2004

MCN clear-out winner announced

MCN clear-out winner announced

A couple of weeks back we had a desk shuffle in the MCN office and decided to have a bit of a Spring clear-out in the process. The clear-out became a goody bag of immense proportions which we were...

Play Hodgson jump game online now

Play Hodgson jump game online now

Get your jumping style right in this new online stunt game and you’ll be rewarded with pictures of the Bennetts Babes like you’ve never seen them before. We’ve got exclusive first access to The Neil...

Essential maintenance improves performance

This site will be down for essential maintenance on Monday, March 22, 2004, for one hour from 7am. We’ll be back from 8am with a much improved service. One further outage is required on the evening of Tuesday March 23. This outage will last a maximum of 12 hours from 7pm. We’ll be back with a faster more efficient service from 7am on Wednesday morning. We’d like to apologise in advance for any...

Budget: Brown leaves us alone

Budget: Brown leaves us alone

Chancellor Gordon Brown has made it a no-change Budget for bikes. Speaking in the Commons today (March 17), he announced he is freezing road tax at present levels and keeping the insurance premium tax...

Save on online HPI check with MCN

Save on online HPI check with MCN

MCN has teamed up with HPI to save you cash and give you access to an online MCN Bike Check. For just £35.95 the MCN Bike Check will instantly inform you if the bike you are thinking of buying is...

Neville’s Specials replace Buster at Butlins

Neville’s Specials replace Buster at Butlins

They did too much, much too young… and they haven’t finished yet. Neville Staple’s Specials are joining the party at the MCN Butlins Spring Spectacular, at Skegness from March 26-28. The former Fun...

Bos launches cans for 04 RSV

Bos launches cans for 04 RSV

Dutch firm Bos has launched oval race cans (that’s louder than your local traffic cops will like, then) for the 2004 Aprilia RSV 1000-R. In dyno tests they raised power to 126bhp. The standard bike...

750 is best of 04 GSX-Rs

750 is best of 04 GSX-Rs

Awesome power? Pin-point precision handling? You get both in varying degrees with Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 and GSX-R600. So how does the new GSX-R750 fit in? The answer is a brilliant combination of both...

Insurers offer one for the ladies

Insurers offer one for the ladies

Bikesure is offering women riders 10 per cent off the cost of insurance and free breakdown cover in a new Lady Rider package launched on March 23. The ladies (and Bikesure says 10 per cent of bike...

154 new bikes ridden and rated

154 new bikes ridden and rated

If you’re even half thinking about going out to sign up for a new bike this Spring you need this week’s MCN. Out on Wednesday, March 17, it comes with a free 28-page supplement packed with 154 MCN...

3pm-5pm is bike crash danger time

3pm-5pm is bike crash danger time

If you’re a bit fed up about being stuck behind a desk on a decent afternoon, take comfort from the fact that you’re avoiding the dodgiest part of the day to be out on a bike. Cumbria safety...

What will £5000 buy you today?

Summer-like temperatures sweeping much of the country on Wednesday mean you’re likely to have itchy fingers browsing for a new bike for the season. We’re feeling the same, so we’ve gone looking through our latest online ads to see what £5000 will get you today. Here’s some great examples of those we found in our BIKES FOR SALE section. Fancy the big European tour this year? £4850 is the asking...

Crescent prizes boost big bike night

Crescent prizes boost big bike night

The big bike gathering held on the Quayside in Poole on Tuesday nights is getting a boost from dealer Crescent Suzuki. The firm is offering prizes and trophies to the owner of the best bike to enter...

Hot deals we’ve spotted this week

Hot deals we’ve spotted this week

Looking for a new bike? Dealers are reporting a rush through their doors in the early part of the year with us lot all starry-eyed about the 04 superbikes… but not so dazzled that we aren’t keen to...

Not sorry mate, just didn’t see you

Not sorry mate, just didn’t see you

Research released today (March 15, 2004) reveals that we believe one of the biggest dangers on the roads isn’t diesel, potholes or pensioners in Metros… it’s the lack of respect for motorcyclists...

Surf Bikes For Sale, win £1000 off

Surf Bikes For Sale, win £1000 off

Join us at the MCN Scottish Motorcycle Show and you could end up £1000 better off. motorcyclenews.com is running an exclusive competition at the two-day event on March 13-14. All you have to do is...

Meet Bayliss at Ducati London

Meet Bayliss at Ducati London

If want to meet Ducati MotoGP rider Troy Bayliss, get yourself down to the new Ducati London Central store next weekend. The new Ducati store is opening with an all weekend launch party on March 20-21...

