Motorcycle Sport & Leisure August 2019 by Mortons Media Group Ltd

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August 2019 Issue 707

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Toy story Mikko Nieminen

rains don't fly and go 'nee-nor' – we all know that. Except that they do, if you open your mind to the possibility. Not in a strictly mechanical sense, or even in a deep metaphysical way, no. But when my son runs around the house with his wooden toy train high above his head shouting “nee-nor, nee-nor” he's having a much better time than he would if he just played with the train as it was designed to be played with – sitting on the floor, pushing it along the wooden track and resigning to a future as a trainspotter. No doubt about it, his way is much more fun – and it made me wonder when we lose that ability to take something and use it as we want to, not as we think we should. I remember having my first motorised form of transport when I was 15. It was a 50cc Suzuki, and I used it pretty much as I had used push-bikes before. I took it to school and summer jobs, to the beach and woods, and I liked to imagine that it made me nearirresistible to all the girls I fancied – at that age reality certainly wasn't high on my agenda. But over the years something has slowly changed, life has become more serious, and my subsequent bikes have become commuters, tourers, trailies – they have done exactly what it says on the tin, and nothing more than that. The trains have stopped flying, and they certainly don't go 'nee-nor' any more. Luckily, not everyone is subject to this Age-Related Imagination Deficiency (ARID) mentality. There are notable examples of real-world Peter Pans who seem to retain the curiosity, fearlessness and resourcefulness that many of us let slip away as we 'grow up'. In the biking world the likes of Austin Vince, who among other things rode around the world on a Suzuki

It’s high time we break the monopoly that children hold over play. It’s for adults too! DR350, or Nick Sanders, who has been globetrotting at breakneck speeds on bikes such as the R1, are perfect examples of people who don't conform. They don't just look at a bike and accept that it probably wasn't designed to – and therefore shouldn't be – ridden around the world. They pick up their toy trains, run around and go 'nee-nor', or rather they do the adult equivalent of it. Whether that sort of thing appeals to you is a matter of taste, but it seems to me that they're having much more fun than most of us. I think it's because they see the opportunities that the 'toys' provide, not the restrictions of their intended use. Let's be clear, I'm not suggesting that anyone takes their Panigale off-roading (although I have seen that done, and it looked like great fun too!), but I do think that many of us, myself included, could open our eyes to the world of possibilities out there: You can take your cruiser to a track day, tour on a 125, or ride Motogymkhana on a Gold Wing. At the end of the day, they're all just bikes, and how you use them is only limited by your imagination. Actually, it has just occurred to me that maybe it's just me who thinks that touring bikes are for touring, sportsbikes for sport and so on. Maybe you're all already having the most eclectic fun with your bikes and I'm the only one who didn't get the memo… If that's the case, drop us a line – I'd love to hear what you get up to on your bike. Just don’t make me too envious.

Mikko Nieminen, Editor

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors... Alan Cathcart

Alan Cathcart has been writing about bikes for more than 30 years, and riding them for even longer. He’s regularly given the keys to factory prototypes and being on ﬁrst-name terms with the bosses of bike companies around the world allows him to bag many scoops.

Roland Brown

A bike journalist for more than 30 years, Roland has contributed to countless publications worldwide and authored a dozen books on bikes. He has tested machines ranging from Rossi’s YZR-M1 to a 1923 Douglas, but still can’t decide which type of bike he most enjoys riding.

Chris Moss

Mossy has made a living from bikes since 1985 – ﬁrst as a motorcycle courier in London, and then as a journo from 1995. He’s raced, ridden and tinkered with hundreds of different bikes, but he’s the ﬁrst to admit there’s still loads to experience and learn.

Peter Henshaw

Peter is our history man – he’s written more than 60 books and is a former editor of this very publication. Now a freelance journalist, he writes about transport of all kinds, though bikes are really at the heart of it all. He’s an all-yearround rider who does not own a car.

Adam ‘Chad’ Child

Yorkshireborn Chad has been professionally testing bikes for 20 years, attended more than 350 bike launches, and covered over a million road test miles. With race wins at Oliver’s Mount and two top ten TT ﬁnishes, Chad is just as happy elbow-down on a race track or kicking up mud off-road.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 3

Contents ent

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20 NEWS & OPINION:

TOURING & ADVENTURE

News

Touring news

Your letters

Day ride

Latest products

Mid ride

Maynard Hershon

What's going on in motorcycling this month.

