepping their £48k Tricoloreround adamp UK track day at Brands, Indy or Cadwell remains to be seen…

The rest of the chassisfollows the same narrative as the base 2025 Panigale V4 –anew monocoque main frame design, with adual-sided swingarm. It’sanother nailinthe old-school Ducati chassisethosofsteel tube trellises and single-sided swingarms, but while it loses those unique charms, it gets sharper handling and lower mass in return. Afair exchange for the track day loons and racers, but those of amoreromanticbent might bemoan the loss of ‘character’ that comes with computer-engineered aluminium solutions acrossthe board.

The engine is as seen on the base bike –perhaps with 216bhp in road trimwe’ve finally –finally! –reached the point wherewehave ‘enough’ power on tap. Theonly modisinthe transmission, whereDucati’s added adry clutch unit, complete with track-friendly open carbon clutch cover.Ditto the electronics package: youget all the good stufffromthe V4 Sincluding the Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 suspension, with semi-active control of the NPX30 fork, TTX-36 rear shock and Öhlins steering damper The massive new 6.9-inch colour dash gives access to the bleeding-edgerider aids and tech: cornering ABS and tractioncontrol slide control,wheelie control,

launch control, enginebrake control, power modes and the electronic suspension set up, all adjusted with new switchgear.Cruise control, quickshifter,datalogging, phone link and lithiumbattery round offthe electronics package nicely

The last part of the Tricolorestory is the fancy stuff, of which thereisplenty.Carbon fibrefront and rear mudguards, chain guard, heel guards, swingarm cover, exhaust guard, alternator cover,clutch cover andbrake air ducts save mass and look ace, while the usual numbered top yoke plaque is underlined by aspecial key and one-off start-up animation.You get anice indoor cover,abox to put it all in,and theoption to buy amatchingcustomised leather jacket and helmet. Lovely stuff,and all available to order from your Ducati dealer now.

Ducati Multistrada V2

We raised an eyebrow when Ducati released the details of its nextgeneration V-twin motor acouple of months back. Okay,the purist in us appreciated thelight weight, and areset of the mad power escalator for what is,after all, amiddleweight powerplant. But dropping the desmodromic valves, like shelvingthe single-sidedswingarms, lost afew cool engineering points (though saves on servicing costs).

The main concernthough, was the power output,especially when it comes to replacing thehighperformance Superquadromotor in the Panigale and Streetfighter V2 models. The 890cc engine makes 120bhp in its high-power tune, whichis35bhp down on the old Pani lump: alot of ponies to make up forwith lighter weight and sharper handling

There’renosuch concernshere though. The 2025 Multistrada V2 also gets the new non-desmo V-twin engine, in a115bhp tune, and that’s much closer (almost identicalinfact)to theold 937cc Testastretta 11° V-twin engine used in 2024. Indeed, the new lump seems like the ideal solution for those lower-output applications in the Multistrada, Hypermotard950, Monster, and DesertX (thoughwe’ve notseen newversions of thelast three as yet)

Afresh engine isn’tall we get for 2025 on the Multi V2 though. It getsa new

chassis,withamonocoque aluminium main frame and cast aluminium dualsidedswingarm. Those new parts, alongside the 54.9kg motor, makes this the lightest Multistrada ever: the base V2is199kg ready to ride without fuel, which is around 18kg lighter than before. The V2 Sisafew kilosheavier though, which is down to extra kit like the Ducati Skyhook electronic suspensionset up. That system uses Marzocchi suspension parts nowwith 45mm USD forks and rear monoshock, with similar mechanical units on the base bike. There’sa19-inch frontwheel asbefits the mild off-road pretentions of the Multistrada, with wire-spoked rims as afactory option, both wearing Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres in 120/70 19 front and 170/60 17 rear sizes. Standard Ducati2025 roadbike-spec Brembo brakesround offthe chassisspec: four-piston radial calipers up frontwith 320mm discs.

There’safairly standard2025 Ducati roadbike electronics suite as well. It’snot as flash as the V4 rocketship, but the middleweight Multi has a proper six-axis IMU assisted ECU which controls the cornering ABS and traction control, wheelie control, and engine brake control,all accessed via the new 5-inch colour LCD dash and new switches. Quickshifter,cruise control, Ducati Multimedia phone link, cornering LED headlights and

afull suite of rider and power modes round offthe spec on the V2 S, with the V2 only missing out on the Multimedia system as standard. The V2 Salso has the electronic Skyhooksuspension set up, which is integrated into the riding settings, and also has anew minimum preload function, dropping the bike down at astandstill for easier loading and unloading.

Atempting proposition for some 2025 touring antics then, and all priced from £13,995 (V2) or £16,390 if you must have the electronicsuspension (and thelovely green paint option) on the S.

We’ll be honest: some of the limited-edition Triumphs in recent years have been abit underwhelming. Achrome tank, some pin-stripepaint lines,and an Elvis paint job areall pleasant enough, but we generally like abit moreinaspecial model. Like this –the new Bobber TFC(Triumph Factory Custom). It’sbased on the top-selling Bonneville Bobber modernclassic with its 1200 paralleltwin engine and slick roadster chassis, but with some proper tasty upgrades. Perhaps surprisingly,the mods primarily focus on the chassis, with quality suspension andbraking parts. For your £17,195 (£4k over the base bike) you get some Öhlins premium road suspension front and rear,with fully adjustable 43mm Öhlins NIX 30 upside-down forks and apreload/ rebound adjustable rear

monoshock. High-end BremboM50 four-piston radialmount monobloc calipers clamp on to dual 310mm discsupfront, operatedbyatasty MCS master cylinder. The SOHC 8-valve liquid-cooled motor is unchanged, and makes the same 77bhp,which is a little disappointing. But you do getanAkrapovic twinsilencerexhaust system to save some mass and add asweetertone. There’s carbon fibre bodywork, embroidered leather seat, gold details andunique two-tone paint–and the TFC Bobber is also a hefty 14kg lighter than the stock bike, which is aneat trick.

Triumph Bobber TFC

Stark Varg EX

Convinced that there’s no scope for an electric performancebike? The off-road world begs todiffer.The battery-powered dirtbike segment is growing, with theproblems of range being addressed, and other benefits like light weight,big power, plus no clutch or gears tomanage appealing to many. The StarkVarg MX bike hasimpressedsome serious riders with its 80bhp peak power output,and now the firmhas launched aroad-legal EXenduro version. Thereare still limits in terms of range, though the EX has alarger 7.2kW battery (the MX bike has 6kW/h). It’salso apparently able to be registered as an A1 learner-legal machine because its‘continuous’ power output is within the 15bhp limits, though peak output is still claimed as 80bhp.Whatcould go wrong there…

The Varg EX weighs just 120kg, has aclaimed run time of up to six hours, charges in twohours, and has atwo-yearwarranty. The chassis spec includes proper KYB fully adjustable dirtsuspension, steel tube frame and Brembo brakes. The price?Aserious (but not horrendous) £10,900. Available to ordernow at www.starkfuture com for March 2025 deliveries.

KTM round-up…

As we went to press beforeChristmas, it had become clear that thefinancialsituation at KTM’sparent firmPierer mobility (which also owns GASGAS, Husqvarna and MV Agusta) was turning critical. Rumours of problems had been circulating since the summer,when thefirm’sshareprice began to fall, asituation initially put down to the collapse in thee-bike andbicycle sectorpost-Covid. Pierer had made severalbig investments in pedalpower andthe downturn in that sector hit it hard

But at the end of November last year, Stefan Pierer himself announced that thefirm was entering intovoluntary administration. “KTM, which has grown from 160 employees and aproduction volume of 6000 units in 1992 to acapacity of up to 1000 motorcycles per day,isnow facing significant hurdles,” said Pierer.“To address these, KTM will initiate alegal restructuring proceeding with self- administration. The application will be submitted on Friday,November 29, withthe goal of concluding the process within 90 days.”

Further announcementsfromthe firmspoke abouta‘high three-digit million’figure as the debt in Euros –inother words, in themany hundreds of millions, up towards abillion. That news came afterthe firmhad already announcedanoperating loss of over€100 million for 2024, and some reports talkofa €1.7billion debt

Theadministration process gives the firm time to tryand finda wayout of itsproblems,

through refinancing and restructuring.Inthe short term, therehave been various stories –officialand unofficial –regarding the end of the firm’sMotoGP,Moto2 and Moto3projects (apparentlysafe for2025 but not2026); the sacking of celebrity race test rider Jeremy McWilliams; and factory staffinAustrianot being paid. One story which seems to be fairly solid is that Pierer is selling offits 51 per cent shareofMVAgusta,the Varese firmitonly tookover in May last year.

There’snoshortage of possiblesaviours in the wings. Pierer has strongrelationships with Bajaj ofIndia and Chinese firmCFMoto, both of whomhave deep pockets. Closer to home, rumours werecirculating overChristmas about Red Bull stepping in to help its fellow Austrian firm. And the probably more likely,but less exciting optionofarescue packageand refinancing deal from avariety of European banks and financial institutions is also a possibility.Current creditors have apparently been offered a30per cent settlement on the money they’re owed as part of an initial restructuring arrangement, but it’sa massively fluid situation as we go to press in midJanuary

For the moment though, Pierer is looking to keep customers on-side, promising that dayto-day operations like parts supplyand dealer network will continue as usual. In astatement in late December,the firmstated: “KTM guarantees the continuation of motorcycles

being deliveredthrough ourAuthorised KTM Dealer network. Thesame goes for our spareparts, technical accessories, customer service support and warranties which remain unchanged, ensuring ongoingand unwavering support throughout this period.”

Fast Bikes have spoken offthe recordto staffatKTM UK, andtheysay that they’re working as normal, gettingthe new 2025 bikes in formarket, and don’texpect anythingto change very much untilafter theend of the administration period in early March.Fingers crossed for the folks in the orange team shirts.

What’sgoingon?

If you’re looking for an excuse to getout and about on your bike, take alook at these upcoming events…

FEBRUARY

www.mablethorpesandracing.co.uk

Feb 2: Mablethorpe SandRacing at The Beach, Mablethorpe,Lincs. Moreinfo’ from www mablethorpesandracing.co.uk

Feb 2: Bike Day atthe Ace Cafe, London. More info from www.london.acecafe.com

Feb 6: Krazy Horse Film Night (Wild Hogs) at Abbeygate Cinema, Hatter St, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (IP33 1LZ).Moreinfo’ from www krazyhorse.co.uk

Feb 7: Thanatos MC’sAnniversary Party at Westgate United ServicesClub, St. Mildreds Rd, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent (CT8 8RE). Free entry.More info’ from Facebook

Feb8-9: The KustomKultureShow at The Cable Factory, Helsinki, Finland. More info’fromwww kustomkultureshow.com

Feb 9: Singles Sunday at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

Feb9:MAG FredHill Memorial Ride at the Ace Cafe, London. More infofromwww.london.acecafe.com

Feb 15: Unwanted MCC’sValentine’sParty at The Rockbar,Shobnall Sports&Social Club, Shobnall Road, Burton upon Trent, Staffs (DE14 2BB). More info from www.unwantedmcc.co.uk

Feb 15: Dawn Riders MCC’sValentine’s DayParty at The Crofters, Leyland Lane, Leyland, Preston, Lancs (PR25 1TA) from 7.30pm. Entrybydonation. Moreinfo’ from Facebook

Feb 16: Mablethorpe Sand Racing at The Beach, Mablethorpe,Lincs. Moreinfo’ from www mablethorpesandracing.co.uk

Feb 16: Ride-Out to Excel Bike Show at the AceCafe, London.Moreinfo from www.london. acecafe.com

Feb21-23: Barrel Bikers MCC’sFirkino’Bitter Rally at The Shoulder of Mutton, Church Street, Little Horwood, Milton Keynes, Bucks (MK17 0PF). More info’ from www barrelbikers.co.uk

Feb 22: EastDurham MCC’s50th Anniversary Bash at Wingate Constitutional Club,Front St, Wingate, Co. Durham (TS28 5AG). Tickets £5. Moreinfo’ from 07810 600230 or Facebook

Feb22-23: Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show at Bath &West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset (BA4 6QN). Tickets £16. Moreinfo’ from 01507 529529 or www.classicbikeshows.com

Feb 23: 59 Club Renewal Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

Feb 28-March 2: BMF Crunchy Sleeping Bag Rally at the Heneage Arms, Louth Rd, Hainton, Lincs (LN8 6LX). Moreinfo’ from Facebook

MARCH

March 2: BidefordClassic Motorcycle Show atBidefordPannierMarket, MarketPl, Bideford, Devon (EX39 2DR). Tickets £5. Moreinfo’ from www bidefordbikeshow.org

March 2: Mablethorpe Sand Racing at The Beach, Mablethorpe, Lincs. Moreinfo’ from www mablethorpesandracing.co.uk

March 2: Bike Day atthe Ace Cafe, London. More info from www.london.acecafe.com

March 6: Krazy HorseFilm Night (Rush) at Abbeygate Cinema, Hatter St, BuryStEdmunds, Suffolk (IP33 1LZ). Moreinfo’ from www.krazyhorse. co.uk

March 8: MR Autojumble at New Marske Sports & Social Club, GurneySt, New Marske, Redcar,N.Yorks (TS11 8EQ). Tickets £5. Moreinfo’ from Facebook March 8-9: Scottish MotorcycleShow at Royal Highland Centre,Newbridge, Ingliston, Edinburgh, Scotland (EH28 8NB).Moreinfo’ from www.thescottishmotorcycleshow.com

March 9: Classic Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

March 16: MablethorpeSand Racing at The Beach, Mablethorpe, Lincs. Moreinfo’ from

March 16: Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

March 22: VMCC Kent’sVintage Motorcycle Jumble at the Village Hall, Dunkirk, Canterbury,Kent (ME13 9LF). Tickets £5, stalls £10. Moreinfo’ from 07789 606686 or redcherrycam@hotmail.co.uk

March 23: Custom &Cruiser Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london. acecafe.com

March 30: Overland&Adventure Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

March 30: Mablethorpe Sand Racing at The Beach, Mablethorpe, Lincs. Moreinfo’ from www.mablethorpesandracing.co.uk

March 30: Ardingly Classic Bike Show & Jumble at South of England Showground, Selsfield Rd,Haywards Heath, West Sussex (RH17 6TL). Tickets £7. Moreinfo’ from www.elkpromotions.co.uk

March 30: Newbury Harley Autojumble at Woodside Farm, Marlston Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, Berks (RG189TG). Tickets £5,nopitch fees. Moreinfo’ from 07388 656936 or Facebook

PoweredbyBackStreetHeroes

OURTOP THIS MONTH PRODUCTS

Words: Alan Dowds

RRP: £580 www.agv.com

Top-end adventure helmet from AGV,with full-face design, carbon outer shell andflexible design. The peak comesoff for pureroaduse, and the visor can be removedfor use with goggles, so you have afour-wayon-/off-roaddesign. Lightweight design, 1.54kg, loads of vents, and asharp, slick design. Also available in cheaper non-carbon version, andinloads of colourways. It’s not been SHARP tested yet but is, of course,ECE 22.06 approved.

3

No-nonsense protective gear from British brand ARMR, the Raiden 3.0 range offers ajacket, jeans and gloves combo, that gets you kitted out for around £400. The jacket and jeans featurecowhide construction, 360° joining zip, technical stretch fabric comfort panels, vented areas, YKK zippers and mesh lining. The kit is CE AA rated, with level 1 armour in elbows, knees and shoulders, and there’s a pocket for aback protector The gloves arealso leather, with external protectors and level 1KPcertification. The Raiden range is all available in black, black/red or black/ yellow.

