Motor Cycle Monthly - November 2015 - FULL ISSUE

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2016 KTM SUPER DUKE GT SPIED PAGE 16 November 2015

MCM is FREE in dealers, clubs and biker cafés

2016 ZX-10R revealed

NEXT-GEN NINJA: •207bhp •Tighter chassis Loads more tech •Official pictures PAGE 4

Hoonda’s mad tilting th hree-wheelled Goold Wing foor th he FUTURE

Guy Martin to race again!

Shock return to treacherous rooad race

Maaddest ever big Honda unveiled alongside CBR250RRR concept

PAGE 16

HIDDEN SPEED CAMERAS TARGETING BIKERS 5 Page

Police chief admits to sneaky tactics against motorcyclists

Police Inspector Mark Hughes from the Humberside force has admitted to using rural vehicles as undercover locations for speed cameras to catch speeding motorcyclists.

2

NEWS 3

Suzuki’s GSX-concept bike is on the way

Next-generation Hayabusa-esque bike set to arrive from Japanese firm Words by: Tony Carter

Suzuki has released this illustration of the key motorcycle it will show at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October.

The artwork isn’t much (and our exclusive insider pictures from the Suzuki Japan briefing on the bike only show engines and a more side-on image of the same, Hayabusa-type bike) but the firm is saying this will be a GSX-based concept bike at the all-important Japanese show.

The show is traditionally a showcase for whacky ideas from bike builders, but there’s likely to be more to this than some flight of fancy.

There’s no other information

Motor Cycle Monthly, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Email: editorial@ motorcyclemonthly.co.uk Editor Tony Carter Editorial design Mark Aston, Fran Lovely and Justin Blackamore Publisher Steve Rose Divisional advertising manager Martin Freeman 01507 529538 Advertising Jo Scarbro 01507 529468 Julia Pritchard 01507 529575 Marketing manager Charlotte Park Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Associate director Malcolm Wheeler Advertising deadline for December issue November 6, 2015

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Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies

Below: Pictures from inside the secret Suzuki breifing about ‘Project GSX’ show more detail.

GET UP TO SPEED Want to see all the motorcycles that really matter from the 44th Tokyo Motor Show? Then make sure you log on to the awesome MoreBikes.co.uk website.

MoreBikes is the number one place for the new machines and inside story on what’s going on in the motorcycle world and delivers more stories first than anyone else.

So don’t hang about, get over to www.morebikes.co.uk for the very latest happenings from inside the factories that are building the bikes and the shows at which they are displaying those motorcycles.

on this other than what Suzuki itself has put on the site, so here’s the company’s own words on the illustration: ● Suzuki’s powerful, rider-friendly inline-four engines deliver an outstanding combination of fuel economy and endurance.

Their technologies are reflected in numerous GSX-series models including the GSX-R1000, the Hayabusa and the GSX-S1000. ● The concept GSX symbolizes the high-performance bikes that bear the GSX name. It gives form to Suzuki’s inline-four sportbike making spirit and evokes a cocoon from which the company’s future sportbike models will be born.

4 NEWS

OFFICIAL PICTURES: 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R These are the first official pictures of the 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R – a bike that is the closest thing ever made to a World Superbike championship racebike with lights on.

Power is a claimed 207bhp with ram-air. The extra few BHP are largely down to new cam profiles and a redesigned combustion chamber.

The motor also gets large-diameter valves, head ports and there’s a bigger volume airbox.

But it’s how the power is delivered that makes this motorcycle such an exciting proposition. Electronic throttle valves could allow the ECU to control how much fuel and air is delivered to the engine. That works alongside the new S-KTRC traction control system which – like modern WSB machines – can enable the motor to effectively be a twin, three cylinder or full-on four as needed.

This gives the most amount of useable torque and power at pre-determined throttle and rev settings by changing engine characteristics for each possible scenario.

There are also secondary injectors for more poke at the very top end of

the rev range and there’s a lighter crankshaft that reduces inertia and makes the bike easier to get into corners. There are gas-charged, balance-free Showa forks and rear shock which make the new bike even more nimble than the one it is replacing. It also has an electronic Ohlins steering damper.

The frame has been tweaked and the wheels are lighter, too. Brembo M50 brakes are set to 330mm discs and the bike gets both ABS and a new intelligent anti-lock system.

In terms of the brains, the new ZX-10R gets a quick-shifter and uses a Bosch IMU (inertial Measurement Unit) with six axis of data. That works with both the five-level Traction Control and the throttle valves to sort out power delivery in the corners and there are three riding modes, the engine braking can be dialled in to suit (a similar system to that used on the Aprilia RSV4), the bike has launch control too. As MCM went to press we didn’t have any indication on price, but figure on the base version costing something around the £16,000 mark as a rough working guess.

The new bike has more power, more tech and a sharper chassis for 2016.

For the track Guim Roda, Kawasaki’s World Superbike Team Manager, has talked about the bike, saying: “The concept is the same as the current motorcycle, but there are some changes to make it much more competitive. So we are going the same way as Aprilia, Ducati and BMW as they have already brought a new bike to the championship for this year.

“Until last year the technical regulations allowed more freedom. We could develop the race bike much more. But now we are limited more by the changes that we make from the basic bike.

“That means that the base bike has to be better, which is much more complicated to achieve. With a good base we can make the race machine better.

“We are talking about a very sporty superbike with over 200bhp, with potential that we can exploit to 100%. Those who use this motorcycle in the world of motor racing will find the new bike much more competitive. It is a big step forward.”

Meet the Suter MMX500 – the 195bhp two-stroke!

This is the Suter MMX500.

It is a re-make of the GP500 replica launched back in 2009 – only this time the bike has been breathed on, slightly re-styled and now kicks out a whopping 195bhp!

Officially making 195hp at 13,000rpm, the Suter tips the scales at just 127kg.

The bike is limited to just 99 examples and will cost 120,000 CHF (Swiss Francs), which is around £75,000.

The engine is a 576cc twostroke V4 engine with a 56 x 58.5mm bore and stroke, double counter rotating crankshafts and electronic fuel injection. Suter claims that the motor is powerful enough to get the bike up to a genuine 195mph.

SPECIFICATION Suter MMX500

FRAME: CNC machined Aluminium twin spar with multi adjustable steering/wheelbase/riding position/height SWINGARM: Aluminium swingarm, CNC machined, adjustable SUSPENSION: Öhlins upside down front fork & rear shock; all adjustable for pre-load, compression & rebound damping. Different rear links available WHEELS: OZ (Magnesium or Aluminium) 17x 3.75 Front, 17x 6.0 Rear TYRES: 125/75 R 17 Front, 205/75 R 17 Rear BRAKES: Brembo, Two 320mm steel front disc with 4 piston calipers, One 218 mm steel rear disc with 2 piston caliper FUEL TANK: Carbon Fibre / Inbuilt fuel pump BODYWORK: Carbon Fibre DATA RECORDING: 2D (optional) DISPLACEMENT: 576 ccm BORE X STROKE: 56 x 58,5 MAX. REVS: 13,000 MAX POWER: 195hp ASPIRATION: Electronic fuel injection, four port throttle body. Four carbon reed valves EXHAUST VALVE: Double flap, electronic controlled EXHAUST: Akrapovic four single resonance, Titanium chambers GEARBOX: SRT six-speed cassette gearbox CLUTCH TYPE: SuterClutch multi disc dry IGNITION: Mectronic ECU

NEWS 5

Police using hidden speed cameras in tractors, horseboxes and hedges to catch motorcyclists Humberside Police has been targeting motorcyclists in an anti-speed initiative using cameras hidden in horseboxes, bushes and even in a tractor

That’s the news that’s emerged from the force after it admitted using the new tactics as part of a clampdown on speeding motorcyclists on the B1253 in East Yorkshire.

Humberside Police claims that what it is doing is within the rules for handheld speed guns and that it was fine for them to use the devices in unmarked roadside vehicles.

A spokesman for the force confirms that rural vehicles were being used

as part of a cost-cutting measure to extend the work of Operation Achilles.

The scheme has used marked motorcycles in the past but it is reported that the tractor, hedges and horsebox tactics work out cheaper.

Inspector Mark Hughes, from Humberside Police Road Policing, said: “At the moment Humberside Police are conducting Operation Kansas in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

“This operation runs alongside the

A horsebox trailer apparently used to house a speed camera to catch bikerss.

well-established and much publicised Operation Achilles. It is concerned with ‘high-end’ speeding offenders in the East Riding, deploying speed cameras, which are located in a variety of stationary vehicles.

“Vehicles which are detected travelling at very high speeds are stopped further along the road and drivers/riders are spoken to and dealt with at the roadside.

“Although the majority of offenders are motorcycles, a number of cars are also dealt with on this operation.

“We regularly record speeds in the high 90s and over 100mph, these being on country roads where the national speed limit of 60mph is in force.”

Of those caught 19,200 went on a speed awareness course, generating £1.8million that went towards road saffetty campaiigns and d the costt off running the courses.

A further 13,573 drivers were givven a £60 fine and three penalty tyy points. That generated £814,380, which went to o the Treasury.

‘Failure to look’ more of a problem than speed, says IAM The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has identified that once again ‘failure to look properly’ is the most common contributory factor included in reports of over 30,000 vehicle accidents a year, following a Freedom of Information request to the Department for Transport.

Police can record up to six contributory factors from a list of 77 for each incident to explain why they think a crash took place, but the top two give the most obvious reasons for the incident. Analysis

of the 2013 contributory factor combinations shows that top of the list was ‘failure to look properly’ combined with a ‘failure to judge another person’s path or speed’. These two together were responsible for 13,299 accidents, or 7% of the total number.

Next up was ‘failure to look properly’ combined with ‘carelessness or recklessness’, or ‘judged to be in a hurry’. These totalled 9132 accidents, or 5% of the total.

A speed camera operative working from inside a non-police marked tractor.

The not-so-smart drivers New research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) reveals the shocking extent to which drivers use their phones and tablets to take selfies, make video calls and watch videos while driving.

The findings come from research commissioned this month exclusively by the IAM, which asked 500 drivers how they use their smartphones and tablets in the car.

Results show that 9% of drivers admitted to taking a selfie while driving ‘in the last month’. This increases to 15% of young drivers aged 18-24 and 19% of 25-35-year-olds.

Women are less selfie-obsessed than men, with just 5% of women citing that they have taken a selfie while driving, compared to 12% of men.

Another 8% of drivers admitted to driving while using a video-calling application such as FaceTime and Skype to make and receive video calls, rising to 16% among 18 to 24-year-olds.

An IAM study in 2012 showed

that using a smartphone while driving is more dangerous than driving at the legal alcohol limit or when using cannabis. Drivers have much slower reaction times, difficulty staying in the same lane and are less able to adapt to even slowly changing circumstances.

IAM’s chief executive officer, Sarah Sillars, said: “Everyone knows how dangerous using a smartphone or tablet is while driving. That’s why it is shocking to see new trends such as taking selfies and making video calls becoming common practice.

“Safe driving is everyone’s responsibility and more must be done to catch drivers using these devices dangerously by increasing the fines and points for smartphone and tablet use at the wheel – there is simply no excuse.

“Campaigns must also be introduced that raise awareness of the prevalence of the issue in society and make this behaviour as socially unacceptable as drink-driving,” she said.

17%

of drivers admit to watching videos and streaming catch-up television on the road, rising to 13% of drivers aged 18-24 and 15% of 25-32-year-olds.

18%

of drivers have accessed the internet using their smartphone or tablet, rising to 27% of drivers aged 1824 and 34% of drivers aged 25-34.

Despite this, the number of drivers given penalty points for using a smartphone at the wheel fell by more than 40% in 2014.

6 NEWS

Honda unveils stunning new concept models A hot new 250cc and three-wheeled tilting Gold Wing are spearheading the next wave of concept bikes from the Japanese giant

Honda has released images and limited details about two new motorcycles that it’s going to debut at the 44th Toky kyo y Motor Show at the end of October.

The Japanese firm is showing a new 250cc four-stroke that, although as yet unnamed, is widely believed to eventually be released as the new CBR250RR. Honda is also showing an awesome, tilting, three-wheeled Gold Wing variant called the Neowing.

More details before the official unveiling are sketchy at best, but this is what Honda itself said about the quarter-litre machine it is calling the Light Weight Super Sports Concept: “Designed with the key phrase ‘strong presence’, this next-generation super sport concept model features a look possessing a sense of speed derived from its long nose and low crouching position. The combination of surfaces – creating a sense of hardness and solidity tyy – and sharp edges, emphasize the aggressive look. Moreover, the exterior featuring matte-black-based low-contrast graphics underlines its beauty tyy and eye-catching form.”

And here’s what the factory says about the Neowing: “NEOWING is an unprecedented three-wheeled vehicle that offers the cornering feel and sporty tyy ride of a large-sized motorcycle while realizing excellent stability tyy at low speeds. This vehicle is equipped with a hybrid system that combines a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine and electric motors to generate plentiful torque for powerful acceleration. With the adoption of an original Honda linkage mechanism on its front wheel, this concept model proposes new values with advanced styling that emphasizes the mechanical fascination of a two-wheeled motorcycle model.”

We will see them first in the flesh at the 44th Tokyo

Motor Show that kicks off on October 29. For updates from the show as various new models are released, make sure you log into www.morebikes.co.uk

VW ordered to sell Suzuki stake back to Suzuki The London Court of International Arbitration has order VW to let Suzuki buy back the 19.9% stake the German company has in the Japanese firm.

That means that Suzuki will be able to buy its stock back from VW for a reported $3.8 billion. The original stock was bought for $1.9 billion.

NEWS 7 Honda’s concept 250 four-stroke.

R1 gets yellow makeover

Get to the shows to see the bikes yourself IF you can’t wait to get your eyes wrapped around the new motorcycles for 2016 – and you want to see them before everyone else – then get yourself over to the EICMA Motorcycle Show.

Held in Milan, Italy from November 19 to November 22, the EICMA show includes the first appearance of all the new Japanese and European motorcycles for the coming

year. The show itself is massive with many large halls holding huge and brilliant displays from all of the major manufacturers.

For all the details about the show, deals on entry and transport links, check out www.eicma.it/en/ If you can’t manage Italy for the new bikes, then Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham will have them all between November 28 and December 6.

Yamaha has announced it is to sell the awesome R1 superbike in Yamaha North America colours – the iconic yellow and black speed blocks.The 200bhp superbike is also getting a titanium slip-on Akrapovic end

can. The Japanese company is also going to sell another production run of the higher-sped R1-M after the initial production cycle sold out just days after it was first launched.

Bimota Mantra new designs!

Iconic designer Sacha Lakic has had another go at designing the Bimota Mantra, the bike he was most infamous for deigning in the 1990s. The idea is just to show what the Mantra would be like if it was designed right now by the same guy.

8 NEWS

Time to get dirty International Dirt Bike Show, October 29 to November 1, 2015, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire It’s just a matter of days now until the 2015 edition of the International Dirt Bike Show opens its doors to motorcycling fans who consider an autumn half-term visit to Stoneleigh Park a must-do trip. The show kicks off at 9.30am on Thursday, October 29 and the displays, fun, action and entertainment run flat-out right through to 5pm on Sunday, November 1. Here’s a little taster of what to expect this year…

More to see

The manufacturer line-up is brilliantly varied and, on the hot-metal front, the giants of the industry, including Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha will line up alongside trials and enduro specialists Beta and Sherco in the main exhibition hall, while Bultaco, Fantic, Mecatecno, Rieju, TM and Vertigo will all be on display in hall three.

Couple this amazing line-up with extensive displays from major distributors servicing the worlds of clothing, parts, accessories, gadgets, tyres, lubricants, trucks, trailers and more and you soon get the picture that the Dirt Bike Show has much to offer.

In a free-to-enter prize draw, one lucky show fan will win a stunning Honda CRF250R worth over £6,600.

This is a serious bit of kit for the MX2 competitor as, amongst other updates, the uprated 2016 model

enjoys a substantial top-end power boost from a newly-developed HRC cylinder head, piston and con-rod, providing stronger bottom-end torque without sacrificing mid-range performance.

The CRF will be situated on the Classic Dirt Bike magazine stand in hall three and will be on display throughout the four-day show. The winner will be the first name selected at random and visitors can enter the competition at the show itself or online at www.dirtbikeshow.co.uk There will be plenty of other opportunities to win prizes with many exhibitors running competitions, so keep your eyes peeled.

Fun for all ages on the small track.

Big crowds are expected so make sure you get there early to see everything.

Danny Butler’s MTB spectacular, the International Dirt Bike Show Minibike Supercross and the have-a-go Electric Zone. The younger members of the family are accommodated too, with My First Honda Licence, Strider Bikes and Kids Quads. Following its popularity last year, the amazing Wall of Death also makes a welcome return.

Strike it lucky

The latest models will be on display.

Be sure to check out www.dirtbikeshow.co.uk in the lead up to the show and click the BUY TICKETS HERE button to buy advance tickets and download the indispensable Show App.

Stuff to do

Traditional visitor favourites will be catered for, with on-stage entertainment hosted by British and World Superbike commentator Jack Burnicle, live action out in halls four and five with Arena Trials,

Save £££s There are real savings to be made by buying in advance – and you can buy tickets right up until 23.59 on Monday, October 26. Adult admission is £8 in advance for Thursday, October 29, or £13 for Friday through to Sunday. On the door prices are £10 for Thursday and £16 for the other three days.

Those aged over 60, or between 11 and 15 can visit the show on any day for just £8 with an advance ticket, and children aged 10 and under go free.

A family of four (two adults and two children) can gain entry to the show on the opening day with an advance ticket for just £24 and, for every 10 adult tickets bought together in advance, the 11th is free.

There are no booking fees and plenty of free parking.

9

10 DUCATI 916

THE

ULTIMATE ICON

The Ducati 916 is 21 years old this year. Only it hasn’t aged a day. Could you say the same about a 21-year-old bike in 1994, or 1984, or 1974? The 916 is a bike that didn’t just define the 1990s, its influence can still be seen in every sports bike made today...

Claudio Castiglioni’s Cagiva Research Centre in San Marino was the place to be some 25 years ago. The designers and engineers of some of the most distinguished motorcycles of the 20th century (and into the 21st century) were all there. Fabio Taglioni, Massimo Bordi, Gianluigi Mengoli, Massimo Tamburini, Pierre Terblanche, Miguel Angel Galluzzi... and before the 916, the subject of this article – first shown in Milan Show in late 1993 – they’d already created the 851 and the Monster, two more of modern Ducati’s most significant cornerstones.

A year earlier they’d also revealed the Supermono at the Cologne Show, featuring super-svelte bodywork by Terblanche. Looking at the 916 and Supermono today you can see the commonality in the lines and it’s hard to see how the single could not have inspired the design of the twin. Just

as the engineers (Taglioni and Bordi, Bordi and Mengoli) shared their projects it seems likely the designers also shared theirs, or at least fed off each other’s creativity. Massimo Tamburini is credited for the 916’s iconic lines, and clearly he was the master draughtsman on the project, but it should also be seen as progeny of the CRC itself – probably one of the most influential motorcycle design studios of all time.

We need to transport ourselves back to the period to understand the 916’s significance within the marketplace.

By the late 1980s the race replica phenomenon was in full force. The World Superbike Championship (WSB), inaugurated in 1988, had

Right: Clocks were simple even for the 1990s – avec racey foam surround.

DUCATI 916 11 taken the road race scene by storm and was rapidly catching up with the Grands Prix for public recognition and popularity. The GPs were still the Big Game but after the brief period in the mid-80s when you could buy an RD500 or RG500 or NS400R there were no longer showroom clones of Eddie’s or Wayne’s mighty racers. But in WSB not only were we watching two fairing-bashing races each Sunday race day – featuring an exciting new wave of talent mostly from the New World (Aussie, NZ, USA) – but you could most definitely buy what looked like exact replicas from your local dealership on a Monday morning.

WSB certainly had a grip in the early 1990s and the manufacturers, seeing the marketing potential, were all over it. Honda got the early jump with its RC30, but as the stakes rose so Ducati took over with its stunning near1000cc L-twin eight Desmodromic valve 851 and then 888 racers. The rules set 750cc fours against 1000cc twins and while the 750s had the speed, the twins had the drivability.

Between 1990 and 1992 the 851 and 888 dominated.

Only the world doesn’t sit still, and with Honda ready to raise the ante with its new RC45, so Ducati needed a counterpunch. And that was the 916. Of course, with the 888 being so dominant it’s not immediately apparent why Ducati needed the 916, nor what was gained from it – its stunning looks aside. And in fact, despite looking so small it was actually 10kg heavier than the model it replaced. But there were significant advancements. The frame had gained extra strength and rigidity through an additional engine support around the swingarm pivot. The steering head was massively engineered, with ellipsoidal head bearings set in to

TECH SPEC 1994 DUCATI 916

ENGINE: 916cc water-cooled 90º L-twin, DOHC (desmodromic), four valves per cylinder BORE X STROKE: 94 x 64mm COMPRESSION: 11.0:1 TRANSMISSION: Six-speed, dry clutch ELECTRICS: 12v, Weber EFI, 50mm throttle bodies WEIGHT: 195kg WHEELBASE: 1410mm TYRES:120/70-17, 190/50-17 FUEL CAPACITY: 17 litres

allow geometry changes. The airbox was a sealed unit, much like that of Kawasaki’s ZZR1100, making for a ram-air effect feeding the Weber fuel injection. All of this helped add up to eventual performance advantages on track.