MSL readers have their say about motorcycling.

These are the bits of kit we have found most interesting.

Riding in India, on a 150, two-up – madness or bliss?

Somerset has plenty to offer for riders.

The best way to get to Le Mans? Riding, of course.

Richard Millington

Long ride

This is the beginning of the end.

Tasmania is very far away, but worth exploring on two wheels.

Off-road in Argentina

Just a few days’ riding here will open your eyes.

Our American friend ﬁnds himself in a BMW shop.

Subscription offer

Save £££ and be the ﬁrst to get your hands on MSL every month.

The High Sider

The TT is always a big talking point. This year was no different.

43 76 4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

TEST FLEET 92

Triumph Scrambler 1200

Matt makes friends with the gorgeous Triumph.

ROAD TESTS 20

Yamaha Ténéré 700

Husqvarna Svartpilen

Back to basics adventure bike charms with its simplicity.

Kawasaki Versys 1000

Kymco AK550

Kawasaki W800

Zero DSR Black Forest

Street and Café – retro-fun in two different guises.

How does the electric adventure bike fare in the real world?

Alarms and mobilisers

What should we be doing to protect our pride and joy?

Tech-heavy Versys still entertains and baffles Bertie.

How far can you get on a tankful – let’s see.

BMW R1250GS Adventure

It’s still enormous, and it’s still excellent in almost every way.

It’s a lot like the KTM 690 Duke, but not quite the same.

KNOWLEDGE 83

Suzuki GSX-S1000F

It’s not perfect, but the shortcomings are easy to get round.

Yamaha Niken

Mossy ﬁnds the ﬁrst ‘fault’ with the Niken. Does it put him off?

Honda VFR800X

Riding a popular bike has it’s downsides – everyone wants to have a go.

100 KTM 1290 Super

Adventure S

Getting the ﬁrst service out of the way.

Monthly board meeting

They do things differently across the water. We like this approach.

Events

Cornering better

Don’t miss these biking events in July.

A day with California Superbike School gives you skills for a lifetime.

102 Buying guide

Sports tourers for less than £4500 – and they are great bikes, too.

108 Classic test

We re-discover the joys of the 1975 Honda CB400F.

115 Tried & tested

We give our opinion on the latest kit and gadgets.

122 Kevin Cameron

You’d be surprised how much bike development has changed riding styles.

August 2019

EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen mnieminen@mortons.co.uk DESIGNERS: Charlotte Turnbull, Fran Lovely & Tracey Markham PRODUCTION EDITOR: Mike Cowton PICTURE DESK: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schoﬁeld PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452/07786 334330 GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sue Keily DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Charlotte Mountain: cmountain@mortons.co.uk 01507 529538 SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER: Paul Deacon: pdeacon@mortons.co.uk CIRCULATION MANAGER: Steve O’Hara: sohara@mortons.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER: Charlotte Park: cpark@mortons.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole EDITORIAL ADDRESS: MSL Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR WEBSITE: www.mslmagazine.co.uk GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES: 01507 529529 24 hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 SUBSCRIPTION: Full subscription rates (but see page 32 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £51.60. Export rates are also available – see page 32 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS: Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR CUSTOMER SERVICES NUMBER: 01507 529529 TELEPHONE LINES ARE OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY 8.30AM-6PM SATURDAY 8.30AM-12.30PM DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. 0203 787 9001. PRINTED: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If you are sending material to us for publication, you are strongly advised to make copies and to include a stamped addressed envelope. Original material must be submitted and will be accepted solely on the basis that the author accepts the assessment of the publisher as to its commercial value. © Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN: 1478-8390 MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE (USPS:001-522) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $66 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@ classicbikebooks.com

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NEW Need to know ◆ Your letters ◆ First rides