RRP: £550 /www.alpinestars.com

/ www.alpinestars.com and do look the part. A

Race-rep helmets have been athing forever, so why not replica boots? FansofMarc Marquez and hisindomitable nature can nowdisplay their loyalty on their tootsies, with these fancy limited-edition Supertech Rbootsies. Usual top-end Alpinestars protection, with the latest inner boot design, and full outer protection. Extensive venting keeps feet fresh, and they do look the part. A chunky expense but what price yourMM93 loyalty?!

4Bike Shed twill cotton jacket

RRP: £150 www.bikeshedmoto.co.uk

It’snot protective gear,but this jacket from theBike Shed is ahandsome piece of kit,ideal for showing youron-trendShoreditch-friendly statusdahn theold gastropub. One hundred per centcotton twill, embroidered ‘stamp’ logo, andavailable in tan or black.

Italian luggagelegend Givi has released anew high-security locking system for its premium hardluggage. TheSmart Security lock has acunningremovable inner cylinder part,sothere’snothing for thieves to try andpick when you park up thebike. Thelock has three positions: locked/closed, locked to thebike with the lid openable, and removable/ openable. So, youcan have the case easily opened when riding, and fully secure when parked. Givi’salso added anew internallocking lever that secures thecase to therack morestrongly.The locks initially fit thenew Outback Evo range of cases.

6 Keis B601RP heatedvest

RRP: £180

www.keisapparel.com

If you’ve still not got aheated vest for riding in colder weather,then we pity you– it’s agenuine revelation. But now’sthe ideal time to getinonthe luxury heatedlifestyle. Market leader Keis has redesignedits standardelectricvest,withnew inner cabling and redesigned comfortmaterials. The firmsays it fitsbetterthaneverand wicks more moistureaway,too. It connectsstraight to yourbikewithasuppliedcable or canbepowered by anoptional battery pack that works offthe bike, too –ideal for walking the dog or going to the football in the winter…

We salute the daily riders now the clocks have gone back –you arethe heroes we all need. But you also need help to keepyour steeds in good order whenthe rain, grit, salt and snow appears Get tooled up with this newMint corrosion control spray.It’sbetter than theusual maintenance sprays since it’sdesigned to form along-lasting layer on bare metal, keeping rust and oxidation away for up to six months. Also good for bikes that arebeing parkedup over winter

TopBrit accessory firmR&G Racinghas updatedits paddock stand range for 2025, with anew headstock-fit stand for removing forks,and tougher construction. The range features largerwheels for better manoeuvrability,200kg rating per stand,and black powder-coatedfinish, and thereare dual-sided and single-sided rear standsto suit most bikes.

Smart, well-priced urban riding jacket, with fully waterproof liner,and soft shell construction, the Havocisideal for on and offthe bike. CE Arated with level 1 armour in elbows and shoulders, plus back protector pocket, and six pockets, plus removable hood Comes in plain black or grey,orasmart black/greyweb design.

RST Havoc men’s

Top-of-the-line race helmet from French firm Shark, the Aeron GP is thesame one worn by the brand’sriders around theworld in MotoGP,WSBKand BSB. It’s got a full carbonconstruction,with anew internal structure,optical class onevisor with four-point anchorsystem, andquick-release mechanism andadaptive aerodynamic spoiler –which changes shape with theairflowtomatch aeroperformance to the rider’sposition. Very light at 1,410g, it’sapremiumlid packed with sweet features. Available in plain, carbon or replica graphic schemes, no SHARPratingyet,but ECE22.06 and FIM approved.

Amid-heighttouringboot, with extensive comfort and protection technology,the Infinity boots arefully waterproof and use asmart reel-type lacingsystem with adjustable Velcrofasteningflap for the perfect fit.There’s aspecial Ortholite footbed andGroundtrax rubber sole for good traction when walkingoff the bike. They give good protection,too, with armour on shin,ankle, toes andheel, safety reflective panels, and CE cat II approval.

glo yt and I’ve crashedinplentyofthem… includingtheseGPTechV2s.But beforeIget into howtheycoped when kissingthe Tarmac,I’ll give aquick overview of the product

Thesesit rightatthe topof Alpinestars’ rangeand, as you’d expect, they’reabsolutelydrippingin features and high-end materials,such as the kangaroo palm construction that brings not just alightweight aspect and feel to theproduct, butalsosuperblevels of abrasion protection. Alongside dualcuffs and ergonomicallyshapedknuckle and wristprotection,thereare alsoseveral

Rated: Alpinestars GP Tech V2 Gloves

areas ofstretch materialtoensurea good and comfy fit.Throwinarace fingerbridge, accordion flexion zones and some fingertip slidersand you’ll begin to realisetheylackfor nothing… Butthe featurethatreallymakes these hand-huggers stand outistheir integration ofKevlar, and lots of it

When mine first arrived, Iwas abit taken abackby the lookand feel on offer,beingunlikeanythingelseI’d ever had. Sure, theyfelt nice and light and were super-easy to slot on, butI’ll admit it took me agoodfew ridestoget used to them.The cutofthe gloves,as with the moreconventional GP Pros that Alpinestarsproduce,felt faultless

and Isoonlearnedthatifanything, the flexand feel of theseitems felt so much better than the traditional, full-leather options.And especiallysoonhot days, on track, whereyourhands soon get sweaty and the fittingand removing of gloves, session after session, can become abind.

Havingclockedagoodfew trackdays in these, Ilearnedtheydidn’t hinder you in the same wayand so theysoon became my favouriteoption, and so,too,onthe road. Quitesimply, thecomfortside to them,plus the knowledge that theyofferedall the protection of anytop-end race glove, soon hadmeseeingthe lightand

wonderingwhy no one hadgone down this routebefore? People produce lots of products in Kevlar (aka aramidfibre), and high-quality Kevlar is everybit as abrasion resistantasleather… and then some Anyway,with aseasonofnew bike launches under my belt and the glovesgoing strong,Idecidedtotest them properly with ahighside at Portimao.Ihit the ground hard,to the extent of dislocatingafinger in the process, butthe gloveswould’ve told youadifferentstory,with just afew scuffstotheir name on the strategicallyplacedplastic guards Theyweregoodtogoagain, so having

gotmyfinger reset, Igot on with the test and carriedonriding.

Severalmonths laterand I’mstill ridinginthem and lovingthem as much as Ialwayshave. Yes, they’re different, butfor all the rightreasons and I’mdefinitelyafan of their make-up,designand proven levels of protection. No,they’renot cheapbut in this case,you getwhat youpay for.

TESTED BY:Bruce TIME: 2years

PRICE: From £349.99

WEB: www.alpinestars.com

Youcan win apair of WEISE

For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikesFacebook page andupload apic of your bike, tell us whereyou’ve beenonitand why you love it… and youcould findyourself staring back at yourself from within these verypages. Oh, and we’llalso pick a winner at random each monthfor awell-earned prize,courtesy of our friendsatthe Key Collection. What areyou waiting for?

Your Ride

Sonny Bobal Suzuki RGV250

acracking little stroker

Sancho Antonio Dirtbike Sancho sentthis pic of him starting his ridinglife back in 1980. Sweet!

Retrorelish

Retrorelish

The retro market is one of the strongest sectorsout there, and to ensure Triumph staysupatthe pointy endofthings,it’sjustreworked its much-lovedSpeed Twin 1200 family

Words: Bruce Pics Gareth Harford/Chippy Wood

Roughly athirdofTriumph’s sales can be attributedtoits old-schoolthemed range. From Scramblers to Bobbers, it’sfair to say the British brand knows how to build amodern classic, and one of its best sellers is the Speed Twin. Since 2019 it’ssold around 20,000 units, and that’sa figurethat’ssure to rocket higher thanks to the introduction of not one,but two new Speeds Built around asimilar foundation, the new Speed

Twin 1200 and Speed Twin 1200 RS are well-thought-out enhancements over the smash hit iteration thatcame before them. Despite being slightly different, mainly owing to an onslaught on fancy shiny bits on the higherspec RS version, that and the base optionshare lots of keycomponents such as the next generation’senhanced frame, remodelledfuel tank and polarising TFT,cylindrical dash. Theyalso sport the same, freer flowing exhaust systems, that

have played abig role in making the model Euro5+ compatible, while the fitment of cornering ABS and traction control arealso common on both models With the base bike costing £12,495 and the RS £14,495, you’d be right to wonder what the pricier optionhas over its sibling? Well, having pricked my ears during the Speed’spresentation in Mallorca, it hithome that the main differences include uprated suspension,sportier ergonomics, the fitment of ashifter/blipper

system, and theinclusion of an additional ridingmode; you get Sport, as well as the Rain and Road options found on the base bike. Aslightly nicer seat also joins the mix, butboth bikes featurethe same, larger-thanlifecentrepiece –the bettered 1200cc, parallel twin motor Newthrottle bodies, the aforementioned new exhaust system, new cams and amodified cylinder head have come together to bring the bike an additional 4bhp, which is no mean feat at a

time when blowing air could have you hauled up in court for killing theplanet. Admittedly, Iwas alittle startled to learn that the peak output of the bike was just 104bhp, but my blood pressurereturned to normal when it was said maximum torque from the twin was awhopping112Nm. Whichever way you look at it, that kind of output cannot be sniffed at, and, considering

this was my first-ever rideona Speed Twin, Iwas gaggingtosee if that motor was amad as the figures alluded it would be.

Kicking things offwith the base model, just firingthe twin into life was somethingofanexperience. Triumph knows athingortwo about building bikes with exciting soundtracks, andthis machine was bang on trend. Even with the stock silencers, the throaty bark emitted with every twist of the throttle got me noddinginternally with approval. It certainly sounded the part, and it didn’texactly lack when the time came to slip the clutch and let rip.

Most twinstend to be quite torquey,but the inclusion of a 270° firingorder has no doubt played its part in making the punch of thebig machinefeel even morezesty and urgent. That said, one thingIpicked up was the fuellingmaybe wasn’t as crisp as Iwas hoping, especially in the lower revs, at anything

under 2000rpm. Youmight think I’m being quite picky throwinga stat like that out there, but when you consider this thing’smorein the redthanmebeforepayday at 8000rpm, that first 25 per cent of the revs is often accessed and leaned upon.Given time, the motor would pick up with haste and I’d findmyself firingoff without too much delay,but it was perplexing howweak themotor was in that area, as at anything above that theSpeed would feel pretty awesome, racing up to the national speed limit in ajiffy With time andmiles, Ilearned to treat the motor that little bit kinder,and to make moreofthe lightweightclutch that could be leaned upon to add revs and smoothen the bottom end. I was also leaningpretty heavily on the clutch for every up and downshift. The’box on the bike isn’tthe slickest and I’ll admit Iwas cursing the fact that the base model didn’t come with a

shifter/blipper to make life easier.

Iwrite these words realising how pathetic that might sound, as not too many years ago such luxuries werethe preserve of pukka racers andthat was that. But times have changed and systems, like ABS and traction control, aremore common than colds.

Of course, dig alittle deeperin your pockets and you’ll find the tech at home on the RS. What you won’tfind on either spec though,iscruise control or heated grips, and Icould have done with

the latterbecause it was bloody freezing and most of the roads werewet. Given that this bike is kitted withsportyMetzeler M9RR road tyresasstandard, Idid toy with putting the bike in Rainmode for awhile, but it proved way too intrusive for my liking,literally holding the bike back untilit was sufficiently upright to permit acceleration to the rear wheel. Even in Road mode, the spiciest of the two options on tap, the electronic intervention couldstill be felt muchmorethan Ihoped.

The only other option would be to turnthe traction control offall together,which Ididn’tfancy at that stage as Ihave ahabit of crashing bikes on launches in the wet. Fast-forwardhalfaday and my time on the base model was up. It’d impressed me for lots of different reasons, notleast of all how comfy it was, and at howwell the non-adjustablesuspension tackled the lumps and bumps in the road. The questionwas, would Inotice much difference on the RS?

The answer to that question is yes. By the time I’d pulled out of the lunch stop car park, the RS was feeling notably different. The higher seat, sportier poise and inclusion of Sport mode

meant the costlier bike had awhole different feel to the base machine that just simply couldn’tbeignored. And as for the handling, the adjustable Marzocchi forks and fancy Ohlins RSUs brought awhole other level of competence to it. While there’sdefinitely aplace for the chilled, slightly less firm feeling base model, thestiffer, moreprecise handlingofthe RS was much moreupmystreet, and it didn’t take me longtostart exploring its potential on the myriad of bends that our six-hour joyride brought about. Ifelt so much better connected with the front wheel on the RS andwas moreinclined to ride thebike in the way that Iwanted at all times. It’sstability certainly impressed me, and while I’d stop short of saying it was anywherenear as agile as the likes of aStreet Triple, it could hunt out apexes respectfully for abike with akerb weight of 216kilos. Best still, it was kitted with that much craved shifter and blipper.While the actual gearbox on the bike still wasn’tgreat, having that tech to use and abuse took the pain out of my ever-changingshiftpattern. As for the fancy Brembos… well, they certainly looked the part, but I’d argue the Triumph branded options on the base bike weren’t much worse. Ultimately,they could be leaned on to stop me when needed, although Idid have afew too many engagements of the ABS for my liking. Unlike the traction control, you can’tdisengage that, or switch it to alessintrusive level, so it was moreacase of adapting my braking style to that which you’d expect from the typical buyer of one of these.

TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN 1200 17

Shiny bits–

Offeringafirmer and moreaggressive ride,the RS is fitted with fully adjustable Marzocchi forks up front while twin, adjustable Ohlins units offer assured support at the rear

The fancier version of the bikeisalso supplied with Brembo Stylema calipers, whichstop as good as they look.

Motor –

The parallel-twin engine is identical to the base model’s, producing a whopping 112Nm of torque,plus an uprated output of 104bhp.For 2025, several enhancements have been made to the engine,including new throttle bodies, cams and areworked cylinder head.

Ergonomics –

To give the RSa sportier edge,it benefits from araised rear seat unit, slightly more rearwardbars, and pegs thatare alittle higher and rearward.

Tech –

Cornering ABS and cornering traction control arestockonboth models, but the RS features an additional ‘Sport’ mode,alongside ‘Rain’ and ‘Road’. This allows you to extract moreofthe motor’s performancewithout engaging tractioncontrol so easily.The new digital dash is also worth noting,plus the fitmentofTriumph’sshifter and blipper as stockonthe RS

Truthfully speaking, Iwas getting carried away on the Speed because it was way more fun than I’d expected,constantly being egged on by the bike’s booming exhaust note that only got better with revs. The moreI put into the Triumph, the more it had to offer,both in terms of performance and character Being so naïve to bikes like this, Icouldn’thelp but findmyself impressed and contemplating whether abike like this could actually finditself at home in my lifestyle.Personally,Iwouldn’t look to one as my main bike, but Icould see the virtue in owning one for morerelaxed, pleasurable times… which is arguably what abike like this has been designed for It’sa very uncomplicated machine, built with simple pleasureatits heart andthere’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, for those that don’t wanttogo at 200 miles per hour,the appeal is overwhelming, especially when you factor in the bike’s good looks. Triumph is apro at providing quality finishes toits bikes and Ifound myself liking all that Iwas seeing. Even the orange paint on thetank started to grow on me, which is somethingInever thought I’d admit. Of course, looks aresubjective, so it’snot for me to convince you whether this bike looks great, but what Iwill

say is that underneath that classic guise lives amuch moremodern and playfulreprobate. Am Iready to go retro? Well, if bikes like this areanything to go by,I’m keener than Iwas before.