So, importantly, the tech backed up the look. Without a doubt the water-cooled eight-valve desmo motor was on another level. The ability to safely rev to 9-10,000rpm making good power all the way made a huge difference. And year on year the Ducati engineers extracted more and more power from it. Where the standard 851 had offered 104bhp, the 916 – essentially a stroked 888 motor – delivered a healthy 114bhp (at 9000rpm) good enough for a near 160mph top end. And that was just the start of it, Ducati had an ongoing ‘Sport Production’ programme – limited edition hotted up versions – and the 1994 916SP by way of titanium rods, twin injectors and larger valves produced a very healthy 131bhp.

And at the top of the tree were the ‘Corsa’ (Race) WSB racers – Carl Fogarty’s 916 racer of 1994 was a 955cc powerhouse cracking 150bhp at a heady 11,000rpm.

The 916 helped mark 1994 as a pivotal year, another historical moment when we can consider the face of motorcycling was again irrevocably changed. The excellence – and beauty – of the 916 was born out by its six-year career. When replaced by the 996 and then the 998 it was, in fact, a case of more of the same, it took until the 999 of late 2002 to see the 916’s evocative lines effectively extinguished. Only by then Tamburini had adapted his design very lightly to cloak the new MV 750 F4 and so that distinctive, never-ageing profile found a home for another decade – and continues to this very day.

Which angle is best to view the 916? All or any of them.

The ride

Our test bike is not the finest example of the type. But we know that because Made in Italy Motorcycles has been perfectly frank with us. It’s a well-used example for which it’s not asking a high-ticket price, pointing out the jumble of fairing panels (you can just see 748 ghosting on the side panels) – it’s a part-ex that it’s simply aiming to get its money back from.

It’s not a hound, though. Press the starter and that’s immediately clear. It sounds pukka. It’s breathing through the requisite aftermarket carbon pipes, which means the bass is turned

right up, along with the volume. The motor clatters, but it’s the clatter of the dry clutch, not a top end out of adjustment. And of course it’s a great sound, the sort that stops people in their tracks, forces them to swivel and take a good look. And they’re never disappointed – the 916 is a feast for the eyes as well as for the ears.

Finding the footrests proves a problem. These are aftermarket rearsets and they are very rearward, very high. They don’t help. Even standard the ride position is a take-no-prisoners racer set-up, but with these pegs you can barely put

any weight through them until you fully adopt the position – and the speed. This is no town bike.

First impressions – it handles like a wheelbarrow. The back – we’re talking a fair hunk of 190-section tyre – is pushing the front. Most of the time upwards – we’re talking chronic understeer, not wheelies – getting this bike into a corner takes a firm hand attached to a firm arm and a very determined body. This is, sadly, part of the 916 experience. It’s not the correct 916 experience, but it’s the one you can very easily arrive at unless you dial-in the geometry and the

12 DUCATI 916 I had one back in’t day: Carl Fogarty

World Superbike Champion 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999; 916, 996, 998 Corsa

“I first saw the 916 at the end of 1993 in the Ducati factory workshops. It didn’t have any bodywork on. I saw the high pipes and joked we’d not need tyre warmers anymore with the exhaust right there over the tyre. One of the designers was stood right behind me and he didn’t seem too impressed by that remark!

“Next time I saw one was for pre-season testing at Jerez in February 1994. It was unbelievably good looking, I’d not seen anything like it before in my life, I thought we can’t race that, it needs to be sat in a glass case. I only got to ride about five laps on it – it didn’t feel as good as it looked – but I was too busy with Michelin tyre testing on an 888 to give it any more time.

“Despite the late start that year (May) we didn’t do any more testing. I got a prototype to race at the first BSB (Bertie’s note – if we recall Carl won both rounds against James Whitham on

an 888 Corsa) and next ride was round one of the WSB at Donington. I won both races first time out, I was the only person who was surprised – because it didn’t suit my style of riding. I couldn’t get it to do what I wanted and it meant I wasn’t getting any corner speed. It felt fast but it was nervous. I was leading the WSB championship for the first time though! Then I crashed it in practice at Hockenheim, breaking my wrist. I came back to win another double at Albacete, but I still didn’t like the bike.

“After that we went testing at Mugello and it wasn’t good, it would not hold a line, I couldn’t get it to change direction.

Cagiva had their test rider there – Doug Chandler – and on another 916 he was lapping quicker than me, he was doing 1:57sec. It was doing my head in. Then on the last day they said I could ride the bike he was riding – a development bike.

The difference was immediate – I was like, oh my god, this is incredible. They’d lengthened the swingarm and put the rake out, it was spot on and immediately I was able to drop to a 1:55 – and that pushed Doug’s nose out! I’d said give me a bike that does what I want in the corners and I’ll do the rest. I was being cocky, maybe, but I had that much belief in myself – and the bike.

“We still had some issues that year, with crankcases failing, which meant DNFs. I remember leading at Sentul by a good eight seconds when the bike broke down, giving Jim Whitham his one and only win in WSB (on another 916) – he wouldn’t have had that without me pulling out, I always rib him about that one!

“I went back to Honda in 1996 and rode the RC45. That was a quick bike but it struggled for back-end grip mid-corner, it would just slide out from under you.

And I wasn’t happy with the Honda team set-up, I felt I was just a number. Ducati had felt like my team, they treated you like family, and at the end of the year I was very happy to go back. When I went back I could appreciate again what the 916 was doing, it was a fantastic bike, so smooth on the power, with so much torque.

“I have my 1998 season-winning bike in my hallway at home. It’s the only one of the four WSB title bikes I have – why I didn’t think to have a clause saying I’d keep my bike if I won for the other years I don’t know. I kick myself now.

“That bike, even now, looks so incredible, it still looks just like a modern race bike, not something that is now 21 years old. “I love it and I bow down to it every morning – after all, it paid for my house!”

Timeline: Ducati 916 1994 The 916 replaces the 888. It’s 10hp more powerful but 10kg heavier too. It’s engineering magnificence, but it’s the look that stuns the world. The 888 had been an 851 with an extra 2mm bore, but the 916 comes by stroking the 888 by 2mm. The frame has an extra rear engine mount that increases rigidity. There’s a GP-like curved radiator, ram-air type airbox intakes, a sculptural masterpiece of a single-sided swingarm together with high-level exhausts that exit under the seat, Showa suspension all round and Brembo brakes. It’s £12,000 but nobody argues it’s not value for money.

1995 The fuel injection is revised, Macchi forged con rods replace the Pankl of the first model. A dual seat ‘biposto’ model is introduced featuring a steel subframe (as against alloy of the Strada) and heavier-weight springs in the suspension to deal with the extra load.

1996 New crankcases are introduced – identified by the missing kickstart boss 1997 No significant changes 1998 New Kevlar-reinforced cambelts, baffles introduced into the crankcase, brake and clutch lines become braided steel type.

1998 The 916 is replaced by the bigger-engined 996, this would be replaced by the 998 in 2002 and the original 916 profile would be lost forever to history in late 2002 when it was superceded by the Pierre Terblanche-designed 999.

DUCATI 916 13

1

2

3 1 Everything is exquisite!

2 Jap switchgear 3 Brembos and Showa show the way 4 But on the open road is where it belongs 5 A better rear-end than Kylie Minogue. This rear set the under-seat trend of the 1990s and beyond suspension to what is its sweet spot.

Carl Fogarty speaks of his issues with the first 916 factory racer until the factory supplied a much lengthened swingarm and revised rake and trail.

This is living that experience. You need the owner’s manual, you need to reset all settings back to standard and then start again. Failing that, you can take the bike to a 916 specialist and see what he can achieve for you.

The 916, when set up, is perfection itself, but no one ever said perfection came easy.

Handling aside, you can’t help but be awed by the motor. This is just a plain old Biposto, so it’s probably not making much more than around 100bhp at the rear wheel, but by heck it makes the most of every one of them. In fact, for the most part you feel you’re probably only using the first 60-odd neddies on account it doesn’t need revving much beyond 5-6000rpm to make good progress. The other 40 live in the upper reaches and whereas the upper revs on a race rep multi can be a very frenzied, sort of quickening experience, on the Ducati the top end is as long and luxuriant as the bottom.

It just goes on and on and on. With Ducati-characteristic high gearing you can be seriously tramping and rapidly running out of road and still only be in fourth gear. This is not, on appearances, a much-fettled machine,

4 but by heck it has some stomp. By the end of the test, no question, I was asking myself how I could buy this bike. Yes, every panel was very subtly a slightly different hue to the next, the footpegs annoyed, the exhausts deafened, the handling urgently needed sorting. But all of it is fixable, most of it with nothing more than a little spanner work, and all of it would prove so worthwhile.

Buying & owning

Now is a very good time to buy a 916.

We found quite a few examples to be had for as little as £4550 – as cheap as they get right now. So private ads start at the £4550, dealers (with rent, warranty and public liability to think about) understandably start their ads at around £4500. ‘Rare’ 1994 Strada models (not so rare – Ducati made around 3000 in the first year) with low mileages are already starting to show tickled values. We found one with 8500 miles listed at £6995. There were also Senna limited edition bikes in a deal arranged with Ayrton Senna before his death – the F1 driver being

a big Ducati fan. Profit from these bikes went to the Senna Foundation, his charity to help underprivileged children in Brazil. The first Senna model in 1995 varied from a standard model in only a few details and by way of its unique dark-grey colour.

A second Senna model was made in 1997, again very much a Strada with this time a lighter-grey colour. The final Senna model was made in 1998 with a few extra upgrades over the standard model, including an Öhlins shock and carbon fibre airbox plus a few other carbon fibre parts – this time painted black. About 300 Sennas were made in each year and each command a premium. Of course, you’ll need to do your research, specs change according to country, so you’ll want to know what you’re buying.

Bear in mind base differences too. A Strada is a bike for one. The Biposto has a very different set-up to allow it to carry two – that means a steel subframe (not alloy) and it means a stronger spring in the rear shock (possibly forks as well). So if you plan doing all your riding alone you probably want the Strada or think about respringing and revalving the suspension on a Biposto. Early SPs are showing up at around £8-9000, the meaner, faster, later ones at £12,000, a Foggy we found at £16,000 and a super-rare 955SP (AMA bike) was up for a whopping £37,000!

Owning a 916 is far easier than owning an early Ducati. Ducati was getting on top of quality control and speccing good quality components, even Japanese suspension. For stress-free ownership it’s simply a matter of finding yourself a good mechanic who specialises in Ducati and work with him on a regime of maintenance. We all know by now the Ducati schedule of new belts and valve check every two years. After that do regular oil and filter changes (factory says 6000 miles, wise owners say every 3000) and cosset your 916 the way it deserves. When it comes to what to look for we went to 916

5 expert mechanic John Cellier, better known as Ducati John, for a reasoned overview on pre-purchase checks: “It should start really easily from cold and when warm, and tick over happily. Check that it is charging and if it isn’t it’ll be the regulator-rectifier.

Most have been changed by now so it’s unlikely to be an issue. If possible, get the bike running, put it in first then let the clutch out just enough to begin to labour the engine. This will quieten the clutch and let you clearly hear the engine. It should sound nice and smooth. Any rumbling could be a loose alternator nut – this is really quite rare but on 916s it can damage the crank. Checking this isn’t on the Ducati service schedule, so it can be overlooked, even on bikes that are dealer serviced.

The clutch will be noisy, but they all are. Ducati’s dry clutches are infamous for being weak but it’s unusual to find one that can’t be coaxed into lasting a bit longer. Check that the wheels aren’t buckled as early wheels were prone to pothole damage. Then inspect all the usual stuff like chains, sprockets, brakes, suspension, paintwork, etc. When buying, factor in getting its servicing up to date. Good service history will let you know what has been done to

the bike recently. Look then at the other elements of the service and get them done. Things like changing the fuel filter can show up rust in the tank due to water ingress. This isn’t easy to see without doing the filter.

Most spares are still readily available from Ducati dealers. Consumables are easily sourced, as are aftermarket parts and used spares.” John also has a more detailed ‘points to watch for’ list on his website (www.ducati-john. co.uk) so check it out before buying.

Conclusion

Of course the 916 is an icon. It’s 21 years old too, so it qualifies as a classic. It’s not heresy to be calling these 1990s bikes classics – it’s simply the march of time. Needless to say, it was most probably the bike of the decade too. That you should be able to pick up a good example for around £4,500 is incredible! Buy one now before values shoot up. It’s also, in our books, a super-classic, for it marks a point in history when Italian motorcycle design turned the tide on the Japanese factories.

Thanks

Thanks again to John and the lads at Made in Italy Motorcycles in Suffolk (01449 612900)

14 HAVE YOUR SAY

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.

MCM STAR LETTER OF THE MONTH

Filtering tips: something to add I am always pleased to see the motorcycle press publish sound advice on riding, as it may save an inexperienced rider from being crippled or killed. So I read with interest your clear guide to filtering, which is the way we get the most advantage from using two wheels in town.

But I would like to add to your advice. Passing moving traffic is different to passing stationary traffic so the need to continuously adapt as you filter in stop start conditions is vital. As traffic slows down and stops, pedestrians love to sprint through without looking (are they always late?) and cyclists will move to the outside to maintain their speed if blocked on the inside and, of course, they rarely have mirrors. As the traffic moves off again, watch for opportunistic lane changers and U-turners frustrated by the inevitable delays we all endure.

I firmly believe that when passing moving traffic the rider should travel only a little faster, say 10mph, than the vehicles he is passing so as to be able to stop for the unexpected, particularly if there is not much width to spare. If the speed differential is greater then the rider must be wider as you have pointed out. Road position is everything for safe riding.

Another piece of advice to the new rider; however hot the weather, always wear gloves, the protection of the hands is second only to the head in importance!

Richard Lee, Mitcham

Insurance advice wanted please I started reading MCM a couple of months ago and I have been very satisfied with the various subjects offered. I am currently 19 and being a new biker I really enjoy your Improve Your Riding section because it improves my riding and using Lego really makes the contents easier to understand.

Also, the fact that MCM is free is very nice as I am a student and have a limited budget in my daily life. I am currently riding a Kawasaki ER-6f and the insurance cost is mind-blowing.

Any tips on how to save money?

Thank you.

Elliot Pease Hi Elliot, thanks for the kind words and I’m very pleased you’re enjoying the paper and the riding! In terms of saving money in motorcycling I can’t think of a better bunch of minds for top tips on this subject than our brilliant readers out there. So let’s open this up to all MCM readers and get their tips for you to save some cash in your riding life. The best letters on the subject will make it onto these very pages and may even find their way to being the Star Letter. TC

Hi Richard, good points to add to our article on filtering, thanks for sending them in – and we absolutely echo the sentiment about gloves.

Fingers can be really mangled in a spill if you don’t wear gloves. TC

I love classic British bikes Too young to ride back in the day and too mechanically inept and financially challenged to have one today, my love of classic British bikes consists of looking at them when I get the chance.

Which is why I was at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham the other day, drooling over these beautiful machines. I was alone briefly in one hall when in ran a young lad of about seven or eight closely followed by his father. The boy ran straight under the rope barrier that separates precious metal from admirers, clambered aboard a Triumph Tigress scooter and pretended he was riding the classic down the road.

I looked on in some shock, half expecting sirens, flashing lights and a team of security to come running in. None of this happened and after having a photo taken by his dad, the boy was off and running into the next hall.

I felt quite put out by this disregard for the sanctity of the museum and these beautiful old bikes. Then I realised why I felt so strongly.

I was insanely jealous of

this lad who had run into a hall filled with motorbikes and done the most natural thing that came to him. For I too had the same natural instincts at 50 years of age.

I would have chosen a BSA Gold Star over the Triumph scooter and hopefully I would have controlled myself enough not to make the: “Vroom vroom beep beep” noises the little chap made. (I couldn’t make any promises though) but sadly I will probably never know what it’s like to sit on a Classic Brit, let alone ride one. I came away from the museum wishing there were more opportunities to touch, feel, sit on and even ride classic bikes, instead of just looking at them.

That and wishing I was seven again.

Best regards Chris Nightingale Email Hi Chris, come on man! We ALL make the vroom vroom beep beep noises whenever we sit on motorcycles, even our own, during those quiet moments alone in the garage.

Or is that just me? TC

The Golden Years are now so make sure you make the most of them

From the cyclist’s POV I love the mag and the podcast. I’m relatively new to motorcycling having cycled to work in Central London for the past four years. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount of friendly nods I get from fellow bikers and especially grateful to those on bikes (and on four wheels) who point out when I have left my indicators on.

As a daily commuter, I do have a couple of observations/complaints about some of my adopted community that I’d like to share with you.

I can’t speak for other cities, but there are hundreds of bicycle ‘boxes’ at busy traffic light junctions across London. In case anyone reading is unaware of the concept, the idea is that a cyclist gets a split-second to make a getaway when the lights change before bigger traffic inevitably speed past them. Quite how an eight feet head-start helps you get ahead of even a 50cc moped is questionable, but that’s the arrangement we currently have.

I lose count of the number of mopeds and motorbikes I see in these boxes. Cars too, of course, but these seem more often than not to be caught out by trying to creep across a junction as lights have changed to red.

With motorbikes there seems to be a section of our community that view the boxes as a place to get a head-start on other motorised traffic. They’re not. Not unless your bike has pedals.

Look at the picture on the Tarmac beneath you. PEDALS. Does your bike look like that? No? Then what are you doing there?

So can I make a plea? Can I please encourage my fellow bikers to tell those on motorbikes who occupy these cyclist boxes not to (funnily enough cyclists are often too frightened to complain to someone wearing full body armour and a helmet). But I also have one final gripe I often see. If you do overtake cyclists on a motorcycle at a junction, could you please refrain from setting off at high speed/revs next to them?

You have no idea how frightening the sound of your engine can be or intimidating your presence can be alongside a push bike. There are no more vulnerable occupants of the road than cyclists and as fellow bicyclists we should be a little more considerate of those without an engine.

Thanks, Matt Keen Email Hi Matt, thanks very much for this letter and your point of view about cyclist/motorcyclist interactions at junctions. I’m pretty sure that this letter will provoke quite a bit of response from the MCM readership, so hopefully we can have some lively and varied points of view on these very pages soon. TC

It occurred to me the other day we are now in the true era of the Golden Years. Some will definitely disagree, but let me explain.

I’ve now ridden on the road for 34 years and in that time I’ve owned quite a fair number of motorcycles, I’ve toured extensively, I’ve track dayed massively and I’ve done all sorts of things on the road, some of which now make me cringe. But in those memories I can’t remember a time when you had such a vast choice of bikes that did just about everything – road bike wise that is – not off road.

The 80s – wobbly two strokes and the first super sport four strokes, but have you ever returned to riding one today? They’re dreadful but I remember them better than that! Big fat tourers that were very dull.

The 90s – time for the first breed of light and fast bikes, but still by today’s standards nowhere near. Tourers were still fat. Maybe the VFR was OK? The 00s – super fast and fairly uncomfortable, tourers were still fat but getting a bit more fun for sure.

But what’s my point? Well, we now have a massive choice of hybrid bikes, light like a sports bike but comfy and able to tour AND they are bloody fast, the Yamaha Tracer, BMW XR, MV Agusta Veloce and of course Ducati

A fine route

Hi there. I have just been up the A712-713 to Ayr from Dumfries. The 713 is a great ride and I wanted to share this with other readers of MCM. From my home on Walney Island in Cumbria to Ardrossan and the return trip it is 500 miles, which I cover on my Honda NC750X with DCT. The bike’s a

Multistrada to name but a few. Bikes that can and do everything as a road bike and even a track bike if you desired – the Golden Years!

Great paper.

Regards Gary Lydford Email

dream to ride, returning a clear 80mpg while I travel along in sixth gear. I visit the Electric Brae, which is nine miles from Ayr and get the ferry across to Arran for a 60 mile-long trip around the island.

Big MCM fan!

Regards Tony George Email

Hi Gary, I couldn’t agree with you more. It seems that with every year that passes, motorcycles in every single sector get better and better at the entire range of disciplines we can throw at two wheels. It makes me very excited about what is going to appear in the next five or 10 years! TC

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15

16 NEWS

2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT - official pictures

These are the pictures of the new KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. It’s the half-tourer and half-super naked bike that will spearhead the Austrian firm’s range next year.

Words: Tony Carter According to factory sources, the bike might look like the current 1290 Super Duke R with an easier riding position and revised bodywork but the reality is that this motorcycle is more of a crossover between the big road naked and the company’s 1290 Super Adventure upright touring bike.

The engine has a smoother power delivery than the naked and it also gets a new fairing, new fuel tank, more space and comfort for both rider and passenger and a

high spec of standard equipment including cruise control, heated grips, quickshifter, adjustable windscreen, traction control, ABS, stability control MSC, new seat shape and material, three riding modes, semi-active suspension, LED headlights and cornering lights (just like the Super Adventure 1290). As MCM went to press there was no news about the UK price but the bike will be available in UK dealerships by the end of the year.

The 1290 Super Duke GT is a combination of KTM’s Super Adventure bike and the Super Duke big naked. More comfort and a bigger petrol tank than the roadster combined with loads of mile-munching tech in one package.

BMW reveals stunt G310 in Brazil But really, this is THE 300cc single cylinder, beginner friendly bike that’s coming for 2016!

Yes, this is a stunt concept bike from the German company – but what we’re actually looking at here is a bigger-capacity version of the 300cc roadster we’re all expecting from BMW in the near future.

The BMW Concept Stunt G310 was launched in Brazil at the start of October and in sheer looks alone, it’s a funky bike. At the core of the Stunt G310 concept is a single-cylinder engine. The cylinder head has been reclined back towards the rider and rotated 180 degrees in order to create a super-short wheelbase, with an extra-long swingarm, for the concept.

