MCN's London Show hot picks - Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves

MCN Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves is pretty excited about the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show. He’s been slacking in the office today reading the show guide that will be in tomorrow’s paper and drooling all over the new bikes at the show.

Here’s his top five:

BMW R nineT Scrambler – The original R nineT is spectacular. It elegantly combines cool retro with exciting, modern-day performance and handling. I like what BMW has done with the scrambler styling on this model and the way they’ve nibbled away at the spec just enough to make it more affordable.

 

Aprilia RSV4R-FW – This has got to be 2016’s horniest superbike and looks even more purposeful than the Honda RC213V-S MotoGP replica. With its wailing V4 engine, Moto2-like agility and top notch electronics the standard RSV4 RF is special enough, so being able to spec this FW model from anything from superstock to superbike, is what track dreams are made of.

 

Ducati XDiavel – MCN’s Andy Downes rode this at its world launch in San Diego a few weeks ago (not jealous at all) and he came back raving about the big twin’s huge torque and sportsbike handling. Not many feet-forward choppers come with a full electronics package and so much usable power. I love the way it looks – kind of like a squashed Monster – especially those 70s-style chopper pipes. I’ll be drooling over this one for most of the day.

 

Suzuki GSX-R1000 – Suzuki has taken its time creating this new GSX-R1000 and they’re making us wait even longer until we get to ride it. Dates aren’t set, but it looks like it could be towards the end of the year. We’ll have to make to with just looking at it and guessing whether it’ll be a match for the big superbike hitters like the new ZX-10R, R1, S1000RR, 1299 Panigale and RSV4 RF (all of which we’re testing together very soon).

 

Triumph Thruxton R – 2016 is unquestionably the year of the retro. Every self-respecting manufacturer is on the café racer/flat tracker/bobber/roadster gravy train, but this is a special effort by Triumph. I love the way it looks and knowing the Hinckley firm don’t know how to make a bad bike nowadays, I’m hoping it’ll go just as well. No power figures have been released yet, but I’ve got my fingers crossed the 1200cc motor will make the Thruxton R a great sportsbike. With its Ohlins and Brembos, it should at least handle like one.

The Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle show is taking place this weekend at London Excel. For more information to what’s happening check out this week’s paper, out tomorrow. For tickets, click here.