18 FIRST RIDES

Adventure at asnip: Voge DS900X Adventureatasnip: Voge DS900X

An all-singing, fully equippedadventure bikefor asmidge overnine grand? There’sgot to be acatch, surely?

Words: Dave Manning Pics: TooFastMedia

Having ridden the Voge DS900X for aday,Ihave the feeling that the only catch that its bargain price can bring is the name. While you may not know muchabout Voge, it seems that it is abrand that is on the rise in the UK,and this twin cylinder 900 is the new kid on its block.

The parallel twin engineis, toall intents and purposes, the same engine as that used in the BMW

F900, with bothcompanies’ enginesbeing builtbyLoncin (which is actually the Voge parent company). That said, they are not identical –although capacity, boreand stroke and compression are the same, and some of the casings are, too. But thereare enough differences to allow them to stand apart. Factory figures show thatthe Voge has12less bhp, butahigher torque figure

by 2Nm (which may be down to ECU settings, or morelikely due to the exhaust and airbox configurations), with the end result being the DSX feeling alittle less eager and punchy,but probablya little more flexible than the motor in the German machine.

As you’d expect, the paralleltwin powerplant is flexible andpotent enough for everyday use, albeit not as feisty or as characterful as,

say,a KTM of similar capacity But then, not everyone wants their ride to be started ‘ready to race’ do they? The quickshifter is perhaps an indication of where the Voge sits, in that it is fitted and it works well enough, but certainly not as fluidly or as swiftly as bikes that have performance as agreater focus. It’snot abad ’shifter,although thereisafeeling that it has been fitted just so it can

be added to the spec sheet rather than as an actual performance aid that’sbeen part of the bike’s development. That modernspec engineis joined by an astoundingly high level of componentry –there’s heated grips and seat, crash bars, additional lights, full luggage set, cruise control, centrestand, etc.

To put that little lot into context, if you spec’d up aBMW 900GS to

the same level, you’d be looking at double the price of the Voge… And it’snot just the techand ancillaries that areofadecent spec, as the DSX has some decent hardwareinthe chassis, too, includingKayaba forks and rear shock, and the brake calipers areBrembo, albeit the older, non-radial style of caliper, and Ihave to admit to being abit disappointed in their performance, as they’renot quite up to scratch when compared with thebrakes on comparable models from other manufacturers.

Now,Idon’treckon that this is just down to them being an older design, or the Voge being quite aheavy machine, but more of amismatch between pad compound and disc material, and they could even be improved just by aswap of pads.

While the quality control of Chinese bikes has come on leaps and bounds in thelast decade (even moresointhe last couple of years), it does seem that the one thing that is still being used to skimp on costs is pad choice (or development). Thereare some other little niggles that might have normally been ironed out in

the development process. While both brake and clutch levers are adjustable for span, the hand guardsand their bracketry mean that it’snigh on impossibleto alter them. The indicatorswitch doesn’thavea’click’ so Ifound myself checking (again and again) if it wason, or off. And some of the fasteners already had an orange/brown tingethat suggestedthey’d get rusty really quickly,and some of the coating (zinc?) lookedalittle thin.

But those little niggles are balanced out by therebeing no thin and flimsy plastic that looks as though it’ll crack and splinter at thewords ‘ham-fisted’, and there areno mismatched fasteners or zip tiesused in place of more appropriatedevices, so overall the qualityismuch higher than is so often (incorrectly) assumed whensomeone uses the words ‘Chinese-built’.

The three-pieceluggage that comes as standardfitment seems of adecent quality,somuch so that eachbox has anice fleecy/ velvet lining that is heldinplace by Velcro,thatisactually rigid enough to stand as abox when removed. And the topbox is big

20 FIRST RIDES

enough to fit in an adventure-style helmet (my large-peaked Iconlid that you see in the pics fitteda treat). The pillion seat seems quite suitable(Itried it out while parked at aphoto location), although that top box does intrude alittle, forcing you further forwardthan the seat wants you to be

In contrast to some other manufacturers’ models, the Voge has ascreen that is really easy to adjust, possible with one hand when you’resat on the bike, although on abright and dry day on minor byways and highways in Lancashire, Ididn’tget the chance to experience thescreen’s effectiveness at either motorway speeds or in poor weather conditions.

Thereare four ride modes –the usual variety of Road, Sport,Rain and Enduro–while for those folks who like to commit to abit moreadventurous exploring, the ABS can be switched off(ABS and traction control areoff in the Enduromode). That said, the DSX is perhaps moreappropriate for what has become traditional ‘adventure’ riding –i.e. the occasional bit of mild exploring along gravel trails or grassy fire roads. This is no pseudo-enduro machine capable of off-road competition, andithas avery heavy road bias. Which is, of course, exactly what thecurrent market is demanding.

The 7-inch TFT dash display is adecent size, but then it needs to be given the amount of information that it can show (including tyrepressures). It’s flanked by apair of power supply sockets, the USB/mini USB on the left, and acigarette lighter-typeon the right.

It’sgot keyless ignition, so you can leave the fobinyourpocket which ‘improves both ease of use and security’ according tofactory blurb. I’m not entirely convinced of that, as youstill need the keys for the luggage and fuel cap and, talking of things thatmany folk will considertobenothing morethan afad andpretty much irrelevant if you’venot grown up in the Playstation generation, there’s the blind spotassistance lights that flashanorange triangle in the mirrors when vehicles aredetected nearby by the onboardRADAR

Igot fed up of telling theVoge: “Yes, I’d alreadyseen that, tell me something Idon’tknow!”

Of course,itisasafety aid and genuinely beneficial, and I am old, grumpy and cynical… There’salso the rear proximity

warning, which flashes the brake lights and indicators when avehicle is approaching from behind. Aside from giving the driver of that vehicle some extra awareness, it also flashes the dash lights so the rider can either move out of the way or preparefor impact. Again, some might consider it agimmick,but if it saves acollision it has to be agood thing. Andbesides, it makes for great fun and games if you’refollowing aDSX, playing at either trying to creep up behind unannounced, or in making the rider jump with lots of flashing lights when you’d notbeen spotted in the mirrors…

Being launched in late summer, it wassoon clear that the Voge is ready for aBritish winter as it has (as standard,ofcourse) heated grips and aheated seat,both controlled by buttons on the lefthand switchgear,asisthe cruise control, whichisvery similar to the KTM style t-shaped paddle, and easy to use

And we have to keep referring to the price of aquid undernine grand (plus OTR charges, so

actually £9200-ish). It’snot a cheap bike at that price,but it most certainly is acheap bike in the context of adventurebikes, especially when you look at the level of spec, and realise that there isn’treally much cutting of corners when it comes to the level of build. Okay,sothe calipers areoldstyle axially mounted Brembos, but the tyres arethe excellent Pirelli Scorpion Trail hoops, and pretty much all of the things that other manufacturers list on their accessory packages come as standardwith the DSX.Plus some others, like the 1080p camera. Yes, the Voge is equipped with a‘dashcam’ located in the nose of the fairing and, aside from being able to continually record(to amemory cardofyour choice slotted into the bike’shardware), you can also recordstill images while on the move by pressing the appropriate button on the right-hand bar! The operations can be controlled from your phone via the Voge app, which will, of course, allow you to interact with your bike in various other ways, too.

There’saphrase that, when Istarted in the bike industry aquarter-of-a-century ago, I never thought I’d use: ‘Interact with your bike.’ It’scertainly something that has come to be normal over the courseof

Voge DS900X

the 21st century’sfirst quarter, and it’snot going to be going away.And it seems that Voge is covering every aspect of that interaction, and all as basic spec rather than costly additions. Nice.

SPECIFICATION:

Engine: 895cc, paralleltwin, 270° crankshaft, DOHC, water-cooling,eight valves, slipper clutch, 86mmx77mm bore/stroke

Power: 93.8bhp (70kW) @8250rpm

Torque: 70.1lb-ft (95Nm) @6000rpm

Frame: Steel frame, bolt-onsteelsubframe

Wheelbase: 1580mm

Rider aids: Traction control, fourmodes (Sport, Rain,Enduro,Road), blind spot warning, rear proximity alert, tyre pressure monitoring

Brakes: (F)Twintwo-pistonBrembo calipers, 305mm discs, (R) Single piston Brembo caliper,265mm disc, dualchannelABS switchable for off-road

Transmission: Six gears, chain final drive, quickshifter

Suspension: (F)Upside-down KYB forks, preload,rebound and compression adjustable, 194mm travel, (R) KYB shock, reload and rebound adjustable,198mm travel

Wheels/Tyres: (F)21in spoked wheel,90/90x21in Pirelli ScorpionTrailIII tyre, (R) 17inspoked wheel, 150/70x17in Pirelli Scorpion Trail III tyre

Seat height: 825mm

Fuel capacity: 17 litres

Weight: 238kg

Contact: www.vogemotorcycles.com

Price: £9200

THEHYBRID, HYBRID?

Honda’selectrically-supercharged V3 conceptwas one of the most interestingthings shown at EICMA. Ourman Dowds looks at howthis could help savepetrol-powered bikes

Sometimes in life, thingsaren’tquite what they seem. WhenHonda unveiled anew 75° V-3engine at the Milan show, with aradical new electric supercharger set up, everyone rushed to speculate about howmuch power we’d be getting, what wild superbike it would power,and how it could revolutionise MotoGP and WSBK racing.

But there’sanother side to the tech as well –which mightbeeven more useful to the bike world overall. Because an electricsupercharger could just help bikes escape the move to purebattery power,atleast in the short and medium term, by making small, super-efficient,hybridpowerplants that use much less petrol.

First abit of arecap on the basictechnology Supercharging –orforced induction –isa great wayofimproving the performance of a small engine. If youcan pump more air into the combustion chamber than would normally be drawn in through the intake ports, youcan then add extra fuel,making bigger explosions. That givesmoreforce on top of the piston, increasing engine torque, hence, more power from asmaller capacity.Smaller engines arelighter,more compact, and have lower levels of friction –so when they’re ‘off-boost’ they use less fuel and produce lower emissions. But on full gas, they can give big engine power,soyou getthe best of both worlds. It’swhy most moderninternal combustionengined cars have shrunk in capacity andnumber of cylinders –three-litresixes turned into two-litre fours with turbos, and four-litreV-8s became twinturbo three-litre sixes, all of them cleaner,lighter and more fuel efficient,while stillmaking thebig powerand torque.

Up until now, forced induction engineshave used turbochargers or superchargers. Turbos use the energy in the engine’sexhaust to drive the compressor,while superchargers use a mechanical drive from the engine. Both have pros and cons: turbosneed acomplex turbine and compressor system exposed to hot exhaust gases, adding cooling and lubrication demands, as well as alarge, expensive exhaust turbo manifold which bringspackaging issues (they’re generally sticking outwherethe frontwheel has to go). But aturbo uses otherwise-wasted energy from the exhaust gas flowtocompress theintake charge. Superchargers aresimpler –though they need adirect drive (often abelt) from the engine crankshaft.

This newHonda setupadds another dimension though. Using an electric motor to compress the intake charge is noveltechnology,only really seen so far on F1 race car engines. Thereare loads of advantages. With asmart ECU control, the engine designer willbeable to dial in whatever intake pressurethey fancy,withinthe limits of the electric motor,atany point in the revrange. So, you won’t

be waitingfor aheavy turbocharger turbineand compressor wheel to accelerate, or amechanical supercharger to speed up with the enginerevs. That could obviously bringperformance advantages in terms of peak power –but the other advantage is efficiency.Havinganelectrical supercharger drive means the energy to compress the intake charge will come from abattery pack. That battery can be charged up gradually,aswith ahybrid car,taking otherwise-wasted energy when slowing down or braking, and even alittle bit while idlingorcruising. So,while amechanical supercharger robs energy from theengineall the time when it’sbeingused, the electric charger will be moreefficient, only usingelectric charge stored up at other times when it needsto(and you won’thave the constantfrictional losses of a belt, pulleys, shafts, gears or chain). Matched to modernengine management, super-lean running and other tweaks, this supercharged V3 could be extremely fuel efficient as well as extremely powerful.

The other sideofthe F1 electric supercharging is abit trickier anddoesn’t feature on the Honda V3 prototype shown in Milan.F1engines also had aturbinewheel in the exhaust flow, like a turbocharger,but instead of usingthe energy from that to mechanically drive acompressor, it’slinked to asmall generator that produces electricity.That can either be used to power a motor in the transmission to add direct power –as in ahybrid car –oritcould be used to power the electric supercharger,usingthe ‘free’ energy in the exhaust gas flowlike a‘virtual’ turbocharger Put all this together,with some smart electronics, and you could have an extremely efficient powerplant, with the potential for big power from asmall engine. A500cc petrol engine, with electric superchargingand an exhaust turbinepowered generator,together with an electric motor in the powertrain anda modest battery pack could produce near-1,000cc power at full chat with all thesupercharging, turbinegeneration and electric hybrid boost. But when cruising, or around town, it would give the fuel consumption and emissions of a250, much like Kawasaki’s existing Ninja 7Hybrid. Make the battery pack aplug-in chargeable design andyou’ll get even bigger benefits, especially on short runs like daily commutes. Extend this technology across your range, andafirm like Honda could come up with sub-50cc engines that perform like a125, 250cc engines with 500cc+ power,and so on

Once the basic electric supercharging technologies aredeveloped, it should be easy enough to apply them across awide range of machinery,giving us the performanceweall want, with the efficiency and clean running essential for futuremodels to stay on sale

22-23, 2025

TheRoyal Bath &WestShowground, BA46QN | Gatesopen9:30am

Februaryishere, and that can only mean one thing –it’stime for The Bristol Classic MotorCycleShow Get ready to revyour engines for one of the biggest biking events in this beautiful corner of England.

Thisyear’sBristol Classic BikeShow is acan’t-miss weekend for enthusiasts, collectorsand families alike, bringing together hundreds of classicmachines in one place. From rare vintage gems to beloved icons, everyinch of the

Bath &West Showground at Shepton Mallet will celebrate the verybest in motorcycling heritage.

We’rehonoured to welcome special guests Alex George and Chas Mortimer,star racers from the late Sixties through to

Adultsfrom £16 Under16s FREE FREE Parking

tiDiscountedadvance ckets close8:30am,February21, 2025.

Saddle-up forthe best in the South West!

the early Eighties and whose stories and achievements have helped shape the sport. Don’tmiss the chance to hear from these icons as theyshare unforgettable tales from their racing days.

Come along for the club

displays, trade stands, and autojumble that promise fantastic finds forcollectors and restorers. With something for everymotorcycling fan, this is your chance to soak up an atmosphere of pure biking nostalgia and excitement.

Time to motor west for this year’s kicks

Forloversoftimeless ridesand vintage bikes, Bristol is the place to be this February

Hello and welcome to the Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show,where the historic motorcycling fraternity descends upon the RoyalBath and West Showground for our annual Februaryfill of two- and three-wheeled enjoyment.

While Februarystill feels, for themajority of us, alittle early in the season for too much riding, especially on our hard-to-clean and exposed classics to which road salt is the enemy, it does have asense that we’renearly there; hopefully,winter projects have just about reached their conclusion andare at thefettling and fine adjustment stage, ready for spring and summer and another joyous yearof motorcycling.

