March
When is a bike not a bike?
30 March 2012 by
I had an accident in work a while ago and was asked to go and see a medical specialist in Rodney Street, Liverpool’s equivalent to Harley Street. I suffer from chronic back pain and needed to park as close to his office as possible. I went to the parking meter and found that motorbikes are not allowed to park there, so looking around I noticed two bicycles chained to railings on the wide pavement...
KTM 450RR Dakar bike ridden
30 March 2012 by
It doesn’t look like a bike that’s just finished the Dakar – it’s clean and there are only minimal signs of wear. A closer look tells you that the built to order factory KTM 450RR has seen some action...
Aprilia SRV850 ridden
30 March 2012 by
Super scooters have re-ignited the top speed battle between manufacturers – a battle which has been largely irrelevant for motorcycles since hyperbikes such as Suzuki’s Hayabusa started cracking...
KTM 690 Duke Track first ride
30 March 2012 by
Hook sixth gear, crouch down as small as possible and focus on the small strip of white paint at the side of the track. Wait, wait, wait… Sit up, brake, down three gears, let clutch out, as possible...
Danny Kent passes CBT
30 March 2012 by
Danny Kent is enjoying just as much success off the track as he is on it in 2012 after the rising British Grand Prix star passed his CBT this week. Kent, who finished second quickest in last week’s...
Destination dealer: Maidstone Harley-Davidson
30 March 2012 by
ADVERTISING PROMOTION Maidstone Harley-Davidson opened in November and is an exciting new venture for independent, family-run Laguna Motorcycles Ltd. Founded in the 1980s the company has established...
Classic CCM thumper revived
30 March 2012 by
With four-strokes once again dominating world motocross it’s easily forgotten that 40 years ago the last ‘four-stroke MX era’ was coming to an end prior to decades of dominance by two-strokes such as...
Mick Walker
29 March 2012 by
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Mick. He gave me a job in bikes, and turned my hobby into my life. He made me go on a Harley course which changed my life. I just wish to give my condolences to Sue, and Steve. I was his workshop foreman at Mick Walker Motorcycles from ’76 to’81 when I left to become a police officer. Mick, God bless, supported me all the way through my application, and...
Win a hotel room at the Isle of Man TT 2012
29 March 2012 by
This year’s TT looks set to be one of the busiest ever, with all traditional hotel rooms on the entire island already booked. So this competition is the only way you can you can get the TT experience...
MV Agusta F3 vs rivals at a glance
29 March 2012 by
MV Agusta’s new F3 is one of the most eagerly awaited bikes of 2012, but since its launch storm clouds have been gathering. Is the beautiful Italian simply too track-focused and rough around the edges...
Motorcycles to ride out the fuel strike
29 March 2012 by
On Monday, petrol tanker drivers from Unite, which represents drivers who deliver 90% of Britain’s petrol, voted to strike after a dispute over pay and conditions. Downing Street has since encouraged...
Busting cramp
28 March 2012 by
I’ve been finding that after about an hour of motorway riding I start losing feeling in my right hand. With the amount of miles I’m covering at the moment it’s surely not doing my long term health any...
Video: Ducati 848 Streetfighter longterm report
28 March 2012 by
Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves has just taken delivery of the Ducati Streetfighter 848 he’ll be running this year. After his time spent with the 1098 version in 2009, the Streetfighter is one of...
Humber Bridge toll victory. Where next?
28 March 2012 by
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has managed to get the toll for bikes removed from the Humber Bridge. From April 1 2012 motorcycles will be able to cross the bridge free, instead of the normal...
My special Hayabusa
28 March 2012 by
I own a fish and chip shop in Leicester and have a passion for the Suzuki Hayabusa – mine is a 58 plate in Ltd White with many upgrades. Galspeed wheels, Yoshimura exhausts, Galfer disks, Brembo...
New MCN March 28: MotoGP is go!
27 March 2012 by
In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday March 28, we have all the news from the final pre-season MotoGP test at Jerez ahead of the first round of the new 1000cc class in Qatar. Rossi struggled...
MCN Ride Logger app for iPhone
26 March 2012 by
The clocks have gone forward giving us longer evenings and the sun has finally started to show its face, so it’s the perfect time to get your bike out from the garage and go out for a ride. And why...
You ask/You answer: What's the one race you've GOT to attend in person?
26 March 2012 by
TV coverage is pretty amazing these days, so it takes a lot to convince me turning up is worth it. But I don’t want to be a couch potato all my life. So what bike race is most dramatically improved as...
