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February

5 bikes that deserve a comeback

27 August 2010 by James Keen

5 bikes that deserve a comeback

The current range of new motorcycles is wide and varied, but there are still some niches not being satisfied. Here’s 5 used bikes, no longer in production, that deliver something unique and not...

Bultaco Picador 400

27 February 2009 by Oberdan Bezzi

Bultaco Picador 400

The return of Bultaco? With this all purpose bike, it could be. The Picador would be a 400cc single cylinder – much fun and easy to ride. If offered to an right price it could find many fans!

MCN in Sydney

27 February 2009 by fasttourer

MCN in Sydney

Me reading MCN on the ferry from Sydney to Manley OZ Feb 09.

Skidmarx give Kawasaki ZX-R6 racing trim

27 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Skidmarx give Kawasaki ZX-R6 racing trim

Specialists in aftermarket aftermarket fairings and race panels, Skidmarx, has created a new race kit to fit the 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R. It’s been designed for the Kawasaki UK backed British Supersport...

Bridgestone announces new BT-003RS tyre

27 February 2009 by Marc Abbott

Bridgestone announces new BT-003RS tyre

Bridgestone has launched the Battlax BT-003RS tyre for fast road riders and track day fans. The new multi-compound rubber is designed for all sports bikes of 250cc and higher.   Bridgestone claim...

New Yoshimura aftermarket exhausts for Kawasaki ZX-6R

27 February 2009 by Rob Hull

New Yoshimura aftermarket exhausts for Kawasaki ZX-6R

Here are pictures of the latest additions to the Yoshimura catalogue that are going to be available for the new 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R. Both an RR7 and TRC-D silencer will be available for the updated...

Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 - first impressions

27 February 2009 by Michael Neeves

Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 - first impressions

MCN’s Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves is currently testing the new Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 at the twisty, Almeria circuit in southern Spain. Here are his thoughts after this morning’s first track...

Broadcast-quality onboard recorder

26 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Broadcast-quality onboard recorder

On-board recording experts Drivedata have launched their latest system called the DR3 Video Recorder – a 180g unit the size of credit card that will record over three hours of broadcast quality...

Video: Yamaha V-Max tears up the tarmac at Santa Pod

26 February 2009 by Marc Potter

Video: Yamaha V-Max tears up the tarmac at Santa Pod

Yamaha’s new V-Max is the most powerful production motorcycle we have ever put on our dyno.   The new 2009 Yamaha V-Max made a whopping 184bhp at the rear tyre, and 116ft lb of torque. In numbers it...

Spidi continue airbag development with DPS 03 jacket

26 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Spidi continue airbag development with DPS 03 jacket

Following the launch of the DPS 01 airbag vest back in 2000, Spidi has continued its development with this third generation DPS 03 jacket. Airbag jackets It works like more traditional airbag...

KTM690SMC gets BOSS boost

26 February 2009 by Rob Hull

KTM690SMC gets BOSS boost

BOS exhausts has just released a new lightweight race silencer for the KTM 690SMC Supermoto. Performance increases are fairly substantial with a weight of just 3.7kg – 23 per cent lighter than the OE...

GSX-R600 swingarm problems

25 February 2009 by Anonymous

I had a GSX-R600 k8 i paid £7200 for it last july after having it only 6months the swing arm had to be replaced under warantee (crack in weld all the way round).  I was very lucky, i had two days before cleaned all the chain sitting not 1ft away from the swingarm, but i never noticed the crack. A friend of mine noticed while we were out on a run. i would never have known it was there. While...

Video: BMW G450X and snowboard stunts

25 February 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Video: BMW G450X and snowboard stunts

BMW’s G450X has an unusual new purpose in this video as it powers a winch to help a snowboarder jump a river! The enduro motorcycle’s back wheel winds up a long cord with a handle on the end, which...

World Exclusive: AGV launch Barry Sheene replica

25 February 2009 by Rob Hull

World Exclusive: AGV launch Barry Sheene replica

AGV will launch this official Barry Sheene replica helmet this spring as part of the arrival of the new T-2 model. Compare and buy motorcycle helmets MCN has seen the first final-production Sheene...

(More) Credit Crunch Biking

25 February 2009 by peterhenthorne

(More) Credit Crunch Biking

Feeling the pinch like many people (I’m a mortgage broker – business, what business?) I decided the 1300 Pan European had to go. We weren’t touring any more and it’s a bit over the top for my all...

Irreplaceable helmets stolen from Arai offices

25 February 2009

Irreplaceable helmets stolen from Arai offices

Five irreplaceable Arai helmets were stolen after the Arai offices in Newcastle-under-Lyme were broken into last night (February 24). The helmets were an Arai NR3 Barry Sheene signed replica, an NR3...

Carbon-fibre bikes – a potted history

25 February 2009 by Ben Purvis

Carbon-fibre bikes – a potted history

This official drawing shows how British firm C-Tech, which supplies bodywork to superbike teams, is developing a carbon chassis to suit the latest generation of inline four-cylinder engines. But the...

What's on: February 25 - March 3

25 February 2009 by Sam Bostock

What's on: February 25 - March 3

Our What’s On listings now show events by their date, 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. If you...

Would you buy an Arai RX7-GP Spencer rep?

25 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Would you buy an Arai RX7-GP Spencer rep?