But until that time when itis the full-on riding season,wefind

our ways of entertainment; shows such as thisone being agreat ‘fill in’, plus of course an opportunity to buy things, meet up with old friends, makenew pals and, at the show,look at some fabulous machinery, renewour club (and magazine!) subscriptions, as well as listen to some interesting stage interviews and talks –this year provided by 1970s racing duo Chas Mortimer and Alex George.

Personally, my yearly journey west issomething Ilook forward to, the opportunity to see people and motorcycles Igenerally don’t often see anywhere (or hardly anywhere) else being afitting way to startthe season ahead. Enjoythe show,see you there.

James Robinson, editor,The ClassicMotorCycle magazine

Get ready to feast your eyes on atrueclassic of motorcycle design at this year’sshow –a1924 DouglasTS.

If you head over to The Classic MotorCycle stand in the main hall you’ll see this stunning pieceof British engineering up close.

With ahorizontally opposed engine layout first designed by Douglas in 1907, and arich heritage,the TS (two-speed) is a shining example of motorcycling

innovation from abygone era.

This particular machinehas found aloving home as partof asmall familycollection.The current owner,MarkBlacklock, said theyhad been on thelookout for this iconic model forsome time. Purchased in excellent condition, it’sa credittothe dedication and craftsmanship of those who restored it.

The Douglas name has long been synonymous with qualityand innovation. The TS, alightweight

road bike, wasknown forits reliabilityand advanced design forthe time. Featuringa348cc flat-twin engineand adistinctive low-slungframe, thisbikewas afavouriteamong riders in the 1920s

While theoriginal registration wassadly lost to history, this bike’scharm andcharacter is plain to see. Itssleek lines, period-correctdetails and polished finishes aresuretocaptivate anyone with an appreciation for

vintage motorcycles.

So,whether you’re adie-hard fanofclassic bikes or simply love discovering thestoriesbehind theseincredible machines, this Douglas is amust-see at the show.Swing by thestand and get up close to this magnificent piece of motorcycling heritage.

Don’t miss out –join us at The BristolClassic MotorCycle Show foranunforgettable weekend celebrating thebest in classic motorcycling

Rev-up forthispairofracinglegends

Visitorstothe Bristol ClassicMotorCycleShow will be able to meet,listen to andrevel in thestories of twotitansofmotorcyclingthis

February –AlexGeorgeand Chas Mortimer

From theverylatesixties,for over adecade, thepairenjoyed high-speed triumphs on top

circuits andtheir competitive spiritsand mettle were forged in thewhite-hot heat of competition. You’ll be able to catchthemon

stagethroughoutthe weekend, sharingmemoriesofrivalries, races, andthe machines that defined theircareers,and as they spendtimeatthe show youcould

Chas Mortimer

Few riderscan claim the versatility andachievements of Chas Mortimer.The only rider to win grands prixinevery solo class from125cc to 750cc, he wasa master of adaptation and consistency.With over 250 international races and acareer spanningmore than two decades, he wasaforce to be reckoned with in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Not just aracer,Chas wasalso a skilleddevelopment rider,helping manufacturersrefine the bikes that wouldgoontobecome icons of their time. His triumphs, particularly on the Yamaha TZ series, cemented hisreputationasone of the most accomplishedand respectedridersin racing

well seethemout andabout Expect laughter,drama,and a behind-the-sceneslookatwhat it took to become race starsina golden ageofthe sport.

Alex George

AnIsleofMan TT hero,Alexwas renowned for hisfearless riding and remarkable skill on the world’s toughestroadcircuits With multiple TT victories to hisname, includinganunforgettable SeniorTTwin in 1975 aboard the Honda 500cc twin, he establishedhimselfasone of the finest ridersofhis era. Competing at atime when bravery wasasimportant as talent,hetookonthe toughest street courses and top rivals with determinationand flair. His careeris atestamenttothe golden age of road racing,where ridersbattled not onlyfor victorybut also for survival on some of the most dangerous tracks in sport.

Turn up and be tuned-in

See, hear and feel the classics

Ifyou love thesound of a classicbikeroaring to life,you won’twanttomissthe Live Firing-UpAreaatThe Bristol ClassicMotorCycleShow. It’s wheremotorcyclinghistory isn’t just on display–it’srunning, rumbling andmakingitself heard.

This area is allabout getting up closeand personal with a mixofmachineswhich areold enough to know better,but love it anyway

From theearly trailblazers to bikesyou mightremember from afew decadesago,there’s always somethingfascinating beingkickedintolife. Engines will be fired-upthroughoutthe weekend, giving youthe chance to hear andfeelwhatthese bikes areall about– sights,sounds, smells,the lot.

Andthisyear, we’vegot somethingextra special. Race starsAlexGeorgeand Chas Mortimer will be on hand, starting up some incredible bikes andsharing abit of theirstory It’s notevery dayyou gettosee iconslikethese in action

Theareaisrun by afriendly bunch of volunteers whoknow

Private parts...

One of the mostexciting aspects of the show is the individually entered motorcycles,and after a busy winter spentonyour full restoration… or maybe just fettling your prideand joyand tendingtoall those little jobs… where bettertoshow off your handyworkthanthe Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show?

Assembledfor your pleasure will be hundredsofour readers’ classic bikes on displayacross the weekend.

Apanel of judges will be on hand looking for the machine which will scoop that elusive Best in Show award, along with over 30 other trophies to be given out to not just the private motorcycles on displaybut also all the club member bikes too.

theirstuff andlovesharing it Whetheryou’realifelong bike fanorjustcurious aboutthe classics,they’ll happilychatand answer your questions.

TheLiveFiring-Up Area is one of thehighlightsofThe Bristol ClassicMotorCycleShow, happeningatthe Bath &West Showground on February 22–23. Come alongand experience thesebikes theway they’re meanttobeenjoyed –it’snoisy, it’s nostalgic… andit’sawhole lot of fun.

DOWNLOAD THE CBS APP TODAY

Sporting single

Words: JAMES ROBINSON

Picture: GARYCHAPMAN

Itiswell known and widely reported that Velocette excelled in motorcycle road racing,with the HallGreen, Birmingham-based concern racking up 15 TT wins between 1926 and 1967, ahost of European championships, providing the machineryfor the inaugural 350cc world champion Freddie Frith in 1949 (and again in 1950 for rider Bob Foster) as well as doing well in various trials and even, for atime, moderately well in speedway.

But what about scrambling,or motocross as it became known? Not so much.

The first recorded scramble/ motocross took place on Bagshot Heath, Surreyin1924, its100th anniversarybeing celebrated last year with a series of events. Whether there were anyVelocettes in it that first race I’m not sure, thoughit waswon by atwo-strokeScott

In 1924,Veloce wasthe makerofthe Velocette, atwostrokewith, as yet, nofourstrokes in the company’srange, though there had been earlier, with both 350c and 500cc singles made before the First WorldWar

By 1924 it wasall two-stroke though –well-made ones, acut above the proprietaryenginepowered offerings for saleby other makersatfar lowerprices. The Velocette wasa premium product, with aprice to match.

Around the time of that first happeningonBagshot Heath, the Veloce/Velocette concern wasengaged in developing its newfour-strokeengine which, likethe two-strokebefore it, wassomething of acut above

the often-proprietarypowered modelsthat were prevalent. In the mid-1920s, the fourstrokemotorcycle industry, especially in asporting context, wasbeginning to shift away from the likes of bought-in Blackburne and JAP power units being housed in chassis by ‘motorcycle makers’. Instead the likes of AJS, Norton, Sunbeam and soon, Velocette, with their own engines, came to the fore. By the end of the decade Velocette wasareal force. Known for building quality, race-winning machinery, with its roadstersand racersall powered by variations on the same 350cc overhead camshaft engine, the long-running 250cc GTP two-strokeand variants aside, that changed with the 1933 introduction of the 250cc overhead valve MOV, followed a season later by the 350cc MAC and then joined, in 1935, by the 495cc MSS.While the MOVand MACshared manycomponents, includingachassis, the MSS wasaheavier beast altogether, with the chassisitused based on the Mk.V KTT and also in service for the Mk.II KSS and KTS,the later employing the same running gear (19in wheels, avalanced front mudguard) as the MSS. Thishas, to me, alwaysseemed weird; why wasn’titthe MTS as ‘TS’ stood for touring special, ‘SS’ for sport special,with theKSS having a 21in front wheel, plus skimpier front mudguard and 20in rear tyre. Surely for ‘MSS’ to make sense it shouldhavemirrored these specifications? Or to have an MTS and an MSS? Though perhaps therewas alate change

of heartover what ‘spec’the new, pushrod 500 should be?

Whatever,the MSS soon became afavourite, its longlegged nature endearing it to both solo and sidecar riders.

The first tuned version of the MSS wasthe model we see before us here –the MSS Scrambler

It seems it wasworks racing mechanic TommyMutton, a veteran who’dbeen at Velocette since before the Second World Warwhen the companywas aworldwide racing force, who first recognised that there wasperformance potential to unleash in the new, short-stroke 500cc engine and so set about some tuning modifications.

Apparently –asrecounted in Rod Burris’sbook Velocette Motorcycles –MSS to Thruxton, “…[Mutton] wasamember of the RedditchMotor Cycle Club and wasinvolved in organising scrambles, so the transition seemed alogical step.”

Basically,the models were based on standard MSS roadsters–which wasfairly normal practice at the time, for the off-roaderstobeclosely related to the on-roaders–with the engine modified. Though the standard frame wasretained, stiffer springs were fitted at the rear,while the front forks had two-way damping.There wasa 21in front wheel and 19in rear, with knobbly tyres (300 section at the sharpend and 400 at the back) of course, plus a shield under the crankcase for protection. There wasadifferent rear hub attached by six bolts, as opposed to four,with abig rear sprocket too.

The competition-bred MSS Scrambler wasn’t the most capableoff-roader,truth be told, butitdid

The first machines were built in late 1953, withvarious riders used as racersand testers including–astold by Burris–BSA great JohnnyDraper during abrief interlude in his ‘Beesa’ career.Alan Bell and Mel Bayliss were the more usual riders, the latter,inBurris’sbook, recounting how the machine ‘handled likeacamel’ off road.

It wasbasically too heavy and the engine wastoo tallfor sufficient ground clearance, but it went on sale in 1954, finding favour withsome riders, though arguably itsmost significant role wasthat it proved the ‘square’ engine could be made to go quickly and wasstrong

It directly led to the Venom and Viper –announced in 1955; the 350cc Viper wasasmaller Venom (withthe 86mm stroke) not simply areworkedMAC (which had astrokeof96mm), while theVenom wastolead to the Thruxton, which produced a claimed 41bhp. The Scrambler wasreckoned to make40bhp, so the lineage wasclear.In fact, the closest to the MSS Scrambler wasthe Venom Clubman; theyshared the same compression ration (a standard Venom wasthe lower 8:1) and the TT carb.

This nicely restored Velocette MSS Scrambler Mk.I was supplied to influential US dealer/distributor Lou Branch of 2019 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California in April 1956. Branch and the US market wasimportant to Velocette; Scramblerswere popular there. Some were even supplied with a19in front wheel, rendering them suitable forflattrack, while

350cc versions were exported too.The machine featured went to Branch and one wondershow much competition use it had, as it still has itsoriginal engine, bearing the usual MSSletters, then the engine’sown numbers, then the ‘S’ at the end, which denotes it’s aScrambler

The bike wasdiscovered by Velocette enthusiast Alan Lawrence while he wason holidayinFlorida, circa 2010. Alan had it repatriated and set about restoring the bike. Already having another Scrambler,which wasfeatured in our sister title Classic Bike Guide some years ago, Alan sold it around 10 years ago and it went intoacollection of old British machines… whereitlived until recently. It wasunused during that time, though well stored in aclimatecontrolled showroom. It then went to dealer Venture Classics –which had actually sold it when Alan passed it on –who recommissioned it,though did advise the tyres, albeit new, were looking abit perished and would require changing if it was to be used in anger.Itwas from Venture that it wasacquired by a Japanese enthusiast, afriend of John Oakes, and it wasJohn who collected it,brought it home, changed the tyres and invited us to have aride, before it headed to itsnew home in Tokyo. What wasitliketoride?

Youcan find that out in The Classic MotorCycle magazine. Scan the QR code below to purchase your copyand read more great features every month, or meet us on our stand.

DOWNLOAD THE CBS APPTODAY

Hundreds of traders, one truly epic event

The Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show is packed with hundreds of traders, offering everything from rare parts and tools to bespoke accessories, ridinggear,and memorabilia.

Whether you’re huntingfor the final piece for your restoration, seeking inspiration for your next project, or simply browsing for something unique, chances are what you need is right here. With so manyexperts, enthusiasts andspecialists in one place, this show is the ultimate destination for classic motorcycle lovers.Sodivein, explore the stalls, anddiscoverall thetreasures waiting for you.

Club bangers

The heartofthe Bristol Classic MotorCycle show is, of course, the clubs. And believe it or not, the motorcycle club scene seems to have been having something of arenaissance over the last 12 months.

It’salso fair to saythat this event has perhapsthe best club stands of anymotorcycleshow in the UK, and here’swhy Over 70 motorcycleclubs will be displaying hundredsof their members’ motorcyclesacross theweekend and more often than not, all wrappedupinatheme. There’ll be faux dealer showrooms, dioramas of motorcycling’sheyday and, more importantly,members on hand to talk shopabout marques, models and technical help… all from real people!

From Norton to Rudge,Honda to Harley, the clubs will be out ‘en masse’.

Get to know afew of the traders...

Whether you’re on the hunt for avintage gem,the perfect accessorytomakeyour bike stand out, or tools to breathe new life into your restoration project, the trade stands at The Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show pretty much have it all. Here are afew of the businesses you’ll find:

Components Wheel Central

Rolling into the West Country, Central Wheel Components has everything you need, from classic rims and spokes to complete tyres and accessories. If you’re piecing together arestoration or upgrading your wheelsfor the riding season, stop by the stand to see what the team has brought to Bristol.

Visitwww.central-wheel.co.uk

Callingall Triumphenthusiasts. Russell James Motorcycles is coming to the Bristol event, offering astunning selection of classicand rare Triumph bikes. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell,orsimply admire, the stand is amust-see for Triumph fans at theshow.Head over to www.russelljames.co.uk

Watsonian Squire

The iconic Watsonian Squire is at the show,and the team members will bring their renowned expertise in sidecarsand Royal Enfield motorcycles. Whether you’re dreaming of athreewheeled classic or fine-tuning your Enfield setup, they’ll steer you in the right direction. Visit Watsonian at the show or online at www.watsonian-squire.com

Makeyour bikesparkle likethe showpiece it is. The Polishing Shop’sproducts are ideal for preparing your bikefor thisyear’s rideouts or events, or for simply adding alittleextra shine to your restoration projects. Don’tleave without picking up one of the premium-grade kits. Explore more at www.thepolishingshop.co.uk

S& TElectroplate

When it comes to giving your bikeashowroom finish, S&T Electroplatehas you covered. From high-qualitypolishing to expertplating services, thisis the perfect partner forvintage motorcyclerestoration. Chat with the staffatthe show to see how theycan help bring your classic bikeback to life. Visit www.stchrome.co.uk

Revving back into action after asmashing debut last year, the Dore &Rees auction returns to The Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show

Whether you’re aseasoned collector,a curious enthusiast, or just someone wholoves the sound of agavel dropping for the sale of incredible bikes, this auction is the place to be.

