2009

Master the art of riding at night

28 September 2017 by Adam Child

Riding at night can be very satisfying with the roads less crowded and distractions swallowed up in the dark, but you have got to take some extra precautions to make it safe as well as...

MCN Biking Britain survey: top 10 MCN shop bestsellers of 2009

03 January 2010 by Marc Abbott

Of the 42,000-plus products available to buy at www.mcnshop.com, here are the top 10 bestselling this year. All those readers can’t be wrong… 1. Shoei XR-1000 helmet, RRP from £295 MCN Shop best...

Tyre advice: 16.5inch wheels for road bikes

03 January 2010 by Chris Dabbs

Q. I have been offered a set of 16.5in Dymags for the right money for my GSX-R1000 K5. Getting race tyres is not a problem and I can get treads cut in them. I thought I heard a rumour about tyre...

Kit review: Arai SZ Ram

31 December 2009 by Simon Relph

Arai SZ Ram 111, £324.99 (from £299.99 on MCN shop) Tester: Simon Relph Miles covered/time: 2800/Nine months What’s good? The SZ Ram 111 is the update to my old SZ/F which has unfortunately passed...

Kit Review: Dannisport X2 Racer leathers, £399

31 December 2009 by Samuel Pinney

Dannisport X2 Racer leathers, £399 Tester: Samuel Pinney Miles covered/time: 1000/one month What’s good? I tested them on the Reclaim Wales protest rally, so I wore them constantly between 7am and...

Product advice: Will aftermarket levers be an MoT failure?

31 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

“I read somewhere that brake/clutch levers without ball ends will fail an MoT. The clutch lever on my XTZ660 got broken recently and I fitted an aftermarket lever, but it doesn’t have a ball end and...

Product advice: How to get kitted out from head to toe

31 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

“I’m just about to start riding and I’m fortunate enough to have about £2000 to spend getting kitted out from head to toe. How should I spend that budget on everything from a helmet to boots?” Hamish...

New rider: How to ride in a snowstorm

31 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

If the roads are white with snow you are best off leaving the bike at home. But if you get caught out by a sudden weather change and you’ve no choice, here are some tips to keep you rubber side...

New Rider: How to top up a battery – the christmas way!

25 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

If you are running an older bike with a lead acid battery that needs topping up now and again with distilled water, save one of those discharged plastic ‘party popper’ cases from the Christmas...

New Rider: How to prevent your ignition freezing

25 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

These freezing conditions mean that your exposed ignition or fuel tank lock can get iced up solid. But try these quick fixes and long-term remedies and you should be up and running quickly. If you’re...

Could my exhaust fail an MoT for noise?

23 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I’ve been finding it difficult to find out what the current law is regarding motorcycle noise levels. Can you help? Save £££s on motorcycle exhausts My MoT test centre told me it is now ‘lax’ and...

How to cure a ZZR1100 wheel wobble

23 December 2009 by MCN

Beaconsman: I¹ve been fixing up my ZZR11 on a tight budget this year and I have an issue with the rear wheel. The bearings are OK, but when assembled, the sprocket and cush drive move quite a lot. A...

Best tyres for a Suzuki Hayabusa

23 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I’ve owned a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa from new and I’ve been using Michelin Pilot Sport HPXs which were great. When I was in France in the summer I got a puncture in the rear so I got a Suzuki dealer...

Can you use flashing cycle lights on a motorcycle?

18 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Some riders are starting to use flashing bicycle lights in addition to their normal dipped beam when they are riding through heavy traffic. The trouble is that it is illegal under the Road Vehicle...

What's the best tyre for year-round riding?

16 December 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Q. As I commute through winter on my bike, I’m interested in fitting a rear tyre that will cope with all the rain, slush and snow and still give decent grip when the weather is fine. I’ve got the OE...

Will a Power Commander and pipe cure Hornet vibes?

16 December 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Q. I like my Honda Hornet 900, but I was wondering if a Power Commander and a pipe might cure the vibes a bit? I don’t mind losing some power as it’s got plenty and I already like the torque that it...

Benefits of changing brakes lines

16 December 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Q. When I replace the brake lines on my Yamaha FJR1300 is there any benefit (apart from cost) in braking function or performance to change the set-up from a single line splitting with a Y-piece into...