Also, check out the exhaust routing and exit – mounted vertically, right next to the rear shock. BMW says

this is to protect the exhaust can from getting damaged in a crash, though we imagine it’s at the expense of suspension fade, so it could end up in this position when the road model appears.

Guy Martin to race again just 14 weeks after breaking back

Guy Martin is to make his RETURN to racing 14 weeks after he broke his back in the Ulster GP event.

In early August Guy, 33, broke his back, smashed his sternum and suffered very serious shoulder injuries in a horrific 130mph crash in the Dundrod 150 race at the Irish road meeting.

Four days after the crash Guy discharged himself from Belfast hospital and he was back at work the next day. Since then he’s spoken about how and when (and if ) he’ll race again and has just announced that he will take part in the treacherous road race in Macau, China on November 19-22.

The last time Guy raced there was in 2008. He crashed out of practice on the tricky Armco-lined road circuit and was injured so badly that he couldn’t take part in the races.

17

Triumph Dealers and MCM are proud to support the Prostrate Cancer Foundation

18 WORKSHOP

Words by: Rupert Paul

THE

£31

DO OMMIE

The asking price was actually a bottle of wine, but I thought the 30,000-mile 1990 Dominator was such a good deal that I splashed out on two seriously good reds to give my friend Simon. Little did I know he was the one getting the bargain.

I liked Dommies when they were new and I hoped this would be a cheap way to get reacquainted.

My plan was to spend the absolute minimum to get a bike that goes,

This Honda NX650 cost a mere £31 to buy. But it needed a front-to-back restoration. So is a cheap runner really a bargain – or just a big money pit?

stops and handles (but doesn’t necessarily look) like new. Previous owner Simon’s plan had been to run the wretched thing through winter salt and then leave it in a damp garage.

Discs, calipers, forks, shock, linkage, wheels and fasteners were all in a horrible state. On top of that, the oil-drenched engine wouldn’t tick over and emitted random pops and bangs on the ride home. But the frame had been recently powder-coated, the black paint was deep and lustrous and the fork gaiters hid smooth, unpitted stanchions. How bad could it be?

How bad could it be?

I soon found out when I took several armfuls of steel and aluminium parts down to my local blast cleaner. Salt had attacked the engine mounting plates so thoroughly it was if they had been gnawed by rats. Parts of the rear brake caliper mounting bracket were suffering from what looked like osteoporosis. But all the bits were structurally sound and after a coat of gloss black or Simoniz Three Wheel Steel they looked presentable. Honda

gave the shock a protective plastic shroud which, needless to say, had filled with salt water. But after blasting it went off to Falcon Engineering in Dorset (falconshockabsorbers.co.uk).

If you want a basic rebuild, Robin Packham’s your man. He can pull most non-rebuildable units apart, clean everything up, fit new PTFE piston rings and a new chrome rod if necessary, and cut a thread for a new cap. The result is better than new, and in my opinion £180 well spent. As for the forks, I just blasted and repainted the sliders, and gave them an oil change. Similar good vibes came from the other blasted parts. The twin downpipes cleaned up well and got a coat of lead oxide, followed by some excellent Techkote high temperature paint from B&C (bandcexpress.co.uk). The linkage had put up a fight – its seized bearings only came out with lots of blowtorch and vice action, but with genuine new needle roller bearings and seals (£91 from David Silver davidsilverspares. co.uk) it looked new. The swingarm came up perfectly too and because its needle roller bearings were a more

WORKSHOP 19

normal 26mm size they only cost a tenner at the local bearing factor. It’s always worth trying them first.

I spent hours cleaning up the oil-splurged wiring with white spirit and a toothbrush, and teasing the rusty but newish O-ring chain back to life with paraffin. Eventually, the moment came when the entire frame was good enough to eat off. Not that I tried it. I just bolted the wheels and suspension back on (new head bearings, obviously), pushed it outside and admired it in the sunshine. Everything else I’d removed from the bike was still filthy and in fact cleaning away oil and corrosion was easily the most time-consuming part of the 18-month project.

The engine work, as needed

I probably could have done the carb myself but I’d just had loads of carb grief with another bike and noticed the Dominator’s pilot jet was seized in. So I sent it off to carb specialist Mike Davies at JRS (jrs.uk.com). His service was superb and although it cost £110 with the new parts and machining, it took a weight off my

mind. And with the engine finally in bits I had plenty else to worry about.

A wrecked gearchange shaft meant I’d had to split the cases, but before I got that far I found severe top end wear on the Honda’s radial cam followers and central camshaft journal, and a crack at the spark plug hole. There was no way I could afford a new head and cam, and the only way to get used parts was to buy an outrageously expensive used engine which, for all I knew, was just as bad. Welding the head seemed an uncertain solution too. Eventually I met a previous owner of the bike who told me the crack had been there when the barrel had been rebored years ago. And cam specialist Phil Joy (01279 730682) told me that the scored central journal wasn’t critical, as the cam used two outer ball bearings. I found a dealer in the USA selling new XR650 cams for £75.

The XR uses the same engine, so I crossed my fingers it would fit. Apart from having a longer peg to locate the decompressor cam, it did. David Silver supplied two new rockers and two sub-rockers for £70.

Getting it back together

The Dommie’s motor is ridiculously easy to assemble. I downloaded the relevant factory manual pages at Mac’s Honda NX650 Network, and set to it. The soot-covered piston was fine and cleaned up beautifully with wood ash and 00 wire wool. With new rings and a hone by local engineers Q Prep (qprep.co.uk) it was good as gold. I scraped the scored central journal smooth, fitted genuine valve guide oil seals and did the rebuild using a pattern gasket set from Wemoto (wemoto. com). You can’t beat that first fi re-up after a rebuild. first fire-up rebuil I listened carefully for top end rattles, but none appeared. Hardly daring to hope the engine was OK, I splashed out on a set of Dunlop Trailmax tyres and started running it in. After 500 miles of up-to-5000rpm action I checked the valve clearances. They were still perfect. Result! But

then I noticed the blued, warped rear disc. A bit of dirt in the rear master cylinder – the one thing I hadn’t stripped and cleaned – had caused the pads to drag. A second new disc was yet another £50. After 1000 miles the novelty of a 650 single wore off, and I sold the Dommie to a mate’s brother for £800. Was the whole experience worth it? Yes and no. I enjoyed bringing a basket case back from the dead, but it had cost me £1100. I’d do it again, but not with a bike as knackered as that one was.

20

OUT AND ABOUT 21

Touring withh my Dad: The Emerald Isle and the Wild Atlanttic Way

Words and pictures: Anndrew Prendergast

Over the years I have been lucky enough to wander all over the place with my Dad riding motorbikes from locations as diverse as Applecross in Scotland to the Dolomites in Italy. It came to that time of the year again when my ‘old man’ and I do our annual motorbike trip. The question was where to go.

After a chinwag with Dad we decided we were heading west… to the Emerald Isle and the Wild Atlantic Way in particular. We settled on Ireland for a few reasons. Firstly, it was meant to be breathtakingly beautiful and we had never explored it. Secondly, it’s ‘on the doorstep’ and while it’s fun riding on the Continent the costs can quickly mount up and we were on a budget. The aim was simple. Enjoy some good times with my Dad that without breaking the bank. Now how to get there and begin the grand tour…

The two ZZR1400s were loaded with the bare essentials. I opted for a Baglux tank bag and a bag in the Givi top box. Dad also had a top box but went with a Held bag on the pillion seat as he struggled with the reach over a tank bag. Being a little short in the leg department, his ZZR1400 had just been fitted with a Lust Racing lowering kit (a top recommendation if you need to make your bike more manageable).

We had a precious seven days so we zipped across England and Wales and caught a ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare. Four hours later we saw the Emerald Isle shimmering in the sun. It was going to be a good trip.

The Wild Atlantic Way is on the west coast so we skirted across Ireland via Cork for a night out to sample the local delicacy… a jar (or two) of the black stuff. If we had the time I could have happily spent a few nights there as every other pub has superb live music and there is a real buzz about the place. It’s a melting pot of the indigenous Irish and just about every other nationality providing that trademark warm Irish hospitality. You will not find anywhere friendlier!

However, the Wild Atlantic Way was calling and from Cork the real riding began and we took the scenic route over a pass towards the ever-luring

west coast. It was at this point that the penny really dropped as to why this place is affectionately called the Emerald Isle. I challenge anyone to find anywhere that has such lush, green countryside with epic views imposing mountains ranges. It is a truly spectacular place. One thing to bear in mind is that any mountain pass or twisty country road will take you four times longer than you think so you need to build in time if you take the ‘scenic route’. In addition, while the ZZR1400 is a cracking bike, a mountain goat it is not and it was sometimes hard work on the bumpy stuff.

Several hours later we hit the Wild Atlantic Way just south of Glengarriff.

The ZZR1400s came into their own and lapped up the N71 as we headed north. It is a truly glorious piece of road with smooth Tarmac, big sweeping bends and the expanse of the Atlantic to the left. Glengarriff itself is located on Bantry Bay, literally where the mountains meet the sea and it is the natural gateway to the Beara Peninsula. Before we ventured

The ZZR made a great touring bike, handy when you need a bit of speed, too!

The landscape lends itself to many perfect moments from the back of a motorcycle.

Father flip-face and son with shades.

through the gateway we needed fuel... but not the unleaded type.

Two portions of Irish stew and a cuppa for my old man later, we headed north to Killarney, which we used as our ‘basecamp’ to explore more of the Wild Atlantic Way. At this point I thanked my lucky stars for the internet because in typical style we had made no booking and I can testify that Killarney is a busy place in August. However, for a very reasonable £35 per head you can get a good room in a small hotel or guesthouse (we stayed in three different places in Killarney) that include a full cooked breakfast and buffet to set you up for the day.

Killarney is a vibrant, pretty little town overflowing with history and heritage. There is no city hustle or bustle here and it is a good place to feast on local food or kick back in the endless number of pubs where you will always find someone singing or playing an instrument. I can’t stress enough how easy it is to be a visitor in this town and you can see why people come back time and time again.

Waiting for the off, on green and black options.

Geographically, Killarney is a great base to explore. Nestled about 10 miles west of Killarney is the Gap of Dunloe, a must-see for any visitor.

Imagine a scene out of The Hobbit.

The trail is a narrow mountain pass that cuts between MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and Purple Mountain. The Gap is a popular tourist attraction and you will have to give way to horse-drawn traps but the views are worth it. On the day we trundled through the Gap we deliberately went at a leisurely pace to take in the scenery and a cream tea at a café.

Over the course of the next few days we feasted on a full Irish in the morning and went out exploring during the days. I would recommend riding the whole of the ‘Ring of Kerry’ but a lot of the highlights are usually found in getting off the main N70 road, away from the tourist traffic and losing yourself on the mountain passes and back roads. In short, you can’t go wrong for views if you are happy hitting the bumpy stuff in places.

Next on our hit list was the Dingle

More room on the ferry than you might think!

22 OUT AND ABOUT Peninsula. Location-wise Dingle itself is a harbour town that looks out over to the Blasket Islands. The peninsula has an imposing range of mountains that form its ‘backbone’ with a coastline that consists of sandy beaches broken by steep sea cliffs.

We spent the day riding clockwise in order to avoid the large tour buses that frequent the route, stopping so the hordes can get their holiday snaps. The road twists and snakes with hairpins hugging the coastline. If you don’t like heights then do not ride in Ireland. While tourism appears to be the staple source of income in the area, the locals have got it nailed and it isn’t spoilt. There are no high-rise developments, no chain restaurants and by and large there are just good honest people providing good honest service.

It was at this point that Dad and I wanted another three weeks to explore Ireland but the clock was ticking. However, as we directed our bikes in a homeward direction we managed to get in Connor Pass.

In hindsight our previous few days

It looks nothing like it did in the hand-drawn brochure.

riding was good training, as it is the highest mountain pass in Ireland.

It crosses the Brandon Mountains and there are staggering views of the coast. We stopped in the car park at the top to soak it all in. After chatting to a friendly chap at the top who was basically a ‘wandering minstrel’ playing his guitar, the phrase ‘what goes up must come down’ sprang to mind. We hopped back on the Kwaks and took the road that carries on down towards Brandon Bay past cliffs, a waterfall and lakes.

After hard mountain riding we stretched the legs of our trusty steeds on the awesome Irish motorways and headed to Dublin for our last night before catching the ferry the next day.

For city sights Dublin is unique and we lost ourselves in a labyrinth of streets around Temple Bar having a final pint or two of the black stuff and singing along to the usual Irish tunes.

All in all, riding the Wild Atlantic Way was an unbelievable trip with my Dad that didn’t cost a fortune so it was a case of mission accomplished in my view.

When in Ireland, you’ve got to really.

The cycle was there on arrival.

Ireland’s roads are superb for touring on a motorcycle.

Man and bikes in reflective mood by a big bit of grey water and great land.

23

24 WHAT’S ON

Great Rides #5 – Norfolk Run Directions

● Starting from Holt Market Place, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6BE ● Head west on the Market Place

towards High Street and continue on High Street for 0.1 miles. Then turn left onto Norwich Road/A148 for 0.2 miles.

● Take the first left onto B1145 and

● Turn left onto A47 and go 0.9 miles travelling east.

● Take the first left onto Back Lane/

● At the roundabout, take the third

exit onto A11 and go 1.9 miles.

● At the roundabout, take the third

This route takes in the Norfolk countryside as well as market towns and even a forest and the road between Shipdham and Watton offers the ‘Shipdham Bends’, which are a series of consecutive S bends.

The route starts and ends in the town of Holt, a small Georgian town that was destroyed by fire in 1708 and most of the medieval buildings were burnt down. The town was rebuilt in the style of the day hence the Georgian style of the buildings.

Holt is also home to one of the preserved stations on the North Norfolk Railway, or ‘The Poppy Line’, which runs to Sheringham.

Further along the route is the town of Thetford, which is traditionally thought to be the royal home of Queen Boudica, Queen of a Celtic tribe called the Iceni. There have been excavations in Thetford that have unearthed finds that suggest Thetford

About the group

This route was put together by the Norfolk Advanced Motorcyclists group (NAM), which was formed in 1984 with the aims of raising the standards of riding among motorcyclists, promoting road safety and enjoying progressive riding.

They offer opportunities to develop riding skills and encourage and support their members to become Advanced Riders.

They also encourage their members to continue improving

then continue on the B1145 for 9.8 miles.

● Turn right to stay on B1145 and

towards Watton. Continue to follow A1075 for 21.1 miles.

About the route

for 115ft.

B1146 and follow B1146 for 1.2 miles.

● Exit onto Tavern Lane/A1075

beyond the standard test. The social aspect of the group is also important, with members taking part in track-training days, off-roading, touring and race schools.

It also has regular rideouts, weekends away and occasional trips abroad.

People are more than welcome to come and meet them.

For more details, see the website www.n-a-m.co.uk

exit onto B1145 and continue for 12.9 miles.

● Continue to follow B1110 for 17.4 ● Continue onto Quebec Road/

was an important tribal centre during the late Iron Age and early Roman times.

Thetford Forest is also on the route, which is a place open to the public, and where you can unwind walking along the forest trails or try ‘Go Ape’, an exciting treetop adventure.

All in all, this route offers the rider the peace of the countryside, exciting roads and interesting, historical towns.

● At the roundabout, take the third

● Turn right onto A1065 and travel

miles.

Words by Jayne Clements

exit onto Queen Elizabeth Way/ A149. Continue for 2.0 miles going through one roundabout.

● At the roundabout, take the third

exit onto Thornage Road/B1110

If you fancy a route that’s got a bit of everything then this 112-mile-long route has it, plus it takes in the delights of Norfolk – which is a huge plus

● At the roundabout, take the fourth

travel 62ft.

B1145. Continue to follow B1145 for 3.6 miles. ● Turn right onto Fakenham Road/

A1067 and travel 0.6 miles. The total distance travelled so far: 96.2 miles. ● Turn left onto Norwich Road/

exit onto A134.

B1145 and continue to follow B1145 for 8.0 miles.

● Head north-west on A134 for 4.8

● Turn left on B1149 and travel

● Turn left to stay on A134. Travel

● At the roundabout, take the

miles. The total travelled so far – 46.6 miles. for 6.9 miles, going through one roundabout. ● At the next roundabout, take

the third exit and stay on A134.

Continue on A134 for 10.1 miles, going through one roundabout. ● At the roundabout, take the third

exit onto Lynn Road/A10 and follow A10 for 3.7 miles.

north-west, going through one roundabout for 7.7 miles.

second exit onto Norwich Road/ A148 and travel a distance of 0.2 miles. ● Turn right onto High Street and

go 0.1 miles.

● Turn left and your destination will be on the left, Market Place, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6BE. Total distance travelled: 112.2 miles.

WHAT’S ON 25

Out and about this month?

Try these events...

OCTOBER 2015 23 Classic Bike & Car Meet, The Victoria, Coalville, Leics LE67 3FA. Tel 01530 814718. www.vicbikerspub.co.uk 24 Kempton Bike Jumble, Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 5AQ. www.egp-enterprises.co.uk 25 12th Suffolk Autojumble, Church Farm, Kettleburgh, near Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 7LF Tel. 01728 724858 (before 9pm) 25 South of England ‘Real Classic’ Show & Bikejumble, South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TL. Tel 01797 344277 www.elk-promotions.co.uk 25 35th Malvern Classic Motorcycle Show & Jumble, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW. Tel 01484 667776. www.classicshows.org 25 Huddersfield Autojumble Rally.

Jeff 07795 505388. http://phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 25 Rat, Brat, Bobbers, Choppers & Rat Rods, Ace Cafe London NW10 7UD. www.ace-cafe-london.com 25 MotoGP – Malaysia. www.motogp.com 25 Autojumble, Manchester Road, Rixton, near Warrington WA3 6EA. T Taylor 07860 648103.

29 LE Velo (Lancs & S Lakes) Barley Visitor Centre, 11 for 12.

Tel 01772 782516.

29-1 Nov International Dirt Bike Show,

Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ. www.classicbikeshows.com 30 Classic Bike & Car Meet, The Victoria, Coalville, Leics LE67 3FA. Tel 01530 814718. www.vicbikerspub.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2015 1 Penrith Autojumble. Penrith Auction Mart, Skirsgill, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0DN. Ian Sherrard 07836 331324 (day) or 01772 323654 (6-8pm). www.garstangautojumbles.co.uk 1 VMCC (Northampton) Rocket Run. Hunsbury Country Park, 10.30am.

Dave Mead 01327 342570.

1 Ton Up Day – England Expects, Ace Cafe London NW10 7UD. www.ace-cafe-london.com 1 Charterhouse Classic Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia Auction, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN. 01935 812277.

6 Classic Bike & Car Meet, The Victoria, Coalville, Leics LE67 3FA. Tel 01530 814718. www.vicbikerspub.co.uk 7-8 The Footman James 15th Classic Vehicle Restoration Show, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN. 7 Rufforth Autojumble, Rufforth Park, York YO23 3QH. www.rufforthautojumble.com 8 LE Velo (Lancs & S Lakes) Kirkland,

near Garstang (Autojumble nearby) 10am. 01772 782516.

8 Garstang Autojumble, Hamilton House Farm, Garstang, Preston PR3 0TB. Ian Sherrard 07836 331324 (day) or 01772 323654 (6-8pm). www.garstangautojumbles.co.uk 8 Poppy Day Parade & Service – Military Vehicle Meet, Ace Cafe London NW10 7UD. www.ace-cafe-london.com 8 MotoGP – Valencia. www.motogp.com 8 Autojumble, Manchester Road, Rixton, near Warrington WA3 6EA. T Taylor 07860 648103.

13 Classic Bike & Car Meet, The Victoria, Coalville, Leics LE67 3FA. Tel 01530 814718. www.vicbikerspub.co.uk 13-15 The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, The NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT. Tel 0844 854 1354. www.necclassicmotorshow.com 15 ’Normous Newark, Newark Showground, Notts NG24 2NY. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 15 VMCC (Northampton) Memorial Run. Brixworth Country Park, 10.30am.

Mick Sawyer 01604 592666.

15 Bike Day, Ace Cafe London NW10 7UD. www.ace-cafe-london.com 19 LE Velo (Lancs & S Lakes) Knott Working Men’s Club, (fish & chips), 11 for 12. Tel 01772 782516.

20 Classic Bike & Car Meet, The Victoria, Coalville, Leics LE67 3FA. Tel 01530 814718. www.vicbikerspub.co.uk

Go to the International Dirt Bike Show to catch this new Bultaco Brinco If you’re up for a trip this month, get yourself along to the IDBS on October 29 to November 1, when you can see this bike on show.

Bultaco, the reborn Spanish bike-maker that concentrates on electric cycles (pedelecs) and motorcycles, has launched this Brinco, an electric off-roader that, in its fastest form, tops 38mph.

There are a family of Brincos, all of them powered by 2Kw motors developing 60Nm of torque. The Brinco S is the first road-legal ‘speed’ pedelec in the UK. It is limited to 28mph, which puts it into the same class as a 49cc moped, and has full road equipment including headlight,

mirror, reflectors, passenger seat, side stand, horn and rear mudguard with number plate bracket.

Price-wise, Bultaco will only say that the Brinco S will cost less than 6000 Euro (£4260), so it’ll certainly be pricey for a moped. But it looks like the overall spec will reflect the price, including 203mm disc brakes at both ends, 24-inch motorcycle wheels, adjustable upside down forks and rear monoshock and a 1.3Kwh lithium-ion battery that recharges in three hours.

Three riding modes (Sport, Tour and Eco) are selectable and Bultaco say the Brinco should manage “over 80km” (50 miles) in Eco mode.

26 SIX MONTHS WITH

HALF A YEAR LATER...

