2005
05: Review of the Year
30 December 2005
July MCN BikeWatch goes live: Our purpose-built website invites users to register details about their bikes to help stamp out bike theft. If you haven’t already, try it now: HERE British GP attracts...
Best audio of 05
23 December 2005
As the year draws to a close we thought we’d bring you some of the best audio clips we’ve featured on the site over the year. Click the links below to see our top choices of the year with interviews...
Our e-Christmas cards
23 December 2005
Every year we get loads of electronic Christmas card so in the spirit of Christmas cheer we thought we’d share the best with you. Some are just images while others are web-based cards so click the...
Video: Rossi rallies
23 December 2005
Check out this video of Valentino Rossi on four wheels racing in the special demonstration rally held at the Bologna motor show earlier this month. Rossi won the heat and came third overall in the...
New MCN out Thursday
23 December 2005
Don’t miss this week’s MCN – it’s out on THURSDAY December 29 due to Christmas and New Year deadlines. In it you’ll find: World first comparision test: New ZX-10R v GSX-R1000 MCN Exclusive...
Best videos of 05
23 December 2005
As the year draws to a close we thought we’d bring you some of the best video clips we’ve featured on the site over the year. Click the links below to see our top choices of the year and prepare to...
Auction unwanted gifts
23 December 2005
Finished all your unwrapping? Got yet another copy of Long Way Round? Don’t despair – turn it into cash on MCN Auctions. There’s a ready market for all your unwanted bike-related Christmas gifts here...
Scooters far far away
23 December 2005
One of the two Jonway-Galaxy scooters might be of interest to science-fiction fans, as it appears to come with a Star Trek logo. Both bikes are single cylinder four-strokes, and the yellow 2A is...
Online bike fun
23 December 2005
If you’ve got five minutes to spare when you’re waiting for the Christmas party or just for work to end, why not try out one of these online bike games. Click on one of the links below to launch the...
Miller to judge best bikes
23 December 2005
UK legend and museum owner Sammy Miller has been named as one of the judges for the world premiere of Legend of the Motorcycle: International Concours d’Elegance. The judging panel is headed by Mike...
Low-seats for Enfields
23 December 2005
If you’re trying to find a bike with a low seat height, you can now choose a British classic, with a seat just higher than a cruiser. The standard seat height of the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra-X...
Ducati restructure looms
16 December 2005
Ducati’s board of directors are signing off £8.8m to ‘support the reduction of dealer bike stock’ and to pay for restructuring and retraining throughout the company, according to a company report on...
Suzuki owners needed
16 December 2005
MCN’s sister magazine, Bike, urgently need two Suzuki owners for a test at Bruntinthorpe tomorrow, Wednesday, December 21, 2005. They are looking for one owner of a Suzuki TL1000S, and one owner of a...
State sues Yamaha
16 December 2005
The state of California is taking Yamaha and two of its dealers to court, sueing them for $19.6m dollars over the import of 400 motorcycles which it will contest did not meet California’s...
BMW offers ABS checks
16 December 2005
Owners of BMWs with integral ABS systems are being told to get their brakes checked. BMW has issued the invitation for a free inspection, which should be carried out by a dealer before February 28,...
Dakar charity ride
16 December 2005
As everyone recoveres from the excesses of Chistmas. Tim Fransen from Grays in Essex will begin a 3700 mile funraising trip for the SOS Children charity. Fransen will ride through France, Spain,...
In MCN on December 21
16 December 2005
We know it’s a bit of a mad rush towards Christmas right now, so we’ll keep this brief. There’s a new MCN out on Wednesday. Do not miss it because it contains: Proof that Gatso’s don’t work on bikes –...
Give Bikesafe vouchers
16 December 2005
You could give someone the chance to improve their riding this Christmas with the introduction of Bikesafe vouchers. The scheme has been introduced by Bikesafe in North Wales to encourage more people...
Confederate relocate
16 December 2005
The Confederate Motor Company, which builds the outlandish F113 hellcat and B91 Wraith machines, has announced it will relocate to Birmingham Alabama. The move is due, in part, to the damage caused...
