Motor Cycle Monthly March 2015 FULL ISSUE

TESTED: KTM 1050 ADVENTURE LESS POWER CAN MEAN A LOT MORE FUN

WIN BIKE KIT

PLUS 100s OF BIKES & BItS FOR SALE

March 2015

MCM is FREE in dealers, clubs and biker cafes

Yamaha MT-09 Tracer ‘the best bike of the Mt family yet’ P22

Mash Roadster: 60s Brit style with 80s Japanese tech P24

Lincolnshire’s Becci Ellis is the fastest woman on a bike P32

VERSYS 1000

the bike that redefines sports touring...

Full test of the awesome new Kawasaki

2

NEWS 3

New safety tech for dozy drivers Motor Cycle Monthly, Media Centre, Morton Way,Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Email: editorial@ motorcyclemonthly.co.uk Editor John Milbank Staff writer Carli Ann Smith Editorial design Holly Munro, Tracey Barton, Libby Fincham, Publisher Steve Rose Group production editor Tim Hartley Advertising Team Leader Richard Sinclair 01507 529538 Advertising Julia Pritchard 01507 529575 Classified advertising Jo Scarbro 01507 529468 Marketing manager Charlotte Park Production manager Craig Lamb Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Associate director Malcolm Wheeler Advertising deadline for April issue March 6, 2015

Subscribe to MCM and just pay the postage!

Call 01507 529529 or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/MCM or email help@classicmagazines.co.uk

Motor Cycle Monthly is published monthly on the last Friday of the month by Mortons Media Group

MCM recommends BikeSafe.co.uk

Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies

JAguAR Land Rover has announced that it’s developing a range of new technologies using sound, colour and touch inside the car to alert drivers of potential hazards, and prevent accidents involving motorcycles and pedal cycles.

Sensors on the car will apparently detect when another road user is approaching and identify it as a motorbike or cyclist. Bike Sense will then make the driver aware of the potential hazard before they see it.

While it’s worrying that drivers need a substitute for their own eyes, it’s interesting to hear how the technology is supposed to work; rather than using a generic warning icon or sound – which takes time for the driver’s brain to process – Bike Sense uses lights and sounds that the driver will instinctively associate with potential danger.

To help the motorist understand where the bike is in relation to their car, the audio system will make it sound as if a bicycle bell or motorbike horn is coming through the speaker nearest the bike, so the driver immediately understands where the hazard is.

If a bicycle or motorbike is coming up the road behind the car, Bike Sense will, the company says, detect if it is overtaking or coming past the vehicle on the inside. The top of the car seat will extend to ‘tap’ the driver on the left or right shoulder. The idea is that the driver will then instinctively look over that shoulder to identify the potential hazard.

As the cyclist gets closer to the car, a matrix of LED lights on the window sills, dashboard and windscreen pillars will glow amber and then red as the bike approaches. The movement of these lights across the surfaces will also highlight the direction the bike is taking.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Human beings have developed an instinctive awareness of danger over thousands of years.

Certain colours such as red and yellow will trigger an immediate response, while everyone recognises the sound of a bicycle bell.

“Bike Sense takes us beyond the current technologies of hazard indicators and icons in wing mirrors, to optimising the location of light, sound and touch to enhance this intuition. This creates warnings that allow a faster cognitive reaction as they engage the brain’s instinctive responses. If you see the dashboard glowing red in your peripheral vision,

you will be drawn to it and understand straight away that another road user is approaching that part of your vehicle.”

If a group of cyclists, motorbikes or pedestrians were moving around the car on a busy urban street, the system would intelligently prioritise the nearest hazards so the driver would not be overwhelmed or distracted with light or sound.

Where things really get into the realms of sci-fi is with the claim that Bike Sense would also be able to identify hazards that the driver cannot see. If a pedestrian or cyclist is crossing the road, and they are obscured by a stationary vehicle for example, the car’s sensors will detect this and draw the driver’s attention to the hazard using directional light and sound. If the driver ignores the warnings and presses the accelerator, Bike Sense will make the accelerator pedal vibrate or feel stiff, so the driver instinctively knows not to move the car forwards until the hazard has been avoided.

Bike Sense could also help prevent vehicle doors being opened into the path of bikes when the car is parked by warning all passengers of an approaching cyclist, motorbike or car through sound and light inside the vehicle. If any passenger continues to open the door, the door handle will light up, vibrate and buzz to alert them to the danger.

“By engaging the instincts, Bike Sense has the potential to bridge the gap between the safety and hazard detection systems in the car and the driver and their passengers,” added Dr Epple.

“This could reduce the risk of accidents with all road users by increasing the speed of response and ensuring the correct action is taken to prevent an accident happening.”

The technology has the potential to be a real life-saver, but is it a replacement for effective tuition of all road users? Write to us with your opinion…

4 NEWS

New special edition sees Low interest rate brings exotic metal within reach V-Max get cheaper MV aguSta has announced a finance deal of 2.9% aPr across a range of bikes, including the awesome new Stradale, reviewed in this issue. unlike many of the popular PCP (Personal Contract Purchase plans) out there, MV’s current deal requires a deposit, then the simplicity of 30 monthly payments at a rate better than you’ll get from the bank, even with today’s low interest. Once the loan is paid off, the bike is yours.

Of course, finance isn’t for everyone, but not many bikers have the spare cash to buy a new machine outright, and with a loan at such an attractive rate, it’s bringing the chance to own a stunning new motorcycle even closer for many riders.

Find your nearest MV agusta dealer by visiting www.mvagusta.com/en/dealers

Don’t miss the CMC Clay Cross themed Sundays launCheD in 1985, the original Yamaha V-Max was famous for its brutal, drag-bike inspired styling and relentless acceleration. the V-Max Carbon is a special edition for 2015, but following on from the recent ‘Yard built’ projects, the V-Max is next in line to see some custom treatment. incredibly, this special edition is a sizeable drop in price over the £21,499 the V-Max cost last year. but Yamaha has also announced that the standard bike – now called the VMax Matt grey – will drop down to £15,749 Otr. With fuel prices dropping too, this exclusive machine just got a little more attainable.

With this being the machine’s 30th

anniversary, and Yamaha promising some exciting designs from the likes of german custom shop Jvb-moto, we’re pretty sure we’ll soon be seeing a pretty special new bike available to buy, if the recent XJr1300 and XJr1300 racer announcements – also Yard built project – are anything to go by. the V-four, 1679cc motor makes a massive 197bhp – impressive in a sportbike, but mind blowing in what many would describe as a cruiser. the machine has radial six-pot calipers and a shaft-drive to cope with the enormous power, along with a wide 200-section rear tyre.

For more information, visit www.yamaha-motor.eu

Celebrating 40 years since CMC Motorcycles opened in 1975, the Clay Cross store in Derbyshire has released its themed Sunday event diary. the first – on March 22 – is Yamaha YZF Sunday, a new addition welcoming r1s, r6s, thunderaces, thundercats and the new YZF-r125.

Following the tried, tested and hugely popular Sunday theme, the event will start at 10am, and while all bikes are welcome, there’ll be reserved parking for the YZFs with judging of the top 10 and trophies awarded around 2:30pm. there’ll be a barbecue, ice-cream van, and the famous CMC Cafe will be open, along with hundreds of bikes on display in the showroom. For a great biking day out, head to CMC Motorcycles Clay Cross, Derbyshire S45 9DP. For more details, visit www.cmcbikes.com or call 01246 860046

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NEWS 7

The smart way to add accessories to your bike THE Rowe Electronics PDM60 is a unique way to easily wire in, power and protect your bike’s valuable accessories. This fully sealed, waterproof Power Distribution Module eliminates the need for fuses, and can supply up to 60A – far more than you’ll need on a bike, but it’s the way the system works that makes it so brilliant.

Originally designed for the CAN bus electronic systems on today’s vehicles, the PDM60 uses a single trigger wire, drawing less than one milliamp, to activate, thus avoiding potential problems with the bike’s sensitive (and expensive) ECU. The £129.99 unit is easy to install (with all connectors and fixings supplied) and

fully programmable, but the default settings are very well thought out: as standard, none of the six circuits (or channels) will become live until seven seconds after triggering – that means that your heated clothing, GPS, auxiliary socket and more won’t turn on until after you’ve had a chance to start the engine, allowing all of your battery’s power to be pushed to the starter motor. Channels one and five have a current limit of 20A each, with two, three, four and six offering up to 15A. As standard, you have two at 5A, two at 10A and two at 15A – ideal for most applications.

Should there be any kind of fault that would normally blow a fuse, the individual channel will immediately

shut down. When restarted, if the fault is still there an LED will glow red, telling you that no power is being allowed through that channel. An orange light indicates a fault has occurred – very helpful for tracking intermittent problems in the bike’s wiring – and will reset to green if the fault’s gone when the unit is restarted.

Besides the startup-timer, which can be set anywhere between zero and four minutes, each of the six channels can be programmed to turn off anywhere between zero (default) and 10 minutes after the bike is turned off – perfect for GPS units, or even ‘guide me home’ lights.

For more information visit

www.PDM60.co.uk or call 01892 457373 – if you don’t have access to a computer, but want to change some settings, you can even have it programmed before delivery.

WIN tickets to the Prescott Bike Festival THE FiFTH annual Prescott Bike Festival – held on Sunday, April 12 in Gotherington – is promising to be the best yet! A Paddock Specials Show ‘n’ Tell, a host of trade stands and a Dealer Zone will be alongside entertainment, great food, live music and host of star riders…

Fresh from the jungle, i’m a Celebrity winner Carl Fogarty – four times World Superbike champion – will be in attendance, joined by triple BSB champ John Reynolds, current MotoGP pundit Steve Parrish and

Enter the competition now

adventurer Nick Sanders, among others.

Visitors can also witness several rare modern and classic machines run the Prescott Hill; some of the most notable bikes include Carl Fogarty’s WSBK winning Ducati, Carlos Checa’s MotoGP Ducati, a rare Magni Australia and an even-rarer Manx Norton experimental 350cc.

Show info as well as general admission tickets are available from prescottbikefestival.co.uk, with all proceeds going to support the Blood Bike charities.

Motor Cycle Monthly and MoreBikes have got six pairs of tickets for the Prescott Bike Festival up for grabs… all you have to do is enter our free prize draw before Wednesday, March 11.

Visit morebikes.co.uk/competitions for more details.

POLARIS BUYS BRAMMO Polaris Industries (the owner of the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands) has purchased electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo, pointing to the possibility of an electric-powered cruiser to compete with Harley’s project Livewire.

Polaris chairman Scott Wine said: “Today’s announcement strengthens not only Polaris’ commitment to bringing our consumers lithium-ion electric solutions, but also this partnership’s ability to continue innovating and developing leading electric drivetrain technology.”

Adding: “We believe the new alignment brings us that much closer to delivering world-class electric solutions across our products.”

Brammo has designed and developed numerous electric vehicles, including the award-winning Enertia and Empulse motorcycles, with Polaris as a strategic investor since 2011.

MUMBAI BIKERS HAVE TO PLEDGE TO BEHAVE! Bikers in Mumbai will now have to swear an oath to be good boys and girls! Before a driving licence is issued, they must sign an indemnity bond promising to abide by motor vehicle rules and regulations.

Transport minister Diwakar Raote said: “The thought to get indemnity bonds signed by bikers came to me after seeing many of them riding without helmets. Bikers violate rules more frequently than drivers of fourwheelers and other vehicles,” adding the department would increase the penalty for traffic violations soon.

“We don’t want to earn money for the government through penalties, but we want to decrease violations by raising the penalty.”

8 NEWS EVENTS

EVERY THURSDAY FROM 6PM-9PM Stephen Billau and Sons Bike Nights DL1 1QQ www.sbillau.co.uk EVERY SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH Durham Autojumble and meet Mill House, Littleburn Ind Est, DH7 8HJ Indoor and outdoor stalls, cafe on site. £1 admission and £10 per stall. www.dontbinitsellit.com

EVERY SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH Cafeplas, Badock High Street, SG7 6AX Motorcycle cafe open every Sunday, 9am-4pm.

FEBRUARY 19 Steve Parrish MAD Tour, Harlequin Theatre, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1NN A funny and informative evening with Steve Parrish. All shows start at 7.30pm, please book tickets in advance.

For more information click go to www.harlequintheatre.co.uk or call telephone 01737 276500. For more details about the MAD tour, go to www.madtours.co.uk SATURDAY 21 – SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 The Classic Dirtbike Show, St Quentin Gate, Telford, Shropshire TF3 4JH For more information go to www.classicshows.org SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Flat Track Day , Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com

Share your adventure spirit WE ALL enjoy the freedom only a motorcycle can deliver, but if you’re looking for a club with the same aspirations, that enjoys the love of motorcycling without getting bogged down in annual general meetings, committees and appointed officers, then the PEMC is for you.

The PEMC is a unique national organisation, concentrating its efforts on organising a calendar of European tours, UK weekends, and weekly turn-ups across the country; it even has an aviation-themed carpe diem for you to seize the day and explore this beautiful country. Something’s happening in the PEMC every week from March to December.

Established more than 30 years ago, PEMC events are organised by members, for members. It’s a not-for-profit organisation and its European tours and UK weekend events are amazingly good value. Hotels are reserved on a dinner, bed, breakfast basis so everyone knows what the cost is upfront. Event organisers plan and distribute the routes

so you can ride the way you want to, with a group or solo.

What do you get by joining the PEMC?

The club has a wealth of experience in organising trips to all parts of Europe and the UK. This year it has trips to Morocco, France, the Pyrenees, Bol D’or and the Mediterranean coast, plus a varied selection of UK weekend events to choose from in Yorkshire, Wales, Devon and Scotland to mention but a few. The club organises weekly midday turn-ups from March to November, and there is a range of activities for everyone; the PEMC does it best by concentrating on what is important… its motto says it all: ‘Riding In Good Company’.

The PEMC is open to all motorcyclists, irrespective of what they ride. Nonriding partners are more than welcome, and activities are organised for them too.

Find out more about this unique club and what it has to offer by visiting www.pemc.co.uk or email membership@pemc.co.uk

Saga buys Bennetts for £26.6 million SAGA – the specialist company working for the over-50s – has purchased bike insurer Bennetts for £26.6 million.

Bennetts provides motorbike insurance for more than 200,000 customers. Almost half of these are over the age of 50, and 77% are over the age of 40. Bennetts will continue to offer insurance to riders of all ages, but the acquisition allows the company to access Saga’s database of 10.6 million people.

In 2014, the over-50s in the UK spent a total of £340m on motorcycle purchases: “There is a growing interest in motorbiking among the over-50s,” said a Saga spokesman. “A growing proportion are taking a motorbike test, and their spending on motorbikes represents a third of total motorbike spend in the UK.” Saga hopes the acquisition will give it a 20% share of the total UK motorcycle insurance market.

Bert’s Tea Hut in Essex saved

THE famous tea hut at High Beech in Epping Forest, Essex has been saved.

Bert’s Tea Hut has been serving up cuppas to bikers for 85 years, but was under threat of losing its location as the local authorities proposed putting it out to tender.

A petition – supported by our site, MoreBikes.co.uk – to save

the hut was signed by more than 9000 people and handed to the director of open spaces at the Guild Hall on the Square Mile.

This ensured awareness of the value of the hut.

After lengthy talks, the tender has thankfully been awarded back to Mr Melton, whose family has run the business for some five generations.

9

10 NEWS EVENTS

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 Trike Day in aid of NABD Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD All day. For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com SUNDAY, MARCH 8 Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts, NG 24 2NY For more information go to www.newarkautojumble.co.uk

SUNDAY, MARCH 8 British and Classic Bike Day and Royal Enfield Review Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD All day. For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com SUNDAY, MARCH 15 Sidecar Sunday and Honda CX and GL Day, Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. All day. For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com SATURDAY 21 – SUNDAY, MARCH 22 Yamaha MT Test-ride weekend Try out the multi-award-winning Yamaha MT range at CMC motorcycles in Clay Cross. Please bring both parts of your driving licence and a recent utility bill. For more information go to www.cmcbikes.com or call 01246 860046 SUNDAY, MARCH 22 Overland and Adventure Travel Bike Day. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD All day. For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com

Scrapped Vincent up for sale A pREWAR 1939 Vincent HRD SeriesA Rapide motorcycle rescued from scrap is now being offered, fully restored, for an estimated £220,000£260,000 at Bonhams Stafford sale, taking place on April 26, 2015.

The Vincent twin offered, is the penultimate machine despatched from the marque’s Stevenage factory before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. There are only around 65 Series-A Vincent V-twins left in the world today, making this sale exceptionally rare.

The Vincent has remained in the family of motorcycle enthusiast Harry Lloyd since 1959, when it was purchased in exchange for a mere £10 and an Amal TT carburettor. Lloyd restored the bike to its former glory and used it for family trips around the UK. After a decade of use, the primary chain snapped when on a journey home through the suburbs of Liverpool, leaving the bike in need of repair. In 1968 the HRD was dismantled, pending future restoration, and stored in a lock-up garage in Liverpool.

A decade later, with the bike still in storage, an administrative error meant ownership of the garage had been allocated elsewhere. When Lloyd arrived, the padlocks had been cut-off of the garage and his bikes – including the HRD Series-A – were being loaded into a skip.

After much argument, it was

Be safer with a louder horn THE Denali SoundBomb 120db dual-tone motorcycle horn is now available from R&G. Designed for riders who want to be noticed, the compact unit is four times louder than a standard horn; think freight train and you get the idea.

The unique design of the Denali features a rugged, moulded clamp that mechanically mates the compressor to the acoustic unit, making the SoundBomb (£32.99) virtually indestructible even in high-vibration applications.

Despite emitting a big sound, the compact horn is just 137mm wide x 116mm high x 86mm deep and the all-black design helps it to blend in as much with a bike as possible – wherever it’s mounted.

For more information visit www.rg-racing.com or call 01420 89007

decided that the bikes couldn’t be left, and so were transported back to Lloyd’s Liverpool home and stored in the rear bedroom, where they remained undisturbed for the next 15 years.

“In 2007 restoration of the Vincent finally began, but sadly Mr Lloyd passed away before seeing the finished rebuild. No doubt he would have been very proud of the finished machine,” said Ben Walker, international director for Bonhams motorcycle department. “Seven years of restoration have resulted in

a magnificent motorcycle completed to Concours standard.

Owned by the same family for the past 50 years, Bonhams Stafford sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire this highly desirable machine – one of the holy grails of the motorcycle world and a must for any major collection.”

The auction will take place at the 35th Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show in Stafford; visit www.classicbikeshows.co.uk for more details, or see next month’s MCM.

11

12 NEWS EVENTS

SUNDAY, MARCH 22 Yamaha YZF Sunday. The CMC ClayCross team want to see your R1, R6, Thunderace, Thundercat and R125s for judging and trophies. All welcome, with reserved parking for the YZFs plus a BBQ, ice creams, cafe and more.

For more information go to www.cmcbikes.com or call 01246 860046 SUNDAY, MARCH 22 Huddersfield Autojumble, Old Market Building, Brook Street, Huddersfield HD1 1RG. Held in the historic Grade II* Victorian market building right in the centre of Huddersfield. Indoor toilets and refreshments are available.

For more information go to www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com

SATURDAY 28 – SUNDAY, MARCH 29 Manchester Bike Show, EventCity, Phoenix Way, off Barton Dock Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 7TB. For more information go to www.manchesterbikeshow.com SATURDAY 28 – SUNDAY, MARCH 29 Kickback – The National Custom Bike Show, Stoneleigh Park, Nr Coventry, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ KICKBACK 5 will be bigger than ever before claim the organisers, with more exhibitors, traders and retailers, more feature zones, more manufacturers and more show bikes on display.

There will also be evening entertainment, late bar and on-site camping and hotel facilities. www.thecustomshow.com or email lorne@rwrw.co.uk

A new way to cross the Darien Gap ROUND-the-world rider Rhys Lawrey is one of the first European motorcyclists to use the new ferry service from Panama to the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Until recently, the only way to cross the Darien Gap – a 99-mile section of undeveloped swampland and forest between Panama and Colombia – was by air freight. This is expensive; expect to pay around $1200 for the bike and a further $300-$400 for the rider. At just $360 for bike and rider, the ferry looks a much better bet, but this is Central America, so it isn’t all plain sailing.

“The ferry crossing itself should take about half a day, but you need to allow an extra two days for paperwork and customs,” explains Rhys. “First you need a form from the police to prove that the bike isn’t stolen. That takes pretty much a whole day.

Then you need Colombian bike insurance. Luckily I ran into some friendly Costa Rican bikers, who put me in touch with a company in the USA which could sort me out – for $200! That took half a day.

Then it takes another half day to load the ferry. I had to remove all the luggage for sniffer dogs to check, then reload, only to be told to unload by another policeman, for no apparent reason, and then reload all over again.”

It’s wise to take plenty of photocopies of all your documents, as police and customs officials seem to like them, even if they aren’t sure what they’re looking at.

The boat itself is similar to a roll-on/roll-off cross-channel ferry, except that cars and trucks aren’t permitted. So it moors alongside the dock and motorcycles must be ridden up a gang plank, like the passengers use to board.

SATURDAY 28 – SUNDAY, MARCH 29 South Wales Sunbeam Motorcycle Club 23rd Annual Classic & Modern Motorcycle Show, Llanishen, Cardiff 01443 435125 or email dave.harrison47@yahoo.com SUNDAY, MARCH 29 Scooter Sunday and Raleigh Chopper Meet Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD All day. For more information go to www.ace-cafe-london.com LIST YOUR EVENT HERE Visit www.MoreBikes.co.uk and submit your event now. Please always check event details with the organiser before travelling.