Last year’sauction proved a roaring successfor all concerned,

DOWNLOAD THE CBS APP TODAY 31

and 2025’ssale is shaping up to be even better,withanincredible line-up of iconicmotorcycles set to go under the hammer. Let’stakeacloser look at a coupleofthe showstoppers:

1985 Ducati Mike HailwoodReplica

Firstup, we have a1985 Ducati MikeHailwood Replica –a bikewith history, pedigree, and serious wow-factor.This beauty

celebrates Mike‘The Bike’ Hailwood’sbrilliant 1978 Isle of Man TT comeback victory, a moment that left the racing world stunned. Ducati captured that magic with the Hailwood Replica, aroad-going tribute to their racewinning machine.

This particular example, fresh from aprivate collection, is in tip-top shape with just 11,000 miles recorded. Sporting its iconic red, green and white livery, lightweight Campagnolowheels and Brembo brakes, it’severy inch amasterpiece. And with a top speed of 135mph, it’sasfast as it is fabulous!

2004 ConfederateHellcat

If you’re after something abit wild, the 2004 Confederate Hellcat might just steal the show BorninBaton Rouge, Louisiana this brute of abikeblends rebellious design with earthshaking performance. Its 124cu in S&SV-Twinengine pumps out abeastly 140bhp and 145 lb-ft of torque, making it an absolute powerhouse.

With fewerthan 50 ever made –and manylost to Hurricane

Katrina –this Hellcat is rare, desirable and downright jawdropping.Described as the “.357 Magnum of two-wheelers”, it’s ahead-turner forcollectorsand adrenaline junkies alike.

Amust-see event

The Dore&Rees auction isn’t just an auction, it’s an event. It’s where dreams meet reality, and motorcycling historyfinds new

homes. Whether you’re bidding or just soaking up the excitement, you won’twant to miss this. So, markyour calendars forFebruary22–23, and join the team at the Bath&West Showground. With entries still open at time of going to press, there’sbound to be even more treasures rolling intothe line-up. Don’tmiss your chance to be part of the action.

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY

10.30am Alex George and Chas Mortimer on stagewith

commentatorRob Jones

12 noon Paddock fire-up with guests Alex George and Chas

Mortimer plus commentator Rob Jones

2pm Alex George and Chas

Mortimer on stage with commentator Rob Jones

3.30pm Paddock fire-up with guests Alex George &Chas

Mortimer with commentator Rob Jones

5pm Show closes

SUNDAY

10.30am Alex George and ChasMortimer on stage with commentator Rob Jones

11.30 Paddock fire-up with guests Alex George and Chas

Mortimer with commentator Rob Jones

1pm Paddock fire-up with guests Alex George and Chas

Mortimer with commentator Rob Jones

2.30pm Alex Georgeand ChasMortimer on stage with commentator Rob Jones

3.30pmShow awards

4pm Show closes

DayRide: Lapping up theLakes

The Lake Districtisamagical place to ride amotorcycle– in any weather,atany timeofthe year

Ihave never had abad ride inthe Lake District. Not evenwhenthe weather has beenpoor,whichcould easily take the shine offmany rides. In the Lakes, bad weather somehow fitsthe scenery better,making it moody anddramatic rather thandull and diluted. And many of the roads hereare fairly small and slow,soitdoesn’treally seem to matterthatmuch, because the views arestill spectacular, andthe ridinggood

So, when Martin from RidingEdge Motorcycle Adventuressuggestedincluding aroute in the Lakes in our Great Winter Rides, Ididn’ttake muchconvincing. The only question waswhichroute to pick? We neededsomething that would highlight the majestic scenery of the Lakesbut avoid the bits that were most likely toclose in bad winter weather.Luckily,Martin has decades (I’m being kind and won’tsay exactly how many decades) of local knowledge, so I could safely leave the planning to him. AllI hadtodowas check the bikeover,wirein the heated kit (because, let’s face it, it could get abit chilly), and be thereontime. It really pays to be friends with atour guide!

Where’sthe rain?

We started our ride in Coniston, pretty much at the heart of the Lake District, but that was mostly justbecauseIhad found aridiculously cheap place to stay there(the YHA hostel, highly recommended). The route thatMartin hadplanned was acircular100-mile ride, so you could reallystart anywherealong it. As I studied the route prior to the ride, what Iliked about itwas that ittook insome bits thatIhad not ridden before, despite spending plenty of timeriding around here. Thereweresome old favourites, too, so Iknew Iwas in for agood ride.

The first thing to dowas to fillthe bikes’ tanks, and since Iwas on the BMW K1600GTL, with atankthe size of apaddling pool, and the route was‘only’ 100 miles, I could have easily done it twice without having to worry about refuelling. Our riding group consisted of Martin at thefront, then me, Dave and Ross from work (theywereworking on adifferent article), andMartin’s other half and co-tour guide Maddie at therear

The morning was bright and sunny,and the road out of Coniston towardsTorver was the perfectstart to the ride: nice and easy country riding, just to get into theswing of things. From Torver we carriedon to Broughton-inFurness and Duddon Bridge, withnice views to the left over Morecambe Bay.

From Duddon Bridge we took asingle-lane track north towards Ulpha, and thisiswhere the hills started to change from gentle and rolling to rocky and rugged, theforest grew

thinner,the fields fewer,and it felt like we wereslowly heading into thewild. Past Ulpha, still heading north over Birker Fell towards Eskdale and Santon Bridge, the scenery got even morebarren and wild as we rode over the tops of the fells. This was one of the roads Ihad not ridden before, mostly because on previous visits Ihad headedfrom EskdaletoCockley Bridge for the Hardknott and Wrynose Passes. It wasclear Ihad missed out on agreat road doing that, and Iwas glad that Martin hadincluded this on our route,no doubt knowing that many will miss it forthe same reason.

From lake to lake

Before stopping foracoffee at Santon Bridge, we took alittle detour to the shores of Wast Water.It’sonlyalittle offthe route, and well worth taking afew minutes to go and have alook.Therewerepeople swimming in the lake, making me feel like abit of awuss with all my heated and waterproof kit, but Iwasn’tgoing to swap places with them.

With the obligatoryphotos of bikes by the lake, it was time to stop for acoffee and cake at the Woodland’sTea Rooms in Santon Bridge. As we sat outside tucking into our cakes, we werefeeling pretty smug about the weather –itwas fairly cool, but sunny anddry, perfect for riding (and for stuffingyour face with cake, of course).

Alittlefatter,and alot happier,we continued our ride through Gosforth, with a short hoponthe A595 to Calder Bridge, then back on the single-track road to Ennerdale Bridge, past the Blakeney Raise Stone Circle. This is another stretch of the route whereyou areriding on top of the fells, with nothing but the odd sheep reminding you that civilisation is notreallythat far. This was when the gods of rain finally had enough of our smugness of having picked such alovely sunny day forour ride, and they soaked us goodand proper.Luckily, their anger was short-lived, and in another quarter-of-an-hour the sun was out again. We then rode throughKirkland and Mockerkin to Loweswater,then continued to Crummock Water,wherethe road follows the waterline with tight, blind bends hiding anything from tourists in campervans to farmers in bigold tractors. Theviews are great, but best keep your eyes peeled on the road. Luckily,thereare places to stop to admireyour surroundings.

Another pleasant surprise

In Buttermerevillage, before getting to Buttermere, the lake, we swung aleft. This was another road Ihad notridden before.I

have been through Buttermeremanytimes, but always carried straight on towards Honister Pass.

That left turntook us to Newlands Pass, anarrow,but wonderfully scenic pass that takes you roughly speaking in the direction of Keswick.

There’saplace for stopping at the top that lends itself for some good picturesof your bike, and the impressive Moss Force waterfall.

Again, Iwas pleased that Martin had picked this road instead of the busier Honister Pass. It was the first time Irodeit, but it won’t be the last.

From Newlands Pass it’sonly ashort blast on the A66 to Keswick, andtime for another coffee and cake. Theearlier cake hadset the precedent, andsoitwas: no lunch today, just lots of cake –and why not!

Home straight is not straight

Ever fatter,and ever happier,weheavedourselves back on to the bikes and startedthe final stretch back to Coniston. The A591 down past Thirlmere seemedlikethe fastest road ever afterall the slow, narrow and nadgerylittle tracks that we hadbeen on for mostofthe day.

We left the Aroad at Grasmere, picking up the smaller track running on the west side of the lake over Red Bank, and twisting and turning our way to Skelwith Bridge. From thereitwas the A593 straight to Coniston. This is not just any old Aroad, it’sone of the most fun and windy ones, but bewareofthe multitude of manhole covers in the corners, most of them right on the ideal motorcycle line through the corner

With the last stretch dispatched, we arrived back at Coniston. The route had been well put together: anice mix of different types of roads; nothingtoo technical, butinteresting enough to keep you on yourtoes; andthe scenery had been exquisite all the way.It had been afull day with stops for photos, coffees and cakes, butit’snot aroute that you want to rush.

With the newroadsthat Ihad discovered, Irealised howmanyroutes theremust be in the area that Ihave absolutely no idea about. Imust talk Martin into taking me out again to sample some more. Here’stothe next time.

The ride in brief: Starting andending in Coniston in the Lake District, this 100-mile route covers Aand Broads. Some sections aresingle tracks with passingplaces as you areclimbing up to higher ground. The views aregood all the way,rangingfromquaint villages to rugged stonypasses.

Words &Pics: Mikko Nieminen

With adventureand ‘going thedistance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopy by scanning this link.

Track Rider Clinic: Answering your questions…

Riding on track provokes alot of questions, be it related to riding, bikes, or even products.Thankfully,Dean’s on hand to tackleyour concerns and dish out advice you can depend on

Words: Dean Ellison

Other than being asked multiple times at every trackday: “How many sightinglaps?” and “Which is the first group out?”, Ireceivea lot of messages requesting advice –and I’m starting to see the same questions reoccurring. These aresome of the morecommon ones…

Should Iuse tyre warmers on wet tyres?

Yes, 100 per cent you should. Whether it’swet or dry,the more heat in your tyres, the moregrip you get –that’suntil youget to the other end of the scale and cook your wet tyres on a drying track, or if you’reriding in an extremely hot climateand everything feels abit greasy,but that’snot likely to happenherein the UK.

My response to this question is the same to everyone. Are your wet tyres warmwhen you finish the session? The answer is always yes...inwhich case,why not begin the session with warm tyres? Startout with the same level of grip and feelyou want at the end; going straight out with warm rubber will give you more confidence to go fast from the off. The heat will be maintained or could even increase as you start to push. If you chooseto start out with cold tyres and build in the heat,you’re already wasting valuable laps, but also at risk of crashing the first time you putsome lean intoit. Youmight feel like theheatisthere under braking andacceleration, but you mightnot haveenough heat on the very edge, andthat puts you in danger of losing traction.

As mentioned, you don’twant your wet tyres too hot, though. If you pre-heat wet tyrestothe same temperatureasslicks, they will give too much movement.The grip level will start out amazing, but you just won’tbeable to maintain that heat and eventually

you will start to lose gripasthe tyrecools.

My best advice is to set your warmers at 50 degrees if they have that function or just pre-heat themfor about 30 minutes before you aredue to go out, and then you cangofaster from the off–and youreallyshouldgofaster from the off; if you try to build up your pace, thenthe edgeofthe tyreswill start to cool and that could catch you out.

Youcan useyour tyrewarmers to help look afterthe rubber as well. Lots of continuous heat cycleseventually have anegative effecton the grip performance of the rubber, so Ialways turn on the warmers30minutes beforemyfirst session,wrap the warmers backontomywheels immediately aftereach session (without turning on)sothat the coretemperaturedoesn’tdrop too quickly,and then switch back on 30 minutesbeforethe next session.Idothe same at lunch and at theend of the day;as soon as Icome in from the track, I wrap the wheels and allowthen to cool down atamuch slower rate. £400-ish is alot for aset of tyres, so Iwant tolook after them.

Would Irecommend driving to aNo Limits Euro event?

Ioftendrivetothe Euroevents, but only if Ican do multipleevents over the course of onetrip. It’s expensive because of ferry/train costs, plus the extra fuel and toll feesthrough France and Spain, so for my job Ihave to ensurethere’s plentyofwork coming in to cover that. Itcan also be quite tiring if you want to do the distance in a short timeframe. That said, it is nice to have whatever toolsand equipment you might need. The cheapest and easiest way is obviously toutilisethe transport company and stillage system arranged by No Limits. There’s morethan enough room on the stillages provided and if youreally

want to take more,just pay alittle extra and have afullstillagefor yourself if that option is available. That’sfar cheaper than driving Youwould also need to look at the documentation requiredsince Brexit. Iuse aReturned Goods Relief Form. Some race teams use aCarnet; this is to showborder control what you’re taking out, and the same must come back in.

Do you wear an airbag vest or suit?

Ididn’tuntil2021, althoughI’ve tried afew on over the years and am very much behind the technology.Thereare three systems that stand outfor me and they all have theirplace. Each system is slightly different and it’snot until you really get looking into the technical side that you appreciate what’sinvolved. It’salso worth noting that anyone Iknowwho’s crashed with airbag protectionwillnow notride without it.

I’ve been wearing the Dainese D-Air suit, but there’salso the Alpinestars Tech-AirRace Vest and the In&Motion system, as used by anumber of manufacturers.

Dainese is the pioneer of this technology.I remember seeing footage of its early systems and thought it seemed abit far out, but the firmhas come up with a really effective system that has prevented alot of serious injuries over the years. D-Air getsmyvote because of the way the actual airbag is constructed. Dainese uses apatented ‘Microfilaments Technology’ which ensures that when the airbag deploys, the air inside inflatesthe bag ina balanced way that makes the bag extra-firm on impact. Secondly, because it’sbuilt into the suit, it’s very comfortable and youcan’t feel the airbag at all.

Just afinal note. Thenew UK importer is nowable to manage the regs and alot of therepairs, which has been quite difficult to arrangesince Brexit.

Howmanylaps should Iscrub new tyres in for?

None if the tyreispre-heated and you’reontrack. Idon’t remember anyone from the tyre manufacturers or race series tyre support advising me to scrub tyres in when Iraced at BSB, WEC or WSBK level. In fact, arace tyregives optimum grip for just afew laps so don’twaste those valuable laps, especially if you’re racing. The same cannot be said for cold road tyres, though; these will need scrubbing in, with the first few metres being the most important. I’ve heardofsomany highside crashes from customers just setting offfromthe garage after having new rubber fitted. You should gradually build your speed and the forces from acceleration and braking for afew laps, I’d say. Most new tyres aremade with a release agent so that they easily come out of themould after the finalmanufacturing process. Most of that release agent on the tyresurface is removed by the manufacturer. However, asmallamount is still visible. Basically,ifyour tyreisshiny, it’smanufacturedwith arelease agent.Next time you watch aBSB qualifying session or maybe the WEC,pay attention to riders who pit for atyrechange andwatch how fast their out lap is.

What are the best boots for someone

with big calves?

This may seem alittle bit random, but Iget asked this every week and it’simportant to be comfortable when you’reout on track. What mightfeel just alittle uncomfortable when you try it on in the shop will only get worse and likely be morepainfulastime goes by.Leather suits andgloves will always stretch andbed in, but

it’simpossible for aleather/plastic boot to give in the same way

Hereare my top three:

1st –Dainese Axial D1 inner boots would be thebest option because they actually finish below calf height and sit inside the leather suit. This boot offers avery high level of ankle support andthe Dainese suit zips over theboots to make for avery comfortable finish.Iknow not everyonewears Dainese, butthere areafew leather alteration specialists who can modify the legs of anyleather suit to fit this set up.

