Touring’s Sporting Sport Evolution
Continual advancement
Edi tor Dave Manning
GEvery dayisa school day. Even if younevergotoschool…
rowing up,Ispent alot of my sparetimereading –suchasthere wasspare time outside of paper rounds,gardeningjobs andfxingmypushbike (three morningpaper rounds resulted in plenty of punctures). Evenings andweekends invariably sawme with my head stuckinabook, andmore ofen than notitwas readinginnoway relatedtoany kind of school work
Istill read as ofen as Ican.Not only theobvious things like othermotorcycle magazines -I’vebeenaninveteratebike magreader andcollector ever since I had cash in my pocket when thosepaper rounds startedaged11-but also arather wide varietyofbooks, includingand not limited to fction,fantasy,biographies, historical, sciencefction, comedy etc. Ifnd it notonlya pleasant waytopasstimebut also very relaxing, whilst subtly expanding my mindtoother folks’ perspectives and bringing some knowledge. It is also a handyantidote to thestressesofmodern dayliving. And, in that respect, it is rather similartoriding abike. Whileitdoesn’t have theadrenalinelevelsthatmotorcycles bring, or involvethe physical exercise that bike ridingentails,itissomewhatsafer. But afer you’ve read achapter in abookyou tend to be in exactly thesameplace as you were when youstarted
Ifnd that when Ireadbooks that are beautifullyprosedand elegantly composed, notonlydoIget thebeneftofenjoying my time reading, butitalsohas aknockon efectinmyown writing– from my ownperspective Ifeelitbecomes more interestingand better composed,has improvedgrammar andverbiage, andit’s less ‘dull-bloke-down-the-pub’. Iappreciate youmay notsee this yourself,and that my scribblingremains as thelatterdescriptive, butI’m happier,sonerr…
Over thelastfew days, my evenings have concludedwitha fewchaptersofactor Bryan Cranston’sbiography, perhapsbestknown for hisroleasWalterWhite in theseriesBreaking Bad. ButasI wasreadingBryan’s bio, andin particular aparagraph whereherefectson howany successfulactor or writer needsto have luck as amajor factor in their career –“the only waytoget luckyistobeprepared forlucktofnd you” -I had somethingof an epiphany.Particularlywhenhepointed outyou need to be continuallyapplying your talents to your craf. As he discovered, an actorneeds to keep acting if they want to improve.And equally, as he points out, awriterneeds to keep writing. AndhereI appliedthe logic to thereasonbehindthis magazine-ifwewanttobecomebetterriders theonlyway is to keep riding. Spending ‘timebehindbars’ (touse aeuphemism that is,apparently, popularamong theyounger, hipper two-wheeledusers)becomes a
Motorcycle Sport&Leisure’s contributors...
Adam ‘Chad’ Child Yorkshireborn Chad hasbeen professionally testingbikes for20years,attendedmore than 350bikelaunches, and coveredovera millionroad test miles. With race wins at Oliver ’s Mountand twotop 10 TT finishes, Chad is just as happyelbow-downona race trackorkicking up mudof- road
Alan
Cathcart
Alan hasbeen writingabout bikesfor more than 30 years, and riding them foreven longer.He’sregularly giventhe keys to factor y protot ypes andbeingon first name termswith thebossesofbike companiesaroundthe worldallowshim to bag many scoops
Andy Bell
Andy st ar ted riding as soon as he wasold enough to pass histest. Like many others,the love of bikessoontookhold andheended up racing at club levelfor afew years.
Whil st having aver y nost al gicfeeling forbikes, he embraces anything newand is willingtotry ever yaspec tofthe twowheeledworld
subliminal kind of learning. An unconscious honingofour skills andawareness.
Of course,someformaltrainingwillaid in negating anybad habits we mayform, andthe continualadvancementbrought by aprofessionaltutor will undoubtedlyspeed up anyimprovementsand bringa diferent perspective, whichcan ofen enlighten some old-fashionedorblinkeredhabitsormethods. Andwhenyou payfor something, human nature means youreally payattention,so taking up some advanced trainingseems to be somethingofa‘no-brainer’. But, referring back to theactor’s biographical experience, continuallyapplyingand usingthe skillset we alreadyhavealsoimprovesmatters.Weall know howalayof from ridingcan result in a levelofrusty riding, andsurelythe easiest way to avoidthatsortoflackoffamiliarity with ridinga bike is to simply neverstopriding?
Giventhatbyfar thegreater majority of MSLreaders–and motorcyclistsingeneral, giventheir averageage –havebeenridingfor some time,weall know of the‘sixthsense’we have gained,toagreater or lesser extent. Te foresight we have that predicts thepedestrian whoisabout to stepofthe curb,the people carrier that’s abouttoswerveacrossthree carriagestotakethe last minuteexit, or the SUVpoisedtoturnacrossour bows. And this comesfrom riding.Lotsofriding. Proof, if it were ever needed,thatridingisimproved quitesimplybyridingmore.
What more of an excuse do youneed?
Phil West
Abikejournalist for35years, Phil’s aformer editor of Bike andWhat Bike, launch editor of BikingTimes,Executive Editor of MCN, andas freelancehas written forthe DailyTelegraph, EveningStandard, FHMand ever yleading motorcycle publication. He’s also authored 10 motorcycling books.