“It’s an overnight crossing, from 7pm to 1pm the following day,” says Rhys. “Except that our journey took an extra two hours because they forgot to refuel the boat. We left Colon in Panama on Christmas Eve and landed in Cartagena, Colombia, at 3pm on Christmas Day. By the time we’d cleared customs it was getting dark, which was worrying, what with Colombia’s reputation for drug gangs and the dangers of travelling after dark. It turns out I needn’t have worried – the Colombians are the frriendliest bunch I’ve met since being in China.”

Rhys is raising money for The Prince’s Trust, asking for a minimum donation of just £6 (one pound for every continent he crosses). You can follow his progress, view his video diaries and make a donation at www.2mororider.com

Mahindra purchases 51% of Peugeot INDIAN vehicle manufacturer Mahindra has completed the purchase of a 51% stake in Peugeot Motorcycles (PMTC). The 28million euro deal was initiated in October last year. Part of the deal sees 15-million euros put into PMTC

to finance projects.

PMTC is the oldest motorised twowheeler manufacturer in the world, with a history dating back 116 years.

It offers a range of scooters and mopeds from 50cc to 400cc, including three-wheeled scooters.

Motorcycle theft eliminated in St James’s Square MOTORCYCLE thieves are reported to be avoiding St James’s Square in London, thanks to a series of antitheft initiatives.

The Square was identified as one of four ‘hotspots’ for motorcycle theft by Westminster City Council, with around 52 motorcycles or scooters stolen each year from its parking bays – around one a week. £1-million worth of motorcycles, scooters and mopeds have been stolen from the whole of the City of Westminster since April 2014 – a total of 191.

Since September though, none have been taken from St James’s Square, as a result of a series of measures put in place by Westminster City Council through working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and security marking specialists Datatag. This could be rolled out to other ‘hotspots’.

Westminster City Council and Datatag advertised a day in September to offer riders the chance to get their motorcycles security ‘tagged’ on site for just £50, including fitting. This resulted in a

steady queue of riders taking advantage of the offer.

Tagging involves applying a combination of highly visible and hidden security markers, which deter thieves but also help the police recover vehicles if they are stolen. Fitting takes around 25 minutes to complete.

The Metropolitan Police was also on hand to check the Police National Computer to make sure the bikes weren’t stolen in the first place. After the tagging took place, warning signs were put up to let thieves know that users of the parking bay had security marked their bikes.

Community protection officer for Westminster City Council, Paul King, who has led on this project said: “We have applied a combination of measures in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and Datatag, which alerts riders to the risk and gives them the means to avoid them. We aim to repeat the opportunity for riders who use Berkeley Square parking, as we feel this provided a turning point in St James’s Square, which we would like to repeat for other theft

‘hotspots’ in the City.”

Westminster City Council has since added 78 ground anchors to the parking bay that offer an additional highly visible deterrent.

When riders secure their bikes to anchor points it makes it difficult for thieves to just lift up a scooter or motorcycle and put it into a van.

Over the past few years an average of 24,000 motorcycles have been stolen annually in the UK, half of which are taken from London streets, with motorcycle theft in Westminster accounting for 55% of all vehicles stolen.

Alex Lowes joins RST NOW in his second season riding for Voltcom Crescent Suzuki, racer Alex Lowes is set for a storming year aboard his GSXR1000, so the RST motorcycle clothing is proud to announce he’s joining the race department to help develop the kit for track, and road riders.

“We are really excited to be working with Alex, and having a rider wearing, and helping us develop RST in the World Superbike championship is a massive asset to RST,” said Jonny Towers, RST’s sales and marketing director.

“We’ve always looked to work with a tight team of racers who are not just used as a sponsorship opportunity, but are also active members of the RST development team. RST riders such as Andrew Pitt, Niall Mackenzie and Ian Hutchinson bring a wealth of experience and adding Alex’s proven skills to this team can only strengthen RST as we push forward.”

Alex Lowes added: “2015 is looking to be a great year, the new WSBK rules suit the GSX-R1000 and I’m really pleased to be working with RST – a British company based so close to where I live. The feeling of my first suits is awesome and I can’t wait to get out on track, to kick the season off in my new RST leathers!”

The new 2015 RST catalogue has just been released, and has a feature on Alex with a Q&A from when he popped in to RST’s HQ to collect his test suits. To request or to download the latest RST catalogue please visit www.rst-

13 COMPETITION

GREAT BIKE KIT FROM RST & AGV N I W Get your year sorted with this brilliant range of gear up for grabs in our free prize draw

We’ve joined forces with MotoDirect – the team behind RST clothing and AGV helmets – to offer one lucky reader the chance to gear up with some fantastic bike kit.

This free prize draw will see one of you bikers grabbing a lid, jacket, trousers and boots in the size of their choosing.

AGV Compact Course helmet

Priced at just £189.99, the AGV is a top-of-the range flip-front lid from Rossi’s favourite brand.

Designed for touring and urban use, it has the safety of a full-face, with the convenience and practicality of an open-face. It’s got a breathable Lycra microperforated lining with sanitized cheek pads, reflective inserts for visibility, three front air intakes paired with two on the sides and one on the rear, tool-free fitting of the Pinlock-ready visor and a micrometric chin strap.

The front of the lid can be locked into the open position – if you’ve never used a flip-front, they’re a blessing at petrol filling stations! For more details visit www.agv.co.uk

RST Pro Series Paragon IV textile jacket

The fourth generation of RST’s popular Pro Series jacket, the Paragon – which costs just £199.99 – is perfectly cut for touring in any conditions.

Key features of the ¾ length jacket include a ballistic 1660 construction with a Sinaqua waterproof and breathable membrane, and a removable quilted full-length thermal lining.

Enter now at

The seams are double- and triple-stitched using a super-strong bonded nylon for maximum burst resistance, while a contour level one back protector is fitted as standard, along with CE armour to the shoulders and elbows.

Reflective panels and piping offer the best visibility to other road users at night, and adjustable intake and exhaust vents complement a removable throat coat to customise the jacket for any conditions. For more details visit www.rst-moto.com

RST Pro Series Paragon IV textile trousers

Costing only £159.99, the Paragon trousers work perfectly with the jacket to offer great touring protection.

Built from the same 1660 ballistic nylon, the Sinaqua waterproof and breathable membrane keeps your legs dry, while the removable quilted lining keeps them warm.

CE armour is fitted as standard to the knees, and there are pockets for optional hip armour, while reflective panels and piping add to the safety.

RST Paragon waterproof boot

Great value at just £99.99, the Paragon is the ultimate touring boot in the RST range. A PU-coated leather outer is mated to a Sinaqua waterproof and breathable membrane to keep your feet dry and warm.

Shin, ankle and heel protection is all built in, with a moulded anti-twist mid-sole and vulcanised anti-slip rubber sole.

Designed for touring, the boot has a gear-change pad and heavy duty Max zip with Velcro closure.

morebikes.co.uk/competitions

Competition closes: March 30, 2015

Standard terms and conditions apply; see website for details. Prizes are subject to stock availability. In the unlikely event of your size not being available, we may substitute it for an alternative colourway.

14 PRODUCTS

TESTED

PUTTING IN THE MILES WITH THE KIT THAT MATTERS

Buffalo Bella ladies’ gloves

£39.99 | www.thekeycollection.co.uk / 0117 971 9200 | Reviewed by Carli Ann Smith In summer, I don’t like riding with really thick gloves, but I do of course want my hands to still be protected. These full-grain leather ladies’ gloves from Buffalo have reinforced areas on the palm and thumb; besides the extra protection, these also allow me to grip the bars with confidence, but still have plenty of feeling.

There’s a Velcro cuff strap to stop the wind whistling up your arms, but while the wrists do

have an elasticated band, it’s a shame there’s no strap there to make absolutely sure they wouldn’t come off in a tumble.

They’ve been really comfortable since the first time I put them on – partly thanks to the precurved fingers – and they’ve been my glove of choice for the summer weather. They’re a good in-between season glove too, as the 3M Thinsulate lining adds enough warmth for those late-evening rideouts when the temperature drops.

R&G Elevation paddock stands

£135 (rear) & £75 (front) | www.rg-racing.com / 01420 89007 Reviewed by John Milbank You’re right, these are not cheap paddock stands. But neither was my bike – a 2008 Ducati Monster S4R. It’s the machine I’ve always dreamed of owning, and as I’m a bit OCD about keeping it clean – which includes taking the wheels off – I needed a paddock stand.

Starting with the most important stand – the rear – this is a solidlybuilt, quality piece of kit. Bikes with a single-sided swingarm like my Ducati need a very secure stand; without it, any flex in a poor design could see

the machine slide off the locating pin.

That would be away from the bike’s own sidestand, almost certainly resulting in some serious damage.

The rear Elevation costs £115, then the locating pin to suit your bike’s axle costs £20. This fits into a quality pair of ball-bearings, allowing the pin to rotate freely as you lift the bike.

There’s enough leverage in the stand to make it simple for one person to pick the machine up, but without leaving too much hanging out behind to trip over.

The front stand – essential for removing the front wheel if you don’t have a winch or a jacking point under the engine – should only be used when the bike is already on a rear paddock stand. On the Ducati, two metal pins, sheathed in hard-wearing plastic, locate quickly under the fork bottoms and make it fast and simple to securely lift the front end.

These stands are a great example of getting what you pay for – they’re solidly designed with quality components and well worth the investment if you love your bike as much as I do.

Snug fit Sidi ST boots

£275 | www.sidiselect.co.uk / 01384 413841 | Reviewed by John Milbank If you want a pair of boots that are quick to throw on, and easy to walk around town in, then the STs aren’t for you. If, however, you want to give your feet, ankles, shins and calves a very high level of protection, particularly on track, then it’s a very different matter.

The entire rear of the Sidis opens up to allow your foot to slip into the snug (but comfortable – I have fairly wide feet, and never have a problem with Sidi) Teflon meshlined inner. The side then zips up, with a large Velcro panel at the top. After that, the rear rotates into place, secured by two ratchetequipped buckles.

It’s the ratchets that help to make the STs so secure – the adjustability means that regardless of the thickness of your leathers or trousers (or your calf muscles), the tough protective plates at the front and rear are kept snug against your limbs.

This fit does mean that you wouldn’t want to spend the day walking around in them, but it’s not a problem when you’re stopped at a cafe, or walking about in the holding area on a trackday. A vent on the outer side of the boot offers additional airflow, though not to the point that you notice a breeze, and the toe-sliders are easily replaceable, costing just £6.99.

While writing this review I noticed a shockabsorbing heel plate was hanging off one side, with the screw ground away. It took me a while to realise that this was the result of four crashes while racing supermoto pit-bikes.

The boots protected my feet and lower legs perfectly, and it’s good to know that the screws and plates are easily replaceable (I just got off the phone to the very helpful customer services team).

Other than the crash damage, after a year of use the only real signs of wear are the scuffed toes – I tend to drag them when walking, and it shows on all my boots, leather or synthetic.

Oh, and they still don’t smell.

With jeans over the outside (not really what the boots are designed for), the top of the Velcro can be a little scratchy at one tiny point, but I can’t say it too many times – these are a performance pair of sports boots, and I wear them whenever I’m in leathers or on the track.

16 PRODUCTS

Sydney to London…

The Long Ride Home

Roadskin ladies’ Paranoid Rain jeans

By Nathan Millward | £12 | www.nathanmillward.com | Reviewed by John Milbank

£99 | www.grinfactor.com / 01288 275002 | Tested by Helen Milbank

When you spend all day reading and writing about motorcycles, for a book about biking to keep you awake at night it has to be something special. Nathan Millward’s account of his ride home – 23,000 miles from Australia to London – is something very special indeed.

Nathan’s journey took nine months and covered 18 countries, including India, Pakistan, Russia and China. There was no planning, he just got on his bike and rode. He was 26. His bike was a 105cc ex-postal service Honda CT110 called Dorothy.

I usually spend my nights before bed reading mainstream crime thrillers, generally falling asleep with the book on my chest. The Long Ride Home kept me awake at nights, the book delivering real excitement, and sometimes worry, with every page. This is a genuinely moving account of Nathan’s trip, and his personal reasons for the ride make it all the more compelling.

Regardless of whether motorcycle adventure interests you, Nathan’s story is an absolutely fantastic read. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if you’re a biker – the very personal story is that strong. This is one of those rare books that I’m looking forward to reading again (after my wife’s finished it).

Nathan has self-published the book; it was originally released by HarperCollins, but only in Australia. Buying it from his website for just £12 will include delivery of a signed copy, or it’s available from Amazon. A Kindle edition is also on sale for just £5.39, though the 40 pages of photos in the print edition make it well worth the extra cost.

I’m looking forward to reading Nathan’s new book – Running Towards the Light – that sees him and Dorothy heading for Alaska. It’s going to have a lot to live up to, as I can honestly say that Sydney to London… The Long Ride Home is one of the most enjoyable reads I’ve had.

I want to feel safe on the bike, but when husband/editor John and I nip out for a quick ride while our daughter’s at school, I don’t always want to tog up in my full textile riding kit – especially in the warmer weather.

These dark blue Paranoid Rain jeans are cut specifically for ladies, with a snug, figurehugging fit. More importantly they’re fully lined with 320gsm DuPont Kevlar (a heat, abrasion, tear and cut-resistant para-aramid).

I’ve never liked the look of part-lined trousers that can leave areas like your thighs exposed if you slide on your front. That layer of knitted Kevlar does of course add some bulk to the jeans – your legs look slightly larger than with fashion jeans on – but for the superb protection offered, it’s a price I’m more than willing to pay.

Even with armour in, the jeans look better at the bar than a pair of textile trousers, yet they offer a very high level of protection being lined with the same material used by the police and military around the world.

Not only are your legs protected in the event of a crash, the full coverage of the Kevlar also reinforces the denim, so they can’t be ripped open like some part-lined jeans. The denim is treated with a waterresistant coating that shrugs off a shower (the coating is still going strong even after it’s been through the wash), and the soft, slightly stretchy material keep the armour and Kevlar pulled securely against your flesh.

Personally, I’d have preferred to have the armour fitted between the Kevlar and the denim, rather than between my legs and the Kevlar as it would make them a fraction easier to put on.

At £99 (plus £20 for CE-approved knee and hip armour), this is some great value protection. Comfortable, convenient and safe: I wouldn’t ride without my Roadskins.

Helmet sanitisers from MotoGroom

£12 | www.motogroom.com | Reviewed by John Milbank After a sweaty summer’s ride, your expensive helmet can seem the last place you want to pop your head. Freshening it up can mean running it under the shower, but that potentially means days of drying.

MotoGroom’s natural sanitisers are intended to be sprayed regularly, and claim to keep your helmet’s interior fresh through its use of 12 essential oils and natural alcohol. Pop open your visor, then spray the interior until it’s wet. I found it’s best to do it before you go to bed, to give it a chance to dry properly – if you spray it before your ride, the smell can be a bit strong, and the alcohol won’t have evaporated off.

I found both ‘flavours’ – Touring, with its Lime and Sicilian blood orange, and Citrus Groves, with its citrus fruits and woods – to have a similar, ‘posh cologne’ scent, but if I had to choose, I’d say Citrus Groves was my favourite.

While you need to get your lining wet, this still requires very little of the spray, and my Schuberth C3 Pro certainly smelt a lot fresher after I’d treated it.

MotoGroom claims the sprays prevent microbial build-up, so being a geek, I thought I’d put it to the test.

In a very unscientific test involving agar powder, water and beef-stock, I made up two petridishes. Before spraying one with MotoGroom and sealing them up, I covered them with various ablutions.

I won’t go into details, but it wasn’t pretty.

After a couple of days in the airing cupboard, my poor-man’s lab had revealed a definite reduction in the bacteria growing on the MotoGroom plate.

If you’ve ridden through a year of hot summer and grimy winter, your lid could still need a serious wash, though fortunately MotoGroom will soon be releasing a brilliant helmet dryer for when you do need to run it under the shower, or quickly clear the sweat from a long day. As a way of freshening up a helmet that’s off its best, this is a very effective option. Now if only they sold it in ‘New Helmet’ fragrance.

We want your kit reviews

If you’ve got a piece of kit, an accessory, or anything to do with biking that you love (or hate!), why not submit a review at MoreBikes.co.uk/submit-kit-review We’ve already started sending products out to our best reviewers, so get involved!

MotoGP Season Review 2014

By Julian Ryder | £27.78 | store.motogp.com/en | Reviewed by John Milbank With Marc Marquez even faster in 2015’s MotoGP first round of testing (just ahead of Valentino), this year’s racing should be spectacular. 2014 saw Rossi and Lorenzo fighting back hard against Marquez’s incredible style and ability, particularly in the second half of the season.

Now in its 11th year of publication, this allcolour hardback gives race reports,

comments, analysis and many evenings worth of stats and facts to throw at your mates down the pub. If you want to know how fast Laverty was in round five at Le Mans, it’s here. Curious about the tyre choices and wear? It’s here.

Desperate to find out what lap saw Marquez drop down to 20th position at San Marino, and why? It’s here…

Written and edited by journalist and broadcaster Julian Ryder, it’s rammed with stunning photos by Andrew Nortcott – one of the top MotoGP photographers, and also covers Moto2, Moto3 and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. If you have even the slightest interest in motorcycle racing, the Season Review is a fascinating read. If you’re a stat-geek, it’s absolutely essential!

17

18 LETTERS

HAVE YOUR SAY

We want to hear from you! We’d love to read your tips, stories and opinions, so why not get in touch and tell us what’s on your mind Email us at: editorial@motorcyclemonthly.co.uk Send your post to: Your letters, MotorCycle Monthly, Mortons Media Group, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Please ensure you include a telephone number if you’re contacting us by post – it helps if we need to get back in touch with you.

Thanks for a great prize

★ MCM STAR LETTER OF THE MONTH ★

A recent competition on our Facebook page resulted in Mr Scrivener winning his wife a beautiful Kinekt Gear Necklace (www.kinektdesign.com)…

I met Meryl in 1958. We both enjoyed motorbikes, and after marrying we honeymooned on our Norman two-stroke 250 twin with Villiers engine (Great acceleration for a 250). We later toured around Europe on our single-cylinder Velocette Sports 500, complete with its silver fishtail exhaust. Now, 57 years after we met, we’re still together, and still love biking. The icing on the cake was winning the wonderful Kinekt Gear Necklace provided by MotorCycle Monthly and MoreBikes.co.uk – Meryl was delighted with it as her early Valentine’s Day present.

Keith Scrivener, via email

Is the industry worshiping the emperor’s new clothes?

Hi, and belated Happy New Year! Further to your reply to my printed letter in January’s MCM, I’m sure you’re correct; motorcycling journalists always know best! But why at a time of severe economic downturn, gridlocked roads, less disposable incomes, more people than ever in work earning money, are fewer and fewer young people getting into biking? Why? Year-on-year sales consistently fall through the floor. You praise the numbers at the NEC. I was there for two days and like the vast majority I was there just to look. So sales may increase this year, after a blinding summer last year, but from a miniscule base to a bit less of a miniscule base. Every home in the country should have a PTW (Powered Two Wheeler) of some sort, not a tiny minority. So it must be in the buying public’s psyche not to even contemplate a PTW nowadays, why? Their perception, no other reason; anything viable/practical and fun can be marketed and sold in mega numbers.

But not PTWs? You guys in the magazine industry throw fuel on the flames, really. Your bikes are given to you, expenses, servicing, tyres, maintenance paid for by someone else. I too would praise an R1 if it was all paid for by someone else, tyre bills, servicing, fuel, repairs paid for by Mr Yamaha! But a totally irrelevant product/transport solution to 99.9% of the spending public.

Track bikes? So buy a stripped-down track bike, use it on the tracks. No lights, indicators, pillion seat/pegs etc, a cheapie 4 into 1, less gizmos, it’d sell for a fraction of the price of a road-legal one. It would acquire less ‘crash damage’ so it’d be easier, cheaper to repair after an off.

I’ve ridden abroad on my FJR1300 (and kept up with most of them too) many times with much younger guys on R1s, Blades, Tuonos, Gixers… what a bloody joke! They need to stop after 90 miles, tanks getting too low to risk it, aching knees, wrists, necks. Tyres goosed after 1500 miles, bone-dry chains stretched to buggery. Very practical and fun transport without your backup photographers cars/ people-carriers with all the gear stored away eh?

Bikes nowadays are totally irrelevant and as such will die on the vine as no new blood enters the market. As happened to sidecar combinations; sad, but true. And the industry is the biggest part of the problem, you guys included, emperor’s new clothes syndrome?

Solution? Bikes that are as safe as can be produced, fun, inexpensive, practical, stylish, relevant to both sexes, not just aimed at a fraction of 50% of the two sexes. Bikes that don’t require a fortune spending on them from new to make them practical, safe, wind and weather ‘repellent’. Cheap to own and maintain, that don’t cost the owner £2200 to repair just because it ‘falls over’ (my FJR 1300, don’t ask!).

Mudguards that work, screens that work, comfortable seats. You should need to spend nothing aftermarket, as you don’t need to with a new car (you may choose to, but you don’t need to) to make it fit for purpose. By all means produce the R1s but they are as relevant and practical to most people as a Bugatti Veyron is to most people too. A single focused posing pouch for the ‘more money than sense’ mentality.

If sales of smaller bikes were regularly screaming through the roof, everything you said would be fine, but they ain’t, it’s very broken and needs fixing. Hiding heads in the sand? We once had a huge motorcycle manufacturing base here in England that did just that.

Nothing has changed, you know why? Because the people who work in the industry do not buy their own products with their own hard-earned overtaxed money and use them daily to commute, tour and have fun on. Just another ‘product’ to sell and write about.

I bet you don’t print this!

David Cunliffe, via email

I usually edit long letters down, but I thought I’d leave this one as it came. It’d be interesting to hear from others as to what they perceive to be the state of the motorcycle industry, but in particular why they enjoy their choice of motorcycle.

