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Motorbike Advice

Your one-stop shop for all motorbike advice, including how-tos, getting a motorcycle licence, servicing, maintenance and more.

Find out which bikes you should be choosing in our expertly curated Best section, or find the perfect kit and accessories at MCN Product Picks.

For those looking to learn how to ride a motorbike, head to our Learning to Ride hub, where we cover all you need to know about getting into this wonderful lifestyle.

If you've already got going, check out our Riding Tips section for the best guides and top techniques.

Looking for somewhere to go? Don't miss our Places to Visit area for some ideas for your next rideout.

And when you get home, learn how to look after your bike in our Bike Maintenance hub.

Year: ALL

I think the Suzuki GSX-R750 is a legendary bike. Here are some of my favourite iterations

20 December 2024 by Bruce Dunn

I think the Suzuki GSX-R750 is a legendary bike. Here are some of my favourite iterations

The Suzuki GSX-R750 was the original road-going race rep and pretty much dominated racing until the late 90s. But when WSB rule changes ushered in the modern 1000cc era in 2000, the GSX-R750 became...

I remember watching these bikes win World Superbike titles, and now you can buy one from just £3800!

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

I remember watching these bikes win World Superbike titles, and now you can buy one from just £3800!

Rather than exotic prototypes, the ethos behind World Superbikes was the fact that you could ride to the circuit to watch bikes very much like the one you arrived on. During the 1990s the series’...

This list of my favourite used middleweight sportsbikes prove you don't need to be rich to have fun!

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

This list of my favourite used middleweight sportsbikes prove you don't need to be rich to have fun!

This year has seen the launch of the Suzuki GSX-8R as well as the Triumph Daytona 660, two brand-new easy-going middleweight sportsbikes that join the Yamaha R7, Aprilia RS660, Honda CBR650R and...

I reckon these bikes really changed the game. Here's my pick of the pioneers of motorcycling

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

I reckon these bikes really changed the game. Here's my pick of the pioneers of motorcycling

This week we are celebrating pioneers of the two-wheeled world, bikes that pushed boundaries and introduced some future tech first. Angle-responsive ABS arrived on the KTM 1190 Super Adventure in 2017...

All superbikes should offer blistering performance but I think the great ones have something more...

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

All superbikes should offer blistering performance but I think the great ones have something more...

Riding a bike shouldn’t just be about headline power figures, it needs to be about how the machine feels, what it responds like and even how it sounds. And on this front, these five used bikes are...

As a road tester I love the legendary RD350LC, but for £12k how about these ace used retros instead?

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

As a road tester I love the legendary RD350LC, but for £12k how about these ace used retros instead?

Nostalgia sells. But there is a problem with nostalgia – in fact there are several. For starters older classic machines are now becoming very expensive. You are looking at over £12k for a mint Yamaha...

As a road tester, used V-Stroms don't tug at my heart strings, but they always manage to impress

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

As a road tester, used V-Stroms don't tug at my heart strings, but they always manage to impress

Suzuki’s V-Strom adventure bike range has often been a case of function over form, and the very early versions quickly gained a reputation for challenging styling but excellent practicality. As...

Thumping big V-twin nakeds are full of character and make a brilliant used buy. Here's my top five

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Thumping big V-twin nakeds are full of character and make a brilliant used buy. Here's my top five

Nakeds are always popular but not everyone wants a full-on super-naked. So how about a cool-looking ride with a bit of soul thanks to a thumping V-twin engine? The good old V-twin is something of a...

The late '90s and early 2000s were a fantastic time to buy a sports tourer. Here are my favourites

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

The late '90s and early 2000s were a fantastic time to buy a sports tourer. Here are my favourites

Want the perfect blend of fun and practicality? You’ll be needing a sports tourer. And in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that’s exactly what the buying public were seeking. During this period...

There used adventure-sports heroes will do it all, and I've found five bargains for less than £4k!

18 December 2024 by MCN

There used adventure-sports heroes will do it all, and I've found five bargains for less than £4k!

Adventure-sport bikes are supposed to give you the best of several worlds; the ability to cope with our potholed roads like an adventure bike, handle the daily commute as practical workhorses and even...

Learners might love 'em, but I reckon there's more to the humble 125... check out my top used picks!

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

Learners might love 'em, but I reckon there's more to the humble 125... check out my top used picks!

It’s a mistake to dismiss all 125 motorbikes as mere learner fodder: A decent 125 makes a perfect urban commuter as let’s be honest: battling through stalled city traffic on an R1200GS or Panigale is...

Fancy a Bonnie on a budget? Here are some of my favourite used options out there!