BMW wows with the latest factory custom The new Concept R18 is big, classy and very, very good looking

n the last issue of MSL we showed you the Departed and the Birdcage, the BMW cruiser prototypes built by custom houses in Japan and the US respectively. They both utilised the new BMW big twin engine, so we knew that a heavyweight cruiser was coming from Bavaria soon. Now BMW has rolled out a concept bike of its own, the Concept R18, combining classic and custom styling with a modern twist. “With its clear aesthetics openly on display, the Concept R18 embodies for me what motorcycling, at its core, is really about. It is all about feeling instead of thinking, and not using technology for self-staging, instead giving space for imagination.” explains Edgar Heinrich, head of BMW Motorrad Design. The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is immediately recognisable as a BMW: boxer engine, cradle frame, exposed universal shaft and drop-shaped fuel tank, as well as the balanced proportions which are reminiscent of classics like the BMW R5. The frame and tank create a common line all the way from the steering head to the rear wheel hub.

The large spoke wheels (front 21-inch, rear 18-inch) provide a secure stance. The heart of the Concept R18 is the large, newly designed, two-cylinder 1800cc boxer engine. Its outward appearance is consciously reminiscent of the flat twin engines that BMW Motorrad used to build up until

the end of the 1960s – but with a considerably bigger displacement and modern air/ oil cooling. Solex dual carburettors – similar to those in the BMW 2002 – hark back to the brand’s construction history and add the final touch to the bike’s visual authenticity. The single leather seat is similar to those on the classics of the 1950s, although somewhat more comfortable. The graphics of the headlamp design are also reminiscent of the 1950s. The classic U-shape of the original glass cover components are now interpreted as LED lamp elements. “For me, motorcycles like the

BMW Motorrad Concept R18 are a response to a growing need among the motorcycling community: instead of technology, the focus here is on simplification, authenticity and transparency. I observe an almost romantic yearning for real mechanical engineering. Our aim with this concept bike is to address this need and turn it into an analogue statement in a digital age. We have a rich history of iconic motorcycles, and they all bear the same design characteristics. We believe that this can still work well together today with the current technology,” says Edgar Heinrich. www.mslmagazine.co.uk 7

Top Stories

Ducati reveals Streetﬁghter V4 prototype Naked version of the Panigale V4 is coming, and the prototype will race soon

Ducati has confirmed the Streetfighter V4’s arrival in 2020. Not only that, it’s using the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, US, as the proving ground for the prototype of the new model. Riding the prototype will be

Carlin Dunne, who won the 2018 edition of the race. The race will be held on June 30, so we don’t know the results as we go to print, but we do know that the Streetfighter V4 derives directly from the sporty Panigale V4. Essentially it has just been stripped of its fairings,

RST launches new airbag project at the TT

and fitted with high and wide handlebars. The high performance of the 1100cc Desmosedici Stradale is kept in hand by aerodynamic profiles specifically designed for this model. “The Streetfighter V4 will be one of the stars of the Ducati

World Premiere 2020,” declared Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati. The bike will be presented to the public at EICMA 2019 in Milan this November and will be available in Ducati dealerships starting from mid-March 2020 onwards.

Honda ﬁles patents for the CB125X and CB125M

RST has joined forces with In&Motion to unveil its latest project: an integrated airbag for bikers Continuing its commitment to high-end safety protection, RST has unveiled its new integrated airbag at the Isle of Man TT. And with its status as Official Safety Partner at the worldrenowned racing event, RST has been working to create a special ‘Road Racing’ algorithm to keep racers safe on the iconic Mountain Course. With the help of Ian Hutchinson and the Isle of Man’s travelling marshalls, RST has been testing its new technology throughout 2019 – putting its kit through its paces at one of the world’s most demanding races. The general public are going to have to wait a bit longer to get their hands on one of RST’s new integrated airbags though, with the official release set for March 2020. If you’re interested in finding out more about the new gear, visit www.rst-moto.com 8 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

The CB125X and CB125M are by far the coolest beginner bikes from Honda (or any manufacurer, come to think of it) so far, even if they’re still just concepts that were shown at the EICMA show in Milan last year. But now Honda has gone and filed patents around the two concepts. We’ve seen the patents, and they are pretty close to the prototypes. So, what does this mean? Are we going to get these little A2 bikes on the road? Hard to say. It’s entirely likely that Honda is doing little more than protecting its ideas with this bit of legal stamping on the models. But wouldn't it be great if the upright roadster and the small adventure bike were available for the next generation of motorcyclists?

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