April

Video: 257bhp Icon Sheene - first ride

Video: 257bhp Icon Sheene - first ride

Icon Motorcycles’ £107,000 Barry Sheene tribute bike is an extraordinary machine, and it’s first shakedown test at Silverstone proved the potential of the GSX1400-powered special.  Watch the video...

Meeting Neil Hodgson

Meeting Neil Hodgson

The other half meeting Neil Hodgson at the George White open day in Swindon last saturday.

New Benelli Cafe Racer 899 lands in UK

New Benelli Cafe Racer 899 lands in UK

Benelli’s new Café Racer 899 is arriving at UK dealers now. The new 899cc model has cafe racer looks with a power output of 120bhp from the three cylinder liquid-cooled engine. The engine has a new...

Parking “mega demo”

Parking “mega demo”

Protestors are planning a “mega demo” tomorrow over a charge for roadside motorcycle parking introduced in London’s Westminster. Riders are to meet at the Ace Café on the North Circular for a protest...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - Rear disc on front wheel

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - Rear disc on front wheel

More surprises from my bought-unseen £300 GPz. When I removed the warped front brake discs to replace them, I found that in fact only one was a front disc. The other was a rear. They’re the same...

Metzeler maps the world with riders own routes

Metzeler maps the world with riders own routes

Metzeler Tyres has launched MetzelerMaps, a new web application which allows riders to search for the best routes or upload their own, as well as sharing them with other bikers.  This new technology...

Best of bikemart: Modern classics up for grabs this week

Best of bikemart: Modern classics up for grabs this week

We’ve been browsing MCN bikes for sale every day to bring you some of our top picks from over 10,000 motorcycles for sale.                   Read more modern classics news and features Here’s just...

Video: Bennetts Babes shoot 2010

Video: Bennetts Babes shoot 2010

Watch the video for a peak behind the scenes at the latest Bennetts Babes shoot…

Long Ride Round

Long Ride Round

Starting in Swansea on Friday 2nd July 2010, the plan is that myself and 4 mates will ride around the outskirts of Wales (including a loop of Angelsey) in 24 hours to raise as much money as we can for...

Motorcycling heroes officially open Silverstone

Motorcycling heroes officially open Silverstone

Motorcycle race heroes Ron Haslam, Leon Haslam and Jeremy McWilliams officially opened the new 3.66-mile Silverstone GP circuit on Thursday.  The motorcycle greats were also joined by HRH Prince...

New Triumph specials from Italy

New Triumph specials from Italy

These three new specials based on the current Triumph Bonneville have just been launched, costing around £11,000. The bikes, Bonneville Six Days, Goldenboy and Bullitt, have been created by...

New Rieju MRT50 Competition arrives in UK

New Rieju MRT50 Competition arrives in UK

Spanish firm Rieju is bringing a road legal 50cc endurance racer to the UK which will cost £3499. The bike may only be a 50cc machine but it’s packing some top-specification components based around a...

Kawasaki to supply New York with tube trains

Kawasaki to supply New York with tube trains

Kawasaki got a boost this week after being awarded an $87 million contract from New York to supply new tube trains and upgrade existing ones (with ram air, presumably). We trust some of the moolah...

2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 - first ride

2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 - first ride

Aprilia’s updated 2010 Shiver is currently being tested by MCN’s Adam Child on the amazing Route Napoleon in the south of France. This is what he has to say… 2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 – tech specs...

257bhp Icon Sheene: it runs!

257bhp Icon Sheene: it runs!

MCN tested the Icon Motorcycles’ £107,000 Barry Sheene tribute bike at Silverstone this week with the world exclusive first test in next week’s paper. The Sheene Icon is an extraordinary machine but...

MCN celebrates 20 years of Triumph

MCN celebrates 20 years of Triumph

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of the first new Hinckley Triumphs. At the Cologne Show way back in 1990, John Bloor’s all-new Triumph concern unveiled its first new bikes – the...

£20,000 James Dean tribute Harley Fat Boy

£20,000 James Dean tribute Harley Fat Boy

If you have enough money, you can have anything you want. If the object of your desires is a custom Harley styled like the Porsche Spyder that killed James Dean, star of iconic movie ‘Rebel Without a...

“Thousands could be riding ringers”

“Thousands could be riding ringers”

Thousands of motorcyclists who bought nearly-new sports bikes from main dealers could be unwittingly riding bodged-together stolen machines, according to police. Thieves are part-exchanging “ringers”...

Triumph Thunderbird gets hot-rodded

Triumph Thunderbird gets hot-rodded

In standard trim the Triumph Thunderbird has a grunty 1597cc parallel twin-cylinder engine, beautiful steering and solid stability. Next week in MCN we reveal a Thunderbird that’s like that, but more...