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

Fancy a Bonnie on a budget? Here are some of my favourite used options out there!

There’s a story that a journalist went to Triumph’s Hinckley plant and somebody at the factory was careless enough to leave one of the pre-production 790 Bonneville prototypes parked outside.

Need a second bike for the commute? I've picked these five used maxi-scooters you'll want to look at

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

Need a second bike for the commute? I've picked these five used maxi-scooters you'll want to look at

What makes a scooter a maxi-scooter? Basically, big engines (300cc+), lots of weather protection, big seats and somewhere to stash loads of luggage. The result is great commuters often bought by...

I've sold loads of Yamaha R6s and in my opinion, these are the best you can buy second hand

18 December 2024 by Saul Towers

I've sold loads of Yamaha R6s and in my opinion, these are the best you can buy second hand

Yamaha were on the crest of a wave in the late nineties, capturing the imagination of the sportsbike-buying public with the inception of the space-age R1 in 1998, then again the following year with...

These secondhand A2 superstars for less than £3k prove you don't need unlimited funds to have fun

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

These secondhand A2 superstars for less than £3k prove you don't need unlimited funds to have fun

If you’re 19 years old or more then after CBT, theory test and two-part practical test, you can gain an A2 licence, which allows you to ride a bike with up to 46.6bhp without L-plates. Bikes built...

Fancy a used hyperbike? Here are my tips, with a few wildcard superbikes thrown in for good measure

18 December 2024 by Bruce Dunn

Fancy a used hyperbike? Here are my tips, with a few wildcard superbikes thrown in for good measure

Suzuki’s Hayabusa has long been the king of speed. From 1999 to 2018 and then from 2021 to today, the superfast Suzuki dominated the hyperbike niche and still has a massive cult following but that...

Middleweight twins are among the most popular used bikes. Here's why I think that is...

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Middleweight twins are among the most popular used bikes. Here's why I think that is...

A BMW K1600 will blitz you, a passenger and more luggage than you can stuff into the boot of a sportscar across a continent in comfort. But supertourers like the Beemer can be… well, a bit unwieldy...

Yamaha's naked MTs are serious fun, and a good used pick is under £4k. Here are my best buys...

11 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Yamaha's naked MTs are serious fun, and a good used pick is under £4k. Here are my best buys...

Yamaha’s naked MT range, which stands for ‘Masters of Torque’ kicked off with the MT-09 in 2013 and have been a big hit, equating to the majority of Yamaha’s European sales. What’s the secret? As well...

Heading off the beaten track needn't cost the earth. Check out these used adventure bike heroes!

09 December 2024 by Craig Fowell

Heading off the beaten track needn't cost the earth. Check out these used adventure bike heroes!

Ever since the surge in popularity of adventure bikes in the early Noughties these two-wheeled SUVs have grown ever-more sophisticated, versatile… and expensive, with BMW and KTM’s latest now easily...

These digital superbikes were the first of their breed, and I reckon they're now ballistic bargains

06 December 2024 by Jon Urry

These digital superbikes were the first of their breed, and I reckon they're now ballistic bargains

Nowadays it is impossible to buy a top-end sportsbike that doesn’t come with a huge array of electronic assists. Items such as ABS, traction control and power modes are the bare minimum while...

Ride Mongolia! Visit this unspoilt paradise

27 November 2024 by MCN

Ride Mongolia! Visit this unspoilt paradise

Paid partnership with Ride Mongolia There are few accessible countries remaining in the world today where you can truly experience a lifestyle that has remained mostly unchanged for hundreds of years. Although Mongolia is changing...

Parallel-twin nakeds aren't new, and you don't have to spend big on a new bike! Just £4k will do it

20 November 2024 by Jon Urry

Parallel-twin nakeds aren't new, and you don't have to spend big on a new bike! Just £4k will do it

Back in the ’90s and early Noughties, if a manufacturer wanted to build a competitive middleweight, the usual route was to take an older supersport inline four, retune it for extra midrange and then...

Can you have more fun than riding a good middleweight naked bike? I really don't think so...

15 October 2024 by Jon Urry

Can you have more fun than riding a good middleweight naked bike? I really don't think so...

Boasting quality chassis components, these sporty options seriously up the fun-factor in naked biking. Entertaining on a B-road if the mood takes you, these five are also more than happy to line up on...

Allen Millyard's Norton Nemesis V8 engine fires up plus a busy month for the Flying Millyard

10 October 2024 by Allen Millyard

Allen Millyard's Norton Nemesis V8 engine fires up plus a busy month for the Flying Millyard

I’ve been doing a lot of riding this month, over 500 miles on my 5000cc Flying Millyard alone. First I rode it to Shrewsbury for the Bike4Life fest in aid of Midlands Air Ambulance, where I was one of...