After six months of living with some of the best motorcycles of 2015, there's lots to learn. From track-happy GSX-S fun times to touring on a Ducati Scrambler – it's been quite an in-depth way of learning the ins and outs of the popular bikes from the past year.

Tweaking it As I come to the end of my time with the bike I've been thinking about changing a few bits on the Beemer.

In truth, I’ve been pretty impressed with the raw package of the model,

A new set of bits and pieces have added some extra to the BMW R1200R

but that didn’t stop me taking a peek at the huge range of goodies BMW produces for the R1200R – check out the model’s accessories at www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk.

From engine spoilers to multiple seat options, adjustable footrests to an Akrapovic sports silencer, the bolt-on options for this bike are really impressive. If I owned it, I wouldn’t be able to help myself from whipping out the credit card and going on a bit of a spending spree, but with only a few

months left with the ‘R’ in my garage, I thought it wiser to improve the bike practically, rather than aesthetically.

On longer journeys, often meaning long stints of motorway, the naked bike’s lack of wind protection has been a bit of a bind. It came to me with a short ‘Sport’ screen fitted, which has been perfect for blasting around on my more local rides. But I was curious to see how much the bike’s protection levels could be enhanced, which prompted me to order in the ‘High’ windscreen option (priced at £186).

It fitted a doddle, simply requiring four screws to be removed from the existing screen and a few grommets

to be pressed into place on the new scratchproof plastic, before tightening it all back up again. The £35.50 bracket’s the same for both screen options, so you don’t have to buy a second mounting plate if you fancy both screen heights in your life.

While I can’t deny I prefer the look of the ‘Sport’ screen, I much favour the protection of the taller and wider ‘High’ screen. At quicker speeds it definitely reduces the amount of wind pressure hitting your chest. My helmet still feels pretty exposed, but it would on any naked. I’ve not tested it on any really long journeys yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to be a lot more comfortable in the future.

The other change I’ve made this month is to the bike’s tyres. The Michelin Pilot 4s fitted as standard have been awesome in all kinds of weather and temperatures. They’ve warmed up quickly, given good feedback and I’ve never once had any moments on them. I like their profiles, too, which seem to complement the Beemer’s stable handling by rolling predictably into corners.

With the best part of 4000 miles to their name, they’re not in a terrible state and are probably good for a few thousand miles more, before they start squaring off too much. But with time against me, I’m keen to experience the BMW with some new shoes fitted. Having recently tested a bike with Pirelli’s Angel GTs on-board, and being really impressed by their performance, I’ve opted to try a set out. They have plenty of tread on show, so I’m hoping they’ll be a good choice for the predictable wet and

cold weather that comes to play each autumn.

Other than that everything else on the bike’s the same. I like the R1200R so much I can’t think of what else I’d want to add that could genuinely improve it. It’s got all the power I want, the handling’s bob-on and it has proven more than comfortable enough for me, especially so with the new screen in place. One other interesting thing to note is how improved the economy has become.

More recently, I’ve been averaging tanks between 48-51mpg. That’s a huge improvement on where the bike was at when I first got it, though I don’t feel as though I’m riding it any differently. I guess the Boxer’s finally bedded itself in. Happy days.

and high bars turn you into a sail unless you’re licking the paint off the tank; 3 The brakes seem vague at full pressure when compared to the GSX-R, and I don’t know why – I assume it’s a combination of hard braking and the sail effect of popping up into the wind when hard on the brakes at high speed. It’s the same brakes on the road and race bikes, after all.

But none of those niggles are serious enough to put a dampener on the sheer fun of riding the big S on track.

It’s sharp, responsive and pure fun. I

didn’t finish a lap without a screaming urge to do another.

On top of that you can factor in this – I put the TomTom Rider 400 sat-nav on the bike in the morning, rode for a couple of hours along some nice wiggly roads, then headed to the track, got there and rode all day on circuit and then rode back home.

On the same bike, in comfort and without issue.

For £9.5k that’s a helluva thing to say. And I can’t think of a bike I’d have had as much fun on doing a similar thing. Track box ticked. Awesome.

The rider

BRUCE WILSON Bruce is MSL’s deputy editor. An experienced road-tester, he’s ridden almost every bike built in the last 10 years and many more besides. At the weekends you’ll find him competing in endurance races (and winning) with his brother, or just pottering around the UK’s roads.

The bike

BMW R1200R SPORT EXCLUSIVE Cost new: £11,700 Performance: 125bhp, 92lb-ft Wet weight: 231kg Tank size: 18 litres Seat height: 790mm This month Miles: 415 Miles in total: 3642 Average mpg: 48.6 Highlights: Even better fuel economy Lowlights: Knowing our time together is coming to an end

The GSX-S is on track

It’s back to its roots for the Suzuki GSX-S1000 as MCM's editor takes on Silverstone’s short circuit on the back of the big blue...

Over the past few months with the big Suzuki, I kept asking myself THE question. Well, I say THE question like that because this is a very close sibling to arguably the greatest track lineage of motorcycles ever – the GSX-Rs. The rider

TONY CARTER The former editor of MSL and now editor of Motor Cycle Monthly, along with website MoreBikes.co.uk, Tony’s been riding almost 30 years. He currently owns a Suzuki RGV250 and a Yamaha YZR500 replica.

The bike

SUZUKI GSX-S1000A Cost new: £9499 Performance: 143.5bhp, 78lb-ft Wet weight: 209kg Tank size: 17 litres Seat height: 810mm This month Miles: 383 Miles in total: 884 Average mpg: 52 Highlights: Brilliant track fun PLUS road manners Lowlights: Can’t think of one (too roomy a seat for serious track riding… erm…)

So yeah, THE question will do to describe the one thing I was left really wanting to know about this bike – how it’d behave on track. After all, it’s an excellent road-going motorcycle, but life on the road (and the various elements you need to incorporate into a bike to make it so manageable on pot-holed Tarmac) doesn’t always mean that the same motorcycle is going to be fun on circuit.

It often means that the bike is too safe, too lacklustre, for fun. In the effort to calm down 1000cc of prime beef so it’s manageable on the road a factory can sometimes smooth things out way too much, or leave you with dozens of electronic systems to attempt to disable.

With the Suzuki – I’m delighted to say – things aren’t quite like that.

Firstly, it’s two-switch-easy to turn off the electronic aids. Secondly, all that liveliness and energy that’s just-intouch reachable on the road romps into each session on track.

The chassis is great at pace.

Predictable and solid, but small and flickable. It feels like a 600 on the move. The riding position’s roominess

that saves a lot of pain on the road is, in reality, too roomy when you’re on track, so you have to wedge yourself into the bike more than you would normally, otherwise you slide about around the seat.

Fuelling is very instant on the track – ideal. I’ve mentioned that other riders have picked up on the fuelling – criticising it – but I am now surer of saying that there is very little wrong here. Yep, it’s a bit snatchy but so what? This is a GSX-R in all but name, it SHOULD be slightly aggressive and hard-edged.

Engine-wise the motor may ‘only’ have 143bhp but it’s enough. I could hold onto the back of 2015 Yamaha R1s and GSX-R1000s without stress down Silverstone’s back straight, and the punch out of the turns was only marginally slower than the more pure race-bred bikes. Impressive throughout.

For me there are three things that niggle about this bike on track: 1 The footrests go down way too early (its lean angle is limited by the height of the pegs for the relaxed riding position); 2 The riding position

SIX MONTHS WITH 27 The rider

Steve Rose Steve Rose has been riding for 32 years and still gets far too giddy about every motorcycle he rides: “The best bike in the world is the last one I rode.” Worrying then that he was senior road tester on the UK's two biggest motorcycle monthlies. He owns a 1991 Yamaha TDR250 and is currently scanning eBay for a Yamaha FZR1000R, MZ TS150 or a 1980s chopper called Feline Fantasy.

The bike

Honda VFR800 Price: £10,499 Performance: 105bhp, 55lb-ft Wet weight: 239kg Seat height: 789/809mm Tank size: 21.5 litres This month Miles: 341 Miles in total: 2386 Average mpg: 51 Highlights: Styling, engine, comfort, chassis, economy (is that enough highlights?)

Lowlights: Finish not as special as some previous VFRs

Vee-Four Velocity Meet my new office… the 2015 Honda VFR800. As an office it’s rubbish; no water cooler, no constantly updating laptop, no witty colleagues or preening alpha males. No cup holders, no sat nav, no Bluetooth or massage seats. Crazy.

Apparently we no longer need to go to meetings in Weybridge, Colnbrook, Bourne End and Hinckley. Some new-fangled technology called FaceSkype or some such means we can spend even longer sat in front of a screen and talk to marketing people in the Home Counties while scratching our out-of-sight hairy-dudes beneath the table. Doing this saves on the requirement to queue in a car for eight hours, to take part in a two-hour

meeting, drink over-priced coffee and crash on the way home through exhaustion.

I have a better suggestion. Buy a VFR800 and get to the meetings in record time instead. My working life currently consists of many meetings in some Counties a long way from Home. A long and very dull plod from the Wolds to Woking is made considerably more entertaining by the addition of Honda’s VTEC. The VFR is brilliant on these long slogs. The seat stays comfy for three hours, it does an easy 200 miles per tank and is as accomplished slicing through traffic as it is in stealth mode, being fast and polite when the traffic thins.

It may not look it but Steve has discovered that his VFR800 is actually the perfect executive sled To relieve the boredom on the many motorway miles, I’ve developed a new game through the variable speed limit zones – those gantried sections of road that seem to cover half the network these days. In rush hour they genuinely seem to keep the traffic flowing, which is brilliant, but most of the time that I’m in them the traffic has vanished but the lights are still on – a bit like setting the timer to run too late on your central heating. I find these stretches dangerous.

My concentration drops away really quickly, so I’ve developed a solution...

Drop down to second gear – keeping the engine just above where the VTEC kicks in – and accelerate away from the gantry as fast as I possibly can. The

aim is to hit full throttle in at least two gears before braking as hard as I dare as the next one approaches. I haven’t managed it yet, mainly because the VFR’s throttle cable seems to have been designed for a bike with a throttle twice the diameter. One full rotation of my wrist is nowhere near enough to get there.

This is all a bit pointless anyway, because the quick-revving motor is bouncing off the redline way before I get close. It’s a great game though – you’ll be surprised how rapidly this sports tourer accelerates when asked rudely, and even more surprised how quickly it stops when there’s a gantry approaching.

But more than that, it’s the stability

on the brakes that really impresses. A combination of good suspension set-up, smart geometry that allows quick steering and stability, plus a simple-but-effective ABS system for back up. I used to dislike Honda’s linked CBS brakes, but the latest versions, linked to ABS, are superb.

The other surprise with all this silliness is that I’m still averaging more than 50mpg. All this straight lining is taking its toll on the tyres though. The OE Dunlops are starting to flatten off in the middle, which makes corners a lot less fun than before. I’ve just ordered a set of Pirelli Angel GTs to replace them. Hopefully they’ll be fitted and scrubbed in by next week.

28 SIX MONTHS WITH

Scrambling about

480 miles on the back of a Ducati Scrambler sounds like touring bliss, but the truth is quite a bit wide of that happy mile-munching mark

The first thing I quickly came to realise as I prepared the Scrambler for a weekend jaunt up to Scotland was that there is a distinct lack of anything to secure my tail pack to. I was already travelling as light as I could for three days away, and even with that it was a struggle.

The problem is there are no hooks or anything similar – I ended up with a bit of a bodge job, which included managing to get some straps stuffed under the seat/rear mudguard, as well

as utilising the indicators, the pillion footrests and even the bottom of the number plate as bungee anchors.

Still, it all went in place and seemed reasonably secure before heading off to the Scottish borders.

As usual my departure was celebrated with another soaking. I was wet before I’d even made it up to the M180, where I called in to see a friend. I brimmed the petrol tank there before setting off westwards, then upwards and onto the A1. The

traffic was horrendous and with the rain it was rapidly becoming a nottoo-pleasant experience. Still, I was keeping warm and dry and cruising comfortably at a sensible motorway speed.

I stopped at services a couple of times for a warming cuppa, and had a chat with a nice Bandit-owning Geordie guy who was stood next to me in the coffee queue. He clocked my riding gear and deduced I was on the Scrambler.

Things started to get more miserable around Scotch Corner, as the traffic ground to a halt. The services were rammed too and chaos seemed to be the order of the day. That was nothing though compared to the A66, on which the traffic was at a standstill.

Luckily, the Scrambler is small, nimble and easy to handle at low speeds, so I was able to swerve my way through much of the traffic.

The problem was the carriageway was already down to single lanes and there had been a breakdown too. Eventually, I got to the front of the hold-up and sneaked through.

From there on the ride improved immeasurably, in fact the sun even came out. As I headed into Dumfries the skies darkened again, but I made it in dry weather. Just.

The weekend was spent with friends and we enjoyed several rides in the Borders area. My pal Duncan was out on his Vincent twin and it was nice to compare the two Vees, built

Two V-twins with a lot of history between them...

65-odd years apart, though (yet again) we took the obligatory soaking. On Sunday it was time to ride off home.

This time the traffic was sparse and I set off at a brisk pace, zipping along happily.

Once out of Scotland and across the A66 (which is actually a pretty nice road if the traffic is kind), we were soon back on the A1, tramping south. But this lack of stop, starts and interruptions, while a boon to progress, wasn’t so good on my backside.

Gradually, the Duke got more and more uncomfortable, until at one point I was getting really desperate to get off and move position. A 20-minute stop and we were back in the game.

So although the Scrambler is no tourer, it’s able to deal with it. You can’t say fairer than that.

The rider

James Robinson Editor of The Classic MotorCycle magazine, 36-year-old James passed his test in 1996 and has ridden and owned a wide range of bikes, spanning more than a century. The stable currently includes a 1992 Ducati 750SS, 1937 Velocette KTS, 1930 Sunbeam Model 9 and 1928 Rex-Acme TT8, among others…

The bike

Ducati Scrambler Classic Cost new: £8130 Performance: 74bhp, 50lb-ft Wet weight: 186kg Tank size: 13.5 litres Seat height: 790mm This month Miles: 800 Miles in total: 1866 Average mpg: 52 Highlights this month: A clear run along a nice bit of the A66 Lowlights this month: The numb bum after a couple of hours

It’s turning into a love thing…

A brief affair with a sportier model makes Joe see what he really has in the V-Strom...

Joe's love for the middleweight Suzuki is set so deep after the summer that not even a mighty Yamaha R1M (pictured right) can convince him to swap bikes.

The rider

JOE DICK Photographer Joe Dick has been into bikes since was an ankle-biter. Riding his first motorcycle not long after he learnt to walk, he’s ridden (and raced) a wide range of bikes, though he’ll admit to preferring a lower seat, being 5ft 5in tall.

The bike

SUZUKI V-STROM 650XT Cost new: £7599 Performance: 68bhp, 44lb-ft Wet weight: 215kg Tank size: 20 litres Seat height: 835mm This month Miles: 781 Miles in Total: 2378 Average mpg: 52 Highlights: Appreciating just how good my everyday Suzuki is everyday!

Lowlights: Not getting to ride it more

The big eye-opener over the last few weeks has actually been from not riding the V-Strom.

First impressions of the new Yamaha R1M went along the lines of, ‘Crikey, this thing is amazing... and fast’. Tech galore and power to spin the earth backwards, it really is a great machine.

But in order to try the Yamaha, I had to go and get it. Riding the V-Strom in my Furygan Apex one-piece leathers wasn’t the comfiest proposition on the upright adventure machine, but it wasn’t so uncomfortable that I wanted to get off. In fact, once again the Suzuki proved itself in comfort, and getting off ended up as one

of the last things I wanted to do, especially when upon arrival the little 650 had returned 61.8 mpg... I’ve not seen a return like that in pretty much anything I’ve ever ridden or driven. It’s worth mentioning that it wasn’t the steadiest ride either.

Suzuki claims the bike is capable of over 70mpg and now I can believe it.

Practical, fun and cheap to run, this bike just gets better.

Yes, granted the R1M was everything you’d expect from the pinnacle of Yamaha sports bikes, and by heck did I enjoy my time with it. At 26 years old you’d think that I’d never want to give it back.

On the one hand I definitely didn’t. A 200bhp bike sat in the garage for a blow-out after a busy week, something to show off to the boys down the pub, or even just to have it so I can sit and stare at… it’s something I could definitely live with.

But after a while it was rather apparent that I’ve become used to the world of practicality to a greater degree than I thought. While the Yam was more than capable of returning an mpg in the mid-40s, I couldn’t help but think that for every 120 miles I did on the R1M, I could have done 180 on the V-Strom. After all, I’m married now and those extra pounds saved could go towards a new kitchen for the wife, because that’s more important than bikes, apparently.

In addition to that, I have to say that once I put my leg back over the Suzuki after being cramped up and holding on to what felt like 10 raging bulls, my little V-Strom put a massive smile on my face. I could ride without having my arms ripped off – or my head blown off unless I was tucked in – and I got to my destination feeling delightfully spritely rather than needing a snooze. Or a change of underwear.

All in all, how can I possibly dislike this amazing Suzuki? Some people would pick at little bits here and there on finish and suchlike, but you really can’t have a pop when it’s a sub-£8k bike that delivers such a big bang for the buck and economy that rivals most others.

SIX MONTHS WITH 29

Lincolnshire’s magnificent seven Roger leads the charge on the KTM 1290 Super Adventure As a long-term member of the International Motorcyclists Tour Club (IMTC), I was delighted to be leading a day out. A meet was organised at Nocton Heath Café, just south of Lincoln, for a 140-mile ride around some of the area’s quieter roads, most of which I have to say were minor, with many having grass growing up in the middle – superb for the KTM with its long suspension travel.

When any run is posted in the monthly IMTC mag the organisers always wonder just what the turnout will be. Fortunately, the weather was kind and a total of seven bikes met for a 10.30am start. Another machine turned up from Sheffield, but just joined us for breakfast.

Due to risk assessments now having to be completed for regional rideouts, the days have sadly passed when aimless runs, led by our hearts, were possible. Prior to the day the pre-runs were done, one about a month beforehand and a second a week prior, to ensure that no roads had been resurfaced or closed.

Breakfast over, we set off south of

Sleaford for a ride north to the Wolds.

After some 50 miles the attending bikes had their suspension tested by doing the ‘Wasps Nest’ loop – yes there is a village (well three houses and a farm) called Wasps Nest – give it a try if you’re in the area. It’s off the B1190 Bardney to Lincoln road.

The loop is of the undulating 30mph comfort suspension testing type, as opposed to the smoother and faster A-road test – I make this point as one of the guys was on his Honda CBR600 – he also owns a Gold Wing and a BMW 1200GS. I bet he was cursing me!

While on the subject of other machines, it was interesting to find that a total of 18 bikes were owned by the seven participating riders. The average age was 61 and three of us were just a year shy of 70. The lunch stop – in picnic style – was taken at Willingham Woods, near Market Rasen – an ideal break as toilets and refreshments are available. It’s a popular Lincolnshire bike meet that attracts upwards of 500 machines on any sunny Wednesday evening.

Picnic over and a short one-hour ride around the Wolds saw us conclude at a café in South Willingham, where ice creams, coffee and cakes were enjoyed.

The KTM rarely runs at such a sedate pace – I normally find myself riding a lot faster than I did on this trip – but it proved to be entirely suitable on this jaunt thanks to its all-day comfort, luggage capacity, visibility and fuelling – it excelled at the Wasps Nest of course. And with that well-controlled fuel management system, it even managed 54mpg on the day.

After saying my farewells to the group I hacked home on my own.

Over some 35 miles, the mpg dropped to 42, so I certainly appeared to have upped the pace somewhat. Okay, it’ll mean me reaching into my pocket a little more at the pump, but who cares? It nicely blew the cobwebs away and made my day’s ride even more memorable.

BELOW: A few of the IMTC magnificent...

The rider

Roger Jones Sixty-nine-year-old Roger Jones has been riding since he was 16 – first on a two-stroke Royal Enfield 150cc Prince. He’s owned 52 bikes, including an R100RS that he bought new in 1977 and still owns. He joined the International Motorcyclist Tour Club at the same time and still travels around 8000 miles a year. In 1984 he rode 970 miles in a day back from the Austrian GP on a 1984 K100RS. The bike

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE Cost new: £15,999 Performance: 160bhp, 103lb-ft Wet weight: 249kg Tank size: 30 litres Seat height: 860mm This month Miles: 730 Miles in total: 4980 Average mpg: 45 Highlights: Every ride in the dry Lowlights: Keeping other testers’ hands off the KTM

30 WATERPROOF GUIDE

Buyer’s Guide:

Waterproof oversuits

In each issue we’ll be focusing on one piece of riding kit and giving you advice so that you can get the most for your money. We’ll look at features and benefits, safety standards and bring you a few choices from different brands. Last issue we covered trousers. This time we’re talking about waterproof oversuits…

Words by: Carli Ann Smith Pictures by: Joe Dick A lot of riding gear out there is waterproof – thanks to membranes, liners and coatings – it may be that your trousers and jacket are already going to protect you from the elements. However, waterproof oversuits are great for sticking under your seat or keeping in your rucksack in case you get caught out or putting on over your gear in particularly heavy downpours at this time of year.

Fit

As with all your riding gear, the fit is extremely important. Suits need to be big enough so that you can get them on and comfortably with the rest of

One-piece

As the name suggests, a one-piece rainsuit consists of an oversuit with a zip down the front. Often the zip is longer than on conventional suits because it allows you to have more space to get in and out, plus it makes it easier to get it on over the top of your riding gear.

One-piece suits are favoured by a lot of people as they have no gap at the waist for rain to work its way into. On the flip side, they cannot be worn as separate pieces and can sometimes be bulky to fold up.

your riding gear on but not too big so it flaps in the wind and has too much material.

