MCN long-term test fleet 2025
Welcome to the 2025 MCN Long-term Test Fleet.
Over the course of the year we'll be putting serious miles on these 11 bikes to find out what they're like to live with.
Keep an eye out for written updates, videos and more. Click through to each individual page to get the latest updates as we pile on the miles.
Click on the pictures below:
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Check out previous MCN Fleets below:
I've ridden over 15k miles on a KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo and as an all-rounder it’s tough to beat
20 November 2024 by
My KTM continues to impress in ways I’d never imagined. Sure, it does all the things you’d expect: it’s rapid, loves skids, wheelies, stoppies and hooning around racetracks. I love all that, but I...
I took my mum for a Honda CBR600RR pillion ride and here's what she thought of the experience
13 November 2024 by
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the Honda CBR600RR is a focused, rider-centric machine. And yet, over the last 5000 miles, it has proven to be a frugal filtering dream – demolishing big...
What I learned from spending a summer riding the Ducati Monster SP - and what I'm trading it for...
13 November 2024 by
It’s been a roaring good summer with the Ducati Monster SP, but now it’s time to release it back into the wild to make way for a Bolognese bike with a slightly different beat, but more on that...
Can my Himalayan keep up with a KTM 690 Enduro off road? Of course not, but I got there in the end
06 November 2024 by
Recording an off-road special for MCN’s YouTube channel presented a unique challenge: capturing two seasoned riders on focused KTM 690 Enduros tackling a slimy and flooded Salisbury Plain landscape.
I rode a BMW R12 nineT thousands of miles through Europe to get to Motorrad Days in Garmisch
06 November 2024 by
Earlier this year, I decided to take the BMW R12 nineT home to the Motorrad Days festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I’ve done a big feature on the journey for the print edition of MCN, but I thought...
Marketing fact check: Is a Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid really faster off the line than a ZX-10R?
01 November 2024 by
Kawasaki make some bold claims for their Ninja 7 Hybrid and Z7 Hybrid twins. The firm reckon that the ‘strong hybrid’ system in these 650-sized bikes offers “the instant acceleration of a 1000cc-class...
I've made 'big improvements' to the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX with two simple upgrades - and so should you
30 October 2024 by
Why is it that manufacturers go to great lengths to design and build bikes, yet seem to forget some of the most important points? The biggest bugbear has to be tyres, with manufacturers opting for...
I rode a Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid from full to completely empty. Here's how far it goes on a tank...
30 October 2024 by
Since I took delivery of the Ninja 7 Hybrid this year I’ve had one mission in mind – to see if Kawasaki’s claims about the bike were true. Their website states it’s as quick as a supersports bike from...
I swapped the Triumph Scrambler 400 X's OE tyres and instantly transformed its off-road performance
23 October 2024 by
In my last update, I vowed to experiment with the Scrambler 400 X’s off-road capabilities after a frustrating first dabble on the dirt that included a low-speed hop-off on a sunny and dry green...
I rode a BMW R1300GS over 1000 miles in under 23hrs and I'd do it again - here's why
23 October 2024 by
It’s 4:39am. It’s chilly. Why am I hitting the BMW R1300GS’s starter button, flooding the driveway with an LED whiteness that hurts my eyes, instead of wrapping the duvet tighter and dreaming of...
Regardless of road or traffic conditions I arrive with a smile on the Harley-Davidson Pan America
16 October 2024 by
I’ve spent the summer putting the Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America through all sorts of off-road abuse, from gravel tracks and muddy ruts to sandy trails and overgrown green lanes, and it has barely...
A tail tidy neatens up the Yamaha XSR900 GP but an unexpected accessory has made the real difference
16 October 2024 by
It’s been a busy month in the saddle on Yamaha’s XSR900 GP, as I’ve been working on getting the very best out of it. You see, not only is it a gorgeous thing to look at, it also has the minerals to...
I took my girlfriend for two pillion laps of the Nürburgring in the wet... and she loved it!
10 October 2024 by
I took my girlfriend to Spa Francorchamps in Belgium recently. The four-hour trip from Calais is worth it just to bask in the circuit’s majesty as it winds its way through the Ardennes Forest. But we...
I took my Africa Twin to the Honda Adventure Centre but I rode one of theirs instead
09 October 2024 by
One of the great things about off-road schools – besides allowing you to learn new skills and grow your confidence on challenging terrain – is that if you crash, it’s on someone else’s bike! This is a...
Here's why a Ducati Monster SP is the perfect option to introduce your kids to biking... probably
02 October 2024 by
We’ve all got that first-ride memory. Whether hazed by time or as clear as yesterday, that moment when we first felt the exhilaration of being on two wheels, the buzz from the engine, the speed, the...
I ride a Honda CBR600RR a thousand miles a month and here's what's so good about it
02 October 2024 by
I got the keys to Honda’s returning CBR600RR just shy of four months ago and in that time I have made tweaks to the rear suspension, improved distance comfort with a double-bubble flyscreen, and have...
Think sleek retro bikes are no good for carrying a pillion? You're right, but I tried anyway...
27 September 2024 by
The sleek lines of the BMW R12 nineT are perfect for a single rider… But this retro machine comes kitted out with a pillion seat, so it seemed necessary to get a pillion’s perspective on the perch...