Transport Minister: ‘I’m not encouraging motorcycling’

Transport Minister: ‘I’m not encouraging motorcycling’

Transport Minister Paul Clark has refused to say he thinks motorcycling is something to be encouraged, but says riders should not reject Labour. Asked if he thought biking should be encouraged, he...

New accessories for new XT1200Z Super Tenere released by Yamaha

New accessories for new XT1200Z Super Tenere released by Yamaha

Yamaha has released prices and details of accessories for the new XT1200Z Super Tenere ahead of the launch next week. Save cash on motorcycle products The new Super Tenere adventure bike comes...

Jamie Dobb to contest Scottish Six Day Trial

Jamie Dobb to contest Scottish Six Day Trial

Former world motocross champion Jamie Dobb is to compete in the Scottish Six Day Trial next week to raise money for a cancer charity. Dobb will compete in the famous event with long-time friend John...

First Love

The road drops behind me as I open the throttle and feel the weight of my bike surging away from the intersection, a light crosswind snaps against into my slipstream as I slide through the shady lanes and over the hill I see the twisting roads of Hampshire open up before me. A pale sunlight warms the light chill in the mid-April air as I slip the clutch and downshift to roll over a hill and into a...

Donington Park race track re-opening plans

Donington Park race track re-opening plans

Owners of Donington Park have just sent out this statement claiming the track will reopen for racing in August this year. The track has been closed after a disastrous effort to move the Formula One...

New Frank Thomas range in this week's MCN

New Frank Thomas range in this week's MCN

There’s a sizeable range of new kit from British firm Frank Thomas this year, and this week’s MCN shows you the highlights. Save cash on motorcycle clothing Here at MCN we’re stuck on the affordable...

New TomTom Urban Rider satnav announced

New TomTom Urban Rider satnav announced

TomTom’s latest motorcycle satnav is claimed to be “glove-friendly, have an intuitive screen and simplified user interface”. Save cash on motorcycle satnavs The simple menu has just two buttons ­-...

New Blaster jacket from Spyke

New Blaster jacket from Spyke

The new Spyke Blaster jacket has evolved from the firm’s one-piece suit of the same name. Save cash on motorcycle jackets It made from cowhide, and features CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour,...

Battle of the Brands - Arizona Mile May 1st

Battle of the Brands - Arizona Mile May 1st

No less than eight different brands of twin cylinder motorcycle will be competing in this weekends Grand National Championship Flat track race at the Yavapai Downs in Prescott, Arizona. Run on a...

Video: Ducati Multistrada 1200 v KTM SMT v BMW GS v Tiger 1050

Video: Ducati Multistrada 1200 v KTM SMT v BMW GS v Tiger 1050

Ducati’s new top-of-the-range adventure bike has four different riding modes – but can it beat its three best rivals in each of those applications? Read the 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200...

Ducati Multistrada 1200S: Used alternatives under £4k

Ducati Multistrada 1200S: Used alternatives under £4k

The new Ducati Multistrada 1200S looks set to redifine the adventure bike market with its four switchable modes (sport, touring, urban and enduro), which adjust power delivery, suspension and traction...

80mpg and 140bhp from new concept hybrid

80mpg and 140bhp from new concept hybrid

This new concept bike by Russian Igor Chack, 26, is the latest in a line of innovative ideas based on hybrid power – where electric motors are used alongside petrol engines. The Izh-1 was inspired by...

Where to watch at Silverstone

Where to watch at Silverstone

MCN’s Senior Road Tester has just returned from riding the full circuit at Silverstone and came back raving about the freshly revamped Northamptonshire track. He said: “The best seats in the house for...

'Distressed' Harley Road King Custom

'Distressed' Harley Road King Custom

Distressing chrome and paintwork has been popular in the custom car world for some time but this is the first time we’ve seen it applied to a Bagger Harley. Chris from Fox Custom Paint and Ric Greene...

My first sportsbike

My first sportsbike

Having taken my test at the ripe old age of 42, I played safe and rode a brand new Suzuki Bandit 650SA. Having mastered the basics of riding a bike I then wanted a bit more power and moved up to the...

Getting hitched at Gretna Green with MCN

Getting hitched at Gretna Green with MCN

Here’s a pic of me and my lovely wife having a quick read of MCN after riding through to Gretna Green and getting hitched in our leathers!

2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 - tech specs revealed

2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 - tech specs revealed

Aprilia has revealed full tech specs for the 2010 Shiver 750 which is set to cost £6,199 when it goes on sale in May. Find an Aprilia Shiver 750 for sale As MCN’s story back in November revealed,...