RIDING IN THE
HIMALAYAS
‘IT’S LIKE THE ALPS ON STEROIDS’
22
PAGES OF
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE FROM EDINBURGH TO ISTANBUL
2020
HONDA AFRICA TWIN
◆ MORE POWER ◆ LESS WEIGHT ◆ CLEVER TECH HOW TO
TURN YOUR
ROAD BIKE INTO A
GO-ANYWHERE
ADVENTURER
December 2019 Issue 711
H-D LOW RIDER S ADDS CHARACTER, POWER AND ATTITUDE
I’ve seen the future Mikko Nieminen
M
otorcycling is changing. Fast. Not a week goes by without a bit of news telling us that in one way or another, the days of petrolguzzling bikes are over. They are, if you believe the news, the modern equivalents of dinosaurs waiting for their big comet to hit the earth and bring with it the blessed relief from all this anti-biking sentiment. But maybe it’s not a case of all or nothing. There is no denying that the world of riding is changing, but perhaps this is just the end of motorcycling as we know it — not the end of it all. It’s a thought that popped into my head when I was on holiday in Spain this summer. I watched an old lady wobble around on an electric scooter. It was not a scooter in the sense that us bikers think of them, but one of those stand-on things that you can rent in cities around the world. Anyways, this lady of generous Teutonic proportions was hurtling down the pavement in one of Europe’s favourite holiday towns. She was screaming wildly and completely out of her depth – but by the looks of it, having a fantastic time doing it. Judging by her riding skills, this was someone who hadn’t been on two wheels since her teens. It was just a granny getting to grips with the ride that her grandson had hired for a few Euros. It was brave, and she was enjoying herself — I salute her! So what does this have to do with the future of biking? Well, whatever the environmental arguments are, the fact remains that money talks while protesters walk. If there is a buck to be made from short-distance electric two-wheelers, they will be in the picture. Equally, as long as traditional motorcycle companies report healthy turnovers, they will feature. And everything in between will find its own niche.
Fat old ladies are the future. Really! So here’s my prediction: Things will change, and they will remain the same. I can’t see motorcycles being replaced by electric scooters and the like. The latter may be great for their own specific inner-city purposes, but they are not a replacement. As long as there are people wanting to go the distance there will be motorcycles. They may be electric, they may be petrol-powered or something else altogether (I don’t think we’ve seen the best of hydrogen technologies yet). However, alongside the bikes as we know them, there will be a whole host of new rides, possibly designed mainly for short distances and shared ownership. In the same way that our music, books and films are now mostly covered by subscriptions rather than outright purchases of artefacts, we can expect areas of motorcycling to head the same way. What starts with scooters might soon include big cruisers, too. And who knows, maybe this development, together with the electrification and further automation of vehicles, will create new business models for companies willing to take people riding in places that still allow it on ‘good old bikes’. Come to think of it, with the whole Brexit hoohaa, wouldn’t that offer the perfect opportunity for the UK to set itself up as the biking destination of choice for our continental riding brothers who will get their fossil-fuelled, nonautopiloted machines confiscated by the EU? Imagine the commercial potential of that! Right, must write to Boris (still the PM at the time of writing) about that.
Mikko Nieminen, Editor
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors... 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.
James Robinson
The editor of MSL’s sister title The Classic MotorCycle for 16 years, James has owned and ridden a huge range of motorcycles, and can find interest in practically anything two-wheeled with an engine, from veterans to superbikes and everything in between.
Ross Mowbray
Ross works across several motorcycling magazines. That means he gets to ride all manner of twowheelers, from Monkey bikes to trikes. Don’t let his youthful appearance fool you, he’s a seasoned petrol-head, respected test rider and a handy off-roader, too.
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TOURING & ADVENTURE
The most interesting news in motorcycling this month.
Latest trends and most exciting products revealed.
MSL readers have their say about the world on two wheels.
Christmas gift guide
The most interesting biking gifts from our sponsors.
The High Sider
Marquez divides opinion. But most agree that his riding is incredible.
49
Touring news
Our American friend takes a holiday, but he’s still got his eye on bikes.
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Day ride
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Mid ride
Maynard Hershon
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4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
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Australia on a Royal Enfield Bullet.
Scottish Borders in a day.
There are loads of great roads near Santander in Spain.
Long ride
Completing the ride to Istanbul – 25 years ago.
ROAD TESTS 16
Honda Africa Twin
30
Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
38
Ducati Monster 1200 & Scrambler 1100
Richard Millington
Central America. It’s all the same, right?
Riding in India
The Himalayan adventure on a Himalayan concludes in this issue.
Events
It’s getting cold, but there’s still plenty happening in November.
We ride all three new Africa Twin models from the big H.
The defiant one is bursting with attitude. And that’s just Tony who rode the bike.
Two big naked Ducatis, two very different packages.
96
TEST FLEET 84
Honda CB650R
85
Ducati Diavel
86
KNOWLEDGE
KTM 1290 Super Adventure S
76
Back in the saddle
89
78
Adventurise your bike
90
96
Buyer's guide
BMW R nineT is great fun to ride. And it's a sensible used buy, too.
Triumph Scrambler 1200
How to decide between classic and modern Triumphs.
88
How will motorcycles cope with automated cars?
Here's what you should consider if you're venturing off Tarmac.
Tony discovers the joys of Rain mode.
Kymco AK550
Automated vehicles
Mike is getting back to biking after a long sabbatical.
The CB turns out to be more divisive than thought.
87
75
December 2019
Hitting potholes on the maxiscooter.
So much power, so much versatility.
92
Yamaha Niken
What would Nick Sanders say about the Niken?
Kawasaki Versys 1000
The green giant is tempting Bertie with cruise control.
BMW R1250GS Adventure
Re-adjusting to riding the big Beemer only takes a while.
104 Classic test
93
Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT
110 Tried & Tested
94
Suzuki Katana
114 Kevin Cameron
95
Honda CB500X
1946 Triumph Speed Twin was a game changer.
This time we test textiles and cleaning products.
The missing link between engineering and food.
Stu is learning to like the Suzuki more all the time.
Putting the new next to the old. Nice. Double nice!
There’s no better reason to ride than a trip to the chippy.
66
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 28 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £51.60. Export rates are also available – see page 28 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-5PM 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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