2007

Bike tax

In the US there are political lobbies for almost every activity, one of the most powerful is the automobile user. Many Americans consider that it is through lobbying that fuel prices are kept lower in the US compared to other countries. We have the BMF & MAG, surely we could add our support to those organisations by making our view known to our MP.

New MCN: June 20, 2007

New MCN: June 20, 2007

In this week’s edition of MCN we give you a full 16-page supplement previewing the British MotoGP at Donington this weekend. Our MotoGP reporter, Matthew Birt talks to the MotoGP stars including Casey...

Highs & lows of holidays

Highs & lows of holidays

In February 2007 we flew to New Zealand, where we picked up the bike delivered to our hotel in Christchurch, courtesy of VFR NZ (highly recommended). We covered nearly the whole of the South Island in...

Can a Triumph sound like a Harley?

Can a Triumph sound like a Harley?

Triumph spent a lot of time in the development of its America Cruiser to try and make it sound as much like a harley as possible. The firm selected a specific firing order for the parallel twin engine...

Video: Aprilia's new V4 superbike engine

Video: Aprilia's new V4 superbike engine

With details of Aprilia’s new sportsbike emerging in the June 2 edtion of MCN we thought we’d show you footage of the bikes all new V4 powerplant. Check out the video below to see the new...

Exclusive pictures: Ducati Desmosedici RR up close

Exclusive pictures: Ducati Desmosedici RR up close

MCN was granted exclusive access to the road-going version of Ducati’s DesmosediciRR last week – more than two weeks before the completely finished bike will be seen for the first time at World Ducati...

Government rejects speed limiter calls

Government rejects speed limiter calls

Calls for speed limiters on motorcycles have been rejected by the Government. A Government response to the calls said speeding did not cause enough motorcycle accidents to warrant the move.   The...

Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman won't rule out congestion charges for motorcycles

Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman won't rule out congestion charges for motorcycles

Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman refused to rule out bikes could be made to pay in future congestion charging schemes.   In response to a question, Ladyman said: “Exemptions in any local schemes...

Lucky Ducati fan wins our GT1000

Lucky Ducati fan wins our GT1000

MCN reader Roy Osbourne was announced as the lucky winner of a Ducati GT1000 Sportclassic last week. Roy went to claim his prize from Ducati UK’s Tim Maccabee at Ducati Coventry, and was delighted...

"Works Honda"

"Works Honda"

I live in Thailand and here is a small sample of the “works machines” that grace the Kingdom’s roads. Illegal street (soi) racing goes off all the time. The Thais spend a small fortune on these...

America only Ducati Sport 1000

America only Ducati Sport 1000

Ducati has released pictures of this special-edition Ducati Sport 1000, but unfortunately only North American riders will be able to buy it. The bike is the single-seat Ducati Sport 1000 with black...

Tories say DVLA has 7.8m people's details wrong

Tories say DVLA has 7.8m people's details wrong

Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Chris Grayling MP issued a statement claiming the DVLA has 7.8m driver’s details wrong. He said: “This is a startling figure which has worrying consequences for...

Michelin recalls Pilot Power tyre

Michelin recalls Pilot Power tyre

Michelin has announced it is to recall some of its Pilot Power and Pilot Power 2CT front tyres due to a defect in the tread. The recall revolves around French-made Michelin Pilot Power and 2CT tyres,...

CBR is a bit woof

CBR is a bit woof

It took an hour to get up here and now I can’t reach the bloody pedals!

Bike tax

I was really pleased when my wife got her car tax bill for our little Peugeot. It is only £35.00 per year a saving on last year of £15.00, so in the hope that my bike tax would be cheaper as it obviously takes up less space on the road, has low emissions etc, I looked forward to receiving my tax bill. However I have found out that instead of being reduced it has been increased; it is now double...

Fast cat

Fast cat

My cat has taken to riding my CBR!

Birmingham bike thieves

I parked my motorbike outside the co-op at the Poolway in Birmingham, under a security camera. I went into the shop and someone came in and asked who owned the red bike. So I came running out, chased the scum taking off with my bike, they dropped it, and did some damage. Well someone called the police, who never bothered coming out and told me to go to the station. So I did. They knew who did it...

Starting young

Starting young

Here’s a picture of my grandson trying out his aunt’s moped for size. She took him for a ride round the garden later and he loved it. Not bad for 18 months!

Learn how to pull motorcycle stunts

Learn how to pull motorcycle stunts

A veteran Brazilian stunt rider is setting up his first stunt school in London teaching bikers the art of motorcycle wheelies, stoppies and rolling burnouts. Bira Nicolella has spent 25 years...

