2009
Launch report: KTM RC8R
07 February 2009 by
KTM’s new RC8R is one of the best sports bikes on the planet, says MCN’s Trevor Franklin who has just ridden the bike in Portugal. The new bike is the long-awaited ‘R’ version of the already popular...
BMW Snowmobile
06 February 2009 by
Snowmobile or what! Exeter to Dorchester late Thu night 5 Feb 09 riding into teeth of a full-on North Pole blizzard in Devon on ….. BMW 1200RT. Made it…? yes. Fall off? twice! Damage…? None found yet! Couldn’t stay the night so pressed on for home. Passed loads of lorries and cars who’d given up and decided freezing to death all night was preferable to anything else. Steady 30 mph using as much...
Mission Motors announce 150mph electric bike
06 February 2009 by
Mission Motors have unveiled a new electric motorcycle with a stated top speed of 150mph and 100 lb-ft torque and a single speed. Front and rear suspension is from Öhlins and the brakes are from...
10% off Sidi motorcycle boots with MCN
06 February 2009 by
MCN has teamed up with TopGear Superstore to offer you 10% off Sidi motorcycle boots through the MCN Shop. That includes everything from full-on race boots like the Vertigo Corsa Air, right down to...
Video: MCN’s Honda CBF125 in the snow
06 February 2009 by
Lightweight bikes are perfect tools to carry on motorcycling through the snow, as our Honda CBF125 demonstrates in this video. MCN’s Steve Farrell rode the bike 80 miles from MCN’s office in Peterborough to North London, but before he left we had some fun in a deserted car park! See MCN February 18 for Steve’s report on how the bike faired through slush and ice.
Car driver's illegal parking angers motorcycle lobby
06 February 2009 by
An article was published in today’s (6/02/09) West End Extra, the article is on the back of an incident that happened last month [view full details of it here], a campaigner took photos of cars parked...
Have you bought a new bike?
06 February 2009 by
Have you just treated yourself to that great bike – new or used – that you’ve been lusting after for months? British bikers are ignoring downturn paranoia and flooding into dealers to take advantage...
Snow blog: Daytona 675 vs Speed Triple… on Neighbours!
06 February 2009 by
After three failed attempts to get a spinning Seat Alhambra off the driveway, I resorted to a day of igloo-building and brandy drinking. Tucked up in the cosy confines of Abbott Towers, and after a...
Salt shortage forces councils to leave roads untreated
05 February 2009 by
Depleted grit supplies are forcing local councils to only grit major A-roads, motorways and bus routes leaving other roads at the mercy of the elements. The Local Government Association said council...
Top 5 naked roadsters for under £3k
05 February 2009 by
A budget naked middleweight is the swiss army knife of bikes. If you need one motorcycle capable of commuting, touring and weekend scratching then they offer a good compromise between practicality and...
Thanks to all and bye for now
05 February 2009 by
I started biking about 20 years ago and knew nothing about the sport that was going to be so much part of my life. Over the years I have meet a lot of good people and I will always treasure some of the best biking trips that some can only dream of, from a non fault crash to scrapping the pegs, from track days to off road days, R.A.T. Days, bike safe, Brands Hatch, NEC, I have done it and loved...
World's biggest MCN reader!
05 February 2009 by
This is the biggest MCN reader from team fatboys! We think he was browsing MCN for a track day to book (snow one takes him serious). On the left is Tim in the middle is Dani on the right is Nick.
Carve your way through the snow with this bolt-on kit
05 February 2009 by
We’ve all been struggling to get in during the bad weather but this conversion kit from 2moto could have us praying for more days of snow. The kit costs $4250 (£2,910 at the current exchange rate) and...
Ducati bosses’ pay slashed
05 February 2009 by
Ducati bosses have had their pay slashed and bonuses cancelled as the economics crisis tightens its grip on the bike market. The firm said senior executives had voluntarily taken a 10% wage cut after...
Snowbike!
05 February 2009 by
HWe only had one customer turn up today…. He’d popped out to get his latest copy of MCN! All the best from all at Steve Lynham M/C Repairs.
Cyber scammers target bikers
05 February 2009 by
Emails attempting to obtain thousands of pounds are being sent indiscriminately in response to classified ads for second-hand bikes. Biker sellers are sent cheques for thousands more than the asking...
Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 issues
04 February 2009 by
I write on behalf of my best friend Paul. Paul worked & saved very hard in order to buy a top of the range motorcycle last year, He has been back on the road only 6months prior to then. I begged him to purchase a Blade, blades being well known for easy riding & build quality. But no, my friend Paul was having none of it, he wanted the top dog performance bike- the GSXR1000 K8. Paul is a...
