2016

Road racing comes to Coventry this weekend

Road racing comes to Coventry this weekend

The two-day free-to-enter festival will see bikes and cars take over the city centre, with part of the ring road closed to normal traffic and turned into a temporary circuit where bikes like Michael...

The great summer ride guide – (Part 2/4)

The great summer ride guide – (Part 2/4)

Unbelievable roads and destinations to escape to now Welcome to part two of MCN’s holiday special, your guide to escaping to the finest tarmac in Britain and Europe and coming home sated for another...

Fan pays ultimate tribute to Valentino Rossi

Fan pays ultimate tribute to Valentino Rossi

We think we may have found something more thrilling than watching Valentino Rossi at the Catalunya Grand Prix. MCN reader John Collinson has shared his topairy Rossi tribute, which took several years...

Bradley Smith to ride YZR-500 two-stroke GP bike

Bradley Smith to ride YZR-500 two-stroke GP bike

MotoGP rider Bradley Smith will trade his 250bhp four-stroke racing bike for a screaming 500cc two-stroke GP ROC Yamaha YZR-500 at this year’s Bikers’ Classic at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps track...

Event: Going straight at Shakespeare County Raceway

Event: Going straight at Shakespeare County Raceway

Event: Public track weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway, Strafford-upon-Avon, CV37 8LL Date: June 11-12 Leave the traffic light GP behind and come and test your metal at one of the UK’s best-loved...

Honda to recall airbag Gold Wings in US

Honda to recall airbag Gold Wings in US

Honda may be recalling Honda Gold Wing models fitted with airbags as part of a massive global recall of vehicles to replace potentially dangerous Takata airbags. The Gold Wing was available with an...

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 7: Mike Hailwood

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 7: Mike Hailwood

1965 MV Agusta to 1966 Honda RC181 ike Hailwood quit MV as triple 500 champion at the end of 1965 and won titles in 1966 on his return to Honda… but only in the 250 and 350 classes. Maybe it’s not...

The great summer ride guide – (Part 1/4)

The great summer ride guide – (Part 1/4)

Unbelievable roads and destinations to escape to now Welcome to part one of MCN’s holiday special, your guide to escaping to the finest tarmac in Britain and Europe and coming home sated for another...

Kawasaki reveal ‘Final Edition’ W800

Kawasaki reveal ‘Final Edition’ W800

Fifty years since the Kawasaki W-series was first launched the firm has announced that it will be sent out of production with a special ‘Final Edition’ model to mark the end of an era. The W800 Final...

How does Triumph’s Brilliant Thruxton R compare to the original?

How does Triumph’s Brilliant Thruxton R compare to the original?

The first Thruxtons came out in the late 50s and carried on for 10 to 12 years. They started life as standard Bonneville T120s, fettled by the Triumph factory. Related: Full 2016 Triumph Thruxton R...

Poll: Would you consider buying a sidecar?

Poll: Would you consider buying a sidecar?

Would you consider buying a sidecar?

Victory reveals changes to Project 156 for Pikes Peak 2016 race

Victory reveals changes to Project 156 for Pikes Peak 2016 race

American company Victory will be competing at the famous Pikes Peak International Hillclimb (PPIHC) event with both petrol and electric-powered motorcycles for 2016 and now MCN has been given...

World GP bike legends ride again

World GP bike legends ride again

Some of Grand Prix’s greatest legends will descend on the Sachsenring circuit in Germany on June 10-12 for the World GP Bike Legends festival. Fans will be treated to qualifying and two races,...

Norton on a mission at the TT

Norton on a mission at the TT

Norton’s factory race team are hoping for a change of fortunes at this year’s Isle of Man TT after a breakthrough with electronics saw the British firm take a huge step forward with their V4 race...

Street Triple 765 at large

Street Triple 765 at large

After months of hiding in a tree, one of MCN’s spy photographers has finally managed to grab a series of decent images of the all-new Triumph Street Triple 765 as it was undergoes final road...

Wrenchmonkees XSR900 'Monkeebeast' breaks cover

Wrenchmonkees XSR900 'Monkeebeast' breaks cover

Danish house of custom loveliness, Wrenchmonkees, have long been involved with Yamaha’s extensive Yard Built activities, and their Copenhagen workshop has just opened its doors to reveal this, the...

Buy a Shark – and you could meet Lorenzo

Buy a Shark – and you could meet Lorenzo

SHARK Helmets have launched a UK-wide promotion for one lucky Race-R PRO Lorenzo Replica owner to meet the man himself at the OCTO British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The prize draw winner will receive...

Whatever happened to Transatlantic racing?

Whatever happened to Transatlantic racing?

UK v US grudge matches starring Sheene, Roberts, Schwantz… very season between 1971 and 1991 a race series pitted a team of American riders against a team of Brits over several rounds at British...