You ask/You answer: Post-crash confidence crisis
26 March 2012 by
I crashed on diesel six weeks ago, I’m still waiting on the insurer to pay out on the bike. I haven’t ridden since and my confidence has plummeted. I feel like this might be it for me and bikes. Can...
March 26 Bikes on the Box
26 March 2012 by
KEY TO CHANNELS. DRT – Discovery Real Time DSC – Discovery Channel DHD – Discovery Channel HD EXS – Extreme Sports Channel EUR1 (2, HD) – Eurosport 1 (2, HD) MOT – Motors TV CH4 – Channel...
You ask/You answer: What if his mum is dead against our son riding?
26 March 2012 by
I ride and my son (now 14) wants to ride when he’s old enough, but his mum’s dead set against it. He’s a level-headed boy and we haven’t had any bad experiences with bikes to influence us. What should...
Poll: What is the best quality bike brand in 2012?
26 March 2012 by
Forget history, try and forget prejudice: which bike firm do you think really produces the best quality bikes right now? pollcomment
The good and the bad
25 March 2012 by
The sun’s up, the bikes out and already this weekend I have seen the best and worst of the biking fraternity. The good: The rider who parked up and flagged riders down to save some serious issues on spilt diesel. The Bad: The Aprilia rider who overtook uphill approaching a bend around which a car came,;how this guy made the fast closing gap I do not know. This act only served to reinforce car...
Revealed: Rossi's new AGV PistaGP helmet
24 March 2012 by
AGV and Valentino Rossi have officially launched the all-new PistaGP race lid that he’s been wearing in pre-season tests and will use for the 2012 MotoGP season. Although no UK price has been...
Moto Guzzi reveals endurance racer kit
23 March 2012 by
Moto Guzzi has developed a bolt-on factory kit to transform any clip-on equipped V7 into a replica 1970s endurance racer. The kit has been inspired by the 1969 Moto Guzzi V7 Record prototype, an...
New bike tax rates
23 March 2012 by
Motorcycle road tax has increased by as much as 3.7% in the Budget. The rate has risen for all motorcycles except those up to 150cc. A year’s tax for bikes over 600cc will cost £76 instead of £74.
Goodwood celebrates two-strokes
23 March 2012 by
This year’s Goodwood Festival Speed, held on 28 June – 1 July, will be alive to the sounds and smells of two-stroke and promises to be one of the highlights of the summer biking calendar. Grand Prix...
New 165bhp Motus V4 revealed
23 March 2012 by
New American manufacturer Motus has taken the wraps off the final two versions of the Motus MST-01 V4 sport tourers which go on sale in America later this year. The MST-01 has a 1650cc...
Big push needed on “Motorcyclists Matter” petition
23 March 2012 by
More than 31,000 people have already signed the “Motorcyclists matter” online petition which is pushing to ensure a motorcycle related question is compulsory in every driving test. Three of the...
Limited edition KTM 690 Duke Track launched
23 March 2012 by
KTM has launched a limited edition track-only version of the new 690 Duke, based on the bikes competing in the 2012 KTM-sponsored European Junior Cup (EJC). Just 200 examples of the bike are to have...
Ducati 798 Desmosport R concept
22 March 2012 by
Here’s my concept for a new, ‘basic’ sportsbikes from Ducati. No advaned materials and engineering processes. 100bhp, 164kg, all for less than 9000 Euros. Are you sure you need a Panigale to have fun?
Ram raiders started fire which destroyed Honda show bikes
22 March 2012 by
Ram raiders are suspected to have started a warehouse fire which destroyed Honda show bikes worth around £240,000. The thieves set light to a stolen Range Rover used in the attack before escaping on...
MCE opens call centre for Sport Relief
22 March 2012 by
MCE Insurance will be supporting Sport Relief 2012 on Friday 23 March, with 100 staff all volunteering to receive donation calls. The staff will be joined by British Superbike rider Gary Mason, who...
Video: BMW C600 Sport and C650GT ridden
22 March 2012 by
BMW’s new C650GT and C600 Sport are the first £9.5k step-thrus, and though MCN’s first ride proves their general competence, it’s difficult to see how they’re worth twice as much as BMW’s own F650GS...
My chequered Kawasaki
21 March 2012 by
Here’s my ZX-6R G2, which I resprayed with a chequered design. I’m now starting to modify the performance. So far I’ve added a quickshifter, K+N filter, NGK plugs and an A16 exhaust. I’ve got loads to...
Sorcha Swims the TT
20 March 2012 by
Everyone knows just how long and demanding the TT mountain circuit is. It seems even longer when you swim the equivalent of the 37 3/4 miles. My eleven-year-old daughter did just that. Last week...