September

Jacket review: Dainese Gran Premo Pelle

30 September 2009 by Michael Neeves

Dainese Gran Premo Pelle Jacket £399.99 Miles covered/time: 6000/4 months What’s good? Dainese are brilliant at making motorcycle leather jackets. They’re stylish, fit beautifully and I can...

FAQ: How do I build my mechanical knowledge?

25 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

You can save tons of your hard-earned cash and really increase your enjoyment of biking if you begin to build up your technical knowledge of how your bike works. We’ve collated a selection of sites...

Best all-weather tyres for Kawasaki ZX-10R

23 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I have a 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R currently fitted with Bridgestone BT016s. They are fantastic tyres, however can you suggest some tyres suitable for winter road riding? Compare and buy motorcycle...

What difference does an exhaust make to weight?

23 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Ever wondered just how much the weight saving is when you ditch your bike’s restrictive standard exhaust system for a flash new one? Compare and buy motorcycle exhausts Watch this video featuring...

Converting a sports bike to tourer

23 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Tired of the racing crouch on your sports bike? MCN’s problem solving community has the answer on our forums… Compare and buy motorcycle products JBCompetes: I have a 2001 Fireblade that I threw...

Dunlop Qualifier RRs pass the toughest test

16 September 2009 by Michael Neeves

I’ve just returned from a 3200-mile trip to Spain and back on my Ducati Streetfighter, and the Dunlop Qualifier RRs I’d fitted worked like a dream. Compare and buy motorcycle tyres They offered the...

How to fit tricky new grips

16 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Presuming you’ve already tried plenty of soap, WD40 or brute force, try this… If you can bear to ride your bike to a tyre depot or garage forecourt on bare metal bars, then you can insert the nozzle...

Tyre advice: Which tyres for track days and fast road riding?

16 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I’m due a set of tyres on my Suzuki GSX-R1000 K5. Compare and buy motorcycle tyres It’s running Bridgestone BT016s at the moment. I am looking for a tyre that grips well in the dry, and is...

Suspension advice: My bike seems to 'flop' into corners

16 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. My Honda CB1100R has a tendency to flop into corners although I fitted a new rear shock recently. Compare and buy motorcycle supension parts I’ve checked the head bearings for play and set the...

FAQ: what do I do if my bike won't start?

11 September 2009 by Chris Dabbs

If your bike is cutting out mysteriously, especially when you try to select a gear or pull away for the first time, check out the sidestand cut-out switch. It sits in a very exposed position low on...

Mod 1 test

10 September 2009 by Anonymous

I sat the Mod 1 test Sept 2009. Yes of course I was nervous, it was a test. However, all went well until the hazard avoidance exercise. I was too slow on the 1st attempt, 49kmph, so was sent around for another attempt. I was told by instruction and by other bikers not to look at the speedo as I would know how fast I would be going due to the noise of the bike in 2nd gear. This was not true.

Motorcycle Safety: How safe is riding a bike?

09 September 2009 by Rupert Paul

If you’re starting out, this has got to be a question looming large in your mind – and if not yours, then definitely the mind of your nearest and dearest. The short answer is: riding a bike does...

Motorcycle Safety: avoiding common accidents

07 September 2009 by Chris Dabbs

The most common accidents that we bikers get involved in are collisions at junctions, collisions while overtaking, loss of control, either from a shunt or, and, surprise, surprise, failing to get...

Suspension advice: Sorting the shcok to irradicate sliding

02 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

My Suzuki GSX-R750 has just been fitted with a new aftermarket rear shock, but since then it has been spinning its rear tyre under power when riding in the wet. Compare and buy motorcycle...

Why do tyres have wire in them?

02 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

The high-tensile steel wire in motorcycle tyres is also known as the ‘bead’ and runs circumferationally around the inner part of the tyre. Compare and buy motorcycle tyres It’s job is to anchor the...

Tyre advice: Slippy roads in Southern Spain

02 September 2009 by Marc Abbott

I have recently moved to southern Spain and I ride a Ducati Monster S4RS. Compare and buy motorcycle tyres I have ridden my bike a few times since living here but I am having serious trouble with...

Road surface in test areas

02 September 2009 by Anonymous

I am doing my test in a couple of weeks time so I went to my local centre to see what way it was set up and run. It had been a wet morning but the sun had come out and dried most of the test area but trees had prevented a spot from drying out. The candidate was carrying out the emergency stop and had failed to reach the required speed and was sent back to try again. As he approached the second...