To get an idea of the size you require, take a look at the size of your riding gear and add on one or two sizes. If you’re a medium, check out an extra-large oversuit. However, be aware that sometimes manufacturers

Two-piece

With a two-piece suit, you have the option of wearing the jacket and trousers separately, for example, if it rains but you’re happy with your outer jacket to then keep you dry, th you can just wea wear the trousers and vica versa. Like the one-piece suit, the items are worn over the top of your riding gear with the main aim of keeping you dry. Sometimes you can buy the items separately too, so should you need to replace your jacket because you wear it more than your trousers, you can!

will have already anticipated what you want and adjusted their sizing.

As with most things, your best bet is to try one on in your local dealership or take a look at size guides online.

Fit can also refer to how small the suit folds up – if it’s something you’d like to carry around with you in case of an unexpected shower then consider whether it folds up small enough for you to comfortably carry it around in a rucksack, tank bag or under your seat.

Type

There are two main choices – one-piece or two-piece suits – this refers to the number of parts the suit has. Both of them have their pros and cons, so consider which suits you, your bike and your budget the best.

Colour

You might not be a big fan of hi-visibility clothing but the weather conditions in which you will be wearing the suit will be dark and miserable – therefore, consider getting a brightly-coloured oversuit or one with reflective piping on so that you can be seen easily by other road users.

An all-black suit may look the ‘coolest’ in the dealership but a rainsuit isn’t a particularly glamourous item so you may as well bite the bullet and get the one which protects you the most. Plus, no-one will be judging how cool you look in the wet stuff.

Price

There are waterproofs out there to suit every budget. Here’s our list of just some of the choice out there on the market, starting from just £12.99…

RST waterproof jacket and jeans Available from: www.rst-moto.com Jacket - £29.99 Jeans - £12.99

● 100%

waterproof PVC-coated nylon ● Velcro fastening in neck with front storm flap ● Elasticated waist and cuffs ● Four front pockets ● Arm pocket on jacket

Spada 407 one-piece oversuit £59.95 ● Waterproof

and windproof nylon ● Reflective badges ● Diagonal front zip opening and waist adjuster ● Zipped and elasticated cuffs and ankles ● Two-piece version available too Available from: www.spadaclothing.co.uk

Things to look for

A thin piece of material may not strike you as an item of protective clothing that will keep you safe, however it could make the difference between you concentrating fully on the road ahead or being distracted by the rain soaking through the crotch of your trousers.

RST Waterproof one-piece suit £49.99 www.rst-moto.com 1. Does it have a drawstring or elasticated neck to keep it tight?

2. Are the wrists and ankles elasticated to prevent water from getting in?

3. Is the size suitable and easy to get on over the top of your existing riding gear?

4. Do the zips have waterproof seals or weather seals over the top to prevent water from getting in?

5. Is it made from a breathable material? If not, it may be that you’re still ‘wet’ inside because of sweat being unable to escape.

6. Is the zip easy to operate with gloves or are they small and fiddly?

7. Does the material feel substantial? Will it rip when you’re struggling to put it on at the side of the road?

8. Are the seams sealed? Any break in the material will allow water in, so often the seams are sealed rather than sewn to prevent this.

9. Are there zips at the bottom to allow the suit to be put on with your boots on? There’s nothing worse than being stood at the side of the road and needing to take your boots off to get your suit on.

10. Are there pockets? Do you want pockets?

11. Is it adjustable? Can you pull it in at the waist or on the arms for a closer fit?

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TRIED AND TESTED 31

Furygan Fit-R glove

Tested by: Joe Dick l £129.99 l sizes XS –XXL l www.furygan.com The Furygan Fit-R glove. Put simply, I'm finding them so nice to wear that I don't ever want to take them off. Furygan has based the design of the glove from feedback direct from their racers and say that the glove is made to keep the rider in tune with the machine providing 'more precise' movement, and it shows. I've tested these gloves on the track and on the road over 2,500 miles, and I can't pick fault with them. They really are one of the comfiest gloves I have ever worn.

Granted they were a little stiff and tight at first, but after being caught out in a rain shower, they are well and truly bedded in and now feel so natural to wear because of it.

One thing I really like is that the link between the ring finger and little finger seems to have just a little bit more flex than other gloves I've worn, where it can really feel like the two fingers are stitched together unable to move. In addition to that nice little bit of flex another positive is the wrist and double

cuff adjusters. This really does help when putting the gloves on, be it over leathers, textiles, or anything else.

The gloves have also got an external protection shell for additional protection of that pesky scaphoid, metacarpals, palm, fingers and the side of your hand. Even with that addition of that level of armour, there's no sacrifice in comfort.

As to be expected from Furygan they've included multiple reinforcements in the leather and stitching. The gloves are pre-shaped which aid the comfort and feel when gripping the handlebars and they also have double leather layers and foam layers on areas exposed to abrasion during a crash.

The Fit-R is CE homologated as PPE and come in at a comparatively modest £129.99. Perhaps not the cheapest glove out there, but they definitely feel by far one of the best for me and are my now ‘ggo-to’ glove.

Quietly Does It

Tested by: Joe Dick l £19.95 l sizes one size l www.auritech.co.uk ‘’Sorry, you what mate, I can’t hear you’!” Yep, ear plugs. Something I’ve become accustomed to and accept the need for. Despite modern helmets being so good at protecting that bit on top of your shoulders, sonic protection is not something many can offer.

And while you may be comfortable blatting up the motorway with the noise of wind slamming your eardrums, the reality is that continue that and you will almost definitely effect your hearing.

Wind noises easily reach and exceed a level of 105db inside your helmet at motorway’s legal speeds, and yet permanent hearing damage can occur from as little as 85db. I should know because at 26-yeears old and with severe tinnitus affectting me I wish I’d worn earplugs fo or every ride much sooner in myy riding career.

Auritech offers a universal fittting earplug, simply called ‘biker’.

Auritech Biker offers wind and d road noise protection, are comfortaable, washable and reusable over an nd over again. Despite the ear plu ugs looking like simple rubbery treees, Auritech claim they’re precisio on tuned and use patented ceram mic filters inside which are the keyy in protecting those precious ear drums.

Their unique filtration still

allows for conversation, including intercoms or helmet headsets, as well as sirens and horns to remain audible, ensuring you’re still aware of the environment around you whilst riding. That’s a bonus over the squishy orange or yellow sponge plugs we’re used to seeing. I have to say, personally, I feel the protection from the cheap sponge plugs is more so than what Auritech offer, but there’s been a few situations where I’ve been unable to hear a thing because of it. That’s definitely a bonus for Auritech and after sticking a few hundred miles on them, I’ll be using them some more.

I also like the little metal carry case you can attach to your keyys. If I had a quid for every time I’ve lost my sponge plugs in my pocket... Well, I’d definitely be able to afford the Auritech Biker plugs, retailing at £19.95. Check them out at www ww ww. w auritech.co.uk

Dane Osted jacket & Lyngby trousers Tested by: Bruce Wilson | Jacket £499.99 / Trousers £399.99 | www.daneclothing.uk | 01892 457373 Before trying this kit I’d never even heard of Dane. A friend brought the brand to my attention and rated its kit really highly, so I figured I’d check it out for myself.

I needed a simple textile combo that could offer me good levels of protection and be able to fend off the worst of the British winter.

Something that was waterproof, windproof, breathable and had detachable layers – just in case we get that one glorious day of summer. I found all that in Dane’s Osted Gore-Tex Pro jacket and the zip-together Lyngby Gore-Tex Pro trousers, which are both made from a super-tough polyamide outer, with Armacor reinforcement on the most vulnerable of areas.

When the kit arrived I christened it in the Atlantic, quite literally; I got the chance to ride a bike on a beach in Ireland and was pretty chuffed to discover – after messing around in front of the cameras for far too long – that not a drop of water had made it through the drenched outer layers. You’d hope this to be the case with every hi-spec suit that you ride in, but as some of you are no-doubt aware, that’s not always the case.

According to the blurb on the kit’s tech, the surface of the garments are impregnated with a special dirt- and water-resistant polymer. And it appears to be repelling rather well so far.

That particular trip was also freezing, meaning I got a great appreciation for how warm the Dane textiles are. I had some under-layers beneath the suit and they combined with the removable inner liners to keep me toasty at all times. And that’s been the case ever since I got back. I’ve used the combo a lot over these past few months and they’ve never failed to impress with their comfort, and I also love the way they fit. The suit’s full of adjusters, so I can get

them to mirror my body’s shape shap quite well. I’m impressed too by b the trouser waist and the jacket jacke collar’s magnetic fasteners.

I don’t normally get excited about buttons, but the function of these two couplers is supersmooth and different to anything anythin else I’ve ever tested. The same goes for the bottoms of the trouser legs, which feature an additional pull-cord type closure closur system to help guarantee no moisture gets to your legs.

Throughout the jacket and trousers are an abundance of pockets; both inside and out.

They’re all placed in logical stowage positions, offering good stowag volume. Most importantly, the outer (and inner) pockets are waterproof – secured further from the elements by an overlapping rubber seal closure zip. My only criticism is that the mechanisms all seem to be a tad on the tough side to operate, but regular usage has helped ease the zipping process, and a quick squirt of silicone every so often helps.

Speaking of zips, with the weather we’re experiencing right now, I’ve found myself unzipping the inner thermal linings. The actual inner of the jacket is made from Dane’s 3D Mesh lining and is really comfortable.

I can’t say the same about the armour, which I removed from the shoulders and elbows; whilst the CE-standard protectors are impressive in spec, they simply didn’t suit my body shape, so I replaced them with some Forcefield options.

You might find them fine – it’s always best to try kit on first.

The knee protectors suited me, so the originals remain, but I’ve used the integrated adjuster

system to tweak their positions to my liking. The end result being that I’m now as snug as can be in the Dane kit, which I rate highly. Don’t be surprised if you see me wearing it lots on test throughout this season… and next.

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TRIED AND TESTED 33

Arai Corsair-X

Tested by: Tony Carter I £599.99 I sizes: XS (54) – XXL (63) I colours: Black, white It’s an odd thing to say, but until some extremely clever person sat down and redesigned pretty big areas of the top-of-the-range Arai, I honestly didn’t think it could be improved much at all.

OK, issues with the previous version of the helmet were very obvious to anyone who’d owned one – the ‘visor side-pod-Oh-my-God-I’m-going-to-snap-this’ palaver was enough to keep my visors on for months rather than risk breaking the fragile clips. The venting was good but the visor latch wasn’t the easiest to use either.

But then the Corsair-X appeared and things improved again. Changing the visor is spectacularly easy (the fact that the lid still has sidepods while everyone else has ditched them for single-piece visor fitments says that the Japanese firm knows this system works well now).

The new visor latch is larger than the old system, easy to operate with a gloved hand and the unlatch system takes a push to clear and seats the visor back against the

rim of the helmet opening perfectly. Venting and fit are exemplary, it’s a lot of money for a helmet but you can really feel where the quality lays with this sort of helmet.

It is sumptuous and workable. The lining is washable with all the inner components of the helmet able to be removed and replaced easily.

The shell is a new shape, designed to be more round and smooth in order to dissipate energy in a glance-off contact during a fall.

Over the years I’ve ridden in every single incarnation of the top-of-the-range modern Arai and I’ve been very much in love with these helmets, but this latest version blows the others away. In terms of fit, comfort, usability and quality, this is where the game is right now. Yes, £600-ish is a lot of money and there are helmets out there that are rated as safe as this one, but there’s nothing out there I’ve tried that’s anywhere near as superb all-round as this helmet right now. Highly recommended.

1 Two words: round and smooth. Starting point for the Corsair-X is Arai’s customary egg-shaped shell. Company engineers call this “R75,” defined as a continuous, convex curve of a minimum radius of 75mm. Should the helmet glance off an object, energyabsorption capacity can be reserved for a second, third, or even fourth impact – what Arai calls the “realities” of a crash.

In detail ■ An Arai shell expert (of which there are 15 in the world) can produce either 110 fibreglass shells each day or one carbon-fibre shell ■ Helmet moulds are machined in-house from steel ingots ■ Strong shell, soft liner: Arai has 10 EPS liner-density options and engineers usually favour the softest possible combination for best energy absorption ■ Each full-face helmet has anywhere from 27 to 30 highly individual components, each precisely cut and shaped ■ Prepping, applying and sanding the base coat of paint for each shell requires five days of hand labour ■ Arai employs 280 people at its manufacturing facility in Ohmiya, Japan. Only three are certified to install chinstraps

6

In the event of a crash, the multi-piece headliner frame is designed to break away, releasing pressure naturally, so as not to interfere with energy absorption. An optional foam crown for a custom fit will be available. Ducted channels between the headliner and cheek pads remove moist air from the eye port that might cause fogging.

7

A fundamental difference: The Corsair-X has a new faceshield system. This complicated yet elegant design uses Arai’s new Variable Axis System (VAS) that lowers the operating mechanism, increasing the area above the side pods by an average of 24mm for a rounder, smoother surface along the critical Snell test line. F1-derived thumb latch positively secures the shield in its closed position.

2

Custom fit and improved feel: Thinner, non-overlapping liner materials minimise contact with the forehead to improve overall comfort. All Arai headliners now incorporate temple pads that peel away for a tailored fit.

Introduced on the Signet Q Pro Tour and Defiant Pro Cruise, the multi-piece Eco-Pure liner has anti-microbial properties and a new weave that resists dirt build-up.

The new central top-of-shell intake vent is less sensitive to the wearer’s position on the motorcycle. Two-stop “slider gates” close more securely than the previous flappers, helping to reduce wind noise.

8

Faceshield removal is a snap: Raising the anti-fog-insert-ready shield to fully open exposes a small lever at the base of each side pod that, when pressed, releases the pods and unlatches the shield.

Lowering the shield detaches it from the mechanism. If one or both of the pods pop off upon impact, the shield is designed to remain in place.

3

4 4. Building a better egg: The new shield-pivot mechanism remains largely outboard of the helmet to minimise the depth of the recesses in the sides of the shell, thereby maintaining the helmet’s smooth overall shape. Compared to the mechanism used on the previous Corsair-V, the new sidepod design fitted on the Corsair-X is much thinner, shaving 2mm from the depth of the recesses.

5 5. Arai addressed this design challenge by extending the chin bar of the Corsair-X by 3mm and reshaping the liner to give the wearer more room and make the helmet feel less claustrophobic.

9 The new smooth shell also means that the helmet remains aerodynamic and quiet even when you turn your head. Small bulges in front of the air intakes in the 20mm-longer diffusers improved flow by a claimed 19%.

Straightening the diffusers enhanced overall stability. The adjustable wing is identical to that used on the Corsair-V. 10 The Corsair-X begins in a steel mould as a “bird’s nest” of proprietary fibreglass composite surrounding a structural net and held together with a new stronger resin. Arai says this combination offers the greatest structural integrity and impact flexibility for spreading energy loads over the widest possible area.

Peripheral belting across the forehead further strengthens the shell.

Shorai Lithium Iron battery

Lithium chemistry explained

Tested by: John Milbank | £170 | www.shoraipower.com | 0161 337 4390 Lithium batteries are smaller, lighter and claimed to perform better than lead-acid packs. I’ve been running the same Shorai LFX18 for 18 months now, first in a Honda CBR600 and now in a 2008 Ducati Monster S4R. Let’s be honest, how many of us really need the lighter weight of a lithium pack? But there is a huge benefit that justifies the cost…

I first fitted the battery to my 2000 Honda CBR600FY – the Shorai is physically smaller than the OE battery, but comes with plenty of self-adhesive high-density packing foam.

Incredibly, it weighs just 1060g, compared to the OE, which is a hefty 3140g. Of course, I need to lose more weight than that from my belly before this makes much of a difference…

To see how much power the Shorai could offer, I ran an early initial test, but the battery in my CBR was fairly old. Fortunately, the Kawasaki Z1000SX I had on long-term test came with a factory-fresh YT12A-BS – Shorai’s LFX18 is still the recommended equivalent.

With the CBR’s ignition coils removed, I connected the batteries and ran the starter motor for 10 seconds, with a rest of 10 seconds between each burst. The hefty YT12 managed 24 10-second cranks of the motor before it was flat, which was matched by the Shorai.

This is impressive given the reduced form and weight, but not a deal-breaker for the cost. But a lithium battery tends to hold a fairly steady voltage, then suddenly discharges, whereas lead acid drops more linearly. This means that a lithium pack should have more grunt when it’s nearly discharged than a lead acid, giving a healthy bike a better chance of starting if power is low.

At around 20 cranks, both batteries were showing signs of tiring, but the Shorai would spin the first few seconds faster than the lead acid.

The biggest advantage though has been seen since I fitted it to my Ducati Monster. Previous Monsters I’ve owned have been a nightmare

to start – if they didn’t strike first time, I’d generally have to put the bike away, connect it to a charger and find another form of transport. Since fitting the Shorai, I’ve never needed to charge it and regardless of how long I’ve left the bike, it always fires first time.

The standard Yuasa costs £55 and at three times the price, the Shorai isn’t cheap, but the reliability it’s given my big V-twin certainly makes it worth it.

Lithium makes up just a small part of a battery, but there are a few different types.

Lithium polymer batteries are used in model cars and planes, but require a bit of care in use. Look inside your phone and you’ll most likely find a lithium ion cell. Shorai Inc use LiFePo4 – lithium iron phosphate – in its LFX Powersport range of batteries, which is a safer chemistry, with a longer life and a greater ability to dump large amounts of current in one go (ideal for power-hungry starter motors). A ‘prismatic’ cell shape allows the maximum cell size to be packed into Shorai batteries. Some other packs use traditional round cells, which can result in wasted space inside the battery.

Lithium batteries can suffer in the cold, but they warm themselves as they get used – this can mean that in deep winter a bike might need to have its lights turned on first to get the battery up to performance, or the starter may need a couple of strikes. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced though.

34

The he MCM legal gal column is compiled byy managing partner artner Andrew ndrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast rendergast and his is bike-riding barristers arristers and solicitors olicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors.

The firm deals with personal injury njury 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.

WHITE DALTON 35

Q&A

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

Q

I hate insurers. I have always wanted a Ducati 916 since it came out. After saving for years I bought one last summer. To say I was chuffed was an understatement. I “tricked it up” with some carbon cans, a carbon mudguard and a custom paint job. It looked the dog’s danglies. The issue I now have is that it was nicked out of the garage by some poxy kids who managed to ride it around a local field and crash it into a ditch. Thankfully, it has been recovered but the insurer is refusing to pay out because it says I only insured it as a standard 916 and I didn’t keep it locked in the garage with an approved lock. Can I sue the insurer or something?

A

If it was a term of your policy to have the bike locked up with an approved lock and you didn’t then you are in breach of the policy. This means the insurer is within its rights not to pay out. With regards to it being “tricked up” you are meant to go to the insurer with “clean hands”. Therefore, if you have only paid to insure a standard 916 and you have “tricked it up” then you didn’t pay the right premium to insure the risk. This again means that in all likelihood it is within its rights not to pay out.

I do appreciate that some insurers are a pain in the proverbial (I deal with them every day!) so you need to check the terms of your policy very carefully. If an insurer has got it wrong then you have a right of action against them.

Q

Some spoon drove straight into me while I was on a roundabout in Swindon and smashed my leg to bits. Looks like surgery, metal work and about 18 months of rehabilitation for me. Nice one! Not. The Old Bill has said it’s not my fault and I have a friendly, favourable witness. However, I am super

worried as the driver was from Germany. Is this a problem?

A

Practically, it is not as straightforward to bring a claim against a foreign driver as a UK driver but it is far from impossible. European road traffic insurers will have a UK representative and helpfully there is a database so you can track down them down. The most important information to keep a record of is probably the registration number of the vehicle. Armed with that you can find out who insured the vehicle and crack on with progressing a claim through the UK representative. Thereafter, it depends on the stance the third party/their insurer takes i.e. if they deny liability etc. However, because the accident happened in England, court proceedings can be started here, but I strongly advise you to get a solicitor who is used to dealing with foreign parties, as it can get pretty complicated.

For more info, go to:

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

Husqvarna’s concepts here in 2017

Husqvarna has confirmed that it’s awesome ‘401 concepts’ – two versions of the same futuristic cafe racer – Svartpilen (the black one) and Vitpilen (the white one) WILL enter production for 2017.

Reinhold Zens, one of Husqvarna’s two managing directors, said: “I can tell you that they will come as 2017 models. They will definitely have the same style.”

New Panigale and Hypermotards confirmed Ducati is bringing out a 959 Panigale for next year, replacing the current 899 Pan. The new bike has been revealed in an executive order released by the California Air Resources Board, certifying it for sale in the state.

The CARB certification documents also reveal THREE new Hypermotard 939 models for 2016, the Hypermotard 939, Hypermotard 939 SP and a tourer spec Hyperstrada 939.

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THE INSIDE LINE TO CLASSIC JAPANESE IRON WITH STEVE COOPER FROM THE VJMC 37

Avoiding the pig in the poke – Part 1

OK, so now we’ll assume that following on from last month’s column you’ve gone for the concept of getting an old bike and swallowed the lure hook, line and sinker. Well done.

Words and pictures: Steve Cooper

Welcome to the perverse but fascinating world of Japanese classics – the experience is likely to be rewarding and frustrating at the same time but ultimately the ups massively outweigh the downs.

If bike night at the local is your thing then you are pretty much guaranteed some attention when you roll up on an old Japanese motorcycle. In fact, interest from non-classic owning riders often miffs those guys who’ve just bought the latest whatever – they can be seen in any dealers but your bike is genuinely rare. See? Life is different already.