Can't see anything

10 December 2009 by committed

I once had a 2 day green laning adventure in the Welsh mountains in snow. I had absolutely no problem keeping warm because of the amount of work I had to do to stay on the bike, but my goggles kept steaming up. When you ride slower your breath has more effect upon what happens to the inside of your helmet. So I smear a small amount washing up liquid onto the inside of my visor if I’m anticipating...

New rider: How to filter safely

10 December 2009 by Chris Dabbs

There’s a great deal of pleasure to be had from filtering past hundreds of frustrated car and lorry drivers. You are in charge of your own destiny and over time you are saving days of your life to do...

How to claim against a rubbish training centre

10 December 2009 by Chris Dabbs

The vast majority of training firms out there give great service to trainee riders, but there are always a few who fall down, maybe by adding on extra charges buried in the small print or lending you...

How to stop your padlocks frosting up

08 December 2009 by MCN

Ginnelli: Hi. What is the best way to prevent padlocks from freezing up? Last year I had matching padlocks on my garage door and back gate. When I went to open the gate the key just snapped clean in...

How to tell if your tyres are past it

08 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. My Honda CBR400RR has had the same tyres on it for at least three years, possibly even longer than that. I have Bridgestone Battlax front and rear and they have more than enough tread to see me...

Vapour blasting, the easy way

08 December 2009 by Simon Relph

I recently bought a Bultaco Sherpa T, my dream bike. But because it was in quite tatty condition I had the opportunity to add a few personal touches, like paint. I decided the colourscheme would be...

MCN stocking fillers: Bike Havoc DVD

07 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

This DVD features over 160 crashes with action from various on and off-road bikesports including GPs, drag racing, the Le Touquet and Southport beach races, trials and the Paris Dakar rally.

How to touch up paint on the cheap

03 December 2009 by MCN

If you are unlucky enough to damage your bike’s paintwork it can sometimes be pretty hard to get hold of the paint from the dealer network to carry out the repairs yourself. But there are two...

How to avoid being dazzled by the sun

03 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

At this time of year with the sun low in the sky it’s all too easy to be dazzled unexpectedly, but there’s not enough biright sunlight around to justify a dark visor. An easy temporary fix is to put a...

Tyre advice: Can I fit tubeless tyres to my bike?

02 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I am about to replace the Metzeler ME22 on the front of my MZ250, with an apparently identical replacement. Save cash on motorcycle tyres I say ‘apparently’, because the current tyre says, in...

New rider: Braking in the wet

30 November 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Like most other things in life, braking in the wet is straightforward if you plan ahead. The first part of the plan is to practice applying the brakes on a traffic-free stretch of road with a...

New rider: the importance of locking your bike up

27 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

It’s a sad fact that bikes are all too easy to steal because two blokes can wheel one into the back of a van in seconds and four scum can pick one up to do the same job. Save cash on motorcycle...

Tyre advice: Best tyres for a 2002 Aprilia RSV Mille

25 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. My 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R has Pirelli tyres on it. What would you recommend as the better tyres for the Aprilia? Metzeler or Pirelli? Save £££s on motorcycle tyres Chris Jackson, email A. It...

Tyre advice: What's the difference between aftermarket and OE tyres?

25 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. Can you tell me what the difference is between a Bridgestone BT014F and a BT014FJ, and a BT014R and a BT014RN? My dealer can’t give me an answer and there is a big difference in price. Save cash...

How to move your bike around on foot

20 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Manoeuvring your bike is one of those tasks that’s simple if you follow a few basic rules. If you’re not able to get two feet flat on the floor, hop off onto the left side away from the traffic and...

Aftermarket BMW F800ST exhaust fuelling problem

18 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I have recently bought a 2009 BMW F800ST and changed the can to a Remus exhaust, which has improved the torque and general performance. Save cash on motorcycle exhausts I have had the bike on the...

Ped finds the perfect exhausts for his XLV750R

18 November 2009 by Ped Baker

Alldens exhausts (01673-862286) are based less than 60 miles from where I live. They’re a business specialising in custom motorcycle exhausts. I discovered them through some work they’d done with our...

Top tweaks for Suzuki GSX-R1000

18 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

MCN’s Michael Guy has been running a 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 this year. Here are his top tips on how to make a great bike even better: Save cash on motorcycle products Video: Suzuki GSX-R1000 longterm...

FAQ-What is the speed limit on a dual carriageway

13 November 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Dual carriageway speed limits can catch out the unwary rider. They are subject to the national speed limit of 70mph unless there is another speed limit displayed which will be 50,40 or 30mph. However,...