Clutch levers are going out of fashion for some but the idea isn't new and these bikes prove it

07 October 2024 by Jon Urry

Clutch levers are going out of fashion for some but the idea isn't new and these bikes prove it

BMW have recently displayed systems that aim to remove that tiresome clutch lever from the bars and minimise the requirement of moving your left foot while Honda have also just released their new...

These aren't just superbikes... they're my list of DREAM superbikes that you can buy used right now

13 September 2024 by Jon Urry

These aren't just superbikes... they're my list of DREAM superbikes that you can buy used right now

What would be parked in your dream garage? It’s a typical pub conversation and for some a dream ride might be an iconic Harley cruiser, a classic two-stroke or even a top-spec adventure bike but as so...

Allen Millyard | 'I’ve always gone for the factory look with my bikes, even if it means extra work'

11 September 2024 by Allen Millyard

Allen Millyard | 'I’ve always gone for the factory look with my bikes, even if it means extra work'

What an amazing privilege it is to write for the most read and longest-running motorcycle publication in the world. I’ve been reading Motor Cycle News for as long as I can remember… As a youngster,...

Give me 150-ish bhp and fewer electronics any day of the week | Expert guide to analogue sportsbikes

28 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Give me 150-ish bhp and fewer electronics any day of the week | Expert guide to analogue sportsbikes

The 1990s and early 2000s were a golden era for sportsbikes. They were exciting, great-looking and had performance figures that were much more accessible for road riders than some of the power#2;laden...

Comfort and joy! Sports touring in style and effortless comfort needn't break the bank...

26 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Comfort and joy! Sports touring in style and effortless comfort needn't break the bank...

Sports-tourers are the jacks-of-all-trades of the two-wheeled world. More than happy to load-up and take you and a pillion around Europe, they are equally pleased to just be rolled out at a weekend...

We can't all be MotoGP superstars - but you can buy one of these used V4 sportsbikes!

20 August 2024 by Jon Urry

We can't all be MotoGP superstars - but you can buy one of these used V4 sportsbikes!

If you look at the current crop of MotoGP bikes and dive under the weird aero fins, there is a common theme. Honda, Aprilia, KTM and Ducati all run a V4. And in WSBK it is a similar story with...

How to fix a flat tyre fast | Don’t get left stranded, here’s how to tackle a puncture with MCN

19 August 2024 by Bruce Dunn

How to fix a flat tyre fast | Don’t get left stranded, here’s how to tackle a puncture with MCN

Discovering you have a flat tyre is one of the worst feelings in biking. If you’re lucky, you’ll discover that you have a puncture in your garage or driveway rather than out and about where your...

Trackday fun for less! Scratch that short circuit itch with a used speed-seeker from £800

14 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Trackday fun for less! Scratch that short circuit itch with a used speed-seeker from £800

Of course you could pitch up at your very first trackday with a spanking new Panigale, tyre warmers and all… but you are putting a load of pressure on yourself to perform and what if it all ends up in...

Stay connected! Wire in a motorcycle USB port and phone cradle for navigation and more

12 August 2024 by Bruce Dunn

Stay connected! Wire in a motorcycle USB port and phone cradle for navigation and more

Plenty of bikers enjoy time on two wheels precisely because it’s time that we can’t be reached, distracted or hassled by our phones. The time spent ‘off-grid’ in the saddle can be a sacred break from...

How to unseize your stoppers | Learn to overhaul your brake calipers with MCN's expert mechanic

06 August 2024 by Bruce Dunn

How to unseize your stoppers | Learn to overhaul your brake calipers with MCN's expert mechanic

Just like every moving part on your motorbike, your brake calipers need servicing to keep them in proper working order. Swapping the fluid and replacing the brake pads is important but giving them a...

Let's go retro - from £2500! Head old-school with one of Yamaha's big-value used naked beauties

06 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Let's go retro - from £2500! Head old-school with one of Yamaha's big-value used naked beauties

When it comes to spirited retro motorcycles, Yamaha have nailed the brief. OK there have been a few bumps along the way (did someone say SCR950?) but in general they seem to be able to hit the...

Locked down | MCN's top tips and tricks for keeping your motorcycle safe in the city

05 August 2024 by Nye Davis

Locked down | MCN's top tips and tricks for keeping your motorcycle safe in the city

Keeping your motorcycle safe and secure in urban areas can be a major source of anxiety for motorcyclists. For good reason too, bike theft has become increasingly prevalent. This means it’s more...