2nd –TCX RT-Race, Race Pro and Race ProAir have always been known in the trade as a complementary boot for the big calf. It works because the halfinner boot with laces combines with asoft microfibre gaiter in the calf area to allow for aperfect fit and plenty of give.

3rd– Alpinestars Supertech R 2021 model onwards boots have had an upgraded main zip and widened accordion stretch panel. This boot must be one of the bestsellers just on looks alone and has always been very comfortable, but the zip was always aweak point if riders had big calves.A wider accordion stretch panel has made all the difference.

Get on track with Dean… If you wanttoupyour game on track, Dean’sthe man you want in yourpitbox. An exWorld and BSB spec racer, he’salso honed his craft in endurance racing andhas since goneontoestablish, arguably,the best track riding tuition on offer here in the UK. Check out his page on Facebook and drop him a line if you’reafter some nextlevel rider coaching: www facebook.com/deanellison42

ADAY IN THE DIRT…

Canyou teach an olddog new tricks? Well, the answer’s yes as far as Johnisconcerned, after his recent roll around in the mud on some enduro bikes.

Words: John McAvoy

Since the very beginning of my time as amotorcyclist way backin the mid-80s I’ve only every ridden on the road or track, and thanks to theveryprivilegedposition I’ve been in for the past near20years, I’ve been luckyenough tohave riddenenough different bikes, roads and tracks to last ahundred lifetimes, but I’d never ridden offroad until last year when Ispent afew hours doing avery basic taster session with Vanessa Ruck, aka ‘The Girl on aBike’.

When Isay ‘basic’, Imean basic for someone who knows what they’redoing, but Ihad no clue, like literally no clue. So, for me the experience of riding on aloose surface was both terrifying and humbling, and Ifelt utterly out of my depth, which is the underlying reason why Ileft that daywanting another go. Therewas apart of me –the stubbornpart –which didn’t want to leaveitatthat, knowing that therewas so much moretolearn. Then therewas a part of me that even though I’d just had atiny glimpse intothe disciplines and skills neededto make abike go through mud, gravel, streams, inclines and ditches. Icould see just how many of them could better me as arider on the road andtrack, especially the discipline of not panicking.

So, when the call came from Bruce that there was aplaceon the Alex Snow GasGas Off-Road experience at the SweetLamb Farm Off-Road CentreinWales, Iimmediately said yes without knowing who Alex Snow was or what the Sweet Lamb Farm was, and only avague awareness of what GasGas are, but Idid know that Wales is mostly wilderness and forestsand thereforeis to off-road riding what arace track is to aroad rider –heaven Straightaway Ihit the internet and looked up the Alex Snow website to suss out whatI’d just agreed to, and indeeditlooked just like what Ineeded; aday out with asmall group of equallyinexperienced peopleinthe safe hands of a former pro-endurorider

In keeping with who the dayis pitched at, everything is provided by the school, so you literally just

have to show up,which itself on reflection is areallygood prelude to the day.Asyou drive to the Sweet Lamb farm,the closer you get, the better the roads are, and the morespectacular the scenery gets, and the further away from normal, everyday life you get. When you arrive at the centre, it’s about another mile down adirt track, and by the time you getto the lodge/workshop, you lose your mobile phone signaltocomplete your total removal from whatever is normal for you. It’sjust you, the wilderness, some motorbikes and literally nothing else,with zero contact with the world.

Iwas already in love with it beforeI’d even gotona bike. Let’sjust saythatthe off-road equivalent of aracetrack paddock has much better views; nobody in hi-viz jackets checking your pass/ wrist band; nostrict timetable for the day; no extensive lists of do’s and don’ts; and no overpriced grot-burger cafés. Thefee forthe experienceday is all-inclusive, so food and drink are provided along with all the kit and fuel –moreon that later.

Igot changed into my 80s discothemed riding kit, comforted by the fact that everyone else was wearing the same, and the chances of bumping into anyone Iknew –oranyone at all for that matter -wherewewere going werebasically zero. The amount of body armour was also reassuring,ifalittle concerning, as areminder ofthe basic premise of off-road riding –expect to fall off,which goes against every instinct as aroadrider,and which is the first battle withmyself that Ihad to overcome. Focusing on what to do instead of what might happen was by far the hardest part of the day for me and took some time to get over Alex tookusthroughsome of the basicstuff, like howtostand on the bike, use the footpegs, lever and throttle, but refreshingly it wasn’tinformation overload. The emphasisand assumption is that if you’ve showed up forthe day,you’vegot adegreeofbike control and awillingness and capacity to learn, so you’reona bike pretty quickly, and following Alex around the practice area next

to the centretogive him achance to seewhathe’sdealing with, and for us to get afeel for thebikes. He starts by riding over some mounds which aremaybe three or four feet high, and in and out of aditch which immediate puts me miles out of my comfort zone and questioning the wisdom of accepting the offer from Bruce to come to the school. Thisisjust the loosener,and I’m nowhere near feeling like I’ve got any control over the bike, but I’m here now,and the option of bailing out is just not there, so Ipersevere, and in doingsolearnmyfirst big lesson. You’ve got to remember that the BEST way to learnisby doing, and to do that youhave to stick with it, and repeat.

Alex is clearly as good ateacher as he is an off-road rider,because

it must be obvious to himthat I’m not comfortable,soround and round we go overthe same jumps and ditchesuntil almost at the same moment the thought enters my headthatactuallyI’m starting to enjoy this instead of fear it, he declareswe’reall good to go, and we leave the practice area and into the wilderness, whereupon I’m immediately ripped outof the comfort zone which I’d got myself intoand back to the earlier mindset of fearand apprehension. It was acyclethat continued all morning in so much as I’d just start to getcomfortable with the terrain and the challenges thatAlex was setting.Wewould stop and maybe be riding up the side of areallyboggy/slippery grass hill or down areallynarrow, overgrown steephill on loose

slate afew times, then he’d up the ante and take us to adeep river to ride through, and you’re right back to feeling vulnerable and more than abit inadequate again –something Ireflected onduring the break for lunch. Itold myselfthat Ineeded to be patient and ignore the beating that my egowas taking.Iam so used to being competent on Tarmac, competent enoughtobe entrusted with hugely expensive motorcycles and often quite risky assignments by Bruce, but that the feeling of notbeing on the same level Iusually am, was toughtoaccept. However,the pause from all the action at lunch gave me the chance to realise the obvious and accept that Iama complete novice at off-roading, and that it wouldtake time –more

The direct/jumping approach was much smoother,faster and enjoyable andspontaneous, just like popping acheeky wheelie during aride on the road. Something switched on inside my head, and that same much more positive, relaxed approach carried on all afternoon, not always with the results I’d hope for,but more often than notIcaught myself thinking, ‘This is amazing’ where beforeall Icould thinkwas, ‘Is it nearly over yet?’

time than just one day in Wales –toeven vaguely begin on the path to competency.There is no substitute for practice, andthere arenoshortcuts, andIreally wouldlike to become at least in tune with the bike rather than just its passenger Releasing myself from any self-imposed expectations and realising that off-road riding requires atotally different set of skills that despite my years of experience Ididn’t have, was the best thing Idid all day.Aswell as abit of arefuel for the body, the break in activity allowed me a mental reset which would make all the difference in the afternoon. No doubt while Iwas heavily distracted all morningbythe fear of falling andfeelingof incompetency,Iwas without realising it apparently learning some of thetechniques and tips that Alex was teaching. The afternoon felt so much easier and much faster.The penny dropped when at the top of aparticularly challenging steep, long androcky climb, Ispotted arock which Ijust instinctively andwithout thinking, just headed directly for because I wanted to jump over it, instead of trying to navigate around, which had been my default up to then.

Near the end of theday we rode up to thetop of ahuge hill, and instead of followingAlex, everyone took their own route to the top. Ichose the steepest route because to me that was the hardest way to thetop, andI wanted to take it on.Others took arocky route, or aboggy route, but we all got to thetop, and we all weretreated to the most incredible view for miles andmiles in all directions.

The ride back to thelodge would be relatively simple (and fast) from there, so this felt like the final rewardfor theday’sefforts. It occurred to me that of all the thousands of bikes I’ve ridden over the years, thereisn’t asingle one that could bring me to that place whereIwas havingmy mind blown by nature –In fact, I wouldn’teven have been able to walk there. Awhole newworld of places and experiences opened up to me right then with that realisation.

GasGas provide the centre with their full range of enduro bikes, and we could pickany we wanted for the day,and swop during the day.Given that I’m the least qualifiedperson to make any judgement or comment on an off-road bike’sperformance,

Iwon’ttry and pretend that I can. However,what Ican is say that Itried the 250ccfourstroke, 250cc two-stroke and 300cc two-stroke bikes, and my favourite was the300cc two-stroke. Ithink Ipreferred it because it felt like it had abit morepunch at the bottom of its revs for bettertraction but not so much that it was overwhelming, plus it felt alittle bit lighter and easier to chuckabout,which helped mask my inadequacies. Iwas expecting aphysical battering that day,but what I actually got was an emotional rollercoaster.Therewereplenty of times duringthe day that I could easily have called time, but Iknew if I’d done that, I would have regretted itinstantly for not having agoatthatriver crossing,orsteep climb. Then when you overcome those fears, and by hook or by crook get to the top of the hill, the high is as high as any I’ve had at high speed on atrack. The drive home was long enough to reflect on the day, and Irealised that while I’m still acomplete novice, I’m also completely hooked, and want to do more. Thereisnoquestion that theskills you have to develop to ride off-road aretransferable to road and track riding. Of course, the benefit of riding abikewith very low levels of grip is obvious,

but for me,it’sasmuch to do with keeping alevel headinastressful situation, and not panicking Once you commit to aclimb or rivercrossing, moreoften than not, the plan you had in your head at the start goes outthe window pretty soon after youset off, and you getinto aconstant cycle of improvisationand crisis management as the alternative is atrip over the handlebars if you panic or mentally lock up.

The otherbig attractionto wanting to do moreisthe amount it costs comparedtoa track day, is day and night.A track day can cost around £500 allinonce you factor in the entry cost plus

tyres, fuel, accommodationand getting the bike to the track –and that’snot including the cost of the bike and any crash damage. If you’relucky and there’renored flags you should getatbest eight 20-minute sessions, so about 2-2.5 hours on track.

If yougive Alex Snow £495, he’ll take you off-roadingfor TWO DAYS, lend youhis bikes and riding kit, plus he’ll give youthe fuel, tyres, breakfast, lunch and dinner,and accommodation for one night in that price. He’ll even give yousome discount if you bring enough mates with you. The only thing is, youhave to be prepared to leave your egoat

home, be patientand persevere, and if you can do that, the sense of satisfaction of trying something different and learning newskills is massive, but when you factor in the ‘Wow’ factor of thescenery and places that an off-road bike can take you to, thepaddock of a race track looks incredibly plain Don’tfor one secondthink I’m getting all Ewan andCharley,

and because I’ve had one good day off-road that I’m done with road bikes and I’m offtodothe Dakar,because I’m not. What’s happened is I’ve had my horizons broadened by somethingwhich has been hidinginplain sight for all these years, andwhile Iregret not dabbling off-road sooner,I’m so glad I’ve found it now. Better late than never

QuickSpin:

Super Soco StreetHunter TSPRO

If you’re in the market for asportily styledelectric 125cc equivalent, the Super SocoStreet Hunter TS PRO could be just whatyou’re after…

Words: Andy Bell Pics Pics: Gary Chapman

Whatisit?

The Street Hunter TS PROisone of the latest additions tothe Vmotorange of electric motorcycles. Withapower comparable to a125cc, this modelhas been upgraded from the latest TS with the PRO version lookingtoimprove on the performance. Outright speedhas been increased alittle and while the range is about the same at aclaimed 60 miles, this can be achievedata muchhigher average speed due to newbattery tech and aswitch from belt drive to arearhub motor

Even from adistance you cansee that a lotofefforthas been put into the styling. Obviously,with its Street Huntername you would expect an urbanlook: alarge plastic fairing with graphicsfor anod towardsasporty side crossed witha streetfighter stance, Ithink this is alsoone of its biggest attractions toa potential buyer over other electric offerings.

Talking tech…

With the absence of acombustible engine, the biggest hardwaretomention hereisthe battery and motor,naturally The motor,asmentioned, is mounted on the rear wheel andissuper-quiet, even for an electric bike. It`s apersonal thing to each rider whether you want to slip through your neighbourhood without waking neighbours or want to be heardby acar driverhalf-amile away,but this one on the Hunter is so quietyou can barely hear it through yourhelmet when you are on the move.

The model Ihave on test comes with a double battery pack for increased range. They areboth located low down in the bike for alower centreofgravity and are easily accessed through aflap on top of the ‘dummy tank’. In here you can also

find aconvenient storagetray sizable enough to carry the charger if required. The batteries can be removed in a matter of seconds should youwantto, butifyou arealways going to be parked up near ahousehold socket then you shouldn’t even need to attempt this with them being linkedand charged via the port nexttothe seat unit.Afast charger isnow available and with each battery needing athree-hourcharge from flat, both can be full in six hours (ifmymaths is up to scratch).Beforemovingonfrom this topic it is worthnoting that while the bike itself has atwo-year warranty,the batteries come with arespectable threeyear warranty.

Cracking on…

Evenbefore swingingmyleg over for the firsttime Iwas to discover howsensitive thealarm was; just aslight touch was enough to trigger the fairly quiet system to be an issue any time Iwalked away andcame back to the bike without disarming it first

Oncedisarmed and pushing the Street Hunter out of the garage, most apparent wasits low weight. At only 103kg and with 22kg coming from the low-down batteries combined with alow seat height of only 770mm, this bike was so manageable. Having mentioned the very lowseat height, however,once sat on thereyou still feel like youare on a motorbike with asizeablepresence, partly due to the width of the fairings and the wide handlebars.

The display looks fairly simplebut does, however,have enoughinformationthere for what youneed and does add to abit of the charm of abikeyou can get on and go without anything being complicated. I did findmyselfbeing obsessed at looking at the battery life and wondered if Iwould

develop range anxiety,but if you wereusing this as acommuter or stayinglocal then you would most likely soon learnhow fartopush each charge.

Thereare three rider modes to switch between with Eco,

Normal and Sport,but with my locationnot offering any largebuilt-up areasI opted to stay in Sport, only switching down to get aquick feel for the other modes. While yes, this is a125cc-equivalent bike, I

would still have liked abit more power on acceleration for the country roads Iwas testing on. The biggest problem herewas joining traffic from aGiveWay, whereIfelt the need to wait for aconsiderable gap in the flow

of cars as Idid feel somewhat vulnerable at times.