David, you mention the sales of small bikes… 2014’s figures show an increase of 10% to 101,277 new registrations. Of those, 48,000 were small commuter bikes. As the country (hopefully) continues to push itself out of the economic downturn, we’re seeing an increase in people taking to biking, and for every rider of an R1, they’ll have several friends with whom they’ll hopefully share their excitement – those new riders might pick up a Mash Roadstar 400, or a Rieju 50, or maybe they’ll go for something bigger, like a Yamaha Tracer, a Kawasaki Versys, or something exotic like the MV Agusta Stradale.

While the style of bike makes a big difference to how well it drops, I struggle to see how manufacturers could make a weather-proof bike that’s impossible to knock over, or that wouldn’t suffer any damage if it did (without being pretty heavy). And as for them being perfect out of the box, I agree. Your bike should be perfect for you. It’s why we all choose different machines. It’s what makes wandering around bike dealers, or trawling the used ads, so much fun – choose the machine that has the features and performance you want.

The R1 clearly isn’t aimed at you, nor is it aimed at me (it’d be in my dream garage if I had the money). That doesn’t stop me appreciating it as a fantastic piece of engineering, and as I’m in the incredibly fortunate position of being able to test-ride pretty much any bike, I hope it doesn’t stop me from sharing the experience, and helping those who want – and can afford – one to make the right decision when it comes to spending their money.

I’d like to say that I saved hard for my 2008 Ducati Monster, but unfortunately I’m still trying to pay it off before the interest-free period expires on my credit card.

It’d be great to have a team of Ducati technicians at my beck-and-call, but all I have is my tools (many handed down from my dad), a workshop manual, and a lot of enthusiasm. I’ve worked with many motorcycle journalists that I deeply respect over the years, and every one of them owns, rides, maintains and enjoys their motorcycles; from race-spec RGVs to Pan Europeans.

I’m not sure what you mean about a bike for both sexes – I’ve never looked at a bike and considered it suited to a man or a woman, as I’m sure Carli didn’t when she bought her own (second-hand) Yamaha R6. I’d say a big reason that fewer youngsters are getting into biking is the complexity and expense of the test. That’s not going to change, but it’s looking likely that a similar thing might happen with cars. If it does, and with a growing number of MPs promoting the idea of motorcycling, we need to all stay positive; extolling the virtues and pleasures of motorcycling, not focusing on the negatives. You never know, we might all be able to help get a few more new riders enjoying all kinds of bikes. John

The knee-down style has come of age

With the extreme riding styles of the likes of Marc Marquez et al (and now Scott Redding getting his head down), I thought you’d be interested in an article from the June 1966 edition of Motor Cycle showing the origins of the knee-down concept. How it was mocked by the press and other riders at the time! I thought it a fascinating comparison by today’s standards.

Laurie Evans, via email

What a brilliant find Laurie, thank you! In fact, I liked it so much that I’ve dug that very paper out of the archive, and will be re-running it in an issue of MCM very soon!

This month’s star letter wins a fantastic pair of RST Blade gloves worth £59.99. With a double-layer leather palm, carbon knuckles and pre-curved outstitched fingers it’s a great do-it-all sports glove. www.rst-moto.com

É troppo italiano per me

February’s edition of MCM has just dropped through my letterbox, and I felt I had to comment. Are you being subsidised by Italian bike makers? We had the Ducati Scrambler road test followed by the Guzzi V7, and the classic road test was yet another Ducati Scrambler affair. Finally the used test was a Ducati Monster.

Thank goodness for the excellent Kawasaki Versys, Herald and Tomcat write-ups. At least Ducati didn’t quite get the whole newspaper to themselves.

And only two letters on the letters page; are you pushed for space or are bikers just not

bothering to write in? Changing the engine coolant article was useful, should be more like it.

Mr C Elliott, via email

Despite being the proud owner of a Ducati myself, you’ll find no bias here Mr Elliott. Carli and I love ALL bikes, regardless of where they’re built. Hopefully you’ll like the balance of machines we have on offer this month. As for the letters – yes, space really is an issue. I’ve managed to squeeze a full page of letters in this time, so hopefully it goes some way to making up for it. Glad you liked the coolant article though – lots more to come. John

Everybody’s missing their C15

Regarding January’s Star Letter, when I was 17-years-old I had the same BSA C15, right down to the seat cover. When I saw it, I could have sworn it was my old bike – VBA 912 – from Queen’s Park Motors, Salford. It would be great if the owner was still going… it bought tears to my eyes.

I must say to the letter’s author, John Gudgeon, my 654 Spitfire Mk1 (glass fibre tank, GP carbs) and my C15 did not have any oil leaks whatsoever. Bone dry.

I’ve enclosed a photo of my C15, (I was 16 on L plates then), my Spitfire – HBA 977D and my Norton 600 99 Deluxe – PRN 935 – with my mate Barney Parkes on the back at Rhyl.

I hope this letter and photos take you and others back in time. I always look forward to your paper… carry on regardless.

Alan A Blood, Paignton

Fantastic Alan – thank you. It’s lovely to see these shots… thanks for sharing them. John

19

20 First ride

Kawasaki Versys 1000 £9749 | 120bhp@9000rpm | 88lb-ft@7500rpm 1043cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-four Tested by: John Milbank THE Versys 1000 is more than just a facelift. It’s also more than just a bigger version of the 650. And, according to Kawasaki, it’s not an ‘Adventure bike’.

While many similar machines are sold to owners as likely to take to the mud as they are a GP circuit, Kawasaki is still taking a bold step in distancing itself from this cluttered genre. The trouble is, I wouldn’t call it a Sports Tourer either…

Tell me about the engine

The 1043cc inline-four features revised cylinder head, fuel injectors and air filter; making 2bhp more than the previous model, with a claimed 5% improvement in fuel economy.

Also new is an Assist & Slipper clutch – Assist allows the clutch to require less of a tug at the lever, making it easier on long journeys or through town. Slipper helps to prevent the rear wheel locking when changing down aggressively.

There are two power modes, selectable from the left bar’s switchgear. ‘Full’ is, unsurprisingly, full power, while ‘Low’ reduces the motor’s output to 75%, along with a milder throttle response and a flatter torque curve. This, combined with three-level traction control (which can also be selected or turned off from the left bar), makes for a very usable motor.

What’s the chassis like?

While the chassis looks like the previous model, the aluminium twin-beam frame now features rubber engine mounts to minimise vibration (they work). It also shares the design style of the Z1000SX, though here we see a change to the rake and trail, the footpegs are rubber mounted, and there’s a centrestand fitted. If you’re going touring on a bike, and don’t have shaft-drive, then you want a centrestand. Too many bikes these days don’t have them, so go to the head of the class, Versys 1000.

The subframe is now strengthened, allowing a greater top-box capacity, and the ‘direct mount’ luggage system sees the panniers clipping into the grab rails, and on to a small bracket by the pillion footrests. The top box’s base-plate bolts to the grab rails, so even with the full luggage, when you take it off you’re not left with a bike covered in messy framework.

In keeping with the aim of distancing the bike from the adventure market, the Pirelli Scorpion Trail tyres have been replaced with Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T30s. These are wrapped around 120/70/17 and 180/55/17 wheels, and carried by more rigid 43mm upside-down forks with rebound and preload adjustment at the front, and a gas-charged shock at the back with rebound adjustment and a remote preload adjuster.

First ride 21 With the centrestand, strengthened subframe and new bodywork, the thousand has gained 11kg, though the rear spring has been uprated to cope with it.

There are larger, twin 310mm petalshaped discs up front, bitten by fourpiston calipers carrying new brake pads (they now use the same material as the Z1000). The rear brake is a 250mm petal disc with a single-piston caliper. All UK models come with ABS as standard.

Should I buy one?

There are three versions of the Versys 1000 available (each in white, black or orange): the standard model at £9749; the Tourer, which includes panniers (with liner bags) and hand-guards at £10,399; and the Grand Tourer, with a top box as well as the panniers, handguards, front driving lamps, a gear position sensor, 12v power outlet and engine guards at £11,099.

During an interview, Kawasaki Motor Europe’s product planning manager Tsuyoshi Shibata told me that the typical Versys 1000 customer is an experienced rider who’s owned Superbikes, but become fed-up with speed-traps and traffic. They want a bike that can tour in comfort, but still gives them the buzz a sportbike used

to… and that’s exactly what the new Versys 1000 does.

It looks great – shaking off the functional design of the previous model – it’s got great luggage capacity, it’s not bulky like a full-blown tourer and it’s got a superb, upright riding position. Be honest about what kind of riding you’re going to do – will you really be taking your bike across the Sahara? If not, and you want something fun, practical, fast, capable and easy to ride then yes, you most certainly should buy one.

So what’s it like to ride?

For the past year, I’ve been riding Kawasaki’s brilliant Sports Tourer – the Z1000SX. In many ways, the Versys 1000 feels familiar, from the switchgear and traction control, to the fantastic surge offered by the litre motor. Despite making about 20bhp less, not once in the 100-mile test ride up and around Mt Etna did I find myself wishing for more grunt.

That’s not to say it’s too powerful. I’ll admit to getting a bit nervous a few times on the ride but I’d have been the same on any bike – snow clinging to the kerb, salt glistening on the roads like ice, clumps of leaves and piles of volcanic ash saw me gradually backing off, but I

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The 21-litre fuel tank gives a range of at least 200 miles – great for touring. needn’t have worried. As with the SX, the ABS and traction control do an excellent job of keeping everything in line, and when the roads cleared and the sun was free to burn away any trace of fear, I found myself getting back into the groove, taking advantage of the wide bars to nip round tight hairpins, through crazy Sicilian traffic, and flip between the rolling corners of the lava fields.

It’s easy to switch to the Low power mode while riding, but there’s rarely much point – from about 2000rpm the engine pulls smoothly and easily, with little need to go far past 5000rpm for most riding. However, at 6000rpm the machine starts to remember its Superbike roots, and by the peak at 7500rpm, up to the 10,000rpm redline, any pretence of a gentle ride is chewed up and spat out with the distinctive – and addictive – Kawasaki induction howl. Overtaking is fast, safe, and sure to put a massive smile on your face.

By the end of the ride I’d averaged 44mpg – not bad

considering the aggressive riding of a press launch. A typical long-distance tour would see this improve, but still the 4.6-gallon tank gave me a range of just more than 200 miles. With the effective (and easily adjustable) windshield keeping my 5ft 11in frame well protected, there should be little problem covering that kind of mileage between stops.

The suspension can smooth out some pretty bad roads, but it’s not too soft. While I didn’t find myself able to brake quite as late or deep into a corner as I would on the Z1000SX, the Versys is still well settled, and easy to control with a touch of back brake if you find yourself going a little too fast in a bend. While the front brakes have a good level of initial bite, scrubbing off higher speeds does make you a little more aware of the machine’s mass – it’s 20kg heavier than the SX, and doesn’t benefit from monobloc, radially mounted calipers. I found adding a click to the brake lever’s span adjustment gave a more confident feel, and stopped the lever touching my fingers.

With all the excitement around the

Remote adjuster operates the stronger-for-2015 shock spring.

H2R, the Versys 1000 could easily be missed, but it’s a real treasure just waiting to be discovered. The engine is great in the Z1000SX, and in the Versys 1000 it’s absolutely perfect. If the Versys isn’t an Adventure bike, and the Zed is Kawasaki’s great Sports Tourer, then this could be the perfect Sporty Tourer – a comfortable, capable long-distance machine with the grunt to remind you why bikes are so bloody brilliant.

TECH SPEC Price: £9749 Engine: 1043cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-four Power: 120bhp (88kW) @ 9000rpm Torque: 75lb-ft (102Nm) @ 7500rpm Kerb weight: 250kg Seat height: 840mm Tank size: 21litres www.kawasaki.co.uk

22 FIRST RIDE

The MT-09 Tracer engine uses Yamaha’s third version of the fuelling map.

2015 Yamaha MT-09 Tracer £8149 | 115bhp@10,000rpm | 65lb-ft@8500rpm 847cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke.

Tested by: Tony Carter Photography: Yamaha THE MT-09 Tracer is the latest addition to the 10 model range of the MT family. A simple way to put it might be that it’s basically an MT-09 with a different top half, but what this new model adds up to, with its redesigned seating and wider bars, is the closest thing to a new Fazer 1000…

Tell me about the engine

The Tracer keeps the MT-09’s 847cc triple. Unlike the MT-09 it comes with non-switchable ABS as standard, and gains switchable traction control.

The Tracer benefits from Yamaha’s third iteration of the MT-09’s fuelling map, which smoothes what started life as a rather snatchy throttle response; it’s now much easier from very low revs, with the power delivered progressively, really getting going from around 6000rpm. It’s not quite perfect, with a touch of

The Tracer is also available in red, and ‘Race Blu’ – white with blue details.

notchiness very low revs, and if you grab a handful of throttle then you’ll instantly feel the cough of power as the engine wakes up. Still, compared to what we’ve had before this is a very significant step forward.

The Tracer gets three riding modes: ‘A’ is sportier than Standard, giving the throttle a bit more aggression and picking the revs up in a more lively manner; ‘Standard’ is, well, standard; and ‘B’ calms everything down a bit, taking some punch out of the throttle.

You can change the modes while riding by closing the throttle and pressing the ‘mode’ button on the right-hand switchgear. Switching off the ignition reverts it back to Standard mode.

What’s the chassis like?

Comparisons to how the bike feels different to the MT-09 are obvious

right from the off. The Tracer’s more upright riding position, wide bars and effectively tall fairing and screen are familiar fare with the trend for uprights these days, but the seat and footrest position give you a real ‘sit-in’ feel to the bike which makes for excellent leverage on the wide bars and low-speed manoeuvrability.

The MT-09 has a seat height of 815mm, while the Tracer’s can be adjusted, without any tools, between the range of 845mm and 860mm.

It’s got an 18 litre fuel tank – four litres more than the MT-09. Braking power is taken care of by twin 298mm front discs with radial mounted four-pot calipers, and a single 245mm rear disc with a single pot caliper.

The headlights are new on the Tracer… if you’re carrying a pillion or luggage you can tweak the light’s position without tools via two nifty clickers, either side of the lights.

Should I buy one?

Sharing the same platform as the original bike, the Tracer is a Sports Tourer aimed squarely at the rider doing some miles on mid-to-big trips at some point, but for the most part this machine will be about the daily commute and the very frequent blast to find that silly smile that you only get from an excited and involving ride.

For the very competitive OTR price of £8149 the Tracer deserves to sell by the bucketload.

So what’s it like to ride?

Traction control is commonplace on motorcycles these days, but the Tracer’s set-up isn’t quite as subtle as you might expect. During our 250km test ride in southern Spain, I had a couple of moments as the back stepped out. The feel of the bike when

Clocks include a gear indicator.

Radial calipers hang from USD forks.

being pushed hard through slippery switchbacks treated with a fine layer of sand de Espania was surprising.

When the bike slid, I could feel the traction control cutting the power and pulling the bike back into line. It’s possible that the way the system interacts with what the rider is asking for is deliberate, in which case this is one of the cleverest aspects of Yamaha’s Tracer: by having the traction control cutting in just the smallest of beats behind what the rear tyre is doing, it allows you to feel the interruption and gain a really exciting and involving connection with the motorcycle underneath you. Sliding the back wheel on a bike might sound like a scary thing, but the entire chassis of the Tracer is so easy-going that when combined with the very eager motor the whole movement of the bike and liveliness really makes a quick ride a lot of fun.

In fact, the engine delivers its power in such a satisfying way that you soon forget that this is an upright bike, crack the throttle hard and even with the traction control chirping away, the front tyre will lift in third gear and skip a couple of inches off the road without concern. It’s a pleasure without the fear that things are about to get out of hand.

At very top-end motorway speeds there was some weave from the bike – let go of the bars and it feels like the fairing and adjustable-screen (large enough to keep a good deal of wind off you, but it flexes a lot) act as a sail, causing the wobble. Otherwise the fairing works well, although the standard-equipment handguards might look like they give good protection, they actually don’t. Very much all-show with little wind-resisting go.

There’s lots of room on the bike – the rider ‘triangle’ of hands, feet and backside are well positioned and upright enough with just the right amount of bias to the front lean to make you feel in tune with the eager motor. The gear selection is crisp and wonderfully light when racking up through the gears clutchlessly, and the switchgear is very easy to get on with.

But everything about the Tracer will come back to the quality of the ride and while the suspension – a 130mm progressive link shock and 41mm USD

forks on the front – is soft and easy on the back, there’s still the element of vagueness on the front that lingers from the original MT-09. It’s only really noticeable when you’re pushing the bike hard through very tight corners.

Will it worry 99% of buyers of this bike?

Probably not. But it’s there, although I’d happily bet that with more time on the bike it could be dialled out fairly easily.

The motor is the most brilliant part of this machine. With the standard exhaust it’s too quiet for my ears, but the way the three-cylinder motor delivers the power is lush. Early revs are fine enough, there’s a relative dull bit from 4000-6000rpm which is okay for pottering through villages, but get the motor spinning and you get reward upon reward. The Tracer is fast, neutral and involving. Like all good Yamahas over the years there’s an element of character that means that you’ve got to do some of the work to get that reward, but it’s worth the effort.

The Tracer isn’t a bike that effortlessly carries you from one point to another, instead you and the bike work together to achieve a good ride. And I like that.

Yamaha has always been a rider’s type of bike builder and the Tracer rights some of the bigger issues I had with the MT-09 originally. Yes, there are quirks and oddities still here but as a package it’s a great bike to ride and enjoy.

The seat’s been tweaked a bit, and the pillion perch is more plush than on the MT-09 – some taller pillions may find that the pegs are a bit too close to the bum so may feel a touch cramped.

This is a helluva machine (and one that’s more fun than about 90% of everything else that’s called a Sport Tourer these days). It’s like a grownup’s RD350. Sensible and silly enough to tick boxes and leave you smiling each time. The best bike of the MT family so far.

TECH SPEC Price: £8149 Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dohc, four-valve inline three-cylinder, 847cc Power: 115bhp (86kW)@10,000rpm Torque: 65lb-ft (88Nm)@8500rpm Kerb weight: 210kg Seat height: Min 845mm / max 860mm Tank size: 18 litres www.yamaha-motor.co.uk

FIRST RIDE 23

24 First ride

Mash Roadstar 400 £3799 | 29bhp@7000rpm | 22lb-ft @5500rpm | air-cooled 4-valve single Tested by: Peter Henshaw Photos by: Mykel Nicolaou THe MASH is that rare thing in motorcycling; an entirely new brand.

Yet the Roadstar 400 is based around 1980s technology. This bike is really about its cool retro styling – a canny mix of late 1960s British with late 70s Japanese. Launched in europe in October, bikes are now trickling into UK dealers.

The idea, says the British importer, is for a simple bike that should be easy to ride, cheap to run and able to hit a nostalgia chord with those of a certain age, plus attract younger riders as their first step up from a 125.

Tell me about the engine

If the engine looks familiar, and your memory stretches back as far as 1985, that’s because it’s Honda’s old XBR unit; an air-cooled overhead-cam four-valve single with contra-rotating balance shaft. even in the 1980s, it was a bit of a retro, powering the XBR500, which Honda hoped would be a modern equivalent to the Gold Star or Velocette, especially to mistyeyed Brits. It didn’t quite turn out like that, but still, with those lovely alloy cooling fins and compact size, it suits the retro Roadstar to a tee.

Of course, it isn’t the same engine Honda dealers were trying to sell us 30 years ago. For a start, it’s not made

by Honda any more, but by Shineray in China, which builds the whole bike.

It’s smaller than the original, down to 398cc from 498cc, and has acquired

Siemens fuel injection. To thoroughly clean the emissions up, small catalysts are hidden inside the 60s-style silencers, of which there are two, with twin pipes sprouting out of the twinport head.

The gearbox, as Honda intended, is a five-speeder, though this should offer enough ratios, given the single’s relaxed power delivery.

What’s the chassis like?

No ABS, no linked brakes, no traction control or multi-adjustable suspension... the Roadstar has a supremely simple chassis, with everything held together by a straightforward tubular steel cradle frame. At one end are non-adjustable 35mm forks, and at the other twin shocks, though they can be adjusted for preload (with a C-spanner – none of your remote control here).

It has to have spoked wheels of course, and the rims are chromed steel, not alloy, while the tyres are Chinese-made Kenda Cruiser S/Ts. The brakes are deliberately retro, with a 160mm drum at the rear supplementing the single 280mm front disc, though this does have a more modern two-pot caliper, because you can take this retro thing too far.

The geometry is relaxed, something underlined by the 19in front wheel, with an 18in rear. This bike is designed with B-road fun in mind, but nothing more ambitious than that.

What is Mash?

The bike is made in China, but Mash was dreamt up in France by Sima, once the French Ducati and Husqvarna importer and now seller of Gas Gas trials bikes and the Hyosung range.

“The name is taken from the MASH TV series of the 1970s,” says Richard Johnstone, boss of UK importer TGB Sport and Leisure.

“The founders were all fans, and wanted something suggestive of that era.”

The Mash brand was launched in France three years ago, offering Chinese-made 125s and 250s with a more retro look. And it’s succeeded, topping the French market in geared 125s. It’s a move we’re now seeing in the UK – the NEC show in November saw several stands with sexed-up Chinese 125s, all aping that mini-Triumph Bonneville look.

UK importer TGB has been in business for 20 years, selling quads,

but this is its first venture into two wheels. “We’ve got about 25 dealers so far,” says Richard Johnstone, “and we’re aiming for a network of 40. There is already a complete spares back-up for the Mash and it has a two-year warranty.”

The Roadstar is just the first Mash we’ll see – a flat-track style Trackstar and street-scrambler Dirtstar are on the way, both based on the same chassis and mechanical bits.