Arai Japan is set to launch two Freddie Spencer replica Arai RX7-GP’s into their ’09 replica helmet range, and if you want the same you can help MCN bring them to the UK. The two helmets designs are...

Westminster council uses the name of motorcycle groups in vain

24 February 2009 by ojosef

Westminster council uses the name of motorcycle groups in vain

As you may or may not know, Westminster Council have on a number of occasions used British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and Motorcycle Parking names in vain,...

Win one of 20 copies of the 2008 MotoGP season review with the MCN Biking Britain Survey

24 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Win one of 20 copies of the 2008 MotoGP season review with the MCN Biking Britain Survey

Fancy recapping one of the best MotoGP seasons of recent years? Why not do it for free, with the MCN Biking Britain Survey and Duke Video. Duke has teamed up with MCN to give away 20 copies of the...

Video: Honda Fireblade ABS v non-ABS

24 February 2009 by MCN

Video: Honda Fireblade ABS v non-ABS

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Feb 25th, MCN road tester Michael Neeves and two MCN readers put the ABS Fireblade up against the non-ABS version. The two MCN readers were taken to Bruntingthorpe...

New MCN February 25: Honda Fireblade vs ABS Fireblade

24 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

New MCN February 25: Honda Fireblade vs ABS Fireblade

In this weeks edition of Motorcycle News we put the non-ABS Honda Fireblade up against the new ABS Fireblade. Michael Neeves rated the ABS Fireblade highly when he tested it at the launch, but many...

‘80s pop star’s bike parking protest song

24 February 2009 by Steve Farrell

‘80s pop star’s bike parking protest song

A former pop star from the 1980s band Modern Romance has recorded a comic protest song against the scrapping of free motorcycle parking bays. Andy Kyriacou’s ‘No no no’ is a spoof version Amy...

Potholes: Make the council pay

24 February 2009 by Steve Farrell

Potholes: Make the council pay

Guidelines for claiming from the council after a pothole crash have been released by the AA. The motoring group issued the advice as it warned freezing weather had left roads so damaged they were...

Video: KTM 990 SMR takes on road and track

24 February 2009 by MCN

Video: KTM 990 SMR takes on road and track

The KTM 990 SMR is the track-ready version of the standard SM. MCN’s Adam Child has ridden the bike at the launch and you can read his full road test in this week’s MCN, on sale February 25th. Watch...

Great deals at the Hein Gericke catalogue launch

24 February 2009 by James Keen

Great deals at the Hein Gericke catalogue launch

Hein Gericke have just released their new 2009 catalogue. To celebrate each of their stores are hosting a special launch event on Saturday 28th February. Pop down to your local Hein Gericke on the...

MCN interviews Norton - what would you ask?

24 February 2009 by James Keen

MCN interviews Norton - what would you ask?

This week MCN is set to interview the boss of Norton and we’d like to know the questions that you want answered. If you were sitting across from Stuart Garner, owner of Norton, what would you ask him?...

Win a brand new bike with Fast Track Motorcycles

24 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Win a brand new bike with Fast Track Motorcycles

Fast Track Motorcycles of Leicester has unveiled a charitable competition which gives you the chance to win either a brand new motorcycle or any bike up to the value of £6000. To be in with a chance...

No to Bike Parking Tax Demo - Feb 28

24 February 2009 by jbond

See you there! For more details and a map visit http://www.notobikeparkingfees.com/events/ See you all there on Sat 28th, 10am Golden Square. This demonstration is pre-MEGA demo, which is on 31st March 2009, 5pm, Meet Trafalgar Square / Whitehall. (DST would have begun by then so the sun sets at 7:30pm!) the MEGA demo aiming to get more than 1000+ on the streets the MEGA demo is to coincide with...

Electric bike arrives at the MCN office

23 February 2009 by James Keen

Electric bike arrives at the MCN office

MCN has just taken delivery of the new Quantya Strada – A fully road legal electric bike. Here’s a couple of shots of the bike in the MCN office as we charge it up in preparation for testing. MCN’s...

Ducati GS rival ready for 2010

23 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Ducati GS rival ready for 2010

Last week in MCN we revealed the Ducati Multistrada replacement which will take on the BMW R1200GS. This computer-generated image shows how the new adventure-style Ducati could look when it hits...

Yamaha YZR250 R4?

23 February 2009 by shamitz

Yamaha YZR250 R4?

Found these photos on the net. I’m still wondering if this bike is for real … If it is, I’d deifinitely buy one 🙂

Win Bering ladies biking kit with the MCN Biking Britain Survey

23 February 2009 by Rob Hull

Win Bering ladies biking kit with the MCN Biking Britain Survey

MCN and Bering have teamed up to offer one lucky lady the chance to win a new riding outfit for ’09 if they fill in the MCN Biking Britain Survey. It’s the biggest online motorcycling survey in the...

“Bikes are my weakness” confesses F1 racer Mark Webber

23 February 2009 by Laura Kennerley

“Bikes are my weakness” confesses F1 racer Mark Webber

Aussie Formula One star Mark Webber has admitted bikes are his money weakness…but he only owns a £5,000 Yamaha Fazer 600. The frugal F1 star who earned about £3.8m last year driving for the Red Bull...

Are you Mr Average?

23 February 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Are you Mr Average?

A new survey has smashed biking stereotypes to reveal that the average 21st century biker is a middle-aged, middle-class, professional family man with a beard and love of heavy metal.  This specially...