Chris Moss Mossyhas made alivingfrombikes since1985–firstasa motorcycle courierin London,and then as ajournofrom1995. He’s raced, ridden and tinkered with hundreds of diferent bikes, but he’s thefirsttoadmit there’sstill loadsto experienceand learn.
ROAD TESTS
10 Kawasaki Ninja1100 SX
Morecapacity and less power is nota bad thing!
18 Ducati Multistrada V4S
Chad slings aleg over the 2025 Multi’
28 Triumph Speed Twin 900
The little brother to lastmonth’s 1200
44 Honda NT1100
The twin cylinder all-rounder gets further improvements TOURING &ADVENTURE
34 Himalaya
Heading on to the world’s highest road
64 DayRide
The unknown end of the Peak District
68 Mid Ride
The national parksofUtah
74 Long Ride
An escape to Colditz
TESTFLEET
80 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally
Dave heads onupthe Ducati range
84 Honda XL750 Transalp Chad’s getting attached to his winter ride
86 Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE
Comparing Mossy’s tweak versionwith the standard machine
88 Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin
Frustration as Bert discovers a draining situation
90 Voge DS 900X
Simon has hislongest ride so far
April2025
EDITOR: Dave Manning dmanning@mortons.co.uk
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Need to know ◆ Newmodels ◆ Industry info
2025 TriumphSpeed Triple 1200 RS
It hit30years oldlastyear, and theSpeed Triple’s fourth decade looksset to be agoodone.Born back in themid-1990s as abit of an ugly ducklingnaked roadster, Triumph’sthree-cylinder bruiser provedtobewellahead of its time,and helped defnethe factor ystreetfghter/supernakedclass whichhas become so strong
From that original 750/900cc modulardesignroadsterusing 1980sKawasakidesigncuesand hefy over-engineering, the Stripleevolved into abug-eyed Daytona-framedhooliganbythe turn of thecentury.Since then, it’s become ever more sophisticated, whilegaining extra powerand capability
Andnow for2025, Hinckley’s giventhe Speed Triple aquick once-over, with abit more power, extra tech kit, thever y latest electronic suspensionand amildrestyle.
Atfrstglance, it lookspretty much as youwere-the dual polygonalheadlights, tubularstyleframe andsingle-sided swingarm defnethe look,as they have done foryears.Behind thefamiliarface, though,there’s plenty of changes.
Te faithful three-cylinder engine hasafew more poniesup top, nowmaking180.5bhp at 10,750rpm thanks to internal mods whichthe frmsayscome from itsMoto2 program,aswell as anew exhaust design. It’s now themostpowerfulTriumph engine ever
Tere’s abiggerchangeonthe chassisfront -Triumph’s fagship roadster nowgetsfagship suspensionwithanupgrade to thelatestÖhlinsSmartEC 3.0 semi-activesuspensioncontrol frontand rear.Tehardware consists of afully adjustable 43mm USDfront fork andrear monoshockwithcompression/
rebound adjustment,all under thecontrol of theÖhlins ‘objective-based’interface,which lets therider tune diferent parameters like frmness, brakingsupport or acceleration support, rather than just simple banksofnumbers
Tere’s also anew adjustable steeringdampertocalmdown thefront end, andlighter cast aluminium wheels wearingPirelli DiabloSupercorsaSPV3rubber. TatÖhlinssuspensionis controlled viaasmart redesigned5”TFT LCDdash andbacklit switchgear with a fve-wayjoystickcontrol,and that dash is also theportaltoa load of othertech. Youget phoneconnectivityasstandard, as well as cruise controland up/down quickshifer,while therider aids packageisbigger than ever
As well as theusual cornering ABS andtractioncontrol,the
SpeedTripleRShas anew four-wayadjustablewheelie control, independentofthe traction control, andatrackfocusedbrake slideassistwhich givesmorerearwheel lifand allows some slip on thefront wheel. Adjustable engine brake control, fvepower modesand keylessignition/fuelcap/ steering lock roundofthe electronics spec nicely.
Astrongspecthen–though theengineisstill away of the ultimate kingsofthe supernakedworld: BMW’s M1000 R andthe Ducati V4 Streetfghter have around 30bhp more than theTriumph with similarmass (the newTripleis199kg wet, 1kgmorethan2024). You’ ll payalot more cash forthose extra horses though -the £17,495 Triple is acoupleof grandcheaper than the£20k BMW–and £5k less than the £23k Ducati.
2025 Harley-Davidson PanAmerica 1250 ST
It doesn’t usuallyfollowthe crowd,but Harley-Davidson lookstobemaking an exception with its PanAmerica1250 adventuretourer.Most firms sell both road-focused and dirt-capable versions of their big dual-sport machines, and Harley’s joining in with thenew ST version.
Slotting in belowthe standard1250 and the super-trick CVOversion, it comeswith less aggressive chassis kit, and higherperformance sport-touring running gear
The obvious changeisthe wheel, nowapair of cast aluminium rather than wire-spoked rims, with a17-inch front wheel instead of a 19-incher,and Michelin Scorcher sport-touring tyres instead of morechunky dirt hoops.