First ride 25

Simple clocks, but forget all about that 10,000rpm redline.

Should I buy one?

With just 29bhp, the Roadstar easily fits into the A2 licence category, but it should also fit the bill for those with a full licence looking to downsize. Why? Because it’s very easy and unintimidating to ride, to the extent that 20-somethings might want a bit more of a challenge.

For everyone else, the Mash has an upright riding position that catches the wind at high speed but is comfy enough below 70mph. The Roadstar is small, slim and lightweight, and in fact it would make a decent commuter, assuming the finish holds up through UK winter salt and slush. This bike is made in China, and does appear to be pretty well put together, with neat welds, nice paintwork and a lot of stainless bolts.

The UK importer is promising a whole list of options, including a centrestand and three different screens. Fitting in with the need to build a new brand, Mash jackets and helmets will be on offer as well.

The Roadstar comes at a good price – £3799 makes it slightly less than the cheapest Royal Enfield Bullet, and more than £1000 shy of a Yamaha SR400. If you care about badges though, both of those have a tad more back story...

So what’s it like to ride?

In two words; dead easy. The Roadstar is the sort of bike you just hop on and ride without a second thought – it feels more like a 250 than a 400 (claimed weight is less than the average 250cc scooter), and it’s well balanced into the bargain.

On paper, the power figure looks puny, but the bike’s secret weapon is that it offers a decent wodge of midrange torque. The redline is at 10,000rpm, but that’s to be ignored, as an ignition cut-out interferes at 8500rpm and torque peaks way back at 5500.

This is good news, because it means you can leave the bike in fifth gear much of the time, and it’ll happily pull away from 40-50mph limits without needing a down change, or lollop across country on a twisty B-road.

None of this is very exciting, but it’s satisfying, not to mention stress-free.

If you insist, the bike will rev round to that 8500rpm cut-out, with some vibes coming through from 6000rpm onwards, and flat out it’ll manage an indicated 85mph, if you can hang on against the wind blast.

More to the point is the relaxed 6065mph cruise and the fact that handling is pretty good, in a relaxed sort of way. With its wide bars, the Roadstar is easy to tip into a corner, and although the forks seem soft at a standstill, they cope okay with bumpy B-roads. Only the front brake disappoints by lacking power, though the importer tells us that a braided hose, soon to be added, should help matters.

Four-stroke singles have traditionally been easy on fuel, and this one is too, managing 69mpg over about 100 miles of A- and B-roads, including some dual carriageway. Keep off motorways, and forget trying to reach that redline, and you could be looking close to 200 miles from the 13-litre tank.

Looks familiar? Air-cooled four-valve single has Honda ancestry.

TECH SPEC Price: £3799 (+ OTR) Engine: 398cc, air-cooled, four valves Power: 29bhp (22kW)@7000rpm Torque: 22lb-ft (30Nm)@5500rpm Dry weight: 151kg Seat height: 780mm Tank size: 14 litres www.mashmotorcycles.co.uk

26 FIRST RIDE

KTM 1050 Adventure

£10,999 | 93bhp@6200rpm | 79lb-ft@5750rpm Two-cylinder, four-stroke, 75° V-twin Tested by: Tony Carter

BASED on the 1190, KTM’s 1050 Adventure came as something of a surprise last year – maybe we were all distracted by the bigger, louder new models. This machine is designed to be smaller, lighter and more efficient.

Exciting yet safe… a bike for those that don’t want the 1290’s 158bhp. It can even be restricted to meet the needs of A2 licence holders… sounds like a great all-rounder to us!

Tell me about the engine

A reduced bore and stroke of 103 x 63mm takes the 75° V-twin down to 1055cc. It gets 50g lighter pistons than on the bigger motor, and there’s a new crankshaft with more rotating mass on the flywheel and rotor. All this equals a lively engine that spins up quickly even from low in the rev-range. 93bhp and 79lb-ft of torque are healthy figures for an adventure machine, with the power output being the maximum permissible on a bike that can be restricted for an A2 licence.

Cleverly, while the 1190 peaks at 148bhp and 92lbft of torque, the 1050 still matches it up to 6000rpm.

After that, it does drop off very quickly, so to avoid spending your time bouncing off the rev-limiter, you need to be

pretty quick with the gear-changes if you’re really winding it on.

A slipper clutch helps prevent the rear wheels from chattering under heavy braking or deceleration, and is set up to reduce the lever force needed during gear changes. Service intervals for the engine are every 15,000km – 9320 miles.

What’s the chassis like?

Designed with the newer rider in mind (but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great bike for those with plenty of miles under their belts), the 1050 Adventure is all about agility. It might look like a ‘big and a bit scary Adventure bike’, but compared with the 1190 it’s got a 10mm lower seat, and it’s 5kg lighter. It’s also got smaller tyres – 110/80 and 150/70 Metzeler Tourance Next as standard – helping to make it more nimble by being mounted on lightweight die-cast wheels. The bars are wider and have two positions to choose from, plus the footpegs can be adjusted by 10mm. It’s like all the scary bits of a modern big Adventure bike have been dialled down a fraction to let riders just enjoy the trip and take in the scenery.

There’s 185mm of suspension travel on the front, and 190mm on the rear. A pair of four-piston Brembo radial calipers bite 320mm discs on the fore, with the Bosch 9M+ system controlling these, and the twin-piston Brembo on the aft 267mm disc. The same ride-by-wire and traction control of the 1190 Adventure is fitted here too – again, it’s a friendly package that’ll keep you out of trouble, even if you’re a bit ham-fisted with the superb, light-action throttle.

There are three levels of traction control (plus an optional off-road mode, or you can turn it off altogether). Selected by the switch on the left bar, ‘Sport’ allows for some sliding and is described as “something for the courageous to try – drift-feeling all-inclusive”. ‘Street’ delivers full engine power, but offers smooth control should the tyre break away.

‘Rain’ works much quicker, to allow for minimum slip in the wet. The optional off-road mode lets the rear wheel travel at up to twice the speed of the front, for more ‘ambitious’ use off the beaten track.

The laser-cut tubular chromemolybdenum stainless steel, powdercoated main frame carries unadjustable WP 43mm upside-down forks and a WP rear shock that can be tweaked for preload and rebound.

The die-cast, open-lattice swingarm is designed to be light and stable, with a controlled level of flex.

With a maximum total weight of 440kg, assuming a 14 stone rider and 10 stone pillion, that leaves a good 57kg of spare capacity – far more than you should need to be trying to strap to the bike for an adventure!

Should I buy one?

This is the junior of KTM’s big-bike Adventure family. While it’s based around the same motor as the other three Austrian machines, the 1050 has been built for a different type of rider than you might usually associate with many of the orange nutters of the onand off-road world (and I use the word nutters with a lot of affection).

Its lighter weight and more modest power combine with the superb safety

features that’s as suited to a new or inexperienced rider as it is to anyone looking to keep things in a more calm world of riding.

Like its 1290 big-brother, the 1050 also gets KTM’s new self-cancelling indicators, which reset after 150m and 10 seconds of riding – I’ve never been much of a fan of KTM’s indicator controls because, for me, they don’t move enough to give the satisfactory feeling they’re in place, so the selfsorting system is more than welcome.

The Liquid Crystal Display clocks offer the usual array of info, speed, trips and revs, plus an adjustable gearshift light and a user-definable ‘favourites’ screen. You’ll also find ride modes and outside temperature, oil temperature, voltage, average speed, average and current fuel consumption, range and distance to next service. The screen can be adjusted for height within a 25mm range without any tools.

You’ll also find the now-standard integrated luggage rack in the bike’s subframe, and with plenty of luggage options, this is a machine for the city commute, a weekend blast, or a tour of… well, anywhere.

So what’s it like to ride?

Riding the KTM is an odd mix of modern and old-school; all of it good.

The technology works undetectably as you ride, and from nothing to 6000rpm this really is a peach of a motor; lots of crisp acceleration with plenty left besides for some effortlessly comfortable cruising at motorway speeds.

It’s with the handling that the 1050 really scores highly though; it’s an inspired choice by the Austrians to fit smaller tyres and drop the weight of this bike because you feel every bump and bobble of the road – it’s inviting and involving. Hit the brakes hard and that terrific initial bite and dive from the forks is planted and predictable.

And as for comfort, it’s as good as anything on the market.

The 1050 Adventure’s nearest rival is something like the Triumph Tiger 1050, but despite that machine’s higher power (you couldn’t restrict it to A2), this bike feels lighter and

A smaller version of the 1190, the motor’s a peach.

Clocks give loads of feedback. snappier to ride (though it’s actually slightly heavier). Oh, and it makes a little more torque too.

If I had to pick holes, I’d say that I’m not a big fan of the un-painted subframe, but each to their own.

Slightly more concerning is the price – eleven grand seems a bit rich to me for a bike that should appeal to (among others) the newer or lessexperienced rider. You can get the new Tiger 800XCx for a shade under £10k, so the KTM has a real fight on its hands to win the buyer.

Of course, if you ride it you’ll love it, so only time will tell if the price puts anyone off.

TECH SPEC

Price: £10,999 Engine: Two-cylinder, four-stroke, 75° V-twin Power: 93bhp (70kW) @ 6200rpm Torque: 79 lb-ft (107Nm) @ 5750rpm Kerb weight: 230kg Seat height: 850mm Tank capacity: 23 litres www.ktm.com/gb

355736 MC 08x4 PGH MOTORCYCLES

ROADSKIN

28 FIRST RIDE

Rieju MRT 50 SM Pro £2799 I 6-7bhp | 50cc I 6-7bhp liquid-cooled two-stroke

Tested by: Carli Ann Smith Photography: Rich Addison SPANISH company Rieju prides itself on a range of small-capacity Minarelli engined bikes. With bright colours and supermoto styling, the MRT is a 50cc machine to get you noticed, whether it’s your first ride or a commuting tool…

Tell me about the engine

The MRT harks back to its off-road roots with a kickstart instead of an electric boot. It’s certainly not difficult to fire up, and the two-stroke engine – fed by a Dell’Orto carb – came to life straight away with a characteristic ‘ning ning ning’. Understandably, you work your way up through the sixspeed gearbox quickly to reach 30mph, and you’re soon sitting flatout in sixth gear to hold it near the top-end of around 40mph.

The MRT powered by a liquidcooled Minarelli two-stroke AM6

engine. The company was founded in 1951, producing complete motorcycles, but in 1956 it focused purely on two-stroke motorcycle and moped engines. By 1995 it employed 350 people, building two- and fourstroke engines in a variety of capacities for Yamaha, Aprilia, Malaguti, Rieju and others. Since 2001, Motori Minarelli has been a member of the Yamaha group, developing a wide range of modern technology.

What’s the chassis like?

It’s a lightweight machine, weighing around 106kg when ready to ride, so is easy to manhandle. A 300mm Galfer wavy disc up front is bitten by a two-piston caliper, with a 200mm wavy disc and single-piston caliper at the rear.

This is the Pro version, with 40mm Marzocchi upside-down forks on the front, and a gas charged mono-shock shock absorber with remote reservoir hanging from the double-cradle steel perimeter frame.

Should I buy one?

Basic dash only works with the engine running.

For youngsters who’ve just passed their test, but don’t want to ride a scooter, the MRT Pro would be a good bet. It would also suit taller riders who feel cramped on a smaller machine, or those looking for a fun way to get to the railway station, or into the busy city each day.

We had the ‘Free Jump’ colour scheme, which certainly got plenty of admiring glances, with neat styling touches such as Polisport handguards, wheel rim stickers and gold detailing on the chain, sprocket and front forks.

The Pro costs £2799, including an alloy end-can and stainless header; alloy swing arm instead of steel, braced aluminium handlebars, and upgraded suspension and brakes. The standard MRT costs £2399.

So what’s it like to ride?

With a 900mm high seat, you’re well above the rest of the traffic, making it easy to spot any gaps for a swift filter.

And sat at the traffic lights, I couldn’t help feeling like I was 16 again, twisting the throttle for the great ringa-ding engine note.

At 5ft 6in I could still get on and off the bike okay, but found myself on my tip-toes while sat on the seat – either that or I had to lean it over to one side and rest it on the inside of my leg, but with it being so light, that’s not a problem. Admittedly, the seat isn’t the comfiest, but that’s not what this bike is about – it’s about looking cool – and it certainly achieves that.

Riding flat-out it feels stable and secure – our test model was derestricted and got up to 40mph – remaining very nimble at lower speeds. With your elbows out wide, there’s plenty of movement in the handlebars and you can change direction easily. Even with such a small engine, I liked having gears to control the acceleration. I occasionally found it a little difficult to get into neutral when the

bike was at a standstill, though soon got into the habit of doing it before I came to a stop.

There’s no rev counter, and the basic digital dash doesn’t come on until the bike is started, showing just speed and an odometer. But who cares… you don’t need to know the time or your average mpg when you’re too busy looking in shop windows to see what you look like or making it ‘ning’ loudly at traffic lights…

TECH SPEC Price: £2799 Engine: Two-stroke, liquid-cooled, 50cc Power: 6-7bhp (4.5-5.2kW).Available restricted with 3bhp (2.2kW) Torque: Not available Kerb Weight: 106kg Seat height: 900mm Tank size: 6.32 litres www.riejumoto.co.uk

29

30 FIRST RIDE

MV Agusta Stradale 800

£11,899 | 798cc | 115bhp@11,000rpm 57.9lb-ft@9000rpm 12-valve three-cylinder inline Tested by: Alan Cathcart Photography: Milagro

THIS YEAR, MV Agusta is entering the Touring market for the first time, and in a big way for a small, high-end sporting brand. It’s doing so with two new three-cylinder models quite unlike anything else ever produced by Italy’s most historic two-wheeled manufacturer; the fully faired Turismo Veloce 800 and MV’s entry into the mid-to-high mileage touring market, the Stradale 800 sports tourer.

Tell me about the engine

The Stradale retains the essentially identical three-cylinder 798cc engine employed by all members of the middleweight MV family, save for a self-adjusting hydraulic clutch which is claimed to give greater precision compared to the cable-operated one on all MV’s other triple models.

However, the engine has quite different mapping, more aimed towards ease of use than performance and outright power, as on the 120bhp/62lb-ft Rivale.

There are three basic engine maps which you can easily swap between via a switch on the right handlebar, plus a fourth Custom map that allows you to dial in whatever parameters you opt for, with the selection retained when the ignition is switched off.

The three factory maps each result in distinct riding experiences, with Normal and Rain modes producing 90bhp and different degrees of progressivity in power delivery to the rear dual-compound Pirelli Diablo Rosso II. Switching to the Sport map offers access to 115bhp at 11,000rpm.

But even in Sport mode, there’s a huge, ultra-flat torque curve, which allows you to hold a gear for mile after mile along a twisty stretch of road, letting the revs drop as low as

2000rpm in a tight turn, before accelerating wide open with zero transmission snatch all the way to the 11,000rpm mark, where you can feel the performance subtly peak.

4000rpm to 9000rpm is the Stradale’s happy zone. Keep it there and you can make full use of the wide-open powershifter and clutchless autoblipper, both included as standard on the new MV for the first time ever in the middleweight sector.

Brought straight from the racetrack, the auto-blipper downshifter system means you need never use the clutch lever again after setting off from rest, until you come to a halt once again.

Scrub your speed off for a corner, then stab the gearlever back a ratio or two with your left foot. The auto-blipper takes effect with a momentary musical rise in revs, while you focus on trail-braking into the turn and lining up your apex without having to worry about fingering the clutch lever nor, of course, blipping the throttle.

Best of all, the downshifter is so perfectly dialled in that you can repeatedly shift back and forth clutchlessly on a twisting road, and avoid touching the brakes, just using your faith in the front Pirelli coupled with the flawless mapping of the autoblipper and adequate setup of the powershifter. ‘Adequate’ only for the powershifter, because it was very hard to shift cleanly wide open with this Stradale setup, a fact which MV technical boss Brian Gillen put down to their deliberately extending the cutout time a little more than on the F3 800 sportbike, because of the more relaxed riding style they expect their Stradale customers to adopt.

The engine’s fitted with a larger silencer that reduces noise levels – in keeping with the likely use of the bike, without completely sacrificing the glorious three-cylinder muted howl that’s become such a trademark of the MV triples.

What’s the chassis like?

The Stradale is based on the Rivale hot rod which entered production two years ago, and has been a sold-out smash-hit around the world. Light, powerful, and full of clever engineering, this supermotard-style sportbike was once memorably described as being about as practical as a pair of stiletto heels. But it’s loadsa fun to ride – MV Agusta is addressing this by producing a sports touring derivative that’s still fun, but way more practical.

A new dedicated chassis has been designed – one that’s been stretched at the front and employs more conservative steering geometry than the Rivale, with the steering calmed down and stability enhanced via a 27.5° rake for the fully adjustable 43mm Marzocchi upside-down fork carrying 109mm of trail, plus a longer swingarm resulting in a much rangier 1457mm wheelbase, which gives extra space for the passenger seat. Coupled with a very upright riding stance, with a relatively wide one-piece taper-section handlebar bolted to tall 80mm risers attached to the upper tripleclamp, the result is a practically unique motorcycle quite unlike any other MV Agusta ever made. MV’s British designer Adrian Morton has produced a practical everyday ride that looks both distinctive and ultra-modern, yet classy – a very difficult remit.

The 870mm seat height is 11mm lower than on the Rivale, though it doesn’t feel it. Shorter riders might want to consider the optional 20mm lower seat.

Should I buy one?

The soft luggage comes as standard.

Some of the figures on the clocks can be hard to read.

Radial brakes work great with the anti-stoppie system.

If you’re looking for an everyday bike with plenty of performance and a famous badge on the tank, then the Stradale could be for you. The fact that it’s referred to in-house by MV staff as ‘lo scooterone’ – the maxi-scooter – gives some idea as to its target audience, for this stripped-down highbarred roadster with a vestigial screen and soft luggage as standard is MV’s entry into the commuter sector, as well as a weekend tourer with the necessary

credentials to hold its own on a Sunday morning scoot along Racer Road.

It’s available in a choice of three colour schemes: white and grey, bronze and grey, and the traditional red and silver.

So what’s it like to ride?

In spite of the longer wheelbase, the Stradale’s stance is pretty compact.

The handlebar grips are quite close to the rider meaning you ride with your elbows bent. The footrests are quite low and slightly set back, which gives a sense of spaciousness. Despite this, there’s not a lot of room to move around on the bike, though this isn’t the kind of machine on which you’ll be looking to deck a knee.

The Stradale’s unusual riding position – not just by the standards of MV, for whom this kind of motorcycle is very much new ground – is, however, improbably relaxing, and the well-padded seat is pretty comfy, with the small, hard backrest set in the back of it providing extra support that is very welcome.

You feel as if you’re sitting with your chin waving over the top of the screen – a screen which does a good job of protecting you from windblast at speed, especially as you can adjust it for height over a 50mm range with just one hand, even when on the move, while the tilt angle can be varied by 5° – functional as well as good-looking.

Working the comparatively wide handlebar to flick the Stradale from side to side demonstrated how well MV’s engineers have dialled in this bike’s handing – it’s agile, yet totally stable, whether cranked over round fast bumpy sweepers, or braking hard downhill into a hairpin bend, where I could feel the rear wheel start to lift, before the anti-lift electronic system cut in and resumed normal service.

Though the steering has been slowed down via the geometry changes, the Stradale doesn’t feel at all heavy or cumbersome, and its slim build means you can split lanes very easily.

Brembo brakes haul it down from high speed well, with good modulation on

the front discs, even though the calipers are not the one-piece Monoblocs favoured by MV Agusta until now, here replaced by two-piece ones in pursuit of a less extreme riding experience. These work very well within their chosen context.

There’s good ride quality thanks to the 150mm of controlled wheel travel available at either end of the bike, plus good compliance from the Marzocchi/Sachs suspension combo, which is taut enough in setup to make the Stradale a good country roads ride, while still delivering comfort thanks to the extensive wheel travel.

Best of both worlds. The tall stance delivers a good view over cars in front of you and there’s a good view rearwards through the traditionalstyle mirrors.

The dash is simple and tells you the basics including speedo, fuel level, gear selected and time. However, I would have liked a 12v socket to plug in a GPS unit or charge a phone as well. I found the warning lights across the bottom of the dash a bit dim, which often meant you’d cover some distance with your turn lights still flashing, and the clock would have benefitted from being larger and clearer too. Those with larger hands might find the switchgear a little fiddly – I ended up blowing the horn instead of turning on my indicators!

As standard, it comes with two soft 18-litre bags which have an extremely clever security lock that clamps the zipper handles together. They aren’t big enough to fit a full-face helmet, but there is an optional 34-litre top box that can be added which would.

They aren’t waterproof, but MV does supply a protective plastic cover. The way the rear running lights and brake lights are incorporated in the bags themselves is a neat touch, and an industry first.

Overall, this motorcycle is all things to all men, and while for sure the MV Agusta Stradale 800 lends itself to being treated as a twist ‘n’ go scooterone, it has the kind of reserves of performance coupled with effective handling, that will make it a supersatisfying Sunday morning ride. As Brian Gillen says, this is the motorcycle equivalent of the Swiss Army knife: whatever you want or need to do, the Stradale will be able to do it for you – and with you.

TECH SPEC Price: £11,899 Engine: Four-stroke dohc 12-valve three-cylinder inline 798cc Power: 115bhp (84.5kW) @ 11,000rpm Torque: 57.9lb-ft (78.5Nm) @ 9000rpm Kerb Weight: 196kg Seat height: 870mm – 20mm lower option seat sold as accessory Tank size: 16 litres

The Stradale 800 is available in three colours.

www.mvagusta.co.uk

31

32 Know-How

The fastest woman on a bike

Becci Ellis is officially the world’s fastest woman on a motorcycle, recently clocking up an unbelievable 264.1mph on her Suzuki Hayabusa. Carli Ann Smith chatted to her to find out her hopes, fears and just what it feels like to go that fast…

“I HAD a dream when I was younger that I was going to be the best at something. It wasn’t until I started riding motorcycles that I realised that this is what my dream was about. The need for speed is inside my veins, and it was only a matter of time before I could live my dream of becoming the fastest woman on Earth on two wheels.”

