2009

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

Aftermarket Hornet cans that won't cook your pillion

04 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Can I fit a race exhaust to my Honda Hornet 600 which won’t get too hot for my pillion. I have heard that carbon cans might not heat up as much is this true? DL Fenner, email Save £££s on...

Best tyres for wet weather grip

04 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

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. Save £££s on...

Best tyres for an 07 Yamaha R1

04 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

I need to replace the tyres on my 2007 Yamaha R1. I don’t go mad riding and it’s mainly for blasts in the country and posing! Save cash on motorcycle tyres So far I’ve narrowed it down to Pirelli...

Switching to HID bulbs for winter

04 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

Now that winter is here I intend to change my front light on my Suzuki Bandit 650 K8 model to an HID bulb as I have found that the standard bulb is not bright enough for my winter journey to...

Product advice: Searching for GSX750 spares?

01 November 2009 by Marc Abbott

I own a 1993 Suzuki GSX750 (frame no. GR78A 129332). I am trying to order spares through my local motorcycle shop but they are telling me that the frame number does not exist. Vern Lewis, email...

Can you scrub in a tyre before fitting it?

22 October 2009 by Marc Abbott

Q. I’m off to Almeria in Spain this month and have bought a set of Maxxis Supermaxx sport tyres for the occasion. Save money on motorcycle tyres Do you think it would be a good idea to use the tyres...

Which bike intercom to go for

15 October 2009 by MCN

If you’re struggling to decide on which bike intercom will suit your purposes, struggle no longer as our web community gives its combined advice… Buy intercoms from the MCN online shop here Oaksey says: I’m looking for an intercom system for general rideouts and touring. Does anyone have any suggestions what a good system should have and what make I should be looking at? critch2203: From...