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman update on the Long Way Down trip

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman update on the Long Way Down trip

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman checked in on day 34 of their epic ride to Capetown in the middle of a desert in the Sudan. Still with 8,500 miles left to travel the globetrotting duo took time to...

Cat napping

Cat napping

Not known for his reading ability, let alone his interest in bikes, here’s Wills my cat taking a nap on a copy of MCN.

Video: Randy Mamola talks Supersport at Masterbike

Video: Randy Mamola talks Supersport at Masterbike

Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves talks to racing legend Randy Mamola at Masterbike. Check out the video below to see what Randy Mamola thought of the new Supersport motorcycles at the Jerez circuit...

£1390 paint course competition drawing to a close

£1390 paint course competition drawing to a close

You’ve only got two weeks left to enter our awesome paint competition where you can win £1390 worth of tuition courtesy of custom painting gurus, Paint My Ride. So far we’ve received heaps of entries,...

Win trackbike insurance with Roadsure

Win trackbike insurance with Roadsure

To launch its new track bike insurance, Roadsure is giving away one year’s free track bike insurance to one motorcyclenews.com user. The insurance covers the bike at home, in transit and whilst at the...

Italy & Corfu road trip

Italy & Corfu road trip

My girlfriend and I originally planned to make it all the way down to Athens and across to the other Greek islands but money/time constraints meant that Corfu was as far as we got. Still, we set off...

New MCN: June 13

New MCN: June 13

In this week’s MCN we look back at the Isle of Man TT and that amazing 130mph record breaking lap by John McGuinness. We have a full review of the centenary fortnight. Also in MCN, available from...

Triumph Tiger stars in revolutionary thriller

Triumph Tiger stars in revolutionary thriller

The Triumph Tiger 1050 stars in a revolutionary new drama which features a mix of graphic novel, live action, and archive black and white film footage. And you can watch one of the trailers, here. The...

21-year-old rider collides with car

A 21-year-old man has died after his motorbike collided with a car. The accident happened at around 6.45am on June 13 on the A1081 Luton Road in Harpenden at the Kinsbourne Green junction. Police closed the road between West Hyde and Cooters End Lane from 7.20am until 11.30am because of the crash. The motorcyclist was riding towards Harpenden when he clipped a traffic island and ended up on the...

2008 Kawasaki KX motocross motorcycles unveiled

2008 Kawasaki KX motocross motorcycles unveiled

Kawasaki has released the first pictures of its updated 2008 model four-stroke motocross motorcycles, the KX250F and KX450F Both the Kawasaki KX250F and KX450F motorcycles have been subject to detail...

Treat yourself to a pampering at the Donington MotoGP

Treat yourself to a pampering at the Donington MotoGP

If you’re going to the GP and haven’t booked any accommodation then maybe you could treat yourself.   Champneys have one of their world famous spa’s only eight miles form Donington Park and have a...

Aprilia to build 1200cc supermoto motorcycle to rival Ducati's Hypermotard

Aprilia to build 1200cc supermoto motorcycle to rival Ducati's Hypermotard

This is the first picture of Aprilia’s new V-twin supermoto motorcycle– aimed at taking the fight to Ducati’s Hypermotard. The Aprilia clay model you see here is set to be turned into a production...

MCN on tour

MCN on tour

One photo of me reading MCN in the Egyptian section of the New York Met Museum. A couple of phtos from the 2007 TT races which reflect the fun aspect of the Island and what a great bunch the Bobbies...

Win a weekend with the Gilera GP team

Win a weekend with the Gilera GP team

You could win a pair of exclusive paddock passes for the British GP at Donington Park on June 22-24, 2007, thanks to Gilera. You and a friend will get to spend the time with the Metis Gilera 250cc...

Bid and ride with McGregor and Boorman

Bid and ride with McGregor and Boorman

IF you’ve ever watched the globe-trotting adventures of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman and fancied riding with the duo then now’s your chance – the pair are offering two people the chance to join...

Driver claims lampposts responsible for speeding ticket

A motorist is fighting a speeding conviction after being snapped by a speed camera on a road without speed limit signs. The road traffic act says unsigned roads with lampposts 200 yards apart or less should be considered 30mph limits, and driver Ian Thomas claims that lack of this knowledge caused him misjudge a speed limit in Rotherham last November.

Scrap speed cameras week

Scrap speed cameras week

The Safe Speed Campaign has announced the dates of the first ‘Scrap Speed Cameras Week’. The week will help promote the anti-speed camera message of campaign from June 24. Founder Paul Smith said:...