The Showa suspension has less travel, now170mm at both end instead of 191mm, with a ‘Balance Free’ 47mm USD front
fork and rear monoshock. There’s also electronically adjustable preload adjustment with manually-adjustable compression and rebound damping adjusters. The brakes areas youwerethough -apair of Bremboradial four-piston calipers with 320mm discs.
The motor is also unchanged. The grunty 1,252cc 60° DOHC V-twin Revolution Maxunit, making ahealthy149bhp.
Harley’s fitted the motorwith aScreamin’ Eagle up/down quickshifterasstandard, and the overall mass is down by 12kg compared to the standard PanAmerica, at 246kg ready to ride. The newSTPan America costs from £16,995 and is available now.
2025 RoyalEnfieldClassic
350updates
Te 400cc classhas explodedin popularity over thepastfew years-downinnosmall part to RoyalEnfeld’s 350 singles Good looking, cheap, almost free to run-there arebig upsides, andtheyappeal to loads of new(andold) riders whodon’t need or want 200bhp anda£400/month PCP deal
Te market went into overdrivewithlastyear’s Triumph400s, andthe new ‘madeinJapan’Honda GB350S lookslikeacorkertoo.
So Enfeld’s givenits Classic 350 retro-roadsteragentle
fettle forthisyear. Te basics areunchanged -20bhp 349cc air-cooled 2v singlec ylinder motorinabasic steeltube frame, classic runninggear, andstylish retrolooks.But nowyou also have LED lightingall round, anew gear indicator in thedash, USB-C charging socket on thebars, anda dual-channel ABSsetup with rear disc brake. It comes in four colours- MadrasRed (aspictured),Medallion Bronze,Emerald andStealth Blackand pricingstartsat £4,459.
Harley’s CVO
Tere’s also aslewofuprated HarleyDavidsonCVO (Custom Vehicle Operation)modelsfor 2025, includingthe wild Road Glide ST bagger,based on the frm’sKingofthe Baggers racebike.Itmakes 127bhp –the
most powerful factor yHarley ever –and weighs 380kg despite itscarbonfbre bodywork and fullyadjustablecompetition suspension. Te pricefor the mightyRoadGlideST? From £41,495…
2025 KTMAdventure 390range
KTM’s been in the news forall the wrong reasons of late of course. But the ‘newbikes’ department keeps chuntering on despite the loud noises of discordfromthe finance ofces… The newyear sawa slewofnew small-bore machinery released from Matighofen, including anew 390 Adventurerangewith two models nowavailable: a dirt-focused390 AdventureR and acheaper road-biased AdventureX
There’s the usual diferences -the Rhas wire-spoked wheels with a21” front wheel and 18” rear,plus WP APEX suspension with 230mm of travelboth ends, whi le the Xhas cast aluminium wheels, a19” front and 17” rear,and morebasic suspension with less travel. The twoversions also have diferent tyreoptions with the Rhaving dirt-capable Mitas fitments and the Xcoming withmorebasic Indian-market road rubber from Apollo or MRF. The brakes arevery
simi lar,with adual piston caliper up front, though the X has afixeddiscand the Rgets afloating rotor
The steel tube trellis frame and cast aluminium swingarm arethe sameonboth machines, as is the retuned Euro5+-compliantengine. The 399cc single is shared with the Dukeand Enduromodels and sti ll makesanA2-licence friendly44bhp.
Forthis year there’s a redesigned head and cooling system,plus revised intakeand exhaust setup, andyou have the option of aquick shifter on the transmission which has been tweaked with tougher internals forsmoother more reliable shifting. KTM’s 400-class single has always been abelting little engine, matching some twin-cylinder motors in the same class, and we’d expect that to remain the case here.
Both 390 Adventures weigh in at adecent 165kg ready to ride with no fuel in the 14 litre tanks. The £6,699 Rmodel wi ll be in dealers first, in March, with the £5,399 Xcomingin the autumn.
KTMnewsupdate
Tings aremovingveryfastwith KTM’sfnancialsituation,but as MSLwas goingtopress thelatest newswas lookingabit less grim forin-administration parent frm Pierer Mobility.StefanPierer had
resignedasCEO whichwas reported as aprecursor to rescue fnance cominginfromoutside Te otherbig news concerned MV Agusta whichPierer hadonly takenoverinMay last year.Pierer sold its50.1% shareholdingback to theSardarovfamily, which ownedthe otherhalf, meaning theVaresefrm is nowwholly ownedbyTimur Sardarov’s Artof Mobility company.
ClassicBikeTrack Days in 2025
Tere’s furtherexpansionfrom theteamat Classic Bike TrackDaysfor 2025, with notonly some neweventsbut also with some additional features addedtotheir traditionaldates
Whilet he usua lSuzuk i-foc usse de vent at Lincolnshire’sC adwell Park in Ju ly is now the‘Summer Bash’(with Suzu ki’s fo cus beingels ew here fort hisyear, butit’ ll no doubtb e back in 2026), thereare some exciting plans fort hatp opular we ekend.
More info on that so on
August sees an extravaganza of allforms of motorcyclingat Mallor yParkwhichisset to be an amazingweekend with avibemuchlikethat of themuch-missedFestivalof1000 Bikes, whilethere is areturntoperhapsthe most populartrack dayvenue in theUK, Cadwell
Park in Septemberfor CadwellMotoand a specialfocus on Yamaha’s 70thbirthday!