In Sport mode, top speed seemed to max outshy of 60mph, with inclines in the road being very noticeable on performance. Just to note here,ifyou were riding in an urban area, Eco and Normal have top speeds of about 38mph and48mhp respectively, and it should go without saying that while in these modes you would findthe 60-mile range potential easier to achieve. As it was, Iwas riding as close as I could to the national speed limit during my time andasIexpected, the range was somewhat lower, achieving nearer 45 miles. Once on the move though, I did find the ride quite smooth and flowing. The USD forks up front and mono shock at the rear,while being non-adjustable, did agreat job of soaking up bumps while offering enough support and feedback through the corners. Braking comes via a 245mm front disc and adouble piston radially mounted caliper, and a180mm rear disc with a single piston caliper

With the lack of need for a clutch lever,this is also set up like many scooters so both handlebar levers areused for

The stuffthat matters…

Power: 4.1kW rated, 5.2kWmax

Weight 103kg

Price: £3299

Contact: www.vmoto.co.uk

braking. Overall, the brakes areefficient and yes, maybe I have been spoiled with some set ups lately,but therewas nothing amazing heredespite the lightweight natureofthis machine. On amorespirited ride Idid feel the need to use both levers to get pulled up abit sharper beforeadopting this twohanded approach for just about every time Iwantedtoslow down or come to ahalt

On amorepositive note, thereis alot goingfor theStreet Hunter The nimble nature was quite fun in tight areas or filtering through slow traffic. Mirrors that actually provided an excellentfield of view behind and ahandlebar-mounted USB socket further add to the practicality side of things.

Worth apunt?

As Ilive in arural area, Ifeel the need for extra acceleration to be an issue so Iwouldn’tfeel quite so vulnerable joiningtraffic. Charge time andbattery range arequite good for abike of this nature, but Iwould still prefer the convenience of asplash and dash from apetrol bike, given my location.

Idon’twant to come across as if Iamagainst battery-powered bikes. On the contrary,thereisa place for them. As acommuter in acity,Ican see this being an attractive bike, especially for someone looking for acheap electric option while still wanting some style. If you could only charge from home then in theory acommute could be up to 25-30 miles in each direction, but if you can charge while at work then this would be even more beneficial to avoid range anxiety, and on alighter note, potentially even cut down on electric bills at home.

Q&A

Each issue our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials andtroubles

Q.Thereisa videodoing the rounds on social mediaofsome poorsquaddie drivinga Land Roverand trailer in lane one of adual carriageway.Thenextthingyou seeis some muppet realisethey’ve missed their turn and swerve their carfromlane two, across lane one, acrossthe frontofLand Roverand dart for the exit slip road. Whilsttheydidn’t hit the Land Rover, the squaddie hadtoswerve. Thereafter, he losescontrol, and then flips the LandRover and trailer. As usual, everyman and his dog have an opinion on social mediaastothe law. Therefore, my question is,can you wina case wherethereisnoactual contact becausethat is exactlywhathappenedtome. In short, ataxi looked likehewas goingtoturn in frontofme (although he didstop).Because it wasraining, and Iknew my fronttyrewas looking abit ‘slick’ (I wasgoingtoget it changedonce Igot paid) Icould onlyuse the rear brake. That, in turn, meantIhad no choice buttoemergencybrake as Ithoughtthe taxiwas goingtomove. That caused me to lock up the rear wheel, skid, fall off and slide down the road into thebackof abus.Atthe time thePolicesaid it wasmy fault (and Igot threepoints forabald tyre), butafter watchingthe Land Rovervideoand readingthe comments online,IreckonI’vegot astrongcase. What do you think? Ireallywant to claim back all the extrainsurance premiums I’ve hadtopay forinthe past 10n years

since it happened, plus claim for my broken ankle. Unfairly,myinsurer hadtopay outjust over £5000 to getthe busrepaired

A.Firstly,asageneral point, theredoesn’t have to be contact betweenvehicles to bringa successful claim.However,to‘win’ a claim likethis you need to establish a‘chain of causation’.Therefore, with the Land Rovervideo, it appearsprettyclear that the squaddie was forcedtoswervebecause the other car(the first ‘link’inthe ’chain of causation’) cutacrosshis path.However,itappears that in yourcasethe first ‘link’ is you. As such,unlessI’m missing a trick, youfell off becauseyou either overreacted and braked toohardand/or simply lockedup the rear in the rain becauseyou didn’t want to usethe frontbrake becauseyou hadabald tyre (you absoluteball bag).Inany event, as this happened10orsoyears ago, the lawprevents you bringingaclaim under The Limitation Act1980 (thankfully).Inshort, under the law you onlyhavethree yearsfromthe date of the accident to bringaclaim for your injuries and sixyears to claim for property damage.My advice is stay off social mediaand don’t think toomuchasyou’ll hurt yourself

Q.WhilstIknowKTM have been in the headlines for all the wrongreasons recently over their problematic cams and then money woes,etc., I’ve alwaysbeenafan of the orange machines and have had17overthe years. Whilst

I’ve hadafew problems hereand there, broadly speaking theyhavebeenwell screwedtogether and neverlet me down (and Ihavetouredall over Europe). Aboutfourmonths agoItook in my old 1190 for aserviceatmylocal dealer (notanofficialKTM dealer). I’dnever used theseguys before, buttheycame recommended from acouple of mates. Anyways, Igot the bike servicedand then rode home.Absolutelyno problem…atthatpoint. As Iwas tiedupworking abroad, the 1190 sattherefor acouple of months untilone fateful afternoon when Iwas home, and the sunwas shining. Iwheeledthe bikeout of the shedand thoughtIsmelledpetrol, butas the lawnmowerand strimmer were alsointhere, Ididn’t think toomuchabout it.Igot kitted up and headedout into the Chilterns whereIlive. I plannedtoride afew roads and lanes outtoa café,havethe obligatorytea andcake, and then ride home.Unfortunately, abouthalf-an-hour into my ride therewas asudden flash,then a whooshingnoise. It took afew seconds for my brain to realisethat my bikeand jacketwereon fire. After that.Iamnot toosurewhathappened, butIcan onlypresume Ijumpedoffand rolled down the road (putting outthe flames on my jacket),breakingmywrist.And from that position Iwatched my trusty old 1190 burn to a crisp. Notfun. As forwhathappened, Ican only presume that the dealer who serviceditdid not connect apetrol pipecorrectly, it leaked and

then caughtfire.Theproblem Inow have is I have no bike; Iaminjured andunable to work; and Iamnow beingchasedbythe council for burning/meltingthe road (theywantnearly £6000 for the repairs! Ican’t believe theythink I should pay.) Help! CanIsue the dealer?

A.Firstly,Iamgladyou areheretotell the tale and alsonot burnt. We dealt with avery similar claim yearsago and the poor rider suffered some horrendous burns.With regardstothe burnt/melted the road,Ican seewhy the council arechasing youasitwas your burningbikethat caused the damage.Inrelationtothis,you need to getyourinsurer to deal with the claimasyou do not want the council issuingcourt proceedings againstyou for the repair costs.Next, to be able to suethe dealer who did the servicing, you aregoing to need to ‘prove on the balance of probabilities’that theydid somethingwrong and that ledtothe fire. Whatever youdo, do not let yourdamaged bikebedestroyed becauseyou will need to getitinspected by aspecialistengineer.If s/he cansay what caused the fire, andyou can provethatwas caused by the dealer,then you should be able to bringaclaim for your personal injuryand lossesagainstthem.However,to manage your expectations,thesetypes of reports cancostseveral thousandpounds and if your bikewas ‘burnttoacrisp’theremay not be much for the experttoconsider andreach adefinitive conclusion.

KTM390 Duke

KTM launched the 390 Duke in 2013,creating amid-point between the 125 and 690 models.Animmediate sales success, it remained untouched until 2017.

Words: Bob Pickett

Give Me Some Spec

A373cc single-cylinderengine putting out 44bhp/32kW @9500rpm withmaximum torque of 26lb-ft/35.3NM @7000rpm is housedin a steel trellis frame. The seat height is 800mm, its dry weight is 139kilos. Holding it up are 43mm WP non-adjustable front forks and arear WP monoshock with adjustablepreload. Slowing it down is asingle ByBre300mm 4-piston caliper front disc with 220mm,single-piston caliperrear

What’s It Like To Ride?

The photos don’trevealhow small the 390 Duke is; I’ve ridden larger 125s. The 800mm seat height looks taller than it is but it’ssonarrow (though at theend of the ride Idid struggle to lift my diddy 29in leg over theback).The jewel in the Duke’scoronet is handling:instinctive, light and easy.Nudge thebars, tip yourhips and it’sturning quickly; glued to the Tarmac, it’s so flickable.

tabout that single-cylinder ne?

it all comes downtowhat you’re asking it. In town it’slumpy and clearlynot keen. It comes into itsown on clearsections Aroads and twisty Broads. On Aroads shoots throughthe box (yourwrists will thank you as the vibrations reduce)and letit flow.OnBslet it rev, allowing you topunch out of twisties.

Despite the poise and upright stance, I’d not want to spend too much time grafting in commuter mode, and it’s not at home at motorwaypace; Itook it up to, and held, 70, but it’s hard work. The stoppers aremorethanup to hauling up thebantamweight 139kg, but

they’re harsh on first grab; practice isneeded to get the best outofthem.

Iwas pleasantly surprised by the mirrors that genuinely work. The clock on the early models is basic, but Ilike it. The top shows revs and gear,middle shows speed in just big enough numbers, the bottomhas fuel level and engine temperature. Sitting under the speed is a changeablesection.I likedthe ‘how long in the saddle (moreonthis) and averagespeed’ option. It’snot aplace to be forlong(-ish) rides. Ninety minutes and my legscraved abreak, motion supported by my backside. But after abreather for photos, the backroad blast was fun filled.

I’d notwant one of these as an only bike, but as asecond bike, used mainlyfor back-road blats, it’ll findawelcome home in alot of garages.

Howmuch does it cost?

The dealer wanted £2995 for this 2015 bike with 8543 miles recorded. Our dealer search found agood number available, ranging from a 2016 model with 3632 miles logged for£2995, to a2023 bike with just 350 miles on theclock for £4994.

Buyingaused…

MV AGUSTAF41000

After the disappointing F4 750, in 2004 MV uppedtheir game…

Words: JonUrry Photos: Mortons

The problem with afanfare is that when the trumpeters have run out of puff, you areleft with abunch of red-faced people holding a long brass tube in their hands in silence and not alot else. Which is exactly what MV Agusta found when the excitement that heralded the 1999 launch of their F4 750 had abated, and riders discovered that it was actually a bit of aslug. Agreat looking one, but aslug nonethe less.So, what did MV do? Simple. In 2004 they gave it some balls! Big ones, like the cojones you findona wild bull…

The F4 1000 arrived five years after the F4 750 in late 2004,

which was bang on time to catch the wave of excitement that the latest generation of litrebikes from Japanhad created. Having had achancetosee what the Japanese wereclaiming in terms of powerand weight, MV made certain thatthis time their new sportsbike wasmorethan a match.

Firm foundations

Boasting ahugely impressive claimed 164bhp with 109Nm of torque, the F4 1000 was most certainly on apar with the Japanese, who wereall claiming (hugely optimistic) power figures in the 170bhp area. And not

only that, but according to MV it tipped the scales at 192kg, which although 20kg heavier than Yamaha claimed forthe YZF-R1, was atouch more accurate when it came to reality.How had arelativelysmall company like MV managed to match the cutting-edgeJapanese factories?

The secret lay in the F4 750’s foundations, which wereactually far stronger than most had imagined.

As slowasthe F4 750 was, the fact of the matter was that its engine had been part designed by Ferrari and technology such as its radial valve arrangement was actually pretty clever.Itwasn’t

MV’sfault they backed thewrong horse when it came to capacity, that was just down to bad timing. So, by increasingthe boreand stroke the newF5, which was the new motor’sdevelopmentname, was born. Butintypical Italian style, it wasn’tall plain sailing from the start.

Despite havingdeveloped their own fuel injection system for the F4 750, MV managed to completely balls it up on the early F4 1000 models. To be fair it was never that good on the 750, but with fewer ponies to deal with its failings weren’t too apparent. However,the F4 1000 was another issue –it’sall very

well and good makinga164bhp motor,but without an element of finesse in the throttle action it can all go very waywardvery quickly

Which is what happened to the early F4 1000s

New bike, new flaws

Those who wereleft disappointed by the 750 saw the1000’sspec sheet and, believingthat MV had got it right this time, handed over £14,000 for the newF4. They certainly got what they wanted in terms of power,but it lacked nearly all resemblance of control. It wasn’tlong until stories of on/offswitch throttles and the bike’sinability to hold aconstant

speed put adent in MV’s sales once again. Yes, the F4 looked glorious and when on the pipe was an absoluterocket, but its fuellingwas so poor it was almost unrideable at anything other than flat-out. In town or traffic it was apain and if you

wanted an easy life yet still have huge amounts of power on tap, the new breed of great looking Japanese inline fours were the best bet. The F4 fell out of favour,and it wasn’tuntil the vastly improved ‘square-pipe’ generation that their reputation

2004 Ducati 999S

Private: £5500 Dealer: £6000

Prices for the 999have shot up recently as this superb bike is beingviewed for its stunning handling and motor, not just its challenginglooks Engine: 998cc, l/c, 8v desmo V-twin Power: 120bhp@ 9400rpm Torque: 101Nm @7800rpm

2004 Aprilia RSV-R Factory

Private: £4000 Dealer: £4500

With Öhlins suspension,OZ wheels and Brembo brakes, the RSV-RFactory is a bargain entry into theworld of Italian exotica Engine: 998cc, l/c, 8v,V-twin Power: 118bhp @10,000rpm Torque: 101Nm @8600rpm

2004 Honda SP2

Private: £6500 Dealer: £7500

The best incarnation of the V-twin Honda built to beat Ducati. Abrilliantbike, and devoid of the SP-1’sirritations such as poor fuel injection, but still pricey Engine: 999cc, l/c, 8v,V-twin Power: 127bhp @9850rpm Torque: 99Nm @7850rpm

Other things to know…

Model updates

The original F4 1000 was replaced in 2010 by the‘square exhaust’ generation. Identified by its squareinstead of round exhaust tail pipes, thewhole bike was revised to smooth out the old machine’srough edges as well as boost performance and reduce weight. Eight-stage traction control was added, weight trimmed by 10kg, and the power increased through acompletely reworked motor It is afar morerefined bike to ride, as well as considerably morereliable, but lacks some of the original machine’swild character.In2013 the ‘shortstroke’ engine was introduced with the R, RR and RC,the only F4 models remaining in MV’s range.

Fuel injection

Early MV models sufferterribly from poor fuel-injection systems, leadingtohorrific throttle response. Youcan eitherget aPower Commander fitted and the fuelling remapped or go for awhole new ECU from Microtec, which is the

option most riders opt for asit is deliversamassive transformation as wellasextra electronic features. MV experts X-Bikes(www.xbikes.cc) are fantastic atsorting out the F4’s fuelling. Give them abell if you want your MV to run sweetly

Fire!

The F41000(and 750) have heat shielding in the right-hand fairing lowers and belly pan to protect the fairing from the exhaust pipe’sheat. When the glue starts to age thiscan become dislodged, leading to amelted fairingand potentially afire.Always inspect this area for any signs of plastic damage or the paint becoming overheated.

Swingarm

As with all single-sided swingarm bikes, the pinch bolts on the swingarmcan be overtightened, causing damageto the hub. It’s ararefault as most MVsare professionally serviced, buttakea look and also ensure theeccentric adjusters move freely by altering the chain’s tension. There arealso afew cases of thebearing collapsing, so give it agood wiggleand feel for movement.

Remember the750

The F4 750 was launched in 1999 and ran until2005. There arethree generations of 750 with the final EVO 3models the most reliableand powerful They areoften cheaper than the 1000 due to their lack of popularity,yet the SPR and SR models aresurprisingly fast as well as fantastic handling.The original F4 750 is also starting to be viewed as apotential future classic, so get in therenow beforethe prices really turn!