Back peddling a bit, first off you’ll need your Japanese classic, which we covered last time to a degree but let’s reiterate. If you are not particularly mechanically skilled then please buy a working classic. Pretty much anything from the Big Four should be a safe bet but at this stage it’s probably best to avoid Bridgestone…Yes, the tyre manufacturer did once make stunning motorcycles! Bridgestones are great bikes but you may need the occasional spare and they aren’t exactly plentiful.

So we’ll make the assumption that you are riding classic wheels and

now you want your first project.

Bikes missing the odd side panel are generally doable but if the tank and seat are not in evidence then it’s going to be that much harder to sort. Missing or torn seat covers and/ or foams are not the headache they might appear to be. There are a fair number of companies who can supply (and fit) foams and covers for just about anything.

The base of the seat is a different matter and can genuinely be a showstopper. Until the mid-80s most were made from pressed steel and if exposed to water they can rot in spectacular fashion. One or two models may have aftermarket seat bases available but it’s not a commonly reproduced item and a repair of the original can be fraught.

The steel is thin and relies on strengthening pressings for rigidity.

Welding generally distorts the base badly and fibreglass repairs only work if there’s something solid to stick it to.

The next migraines in waiting are the mudguards or fenders. Normally they are made of steel on most Japanese classic and either painted if you are lucky or chrome if you’re not. All types rely on double-welded pressings

for their mounting points and/or structural stiffness. On many examples the front forks rely on the integral brace to ensure the fork legs don’t ‘walk’. If the double skin of thin steel is compromised then you are looking at some skilled metal work to put things right and if the rot is through to the top surfaces then it’s even harder to effect cosmetically acceptable repairs.

The metal is radiused in three plains and getting it right takes skill and time, which equates to money… lots of it.

Know that a recent refurbishment of two mudguards and a pair of silencers from rusty crap back to stunning chrome has cost the owner nearly a grand and you can see why it pays to look long and hard at your first project.

Tanks, guards, panels and seat bases all come under the heading of tinware and can make or break a project in terms of viability. Often overlooked is the humble chain guard, which really needs to be present, as making one from scratch is not an easy fix.

Amazingly it’s still possible to buy some ancient tinware from old dealers via eBay. Headlight brackets and bowls seem to turn up with almost annoying monotony. The paint might be chipped, but at least you’ll have

“The Home of the Japanese Classic”

a colour match and a viable part for your ongoing project.

If you’ve just read the above and wondered “why would I bother?” then well done you because you’ve seen that getting an old Japanese bike back up and running isn’t always simple and straightforward. If it was, a lot more people would be doing it and probably getting rich in the process. Taking a motorcycle that hasn’t run for a quarter of a century and getting it back on the road is a

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huge achievement. For many doing it once is enough, bike back up and running, box ticked etc. For some hardy individuals one is never enough and restoration is a chronic condition with no known cure. The term “serial restorer” was never more apt!

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38 USED BIKE GUIDE

Used Bike Guide: Kawasaki’s Versys 650 (2012)

Kawasaki built a great bike that suits a lot of different types of rider in a lot of different types of situations

Words and pictures: Bob Pickett The Kawasaki Versys 650 is another of the trio of bikes based round the same 649cc engine and main frame, but in this guise it borrows from dual purpose sportsbikes and adventure tourers (the name means ‘Versatile System’). It was introduced in 2007 and in 2010 it received an upgrade with a new fairing and headlights and the engine was rubber-mounted to reduce vibration. 2015 saw a brand new model.

The bike we tested is a 2012 model with 19,754 miles on the clock. It has been fitted with Oxford heated grips and Michelin Pilot tyres.

Give me some spec

It has a 649cc parallel-twin engine in a double-pipe steel diamond frame.

The engine has been remapped to give more low-down torque and a fatter midrange (Maximum power is 60bhp @ 8400rpm (max torque 43 ftlb @ 7000rpm) with a suggested top speed of 128mph. Stopping power is provided by twin 300mm petal discs with two-piston calipers up front, supported by a 220mm petal disc with single piston caliper to the rear.

So what’s it like to ride?

The first thing you notice is the height.

At 33.1in (845mm), my 29in legs could barely touch the ground. This bike is not for the shorter rider. But once rolling, these concerns go away. The Versys is

wonderfully poised and due to a major incident the first part of the ride saw us stuck in heavy, slow-moving traffic.

The Versys sat perfectly balanced at just 4mph.

Once out of the traffic and onto a flowing road, the Versys was a delight to ride. It has wide bars and a neutral riding position. You can lean way over into a bend (those wide bars drive it over easily and you find yourself moving into a more committed stance as you drive on through). The tall suspension keeps everything in line – there’s no wallowing here. The front felt planted at all times no matter the quality of the road surface and the Michelin Pilot tyres gave huge confidence. The brakes are excellent.

Squeeze them hard and you stop on a sixpence, but there is plenty of feel.

The remapped engine suits the bike – the wider midrange allows you to pretty much choose a gear and stick with it and the torque coming in lower in the range lets you punch hard past other traffic when overtaking.

My only complaints came from the grips, which are a little stiff and the small screen drove wind at the base of my helmet. But it is adjustable, so I would need it on a higher setting.

What nick is it in?

The Versys has gained praise for its build quality and this one evidences that. With just shy of 20,000 miles on the clock it is pristine.

What’s it worth?

The dealer wants £3799 for a 2012 model with 19,754 miles on the clock in pristine condition with a just run-in front tyre. Availability is good: Keeping to 2012-2014 I was able to find a number on sale at dealers, ranging from a 2012 model with 25,800 miles for £3495 to a 2014 model with 2200 miles on the clock for £5595.

Meet the dealer

Thanks to Bacons Motorcycles for the loan of the bike: BACONS MOTORCYCLES 739-741 Eastern Avenue Newbury Park, Essex IG2 7RT Tel: 020 8252 6020 www.baconsmotorcyles.co.uk

39

Classified FREE Selling your bike is

for private readers

APRILIA RS50 owned for three years but now got a bigger bike, 2004 model in black and green with Monster branding, Carbon exhaust can, 15,452 miles, no current MoT but should pass easily, (but you’ll need transport to collect), viewing welcome.

Tel. 01745 730095. North Wales.

APRILIA RS125 2001, MoT October 2015, lots of new parts, good condition for year. Tel. 07478 408624. West Midlands.

BMW R1200GS 2008, 10,615 miles, Blue Cross spoked wheels, full s/h, dynamic comfort, pack panniers inc, ABS, ASC, excellent condition, MoT Nov 15, £6850. Tel. 01274 673306. W Yorks.

BMW R1200R blue, Sept 2012, 8,300 miles, ESA, Comfort seat, heated grips, cylinder head protectors, hand guards, exc cond, £7200 ono Tel. 01332 679854. Notts.

BRIDGESTONE 200 MkK2SS 1969, Near concours restoration to original spec, UK registered, MOT, superb example of these high performance rotary valve 2T twins, £4250 ono Tel. 01474 746930. Kent.

BENELLI TORNADO 900cc, 2012, 2,500 miles, one mature owner, beautiful Italian sports bike, in nice condition, £4000 Tel. 02392 214606. Hants.

BSA A10 Flash, 650cc, total rebuild, many new parts, tax/ MoT, exempt TLS, front brake, excellent condition, the first to see will buy, £3950 Tel. 0115 9322897. Notts.

BMW R1200ST 2005, excellent condition, 26k, fsh, MoT May 2016, slimmer than an RT, Bar Risers, Friction Cruise Control, Fender extenders, 60mpg, selling because new bike on the way, £3500 Tel. Ian 01162 607758. Leics.

BMW R45 485cc, 23,350 miles only, docs, history, bills, screen box electric ignition, full MoT, fine condition.

Tel. George 07523 971861 or 07591 606806 6pm-10pm only. Surrey.

BSA BANTAM Villiers, trail/ trials trim, 1968, tested, free tax, 150cc or 197 to be fitted if you wish, owned since 1997, C15 front forks and swinging arm, great fun, £1450 ono Tel. 01642 711737. North Yorkshire.

BSA BANTAM 175cc, red, MoT, been restored, engine rebuild, new wheels, new forks, frame powder painted, sport suspension on rear but have old units, £1900. ono Tel. 01376 339426. Essex.

BSA C15 green, good condition, 1960, 95% complete, £1700 ono Tel. 01905 821427. Worcs.

BMW R80RT has full fairing & luggage, long MoT, good condition, £1960 Tel. 01923 461289. Hertfordshire.

BMW GSADV 120cc, white, 56 plate, new MoT, new tyres, 24,750 miles, ABS heated grips, top box, nice condition, £6495. ono Tel. 01269 842351. South Wales.

CAGIVA PLANET 125 perfect for learner; 26k km with new engine at 19k; new: back & front tyre, front pads, gearbox oil, chain, sprocket, spark plug at 21,000 km, fuel light & counter-odometer don’t work, well maintained, £1600 viewing & offers welcomed Tel. 07593 149399.

CUSTOM BUILT TRIKE complete rebuild at Panther trikes, unique paint work, 1300 VW engine with ‘suicide’ gearbox, show ready, awesome ride! £15,000 ono Tel. 07715 554046. Nottinghamshire.

COSSACK DNEPR Combination, 650cc, R-Gear, black, vgc, 26k miles, owned 10 years, K reg, classic insurance, £2000; may swap nice Land Rover on road, V5 in my name. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

DAYTONA 675 2006, full Triumph service history, just carried out major service (including valves), new chain and sprockets, good tyres, 16,500 miles, MoT May 2016, one owner from new, in excellent and unmolested original condition, never dropped, datatool alarm with 2 keys and fobs. Tel. 01480 891319 or 07770 362806. Cambs.

DUCATI MONSTER S4R 2004, black, 10,200 miles, fsh apart from when stored, belts changed, MoT till March 30th 2016, many new parts, vgc, just a nick in the front wheel rim & tiny tank dent, great performance, Sports cans, (+ original silencers), two keys, manual, kept in garage under cover, £3750 Tel. 02035 387788. London.

DUCATI MONSTER S4R 2004, black, 10,200 miles, FSH apart from period when stored, belts changed, MoT till March 30th 2016, many new parts, vgc, just a nick in the front wheel rim & tiny tank dent, great performance, Sports cans, (+ original silencers), iconic motorcycle, two keys, manual, on Sorn, kept in garage under cover, £3750 Tel. 07956 253608. London.

GILERA RUNNER ST200 scooter 2012 model, 62 reg, 7652 miles on clock, slight scratches but excellent mechanical condition, £2250 ono Tel. 079047 78928.

Greater London.

GARAGE CLEARANCE Honda CB900F, 1979, Honda C50 1975, Honda 400-4 FZN 1997, Suzuki 600 Bandit 1997, Suzuki GS500 E 1997, all with V5s, best offer secures. Tel. 07835 709412.

Devon.

GREEVES TRIALS 250cc, frame no 24TGS tank, needs work, new shocks, £1900 ono Tel. 01202 698381. Poole, Dorset.

HARLEY DAVIDSON Sportster trike, 1200cc, white, MoT 2016, low miles (discs all round twin front), twin clocks, Stage 2 tuned, s/s exhaust, braided brake lines, 2002, £6500 Tel. 07720 899616. Lancs.

HARLEY DAVIDSON 883XL custom, reg 2005, one owner from new, mileage 16k, MoT till July 2016, many extras, excellent condition, £3495 ono Tel. 07711 567610. South Yorkshire.

HARLEY DAVIDSON FXDWG 1340cc, 1995, customised, s/s heads, Nitrous 190 wheel conversion, custom wheels, paint, too much to list, over £12,000 spent, stunning bike, all MoTs, full service history, owned last 14 years, £10,950 Tel. 01633 893534. South Wales.

HONDA CB1100 1100cc black, 14 plate, approx 2000 miles, years warranty remaining, £6000 Tel. 01883 348771. Surrey.

HONDA CB250N 1979, 30,000 miles, will MoT on sale, good runner, starts first time, new battery, orig toolkit, £650 ono Tel. 07718 733075.

Nottinghamshire.

HONDA CB400 J reg, 1991, built as a Brat/Street scrambler, needs MoT, selling due to surplus to requirement and space needed, runs and rides well. Tel. 07703 388322. Wiltshire.

HONDA CB400NB 1983, excellent condition, MoT till September, but I am willing to do it if desired, lots of new parts including professional respray, absolutely any trial, £999 Tel. 07811 062596. Herts.

HONDA 250 250cc, spare engine, 1976, 250 Jawa, garage clearance. Tel. 01392 275899.

Exeter.

HONDA PCX S 125cc, 64 reg OCt 2014, mint £500 + extras, twin exhaust, Givi screen top boxes, comfy seat plus more never seen rain, 1500 miles, service done, offers £2350. Tel. 07789 061218. Yorks.

HONDA CBF125 62 plate, white and black, excellent condition, full years MoT, exceptional low mileage, tyres as new, electronic start, starts first time, every time, perfect first bike, ideal for economical commuting, only used to pass CBT and local riding, £1850 Tel. 07521 132816. North Yorkshire.

HONDA CB900F 1979, good original condition, MoT July 2016, full fairing, good investment, some spares plus workshop manual, £2700 ono Tel. 07980 006833. Somerset.

HONDA CBR600F Limited Edition, 1994, MoT 06/16, good engine, some cosmetic damage on fairing, new battery, original toolkit, owners manual, genuine enquiries only. Tel. 07787 161810. Essex.

HONDA CBR600FM 1991, 68,000 miles, sweet engine, frame up rebuild all consumables new or nearly new, good for age, £1075 viewing welcome Tel. 01442 381004. Herts.

HONDA CBR600RR 2005, vgc, 19,000 miles, full service history, new tyres chain & sprockets, new MoT, £3500 Tel. 01508 558060; 07783 726717. Norfolk.

HONDA CD175 175cc, 1978, years MoT, good running order, £875 Tel. 01480 461424.

Cambs.

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HONDA CBF1000 black, T-A GT 2011 (11 reg), 2977 miles only, fantastic low mileage bike with many spares available separately, two owners, next MoT due 01/03/2016, fsh, ABS, centre stand, electric start, heated grips, low seat height, panniers, tinted screen, top box, Tel. 07917 411269. Norfolk.

HONDA CBRF-6 600cc, 2006, 22k miles, exc cond, full s/h, silver/ black, Scorpion exhaust, new D.I.D. chains and sprockets fitted, 21k miles, MoT Oct 15, (MoT on sale), £3300 ono Tel. 07814 308585.

Warrington, Cheshire.

HONDA CBX550 F2 550cc, 1982, 38k miles, old MoTs, new front tyre, battery, good all round, £1395 ono Tel. 079860 59155.

Lincs.

HONDA CX500 Custom Classic, 42,000 miles, good condition, MoT to June 2016, £1400 Tel. 01277 230853. Essex.

HONDA CG125 2008, only 4400 dry miles, on Sorn, excellent condition, silver, £1050 ono Tel. 01507 622351. Lincs.

HONDA CJ250T rare yellow, 1979, 18,000 miles, totally original, requires battery and attention to free up the front brake, clutch and accelerator cables etc, compression good, few parts succumbed to storage fatigue, can soon become someones real special classic pride and joy, £575 Tel. 07940 889107. London.

HONDA CMX REBEL 2001, Y, 250cc, MoT March 2016, new top box with brake light, good condition, engine protection bar, as new tyres, suit smaller rider but good fun, £1050 ono Tel. 01706 875386. Lancs.

HONDA CMX250 Rebel, 2001, 8600 miles, excellent condition, full MoT, would suit lady rider, £1200 ono Tel. 01767 448575.

Beds.

HONDA CBX1000A 1047cc, 1981, red, 25,000 miles, MoT May 2016, owned for last 23 years, good average standard condition with new tyres & fork seals just fitted, £4950 Tel. 01509 829621. Leics.

HONDA CMX250 Rebel, 2009, MoT in immaculate condition, many extras, one previous owner, low mileage 2621, genuine reason for sale £2950 ono Tel. 07583 374449. Lancs.

HONDA CD200 Benly, excellent condition, fully serviced, 12 months MoT, £1950 Tel. 01923 461289. Herts.

HONDA XL500R 1983, MoT, new tyres, first kick, 1400km, £2100 Tel. 07973 729358.

Bedfordshire.

CLASSIFIEDS HONDA CRF 450cc, 2009, motor cross bike for sale, needs new fork seals, only two owners, has been raced & is in very good condition, £1900 Tel. 07746 879171. Oxfordshire.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT650V, 1999, 37,000 miles, heated grips, MoT 2016, Exdown pipes need newing, can ok but ok to ride hence price £950 ono Tel. 01767 691209. Beds.

HONDA DEAUVILLE 650cc, 2005, MoT August 2016, 24,000 miles, fsh, new exhaust, new fork seals, new stanchions, garaged, £2600 Tel. 07759 750113. Scottish Borders.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT650V, 1999, MoT July 2016, heated grips, QD top box, no dents, red, 37,000 miles, ride it home, £850.

Tel. 01767 691209. Beds.

HONDA FES125 S-Wing, 2011, MoT until March 2016, only 4400 miles, fsh, great commuter bike, £1900 ono Tel. 01395 227521.

Devon.

HONDA FIREBLADE Urban Tiger collectors model, selling due to old age, low mileage 26,500, excellent history, £2450 Tel. 01902 343743. West Midlands.

HONDA GB500TT 1985, 14,550 miles, excellent condition, with cockpit fairing, original handlebars and pieces with the bike history, all MoTs, tool kit, £3900 Tel. 01228 543782 for more details. Cumbria.

HONDA GOLDWING 1500cc, F registered, 1989, 88,000 miles, full MoT no advisories, gold in colour, subject to a full chassis rebuild four years ago, recent service, Cadillac exhaust, good condition, Tel. 07796 946393.

Northumberland.

HONDA INTEGRA NC700 62 reg, 6 Speed, twin clutch, Automatic/ Tiptronic, ABS, 75 plus MPG, 35 ltr Givi panniers + top box mounting brackets, one owner from new, only 12,200 miles, runs and handles perfectly, £5000, will deliver free to most parts of England and Wales if asking price is paid. Tel. 07798 842421. Somerset.

HONDA NIGHTHAWK 250cc, MoT May 2016, excellent condition for year, nearly new tyres, (year 1995), genuine low mileage, all MoTs, Tel. 01524 733604. North Lancashire.

HONDA NTV 650cc, 1997, V/ twin, black small screen, good bodywork & tyres, shaft drive, £400. ono Tel. Paul 02083 046610. Greater London.

HONDA PAN EUROPEAN 1998, ST1100 ex police, 84,500 miles, good condition, burgundy, serviced, new fork seals, stainless exhaust, new tyres, wax oiled, swinging arm, MoT until August 2016, big fast comfortable bike, £1400. Tel. 01516 788883. Wirral.

HONDA REBEL 250 2001, excellent condition, 9000 miles, 12 months MoT, ideal commuter bike, £1200 ono Tel. 01767 448575. Bedfordshire.

HONDA TL125S 1978, full night time MoT, great little riding bike, occasionally used, £1495 ono Tel. 07900 578854.

Middlesbrough.

HONDA VFR800 1998, 35,000 miles, S/S exhaust, heated grips, s/h, three screens, full luggage, recent new sprockets and chain, not modified, £1900 Tel. 01455 553254. Leics.

HONDA VFR1200 2010 model, two owners, s/h, 5k miles, MoT 5/16 carrier, powerful lovely bike, £6000 ono Tel. 07590 591988. Stirling.

HONDA CBF600 MoT/tax, very low mileage, Givi rack and box, alarm, full s/h, excellent condition, £3200 ono Tel. 07999 811488. Rutland.

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HONDA VFR750 1998, powerbronze screen flame exhaust, cover, tailpack, MoT November, will have new MoT for serious buyer now to big for ancient owner, £1100 Tel. 01453 811122. Gloucestershire.

HONDA XBR500 1989, MoT to May 2016, front tyre new, rear tyre new last year, plus second bike for spares or rebuild, £1500 Tel. 07757 279282.

Nottinghamshire.

HONDA XL TRAIL 185cc, 1981, new tyres, V5, known history, runs fine, £1450 Tel. 074340 40520. Lancs.

HONDA VFR800 VTEC 2011, (A9) bagster tank cover, b/w, £60; zero gravity dark tint screen, £40; Dynojet Power Commander, ref. 16-005, £150.

Tel. 01606 854762. Gtr Man.

HONDA XL185 Trail, 1894, full MoT and V5, s/s exhaust, nothing missing, all clocks, lights, panels, £1450 Tel. 074340 40520.

Lancs.

HONDA SUPERDREAM CB250N, 250cc clean reliable, 1982 deluxe, 27,650 miles, screen, carrier, MoT to April 2016, spare engine and parts, £900 no offers.

Tel. 07946 088771. South Yorks.

HONDA VTR Firestorm, red, 1998, 25,000 miles, good condition, MoT March 2016, £15,000 ono Tel. Andy 01277 658670; mobile 07941 612139.

Essex.

Honda VFR750, 1989, vgc, 31k miles, full MoT, £1495. (delivery at cost). Tel. 01376 343559. N Essex.

INDIAN 741B in military spec, excellent restored condition, early example with round airfilter, history and a V5C, owned six years, £13,995 Tel. 07798 866071. Greater London.

KAWASAKI A1 Samurai Series 2, 1969, US import with Nova certificate & American title, up & running, everything works, ride or restore, not many of these rotary valve 2T twins in UK, £2750 ono Tel. 01474 746930.

Kent.

MONTESA MH200 173cc trials twinshock, 1983 Honda engineered, practice use only, vgc, very original, Duplex frame classic, £975 could deliver mainland Tel. 01376 343559.