Butfrstinthe calendarwill be theCastle CombeBurnUp, thepopular Wiltshirecircuit playinghosttoatwo-daybinge of classic and vintagemotorcycles on track.
Castle CombeClassic Burn Up –April 11-12
Anglesey WelshClassic Festival –May 24-25
CadwellParkSummer Bash –July19-20
Donington Park –August 1 Mallor yParkFestivalofMotorcycling –August 16-17
CadwellParkCadwell Moto –September 27-28
More information,and trackand ticket booking,can be foundatthe website at www classicbiketrackdays.com
Langen Motorcycles
Following on from the company profi le back in issue759 (back issues areavailable from www classicmagazines.co.uk/issue/ msl or 01507 529529), and the test ride that Sir Al did on the 250cc TwoStroke, it looks as though Chris Ratclife is pushing hardonthe next model –the Lightspeed LS12, as initially shown at Motorcycle Livein 2023, and shown here. It is already planning afurther development that’ll stretch performance and style evenfurther
The next step to be taken, with the Lightspeed Turbo having forced induction added to the watercooled veetwin powerplant, will takeplace after the Lightspeed has passed through tooling and testing and has entered production, with full homologation forEurope, US, Australasia and theMiddle East, which wassomething that the Two Strokecould neverachieve.The aim is forthe first examplestoroll of theproduction line in the fourth quarter of 2025
With this in min d, the companyw ishes to ac ce l erat e
production o ft he TwoS troke a n dfas t- fo rwardt he Lig htspeed deve lopment whi lst also ex pl oring sustainable technol ogies (and th ereby, as it phrases it, “ensuring t heir
motorcycles aref uture-proof in an evo lv ing re gulatory landscape”). It is hoping fo r inve stment in order to achieve its aims.
If youhave an interest in
becoming ashareholder in Langen Motorcycles, point your browser in the direction of www langenmotorcycles.co.uk or www europe.republic.com/langenmotorcycles/coming-soon
fo
Two One
Some spor ts tourersare more biased to onestyle of riding than others…withsomequality updatesfor thenex tgenerationof Kawasaki`s bigNinja,isthe balanceright forAndy?
Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX
WORDS: Andy Bell PHOTOGRAPHY: Kawasaki
Iam by no meansold,but despite my love forsportsbikes,the thoughtoftravelingheaddown fora long distance ride on a sports-focused machinecan have me lookingfor somewherenice fora photoopportunity so Ican hopof andstretch outany aches. Iam not yetready to give up on these machines anddofnd myself covering more milesand planningtrips further afeld, so asportstourerisa great compromise. EnterKawasaki`s Ninja 1100SX.
Nowinits ffhyear, theNinja has provedtobeanattractiveoptionfor like-mindedindividuals lookingfor a bike that canprovide sports handling whilehavingthe practicability required fordaily ridingand also with atouring capacity
Tispopularsportstoureroption couldhaveprobably been released againwithjusta graphics change for 2025 as thepreviousone wasalready agreat package, so wasthere improvementstobehad?Well, forget theold “ifitisn’t broke”sayingKawasakihas carriedout enough changesworthytodrawattention.I had afull dayofriding lined up with theNinja in northern Spainand was keen to getgoing to seehow it faired Te modelIhad forthe test wasthe SE which, foranextra £1,750, gives youpremium features like theŐhlins S46 rear shock, Brembo brake calipers with Brembo mastercylinder andbraided lines,and heated grips. On anotehere, Kawasakiexpectthe sales splittobe70/30 in favour of the SE over thestandard.
If youhaveakeeneye,you may alreadyhaveseenthe 2025 modelis nowa1100. Tisjumpfrom 1043cc to 1099cc obviouslydemands thenew name,but what does that mean in termsofpower? Well,barewiththe next part as thebhp has been lowered (yes,LOWERED!)from140bhp to 136bhp.Ihaveseenmanynegative comments regardingthis, butIfeel theneedtostepinonthe defensive here.Whatyou do getismore torque allthe wayfromlow throughto mid-rangewhich if we areall honest, is wherewewould spendmostofour time in therealworld on oneofthese Youalsoget improvedfueleconomy (claimed 50mpg) with the combinationoflongerffh andsixth gears, meaningthe engine is notas highinthe revrange foragiven speed
When frst jumpingonyou do get that hintof asportbike feelingbut with amorerelaxed ridingposition. I have trieda fewother sports tourers recentlyand some aremore biased towardsthe sporty side meaningthe bars arestill that bittoo lowfor me when consideringlongerrides. On theNinja,however,the slightly higherbarsalready gave me asense I couldspend afullday ridingwhile having theoptiontopushonwith more spirit if theopportunity arose. Te 4.3” TFT colour screen wasa welcome sight -ifyou areaKawasaki rider youmay alreadyhaveseenthis andknowhow easy it is to navigate throughthe optionsasthisisfound on othermodels. Despitethe fact I wasinSpain,the time of year forthe
test meantthe mornings canbe cooler so it wasagoodopportunity to make themostofwhatcomfortsthe Ninjahad to ofer.Adjusting the screen to amore uprightposition of itsfoursettings, whilebeingeasy enough at astandstillisn’t something youcould do whilemovingasitisa two-handedafair.Onthe go though, thehigherscreensetting did more than expectedtodefectthe airup andoverwhile also notcreatingtoo much extra noiselikeIhave experiencedwithsomeothers.