Service history

Agood service history by a reputable MV specialist is essential on an F4 as like all older Italian machinery,there arelittle tricks that can be the difference between an unreliable and frustrating hound and a sweet Italian plaything.It’snot acheap bike to look after,but if youpay aprofessional it is worth the investment to ensure hassle-free ownership. Well, relatively hassle-free….

Exhaust

The F4’s exhaust is stuffed full of annoying emission’spleasing blockages, but these can quite easily be removed. A few specialists offer aservice

of removingthe junk andthen rewelding up theOEexhaust system, which is aconsiderably cheaper option than forking out for an aftermarket system.

Specials

MV love to make limited-edition models andthe early F4s werenoexception. In 2004 an ‘Ago’ model was launched, complete with anumber 1 on the fairing and lightweight wheelswith upgraded brakes.

The ‘Tamburini’ was also limited inits production and featured variable length intake funnels, while 2006 saw a‘Senna’ model as well as the‘CC’ (ClaudioCastiglioni) to celebrate the boss of MV.All cost a considerable premiumover the stock F4, which came in stock, 1+1(with apillion seat) andS versions.

Gremlins…

It’sItalian, so you have to expect afew gremlins… The F4 1000’ssidestandswitch can fail; the fasteners don’t stand up very well to alack of care and corrosion is common;badly adjusted suspension quickly ruins itshandling; andreg/recs liketostop working. Butthat’s just character,isn’tit?…

really recovered. So why should you consider owning an early F4 1000nowadays?

The F4 1000 is aperfect case of MV creating the barebones of agreat bike and then relying on other people to iron out the creases. The F4 is jaw-droppingly gorgeous to lookatand comes with an excellent chassis and top-spec components, it’sjust that during development MV didn’tquite get their balance correct. So nowit’sdown to you

Youcan pick up abeauty of an early F4 for in the region of £6000, which if youthink about it is the same priceasa new Yamaha MT-07! What would you ratherhave, aparallel twin commuter or an Italian superbike? Spend in the region of £1500 getting the harshness

taken out of thesuspension and the jerk removed from the fuel-injection system via abit of dyno time by someone who knows their stuff, and you will be left with something very special indeed. And for less than halfthe price of anew litrebike, which is the key to thinkingabout owning an MV F4 1000.

Thereis no denying this is aflawed motorcycle, but it is one that is reasonably easy to sort out and once done is an incredible machine to ride. As well as looking fantastic, that inline four snarls likeacornered wild cat when up its revrange and the MV’schassis is top drawer.Ifyou areprepared to ignorethe doubters andput some effort in yourself, this is awonderful used buy that will

repay your faith (and money) invested in it through sheer, unadulterated, enjoyment

Price guide: £6000-£9000

Cheapest private: £6400

6950 miles, black, stunning 2007 bike, some small scratches

Our choice private: £8999 2009 bike with 2462 miles and aFSH with some extras

Cheapest dealer: £6990 10,760 miles,excellent 2006 bike in silver with afew extras

Our choice dealer: £8000 Just 265miles, immaculate 2006 bike in silver and blue.

Ex-demo: n/a

+ Engine, looks, exclusivity - Fuelling, reliability, service costs

Charity Spotlight:

Midlands Air Ambulance

Midlands Air Ambulance Charityis

one of the busiest air ambulance services in the UK. Since 1991, they’ve provided pre-hospital emergency caretocritically injured and ill patients across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stokeon-Trent, the West Midlands and Worcestershire.

Every second counts in an emergency and on average the crew arrive on scene within 10 minutes, whether by air ambulance or in one of their critical carecars. On average 12 patients aretreated each day in desperate need of their advanced medical skill set with enhanced medicines and equipment at the incident scene.

Having been operational for over 33 years, Midlands Air Ambulance has responded to astaggering 77,000 missions, providing lifesaving critical care interventions and transporting patients to the best-suited hospital for their needs. This as such has become avital integration into theemergency services infrastructureacross the region, an incredible milestone

tosay the leastthat has been reached with support from the communitiestheyserve and strong tiestothe motorcycle community.

Their annual Bike4LifeFest Ride Out &Festival helps raise awareness and adedicated focus on biker safetyispromoted, considering they attend a motorcyclist as often as every four days on average

Using the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), the main goal is the ongoing provision of outstanding prehospital emergency careand lifesaving intervention, helping save morelives and continuing the improvement of patients’ chancesofsurvival, including good recovery,through providing transparent, clinical and comprehensive operations of a helicopter-led emergency service sculpted to meet the changing demands of patient care. Thatbeing said,Ithink all of us who ever thought about being in ‘Airwolf’realise that having ahelicopterisn’tcheap. For Midlands Air Ambulance, it costs an incredible £13-£14 million

each year to maintain the three aircraft, afleet ofcritical care road vehicles, and providinga lifesaving service. Of course, each missionhas acost implication and on averagethat can be £2950 for critical air missions and £288 forcritical caremissions with no government support in place for these daily missions. This incredibleservice can only continue to achieve its goals throughongoing support and the generosity of the public, their supporters, local businesses and corporate partners.

Over the last 33 years, Midlands AirAmbulance has realised several quite incredible operational and clinical achievements. Most recently, all three airbases wererated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission(CQC), demonstrating the hardwork and commitment of every single personacross the whole of the organisation. Since the beginning of 2024, the pre-hospital lifesaving service has been trailing anew clinically operational model that nowencompasses crews responding on a24/7 basis, with

further plans on how to improve and grow as avital andintegral part of emergency services. Continued investmentincrew training andmedical technology givescritical careparamedics and doctors the ability to handle any situations that arise. This, is turn, is also aided by finding newways to sharetheir knowledge base and expertise across six counties, providing the public with lifesaving

skills via their popular first-aid courses First Biker on Scene. This course is specifically designed to give any biker therightskills and confidence to manage acasualty at the pointofinjury beforethe arrival of the emergency services. Without the continued support from the public, this vital service could not continue. Being solely reliant on volunteers, community groups, local businesses and donations keep thecritical care services provided by Midlands Air Ambulance both in the air andon the road.

Midlands Air Ambulance also run several fundraising events each year,not least theaforementioned Bike4Life Ride Out& Festival which sees 3500 bikes travel 26 miles from Meole Brace in Shrewsbury to the festival site at Weston Park in Staffordshire. This year’sevent raised astaggering £132,700. This means that 41 air ambulances andanadditional 46 critical carecar missionshave been madepossible, thanks to the support from theevent’s attendees.

People can get involved in many ways, from joining fundraising events like the Bike4Life Ride Out &Festival, to becomingregular donors or corporate sponsors. Every action helps to continue Midlands Air Ambulance’s lifesaving missions.

People can find outmore information aboutMidlands Air Ambulance Charity,and ways to support them, at midlandsairambulance.com

To findout moreaboutthe Bike4Life event, visit bike4lifefest.com or search ‘Bike4LifeFest’ on social media.

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCESSORIES

For Sale

ARIEL Square 4, Cammy, 1932, owned for 20 years, GY numberplate, rebuilt engine, good runner, £20,000. Also 1927 Ariel 500cc, owned for 10 years, £8500 or ovno Tel. 07581 364691. Manchester.

BMW R1250 GS Rallye TE 2023, 4500 miles, Touratech engine bars, fender extenders etc, excellent condition, £13,250 Tel. 07531 019009.

BMW G310R 2022 (72) white/ blue/red, showroom condition, 3300 miles, BMW warranty till Sept 25, full BMW service history,2keys, service and owners manual, datatag, fly screen, rear hugger,assist/ slipperclutch, USD forks, electronic throttle controller, always garaged, fine/dry use only, cash on collection only, £2950. Tel. 01513 345927 Wirral.

DUCATI 916singleseat Strada registered 28/6/94, 13,248 miles, owned 20 years, spares included,wil need recommissioning, dry stored many years, call for details £11,500. Tel. 07594 506435.Kent. Email richardtunbridge49@gmail.com

BSA Golden Flash, 1960, 650cc twin, very original with enclosed chaincase,airfilter housing,new battery, photos, V5C, running well, free delivery arranged, £4950 Tel. 01723 372219. Yorkshire.

BSA Shooting Star, 1958, 500cc twin, Akront alloys, Avons, new battery, Craven panniers, topbox, photos, V5C, very genuine,running well, frommyprivate collection, free delivery arranged,£5750 Tel. 01723 372219. Yorkshire.

CLASSIC Japanese bikes all in need of some work, Yamaha XS650SE; Kawasaki Z1000 Ltd, £2500;Honda CBR1000, 1995, £800, no offers, all V5Cs available Tel. 07474128407 Email. sprudence1900@gmail. com

HONDA XBR500, 1986, exchange for 125/250 4 stroke, trail bike worth about, £2500 must be four stroke cash waiting, adjustment either way, has new MoT Tel. Peter 01959 577788.

Classified

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1996, FXD Dyna Super Glide, only done 9072 miles, recent new tyres and battery, £5750 ono, might deal for British bikeTel. 07866 909192. Leeds.

KTM Adventure 1190R, 2014, one owner from new, 57,700 miles, excellentcondition with goodservice history, KTM panniers, Akrapovic, spots, heated grips, power parts seat, radiator protector, full engine protection, all original fittings included, recent front tyre, chain and sprockets, battery, £3250Tel.07815 186070 North Yorkshire.

HONDA CBR400NC23, 1985, near complete engine plus numerous engine spares, gearbox, cylinders, case lower crankcase, starter switch for sale,£750. Tel. 07901 661770.

HONDA CG125, 1996 Brazil, scruffy but reliable, 32,000 miles, owned since 2005, regularly serviced with history, new chain and sprockets2000 miles ago, will have 12 months MoT, ride orrenovate, £550 Wolverhampton. Email. paul_ aesuk@yahoo.com

LAVERDA RGS1000,virtually as new, engine block rebored and new liners and head unit reconditioned carbs are Keihin from Laverda Scotia, new Jota thickened exhausts, tankhas been extensively renovated and resprayed Speedo tacho unit new, lovely bike, £8000 Tel. 07899 985770. Exeter. Email. john998@icloud.com

KAWASAKI 250R, 2010, very good condition, black, years MoT, private plate, p/x possible, £2000. Tel. 01508 538514.

MOTO GUZZI V650 Special, 1992, my bike from new, 20,000 miles, rebuilt as Cafe Sport, new battery, tyres, alloy rims, stainless spokes +exhaust, single and dual seats Tel. 01313 332725. Edinburgh.

READY made Italian collection for sale, Benelli Tornedo TRE900, green/silver. Gilera CX125, blue. MoriniDart blue/ white, £10,000 the lot Tel. 01707 870769. Herts.

SUZUKI Burgman, 2021, 71 reg, Euro 5Lez compliant showroom condition, 400cc, maxi scooter, garaged, no winter use, 4600 miles, box included, MoT July 2025, grey, bluewheels, big comfy reliable scooter, £3999. Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire.

PIAGGIO Vespa, 2011, 124cc, 2owners,full service history, blue, runs smooth and fast, ready to go, twist, and go ride, ready to collect, one bump on thesideiscovered by stickers, giving it amore colourful characteristic vibe, fun little Vespa, £1600 Tel. 07555 149178. Email. Kayleypearman@gmail.com

ROYAL ENFIELD 1964, 250cc Olympic, no skirt, otherwise complete,roadworthy, used regularly, starts and runs well, decent tyres, ride or restore, contact for photos, £1600 ovno Email.Badger491@ outlook.com

ROYAL ENFIELD Crusader, 1962, red/black, immaculate paintwork, new parts include chrome Hagons, tyres, seat, speedo, lightweight, 250cc single cylinder,easy to manoeuvre, photos, V5C, from my private collection, free delivery, £2950Tel.01723 372219. Yorkshire.

SUZUKI VL800LI, Intruder, 2012, trike, conversion by Eurotech, disc brakes,alloy wheels, large rack, screen, footboards, heel/toe gear change, Led running lights, heated grips, USB/12V sockets,chromeengine casings, armrests on pillion seat, 11,900 miles, MoT mid October 2025, immaculate, £6500 ono possible p/x, swap for combination, Moto Guzzi, Cali, V7 Tel. 07913 032864. Yorkshire.

SYM Jet EVO 14, November 2024 made, used by asingle owner and meticulously maintained, with just 447 miles on the odometer, excellent condition andready for its next adventure, £1790 Tel. 07436 656278. London. Email.tonykurisunkal1994@ gmail.com

SYM Crui, 2024, 300cc, grey gloss paintwork, 400 miles, showroom condition, new Sym forces sale, 24 reg, great reliable maxi scooter, automaticEuro5100 mpg, garaged, FSH, big, storage, £3699. Tel. 07784499299. Yorkshire.

SUZUKI GS125, 1991, red, very good condition, miniature Katana, 10,800 miles, cruiser, £1250 possible p/x Tel. 07880 868316.

TRIUMPH Tiger Cub, 200cc 1957, excellent condition with lots of spares, all original and running, £2500. Tel. 07930 012038. Warwickshire. Email. jenhibberd245@gmail.com

TRIUMPH Rocket Roadster 2300cc, excellent condition, exceptional special paint job, owned for 10 years absolutely no issues ever, spare pipes and seat, £6000. Tel. 07930 012038. Warwickshire. Email. jenhibberd245@gmail.com

YAMAHA MT-07 showroom condition, immaculate,this is genuinely agreat bike, just had the 600 mile service done on 11/11/2024, only selling duetowork commitments overseas and it will be in the garage for over 2years, £5800 Tel. 07359 763857. Email. andrew86cory@aol.co.uk

Parts For Sale

HONDA CB500R, 2014, original exhaust, as new,£85 buyer collects Tel. 01403 217403. Sussex. ROYAL ENFIELD classic 350 parts for sale, DNA filter inc plate, £40. Decathlon pipe, £20. Black short exhaust pipe, £40. Denali horn loud, £15. Punjabi large exhaust. £15 all plus postage and packaging Tel. Bill 07713 160796.

TRIUMPH 675 Daytona, brand new, exhaust system, never used Tel. 07787 525198. TRIUMPH Speedmaster, rear section silencers OE long type with bracketsoff 1000 mile bike, superb condition, £650 +£30 postage or collect. Thunderbirdinstrument panel and wiring, £175 +£5 postage Tel. 07434 513161. Lancashire.

Wanted

WANTED 1968-70 Royal Enfield Interceptor, Series 2, must be roadworthy or needing minimalworktocomplete Tel. 07841 902933.

Miscellaneous

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 100th genuine Anniversary denim jacket, size XL suit 46” chest, with unique 100th clothlogo and embroidery on back, only worn occasionally and then stored, £95. Tel. 07910 285178. Milton Keynes. Email. bland-family@sky.com LUST lowering kit for Kawasaki Versy 1000, year 15 to 18, complete with side stand shims, as new, £50+p&p Tel. 07983 715541. RST classic brown leather jacket 42” £60. RST classic wax black TT jacket 42” £70. RE short canvas boots, size 7, £20. Airoh full face helmet size medium in white like new, £70. Barchi heated gloves large in original box, £40 all + p&p Tel. Bill 07713 160796. SUZUKI leather jacket, brown soft leather leisure jacket, genuine Suzuki collection item, only worn occasionally, suit 46-48” chest, lined with 2 external zipper pockets and 2 internal pockets, £75. onoTel. 07910 285178. Milton Keynes. Email. bland-family@sky.com