Becci’s current race bike, a Suzuki Hayabusa 1300cc Turbo, was originally bought for spares, and is closer to standard than you may think…

“It’s remained pretty standard, with

the original frame and swingarm, braking system and fairing panels.

The engine’s bottom-end is unchanged, but I’ve got a slightly modified top-end – and a turbo, of course. It rides like a normal road bike, but performance-wise, when racing, it’s in a class of its own.

All of this is controlled via a Motec engine management system. It’s cost more than £10,000, and we didn’t have any full sponsors at first, but were lucky that many friends and colleagues supported us and continue to do so.

“It was bought originally to provide spare parts for our quarter-drag ‘BDR

Top Bike’ but I decided to test the performance of this standard Hayabusa at the first Top Speed event held at Woodbridge, Suffolk in 2008 and achieved 183.1mph, winning a trophy for fastest lady.

This inspired me to continue to the end of the season, reaffirming my ‘fastest lady’ title at each event.

It did mean that my husband, Mike, had to find another bike or engine to use for spares as I was hooked.

“Mike looks after the main parts of the bike such as the engine, but has a gang of others to assist if he needs them. These guys volunteer their time – mainly on race days – where each and every one of us works as a team and know exactly what our job is during the day. Our pits have been compared with looking like an F1 garage by on-lookers.”

Travelling at such high speeds – other than being fast, what makes a good race bike?

“It has to be reliable, comfortable and powerful. The Hayabusa is the smoothest and most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden – especially at high speed.”

Travelling at more than 200mph on two wheels is something that many people can only ever imagine – so what does it feel like to go that fast?

“It’s like a craving – once I’ve completed one top-speed run, I can’t wait for the next. Setting off

from the top of the runway I launch the bike, pulling back on the throttle and reaching about 90mph; I get the signal from the specially fitted LED shift light and press the air-shifter to change into second gear. Keeping the throttle wide open I can feel the power increasing; continuing to change up, I reach top gear and fly through the chequer boards set up on the mile.

“Shutting the throttle off and applying the brakes gently I have just over half a mile to bring the bike to a safe speed, when I can turn off the main runway to return to the paddock area. There isn’t much time to think about anything during the run as you’re concentrating on the track ahead, listening to, and feeling how the bike is performing.”

Recalibrating back to normal speeds after going so quickly must be challenging.

“You have to be vigilant and fully aware at the end of a run especially as you

return to the pit area as the adrenaline is running pretty high at this stage. It doesn’t take me long to readjust to normal speeds even after a full day racing. Usually I’m pretty calm and feel very satisfied after a day running. I’m not scared of what I’m doing, but I do get butterflies before the first run of the day, which I consider normal. I am terrified of spiders though.”

Despite getting her thrills on the strip, Becci still chooses to ride a Suzuki Bandit 1250 on the road.

“It’s great to get out on my road bike and away from all the racing and competition. I just go for a ride on the open roads to blow off a few cobwebs.

I enjoy the freedom that I get without distraction, and I’m lucky that there are some great roads where we live.

You would think it was an anti-climax, but it’s a totally different ball game.

When I’m on the road, I respect the law and keep to speed limits. I like to enjoy the countryside and see the beautiful country we live in.”

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34

FIRST RIDE 35

The brand new 1974 BMW

One BMW dealer gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘modern classic’...

Images: Judson Bartlett / MAX BMW USA dealer, MAX BMW Motorcycles has built a ‘brand new’ 1974 R 90 S – in just four days – from genuine packaged spares supplied by the BMW Group Classic division.

The build project began when Max Stratton – proprietor of MAX BMW – and a group of staff were trying to pick out how many classic parts they could still get hold of.

“We are always checking which parts are no longer available. For fun, I decided to see how many parts were still about for the R 90 S. Because the pages piled up, and most of the numbers were good, I said ‘I think we could build a bike!’ The shortblock engine component was still a good part number, but none were

in stock. This part took about six months to become available, and once that arrived we ordered and organised everything else. As a rule we usually can find the part in one of our stores. If it is not available in the USA, we can get it within a week or two.”

While BMW Motorrad has been celebrating its sales success recently, the German company should also raise a toast to the success of its BMW Group Classic Spares department – now, more than ever, the interest in classic BMW machinery has gone through the roof, and demand for the high quality, original components (with a two-year, unlimited warranty) has mirrored this: “The BMW classic

scene is big and continues to grow,” says Max. “I think many motorcyclists are at a point in their life that they want to go back to the first bikes they had or wish they had. The bikes are available and so are the parts – this makes it very easy for anyone to get into the vintage BMW scene.”

BMW has retained an extensive array of original tooling like moulds, dies and patterns, and can, if necessary, reproduce many parts from past eras.

The build

Over the four-days, three were spent building the 1974 specification R 90 S by master technicians from the three MAX dealerships using original and updated specifications. The final day

The original R 90 S

The R 90 S was produced by BMW between 1973 and 1976.

It competed in the first United States AMA Superbike Championship in 1976 where, in the hands of Englishman Reg Pridmore, the bike clinched the title.

Building a ‘brand new’ 1974 BMW R 90 S took around 1655 parts.

was spent checking the bike and taking it for a test run.

It wasn’t just a case of simply bolting an engine into a frame; the entire motor had to be built up from a short block, which had the crank cam and chain already installed. The wheels too, had to be built from rims, hubs and steel wire spoke sets, with original fasteners having to be used in the exact mounting points.

Around 1655 parts were used for the build, and according to Max only six original specification parts for the R 90 S are no longer available, such as the spring-clip for the airbox, and rear brake-lever rod. The right front fork slider was also unavailable, but in keeping with the new parts theme, two new R 100 RS items (in black) were sourced.

Many parts have been superseded over the years and feature from later ‘air-head’ Boxers, but the technicians also had to resort to improvisation on a few things… for instance, two wiring harnesses had to be used: one from a 1976 R 90 S and another from a later air-head because only an

electronic tachometer is available – the older mechanical tachometer drive is now defunct.

While the bodywork is still available painted in primer, the team used the very last set of smoked silver factorypainted bodywork that BMW had in stock (the paint mixture content has been changed).

An estimated cost for the build of the ‘new’ R 90 S is $46,000 – around £30,000 – and several prospective buyers were immediately waiting in the wings for this new piece of history. But, as Max is keen to point out, the bike wasn’t built with any budget in mind; the staff and he just wanted to see if it could be done.

36 Adventure

The five nations tour

A biking adventure doesn’t have to leave the UK to be epic, and a lot of fun. Five friends find out that a great journey can begin right on the doorstep…

THE IDEA was simple: a ride around the five countries of the British Isles on a collection of old bikes to celebrate our collective 50th year. I’m Philip Andrews, and one Saturday morning my 1942 ex-war department 350 Matchless joined Chris with his 1960 Triumph 3TA, Mick on his Jawa 250 and Nicky and Terry on their modern Triumphs.

Following the stunning scenery through Ampleforth and around Masham, we left Mick’s hometown of Scarborough for Leyburn. Mick’s gesticulation to his clutch cover announced that the gremlins had struck early. The clutch pivot pin had worked loose, but tapping it back had us off again. Some 20 miles later, a recurrence was only saved from being

an accident by the bizarre Jawa kick start/gear lever – press it down hard and it’s a clutch lever arrangement. A rapid strip-down and the introduction of a tie-wrap pin retainer had us on our way, with Mick swearing to “do a proper job” later on.

Sunday morning’s route was a challenge – up over the Bellerby ranges, followed by a run up Arkengarthdale, peeling off at the CB inn and heading over the Stang. This climb reduced both Jawa and Matchless to a first-gear crawl over its most severe gradient. The whole area brought back memories of entering the Scott trial in the Eighties, where we never saw the finishing flag in what was surely the hardest day out on a motorcycle this side of Dakar.

We headed up Teesdale with the long and steady climb up to Alston, the hills and valleys simply stunning in the late-summer sunshine. Alston’s cobbled streets proved challenging when, upon spotting a tearoom Andy

Mick enjoying the Jawa’s ‘quirks’.

The Jawa. In pieces. Again.

The gang, ready for the off.

– who’d joined us for the day – gave a demonstration of how quickly a BMW R1200GS with ABS can come to rest. I followed with a demonstration of how a 1942 rigid Matchless could not, as a near miss and a veer into the kerb ensued. Later a stop for fuel resulted in a full 15-minute demonstration of all the possible starting methods for two-stroke motorcycles. There was much “you’re doing it wrong” banter before the Jawa fired, and then in the most lethargic way built up revs until in a haze of blue it cleared its lungs.

The final run by the side of the Settle Carlisle railway delivered us to our night’s stop at the Blacksmiths Arms in Talkin.

Day three bought our second country – Scotland – and a run through Dumfries and Galloway. After the closest near-miss I’ve had in my

32 years of motorcycling, we decided our weaponry was better deployed on minor roads, so headed off on the A172. What a road. It ploughs through exquisite Scottish scenery with lochs and mountains, on through New Galloway and down into Newton Steward where the B7027 beckons – a delightful single-track road passing through moor and forest, before revealing a fantastic panorama over the Rhins of Galloway to Ireland. A downhill finish delivered us to Portpatrick where a local alerted me to the possible feelings that riding round Northern Ireland on a British Army motorcycle might stir. Some hasty work with gaffer tape achieved a small degree of anonymity by hiding the tank markings.

The dash to the ferry next morning ended in true Hollywood fashion as

three bikes, pushing against howling sea breezes, raced to beat the ferry.

When called forward to load, the Jawa had another tantrum. In true mates fashion we abandoned Mick to his leg exercises but raised cheer as he just beat the cut-off. Czech engineering at its very (just in time) best.

Landfall in Northern Ireland and the north-east coast road delivered more stunning views, but the headwind was strong and relentless. Grown men with their chins on the tank looking for a few more mph, it was like being 16 again trying to wring the last drop out of C50s and Fizzies.

The run up Glendun is Irish roads at their best: narrow, grass in the middle, miscellaneous livestock peppering the side and the daft sheep dog that chases you for a couple of miles.

Adventure 37 It climbed and climbed, finally depositing us on the bleakest moorland I have ever seen. With low cloud and mist it was easy to believe we may never see civilization again.

The day was saved with a long descent into Armoy and then a steady ride into Magherafelt. While circling the market square looking for our digs, we were approached by a chap who, on hearing the blat-blat of a single had decided to investigate.

He gave us directions to the B&B, so the Jawa celebrated by jettisoning its numberplate as a police car passed in the opposite direction.

Oh how we laughed…

At base, the now well-established maintenance process began, interrupted by the arrival of our market square acquaintance on the most beautiful red Vincent. Much sitting on and drooling later, he offered us the chance to take it for a spin, an offer we all foolishly declined.

He was one of the nicest blokes you could meet, going out of his way to make us feel welcome in his country; fair play to you mate.

Heading into Belfast it was soon obvious that the combination of rain, wind and motorway was not on the design requirements 61 years ago when the G3L left Plumstead. To minimise the pain we peeled off and picked our way through country roads, entering Belfast along the Shankill Road. At this point, my work as a master of bike disguise felt very worthwhile, passing murals of armed men, shrines to groups killed during the Troubles and a general feeling of a city still coming to terms with its past.

Threading our way through town made us ready for the delightful run down Strangford Lough and the ferry across the loch mouth. We then followed the coast road round the Mountains of Mourne which were wearing a full overcoat of mist and

Mick contemplates the few differences between a wheelie bin and his Jawa.

cloud, but we were happy to be dry and enjoying the coastal views. Filling the bikes up showed the most ecofriendly bike on the planet appears to be a ratty and tired Triumph 3TA which delivered an unbelievable 100 plus mpg. The run out of Northern Ireland was through Warrenpoint, a name I remember from the Seventies news. The lack of barbed wire and Land Rovers proves not all progress is a bad thing, and testament to all those who brought peace to the area. The night was spent in Carlingford, the delightful O’Hares pub providing good beer and the accompaniment of some fine live music. Fantastic.

The next morning was seriously grey, but the pressure was on to cover the 74 miles into Dublin Port to catch the HSS to Holyhead. After a wet climb over the Carlingford peninsular we elected for a run down the minor roads through Ardee, Slane and across to Balbriggan. The run into Dublin was made much easier by using the longest road tunnel I have ever ridden. The noise of the bike reverberating off the walls was initially a delight, but became a recurring concern of “was it making that noise a minute ago”? The tunnel eventually ejected us into a toll-booth and torrential downpour, where finding some euros and not getting lynched by the increasingly irate queue behind proved challenging. Mick came to the rescue with a 10 euro note which almost dissolved as it was passed to the attendant.

We entered our final country over Thomas Telford’s masterpiece spanning the Menai Strait, while eyeing up Robert Stephenson’s much uglier road/rail effort to the west. With decent weather the A5 beckoned.

Unquestionably one of the best biking roads in the UK, it gallops through the

Share your biking adventure

Philip on board the Matchless.

Snowdonia National Park with some of the best natural road-side architecture to be found anywhere.

Even at less than a gallop it was still a fantastically enjoyable run past Tryfan and its neighbouring Welsh 3000ft mountains. A stop to survey the panorama brought back memories of great times spent walking in these hills with a recently departed and dearly missed friend.

The road rolls down into Betws-yCoed and onwards to Llangollen. We returned to home soil and aimed for the great motorcycling county of Derbyshire, making landfall in Buxton. The route then dived onto minor roads running up through Millers Dale and over the tops past Great Hucklow and Eyam before dropping into the Hope Valley at Hathersage towards the final night’s stop at the Ladybower Inn. Next morning, we all separated to go our own way home. It was a shame the ride was over, but with good friends, great bikes and Great Britain as a playground, life just doesn’t get any better.

Have you been on a great trip you’d love to share? If you can give us a well-written article, complete with good-quality hiresolution images, you could win a set of fantastic Metzeler tyres for your machine.

Metzeler Tourance Next tyres set the standard for grip in wet and tricky mixed conditions.

Specifically designed for the latest generation of Adventure machines, they’re OE on the BMW R 1200 GS. Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact is the Sport-touring tyre of choice for many long-distance travellers.

It offers massive mileage with a consistent wear rate while giving good grip performance throughout its durability, and great confidence in the wet thanks to the construction and tread pattern.

Send your story, along with some sample images to editor@motorcyclemonthly.co.uk

38 RIDERS AND THE LAW The MCM legal column is compiled by managing partner Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast and his bike-riding barristers and solicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors.

The firm deals with personal injury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences. White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law – and they have full bike licences too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution. White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer to your question there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insurance-appointed solicitor, get proper independent advice.

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

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

Need advice?

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

Q&A

Specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides our readers through their legal trials and troubles...

Q

I have commuted into London every day for the last five years on my Honda Blackbird. In November I was in the middle lane of the motorway when some old codger overtook me in lane three, swung in front of me and then slammed on his brakes, rapidly slowing down when there was nothing in front of him. I braked as hard as possible, but I couldn’t avoid slamming him up the rear. I have bust my arm and trashed my bike. However, my insurer has said they know the law, and it’s my fault as I rear-ended him. Do I have to take one for the team, or can I fight it?

A

Yes, you can fight it. It is commonplace that the person who rear-ends someone else is usually liable for the accident, however, from what you’ve said you have done nothing wrong in this situation; you were established in lane two, minding your own business, and the elderly gentleman caused the accident by his negligent actions. A judge is unlikely to find for it being reasonable for a driver on a motorway – of all things – to pull in front of someone then just slam on their brakes. There is case law to support you, so ignore your insurer on this occasion… They are talking rubbish.

Q

My wife insured me to ride her old Kawasaki ZZR600, but I recently got clocked for speeding, doing 35mph in a 30mph limit. She got a Notice of Intended Prosecution through the post, and has been asked in the letter to identify the rider. The problem is, I never told her I only had a provisional licence, and she insured me on the basis that I had a full licence.

I didn’t think it would matter as I only used the bike to pop to the shops, and sometimes to get myself to and from work. She has done her absolute nut now that she’s found out what I’ve done. What can I do to get out of this?

“NICE BIKE MATE…” 1997 HONDA VALKYRIE F6C

A

Your actions may well land your wife in a whole heap of crap. I really do pity her, you absolute numpty. You have a couple of choices.

If she ignores the request for driver information, then she will likely be summonsed to court for failing to give information. This carries a punishment of six penalty points and a fine of up to £1000. If, however, she does identify you as the driver, then you might just get offered a fixed penalty. If you accept the fixed penalty offer then that may be the end of the matter. If you’re lucky.

But, I certainly could not guarantee that the police will not ‘join up the dots’ and discover you only had a provisional licence. In this scenario you could get summonsed for other offences, such as riding otherwise in accordance with a licence, and riding without insurance. Furthermore, your wife could be summonsed too, for letting you ride without insurance. My advice is don’t flag up the issue with the police, and make a decision when you know what is going to happen. Lastly, be prepared to pay your wife’s legal bill if you have any shred of decency.

For more info, go to:

Name: Ian Treece From: Nottingham Occupation: Retired HGV driving instructor Owned bike for: Three years Tell us about it: Since I sold my HGV driver training school, I’ve been in a position to ride pretty much every day, weather permitting.The Valkyrie (or F6C as it’s called here in the UK) has 27,000 miles on the clock, 16,000 of which are mine. I ride it on long journeys all over the country, camping on the way, as well as shorter day trips, and I’ve never had any problems whatsoever.This bike is my pride and joy; it always gets loads of attention, drawing crowds with lots of questions wherever I go. It’s the original touring version, and was built at Honda’s American factory in 1997, then imported to England in 2010. It’s still in mint condition.

I weigh nearly 20 stone, so, with the bike we’re a good half of a ton, yet thanks to its very low centre of gravity it corners brilliantly. I really can’t recommend a better big cruiser – I’ve ridden Triumph’s Rocket III, Harley-Davidsons, Victorys and most of the big Japanese cruisers, but I rate this bike as being up there with the very best. I reckon it’s the smoothest, most reliable, and most attractive-looking bike of the lot.

Engine: 1520cc, flat-six, liquid-cooled Power: 100bhp (75kW) Torque: 98lb-ft (133Nm) Weight: 323kg Seat height: 740mm

www.whitedalton.co.uk

Current value: Expect to pay at least £3500 for a tidy UK model, easily rising to £5000 upwards.

Good US imports can cost upwards of £5500

Data supplied by The vehicle check and valuation experts.

Classified BMW R1200 RT 2008, two owners from new, MoT March 2015, 41,869 miles, ex police, ABS, electric screen, heated grips, engine a bit noisy so sold for spares or repair, £2000. Tel. 07766 167454. Suffolk.

AFRICA TWIN 750 1993, tax Feb 2015, MoT Nov 2015, just serviced, new rear tyre, good front tyre, lots of bills and receipts, 46,416 miles, two previous owners from new, genuine reason for sale, £2000. Tel. Darren 07944 612874. Northants.

APRILIA RSV MILLE 2001, 51 reg, lots of history, receipts etc, MoT, v reliable, everything works as it should, a few marks (see photos) but a very clean and well maintained example, good tyres, recent oil/filter change, Titanium Akrapovic ‘silencer’ included. Tel. Colin 07971 429636. Surrey.

BENELLI SE1 900cc, 1989, MoT Sept 2015, about 22k miles, nice condition, classic Italian, V5 in my name, recent photograph, £7500 ono. Tel. 01257 411801 daytime/ evening. Lancs.

BETA 250RR late 2006, pretty rare in UK, plenty of 450Õs, hardly any 250Õs though, service parts easily available through BETA UK & KTM, 3,539 km or 2199 miles only since new, Sachs rear shock, Marzocchi front forks, Nissin calipers, hydraulic clutch, KTM RFS engine, MoT, £1950 ono. Tel. Mark on 07811 926828 may be able to deliver. Surrey.

BMW 1200RT SE 25k miles, reg July 2012 (12 reg), excellent condition, last serviced Jan 2015, metallic blue,ABS, electronic suspension, panniers, h/grips & seat, c/control, adjustable screen, tyre air pressure monitor, cylinder protectors, £8499. Tel. 07788 593463. Oxfordshire.

BMW F650 GS silver, 2009, factory lowered seat and frame, heated grips, ABS, only 3,613 miles, £4250.Tel. 01438 861 155.

Herts.

BMW K100RS 1984, 51,500 miles. Mot to May. New battery, plugs, oils, pads, filters and rear tyre, good condition, £800. Tel. Alex on 07778 625799. Cheshire.

BMW K1200GT Graphite grey, stunning example, 4 cylinder, superb condition throughout, top spec SE model, c/w ABS, ESA, BC, trip computer, c/control, h/grips and seats, colour matched top box and panniers, clean bodywork, c/stand, e/start, s/s exhaust, only 10,164 miles and one owner.

Tel. 07414 898944. Gtr London.

BMW R1200R superb example, reg 12/10/12, full dealer service with only 7500 miles, downsizing to a 800, great value @ £8500 ono. Tel. 001924 824088 after 6pm 07851 863357. W Yorks.

BMW R1200RT SE 2012 (June), only 6,500 dry miles March To October, immaculate condition! full BMW s/h, 5 service stamps, last serviced 50 miles ago on 23/10/2014, full SE spec, contact me for full spec and long list of expensive extras. Email: bensondewey@aol.com Northants.

BMW R65 1979, excellent condition, full MoT, history, lots of bills, recent full refurbishment, too much to list, new genuine BMW screen. For photos or info please email. hamerhub@gmail.com or £2650.Tel. 078110 62596. Herts.