Anothergreat bonusfor the morningwas theheatedgrips on the SE,whichare an optional extra for thestandardmodel.Activatingthem wasjustapushbuttonnexttothe lef grip which, forafew seconds, Iwasn’t sure Ihad pressedright duetothe fashinglightstostart with butit wasn’t long before thetoastyfeeling of confrmation waspresent,and thesecan getprettyhot when on the highest setting!
Te four-into-two-into-one exhaust has asportyand premium look butalsokeeps thesound quite tame unless youare outinthe open andtakingfulladvantage of theextra torque throughthe gears. Isuppose this wouldbeneftthe rider who wouldn’t want to ofendthe neighbours just before they go fora blastinthe countr yside.If, however, theneighbourlikes to park outside
your gate or lets thedog foul on the path by your frontdoorthenmaybe a diferentmufer is foryou
Outofthe four rider modes(Sport, Road, Rain andRider) most of the daywas spentinRoadasthisstill delivers full powerwithmedium traction control. Each of thefrst threemodes areactivated simply by a onebuttonpress whileonaneutral
throttle,while delvingintothe personalised Rider mode is done within themenu. Tiswas agreat settingfor theridingIwas gettingup to andthe traction controlwas activateda fewtimes when pushing hard outofsomedamphairpins under tree coveraferashowerthe daybefore. Te traction controlwas by no means aharsh sensation, it felt
quitesmoothbyjustloweringthe powerand at timesthe fashinglight on thedashwas theonlycue to it beinginaction.
Ipersonallylikein-linefour engines, andthisnew 1100 did a good jobofticking thebox forfun factor.Tedeliver yofpower when hard on thegas comeswiththe sense of urgencythatIcrave andthe sound
from theintakeand exhaust also adds to therush. Forthe most part,this wasgoing well butwhencrackingon thethrottlecomingout of theslower cornersthe delivery did feel abit snatchy, nothingtoo dramaticbut worthamention.Tis minor issue cansoonbeovershadowed by the amazingquickshifer used forboth up anddownshifs.Teoperating function forthishas been lowered dramaticallyfor the2025 modelfrom 2,500rpm to amuchlower 1,500rpm andwhencombinedwiththe slipper clutch thewindowfor either lazy shifs whilecruisingaround, or harder spirited downshifs, is greatly increased.
Te SE modelhas an attractive Brembo combinationupfrontwitha pair of M4.32monobloccalipers squeezingontoBrembodiscs complementedwitha Brembo master cylinder andsteel-braidedbrake lines.Without ridingthe standard SX
back-to-backwiththe SX SE it could be arguedthatyou maynot feel a massive diference as thestandard option is more than up to thejob but forthe blingfactoralone I`lltake them. Forall-dayridingthe leverfelt light to apply yetdidn’t remove any performancefromthe brakingwhen youwanttoslowfrom highspeed to make atight turn,ofering great feedback from frst bite progressively allthe waythrough themotionuntil letting go of thelever again.
As mentionedearlier,the SE comes with an ŐhlinsS46 rear shockand,as well as buildingonthe premiumlook andfeel, it comes with thepracticality of having adjustabilityfor rebound andpreload with thelatterbeing a remote unitinthe usualgolden colour andnot requiringtools to adjust
Te suspensionbothfront andrear were doinganamazingjob as expected, soakingupthe bumps providinga smooth ride on longer
Ó´HLINS
REAR
SUSPENSION
An Ó ´hlins S46 shock absorber at the rear not only provides apremier look but allows forample adjustability forrebound andpreload settings.
LUGGAGE
QUICK SHIFTER
The dual-direction Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS) has a loweroperating revfunction from 2,500rpm to 1,500rpm to allowshifting up from slowerspeed and also smoother downshifts when decelerating.
ENGINE
Based on the provenand well-liked 1000SX the in-line 4gets acapacity boost from 1043cc to 1099cc. Although thereisaloss in overall bhp from 140bhp to 134bhp, the increase in torque is there from lowtomidrange boosting itsreal-worldusage.
BRAKES
The SE has an attractiveBrembo packagewith apair of Brembo M4.32 calipers squeezing Brembo discs complimented by aBrembo mastercylinder and steel-braided lines.
CRUISE CONTROL
stretches whilealsoproviding just aboutall thesupport needed when I came to some bendsand wantingto push on throughthem. Isay “just about” as Iwould have likedtohave stifened theset-upabit when accelerating hard outofsomeofthe cornersand,while Ihad thechanceto do so andcould have stopped to play around with thesettings, Ididn’t really want to stopasI washavinga blast. If ridingwithextra weight in the panniersorwithapillionthenthis sofnesswould be highlighted further, andIwould feel theneedtostifenup theride alittle. It is ashame this still felt alittlelikeamiddlegroundas the technologyisthere forelectronic suspensionbut then this wouldadd to thecost-itwould be nicetohaveas an optionalextra maybe?