I rode a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 for 3000 miles around Europe and found two big problems
25 September 2024 by
Embarking on my debut long-distance tour filled me with a mixture of excitement and nerves. As I left my hometown of Peterborough a Euro-virgin, and heading for Calais on the Royal Enfield Himalayan...
I'm not normally a huge fan of Kawasaki's Ninja styling, but this one's the ugly duckling
20 September 2024 by
Thanks to a packed schedule I’ve been using the Ninja 7 Hybrid mainly for commuting recently. I’ve got a few longer jaunts planned for later in the year (along with some experiments; more on that...
I rode 1250 miles in four days on the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX. There's one thing missing from this bike
19 September 2024 by
There’s nothing like the anticipation of going on a big trip, and having already crunched out some big journeys on the easygoing Suzuki GSX-S1000GX, I was looking forward to my trip to northern...
I can't believe it when people think a BMW R1300GS is too heavy for them! Here's why
11 September 2024 by
Something that I hear a lot when out and about on the BMW R1300GS is: “I can’t imagine riding such a massive motorcycle, especially off-road.” It’s an observation that, inexplicably, never ceases to...
I went off-roading on a Triumph Scrambler 400 X and quickly learned two things
11 September 2024 by
One reason I was drawn to the Scrambler version of the new baby Triumph is that I like to occasionally dabble off-road. I’m no Billy Bolt, and I don’t pretend to be, but I love the challenge of...
The Yamaha XSR900 GP is a gorgeous retro sportsbike but here's how I plan to make it perfect
05 September 2024 by
I’m actually a bit gutted to say goodbye to the MT-09 long-term test bike, as it’s been utterly sublime over the first part of the year. It has done a cracking job of quenching my thirst for a fun and...
I took a £24k, 280kg Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America off-roading and it blew my mind
04 September 2024 by
Ever since tackling some unpaved passes in the Italian Alps, I’ve been itching to get the Pan America off the tarmac and onto the dirt. Weighing in at around 280kg without the luggage, there’s no...
I saved over £500 by fitting aftermarket luggage to my Honda Africa Twin but it's too wide
29 August 2024 by
Official motorbike luggage is an option for the ATAS, but ever on the hunt for a saving I though I’d kit my new Honda Africa Twin AS out with expandable panniers from Spanish specialists Shad. The...
I rode a KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo 3250 miles in Spain, here's one feature I wouldn't be without
28 August 2024 by
You read a lot about Bluetooth-enabled displays like the one fitted to the KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo nowadays. We’ve come a long way from simple analogue dials. They generally work with an app and...
Long-term Honda CBR600RR review update three | Hitting the CBR's natural habitat at Cadwell Park
22 August 2024 by
The last 2500 miles with Honda’s CBR600RR have been flipping brilliant. It’s beautiful to look at, nimble on the lanes, and roomy enough over distance. To find out if it goes as fast as it looks, I...
Long-term Ducati Monster SP review update three | Emma charts the hits and misses after 1137 miles
22 August 2024 by
The gloves have come off. With the first service completed at 600 miles, I’ve been able to enjoy full-fat Ducati Monster SP fun for the first time. Now that maximum revs have been unlocked, I’ve spent...
Long-term Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 review update three | What do 411 owners think?
19 August 2024 by
I recently rode the new Himalayan 450 to an owners club rally to get to the very heart of the Himmy adventure bike’s most diehard fans. I joined the rally to gauge opinions from Himalayan 411 owners...
Long-term BMW R12 nineT test update three | Saffron suffers an attack of the gremlins...
15 August 2024 by
This year’s cross-continent adventure on the MCN Fleet BMW R12 Nine T took me through the Swiss Alps as I headed to BMW’s Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Read more Update one:...
Long-term Suzuki GSX-S1000GX review update three | Tyre swap instantly transforms the GX's handling
09 August 2024 by
It’s been an up and down ride so far on the new Suzuki GSX-S1000GX. First impressions were good; I fell in love with the old-school inline four and was impressed with the comfort and neutral riding...
Long-term Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid review update one | Is this the shape of the future?
08 August 2024 by
I waved goodbye to the surprisingly likeable Ninja 650 a few weeks back to make room for the bike I’ll be running for the remainder of 2024: the Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid. And I reckon this one’s going...
Long-term Triumph Scrambler 400 X review update three | A mistake leads Ben down a data rabbit hole
02 August 2024 by
In my previous update I incorrectly stated that the Triumph Scrambler 400 X’s gearing was the same as its road-biased stablemate Speed 400. A keen-eyed reader correctly pointed out the Scrambler has...
Long-term BMW R1300GS review update four | The good, the bad and the fugly after 6000 miles
01 August 2024 by
With a gnat’s whisker under 6000 miles on the odometer, it’s fair to say the BMW R1300GS isn’t just still impressing – it’s actually impressing a little more each day. With familiarity and an...
Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America long-term review update two | Off-road adventuring through Europe
25 July 2024 by
The look on the KTM 450 rider’s face was a picture as 300 kilos of Harley-Davidson Pan America, fully loaded with luggage and a sweaty, but somewhat triumphant, pilot, burst through the bushes and...
Long-term Yamaha MT-09 review update two | The bike's biggest flaws and strongest points
24 July 2024 by
I did worry that after a few months, the Yamaha MT-09 might not be enough to keep me hooked. Is it sporty enough? Is there enough power to keep my itchy throttle hand happy? Is it comfortable enough...