Essex.

KAWASAKI 1100 SPECTRE vgc, 99% original, very good original black chrome exhaust, good engine, 50,000 miles, needs registering, all paperwork supplied, £1150 Tel. 01617 666353. Manchester.

KAWASAKI GTR1000 1994, burgundy, 32,541 miles, as new Michelin tyres front + rear recent rear disc + monoshock Bushes, Goodridge hoses to front just fitted new battery factory fitted panniers reqs MoT will pass ok, £1350 Tel. 07434 129349. Derbyshire.

KAWAZAKI ZX12R used, MoT, regulary serviced, few marks, 47,000 miles, £1800. ono Tel. 07747 403666. Norfolk.

MOTO GUZZI 1200 Sport 61, vgc, fsh, MoT April 2016, centre stand, engine bars, colour coded luggage, £4995 ovno Tel. 07523 882828.

MOTO GUZZI Nuovo Falcone 500cc, 1970, ex-police, good, clean, reliable, MoT, £2750. Tel. 01483 490806. Surrey.

SUZUKI BANDIT 1255cc, 2010 reg, petrol, grey, 8 months MoT, 3399 miles, £5000 ono Tel. Text Mark 07719 609163. Cheshire.

SUZUKI black, superb condition, top speed 85mph, economy 6585mpg, November 2012, 11,616 miles mostly motorway, MRA windscreen, Xenon headlight, waterproof Sat-nav holder with USB cable, Givi top box (47 litres) & panniers (21 litres each), Squire disc-lock, Masterlock U-lock, excellent & reliable commuter/tourer, £1995 Tel. 01329 663399. Hampshire.

SUZUKI GSF600S Bandit, 2001, 7692 miles, clean bike, mint condition, £2200 ono Tel. 07927 342371. West Midlands.

SUZUKI GSX550E Classic, 1986, original showroom/collector’s condition, 20k miles, good service history, new MoT, new tyres, plugs, etc, £1850 ovno Tel. 01573 420520. Scottish borders.

SUZUKI GSX750 T reg, 1999, MoT 30th Sept, Sorned, crash bars, classic insurance, excellent runner, £1100. ono Tel. 01286 882776. North Wales.

KAWASAKI EN500C custom Vulcan, very nice bike recent service & new MoT, Tel. 07597 123507. Gloucestershire.

KAWASAKI ER6F black, 2011, MoT 01/07/2016, full dealer service history, currently on 5286 miles, Pyramid Hugger, Sports Diffuser screen (original included), Oxford Hot Grips, tail has been tidied, £3100 Tel. Shaun 07920 818249.

Norfolk.

KAWASAKI ER6N 2012/61 plate, in stunning sage green, MoT till 19/07/16, serviced on 6/08/15, 4600 miles from new, heated grips, colour coded top box included in sale, never ridden in wet, garaged & covered always, excellent engine & gearbox, £2900 Tel. 07539 833755.

Greater London.

KAWASAKI GTR1000 1994, Goodridge hose to front, as new Michelin tyres to front + rear, recent new rear disc + monoshock bushes, new battery just fitted, factory panniers, 32,541 miles owned since 2000 requires MoT & tax will pass ok, £1375 Tel. 07434 129349.

Derbyshire.

KAWASAKI KE 175cc, red, 1981, excellent condition, £2550. Tel. 07816 347623. Leics.

KAWASAKI ZZR1100D7 long MoT, side panniers, top box, new back tyre, some stone chips on front end, overall in good condition, £1350. ovno Tel. 07811 980330. Notts.

KAWASAKI GPZ500S 498cc, cherished bike, serviced every 2500 miles, 33,500 miles, stainless d/pipes, Hagon shock, new fork seals, head bearings, Unitrak bearings, battery, tyres, too much to list, Tel. 07929 075211. Kent.

KAWASAKI KZ1000 California Chips Police Bike, 1986, last MoT 2007, UK registration 1996, new battery, engine starts and runs well, needs service & check before it can be driven on road, year 1986, £3000 Tel. 07776 422615. Kent.

KAWASAKI ZX600 E6F, black, 2008, immaculate, fsh, original, first registered 6/6/2008MoT 6/6/2016, Oxford heated grips, Cat 1 Meta Alarm (2 fobs), tool kit2 original keys + 1 extra spare, all paperwork from new, £2200 Tel. 01788 810969; 07951 360387. Warwickshire.

KIKKER 5150 200cc, Hardtail Bobber, made in USA, v low mileage, good looking bike, 2010 model, MoT Apr 2016, £1150 ono Tel. Peter 07597 084882.

Surrey.

KTM 600 1983, dual start used regulary, no MoT, very rare and registered, spare engine many spares, needs a few things, £1200. no offers Tel. 07747 403666. Norfolk.

KYMCO LIKE 125cc scooter, 2012 model, 12 months’ MoT, unmarked, always garaged and used for pleasure purposes, full s/h, vgc, like new, £1250. could deliver, can email photos. Tel. 01422 342128; 0777 9776508.

W Yorks.

LEX MOTO VALENCIA 50 scooter, MoT March 2016, under 4k miles, in black, mature rider, first £395. no offers Tel. 07471 739455. W Yorks.

LAMBRETTA LI150 Series 3, 1965, bog standard LI no mods to orig Spanish 1965 Lambretta/ Servetta factory spec but has had plenty of new parts, drives ok, tax free, needs MoT just ran out, under panel body work superb, clean and tidy, Tel. 07901 736677. West Sussex.

MOTO GUZZI TT 650cc, 1985, 29,570km, not standard, MoT on sale, recent tyres, £1300 ono Tel. 01539 727675. Cumbria.

MOTO GUZZI V12 Sport, December 2012, exceptional, with 10,400 miles, unmarked and with full dealer service history, must see, private buyers only, £6250 Tel. Ron 07868 722404. Durham.

PUCH MAXI original Zippy, kick start moped, has been off road for 20 years, now cleaned treated for rust and in part restored, carb, tank, exhaust cleaned, new fork bushes, head bearings, now runs fine, starts first time with ease, presently on Sorn, one owner from 1983, can be MoT’d if required, best offers over, £350 Tel. 07849 876510.

Kent.

ROYAL ENFIELD Bullet, 500cc, with cozy combination, 2001, new MoT, very low mileage, always garaged, excellent condition, regularly serviced, £3495 Tel. 07908 173894.

Dorset.

SHERCO ST250 2 stroke trials, 2015, allround excellent condition, over 60 Easy Route Rider, £3975. Tel. 01283 702462. Derbys.

SPORTS RIDER Drive Medical Mobility Scooter, excellent condition, hardly used, 28 months old, easy to use controls, 31 mile range, weight capacity 180kg, £1800 ono Tel. 07982 503414. Suffolk.

SUZUKI SV650 SPORT blue, silver, full fairing, MoT, good condition, £1400. ono Tel. 07976 752528. West Midlands.

SUZUKI BURGMAN AN400 400cc, fuel injected, first registered April 2010, metallic silver, 11,000 dry miles, full service history, Alloy wheels, two new Michelin tyres, heated grips, 75+ mpg, MoT August 2016, immaculate condition, 100% reliable, accept, £2650 ovno Tel. 07831 643825. Tyne & Wear.

SUZUKI BURGMAN AN400, 2011 (61) 4750 dry miles, summer use only, top box, rack, showroom condition, £3250 ono Tel. 01285 656125. Glous.

SUZUKI DRZ400S 2000, less than the indicated 17,000 miles, Sorned, garaged, polished swingarm, new brake fluid and battery fitted for selling, looked after bike, £1750 Tel. 07500 912419. Worcestershire.

SUZUKI HAYABUSA 1340CC, LO/2010 one owner, black/red, 22,000 miles, £5500. Tel. 07801 298132. Dumfries, Scotland.

SUZUKI HAYABUSA 1300R black & red, 1999, model restricted, two owners, 14,000 miles, MoT, vgc, £3000. ono Tel. 07976 752528. West Midlands.

SUZUKI INTRUDER 1800cc, 2012 reg, crash bars, screen, new tyres, sissy bar, rack and panniers, 9,600 miles approx, MoT, immaculate, £7650 ono Tel. 0789 4078815. Notts.

SUZUKI GS500F 21,850 miles, crash bobbins, absolutely immac cond, v reliable, owner retiring, £1450 no offers. Tel. 079480 17551. W Yorks.

SUZUKI GSXR600 (K3), 2003 (53), 20,000 miles, MoT June 2016, new tyres, battery, fluids & filters, recent Renthal chain & sprockets, Pyramid screen & hugger, crash mushrooms, spare pillion pad seat included, a garaged and well cared for machine, £2595 ono Tel. 01945 780081.

SUZUKI GLADIUS 650cc, heated grips, new back tyre, LED running lights, remote LED flashers on top screen, Marine 12V socket for charging devices, loud air horns, £3000 Tel. 07754 441626. Dumfriesshire.

SUZUKI GT 185cc, 1977, MoT Jun 16, excellent condition, old MoTs, workshop manual, parts book, spare engine, carbs, clocks, brakes, electrics, £1695 ono Tel. 079860 59155. Lincs.

SUZUKI RF900 1997, only 11,000 miles, MoT until February 2016, immaculate condition, £1695 Tel. 07474 617442. Tyne & Wear.

SUZUKI RGV 250M 250cc, J reg, 12 months’ MoT, 12,800 miles, very tidy condition indeed, totally standard, £4500 ono Tel. 01933 355242. Northants.

CLASSIFIEDS

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SUZUKI SV650S Race or Track Bike 2007, 12,000 miles, twin spark, built to mini twin spec, progressive fork springs, Pipewerx can, Braided front hoses, new fairing and belly pan, new pads and tyres, Rainlight lockwired etc including V5 and all road equipment, £2600 Tel. 01613 711960 after 6pm or 07733 288008. Greater Manchester.

SUZUKI SV650SK1 650cc, MoT April, 12,000 miles, vgc, blue, new battery, tyres, chain sprockets, all standard, year 2001, £2000. ono Tel. 07773 455964. Notts.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 865cc, T100, 2008 injection model, 11,000 miles, centre stand, chrome crash bars, pannier bar, rear rack, Norman Hyde pipes, vgc, will MoT on asking price, £4400. Tel. 01773 781713; 07811 431066. Nottingham.

TRIUMPH T-BIRD 1600cc, 2009 immaculate, Sizzy bar, fog lights chrome radiator grill, MoT August 2016, £5500 Tel. 01473 747880. Ipswich.

TRIUMPH TIGER 800XC 2012, 11,536 miles, fsh, one owner from new, fully loaded, MoT 07/2016, no long journeys, £6850 Tel. 6850. Hampshire.

SUZUKI SV1000SK4 05 silver, 1361 miles, like new, kept in garage, some extras, £3200 ono Tel. 01373 464170. Somerset.

SUZUKI SVF 650cc, green and black, still in showroom condition, under 5000 miles, MoT March 2016, hugger rack, chain oiler, extras all books, paperwork & keys, £2500 Tel. 02380 812440. Southampton.

SUZUKI SV650S Sport, 2009, blue/white, vgc, lots of extras, paddock stand, cover etc, 9,400 miles, £2500 ono Tel. 01446 404669; 07825 163407. Glam.

SYM SYMBA 101cc, 2012, MoT May 2016, 1800 miles, 4 speed, electric start, £995 Tel. 01323 841844. E Sussex.

TRIUMPH TROPHY 900cc, water-cooled, three cylinder, good running order, full year’s MoT, 56k miles on clock, waterproof cover, Haynes manual, £950 Tel. 07505 517934; 01243 836097. West Sussex.

TRIUMPH TT600 2000, black, excellent condition, MoT Dec 2015, new pads front & rear, just 18k service, £1850 ono Tel. 0794 6096000. Warks.

VELOREX SIDECAR good condition, some brackets and fittings, accessories as photo, £425 Tel. 01617 666353.

Manchester.

YAMAHA FAZER 1000 Blue, 02 reg, low mileage, excellent condition, Bos end can, Givi rack and box fitted, Tel. 07896 929338. Lincs.

YAMAHA FZ6 FAZER S2, 600cc, 2007 57 reg, owned from new, MoT to April, 15,000 miles, mint condition, includes top box, £2650 firm Tel. 07774 855771.

Lincs.

YAMAHA TTR250 year 2004, 9500 miles, set for road and trail, AC10 tyres, renthal chain, sprockets 14/48 Extended throttle clutch cables, heated grips, USA handlebars, £1500 Tel. John 01253 825655.

Lancs.

YAMAHA VIRAGO Trike, 1063cc, good condition, £4500 Tel. 07975 707493. S Yorks.

TRIUMPH 21 1960, 53,000 miles, excellent condition, starts and rides well, Meriden blue colour, £2800 Tel. 01522 511660. Lincs.

TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 675 Naked, brilliant white, low mileage, fitted with Datatool S4 alarm, pillion grab rail, colour matching belly pan, tinted screen, two owners, full service history, next MoT due on 09/06/2016, two keys, £4000 Tel. 07854 247313. Durham.

VELOREX SIDECAR new body, new mudguard with lights, braked wheel, handbrake, new handbrake cable, excellent frame, seat, fittings, £525 Tel. 01617 666353. Manchester.

YAMAHA V-MAX 1198cc, full power carbon fibre look, 2,100 miles, 2002, back rest, engine bars, fly screen, 12 months’ MoT, Datatool alarm, £4995 Tel. 07702 471043. Northants.

VESTPINO MOPED 50cc, 1972, runner wheels rebuild, tidy docs, manual, £700; also wanted Swindon Robins Speedway bar badges, 71-72-73-74, £700 Tel. 01452 410622. Glos.

VRSCA V-ROD 100th Year Anniversary, 2003, silver paintwork needed in few places, front and back calipers, paint pitted under 500 miles on clock, slip-ons, original parts for bike still in my hands, £8500. Tel. 01236 822629. Lanarks.

YAMAHA DRAGSTAR 650 classic 55 plate, all orginal 10,000 miles, 12 months MoT, £3500 Tel. 07593 126965.

South Yorkshire.

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YAMAHA WILDSTAR 1600 2000 W reg, black, 13,300 miles, excellent condition, many extras including Sissy bar, passing lights, leather luggage screen, datatag and much more including hydraulic lift must be seen, £5500 Tel. 01234 766372.

Beds.

YAMAHA SA50E Passola 49cc, low mileage, good running order, £550 Tel. 07975 707493. S Yorks.

YAMAHA VIRAGO XV750 dry miles, 14,200 miles, superb condition, garaged, £2500 ono Tel. 01242 582022. Glos.

SUZUKI X5 200cc, 14,884 miles, for recommissioning new front disc master cylinder, rear shocks, good tyres and engine compression, CDIs, tool box, three silencers, Haynes Manual, 1979, road test, £800 Tel. 01202 427222. Dorset.

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!

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YAMAHA YZFR125 2011, 10,000 miles, two previous owners, 12 months MoT, just serviced, very good condition, £2100 ono Tel. 07885 492110.

Beds/Cambs border.

YAMAHA WR125X 2013, black with blue frame, 9465 miles, dealer serviced, tail tidy, Yamaha LED indicators, heated grips, Yamaha sump plate, Arrow silencer, Lower seat available, very good condition, looks & sounds great, £3250 Tel. 07941 206744. Lancs.

YAMAHA XJ750 Maxim 1982, 17,295 genuine miles, garage kept, 12 months MoT, fully serviced, new tyres, reluctant reason for selling - down sizing, great condition and lovely to ride, first come will buy! £995 Tel. 01517 271539; 07932 161013.

Merseyside.

YAMAHA XJR400 red, grey import with MoT to July 2016, Pirelli tyres, a Scorpion stainless steel oval exhaust, crash bungs, heated grips, kilometer to mph converter on the clock, seat scooped out and forks lowered for shorties, Scottoiler, had new battery in 2014, garaged & cared for, £1300 Tel. 01286 872082.

Caernarfonshire.

YAMAHA XVZ1300TF 2000 model, 57,000 low miles for a V4 radio cassette cruise con intercom, new tyres, spot lights, ex con, MoT May 2016, all old MoTs cost, £4200 in May this year, £3500 Tel. 07851 701973.

Devon.

YAMAHA YZFR1 1000cc, red & silver, mint condition, 26,000 miles, new tyres + new flu exhaust system, + battery, alarm and immobiliser, datatagged, MoT, two keys, £2300. ono Tel. 07925 340627. Bristol.

PARTS FOR SALE APRILIA DORSODURO 750 Standard exhaust complete, and seat for sale, as new condition, £70 for both or will split, collection only. Tel. 07735 211561. Notts.

APRILIA RS125 for spares or repair, good engine, frame, new Pirelli Diablo Rosso 150/60R/7 tyres, upside down front forks, offers whole or separate parts. . Tel. 07914 935138. Wilts.

BMW 1200GS 1200cc, 2008, genuine pannier inner bags, only used twice, as new, £100; front and rear shocks, done 14k miles, £50 pair. Tel. 0787 5000296. Northwich, Cheshire.

BMW K1200GT standard screen, unused, £50. R60/6, Rickman Polaris fairing, no screen, £30. Also front mudguard for same, £5.

Craven Clipper handlebar fairing. £30. Tel. 01291 689497; 07803 965649.

Monmouthshire.

BMW R1200GS 1200cc, Bos technology, exhaust system, £150. Power Commander, £120. Puig engine bars, £70.

Tel. 07880 977343. Wales.

BMW R1200R 2010 comfort seat, little used, vgc, £100. ono. Tel. Trev 01516 486477.

Merseyside.

BMW R65 GEARBOX pannier racks, top half mudguard, clocks, Givi box, seat tank, all cheap. Tel. 01538 754170.

Staffs.

BMW R75-6 1976, complete, needs lots of work, been standing 15 years in garage, owned 15 years, spares or repair, V5 in my name. £750 firm, not for faint hearted.

Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

BMW TOURING PANNIER LIDS black, vgc, £95; K1200 single seat, ex-police, £75; R1200RT single seat, brand new, ex-police, £150. Tel. 01329 505109. Fareham, Hants.

BOX OF SIDECAR FITTINGS including swan neck and rear ball joint, £30. Tel. 01291 689497; 07803 965649.

Monmouthshire.

BROS 400 ENGINE 80%, £150. Tel. 01444 451693 eves. West Sussex.

BRUNINGHAUS SOLO passenger single seat, old, made in Berlin, Germany, with grab handle, bolts onto mudguard, suit BMW, Zundapp, DKW, Cossack and other bikes, £300. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603.

London.

BSA A65 workshop manual, Haynes, £15; BMW R65 mag wheel, £50; sidecar fittings, loads, £50. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603.

London.

CYCLEMASTER 1950s, good runner, no log book, no

number plate, been stored in shed, £500 firm; Harley sidecar mudguard, 1939, r/h side, original, £500. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603.

London.

DUCATI 851 SPARES:- full exhaust system, engine and gearbox spares, bodywork, Akront fender, pistons, barrels, cams, clutch etc. Tel. 07785 308115. Cumbria.

DUCATI 851 STRADA full exhaust system with hangers and foot rests, mint condition, original system, £450 ono; other 851 parts also for sale, Tel. 07785 308115. Cumbria.

HARLEY DAVIDSON std chrome silencers, fits 2004 upwards, off 2012 Iron 883, only done 950 miles, bikes have gone, no point keeping wrapped up in garage, £30 pair plus p&p Tel. 07746 768043. Worcs.

HARLEY DAVIDSON Fatboy up and over shotgun silencers, as new, perfect chrome, £60 the pair Tel. 0208 3022283. Kent.

HONDA BLACKBIRD stubby cans, £110. Tel. 07880 977343. Wales.

HONDA BLACKBIRD genuine, rh silencer off 99 FI bike, only been on for one year, no damage, perfect, looks brand new, half new price, £150 ono Tel. 01289 381140.

Northumberland.

HONDA CB200 headlamp shell, no glass or rim, front brake caliper and cable, rear brake plate with shoes, £25 plus p&p Tel. 07925 896698.

Cheshire.

HONDA CBR 1000RR Pro-link Special Performance, 1000cc, brand new, never used, Offers over £600. Tel. Richard 07916 328736. Leeds, W Yorks.

HONDA CX5 00 front and rear wheels, Comstar, £50; shaft drive, £25; red tail unit with lens, £20; carburettors, £30.

Tel. 0208 2004868. London.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT700 genuine Honda screen, very little use with no scratches, £45, buyer to collect or plus p&p. Tel. 01243 867779. West Sussex.

HONDA FIREBLADE 900RR front wheel standard, 16” good condition, £35, bottom yoke, £15. Tel. 07510 674950.

W Mids.

HONDA FIREBLADE 2007, body work, tank cover, red, black, vgc, ask for details, can send pics. Tel. 07951 818730.

HONDA NTV700 Deauville, Haynes workshop maual, as new, £15. Hiflow air filter HFA1713, new, £15. NGK spark plugs x2, new, £8. Tel. Clive 01302 846682. South Yorkshire.

HONDA VFR1200 panniers, top box, plus fittings tank cover, red, mint, £250. Tel. 02476 543895. W Mids.

HONDA VFR1200FA 2010, pair passenger grab handles, £35. Tel. 07900 371020.

Northumberland.

HONDA VFR800 FI, front screen, used and a pair of replacement mirrors, new, from a 1999 bike, £40.

Tel. 07505 464654. West Midlands.

HONDA VFR800I for (prevetec), fuel tank, black, perfect only on bike for 4 days! £45salso seat surround black, excellent, £20. Two front indicators, £10. Tel. 02920 229030. Glamorgan.

HONDA XL 250 SPARES two engines, twin port, 2 cylinder heads, rocker covers, barrel, 4 carbs, lots more, engines, £180 each; collection only Tel. 074340 40520. Lancs.