BMW R80RT 1994, 69,500 miles, MoT to October, heated grips, power socket, panniers, can email more photos, £2300 ono. Tel. 01462 790647; 0777 9044740.

Herts.

BMW R80ST 1984, lovely condition with panniers and heated grips, stainless exhaust, Hagon rear shock, £4250. Tel. 07798 866071. Watford, Gtr London.

BMW GS1200 2006, test Sept, 12,300 miles, ABS, heated grips, full luggage and top box, new battery, excellent condition, £5250. ovnoTel. 01274 831244. W Yorks.

BMW K100 1000cc, first of series 'A' reg, gen 9k miles, silver, serviced, new f/seals, tyres, battery, hard BMW panniers, £2750. Tel. 07759 607498. E Berks.

BMW K1200 RS 2001 (Y), 37k miles, red/f blue, h panniers, extras, £2750. Tel. 07759 607498.

E Berks.

BROUGH SUPERIOR 1920s, OHV Sports Model, matching numbers and excellent spare crankcases, very correct, Boniksen speedometer, traditional side stand, low mileage, concours condition, Offers around £123,000. Tel. 01722 743681. Wilts.

BSA A7 Twin Plunger frame, frame no. starts CA7, engine no. starts BA10, I got this bike in 1999 complete built engine, on rebuild any parts which needed replacing were replaced, loads of other jobs were done in 1999, owned since 2006, a tidy useable bike, on Sorn, not std, s/s mudguards, no battery. Tel. 07766 233484. Norfolk.

BSA C15 250cc, 1965, has a leaking oil fork seal on the right, restored 2 years ago, used prior to the winter. Has V5. Selling due to having bought another bike, £1300 ono. Email: samhardy osborn@hotmail.co.uk Lincs.

BSA BANTAM D7 fitted with D14 engine, 1963, god condition, nonrunner, £900; Panther 250cc 35ES, lots of new parts, 19654, non-runner, £1500; leather flying jacket, medium vintage brown, £25. Tel. 01482 898930. Hull, Yorks.

BSA STARFIRE 250cc, 1970, with V5, matching numbers, metal tank needs painting and tool box cover, new seat cover, twin leading shoe, front brake, new speedo, runs, £1750. Tel. 01539 723408. Cumbria.

BSA SUPER ROCKET 6v, recent paint, chrome rims, s/s spokes, high compression, runs well, l/h oil crank seal leak, only fault, nice bike, photos via phone, bargain £4500. no traders pleaseTel. 07941 473812. N Lincs.

BULTACO 352 TRIALS Beautiful classic, bike circa 1976, great condition and ready for buyer to ride, not road registered, £3100.

Tel. 01233 610185. Kent.

CCM 230 07, MoT Sep 30, 2015, less than 4k miles, 2 owners from new, lots of upgrades, only used for marshalling events, needs to go due to illness, hence priced to sell, £900. Tel. 01594 837502.

Glos.

BSA BUSHMAN D10 175cc, 1967, dating vert, matching numbers, restored condition, many new parts, £2500 may p/x Tel. 01626 772219. Devon

BMW 100RS 980cc, excellent condition, good running order, tested until June 15, many extras, reg 1979. Tel. 07548 517336.

Lincs.

BMW R100R 1000cc, 52k miles, excellent condition, with every BMW extra, all h/books etc, reluctant sale, superb runner, ride or invest, £3650 ono. Tel. 0151 2608612. Merseyside.

BMW R80 797cc, 1980, R90Stype fairing with instruments, nice original bike, runs well, new MoT, 5 owners, mileage uncertain, £1995. Tel. 07967 154571; 01582 715206. Herts.

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HARLEY FATBOY Stunning, 2010, only 4,600 miles, good weather miles, Custom 8 ball two-tone paint, Dakota digital speedo and many other extras added, Vance & Hines staggered long shots available as well as sissy bar, rack etc, winter bargain, £10,400. Tel. 07786 254008. E Sussex.

DUCATI DARMAH SD 900 1980, exc cond, hyd clutch, s/s exhausts and mudguards, Jota handlebars, 4k miles since rebuild 12 years ago, MoT til June 2015, currently dry-stored, on Sorn, £6999. Tel. John 0208 6465235 for more info. S.London/Surrey.

DUCATI MULTISTRADA ST 2014, 2,400 miles, red, £13000 as new condition, touring screen and seat, cost £16,000. Tel. 07419 121062. Glos.

CPI 250SX March 2014, Taiwan built, not Chinese, 390 miles from new, as new cond, never seen rain, still under year’s warranty, just had first service, mint little trailie, £1850 ono. Tel. 07478 771066. N Yorks.

BMW R65 650cc, 1988, with RS100, fairing, hard luggage, MoT, good condition, £1600 ono.

Tel. 01299 266742. Worcs.

Selling your bike is

GAS GAS TRIALS 125cc, 2002/3, yellow/silver, engine overhaul, alloy wheels, disc brakes, not road registered, £850. would consider van trainee etc, p/x plus cash and bike. Tel. 01743 860362. Shrops.

G50 SEELEY-MATCHLESS all ready to race, nice Christmas box from the wife.Viewings welcome. £20,000 or open to offers. Tel. 01724 864220. Lincs.

HARLEY DAVIDSON XL 883 Custom Sportster, reg 07/05, 16,127 miles, one owner from new, excellent condition, reluctant sale, £3695. Tel. 07711 567610. S Yorks.

HARLEY DAVIDSON 883 XXL Sportster, vivid black, 8000 miles, 06 reg, Vance and Hines pipes, sissy bar, flames air trim, £3600 ono. Tel. 07773 204012. Beds.

HARLEY DAVIDSON 883 XXL 63 reg, metallic black, heated grips, full s/h, one careful retired owner, 4000 miles, garaged from new, 6 months’ warranty, immaculate, £5850 for quick sale Tel. 0117 9673008. S Glos.

HARLEY DAVIDSON FXDC Superglide, 2010, stunning, heated grips, backrest, luggage rack, MoT, 7,400 miles, £8500 ovno.

Tel. 07880 712544. Avon.

HARLEY DAVIDSON XL 883 Custom Sportster, registered 07/2005, 16,127 miles, one owner from new, excellent condition, reluctant sale, £3695. Tel. 07711 567610. S Yorks.

HARLEY DAVIDSON soft tail, low miles, runs and rides spot on, nice, p/x, £7750. Tel. 07549 543140. Lincs.

HARLEY DAVIDSON FXDC Super Glide 1210, stunning, heated grips, back rest, luggage rack, MoT, 7,400 miles, £8500 ovno.

Tel. 07880 712544. Avon.

HARLEY SPORTSTER 2004, silver, XL 1200 custom, low mileage, with history, £4600. Tel. 07798 866071. Uxbridge, Middx.--

HARLEY WLC 750cc, 1942, excellent civilian spec, panniers, hand and foot clutch, correct carb etc, reluctant sale, £13,500. Tel. 07798 866071. Uxbridge, Middx.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON (PANHEAD) genuine bike, 95% original, too much to list, owned last 12 years, genuine retirement sale, £19,999.

Tel. 07989 449808. Herts.

HONDA CB 750F V reg, 30k miles, no tax, no MoT, bought as a non runner but does run now, some new parts including new battery, needs further tlc. For more info . Tel. Paul on 01943 875279; 07770 933811. tommyslad@talktalk.net W Yorks.

HONDA CB400/4 (Project Big 1), grey import, 1995, 22,370 miles, 10 months’ MoT, good condition, £800. Tel. 01621 850501. Essex.

DUCATI 748 2003, 8k miles, carbon Termignoni silencers, MoT Apr 15, many carbon parts, slight damage to lower fairings, spare single seat, £3300. Tel. Adrian on 07825 267080. Lincs.

SELLING YOUR BIKE IS FREE FOR PRIVATE READERS

CLASSIFIED HONDA CBF 500cc, 2004, t&t, high mileage, vgc, two previous owners, Givi box and screen, too heavy for 80 year old, £1300 or exchange for smaller British bike or something on 3 wheels Tel. 0191 8884084; 07812 822897.

Durham.

HONDA CBF 125 14 plate, in red, 50 miles only! decals, damage to left side fairing, mint otherwise, genuine sale, V5 in my name and HPI clear, total bargain! £1800.

Tel. 07716 374434. Lincs.

HONDA CBF 500 excellent condition, t&t, with large Givi box and windscreen, high miles but runs spot on, to heavy for 80 year old owner, £1300 or willing to exchange for small British Classic or Combo or trike plus up to £500 cash. Tel. 0191 3884084; 07812 822897. Durham.

HONDA CBR 600F-P 1993, good condition, always garaged, MoT March 15, reducing to one bike, hence sale, £1200. Tel. 07909 191834; 01450 376475. Hawick.

HONDA CX 500 81, red metallic, good condition for year, lots of money spent, £1200 ono. Tel. Mike 07542 852876. W Mids.

HONDA CX500 EC Eurosport, 1983, A reg, black, 13.5k miles, serviced regularly, father owned this bike from new, totally orig, exc cond, new orig Honda silencers fitted, an appreciating classic, great investment at £3495. Tel. 07859 919598. N Yorks.

HONDA DN01 2010, NSA 700 A8, with ABS, black, 17k miles, automatic or manual transmis-sion, c/w Givi top box and panniers, tested until June 24th, 2015, all manuals, keys and s/h available, £4500 ono. Tel. 07974 931759.

Durham.

HONDA GB 500TT 10 mths’ MoT, UK registered, amazing paint, £4000 ono.Tel. 07732 942733.W Sussex.

HONDA GB 500TT 1985, Cafe racer, in stunning black, this rare bike has just been recommissioned. Tel. 07941 198845. W Sussex.

HONDA GL 1200 INTERSTATE project bike, needs alternator to complete otherwise mint, sensible offers; America Speedmaster rear silencers, new, boxed, £300; mens classic style black leather jacket, excellent condition, 46”, £70. Tel. 07434 513161. Lancs.

HONDA GOLDWING 1500SE 1992, gold/brown, MoT May 15, tidy bike, low seat, high windscreen with wiper, usual Honda extras + electric reverse etc, etc, 64k miles, £2750 ono; would take Honda CN250 Jeling in good cond in p/x. Tel. 01593 741732 afternoons, please leave message will get back to you. Caithness.

HONDA HORNET 600 1999, MoT till end April, 18k miles, reg Cat C, £850. Tel. 01462 850494. Beds.

HONDA NC700X less than 2500 miles from new (2013), heated grips, centre stand, absolute mint condition, price includes used once only panniers or bike only negotiable. More pics available. £4495. Tel. 07818 418981 or 01995 605727. Lancs.

HONDA PHANTOM TA200 2004, 10,897 miles, 200cc, 4 stroke, excellent condition, selling on behalf of the partner of a recently deceased colleague,bike used regularly until very recently, leather panniers included, MoT Jun 15. Tel. 07974 931759.

Durham.

HONDA TL125 K2 1975 survivor bike, 610 miles from new, all original inc Bridgestone’s, rides like new, local history, paint of preserve, daylight MoT, £1600 ono.

Tel. 07900 578854. N Yorks.

HONDA C70 R reg, 1976, new wheels, battery, many parts shot blasted and repainted, dry stored for years, hence only 8k miles, light restoration, V5 in my name, Sorned, £1000 ono. Tel. 07979 695354. N East.

HONDA CBF 125 2009, red, MoT, 6,750 miles, very clean, like new, £1295. Tel. 01942 269134.

Lancs.

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RM 125 SUZUKI 2006 complete engine, with K & N filter, new piston fitted, 5 spare piston rings, 3 spare engine sprockets, Moose racing top end gasket kit, RM CD manual and complete FMF exhaust, can be seen running, any inspection welcome, £750. Tel. 01945 861025. Cambs.

HONDA VFR 400 1995, NC30, MoT Sept 2015, under 32,000 kms (20,000 miles), recent fork seals, air filter, front brake pads, radiator fan switch, wheel bearings and new tyres, clean condition, two keys, .Tel. 7949983501.

Essex.

HONDA VFR 400R NC30, 1991, very good condition, MoT 10 months no advisories, heated grips, recent chain sprockets, fork seals, stanchions, front tyre, air cleaner, plugs, oil change, desperate for space, bargain £1650. Tel. 01442 211220. Herts.

KAWASAKI NINJA 250 6 months MoT, 8,500 miles, superb showroom condition, for more info and video see ebay auction. Tel. 07730 481072. W Mids.

KAWASAKI VOYAGER X11 Trike 1200cc, F reg, MoT until end of July 2015, taxed until end of March 2015, fitted with Acumen alarm system, all relevant paperwork present, £8000 ovno. Tel. Malc 07478 337039. Notts.

MATCHLESS G9 1957, 500cc twin, in restored condition, a good useable machine, £3250. Tel. 01255 886333. Essex.

MATCHLESS G9 1957, 500cc twin, excellent condition, a true English classic, can be viewed by arrangement, £3250. Tel. 01255 886333. Essex.

HONDA XBR 500H 1987, 48k miles, new cam chain, Scottoiler, first to see will buy, £600. Tel. 07570 584190. W Yorks.

HONDA CBF 600 Dec 2009, ABS, alarm, Givi rack and box, taxed, new MoT, full s/h, only 6000 miles from new, excellent condition, £3500. Tel. 07999 811488. Beds.

HONDA EXPRESS 50cc, 1984, NC50cc, needs MoT, but recently ridden, ready to ride or restore, £200. Tel. Bill 01986 895462 for details. S Norfolk.

HONDA FIREBLADE pre-injection model, must be vgc and low mileage, good home given to nice machine by OAP rider, will travel 100 miles from Lowestoft, cash waiting for right bike. Tel. 07931 432921. Suffolk.

HONDA GSX 1400 2004, K4, black, 37k miles, MoT Apr 2015, good condition, many new parts, used regularly, priced to sell, £2250. Tel. 07880 977343.

Wales.

HONDA HORNET 600 1998, R reg, 31k miles, tested 5 months, red, new fork seals, plugs, very good condition, clean, £950. Tel. 01427 330307. Lincs.

HONDA HORNET 600F 2003, 6,800 miles, blue, owned 9 yrs from new, fitted full Scorpian exhaust system, rear hugger and smoked fly screen, totally unmarked condition, never seen rain, recent rear tyre and battery, tested 6-15 includes rear stand and Oxford cover, £2250. Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

HONDA REBEL 250cc, 1995, 14,700 miles, blue/cream, good order, ridden regularly, full MoT, £1200. Tel. 07544 766128. Staffs.

HONDA SILVERWING 600cc Twin Maxi scooter, 62 plate, only 4,300 miles, mint condition, never used in winter, taxed oct 2015, silver paintwork, ABS model, great tourer, garaged, £3999. Tel. 01302 534155. S Yorks.

HONDA SILVERWING 600cc, 62 plate, in silver, only 4,400 miles, as new, best Maxi scooter on the market, ABS model, reliable Honda, tax Oct 2015, garaged, £3799. Tel. 01302 534155.Yorks.

HONDA SILVERWING 600 mint condition, in silver, ABS model, only 4,400 miles, tax Oct 2015, garaged, still like new, owned from new, Honda reliability, 62 plate, £3799. Tel. 01302 534155 for details. Yorks.

HONDA TL150 Miller conversion and exhaust, Japan home market model, imported and reg (V5), 1974, MoT, quite engine, trials TY reg, lighting set available, nothing to do but ride/enjoy, £1200. Tel. 01300 320446. S Yorks.

KAWASAKI W650 1999, red/cream. 16,700 miles, Givi top box, side pan, s/spokes, mint cond, plus spares, £3999. Tel. 01446 790157. Glam.

KAWASAKI ZX10 997cc, 1990, blue, vgc, all MoTs, two former keepers, on Sorn, new battery, s/h, reluctant sale, heated grips, lots spent on it, Motard, ex Remus silencer, £1350. Tel. 07510 431379. Blyth, Northumberland.

KAWASAKI ZZR 1400 2010, 14,500 miles, black/silver, 5 months’ MoT, 85% tyres, few minor scratches, datatag Carol Nash DNA, 2 owners from new including current, garaged from new, £6800. Tel. Nigel on 07861 570229. Devon.

KAWASAKI ELIMINATOR ZL 400 import for sale, MoT til Aug 2015, good runner but needs some work on exhaust and new front tyre, offers around £500. Tel. 07788 622200 after 6pm or text.

Cumbria.

KAWASAKI ER5 blue, just serviced then electrical gremlin struck, reduced power with certificate, a nice bike for a starter bike, bargain at £500. Tel. 07594 662090. N E England.

KAWASAKI ZXR 750 L1 1993, 26,000 miles, MoT July, no advisories, black/purple, owned 13 years, all original superb condition and ride, aspiring classic, £1195.

Tel. 01332 675428. Derbys.

MZ TROPHY SPORT ETS 250 tax-exempt 1972, everything replaced or restored, repainted, engine blueprinted and rebuilt, new Bing carb, grey cables, s/s spokes, seat recovered, quality tyres, year’s MoT, £2000. Tel. Simon 07788 442155. Bristol.

NORTON DOMINATOR 500SS matching numbers, Barlow tuned, Cafe Racer tuned heads, pistons and high lift cams, new Akront alloy rims with s/s spokes, new magneto, rebuilt gearbox, suspension, new brakes and chains, sprockets, high torque clutch, low mileage.Tel. 07090 9912543. Lanarks.

ROYAL ENFIELD Bullet 350, mint, 2007, desirable mods, 5k miles, looking to buy Yamaha MT-03, KTM Duke or similar, cash/ exchange either way, £1895. ovnoTel. 07929 910974. W Mids.

SINNIS APACHE 125 Legal Learner, 58 plate, only 3,183km due to last owner living close to work, USD forks, braided brake lines, wheels and tyres are like new, all electrics work, great first bike, downside is there’s a crack in the tank’s fairing, no MoT but it will certainly get one no problem, £900 open to offers Tel. 07849 875589. Hants.

SUZUKI BANDIT K5 Stunning 650s, 2005, low miles, 18,656, MoT May 15, good tyres and chain, Renthal handelbars, Scorpion exhaust, lovely bike, bargain.

Tel. 07817 759857. W Sussex.

SUZUKI DRZ 400 Super Moto K7 in black, one owner from new, 2,700 miles only, t&t, year 2008, immac, £2850 ovno. Tel. 07852 743535. Essex.

NORTON JUBILEE 250 1965, good chrome and paint, on Sorn, matching numbers, excellent condition, with V5, £1750. Tel. 01539 723408. Cumbria.

SUZUKI GSXR 600 K7 Very good condition, new front brake discs and head bearings, just serviced, 30,000 miles, long MoT, £3250 ono. Tel. 07861 213820. W Yorks.

SUZUKI GSXR 750 L1 excellent condition, black and carbon model de-stickered for a stealth look, R&G tail tidy and exshaste hanger, c/w owners manual, full s/h, V5, both keys and only one owner from new,Bridgestone tyres.

Tel. 07448 890432. W Sussex.

SUZUKI GW 250 L3 Inazuma, 2013, black, fender extender, screen, 2000 miles, excellent condition, mature owner, £2225.

Tel. John 07901 621607. S Yorks.

SUZUKI INAZUMA 250cc, low mileage, with full Suzuki extras fitted, still under maker’s warranty, 2013 model, genuine reason for sale, £2100. Tel. 01285 861462. Wilts/Glos.

SUZUKI BANDIT 600S 1996, brand new condition, suit collector/investor, serious offers invited, seeking Yamaha MT-03, KTM Duke or similar, cash/ exchange Tel. 07929 910974. W Mids.

SUZUKI GS 500 2006, vgc, tested till July, mature owner, 7,980 miles with previous MoTs to prove, new tyres, rack and very reliable and fantastic mpg, £1295 ono. Tel. 07719 717621. S Yorks.

SUZUKI GSF 600S Bandit investment/collectr, 1996, red, cult bike, serious offers; Royal Enfield Bullet 35, mint, desirable modifications, 2007, 5k miles, £1850 ono; may p/x cheap trail bike DR/XT/KLR private. £1850. ovnoTel. 07929 910974. W Mids/Staffs.

SYMPLY 50 SYM 2011 scooter, approx 1300 miles from new good condition, 12 mths’ MoT.Tel. 07774 647228. W Sussex.

TERROT French vintage motorcycle, 1952, 100cc, this is an interesting bike with great detailing inc. hand gear change, engine runs well, reg certificate available, £1100. Tel. 077380 47413.

Lancs.

TIGER CUB 1962, matching numbers, original reg valued £500, full history known, MoT on sale, sell £2250 or swap larger Brit bike, Guzzi, Morini, early jap bike. . Tel. John 01626 369407, 07751 314562. Devon.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100 2014, Jet Black & Cranberry, 350 miles, datatag, centre stand, 12 month manufacturers warranty, inc Shark Evoline helmet. å£ono (new £7599) £6699 ono. Tel. 07947 354411. Derbys.

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 955I 140bhp, 2001, (51 plate), 30,000 miles, a few scratches due to age but in brilliant working condition, MoT April 2015, £1900. Tel. 07737 918904. E Riding of Yorks.

TRIUMPH ROCKET III 2300cc, trike shop conversion, 2012, under 5k, reverse gear, Campbell exhaust, custom wheels, registered 3-seater seat belts, reluctant sale, immaculate, long t&t, £13,000. Tel. 01322 370805.

Kent.

SUZUKI GS 500 K2 13,000 miles, very reliable, top box screen, mature owner, bad back, £700 no offers Tel. 0161 7482097. Man. SYM GTS 250I VOYAGER 2008, low mileage, serviced, MoT, brilliant scooter, owned for 2 years, moving up to 400, £875 may take old classic project or spares in exchange Tel. 01205 311827. Lincs.