When it comes to comfort, this Ninja1100 is rankinghighwhen compared to othersportstourers with Kawasaki gettingthe balance rightfor that sporty feel while oferinga bike youcould take on a long trip.
Afer some previousowners mentionedtheyfelttoo much vibrationinthe bars andpegs,the engineerslistenedand have added extra weight inside thebarsand the endweightsare also heavier to combat this.Withthe pegs, rubberbacked weightshavebeenadded behindthe heel plates andalso
underneaththe pegs themselves andI nevernoticed anyexcessvibration so that area is ticked of.
Te rider’s seat is both wide and long,soyou have extra room to move around if youfeelthe need,but one pointIdid fndaferthe full daywas theside edge of theseatbeingalittle tooaggressivelyangled. Te pillion also beneftsfromalarge seat,unlike thepostage-stamp sized ones ofered on afull-blownsportsbike, although they do sit much higherthanthe rider stilland wouldleanfor wards more potentiallylimiting comforton thelongertrips
Te pair of 28 litrepanniersare supersturdyand were some of the easiest to operate over many of the ones Ihaveusedrecentlywhile not lookingout of placeintegrating with thestylingofthe Ninjaseamlessly andnot lookinglikeanaferthought Cruise controlonthisbikewas a familiarset up formeaferriding otherKawasakis -itisbothintuitive andeasyto use. Abuttontoactivate andanother to either speedupor slow down on thelef handlebar meansyou canspend time relaxing your rightarm butwiththe relaxed higherbarsI neverfeltthe need to Te Ninja1100SXSEwas brilliant forme to spendawhole daywithand wouldgenuinelybeanoptionifIwas lookingfor abikethatcould be an all rounder forsportyridesand for
The 28 litre panniers arenot onlyfunctional but integrate well with the Ninja. They are very sturdy and some of the easiest to operate and remove while also not looking likean afterthought.
The Ninja has acruise control that is so intuitivetoget to grips with needing onlyapress of abutton to activate, speed up orslowdown.
gettingawaytoget afew days riding in. HadIbeenasked to ride it back from thetestinSpain then Iwould have packed my stuf into the panniers, flled thetankand be on my waywithout question,but onething is forsure, Iwouldn’t just be sticking to themotor ways.
SPECIFICATION
KAWASAKI NINJA1100SX SE
Price: £12,249, SE model £13,999
Engine: 1099cc, liquid cooled, inIine-four,DOHC, 16 valves, 77x59mm bore/stroke
Power: 136bhp (100.0kW) @9,000rpm
Torque: 113Nm @7,600rpm
Frame: Twin-tube, Aluminium
Wheelbase: 1440 mm
Rider aids: ABS, 4rider modes, Quick shifter,Traction control, Cruise control
Brakes: (F) Dual semi-floating 300mm Brembo discswith radial-mount opposed 4-piston Brembo M4.32 monobloc caliper.(R) 260mm single discwith Mono-piston caliper
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: (F) 41mm USDforks, adjustable preload and rebound damping. (R) Óhlins S46 shock, adjustable preload and rebound damping
Wheels/tyres: (F) 120/70/17 (R) 190/50/17 Bridgestone
BattlaxHypersport S23
Seat height: 835mm
Fuel capacity: 19 litres
MPG: 50.4mpg (claimed)
Weight: 235kg (kerb)
Warranty: 2years
Contact: www.kawasaki.co.uk
RokitPremium Winter Protection pack
£49.99 www.nevis.uk.com
Winter is aharsh time fora motorcycle.While machines mightnot feel thecold, they do suferthe consequencesofbeing ridden inwet anddirty conditions,madeall the worsebythe corrosive propertiesof saltappliedtoroads in freezing temperatures. So,while we wrap up warm andcomfortable,it’sonlyfairto apply some kind of care package to our steedstoo andgivethemachanceat stayinginreasonablecondition in time forspring.
Here is theRokit winter protection kit, containingacleaner/degreaser,an anti-corrosionfuid,somefuel treatment, andapairofmicrofbre cloths
Te 500mlcleaner degreaser is simpletouse,and perfectfor removing
allthe winter crud andgrime in preparation forapplyingthe DuraCoat anti-corrosionfuid, whichisalsoina 500mlspray container. It’s really easy to apply–justspray on –and the hydrophobicefect protects againstall typesofcorrosionand oxidisation,as well as protecting electrical connectionsand components.
Te fuel treatment, in a250mlbottle, is to be addedtofuelinthe tank, helping to avoidcorrosionand deposit build-upinthe system, andcleaning both carburettors andinjection systems, whilst also aidingstartinginthose cold winter days andnights. It’s availablefrommostbikeshops andaccessor youtlets, whilethe website candirecttoyournearest stockist
£319.99-£379.99 www.shark-helmets.com
Many ‘fip-front’ helmets combinethe comfortand protectionofafull-face with theconvenience of an open face helmet andare designed to be in the‘down’ confguration whileriding. However, Shark’snew OXOhelmethas been homologatedtouse in both confgurations, full face andopenface, thanks to an easy-to-use lockingmechanism that holds thechin piecetothe rear of theshell when in open face mode
Aside from theeaseofuse and convenience brought by thefip-overchin piece, there’salsoabuilt-in sunvisor (that hasaneat‘spring-back’ operation)and the conventional visor(whichcomes with a Pinlock70) canalsobeusedinthe open face confguration
As perthe majority of theFrenchmanufactured Sharkrange,it’scompatible with theco-developedSena
communicationsystemwhichfts neatly into thehelmet’scontours. Forthe best possible ft,there aretwo shellsizes, augmentedbynolessthansix liner options, whilethe interior is madeof recycled fbreswithanantibacterial treatment, andthere is aratchet style chinstrapretention
Te cheaperprice is forplain colours (white,black or anthracite), with theupper price forfull colour ways such as theOXO Rydger KSRschemeseenhere.