RSV1000 for £2100? Yes, really

RSV1000 for £2100? Yes, really

A quick browse of our Bikes For Sale section reveals some rock bottom prices. We’re not saying these are the best buys on offer right now – but they are certainly among the lowest prices. Check out...

Racetec rubber grips harder for longer

Racetec rubber grips harder for longer

MCN’s Trevor Franklin has tested the new Metzeler Racetec race and track day tyre at Valencia in Spain and reckons they are a step up in class compared to the tyre they replace. He tried the rubber –...

Top act to replace Buster at Butlins

Top act to replace Buster at Butlins

You’re going to have to get by without the delights of Buster Bloodvessel belting out Lip Up Fatty at the MCN Butlins Spring Spectacular this month. The world class pie eater has been forced to pull...

Scottish Show babes on parade

Scottish Show babes on parade

As promised yesterday, here’s our picture round up of the girls who made your days at the MCN Scottish Motorcycle Show. You’ll find links to our previous Scottish Show coverage at the bottom of the...

DK makes it our lucky day

DK makes it our lucky day

Jammy, spawny, lucky? whatever you want to call us, we?re thrilled to accept two brilliant bikes on long term test courtesy of those thoroughly agreeable chaps at DK Motorcycles. motorcyclenews.com...

Help make roads better for bikes

Help make roads better for bikes

MCN wants to improve UK roads and make them safer for bikers, and we’d like your help to do it. We’re taking positive action against the people who control our safety, but we need you to tell us about...

Barry Sheene: One Year On

Barry Sheene: One Year On

Tomorrow, March 10, marks a year since we lost Barry Sheene. MCN remembers this true racing legend with a Memorial Special in our issue out on Wednesday. We include a moving interview with Barry’s...

Place your ad by 8pm Friday night

Place your ad by 8pm Friday night

Sell your bike fast by placing an ad online to appear in the next issue of MCN – and online within minutes.* You could reach more than 500,000 dedicated motorcyclists. If you want your ad to appear in...

Join 5000-plus at our Butlins bash

Join 5000-plus at our Butlins bash

Time is running out if you want to be among the thousands of partying bikers at the MCN Butlins Spring Spectacular. There are 5000 of us already booked and ready for the March 26-29 bash and only a...

Film star McGregor set for global bike trek

Film star McGregor set for global bike trek

EWAN McGregor is preparing for a 20,000-mile round-the-world motorbike trip which will be made into a TV documentary. McGregor, and his actor friend Charley Boorman, will be riding BMW R1150GS...

Stands to deliver easier maintenance

Stands to deliver easier maintenance

German firm SW Motech is offering centrestands for bikes that don’t come with them as standard. They should make chain lubing, adjusting and other maintenance much easier to carry out. The stands are...

Cut your costs with bargain rubber

Cut your costs with bargain rubber

MCN has been shopping around to find you the best deals on tyres and discovered savings of up to £120 a pair. We target seven popular sets of rubber in today’s MCN (Wednesday, March 10) to see the...

Harley dealer is doubling in size

Harley dealer is doubling in size

Hog fans have made an East Anglian dealer so successful it is having to double in size to meet demand. Black Bear Harley-Davidson in Newmarket has started on a major expansion which will double its...

All you want for Spring…

All you want for Spring…

If there’s one bike for 2004 you’d put at the top of your wish list, what would it be? We are creating a list of the Most Wanted bikes of the year and want to know what you’d make your no1...

Screen updates for 2004 superbikes

Screen updates for 2004 superbikes

Skidmarx is already offering standard and double bubble screens for some of the hottest new bikes of the year. Included in the new line up are those for the 2004 Blade, ZX-10R, R1, GSX-R600 and 750...

Win signed Walker slider and much more

Win signed Walker slider and much more

We’re moving the office around this weekend – and that means that some of the great stuff that has been accumulating on (and under) our desks is up for grabs. The collection ranges from a signed and...

Daytona Bike Week: racing, stunts and babes

Daytona Bike Week: racing, stunts and babes

MCN’s Steve Farrell and Rich Beach are in Daytona to join in the mayhem of Bike Week. And we’ll be bringing you first pictures from the event later this week. Farrell and Beach are hanging out with a...

Devil launches cans for three Suzukis

Devil launches cans for three Suzukis

Aftermarket exhaust maker Devil has launched new cans for the Suzuki SV1000, SV650 and GSX-R1000. The SV1000 cans, which carry the model name Trophy are claimed to be of heavy duty construction with...

Craft adds race style to lid range

Craft adds race style to lid range

Craft will launch new race-style helmets next month, building on the firm’s traditional strength in the streetfighter market. The R1 Raptor and VX7 Firehawk lids are made from carbon, fibreglass and...