HYDRAULIC LIFT for motorcycle workshop, table size 68 x 220cm, lifting 1000lbs, easy, efficient, safe, allowing access to machine front wheel clamp safety bar, removable plate, only used by OAP for cleaning, spotless, £195. Tel. 077890 61218. Yorks.

KAWASAKI DECALS for KH250/KH400 old style logo unused as new, £10 pair postage free. Tel. 01803 607265; 01364 653515.

Torquay.

KAWASAKI 1400ZZR light tint, double bubble screen, off my brand new bike, asking £50 plus p&p. Tel. 01805 623310.

Devon.

KAWASAKI 1400ZZR light tint double bubble screen, brand new, £50 plus p&p. Almost new Kawasaki 1400ZZR, smoked tint spoiler screen, £50 plus p&p. Hyperpro (RSC) type steering damper off 1400ZZR, will fit most bikes with correct fitting kit & have ZZR kit, £125 plus p&p (Damper only). Tel. 01805 623310. Devon.

KAWASAKI Z1000SX 2014 radiator protector, Beowulf, black, as new, £25. Tel. 01625 531109. Cheshire.

MOTAD VENOM stainless exhaust cans (2), new never fitted, legal marked, removeable baffles bargain, £160. VTR1000 Firestorm link pipes + fitting kit, new, £60. Renntec pillion grab rail, vgc, £40 could post. Tel. 01246 200842; 07935 175649.

Derbys.

MZ TS & ETZ Saxon fun seat, Super Five headlight rim and bulbs, TS carb, spares, ETZ down tube and collar, various other useful MZ bits, Super Five manual, various cables, clutch parts, £75 or p/x racing bike Tel. 01604 846238.

Northampton.

PIRELLI ANGEL ST180/55ZR17 tyre, never fitted as bike now sold, £80 ono Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

PUCH MAXI 49cc spares wanted or complete machine and also literature and service tools, good price paid. Tel. 01782 317815 evening.

RandG AERO CRASH PROTECTORS complete with all fittings/teardrop shaped bobbins for Suzuki GSF1250 GT, faired version, £75 ono. Tel. 07894 078815.

Nottingham.

REARSET OHLINS shocks, mint cost over £1000 accept £500, lots of GL1200 spares, CBF1000 front mudguard, £35. Speedmaster America rear section silencers, boxed mint, £300. Vulcan 500 manual, £10. Gauntlets, £30.

Tel. 07434 513161.

SPORTS SILENCER for BMW F800s, stainless steel, good condition. Tel. 01476 550072.

Lincs.

SUZUKI GSX1400 standard cans, £80 pair. Tel. 07880 977343. Wales.

SUZUKI GT750 petrol tank, front wheel and brake discs, rear wheel and cush drive, in need of restoration, ie, spokes and repainting, £100 can split.

Tel. Jim 07984 056636. Tyne and Wear.

SUZUKI SV650 K3, rear steel subframe, good condition, not damaged at all, £40.

Tel. 07545 802250. West Midlands.

SUZUKI SV650S headlamps for sale, backing broken but reflectors and glass ok, £10 also tool kit from the same bike complete, £5. Tel. 0161 3711960; 07733 288008.

Greater Manchester.

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 675cc, clutch and brake levers, £10 each. Front and rear indicators, £8 each. Exhaust can, £25.

Seat, £20 all unused. Ducati red leather tank cover, new, £25. Tel. 07787 525198. W Mids.

TRIUMPH HINKLEY BONNEVILLE T100 genuine Triumph winter screen, some laquer missing, all brackets and fixing complete, £65 + packing and postage or collect in Keighley, W Yorks. Tel. 07976 529460.

TRIUMPH SPARES: 1967, King & Queen seat, diamond pattern, £50; two 650 silencers, good condition; pair rear shocks; 120 Bonn headlights; new D637 speedo gearbox, pair Hepolite pistons, new; horn, Heatshield; front number plate; lots of bits, £75.

Tel. 01908 610068. Bucks.

TRIUMPH TIGER 800 MRA/ Madstad system adjustable clear screen and fitting kit more efficient than either Triumph screens, £125. Tel. 02476 305112. W Mids.

TRIUMPH TRW/3TA Solex carb, brand new, Code 26WH, £150. Also TRW Solex petrol pipes £12 each. Solex carb overhaul kit, £48 can post.

Tel. 07798 866071. Greater London.

TWIN SILENCERS 2-stroke, fit 250cc CZ Roadbike, could fit Villiers engine twins, £20 each; Villiers 9E Trials barrel, 59mm, good bore, £40; Mini wheel trims, 1960s, £20 set, will post. Tel. 01376 343559.

Essex.

TWO BROTHERS racing carbon endcan + link pipe as new, for FZ8 Fazer, £170 cost £300. Tel. 07974 024893.

North Yorks.

TYRES FOR a Gl1500 but may fit others makes/models; Bridgestone Excedra G720 (rear) 160 x 80-16 M/C 80H, very good condition.

Bridgestone Excedra G710 (front) 130 x 70-18 M/C 63H, has slight wear pattern on middle of the tyre, the above pair have less than 2000 miles wear, buy the rear for £30 get the front one free.

Dunlop Elite E3 (rear) 160 x 80 16 M/C 80H, less than 3000 miles and in great condition, £25. Courier at cost, money back if not satisfied with deal.

Tel. 07802 475840. North East Lincs.

WATSONIAN MONZA Monza, 1961, complete, in bits for restoration plus fittings, £500; no offers; Watsonian spoke wheel, 19”, £50; old brown thick leather bomber jacket, size 38”, USA, £95; free post.

Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

YAMAHA MIRRORS: black, oblong type, fair condition, just £5. the pair (from XJ650) Tel. 01803 607265; 01364 653515. Torquay.

YAMAHA MT-07 comfort seat, brand new, cost £185, yours for £140. Tel. 01902 784208.

W Mids.

YAMAHA VMAX engine bars, Alloy fork brace, fork springs, £25 the lot. Tel. 01291 689497; 07803 965649.

Monmouthshire.

YAMAHA XJR1300 WHEELS highly polished, in excellent condition, £150 the pair.

Tel. 01803 607265; 01364 653515. Torquay.

WANTED 3 BIKE TRAILER wanted. Tel. Bob 01524 735039; 079190 64123. N Lancs.

CLASSIFIEDS ANY MAKE OR SIZE classic motorcycle wanted from a basket case to one in nice or restored condition, cash waiting. Tel. 07548 801403.

Notts.

ANYTHING ON Chris Vincent TT winner, books, photos programmes, videos, DVD’s, also anything on Cycle S/way, photos, programmes, DVD, videos etc. Tel. 02086 416866.

BAGLUX SILVER TANK COVER for Honda Fireblade 2006, also Baglux tank cover for a green Honda VFR 800FI, 1999 model. Tel. 07779 783260. Flintshire.

BENELLI SEI750 wanted by private buyer in good clean condition and running order.

Tel. 01603 873143. Norfolk.

BRITISH BIKE wanted 60s, in need of restoration, or 70s Japanese bikes again in need of restoration. Tel. 07774 650888. Hampshire.

BSA B40 ex-miliary, 350cc, workshop manual and pair of panniers to suit this bike. Tel. Bob 0191 384084; 07470 387302. Durham.

BSA SUNBEAM Scooter in good running order. Tel. 01524 735039; 07919 064123.

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE any make or size, anything considered and in any condition. Tel. 07548 801403.

Notts.

GIVI PANNIER TOPBOX B36N, the briefcase box. Tel. 01159 206368. Nottinghamshire.

HONDA CUB wanted, 50, 70, 90, 100 any condition considered, good or bad.

Tel. 07867 904777 or 01159 303677. Derbys.

HONDA GOLDWING 1800cc wanted Insta trike towpac bolt on kit for my 2004 Honda Goldwing, any condition, cash waiting. Tel. Paul 01516 788883. Wirral.

LEWIS LEATHERS Aviakit jacket, 40”-42” any colour or condition, good price paid, maybe you have one hanging in the wardrobe? .

Tel. 01223 350289 evenings.

Cambridge.

MOTO GUZZI Le Mans II, 1978 onwards. Wanted: must be 100% genuine. No time wasters please!! Tel. 01642 484073 after 6pm. Cleveland.

NTV650 MUFFLER good/ useable, board racer photo’s/ prints, ditto twin-cam Velocette. Tel. 01444 451693 eves. West Sussex.

TRIUMPH ROCKET 111 manual wanted, also looking for after market chrome accessories to fit rocket touring. Tel. 07828 103437.

Notts.

WANTED FEMALE PASSENGER for CBR Honda chap, any age 70 years, good looking Dave. Tel. 0207 2377899. London.

WANTED HARLEY SUNDOWNER solo seat to fit a 02 Dynaglide, p/no 51933-01, fits 96-03 dynes, Tel. 01457 765036 after 6pm. Gtr London.

WANTED REAR MUDGUARD grab handle/mudguard stay for 1975 Bonneville T140V, with good chrome; also front brake disc in good condition for same. Tel. 01376 343559.

Essex.

WANTED YAMAHA XJ650 Maxim spares, seat lock, rera indicators, n/s tank badge, o/s exhaust cover/deflector and ignition switch, why?

Tel. 01364 653515; 01803 607265. Torquay, Devon.

WHEELS FOR VINCENT PROJECT in need of a pair of wheels for my Vincent project, 19” rear and 20” front, cash on collection for single or pair in a useable condition. Tel. 07788 636027. Cambs.

WORKSHOP MANUAL wanted for Triumph Rocket 111 tourer.

Tel. 07828 103437. Notts.

WORKSHOP MANUALS wanted for the following: Cossack 175cc, Voskhod electronic ignition models, Puch Magnum child’s scrambler, Suzuki LT50, child’s quad and anything on Minsk Tula’s or WSK 175cc, buy photocopy. Tel. 01685 871243. Mid Glam.

YAMAHA VIRAGO 535cc, low mileage, good condition, MoT. Tel. 01206 383414. Essex.

MISCELLANEOUS ALPINASTARS MOTOCROSS BOOTS white, size 10, good condition, £45. Tel. 07977 619562. Derbyshire.

AMERICANA II MOTORCYCLE LIFT will lift upto 600kgs,

perfect working order, £85 ono. Tel. 07894 078815.

Nottingham.

BOND MKF 1959, 250cc, very good condition and on the road, £4000. Tel. 01299 266742. Worcs.

AUDI 80 G reg, good runner, Sorned, no MoT, can be used off-road, auto, learn to drive off-road, best offer, exchange motorbike or sidecar plus cash your way. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603.

London.

AUDI QUATTRO 1989, 5-speed, manual coupe, silver, 2,226cc, MoT, full s/h and all old MoTs from new, classic insurance, £3000. p/x BSA A7, A10, B33 motorbike, why?

Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

BSA UNDERLEVER IMP Model D wanted for restoring, collecting or spares others, makes, also by Falke Webley, Diana original Haenel Britannia etc also wanted. Tel. 01689 852862. Kent.

BURBERRY JACKET brown leather, vintage, size XL, made in England, £95. freepost, exchange/why? Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603.

London.

CHERISHED PLATE R6 FRD, attention all Yamaha R6 owners, all reasonable offers considered. Tel. 07583 242529. Brighton.

CLASSIC SUZUKI CIGARETTE type cards, mounted in picture frame c/w specifications GT750, T500, GT550, kettle, 250-6, Rotary GS750, nice collectable bargain, £25. Tel. 01803 607265 or 01364 653515.

CRASH HELMETS: Everoak, 60s style, TT, size 6, £75; Everoak, 60s style, size 2, £30; Everoak Racemaster, with visor, like new, boxed, size 7 1/4”, £35; Bieffe-made Italy, size Medium, £25. Tel. 01908 610068. Bucks.

DAINESE cordura touring jacket, large, c/w rigid back protector, £95. Frank Thomas Aqua jacket, medium, £40.

RST cordura jacket, £50 all with armour. Urban camo bike trousers, W32/32, £30, all very good condition. Tel. 07557 867690. Leics.

Subscribe to Motor Cycle Monthly: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/MCM or call 01507 529529 DESPATCH GAUNTLETS £30.

Original V Max radior mesh, £35. Lots GL1200 spares, CBF1000 front mudguard, £35. Vulcan 500, manual, £10. Diversion 900 Owners Handbook, £10. America/ Speedmaster rear silencers, £300. Tel. 07434 513161.

Lancs/Cumbria.

ERDE SINGLE MOTORCYCLE TRAILER with ramp, side stand plate, spare wheel, ratchets and straps, very good condition, £250. Tel. 01613 711960 or 07733 288008.

Gtr Man. FAIRING WANTED for Honda CD250U Rickman or similar, Tel. 01489 877516. Hants.

GIVI TOP BOX Monokey system, large, £40. Tel. 0208 3977178. Surrey.

HAYNES MANUAL Suzuki GSXR750/R1100 and Katana GSX600F/750F/1100F, (all air/ oil-cooled fours) 1985-1993, very good condition, £8 + £2 UK p&p. Tel. John 07817 562421; 0113 2603057.

Leeds.

HAYNES MANUALS Yamaha Fazer 1000, VFR750, VTR1000, all as new, £10 each plus p&p; rear caliper GSF, GSXR, 600, £25. Tel. 01432 265726. Hereford.

HAYNES WORKSHOP MANUALS: Yamaha XV-V Twins, 1981/86, 535/1100, new, £7; Yamaha YZF-R1, 1998/03, new, £7; Honda CG125, 1976/2007, new, £7; Honda XL/XR 250/500, £5; Kawasaki 250-400, 1990/1994, £8 plus p&p. Tel. 01484 663007 . West Yorks.

HEPCO and BECKER panniers new and unused, alu exclusive, 30ltrs each, £250 the pair.

Tel. Gary 07914 236979.

Oxfordshire.

HONDA BLACKBIRD Baglux tank bag with harness in blue, £45; Powerbronze d/bubble screen and tinted flip-up screen, £20 pair; Held blue magnetic tank bag. £15. Tel. 07979 336335. North Lincs.

HONDA CBF1000F/FA/FT/FS, brand new owners manual, £10 plus p&p; Honda CBF 1000F/FA/FT/FS, brand new tool kit, £15 plus p&p; brand new Kawasaki 1400ZZR light tint d/bubble screen, £50 plus

p&p; almost new Kawasaki 1400ZZR smoked tint spoiler screen, £50 plus p&p; Hyperpro (RSC) type steering damper off 1400 ZZR, will fit most bikes with correct fitting kit and have ZZR kit, £125 plus p&p (damper only). Tel. 01805 623310. Devon.

HONDA M/C top end gasket sets, XL250, £20; CB250/G/ T/S, £25; CB/CL 200, £25; CD/CM185, £25; XR75, £20; Honda SL125 K1 parts list, manual, £12. Tel. 01484 663007. W Yorks.

HONDA VFR1200 FA inner pannier bags, free but must collect or pay postage. Tel. 07728 274552. Lincs.

HONDA VFR1200FA 2010 Bazzaz Z Bomb, eliminates performance restrictions, with fitting instructions, £30. Tel. 07900 371020.

Northumberland.

HONDA VFR1200FA 2010, Baglux tank cover, black & red, as new, £50. Tel. 07900 371020. Northumberland.

HONDA VFR800 V-Tec 2002, full years MoT, Givi luggage, Scottoiler, alarm, new tyres and front pads, owned for six years, selling because bike is to heavy for me now, £2000.

Tel. 07752 459539. Greater London.

HYDRAULIC MOTORCYCLE LIFT size 68 x 220cm lifting 1000lbs, front wheel clamp safety bar, removeable rear plate for wheel access has castors with screw down legs, used for cleaning, only £195.

Tel. 07789 061218. Yorks.

IRVIN WWII FLYING JACKET sheepskin, leather, 1940s, the real one, small size 36” chest, lady 12/14, if your into the 1940s, £500. p/x motorbike, sidecar, why? Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

JEANS bullet-proof, reenforced with Kevlar 44”, hardly worn, leather jeans, 42”, never worn, £40 for both Tel. 01953 853187. Norwich.

LEATHER MOTORCYCLE BIKER style waistcoat vest black side laced up, vest size large UK44, great waist coat in classic biker style, worn but in good condition, £10. Tel. 07443 640626 after 6pm and before 10pm. W Mids.

MENS H/DAVIDSON JACKET size XL, 44” chest, orange/ black stripe across jacket, £50; ladies leather bike jacket, good condition, size 16, £50; leather tool tools, £10; headlamp screens, £10; Yamaha XJR 1200/1300 collector box, as new, £75; Honda lock, £9; ladies Gearbox boots, 8 eye-lets, size 6, £50. Tel. 07790 934835. Stoke-on-Trent.

MOTOCYCLE BOOTS short leg, Nitro “street Hopper” black, size 12, never worn, bargain at £25 buyer collects. Tel. 01827 895891.

MOTORCYCLE BOOTS Weiss model, WBLM 40 brand new, size 11, cost £70 bargain at £40 buyer collects or £30 postage. Tel. 01827 895891.

Tamworth.

MOTORCYCLE BOOTS top of the range, Daytona travel, star GTX, made in Germany, never worn, size 11, buyer collects or £35 postage cost £400 sell for £300 . Tel. 01827 895891.

MOTORCYCLE HELMET Fusion, black, size M, worn three times only, £25. Tel. 01455 448003. Leics.

MOTORCYLE MAGAZINES Motorcycle Sport 60/70/80 300+, £60. Motorcycle 1950’s Show. TT mags cheap travel books. Tel. Chris 01538 754170. Staffs.

MOTORCYCLE RACE BOOTS black, size 9, only worn once, as new cond, £40. Tel. 0161 371 1960; 07733 288008.

Gtr Man. MYFORD ML10 LATHE burned, 3 jaw chuck, 13” between centres, good condition, screw cutting gears, drill, chuck, No 2 Morse centres, suds, coolant pump, £500. Tel. 0113 2290584; 077910 81890. W Yorks.

OLD POOLS Major flat bed metalwork lathe, with gear change wheels working or not, Tel. 07724 402019. Sheffield, South Yorks.

OWNERS MANUAL Honda CBF1000F/FA/FT/FS, brand new, £10 plus p&p Tel. 01805 623310. Devon.

PIRELLI ANGEL ST180/55ZR17 tyre, never fitted as bike now sold, £80 ono. Tel. 07894 078815. Notts.

PUIG TOURING vario screen fits 2013-2014 Ducati Multistrada, excellent condition, £55 buyer pays post and package Tel. 01670 515864. Northumberland.

R1200GS 2004-2011 front and rear sergeant seats, black with silver piping, (rider’s seat low version), £250; Givi Trekker 52 ltr mono-key top box (takes 2 full-face lids) + complete fitting kit for GS, £220; all in spotless condition (selling due to RT purchase). Tel. 01224 277418. Aberdeenshire.

RICHA RETRO LEATHER motorcycle motorbike jacket, brown, size XL, a great jacket that looks just as good down the pub as it does on the bike, ideal for the custom/cruiser rider both male and female, zip fastens from the left and has an elasticated belted feature, three outside zip pockets and a small flap pocket, a great stylish jacket, £25. Tel. 07443 640626 after 6pm and before 10pm. W Mids.

SINGLE MOTORCYCLE trailer collapsible for easy storage complete used once good condition, £250. Tel. 01782 723119; mob 07970 402647.

Stoke-on-Trent.

SUZUKI T500 alloy cyl head, 1971, one only, vgc, £25; long brown wax cotton coat, size XL, as new, as in Pale Rider, £95; free post; good for Combination Trike. Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

THE BSA GOLDSTAR by Mick Walker, £45; BSA Goldstar and Other Singles, Roy Bacon, £30; The AJS 7R, Mick Walker, £30; Pre-72 Triumph Twin Restoration, Roy Bacon, £30.

Tel. 01484 663007. W Yorks.

THE POWER - THE GLORY History Of The North West 200; also Days Of Thunder - The History Of The Ulster Grand Prix, both by Alastair McCook, as new, £20 each Tel. 01484 663007. West Yorks.

TOOL KIT Honda CBF1000F/ FA/FT/FS, brand new, £15. #NAME? Tel. 01805 623310.

Devon.

TRIALS RIDING SUIT onepiece, red, fits 5ft 8” to 5ft 10”, 36” waist, waterproof legs, £12 will post at cost. Tel. 01376 343559. Essex.

TRIUMPH TIGER 885i/955i Corbin style seat, fits both models, looks great, black with silver piping, £150. Tel. 07500 912419. Worcs.

TWO GIVI MONOKEY TOP BOXES Maxia E52N, 52 litres, takes two full face helmets, £35, also smaller type takes one full face helmet, £25. Tel. 01628 528866. Bucks.

TWO M/C HELMETS openface, with fitted visors, one large, one small, silver, as new, worn once, £40 the pair plus postage Tel. 01743 860362. Shrops.

V-STROM LUGGAGE genuine Suzuki, fitted at the moment to my 2009 bike but I’m changing it, for sale is the panniers, pannier mounting rails and top box, £300. Tel. 075900 10235 or send a message. Lancs.

VW T25 1981, air cooled camper classic transporter, 2000cc, new clutch, vgc, original paint, needs light recommissioning for MoT, last on road 2014, p/x BSA A7, A10, B33 motorbike, £4500.

Tel. 0208 5341761; 07863 262603. London.

WEISE TORNADO LEATHERS brand new set, in black, size 44, all the features you could need, knee sliders included, as well as shoulder sliders with vents for cooling, back panel perforated, front panel perforated stretch panels in all of the strategic places, no marks worn once to try on, suit retails at £400, asking half that, go on grab a bargain. Tel. 07443 640626 after 6pm and before 10pm. W Mids.

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