London users meet
16 December 2005
The London Have Your Say forum users Christmas gather went down a storm last night letting everyone put names to faces. A small crowd of forum regulars gathered at the Penderels Oak in Holborn for...
What's on: Dec 21 on
16 December 2005
North: December 21 on Our What’s On listing of events is now listed by location. Those listed here are for events in the North in the week commencing December 21, 2005. Click here to go back to the main index RIDEOUTS MONDAY December 26 Vintage MCC, South Durham Boxing Day Workout, Darlington Market Place, Darlington, Durham. 10.30am. 01325-286623. RIDEOUTS Vintage MCC Isle of Man, Boxing Day Run,...
Argentinian Hondas?
16 December 2005
Honda will start producing motorcycles built in Argentina in mid-2006, via subsidiary honda Motor de Argentina S.A. The production facility will be located in Florencio Valera in buenos Aires and...
Suzuki GSR600: First test
16 December 2005
Suzuki has announced that the new GSR600 will soon be available and we’ve just had the first ride. The new bike will be arriving in dealers before the end of January but MCN Road tester Michael...
New bike blockbuster?
16 December 2005
Quentin Tarantino is set to produce a motorcycle movie, starring Michael Madsen. The film will be directed by actor Larry Bishop, who appeared in Tarantino’s Kill Bill 2, and has written the script...
Bajaj plans to go global
16 December 2005
Indian motorcycle and scooter firm Bajaj has announced plans to expand with new bike and scooter models, plus a tie-up with Kawasaki. The firm will launch a new budget bike alongside the recent 125cc...
Christmas deadlines
16 December 2005
motorcyclenews.com will be updated every day throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday periods. But there are some changes to deadlines and the online booking processes for classified bikes for sale ads and MCN Auctions. The deadline for inclusion in the January 4 issue of the print edition of MCN is 6pm on December 20, 2005. Classified bikes for sale ads placed after this time will be...
Soft kids reject bikes
16 December 2005
Yamaha’s boss blames molly-coddled kids for a downturn in bike sales in Japan – one of the few markets in the world to have seen sales go down in recent years. In an interview with Times Online...
Ace Cafe Xmas run
16 December 2005
Over 400 bikers met up at London’s Ace Cafe for the annual Christmas Toy Run on Sunday, December 18, 2005. The run was the eighth organised by the Ace. It started with just a few mates one year after...
Xmas hits our riding time
16 December 2005
Christmas cuts into too much valuable riding time for most motorcyclists – according to a new survey by bike insurance company Bennetts. Nearly two-thirds of us will roll our bikes out of the garage...
Bike cops back on patrol
16 December 2005
Bike cops are coming back to Essex after police scapped the bike section in a cost-cutting exercise in 2000. Since the move, deaths on the road have risen, according to ICEssex.co.uk Click here for...
New R6 takes on ZX-6R
16 December 2005
The 2006 Yamaha R6 has arrived at the MCN offices for the first time to great excitement from all the staff. The crowds rushed outside to get a first glimpse of the new bike in the flesh as it...
Captain's charity trip
16 December 2005
The grandfather of a four-and-a-half year old cancer sufferer will undertake a charity ride in 2006 to raise money for the CLIC Sargent charity. CLIC Sargent has provided accomodation for the family...
Meet the MCN Babes
09 December 2005
This section is devoted to the MCN Babes who attend all the biggest events in motorcycling to chat to fans, pose for pictures and brighten up your day. Read the profile for each of the girls by...
Forum users' rideout
09 December 2005
motorcyclenews.com forum users staged the first get-together of Christmas at the Red Lion at Builth Wells. The next happens in London on the evening of Thursday (Dec 15) and you’ll find details about...
Learners fuel sales rise
09 December 2005
Sales of new learner bikes in the 51-125cc category are up 5%, helping year-to-date overall bike sales fractionally up compared to 2004. The Motor Cycle Industry’s latest figures (to the end of...
What's on: Dec 14 on
09 December 2005
Our What’s On listings now show events by their location, making them easier to find. Click the links below to choose the listing for your area and find out what events are on near you this week. Worldwide Midlands East of England North Scotland South East England South West England Wales South East: December 14 on Our What’s On listing of events is now listed by location. Those listed here are...