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December

Santa Claus and the 180bhp Kawasaki ZX-10R

22 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Santa Claus and the 180bhp Kawasaki ZX-10R

Forget sleighs and reindeers – Santa Claus is apparently using the 280bhp Asphaltfighters Stormbringers to get about! Despite the ice and snow covering the area of Germany the Kawasaki ZX-10R-based...

Biking Christmas e-cards

22 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Biking Christmas e-cards

In the spirit of saving the environment as well as money, the bike industry increasingly sends out e-cards rather than paper Christmas cards. That also means they can be a bit more personal than a...

98mph cop denies speeding

22 December 2009 by Steve Farrell

98mph cop denies speeding

A North Wales police officer caught doing nearly the twice the speed limit tried to get off on the grounds 50mph signs were unlit. Sgt Craig Jones was driving at 98mph when he was stopped but denied...

2010 VMCC Banbury Run dates announced

22 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

2010 VMCC Banbury Run dates announced

The Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s 62nd ‘Banbury Run’ for pre-1931 motorcycles will be run on Sunday June 20 2010. The event is open to any road-legal vintage motorcycle built before 1931, and the limited...

Death of freestyle motocross rider remains shrouded in mystery

22 December 2009 by Andy Downes

Death of freestyle motocross rider remains shrouded in mystery

The recent cause of death of freestyle motocrosser Mike Cinqmars remains a mystery after a coroners autopsy failed to determine what killed the 31-year-old at his Californian home on December...

Video: The 150mph R1-riding gecko

22 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Here’s one reptile taking a ride on the wild side – a tiny gecko stowed away on a Yamaha R1 as it laps a circuit at up to 150mph! The tiny creature manages to cling on and clamber around the clocks, screen and fairing of the R1 as the rider laps Queenland Raceway in Australia. The critter appears about two minutes in to the video – unless you want to see examples of someone missing apexes, we’d...

Government ‘misused power’ in court costs reform

22 December 2009 by Steve Farrell

Government ‘misused power’ in court costs reform

The Law Society has launched a legal challenge against the Government over new rules preventing riders cleared in court from reclaiming the cost of defending themselves.  Criminal law firm Kingsley...

Tom Cruise on his Ducati Desmosedici

22 December 2009 by Guy Procter

Tom Cruise on his Ducati Desmosedici

Tom Cruise has won back an iota of our respect by being pictured riding his Ducati Desmosedici. The 5’ 7” inch actor was also recently spotted giving a backie to Cameron Diaz on a Hypermotard on the...

Create your own dream garage

22 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Create your own dream garage

Northants-based firm Dream Garage can turn your hideout into a haven. The UK-built workshop modules come in all shapes and sizes, and come with integrated lighting and power, loads of storage, full...

Revealed: the first electric racer backed with real GP experience

22 December 2009 by Guy Procter

Revealed: the first electric racer backed with real GP experience

An Italian firm with GP racing and domestic championship-winning experience has launched a new TTXGP electric racer – and it’s revealed here for the first time. CRP Racing’s eCRP 1.0 is the first...

Indian hybrid promises 280mpg

22 December 2009 by Andy Downes

Indian hybrid promises 280mpg

Indian manufacturer Eko Vehicles is promising a hybrid electric/petrol capable of 280mpg. We’re just hoping not all future environmentally conscious bikes will look quite so ugly. Piaggio MP3...

New MCN December 23: ABS mega test

22 December 2009 by Liam Marsden

New MCN December 23: ABS mega test

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale December 23, we put five bikes with ABS head-to-head with each other and a car to see which has the best ABS. Also in this issue we test the new, 146bhp Triumph...

Chad's top three bikes of 2009

22 December 2009 by Adam 'Chad' Child

Chad's top three bikes of 2009

At the end of the year it’s often time to reflect on the last 12 months, so we asked MCN’s road testers for their personal three best bikes of 2009. Their ansers may surprise you. Here are Adam...

10 year of Hayabusa: exclusive designer interview in MCN

22 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

10 year of Hayabusa: exclusive designer interview in MCN

As part of MCN’s lookback on a decade of the Suzuki Hayabusa in the December 23 issue of MCN, we’ve interviewed the man responsible for designing it. Suzuki Hayabusas for sale Koji Yoshiura was the...

Bike-catching average-speed cameras type approved

21 December 2009 by Steve Farrell

Bike-catching average-speed cameras type approved

Hi-tech average-speed cameras capable of catching motorcycles are finally ready for roll-out after winning Home Office type approval. So-called Specs3 cameras are a new generation of the...

New colours for Knox off-road safety harness

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

New colours for Knox off-road safety harness

There are two new colour options on British safety firm Knox’s Warrior impact protection harness for 2010. The updated Warrior is one of the few off-road impact protectors to be fully tested and...

Hein Gericke Boxing Day sale

21 December 2009 by James Keen

Hein Gericke Boxing Day sale

Hein Gericke are celebrating the festive season with a huge sale starting on Boxing Day and running up until 31 January 2010. HG are also offering an extra 10% off everything on Boxing Day only. This...