Featuringthe latest fully waterproof andbreathable Sympatex membrane ensuring ridersstaydry and comfortableinall conditions, from torrential rain to sweltering heat,the Vanucci VAB-7 boots also feature Michelin touringsoles,which were speciallydeveloped for thesespecifcboots, ofering excellentgripand feel both in thedry andwet.
Constructedfrom a combinationofpremium full-grain, hydrophobic cowhide leatherand durable
Cordura fabric, theVAB-7’s rugged outerlayer ensures the boots provide long-lasting durability andprotectionfrom harshridingconditions.
Safety is paramountinthe designofthe VAB-7 boots, with arange of protective features builtintotheir structure. Te boots are equipped with reinforcedIPA andIPS certifedankle,shin, andheelprotection, and featurea double zipand Velcro closuresystem, making them simple andefcienttosecure whileprovidingasnugft.
Te Vanucci VAB-7 Sympatex motorcycle bootsare availableinadult sizes4.5-14. Forriderslooking forashorter boot,there’s also theVAB-3, whichoferthe same features as thefull-lengthVAB-7 andis pricedat£234.
TouratechCampañero Rambler PROjacket&
trousers
£1,163.06( jacket), £747.39(trousers) www.touratech.com
Touratech arewell-known for their vast rangeofhardware suitable fortouring and adventurebikes,but they do clothingtoo whichhas asimilar focusinthatitprotectsthe rider (rather than thebike) andis high-specifcationand supremely practicaland usable in allmannerofterrain and conditions.
Tisparticularitemof clothing(or,rather, twoitems, jacket andtrousers) is the CampañeroRambler PROset, andwhile theone yousee in the pics here is specifcally created forthe female form,theymake them in bloke’ssizestoo.As you mayhavealready judged from thelistprice of thesegarments, they’reofahighspecand pull no punches with regardsto claims of what they’recapable of enduring.Tey’reAAA rated forsafety,thankstonot only the
abrasionresistanceofthe shell (the specifcation reads like a who’s-who of protective clothing, with Kevlar,Gore-tex, PWR andArmacor involved)as well as thecomprehensiveset of armour from Seefex (shoulders, elbow,hipsknees andbackare allcovered).
As beftsadventure stylebike clothing, there’samultitude of pockets, prolifcventilation,a removablethermal liner (that canitselfbewornasa stylish separate garment), anda priority towardsthe useof comfortablematerials andan ergonomic ft
Tischunkyheavy duty(1.3kg!)disclockis part of theOxford Beastsecurityrange,adding some convenientanti-thefability forwhen you’re outand about. It’llnot secure your bike to an immovable object,but it will aidin making your bike an immovable object by lockingthe frontwheel when locked into a brakedisc.
Much like anotherbrand that has become synonymous with adventurebikeclothing, this is a purchase-for-lifeinvestmentin durable, protective andpractical apparel.
way that a lock such as this can be removed from a bike (bolt croppers or chisels are going to be of no use!)
It’s easy to stowawaywhile riding, beingjust80mmwide and86mmlong, has aharden ee ng 6m in diameter, ts f up to 8mm thick. Te lock anti-pickdesign, an resistanttogrinder attack which, let’s face it,isthe only waythatalocksuc hi removedfrom abik lt rs cold chiselsare goingtobeofnouse!) being just 80mm wide and 86mm long, a hardened steel locking pin 16mm and fts discs of to is an anti-pick design, and is resistant to grinder
UN DERCOVER
upgrade
More control, boosted efciency,and elevated comfor tare allon themenuasDucatirevamps theMultistrada V4Sfor 2025
DucatiMultistrada V4 S(2025)
WORDS: Adam ‘Chad’ Chi ld PHOTOGRAPHY: AlexPhoto
Don’t be tricked. Te modelyear2025 Ducati MultistradaV4Smight look like thecurrent model(as you’ll seeon page 80), butbeneath that distinctive andlargely unchangedsilhouettelies ahostofdevelopmentsthatmake theBologna factor y’sbest-selling adventure-tourerevenmoreefcient andrewardingtoride
Predictably enough,araf of electronic updatessitscentrestage, allaimed at boosting theversatility of theMultistrada. Te predictive electronic controlsystemdeveloped by Ducati CorseMotoGP team and whichdebuted on the2024 V4 Panigale -DucatiVehicle Observer (DVO)- fnds itsway onboardalong with AutomaticLoweringDevice, whichlowersthe ride height as the road speed dropstoallow better controland more confdentstops. Ducati’s electronic bofnshave also addedanew wetridingmode, whichsitsalongside theTouring, Urbanand Sportmodes as well as an updatedEndurooption
Tere is Engine BrakeControl anduprated linkedbrakes, with the rear levernow also operatingthe frontbrake (in addition to thefront leveroperating therear). Frontand-rearradar technology(carried
overfromthe ’24 V4S)supports adaptive cruise controland blind spot monitoring,and also supports anew forwardcollisionwarningon thedash.
