New Rider - Motorcycle Safety | Motorbike Training | Bike Test

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,...

MCN Biking Britain survey: Top 10 best city gloves

12 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Each week we bring you the latest results of our massive reader survey – this week we’re looking at city gloves. Compare and buy gloves in the MCN Shop These 10 city gloves were voted the...

Products advice: Will an 09 Bonnie pipe fit an 03 bonnie?

11 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Can a full exhaust system off a 2009 Triumph T100 Bonnie slot onto my ’03 model? The differences I’m aware of are that the ¹09 has a centrestand and is 865cc, while my Bonnie has a sidestand and is...

Tyre Advice: Why's my front tyre wearing quicker than the rear?

11 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

I have fitted a pair of Bridgestone 021s last spring and the front is down to the wear pips but the rear still has a couple of thousand miles left. I can’t complain about the grip levels as they seem...

Supertrapp exhausts for Ped's XLV750R

11 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Deputy editor Ped Baker has just treated his money-pit XLV to a set of new Supertrapps. Here’s what he says about them… “I’ve always loved the sound of Supertrapp silencers (www.supertrapp.com) ever...

Streetfighter gets Termi treatment

11 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

MCN’s Michael Neeves has fitted new Termignoni exhausts to his Ducati Streetfighter. Here’s what he has to say about them… “Finally, my Streetfighter now sounds as good as it looks, thanks to the...

Keep warm, protect against cold.

07 November 2009 by rcraven

If you’re riding in poor weather conditions, getting colder, wetter etc. take a leaf out of the vintage motorcyclists book. Apart from slowing down, stop and have a break and a cup of tea etc. Buy a newspaper and put it under your jacket so it covers your chest, it will further insulate you against the cold weather. Also put plastic bags over your socks under your boots and get some plastic type...

Basic Skills: How to pick up a motorcycle

06 November 2009 by Chris Dabbs

Bikes are inherently unstable beasts on their two wheels and when they topple over it’s important that you know how to pick it up without damaging yourself, or your pride and joy some more. Whichever...