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March

Sbarro reveals four-wheeled motorcycle

05 March 2008 by MCN Newsdesk

Sbarro reveals four-wheeled motorcycle

Geneva-based designer Franco Sbarro has revealed the Pendolauto concept bike at the annual Geneva Motor Show. The four-wheeled leaning “bike” uses independent front and rear suspension to allow it to...

Video: The £40,000 Kawasaki ER6

05 March 2008 by Chris Newbigging

£40,000 buys you a Ducati Desmosedici RR, or a dream garage full of bikes. But 3UpRacing spent the money on this – the four-stroke answer to a 250GP bike, powered by a humble Kawasaki ER-6 engine tuned for 95bhp in a chassis weighing just 110kg wet. You can read the story in this week’s MCN, out Wednesday March 5, but here’s a video of the bike running if you’ve not picked up your copy yet.

Boris Johnson reaffirms pledge to open bus lanes to motorcycles

05 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Boris Johnson reaffirms pledge to open bus lanes to motorcycles

London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson has reaffirmed his pledge to open bus lanes to motorcycles with the publication of his transport manifesto.    Boris Johnson’s manifesto states: ‘I believe we...

New MCN March 5: KTM's RC8 was worth the wait

05 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

New MCN March 5: KTM's RC8 was worth the wait

It was worth the wait. KTM’s RC8 gets the MCN treatment of the world first test. Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin has been out in Spain to test new superbike and it seems the KTM RC8 did not...

Video: 2008 KTM RC8 - it was worth it

05 March 2008 by Trevor Franklin

Video: 2008 KTM RC8 - it was worth it

KTM already produces decent V-twin powered bikes in the shape of the 990SM and the Super Duke but these aren’t machines burdened with the ‘tag’ of Superbike like the new RC8. MCN’ Chief Road Tester...

MCN Daily 05/03/08: Your daily video motorcycle news

05 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

In episode 57 of the MCN Daily motorcycle news show London Mayor Ken Livingstone says motorcyclists who want to ride in the capitals bus lanes should vote for Boris Johnson, the 2008 World Superbike calendar has been reduced to 14 rounds after the Indonesian race is scrapped and Casey Stoner is raring to go after fully recovering from his injury  Subscribe to this podcast with RSS  Subscribe with...

Livingstone’s advice for motorcyclists who want to ride in bus lanes: vote Boris

05 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Livingstone’s advice for motorcyclists who want to ride in bus lanes: vote Boris

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has some advice for motorcyclists who want to ride in London bus lanes: vote for Boris Johnson. MP Boris Johnson: motorcycles in bus lanes no brainer Livingstone issued...

Fancy a spring clean for your motorcycle courtesy of MCN?

05 March 2008 by Andy Downes

Fancy a spring clean for your motorcycle courtesy of MCN?

MCN is looking to help out one lucky reader by getting their motorcycle freshened up by the experts at BSD Engineering and ready for spring. Any motorcycle that’s had a winter lay-off can be entered.

MCN in Rome

05 March 2008 by Pat Dixon

MCN in Rome

Pat Dixon from Devon gets into Italian mode by the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

Test Ride

04 March 2008 by Alan Rowley

Test Ride

When my neighbour asked me if I’d like to test ride her new trike, while fetching my MCN, its not quite what I had in mind lol

Stars at Brooklands on 20th April

04 March 2008 by Michael Sands

Phil Read and Steve Parrish are due to appear at the Brooklands Motorcycle Centenary Meeting on 20th April. Phil Read is bringing a 1912 TT-winning Harley-Davidson, a moto Paton and an ex-Mike Hailwood Honda 4. If negotiations with the National Motor Museum come to fruition, Steve Parrish wll ride the Beaulieu ex-Hailwood Honda 6. The prospect of two such famous riders parading equally famous...

Picture Gallery: Buell Chronos streetfighter special

04 March 2008 by Liam Marsden

Picture Gallery: Buell Chronos streetfighter special

This menacing-looking motorcycle started life as one of 50 limited edition Buell XB-RR’s – which were built especially for racing. Now after hours of work, it is called the Buell Chronos and it is one...

Just for the crack!

04 March 2008 by David Jenkins

Just for the crack!

Hi MCN, Attached is a picture of an interesting road sign taken a couple of years ago in the Bristol area. Unfortunately it’s no longer there (some c**t probably nicked it!) which is a shame because...

Have your say on the Buckland bollards

04 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Have your say on the Buckland bollards

MCN would like to hear from any motorcyclists who have recently been through Buckland, Surrey, after a resident expressed concern that the installation of traffic and pedestrian islands at a junction...

Extra motorway lanes instead of road pricing

04 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Extra motorway lanes instead of road pricing

Hard shoulders will be opened to traffic on busy stretches of motorway under plans announced by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly today. Kelly said she was also considering creating “reserved lanes” for...

UK owner finally gets his hands on Ducati Desmosedici

04 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

You might have seen a rash of ’08-plate motorcycles being ridden gingerly over the weekend, but the rarest new bike was surely Scott Charles’ Ducati Desmosedici, which was delivered on Saturday. Charles was credited with owning the first Desmosedici to hit UK shores when the motorcycle arrived at Ducati Glasgow in late January, but the rider held off on taking delivery until March 1, to ensure he...