New book introduces kids to motorcycling

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

New book introduces kids to motorcycling

Bikers are Animals – A Children’s Book on Motorcycling has just been released. The author, Paul Jamiol, introduces children to the world of motorcycling through several animal characters, such as Thor...

Video: Electric Derbi GPR EV sneak peek

21 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Video: Electric Derbi GPR EV sneak peek

Derbi is close to unveiling an electric race bike based on its GPR50 learner sportsbike. The Derbi GPR EV is revealed in this video taken by British company Sevcon in a test behind closed doors – the...

Freebird soundtrack released

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Freebird soundtrack released

The soundtrack to Freebird, a British comedy film starring Quadrophenia’s Phil Daniels, is now available. The tunes accompanied the exploits of three motorcycle couriers, who set off from London in...

New Transatlantic Challenge DVD

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

New Transatlantic Challenge DVD

You can now re-live some classic showdowns in a new DVD featuring the 1988 and 1991 Transatlantic races, featuring some of the greats of motorcycle racing history. The 1988 meeting, named the...

Stylmartin boots are back

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Stylmartin boots are back

The new Stylmartin Diablo boot is aimed at sports-tourer and commuter riders, and is claimed to be so comfy from new that it requires no breaking in. Save £££s on motorcycle boots According to the...

2009 WSB and WSS season reviews out on DVD

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

2009 WSB and WSS season reviews out on DVD

The 2009 World Superbike and World Supersport season review DVDs are now available from Duke Video. Save cash on motorcycle products Each DVD features comprehensive coverage of every race as two...

Yamaha beanie: perfect snow wear

21 December 2009 by Marc Abbott

Yamaha beanie: perfect snow wear

Yamaha now has a range of four different beanie hats to keep your head warm while you’re scraping the ice off the car, wishing you were on your bike. They’re 100% acrylic and fully machine washable,...

My winter commute

21 December 2009 by Steve Mander

My winter commute

This was my journey to work last year around the M25. Although this was after I’d fallen off. Note the missing front indicator.

BioHazard Hayabusa

20 December 2009 by Terry Ward

BioHazard Hayabusa

Just finished my custom Suzuki Hayabusa. It took lots of hours of work but now I want to show it off. Terry

BMW S1000RR dyno curve

19 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

BMW S1000RR dyno curve

MCN’s readers correctly spotted a mistake in the comparative test (issue December 16) of BMW’s new S1000RR superbike against the Suzuki GSX-R1000, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Yamaha R1 and Kawasaki...

My ride home in the snow

19 December 2009 by FORCE3D

My ride home in the snow

I went out on my Honda VFR to work today as usual and coming back home in the snow made things very interesting. I can conclude that a VFR is NOT the best motorcycle to use in these conditions,...

Nearly killed by white van man!

19 December 2009 by DaytonaTony

My wife and I were run over as pedestrians in January 2008. We were on an island half way across a carriage way when a van lost control and wiped us out. The consequence is that we have not been able to ride on my bike since (Suzuki Bandit 600). I am not able to keep the bike servicable due to still suffering with back trouble. It has sat now with no petrol and I’m worried that the carbs are all...

My snowman and Triumph

18 December 2009 by paul sims

My snowman and Triumph

Having been sent home early from work I thought I would make a snowman. What do you think?

A big thank you

18 December 2009 by gazzarossi

A big thank you

Re: Topic 30 March 2009 Smash up a biker for only £150.00 Two years down the line and yet another operation on Gareth’s jaw, as his jaw had fused to his Skull rendering him unable to eat properly. As...

YZ450 Café racer

18 December 2009 by Ped Baker

YZ450 Café racer

Details on this YZ450 engined café racer are scant but it’s such a beautifully designed and finished machine we had to share it with you. YZ450 motors have been used in race bikes before, most notably...

Honda XRE300 is smallest ABS Honda motorcycle

18 December 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Honda XRE300 is smallest ABS Honda motorcycle

Honda is releasing its smallest capacity ABS-equipped motorcycle – the XRE300 trail bike – but only in Brazil. The new Honda XRE300 is powered by a 25bhp air-cooled 291cc DOHC four-valve...

Euro standard on motorcycle guard rails by next summer

18 December 2009 by Steve Farrell

Euro standard on motorcycle guard rails by next summer

A European-wide standard for roadside barriers which takes into account motorcyclists’ safety could be established as early as summer 2010, according to the Federation of European Motorcyclists’...

WW2 German fighter plane sidecar

18 December 2009 by Ped Baker

WW2 German fighter plane sidecar

This beautifully bizarre and unique creation is the brainchild of Hungarian bike builder and Wild West theme park owner Henrik Toth. The design is based on a Second world war Messerschmitt ME109...

Motorcycle insurance bargains: retro roadsters

18 December 2009 by James Keen

Motorcycle insurance bargains: retro roadsters

Motorcycle insurance costs are an important consideration for any bike buyer. That’s why over the past few months MCN has been highlighting some of the best cheap-to-insure motorcycles out there.    ...