OZ/NZ CZ TRAIL COCY 1972, v rare, lots p/coating, mostly new parts, alloy rims, not running (believed good engine), £1500. Tel. 07944 399064. E Riding of Yorks.

PUCH MAXI S complete but stripped to repaint, 1974, M reg, with V5, in my name plus some N.O.S. spares and books, £230.

Tel. 01293 410976 evenings please. Gatwick.

SUZUKI GS 850G shaft drive, 1984, MoT and brand new Avon Road Riders front and rear, £1000. Tel. Andy 07582 513324 .

Brora, Highlands.

SYM JET 4 125cc, as new, 1,000 miles, no problems, blue/white, ideal cheap run around, £1000 ovno. Tel. 01376 343619. Braintree, Essex.

KYMCO DOWNTOWN 300I solid white, 3200 miles, s/h, excellent condition, one owner from new, 13 reg, £2600 ono. Tel. 07446 816426. Berks.

MATCHLESS G80 500cc, 1957, nice condition, CS look-a-like, paintwork, chrome and mechanics all good, £3100. Tel. Barry 01634 716319. Kent.

ROYAL ENFIELD Clipper Crusader Sport, excellent condition, £3650.

Tel. 01923 461289. Gtr London.

SUZUKI GSX 750W R reg, beautiful condition, full s/h, one riding owner from new, 11k miles, black, £1850 ovno. Tel. 01255 436597. Essex.

REIJU RS3 50cc, in black, done 2,147 miles and I am the second owner, a fantastic bike that runs well and sounds good, I am selling due to passing my driving test, it has a few marks on but over all is in great condition, general wear and tear, it has been de-restricted with Reiju parts, so it looks standard but moves at a comfortable speed so you can keep up with traffic,(Hertfordshire). Tel. 0775 2011674. Herts.

SUZUKI GSR 750 matt black, only 4 months old, mint condition but quite high mileage, need to sell to purchase another vehicle, £6000 ovno. Tel. 07957 252310. Herts.

SUZUKI GSF 650 Bandit K6, ABS model, with 17k miles, blue, two owners from new, s/h, 12 mths' MoT, just serviced, exc cond, extras- h/grips, top box, Datatool 3 alarm & immobiliser, R & G crash bungs, optimate lead fitted, £2650 ono. Tel. 07971 404308. Staffs.

SYM VS 125 2009, 4-stroke automatic, twin headlights, LED running lights, front screen, top box, large under seat storage, new tyre, drive belt and battery, tested, lovely cond, £950 ono. Tel. 07712 328415. Lancs.

TRIUMPH SPRINT ST 1050 Full s/h, 21k miles, Triumph colour matched top box panniers, gel seat, h/grips, raised clip-ons, Scottoiler, power point, good tyres, chain, mint condition, £3500. Tel. 07534 427312. Lanarks.

TRIUMPH SPRINT ST 955 MoT, Sorned, 34k miles, Aston green, excellent condition, bobbins, bubble screen, Scotttoiler, top box and rack, garaged, good s/h, may swap classic bike, £2200 ono.Tel. 07546 265577 after 5pm . Clackmannanshire.

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Selling your bike is FREE for private readers

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TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD Sports, 900cc, 37k miles, reasonable to good condition. Tel. 07968 712125. Lincs.

TRIUMPH TIGER 90 350cc, 5000 miles since total restoration, matching nos, a era; head turner, finished in Grenadier red and Alaskan white, fitted 8” TLS front brake, sound investment at £5000 firm Tel. 01752 843990.

Cornwall.

TRIUMPH TROPHY TR25W 1969, MoT March 2016, ideal useable classic, ready to ride, many new parts, £3800. Tel. 01952 677239.

Shrops.

TRIUMPH 6T PRE UNIT 1958, black and gold, older restoration, very nice condition, starts first time, matching nos, transferable reg, standard condition, SU carb fitted, Superior T110 single sided f/brake have the standard scruffy full width hub wheel swop with cash adjustment for bathtub 6T or T110 59-61 or BSA A10S/Rocket, in mint condition, owned for 37 yrs, Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE AMERICA 800cc, c/w pair of Grunty pipes, 18k dry miles, garaged, reg JIB 4659, £3900. Open to offersTel. 01202 610138; 07882 607847. Dorset.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE SCRAMBLER '900', 2009, 11k miles, green/silver, vgc, one owner from new, s/h, centre stand, bash plate, taxed, £3950. Tel. 07712 859953.

Derbys.

TRIUMPH SPRINT 955cc, 4k miles, blue, excellent for year, W reg, hardly used, owner died, selling on behalf of family, panniers fitted, fairing standard, one owner, full s/h, alarm system, few extras, Tel. 01287 640472. E Cleveland, N Yorks.

TRIUMPH T90 Daytona Cafe Racer, comprehensive rebuild, run-in mileage, sheen blue, handcrafted petrol tank, s/r seat, str bars, twin clocks, ali pegs, wheels, TLS Daytona 500, BTMend and forks, Hagons, unique, £4950. l/boots (9), £50Tel. 07759 607498. E Berks.

TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD Sport, Dec 2003, black & yellow, tank, vgc, only 10k miles, new Hagon shock, king & queen seat, original, £4350. Tel. 01545 571671. Cardiganshire.

TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD 900 very good condition, emerging classic, black, tested, new tyres, battery, chain and sprockets, new rear shocker, only 19000 miles, recent full service, £2300. ovnoTel. 07831 623776. Durham.

VELOCETTE VENOM 499cc, 1958, V5, MoT exempt, 1,650 miles since full restoration in 2005, rear set footrests, 12v electrics, Lucas magneto ignition, £8250. Tel. 01743 873438.

Shrops.

Fo ra ll yo u rYa m a ha n eed s, b ikes, pa rts, servic e a n d c lo thin g fro m the b est!

W innerso fYa m a ha M a stero f C usto m erC a re A w a rd 2 010

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YAMAHA DIVERSION XJ600S ‘V’ reg, 1999, MoT June 15, recent full service, air filter and oil filter, spark plugs, new sprockets and chain, plus new battery, good cond for year, 17,158 mugs, £790 ono.Tel. 01925 637395.Warrington, Cheshire.

YAMAHA VIRAGO XVS 750 1992, blue, 19k miles, 12 months’ MoT, Highway Hawk exhausts, runs and rides well, needs a bit of tlc, but still very presentable, £500. Tel. Mike 01978 363255 or 07925 947529. Denbighshire.

YAMAHA VIRAGO XV 535 Combination. 1998, only 2450 miles with history, new Watsonian Stratford sidecar, lovely lightweight outfit, £3995. Tel. 07798 866071 (can deliver). Gtr London.

YAMAHA WILD STAR 1600 2003, excellent condition, powder coated and repainted, MoT till May 2015, £4250 ono.Tel. 07527 230496. Worcs.

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YAMAHA 900 DIVERSION 1996 for sale, shaft drive, red, top box, long MoT, heated grips, £1500 ono. Tel. 07966 552897. Glos

Emerging Classic: Honda African Twin Every month Steve Cooper from the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club picks out another great example of classic oriental metal

related. A swift and brief dalliance with a shaft-drive precursor in the guise of the XLV750 convinced Honda that a chain-drive version was a good idea.

Thankfully The Big Aitch also dropped the red paint that bedecked most of the engine. Anorak fact... the triple-valve cylinder heads featured on the Africa Twin were first used in this format on the Honda Superdreams.

Honda had the savvy to keep the big V-twin lump nice and cuddly, meaning it’s a breeze to ride; involving but not diva-like; fun but not threatening; the complete antithesis of its SP1 Ducatiaping superbike. 62bhp allied to 46lb-ft of torque makes for better-than-stately progress and is more than enough should you want to head onto the dirt.

With a ready-to-roll mass just shy of 220kg, it’d be a brave biker that took on anything other than a gentle trail, but more than a few have found the bike is

YAMAHA YBR 125 Learner Legal, 2012, excellent condition, 9,403 miles, retaxed til Sept 15. Tel. 01904 492184. N Yorks.

YAMAHA YBR 125 2013, 1300 miles, very good condition. Tel. 07900 265151. Warks.

YAMAHA XT SERROW 225cc, 1998, excellent condition, low seat height, trail bike, great on or off road, good tyres, MoT, £1950 can deliver Tel. 0191 2362659.

Newcastle-on-Tyne.

YAMAHA YBR 125 Reluctant sale, owned nearly 2 years, regularly ridden, chain and sprockets replaced 500 miles ago, serviced in August with Freds Motorcycles, all docs. Tel. 07946 281024.

Dorset.

Trade advertisers call Jo on 01507 529468

IT’S PRETTY clear why V-twin engines are ideally suited to motorcycles; besides the character of those two big pistons pounding up and down, the engine fits rather well inside a traditional diamond-pattern chassis.

Sloping down tubes and correspondingly angled seat stays almost welcome the engine to sit between them. The reduced engine height and balanced weight generally suit the chassis, and there’s always room for a gearbox tucked at the back.

Honda was well aware of this when it launched the Africa Twin – aka the XRV750. The original Twin started life as an HRC-built 650 around 1988-89 before being enlarged very early on in its life. It’s allegedly built around the dispatchers’ favourite – the VT500, and the inspiration for the genre comes from the 1980s fascination with all things desert racer and Paris/Dakar

YAMAHA XJR 1300 (07), immaculate condition, dry miles only, blue, 16k, long MoT, carburettors, two exhausts, fitted rear hugger, sub cowling roller protectors, genuine sale, £5000. Tel. 01291 423392. Chepstow.

actually pretty handy on the rough stuff. Of course, prior knowledge of off-road riding is a prerequisite. Where the bike really scores is ease of use, a friendly riding position and the ability to carry a decent level of luggage. This is probably why many of the examples you see out there are two-up and touring.

Unfortunately Africa twins don’t come cheap; they have an irritating habit of being super-reliable, and this has consistently driven up demand.

Few motorcycles well into their second decade command such money, but a 1997 example in the mid-20K mileage is likely to be knocking on four grand from a dealer. This can go up by another £1000 easily, but if you’re happy buying private you could grab one of these stunning bikes for as little as £2500. And the good news is that Africa Twins are generally owned by people who genuinely wanted one, and not by those who buy a bike on a whim.

This means a private sale is very likely to be from a genuine enthusiast.

Modern equivalents are likely to include Suzuki V-Stroms or numerous Beemers; however you’ll probably be looking at some serious money for either, and they still won’t have the genuine character of the Honda.

Alternatively there are the big singles; great if you like the thumper scene but potentially unpleasant if you don’t. The next best option is, in all honesty, another Honda – the Transalp: a nice bike, but it’s not an Africa Twin.

Japan’s had an uneasy relationship with V-twins and arguably grabbed

YAMAHA DRAGSTER 650 1100 padded sissy bar, pillion seat and foot pegs, oil temp gauge and Haynes manual, OffersTel. Stan 01832 281443. Cambs.

YAMAHA FJ1200 1991, 48k miles, blue/white, totally original, many new parts including s/s collector box, good example, offers around £1350. Tel. Steve on 01206 299862 for more details.

Suffolk.

YAMAHA FJR 1300 2001, genuine 22k, good condition, silver panniers, new tyres and MoT, slight mark on fairing, £2800. Tel. 07850 873717. Northants.

YAMAHA XS750 1977, 47k, electronic ignition, new coils, rear tyre, seat cover, rectifier and braided front brake pipes, excellent runner, £900. ovnoTel. 01955 661345; 07977 330062. Caithness.

YAMAHA YBR 125cc, MoT March, reg 08, top box, centre stand, 9,300 dry miles, garaged, £1200.

Tel. 01473 831338. Ipswich, Suffolk.

headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Countless hog clones have traditionally overshadowed anything outside a factory custom chassis, but ironically V-twins in Japan go back nine whole decades. When the mighty HD brand was on the verge of bankruptcy after the Great Depression, Rikuo began making Road Kings under licence, continued through the Second World War and only stopped in the late 1950s or early 60s when its parent company sold the brand to the Showa Company, which in turn was gobbled up in short order.

Outside of Honda’s various V-twins we’ve seen Suzuki’s SV650 among others, and Yamaha’s little-known

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

5 issues for £12 Visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/cmmvjmc Call: 01507

PARTS FOR SALE

ABBA SUPER PRO motorcycle stand, excellent condition, £15.

Tel. 01204 883999. Lancs.

APRILIA 125/123 engine, CDI ignition coil, £30; solenoid, £20; valve control unit, £30; home made valve blank, £20; Kawasaki GT 550 headlight, £50; all plus post. Tel. /text: 07973 225042.

Staffs.

APRILIA DORSO DURO 750SM brand new, clocks, 0 miles, £250; Evotech tail tidy, £30; pair 15T48T sprockets, 3k miles, £25; titanium carbon Arrow cans with link pipe, £250; DPM race levers, pair, £50, all mint. Tel. 07946 291426. St Helens, Merseyside.

APRILIA TUONO Akrapovic titanium race cans, c/w baffles and all fixings, excellent condition, still boxed, £375 ono. Tel. 07885 469552. Derbys.

APRILIA TUONO factory rear seat cover, also fits RSVR, £50. Tel. l.bradbur y007@btint.com.

Cambs.

BAGLUX TANK COVER red, from Honda FS 750, excellent condition, £45 ono; 2 Baglux tank bags, black, one large, one smaller, zip together, clip to tank bag, good condition, all zips working, £25 each. Offers for all 3 items? Tel. Bill 01768 898799. Cumbria.

BIKE JACKET mens black, leather Danni Sport, size 50, unmarked, £40. Tel. 01352 771061.

Flints.

BIKE TRAILER with new wheel bearing and tyres incl lighting bar and plus, £125. Tel. 01723 585864 evenings. N Yorks.

BITS FOR BMW K1300R GPR carbon exhaust, £50; crash bars Hepco & Becker, £30; rear rack Hepco & Becker, £30; rad cover, exhaust gaurd, battery cover, all carbon, £10. Tel. 01625 531109.

Cheshire.

BMW K75RT 750cc, low seat plus fittings, free to collect, (seat only).Tel. 01993 213416. Oxfordshire, Brize Norton.

BMW SUREFOOT SIDESTAND fits R65/R80/R100RS/RT, excellent condition, £40. will postTel. 01902 331807. Wolvs.

529529 and quote code: CMMVJMC

Expiry: 31/07/15. *UK only offer

BONNEVILLE FLY SCREEN tinted, still boxed, unwanted gift, £45. Tel. 01406 550338. Lincs.

BSA B40 FRAME 60s, c/w swinging arm and units, full set yokes, centre stand, scruffy rear m/guard and pair of fork stanchions only, barn find, requires strip and paint, no docs, £220.

Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

BSA BANTAM 4 speed engine wanted, may consider rough bike. Why? Tel. (01432) 353313.

Herefordshire.

CAGIVA 125 Freesia, Moto Morini 350 Dart, parts frame/swing arm, wheels, Brembos, top yoke, seta, bodywork, forks, front speedo drive, spindle etc, Kawasaki 250LTD side panels, yoke, cable operated front brake caliper, Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

CLEAR OUT Tel. Jim 01923 243550. Herts.

DUNLOP AIR SEAL INNER TUBE 3.00-20, 3.25-20, used, £4. Tel. 01299 266565. Worcs.

ENGINES COMPLETE MOTORS for RD 125 LC, Mk 1, RD 125 and 200, KH 250, may split, £100. each, some other spares availableTel. 07949 653017. Staffs.

GIVI MONORACK BRACKETS 1998-2002, Honda Hornet, as new condition, c/w all fitting instructions and fittings, no rust or scratches, £25. ono plus postage or buyer collects (ctost £85).Tel. 01582 601467. Beds.

GREEVES TRIALS 197cc barrel with decompressor airway, std bore, £38; C15 new points, l/side engine cover, £35; Honda 4 starter motor, £15; mirrors, £5; one pair of chrome (new) headlamp bracket and bottom yoke, £15; could be Honda 125, will post. Tel. 01376 343559. Essex.

HARLEY DAVIDSON shocks, rear, £45; Harley Davidson cruiser pegs, 2006, Streetbob, £75; headlamp screens, £10 each; Yamaha workshop manual, £10; Harley Davidson pillion footrests, £40; Harley Davidson cruiser pegs, 2006, Streetbob, £70. Tel. 07790 934835. Staffs.

HARLEY FAT BOB 2010, rear light unit and lens, £20. Tel. 07941 140312. Surrey.

HINCKLEY BONNEVILLE T100 pair silencers, brand new, never been on bike, still in boxes, £100. plus p&pTel. 01255 479951.

Clacton-on-Sea.

SRV250 which dropped the XVS250 motor into a road-orientated chassis. The Yamaha BT1100 was a Vtwin; praised for having character but criticised for average handling. The VJMC rarely sees V-twins of any kind, but if you have one and it’s more than 15 years old you’ll be roundly welcomed to swell the ranks.

The VJMC; run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists www.vjmc.com membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk Membership enquiries only 01634 361825/07948 563280 Mon-Fri 9am - 5.30pm

CLASSIFIED HONDA 400/4 original 4-into-1 exhaust system, down pipes rechromed by Silver Bronze, no exhaust, makes the bike better than copy, best offer. Tel. 01252 616192. Hants.

HONDA CB 250/4 jade, 1990s, 7-spoke wheel, 110/80/17 front, 140/80/17 rear, may suit other Honda VFR 400 etc or Supermoto build, £130 ono; other parts available. Honda NTV 650 Transalp, V-Twin motor, carbs, electrics, £175 the lot, suit chop build. Tel. 07858 134475.

Durham.

HONDA CB 900F rear indicators/Honda Fireblade 900RX rear indicators/Honda chrome chain guard, some rust, could be 750/4, OffersTel. 01487 824144; 07980 663859. Cambs.

HONDA CB200 SPARES tank, side panels, rear brake assembly, headlight shell, cables etc, £185; may separate; also 50 Speedway programmes, 70/80s, many clubs, all with results, £50. p each plus p&pTel. 07591 848419.

Cheshire.

HONDA CBR 250 engine, complete with carbs, electrics, £750; Suzuki VT800 spares or repair, £350; bike jumble lot for sale, £200. Tel. 07831 188224. N Wales.

HONDA CG125 PARTS seat, air box and filter, battery box, exhaust bracket, clocks bracket, foot pegs, side panel, chrome headlight bracket, sell seperately or the lot, £55. Tel. 07752 443794. Denbighshire.

HONDA CX500 tank, original, black, red flashes, no dents, £50; plus chrome water pipe, £10; Tel. 01767 691209 (leave message).

Sandy, Beds.

HONDA DEAUVILLE 650 air filter, oil filter, fuel filter and 4 spark plugs, all new, £25. the lotTel. 01978 363255 or 07925 947529.

Denbighshire.

HONDA DEAUVILLE 650 pair of pannier inner bags, good cond, £40 ono.Tel. 01603 893663. Norfolk.

HONDA GOLDWING GL 1200 exhaust silencers, very good condition, with down turns, original Honda, very rare, £150. Tel. 01604 847920. Northants.

HONDA NS400R clocks, lens cowl, fork guards, petrol tap, left exhaust, tuned barrels with heads, two gutted exhaust, £60; Ducati 400SS electrics, seat, plastics, foot rest, headlight, heads, carbs, £600. Tel. 078160 43480. Staffs.

HYPER-PRO REACTIVE SAFETY CONTROL (RSC) steering damper for a Kawasaki 1400 ZZR 2006, black and like new all instructions and drawings available, cost £390 new, sensible offers welcome.Tel. 01805 623310. Devon.

INDIAN SIDECAR and chassis, 1940 approx, for a l/h/s fitting, recently removed from a 1947 Indian Chief, £3995. Tel. 07798 866071. Middx.

JAWA 2X 250cc, twin engines, mostly complete, £40 each; BSA B44 rear lamp, complete, £25; f/brake lever and s/s rod, £20. Tel. 01883 623049. Surrey.

JTS LEATHER WAISTCOAT XL, 42/44, as new, £35; Frank Thomas motorcycle boots, as new, size 9, £30; Honda CG125, 1976, 2000, new workshop manual, £12; Yamaha YZF R1, 1998/2003, new workshop manual, £12. Tel. 01484 663007. W Yorks.

KAWASAKI 750 GT 750cc motorcycle and sidecar or chassis to suit, Kawasaki GPZ 600, working or parts. Tel. 07921 488417. Northumberland.

KAWASAKI ER6F genuine Kawasaki tinted tall screen, £35; stainless steel radiator guard, £40; rear hugger, £35; alloy handlebar clamp, £20; alloy brake master cylinder cover, £20; rear luggage carry, £40; front footrests, £20; Haynes workshop manual, £20. Tel. 07532 535938; 01484 350451.

W Yorks.

KAWASAKI GPZ 1100 A1-A3, Unitrack seat, excellent original condition, £70; Kawasaki GPZ 750 turbo seat, re-covered, excellent condition, £50; also service manual for this machine, £25. Tel. 01827 66952; 07961 911643. Staffs.

KAWASAKI ZZR 600D 1995 model, owners manual, part no.

99976-1126, top yoke with barrel/petrol filler cap, one key, front indicators, seat, £80. Tel. 07505 464654. W Mids.

KAWASAKI ZZR 600D Renthal rack, £40 ono; new stainless 4into-1 exhaust downpipes, £130 ono; black windscreen, £12 ono; 3 Haynes manuals, Fireblade covers, 1995 to 2008, £8 each or £15 for all 3; Fireblade, 2005, Gipro gear indicator, new, £75 ono. Tel. 07758 515696. Lincs.

MESH RADIATOR GRILL S2 model Landrover, (galvanised), £10; Volvo 7/9 Series rear springs/shock absorbers, set up towing, £20; Landrover 90/110 tow bar, unused, £15; Vauxhall Cavalier Mk 2 head carb, all lights, wipers, seat belts etc etc, £25 the lot, will post. Tel. 01376 343559. Essex.