Four-wheeled "motorcycle" due for launch this week

04 March 2008 by Ben Purvis

Four-wheeled "motorcycle" due for launch this week

This four-wheeled tilting motorcycle is set to be unveiled this week at the Geneva motor show. Created by madcap Swiss design firm Sbarro – famous in the past for its prototype bikes built around...

New Sachs SX1 Scooter

04 March 2008 by Liam Marsden

New Sachs SX1 Scooter

Sachs has released a new learner-legal 50cc sport scooter – the SX1. The scooter features halogen and LED lights at the front and an LED light cluster at the rear. The SX1 has 12” tri-spoke alloy...

Government transport advisors to discuss future of motorcycling

04 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Government transport advisors to discuss future of motorcycling

Government transport advisors are to discuss the future of motorcyling at a forthcoming conference.  The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety will discuss motorcycles at its conference...

MCN Daily 04/03//08: Your daily video motorcycle news

04 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

In episode 56 of the MCN Daily motorcycle news show we get a 2008 Yamaha R6 up to a whopping 172.34 miles per hour, satellite road pricing appears to be put on the back burner and MotoGP rookie James Toseland says he is happy to have racing legend Valentino Rossi on his side  Subscribe to this podcast with RSS  Subscribe with iTunes Check out the video below to catch up with all the news in just...

Ban for riding electric scooter

04 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Ban for riding electric scooter

A man has been convicted of having no insurance and helmet while riding a folding electric scooter with a top speed of 10mph. The landmark case means the tiny bike counts as a motor vehicle under...

10th Anniversary Aprilia RSV-R unveiled

04 March 2008 by Chris Newbigging

10th Anniversary Aprilia RSV-R unveiled

Surrey paint shop Altamura has put the finishing touches to this one-off Aprilia RSV-R to celebrate the tenth 10th anniversary of Aprilia’s sports v-twin. The standard 2008 model RSV-R has been...

Traffic police learn ballet

04 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Traffic police learn ballet

Bikers are to get traffic directions from cops using ballet moves. Police in the Romanian city of Timisoara are learning ballet in the hope the moves will help calm stressed out motorists stuck in...

National satellite road pricing scrapped

04 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

National satellite road pricing scrapped

Plans for a nationwide satellite road pricing system are expected to be scrapped today. Instead Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly will unveil plans to turn hard shoulders on motorways into an extra lane...

Guy Martin's biggest fan

03 March 2008 by stuartwatson

My dad with Guy Martin at Olivers Mount. He’s Guys number one fan. So much so he had a tattoo done on each arm of Guy Martins slogans he has on his helmet. GO BIG, OR GO HOME.

“Car drivers don’t need to be as careful as motorcyclists”

03 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

“Car drivers don’t need to be as careful as motorcyclists”

Car drivers have a lesser “onus” to avoid killing other road users than motorcyclists do, the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation has said. Roger Geffen, policy manager for CTC, said: “There is a...

Honda DN-01 price announced

03 March 2008 by MCN Newsdesk

Honda DN-01 price announced

Honda has announced the price of its new DN-01 automatic motorcycle – but only in Japan. Over there, the innovative machine with its hydraulic drive system will cost 1,239,000 Yen, which translates to...

Steve Berry: “I know I’m seen as shouty northern rent-a-gob”

03 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Steve Berry: “I know I’m seen as shouty northern rent-a-gob”

Steve Berry has hit back at critics by saying: “I know a lot of people see me as a shouty northern rent-a-gob but I’m not about to change.” “Motoring journalist and biker” Steve Berry has angered...

MCN Daily 03/03//08: Your daily video motorcycle news

03 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

In episode 55 of the MCN Daily motorcycle news show we test the new Buell Ulysses XB12XT, the Government may allow the usage of hard shoulders to ease motorway congestion and Mick Jagger reveals members of the Hell Angels planned to assassinate him  Subscribe to this podcast with RSS  Subscribe with iTunes Check out the video below to catch up with all the news in just three minutes then email...

Easy Rider motel to be demolished

03 March 2008 by Liam Marsden

Easy Rider motel to be demolished

The Hillcrest Motel in Toronto, Canada where the script for Easy Rider was written by Peter Fonda is to be demolished this month. Easy Rider was released in 1969, and depicted two motorcyclists...

Hard shoulder to be used in traffic jams

03 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Hard shoulder to be used in traffic jams

The coming week could see the Government decide whether to allow motorists to use the hard shoulder of motorways to relieve congestion. Read plans to bring a toll to fast-lane usage A trial...

Singing Goat

03 March 2008 by Dsouthgate

Singing Goat

The singing Goat was our mascot for a visit to the the Nurbergring. He even road pillion for a lap. However, he did let himself down at the restuarant in Adenau.

Hells Angels assassination attempt on Mick Jagger

03 March 2008 by Liam Marsden

Hells Angels assassination attempt on Mick Jagger

A documentary to be aired on BBC Radio 4 today reveals how Sir Mick Jagger, of the Rolling Stones was the target of an assassination plot by the Hells Angels. An ex-FBI agent revealed how the...

not quite ogri but near enough

02 March 2008 by Dave Evans

not quite ogri but near enough

hi just wondered if you would print my pic of me reading mcn in new zealand . not quite ogri but near enough 😉

First ride: Buell Ulysses XB12XT

01 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

First ride: Buell Ulysses XB12XT

Following on from the successful sales debut of Buell’s Ulysses, the American company has introduced a new model – the XB12XT. The motorcycle has just been launched in Spain and is a full on touring...