Te free-revving andfexible 1158cc GranturismoV4remains largelyuntouched,aside from anew exhaust systemtocomplywith Euro5+. With service intervalsof 9,000 milesfor an oilchange, 37,000 milesfor avalve inspection,and peak powerand torque of 170hpat 10,750rpm and123.8Nmat 9,000rpm,there waslittleto improve on here
However, for2025, theMulti deactivatesits rear bank of cylinders at lowspeedsaswellaswhen stationery in abid to furtherreduce thetransferofengineheattothe rider on warm days (and improvefuel economy).
TheD uc at iSky ho ok Susp ension (DSS) semi-act iveMarzo cchi susp ensionnow al lows ther ider to indep endentlychanges ettingson themove. Thereare ne wf ront fork sett ings ands ensors,w hi le therear shockhas aw ider rangeofspr ing pre-lo ad sett ings.
Te swing-arm pivotsits1mm higherwhich, accordingtoDucati, shouldimprove anti-squat, especiallywitha pillionand
luggage onboard. Pillions getmore room as thepanniersand topbox have been movedbackwards,and thereisabroad rangeofoptional extrasfor both rider andpillion, includingseats –highand low, heated or unheated –and fve-level heated grips. Tere areEVOactivatedhazardlightsand aclear 6.5-inch displaywithconnectivity andevenmoredisplayed information,while afog light is ofered as an optional extra.
Even up close, there’snot much visual diference betweenthe old andnew bikes– it’s allsubtletweaks andevolutions– whichisa signof Ducati›s confdence in theMulti
We had twomodel variants to test -the ‘DucatiRed’, with optional forged wheels,radar systemand PirelliScorpionTrail II rubber,and the‘ TrillingBlack’, fttedwiththe adventuretraveland radarpack, whichincludesspokedwheels, aluminium side cases, centrestand, heated seat forrider andpassenger, heated grips, theradar systemand PirelliScorpionRally STRrubber. Essentially, onewas biased towards sports touringand theother towards adventuretouring.
Shortlegs andtalladventure bikes have neverbeenthe closestof companions,and adjustable ride
heightsand optionalseats have become a newbattlegroundfor manufactures tr ying to wooall shapes andsizesto their machines Tisisgreat news forthe likesof5f7in me. Iopted forthe standard seat,whichcan be positioned at 840mm and860mm, and turned down Ducati’s kind ofer of alower seat option, butitwas good to have achoice. Ducati ofersnot only alower seat butalsoa lowersuspensionkit,whichcombinedwith thelow seat dropsyou to 795mm –you even geta shorterside stand.
Crucially, theMultistrada V4 Sisn’t physically intimidating.Ittopsthe scales at a manageable 229kg (without fuel)and the AutomaticLoweringDeviceisefectiveat helping both feet getsecurelytothe ground Tissystemdials outthe suspension’sspring pre-load as theMulti’s speed fallsbelow 10kph,thenre-appliesitautomatically as speedincreases to 50kph.Alternatively,you canoverride thesystemmanuallyand take controlyourself. Howmuchthe seat height
dropsdepends on thebike’sladen sag: if,for example,you areaheavy rider with apillion andluggage loaded foraweekaway, theseat will drop around 30mm. Foralighter solo rider,roughly 15mm wouldbemore normal Tat’sa massivetick; onewhichmakes the V4 Smore accessible than ever.Iwas also eagertodiscoverifIcould feel or hear the rear bank of cylindersdeactivateatunder 10kph,orwecametoahalt. On Ducati’s Diavel, whichtrialledthe frst cut-out system, youcan tell by achangetothe exhaustand intake noise, butit’slessclear-cut on the Multi. Allfourcylindersshouldcomeback onlineasthe revs approach4,000rpm butthe precise moment depends on theriding context andamountoftorquebeing requested. If,say,you arerunning atallgear at just 2,000rpm andgrabahandful of throttle,the systemwillimmediately revert to allfourcylinderstogivethe driveyou need It’s such asmoothtransitionthatIwasn’t always sure whetherI wasridinga twin or a
V4. Te only glitch wasunseasonably wetand cool weather, whichlef me unsure how efective theuprated ECD will be on thelong hotridesofsummer.Wewillhavetotestthis furtheratMSL
Te damp did give us thechancetotestthe newWet ridingmode, whichlimits peak poweroutputto113hp– down from thefull peak of 170hp. Supportedbya plethora of lean sensitiverider aids to keep yousafe andwith theSkyhook semi-activesuspensionset to low grip conditions,itworks supremelywell. Te laws of physics still apply,ofcourse, butyou canexitsuper-slipperyhairpin cornerswith full throttle –aguaranteed recipe fordisaster with lesser electronic systems –and stillthe bike drives calmly forwards
As theroads driedout,improved conditions allowedustosamplethe new linkedReartoFront brakingsystem. Te currentV4S modelalready runs aFront to Rear systemthatelectronically distributes brakingloads betweenbothwheels. Now, for