KAWASAKI H2 SX SE We go touring at warp speed, and in great comfort
40 BMW
TRAVIS PASTRANA
He did what? And survived?
ECUADO R
Discoverin g the hidde n gem of So uth America
No bells, no whistles, just a lot of bang for your buck!
Honda Africa Twin, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally, Kawasaki Versys 1000, Suzuki V-Strom 1050
No.725 February 2021
BASIC-SPEC ADVENTURE BIKES TESTED
£4.40
We test the special anniversary model and look at the history e of the legendary adventure bik
Contents
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P26
88
32 NEWS & OPINION: 7 18
20
26
News
More new bikes keep coming for 2021.
Legal Eagle
28
Maynard Hershon
Biking memories that keep haunting Maynard.
38
BMW GS history
What are MSL readers talking about this month?
46
Products
Ten items worth investigating.
TOURING & ADVENTURE
Subscription offer
62
Kit guide
65
Touring news
66
Day ride
70
Mid ride
74
Long ride
Got a legal question? Our man has the answer.
Your letters
Save £££ and get the magazine before it's in the shops.
We look at the 40 years of the adventure boxer.
How clever can a jacket get?
50
4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
How to ride during the pandemic? Motorcycling bodies give guidance.
Do you know the best 80 miles around Hertfordshire?
Scotland has become popular while Euro-tripping is not on. This is why.
There are more roads in the US than just the famous one.
80
Richard Millington
82
Riding in Ecuador
There’s good clothing and bad clothing, but is there such a thing as right clothing?
This is the hidden gem of South America for bikers.
TEST FLEET 96
Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT
Mossy looks back at the months on the Suzuki.
98
99
Yamaha Ténéré 700
It’s time to add some off-road accessories.
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Tourer
Stu’s bike is a source of therapy during the pandemic.
100 Triumph Street
Scrambler
Ross finds the twin is at its best on back roads.
38 ROAD TESTS 10
22
32
50
KNOWLEDGE 87
88
Travis Pastrana
92
When Maja met…
94
ABS
Kawasaki H2 SX SE
The fastest touring bike in the West is ideal for a weekend away.
Suzuki Katana
So much history, controversy and expectation. Can the new Katana handle the pressure?
BMW GS 40-year edition
The adventure bike to beat got a special birthday treatment.
Standard-spec adventure bikes
Do you need all the bells and whistles, or will the base model do?
10
Knowledge
This technology will keep your noggin safe in case of a crash.
You won’t believe the stuff this daredevil does on a motorcycle.
Our new series looks at female riders who make a difference.
The story of this lifesaving technology.
102 Tried & tested
This is what we have been testing this month.
106 Kevin Cameron
How have manufacturers reacted to economic highs and lows?
February 2021 EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen mnieminen@mortons.co.uk DESIGNERS: Charlotte Turnbull PRODUCTION EDITOR: Mike Cowton PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sue Keily DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER: Tom Lee: tlee@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Emma Buxton-Rockley: EBuxton-Rockley@Mortons.co.uk 01507 529410 SALES AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Carl Smith: CMSmith@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 26 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £52.80. Export rates are also available – see page 26 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, 3rd Floor 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP Tel 0330 390 6555 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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Test Ride
Test Ride
, s a r t x e o N ! u o y k n a th re column inches in Top-spec bikes sell better and get mo models. But are they ard magazines than the Billy-basic stand sic-spec adventure bikes ba r fou k too We y? ne mo tra ex the worth what we were missing‌ out for a ride in the Cotswolds to see
Suzuki V-Strom 1050, Kawasaki Versys 1000, Honda Africa Twin, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally
I
WORDS: Mikko Nieminen, Ross Mowbray, Dave Manning, Roger Jones PHOTOGRAPHY: Joe Dick & Gary Chapman
f money was no object, most of us would always choose a motorcycle with the coolest accessories, most advanced electronics and highest quality components over a basic version of the same bike. But in the real world, money matters. And the financial difference between buying the cheapest or the dearest version of the
same bike can be the equivalent of a week’s motorcycle tour with all expenses in, or a second (used) bike. So, does it make more sense to have all the bells and whistles on the bike or the money to do something else? At the end of the day it’s everyone’s personal choice, but we wanted to ride some standard bikes to find out if we would miss anything
enough to justify the extra spend for fully-loaded bikes. To help us decide, we decided to spend a weekend riding in Wales. Then Covid-19 happened, and Wales closed its doors. So we went to the Cotswolds instead. We had four bikes, three days, two possible outcomes for the test, and one good road trip. This is how it all panned out… www.mslmagazine.co.uk 51
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