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 6: Freddie Spencer

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 6: Freddie Spencer

1983 Honda NS500 to 1984 Honda NSR500 reddie Spencer’s nightmare came not from a change of make but of model, from nimble three-cylinder NS500 to the cumbersome V4 NSR.  The NS was torquey and...

New MCN June 1: Massive TT special

New MCN June 1: Massive TT special

In this week’s edition of MCN, available in newsagents, on iPad and Android from June 1: Street Triple 765 New Norton TT racer Africa Twin v F800GS v Tiger Donington WSB RCV hits the TT New Pirellis...

When the Suzuki MotoGP bike hit 201mph at the TT

When the Suzuki MotoGP bike hit 201mph at the TT

It was meant to be an historic but undramatic ride, a demonstration lap showing off the first ever MotoGP bike on the Isle of Man. Instead, the Suzuki GSV-R’s 2010 parade lap left spectators, racers,...

Video: Suzuki GSX-S1000 and Triumph Speed Triple wheelies

Video: Suzuki GSX-S1000 and Triumph Speed Triple wheelies

Ever wondered how and where we take our legal wheelie shots? We take a sneaky look behind the scenes during a recent photoshoot.  The two bikes in question are Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 and Triumph’s new...

World first test: SWM RS650R

World first test: SWM RS650R

Instead, serious round-the-world riders are using smaller-capacity singles including favourites such as the ancient-but-capable Suzuki DRZ400, Yamaha XT660 or the current KTM 690 Enduro...

Triumph Thruxton R v Norton Dominator SS

Triumph Thruxton R v Norton Dominator SS

We’ve been in love with the Thruxton since it’s launch but how does it compare against that other great British icon, the Norton… They might both be the best of British but the Triumph and Norton...

Gallery: Bike Shed London 2016

Gallery: Bike Shed London 2016

The Bike Shed crew have pulled out all the stops for their 2016 London show. 150 of the finest custom machines you’ll see anywhere just ten minutes walk from Tower bridge. Here’s some of our favourite...

'I crashed at 180mph' Loris Baz tells his story

'I crashed at 180mph' Loris Baz tells his story

Like Nakano, Crutchlow and Marquez before him, Loris Baz has survived a stupendous getoff. This is his story ot many people have crashed a motorbike at speeds approaching 200mph. Even fewer can say...

Harlow Council’s ‘biker injunction’ faux pas

Harlow Council’s ‘biker injunction’ faux pas

An Essex town’s council have caused an internet furore over the past week by issuing an injunction that stops groups of motorcyclists gathering there – and they have no one to blame for the ensuing...

New Harley-Davidson XG750R flat-tracker revealed

New Harley-Davidson XG750R flat-tracker revealed

A new-generation Harley-Davidson flat-tracker has just been unveiled ahead of its racing debut – and it looks absolutely stunning. The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Factory Team is unleashing the...

Video: Guy Martin prepares for cross channel flight

Video: Guy Martin prepares for cross channel flight

Guy Martin may be missing this year’s TT but he’s still riding high as he prepares for another mad record attempt as part of his forthcoming Speed TV series. Martin was spotted earlier this week...

Bike Shed London 2016 kicks off this weekend

Bike Shed London 2016 kicks off this weekend

Bike Shed London 2016 isn’t your usual custom bike event. In just short three years it’s managed to cement itself as the coolest bike show this side of the Atlantic. With a mix of art, music, food,...

Awesome t-shirt ideas wanted

Awesome t-shirt ideas wanted

Are you a fan of your one-liners, a poet and you know it or just a dab hand at drawing? We need you! MCN are on the lookout for some awesome new designs to feature on t-shirts, hoodies and mugs on our...

BMW's Villa d'Este track record

BMW's Villa d'Este track record

BMW’s stunning supercharged R5 hommage revealed last week is just the latest in a line of stunning concept bikes revealed at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the shore of Lake Como, most of...

£10million dealer development for Glasgow

£10million dealer development for Glasgow

Ducati Glasgow, Triumph Glasgow and West Coast Harley-Davidson will be moving into two new £10million showrooms in 2017 with building work about to begin in Glasgow. The two brand-new and...

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 5: Barry Sheene

When Bike Swaps Go Bad. No 5: Barry Sheene

1979 Suzuki RG500 to 1980 Yamaha TZ500G arry was champion in 1976 and 1977 on a Suzuki. Then Roberts turned up and beat him on a Yamaha. The atmosphere soured, then big-time Barry played hardball in...

Meet two future GP champions (maybe)

Meet two future GP champions (maybe)

Fancy a long-term bet on a future MotoGP winner? You could do worse than dropping a fiver on Nicolò Bulega or Kyle Ryde, two young guns with serious corner men… Nicolò Bulega If you happen to catch a...

Victory Octane in dealers now

Victory Octane in dealers now

Victory’s new Octane cruiser is now available in dealers with a UK tour planned to show off the rest of the Victory range too. The Victory Octane was launched last year as the start of a lot of work...