Forcefield unveils new back protector and windproof kit
04 February 2009 by
An improved range of Forcefield base layers are now on sale. The firm has added windproof fabric to the range of shirts (£60), trousers (£45), and balaclavas, neck warmers, and gloves (£20 each).
Capping a classic Royal Enfield
04 February 2009 by
Hats off to Royal Enfield for this stylish new cotton baseball cap. The one-size-fits-all hat has the company’s logo embroidered on the front. They cost £10 from from www.watsonian-squire.com,...
Suzuki GSX-R1000s ‘recalled’ for extra frame bracing
04 February 2009 by
Owners of 2005/2006 Suzuki GSX-R1000s can to hear from Suzuki soon, following reports of frames cracking around the headstock. VOSA hasn’t deemed the incidents – which occurred following ‘extreme...
New fuss-free portable footpump
04 February 2009 by
Ditch your bulky footpump for this lightweight version, designed for touring. About the same size as can of chain lube, the pump works up to 160psi and comes with a range of adaptors, all wrapped up...
New MCN February 4: World first 600 shoot-out
04 February 2009 by
In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday 4th February, the full 2009 crop of 600s race each other on track in a world first test. The Honda CBR600RR ABS takes on the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Yamaha R6,...
No Charges: Ace Cafe to MCN Show video report
04 February 2009 by
Thank you to everyone that came along to “THE BIG ONE” on Sunday 1st February 2009, even though it was freezing cold, it was our biggest turnout to date, video report 6 minutes watch here, and some...
Mother nature finally wins
04 February 2009 by
I’ve battled mother nature for six years on two wheels… just this once, victory is hers.
Cyclists’ barrage of objections to motorcycles in bus lanes
04 February 2009 by
Cycle groups have stirred up a barrage of complaints about motorcycles in bus lanes while motorcyclists themselves aren’t showing support. We risk losing access to London’s bus lanes unless we make...
Thoughts on recycling, bus lanes & parking
04 February 2009 by
I have a question for all the motorcyclists out there who are reading this and those, who like myself, also read the MCN paper on Wednesday. Are you ecologically friendly? The reason I ask this...
Fantasy Road Race: Sign up your team!
04 February 2009 by
MCN Fantasy Road Race 2009 is now open for entries. Visit the registration page to sign up your team for free and be in with a chance of winning a brand new Yamaha R6. Click here to sign up your team...
Givi S850 holds non-bike sat navs
03 February 2009 by
This new Givi bag could spell the end of bike-specific GPS devices. The Givi S850 has a universal holder, designed to carry the majority of popular car navigation devices. Compare and buy motorcycle...
Virgin Biker
03 February 2009 by
My names Dan, a young 21year old who has always had the craving for a motorbike. But as us youngters well know our mothers dont share our passion, nor my Dad in fact. This was partly due to his recklessness on motocross bikes(still have the 175cc Ktm in the garage). He broke most bones in his body but theres a story of breaking his collar bone the day before my uncles wedding! (he never did go to...
BMW S1000RR information centre
03 February 2009 by
Welcome to the MCN information centre for the BMW S1000RR. Here you will find first ride reports, tech details and pictures of the new S1000RR motorcycle. Check back soon as we will shortly be posting...
BMW SCT 800 Superscooter
03 February 2009 by
This is a new BMW scooter design. It’s equipped with a front twin 800cc 4V engine with more than 70 CV. It mounts 16″ wheels of wide section and adopts the telelever front suspension and a monoshock...
Father reunited with Sunbeam motorcycle
03 February 2009 by
Two sons have reunited their 77-year-old father with the Sunbeam S7 Deluxe he rode in the 1950s. Paul and John Kilminster from Guernsey spent 17 years tracking down KNM 664, which their father Dave...
Harley-Davidson ice XR1200
02 February 2009 by
Harley-Davidson has taken note of the freezing temperatures today and launched an ice sculpture of the XR1200. The American manufacturer has enlisted the skills of 1988 Olympian Tom Queoff who managed...
£800 of free kit with Triumphs at Webbs
02 February 2009 by
Webbs Triumph of Peterborough has a special promotion open until the end of March that includes £800 of free accessories or clothing with specific bikes in their range. If you buy a Triumph Tiger or...
Honda raises £4,000 for NSPCC
02 February 2009 by
Visitors to the NEC Bike Show in December helped Honda raise £4,000 for charity, it has been revealed today. The Japanese manufacturer collected the money by offering re-useable fabric branded bags...