MG TD 1951, new steering rack, complete, £285 or swap for bike spares, why?; Triumph Bonnie wiring harness, 1960, £28; Triumph clutch, complete, 1954/ 59, £180; Triumph speedo, 1950s, £180. Tel. 0208 8944704. Middx.

MOTO GUZZI V50 /Monza mudguards, rear light and number plate holder wanted, also Honda 500/4 exhaust downpipes, will be painted black so chrome condition unimportant, Tel. 01270 811762. Cheshire.

MOTORCYCLE FLAT LIFT 40kgs capacity, Sealy make, pumps up hydraulically by foot, as new, only used twice, as new, £150. Tel. 01354 677374; 07970 68610. Cambs.

MOTORCYCLE FLAT LIFT 40kgs capacity, Sealy make, pumps up hydraulically by foot, as new, only used twice, as new, £150. Tel. 01354 677374; 07970 68610. Cambs.

Subscribe to Motor Cycle Monthly: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/MCM or call 01507 529529 MOTORCYCLE HELMET Nitro racing, small, to suit 12-15 year old, fitted with internal switchable sun visor, yellow/white colour, only used twice, with helmet bag, as new condition, £50.

Tel. 07950 318454. Staffs.

MOTORCYCLE WHEEL RIM chromed steel, 40-spoke, Facem SAS 'Radaeilli 10-78, no rust, not used, £35. Tel. 01299 266565.

Worcs.

NORTON ATLAS 750 HEAD good threads and fins, £150; crank cases, good condition, £150; with studs and nuts. Wanted A65 kick-start spindle. Tel. 07811 060547. Staffs.

PIRELLI ANGEL ST 180/55Z R17 tyre, never fitted as bike now sold, £90 ono. Tel. 0789 4078815.

Notts.

R & G AERO CRASH PROTECTORS c/w all fittings/teardrop shaped bobbins for Suzuki GSF1250 GT (faired version), £85 ono. Tel. 0789 4078815. Notts.

REAR SHOCKS to fit 125, £25; wax cotton jacket, dynamic leathers, size 44, £50; bike boots, long leg, size 9, £25; Bandit workshop manual, £20; carb vac gauges for 4 cylinder bikes, £40.

Tel. 07532 335938; 01484 350451. W Yorks.

RELIANT RIALTO 850cc, 1987, glass for sale, windscreen, £40; side windows, £30 each; doors with windows, £50 each; rear screen, £30; buyer collects. Tel. 01604 761633. Northampton.

SUZUKI BANDIT 1250-650 Beowulf silencer, stainless, oval, as new radiator cover, stainless, as new; Kawasaki ZX9R Remuse stainless silencer, vgc. Tel. 01432 265726. Hereford.

SUZUKI GLADIUS 650 higher seat, £50; Givi screen, £20; SV 650 K5 hugger, £20; single seat cover, £10; Yamaha TDM 900 original screen, £20. Tel. 01299 271639. Worcs.

SUZUKI GS 550 kick-start engine for parts, £100; Bandit 400 1990 engine, import, runner, 36k miles, complete, £200 ovno; GS 550 exhaust, 4/1 Motad/Neta, £70; Bandit 400 4/1 stainless, £130 ovno; RF 900 front pipes, £35 can post.

Tel. John 07858 134475. Durham.

SUZUKI GSK 750F stainless downpipes, unused, £80. ovno; (collection only). Tel. 07801 629206 or 01825 750468. E Sussex.

SUZUKI GSX 400EX 499cc, Motad 2:1 exhaust, as new, to fit 400EX, 400ET Twins, as new, £95. ono plus postage, will deliver if local (up to 20 miles)Tel. 01790 754293. Lincs.

SUZUKI INAZUMA 250cc, 2013, centre stand, £40; Givi rear rack, £40, both vgc, £40. plus p&pTel. 0116 2402726. Leics.

SUZUKI RM 250 parts f/wheel/disc, swing arm, air box, petrol tank, seat, panels, mudguard, yellow, mid 80s, job lot, £75; Suzuki GT 125 exhausts, useable or spares, not mint, £70; GT 250 side panels, front brake assembly, £35; wheels, not mint, £100 pair. Tel. 07858 134475.

Durham.

SUZUKI TS 250 ENGINE 197980s, complete; GS 550E kick-start engine, £100; GT 125 77 model engine, spares, Suzuki GSF 400 import, 1990 engine, 36km runner, £200; exhaust 4/1 Bandit 400, £150; GS 550E forks/yokes, wheels, swing arm, C&S, s/s headlight brackets. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

SUZUKI TS250 drum brake, chrome wheels, front pipe, forks and yokes, rear brake pedal, front brake lever assembly, clutch lever assembly, engine and other parts, Suzuki TS 250 ER tank with tap and cap.

Tel. John 07858 134475.

Durham.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T140 750cc, 4 gear engine, with carbs, Mk II, £1050; Triumph T140, 5 gallon petrol tank, £60; Triumph T140, swinging arm, £70; Triumph T140 10-stud barrels +40, £20 each; Triumph T140 with filters, £80; Triumph air box and side panels, £80.

Tel. 07979 684162. Wigan, Lancs.

TRIUMPH 3TA/5TA/T100 Earlyn reinforced fuel tank, sound condition, dry stored, £120; BSA/Triumph external spring forks stripped for new seals and gaiters (included), £120; lower front mudguard stay, £25. Tel. 01293 410976.

Gatwick, Surrey.

TRIUMPH 6T ENGINE 1950, to assemble, all parts cleaned, good big ends and bore, inc new bearings, rings, gaskets, screws etc, £650; T90/3TA bare cyl head and inlet manifold, £35. Tel. 01524 427818.

Lancs.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 790cc, rear top box, Givi type, lockable with keys and base, £25; also Triumph Thruxton rear chrome shocks, suspension springs, vgc, £65 ono; plus p&p. Tel. 07836 700313. Kent.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 790cc, T100 fully chromed front nudge bar, protection should bike fall over bike protection, cost new £131, will sell for £50. only - absolute bargain.

Tel. 07836 700313. Kent.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE (HINK-LEY) new unused Hepco and Becker pannier racks, cost £220, sell £150 plus post; also Renntec rear rack, £60; Givi top box, (small), £50; top plate, £10. Tel. John Knibb 01626 369407; 07751 314562. Devon.

TRIUMPH PISTONS N.O.S., E6862 std 650 pair, £80; Hepolite 15123 plus 0-020 fitted, not run, unit 500cc, £40 pair; used, clean serviceable, 350 T90 pair, £20; BSA piston rings M21 std, £20. Tel. 01293 410976. Gatwick.

TRIUMPH SPRINT ST1050 2006-2010, standard chain guard, £10; Quill undersea exhaust, £125; Powerbronze d/bubblescreen, £15; Bagster tank cover, silver/grey, £40; all used but in good condition.

Tel. 07813 074148. W Mids.

TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD Legend, chaingaurd, mint, £20; GL 1200 fork stanchions, £40; mens classic black leather jacket, 46", £60; Vulcan 500 manual, £10; Bulldog owners manual, £10; Diversion 900 owners manual, £10. Tel. 07434 513161. Lancs.

TRIUMPH TIGER 1050 2008, stainless piopework and exhaust, Remus stainless cover exhaust, both as new, £100. eachTel. 01255 670818. Essex.

TRIUMPH TIGER 1050 Renntec sports rack, unused, £40; also Oxford first-time tank bag,18 ltr,magnetic, unused, £20; also Rev-It leather jeans, 38W, 29L, worn twice, no marks, scuffs, £50. Tel. 01686 688172. Mid Wales.

TRIUMPH TIGER 800 white, great condition, fully serviced & history.

26500 miles,tall screen, rear hugger. Offers around £4000. Tel. 07966 552897. Glos.

WANTED REAR BSA ARIAL type rear brake plate A10, B31 etc or full hub, complete,Tel. 01723 515546.

N Yorks.

YAMAHA AS3 125cc, frame/arm, £40; Yamaha AS1 frame/arm, £40; Ducati 160cc petrol tank, original paint, £55; Dellorto UBF 24BS carb, complete,£60; BantamTodd racing head,125,£55.Tel.01784 455066.

Middx.

YAMAHA DIVERSION 900 plastics, 99-02, never used, mint nose fairing,left side panel,square tail panel blue, l/s panel red, £200. plus p&p ovno the lot or will sell separate.Tel. Neil 07455 912421 after 1pm.

Cumbia.

YAMAHA TDM 900 Givi rack and side case frames, 6 months on bike, all fittings and instructions, £100. Tel. 01450 850321. Scottish borders.

YAMAHA TDM AS 900cc, silencers from 2006 model, original Yamaha, brilliant condition apart from a scuff on cache's cover plate, bargain at £175. ono plus p&pTel. Neil 07455 921421 after 1pm or collect. Cumbria.

YAMAHA VIRAGO 535 clutch cable and rear wheel linings, all new, £20. Tel. 01933 430026; 07982 487505. Northants.

WANTED

ANY MAKE OR SIZE classic motorcycle wanted from a basket case to one in nice or restored condition.

Cash waiting. Tel. 07811 189755.

Staffs.

ANY MAKE OR SIZE classic motorcycle wanted from a basket case to one in nice or restored condition.

Cash waiting. Tel. 07811 189755.

Staffs.

BELSTAFF WANTED wax cotton, trial or road jacket, any cond considered, will collect or pay post.Tel. 01432 353313; 07989 448418.

Herefordshire.

BETA ALP or Motad wanted, as fitted with 350cc,air cooled,any condition. Please text as not available during work hours,but will get back to you. Tel. 07817 709746. Doncaster.

GL 1000 WANTED runner preferred but consider anything, also want good spares, especially nos parts. Tel. 07828 103437. Notts.

HONDA CB 250RS must be in good roadworthy condition, with MoT, prefer Suffolk/Essex area.

Tel. 01787 210865; 07792 124250. Suffolk.

HONDA CG 125 125cc wanted, centre stand for Honda CG 125 with spring, CG 125 badges for side panels, rear footrests, good front tyre 250-18, 4 ply, painted front mudguard. Tel. 01253 736245. Lancs.

HONDA CN 250 wanted in good condition/or a good restorable one.

Tel. 01593 741732 after-noons, please leave message will get back to you. .

INFORMATION NEEDED of yearly paperback publications of new motorcycle/scooters made for sale throughout the world in the 1950/60s each year. Tel. 01752 790749 any info please.

KAWASAKI Z400 TWIN 1977, diaphragms, carburettor wanted please; Suzuki GSX 250 Twin, 1980, exhaust, two-into-one downpipes or two exhausts. Tel. 01772 335748. Lancs.

KAWASAKI ZX9 B4 1997, 899 hugger.Tel. 0191 4230076.Tyne & Wear.

MOTO GUZZI 500cc to 850cc, for winter project, must be running, cash waiting. 50 to 100 miles radius. Tel. 01204 574813. Lancs.

PRE-WAR HANDLEBAR WATCH Wanted for motorcylce/bicycle. Tel. 07596 238484. Swindon.

SCOOTER WANTED 250cc, 4stroke, mechanics must be good, cosmetics doesn't matter. Tel. 01299 266742. Worcs.

TIMING/MAGNETO COVER cyl head for 1928 model '9' Sunbeam.

Wanted: Norton Rigid ES2 frame, have 1948 ES2 tank to swop.

Wanted: V5C for Austin 7. For sale: Lodola parts. Tel. Lloyd 01209 213386. Cornwall.

TRIUMPH TIGER CUB must be in good useable condition and sensibly priced this bike is to be a retiring present for wife for pottering around, will travel 100 miles from Lowestoft, Tel. 07931 432921.

Suffolk.

WANTED B31/B33 FRAME swing arm, 1954 onwards or rolling chassis, Tel. 01277 212425; 07506 553807. Brentwood, Essex.

WANTED: AEROPLANES, old cars, motorbikes - or parts of, or engines.

Tel. Jonathan 0113 3455859; 07753 931874 . Leeds.

YAMAHA SR 125 anything considered, ideally cheap project, Benelli Quattro Nova x49 parts, i.e: fairing panels (yellow), stator/magneto, coil, rear brake lever, kickstart cover, c/w working kick-start, black magneto cover, Cagiva 125 Elephant frame, V5. Tel. 07858 134475. Durham.

YAMAHA YBR 125cc, 2006/2007, 56 reg, wanted side stand with spring and bolt. Tel. 07584 333054. Warks.

PARTS WANTED

PAIR OF FORKS WANTED for BSA A10 B31 A7 for single sided 8" brake, also BSA Arial type rear brake plate and anything else A10 retired biker not a dealer, Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

SUZUKI GK71F 400cc, set of carbs, wheel with discs, front only Tel. 078311 88224. N Wales.

WANTED BSA A10 Ariel type rear brake plate, complete, will consider complete hub and pair forks for A10 with 8" single sided brake.

Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

WANTED CAGIVA CANYON SPARES Heine Gericke full leathers, one piece; Anthracite 5ft 10", 1.4mm; Kawasaki ZZR 600D fuel tank, complete bodywork and f/guard, burnt orange, £120 ono; two mirrors,VF 500, £15 ono; GPX 600R F&R disc, useable, £45 ono.

Tel. 07758 515696. Lincs.

WANTED DOWNPIPES for Yamaha YZF 750R, 1994, Exup or not, full system considered. Tel. 07749 68965. Staffs.

WANTED VARIOUS PARTS for Kawasaki W650/or complete bike.

Tel. 01291 423392. Chepstow.

WORKSHOP MANUAL for Yamaha SR 400 or SR 500. Tel. 07746 428555. Glos.

MISCELLANEOUS

7 BOUND VOLUMES on your bike, £30; 8 bound volumes, on two wheels, £40; because of bulk and weight, buyer collects, phone anytime. Tel. 01473 827680. Suffolk.

ALPINESTARS JET ROAD Goretex gloves, size L (10), unworn, £75. Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

AM MOTORCYCLE JACKET black leather, chest 38"-40", soft body armour, excellent condition, no marks or scuffs (collection only N East), £60. Tel. 079060 80814. Tyne & Wear.

AVIATOR TYPE GOGGLES with spare lens in carrying pouch, excellent condition, £15. plus postageTel. 01490 440544 .

Denbighshire.

BARBOUR lightweight Inter-national jacket, size 38", new unworn cost, £250 offers. Tel. John 01626 369407; 07751 314562.

Devon.

CLASSIC SUZUKI CIGARETTE type cards, professionally mount-ed in picture frame: featuring GT 750 kettle, GT550, T500 reg, GS750 and Super Six! c/w specifications, collector's item, bargain, £25. Tel. 01803 60725; 01364 653515. Torquay.

EX-POLICE RAINCOAT 1960s, full length, double-breasted, belted, (same as seen on "Heartbeat"), 42/44" chest, £80; expolice 1960s Belfstaff motorcyclist's jacket, (same as "Black Prince"), 42/44", £65. Tel. 01490 440544. Denbighshire, N Wales.

GIVI MONOKEY E360 side cases (pair), 36 ltr capacity, good condition, all keys present, inner Givi bags to suit with carrying straps, cases, £80 ovno; bags, £35 ono; buyer collects. Tel. 01189 817493. N Hants.

H/DUTY PADLOCK c/w 4ft canvas covered chain plus 4 keys and aluminium tax holder, £14.

Tel. 01803 607265 or 01364 653515. Torquay.

HAYNES WORKSHOP MANUALS Honda: C65/70/90, CB100/125N, CB/CD/CM125T, V45 Sabre, CB750/900 DOHC4, Suzuki: GT/ZR/TS50, GS/GSX 250/400 twins, GS550/750 4s, Kawasaki: AR125, 400Twins, GPZ500S, 400/500/550 4s, Yamaha: SA50 Passola, Trial Bikes, XS750. Triumph Tiger Cub. BMW Twins 498/599/746/898. all the above.

Honda CB450 and Kawasaki Z200/KL250, £15. £10. Tel. 01254 278156. .

HONDA GOLDWING 1200GL Clymer workshop service repair manual, new condition, £10. plus postage. Tel. 01325 333870.

Durham.

HONDA PF50 OR PF50M workshop manual.Tel. 01524 735039; 07919 064123. Carnforth.

I.O.M. TT Centenary Bushys ale, white Morris Minior van, £15; three red Royal Mail vans, 1959, Morris Minor/Morris J van/Morris Mini van, £23; ten IoM. TT coloured p/cards, £20.Tel. 01484 663007. W Yorks.

L.E. SIDECAR Sport, £275. Tel. 07756 125385. Durham.

LEATHER JACKET (new), 44/46, h/collar, £59.50p. Tel. 07759 607498. E Berks. .

MOTO GUZZI V7 Classic, openface helmet, with visor (white/ black/red), matches bike colours, size small, 55/56, new, unused with bag, £35. Tel. 01604 831349. Northants.

PAIR QUALITY "RICHA" leather motorcycle trousers, size 42, 3436" waist, yellow/silver, hardly used, £35. plus postage. Tel. 01743 860362. Shrops.

POST OFFICE TELEPHONE VANS Morris Minor/Morris J van/Morris Z van, £23; Morris Police J van, navy blue, £10; Ebbro Honda CR110 Cub racing bike model, 1962, very rare, £75. £75. Tel. 01484 663007. W Yorks.

REV'IT JACKET exc cond, black/ red/silver, Sport style, size 52 euro, £50. Tel. 0191 4881127.

Tyne & Wear.

RICHA SLICK touring/urban ankle boots, brand new with tags/box, size 8-11, £45. Tel. Terry 07944 176259.

43

44 CLASSIFIEDS ACCESSORIES

NUT & BOLTS

SUSPENSION

SPARES AND PARTS

EATING OUT

PAINTWORK

EXHAUSTS

POWDER COATING & SANDBLASTING

SERVICING ACCOMMODATION/TOURING

Springcourt Auto Centre Tel: 01706 631245 Specialists in motorcycles

• MoT STATION • SERVICING & REPAIRS • CARS & LIGHT COMMERCIALS • ALL MAKES AND MODELS WHITWORTH RD, ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE OL12 0RA

PLASTIC REPAIRS

CHAINS AND SPROCKETS

SECURITY SPECIALIST KEY CUTTING

Motorcycle keys cut to code Motorcycle keys made to locks

Tel: 01522 532038 Email: info@lincolnsecurity.co.uk www.lincolnsecurity.co.uk

TRACK DAYS

MOT AND SERVICING POLISHING

DYNO

SEATING

TOURING Guided Motorcycle Tours Take in the most breathtaking scenery Arizona has to offer on a Harley Davidson.

SOUTHERN TOUR - Tuscon - Tombstone - etc.

NORTHERN TOUR - Grand Canyon - Monument Valley - etc

www.adventuresinarizona.com Tel. 01243 786495 Mob. 07774 782139

CLASSIFIEDS 45 TRAILERS

TRAINING LESSONS

WEB WATCH

Trade advertisers call Jo on 01507 529468

WEB WATCH

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#"$!$

333/)4#01""2$-/.&/!*

,%,, '+, (+,, &2(!.(2 '*-,- $2%+1/2)2(" 01""2$.2#

TYRES

Deadline for advertising in the next issue is Friday March 6

46 USED BIKE REVIEWS

Used test: 2013 Yamaha MT-07 Dealer’s price: £4699 | 74bhp 50lb-ft | liquid-cooled parallel-twin Tested by: Bob Pickett

Braking is via impressive twin disc, four-piston monobloc calipers. It features a relatively wide 180section rear tyre to aid grip and cornering stability.

So what’s it like to ride?

THE MT-07 fills a very important role in the revised and revived Yamaha line-up. It is the introduction to big bikes for the newly qualified; it has to appeal to the commuter set who want an easy ride plus the ability to have a spot of fun when the chance arises and it has to be a bike that experienced riders will enjoy (possibly as a dayto-day companion for the weekend sportsbike). Tall order?

Give me some spec

A high-tensile tubular steel backbone frame houses a 689cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, parallel twin, featuring an uneven firing order to introduce character to the engine. It packs 74bhp, but a restrictor kit is available. The bike is light (just 179kg kerb weight), giving it an excellent power-to-weight ratio – lighter and more powerful than its closest rival, the ER-6n.

If Goldilocks had been looking for a bike rather than a free B&B, she would have liked the MT-07.

Relatively low to the ground (for the class), I was comfortable riding it by the end of the first road – and comfortable leaning it right over by the third roundabout. For new riders it is simplicity itself to get on with; it will allow you to tamely and gingerly wobble about, but once you’re ready to let it loose it tips quickly and easily into the bend, giving you a planted (if not always 100% accurate) cornering line.

With the bike being so new, I was asked to keep the revs down below 6K, so, not unlike riding with the restrictor in place. And even at this self-limited range the MT-07’s parallel twin was fun, with the uneven firing order giving a lovely feel to the engine. There have been some negative comments about the braking, but to me it was spot on for this bike. The more experienced rider who is pushing the MT-07 harder (and you will want to test its limits) will need to apply a firm squeeze on the lever, but for the newer rider the brakes will never be intimidating, as they can be applied gently and progressively.

If an extended motorway stretch forms part of your regular ride then the optional flyscreen would be a

worthwhile addition. Windblast wasn’t bad, but would get sapping after a time.

A practical note; important to commuters and the newly qualified who may not have too much left in the bank: The service intervals for the MT-07 is every 6000 miles, with valve clearance checks etc not until 24,000 miles.

What nick is it in?

It’s pristine with 265 miles under the belt.

Should I buy it?

The dealer is asking £4699 for the bike (£500 off list for a new bike). If you are looking for something that can dish out the fun but still do the basic stuff, you need look no further. This is quite possibly the best of the “light-middleweight naked all-rounder” class.

Meet the dealer With thanks to Woodford Motorcycles for the loan of the bike. www.motorcycles.wood fordmotorcycles.com Tel: 020 8989 3157

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