April

BT bans bikes

BT bans bikes

BT staff are banned from riding bikes, it emerged today, April 24, 2007 A spokesman for the telecoms giant told MCN: “We don’t allow motorcycling at all.” “The ban applies during work hours. The...

Soak my nuts in petrol

Just had a lovely, fast ride out in the April sunshine, the bike working really well despite needing a service.  On the road in dry and warm weather any shortcomings in the suspension say, can be ridden around.  It’s in the cold and wet that you need that finesse of control.  That’s why the sunny Sunday jockeys will never quite understand what it’s all about. Anyway, full of the joys of Spring,...

Masterbike video: Introducing the world's biggest bike test

Masterbike video: Introducing the world's biggest bike test

Once again MCN has been asked to help find the fastest sports bike on track at the exclusive Masterbike test in Spain. The test is held every year and sees every road going sports bike ridden around...

Twins get the biking bug

Twins get the biking bug

Here are my two-year-old twins, Lucy and Freya, getting into the biking way of life.

See the Hypermotard 1100 and 1100S on video

See the Hypermotard 1100 and 1100S on video

See the new Ducati Hypermotard 1100 and 1100S in this video, shot by the Italian firm. The two bikes were taken from a studio photo shoot to various locations around Milan, ridden by professional...

Speed cameras: "More harm than good"

Speed cameras: "More harm than good"

Speed cameras may have done more harm than good by replacing real traffic police, according to the organisation that does transport research for the Government. Jeremy Broughton of the Transport...

Detour outrage

Detour outrage

Thousands of motorists were left fuming last week when a 20-mile diversion brought them right back round to where they started. The detour was set up by contractor Amey as part of a £25million...

Super breathalyser on the way

A new road-side breathalyser that provides results accurate enough to convict drink-drivers is set to be introduced next year. The Home Office is currently looking for a company to produce the breath tester which is accurate enough to act as evidence, unlike the devices currently in use which are only suitable for screening purposes.

90 killed or seriously injured on roads each day

90 killed or seriously injured on roads each day

A report released this week revealed that 90 people are killed or seriously injured each day on UK roads. The report from road safety campaigners Brake also showed that 30 of the deaths are victim...

Zero tolerance in North Yorkshire

Anyone who visits or lives close to Sherburn in Elmet near Leeds just be aware that till the end of May ish (and this comes from a good source) the oh so bike friendly(not) North Yorkshire Police will be out in force every Sunday with their Zero Tolerence for bike’s policy. If you take notice of their hunting habits you’ll see them from about 11am to 5pm so set off earlier and come home...

Crashed because of a bad road

Crashed because of a bad road

Driving to work along the A2 southbound from Chatham, Kent on April 12, 2007 at abuot 3.30 in the morning. The weather conditions were good, but as the time suggests it was dark. I left the A2 at the...

New bike test trial

New bike test trial

The Motorcycle Rider Trainers Association is giving the public a first opportunity to get a feel of the new motorcycle test on July 1 at their annual events day. Held in conjunction with the Driving...

Terrorists target U.K petrol stations

Terrorists target U.K petrol stations

Thousands of motorists in the UK who buy petrol using bank cards are thought to have lost millions of pounds in an international criminal operation. Details are thought to have been taken from bank...

Pepsi-rep RGV

Pepsi-rep RGV

My Pepsi-rep RGV250!

MCN speeding advice helped me

In June of last year (2006) I received a notice of intended prosecution for speeding (89mph in a 70mph limit). After reading MCN advice, and forwarding the suggested letter and heeding the advice given, I received a further letter threatening to prosecute me for failing to give requested details (name and address etc.) On MCN’s advice I forwarded copies of my previous correspondence ,and since...

Worst road in Sussex

Here is a copy of an email sent to West Sussex county council about the state of our roads: Dear Ms Scarratt, Thank you for your reply. With respect, this whole issue is about what can be considered acceptable and what can actually be described as disgraceful. No other road in any county would be permitted to remain in such an appalling condition for such a great length of time without causing...

New BMW Sportenduro

New BMW Sportenduro

BMW has officially unveiled its Sportenduro 450 and has confirmed it will be racing it in Spain at Puerto Lumbreras next weekend, April 28-29. This 450cc single-cylinder off road race bike broke cover...

Mini-crosser copper crash

Mini-crosser copper crash

This short clip of a female police officer careering into a filing cabinet only hit YouTube a month ago and has already had over 37,000 hits. The video, claimed to be of a Belgian police force by the...

Legal eagles raise spinal cash

Legal eagles raise spinal cash

Cash raised by specialist bike law firm Fletchers Solicitors (also known as Bike Legal) has enabled Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust’s Regional Spinal Injuries Centre to help with the...

Former Triumph top man takes on Victory

Former Triumph top man takes on Victory

Ross Clifford, better known for his steering of a host of Triumph motorcycles including the Rocket III, Speed Triple and Daytona 600, has been appointed as General Manager of Polaris Britain Ltd.,...

New rider triples limit

After having his motorcycle for just one week a teenager aged 19 has been caught speeding at 112mph (181km/h) in a 37mph (60km/h) zone in Perth, Australia. Police charged the male with dangerous driving and he is due to appear in court this week.

Our first gold-rated website user

Our first gold-rated website user

The first registered user of motorcyclenews.com has just been awarded Gold status for contributions to the website. Our new badge system is displayed on forum posts to give other users a guide to who...

Trip to Scotland

I went to Scotland last year (2006) at the start of July for the BSB round at Knockhill the travelled north to Forres to see my old mates. The weather was fantastic, the riding was great. The only bummer was leaving to ride my gixxer 530 miles home. By the way I’m doing it again this year.

MCN takes a trip to Goa

MCN takes a trip to Goa

MCN makes it to Palolem beach south Goa, India. This is the ultimate hang-out for hippy / rocker / backpacker types wishing to ride a real iron bullet, dodging coconut trees and water buffalo. Alan...

MCN needs your help

MCN needs your help

Have you had trouble booking ferry crossings just because you’re a biker? Has a ferry company ever refused to take your booking because you’re travelling on a bike? Have you ever had your bike damaged...

No justice over friend's death

No justice over friend's death

Matt Bailey was a very good friend of mine and I cannot believe the sentence that was given to the person who killed him. A motorcyclist can get a custodial sentence for speeding yet a man who shows...

Brough Superior up for sale

Brough Superior up for sale

The most famous name in motorcycling history is being sold-off at auction next month. Alec Card, 80, has decided to sell the Brough Superior name off to the highest bidder on May 5 as part of the...

Bike-friendly bull bars

Bike-friendly bull bars

4x4s are being fitted with bike friendly bull bars made from a shock absorbent plastic material. From May the sale and fitment of metal bull bars will be made illegal by the Department for Transport,...

New MCN: April 18

New MCN: April 18

This week in MCN we reveal the world’s first pictures of the new BMW Sportboxer. This new bike will feature no the racetrack soon in the Le-Man 24-hour endurance race. Also in this issue, available to...

Aprilia V-Twin Shiver first impression

Aprilia V-Twin Shiver first impression

We’re at a top secret test track in Italy riding a pre-production version of Aprilia’s new 750cc V-Twin Shiver. It’s due to go on sale in June and should cost less than £6,000, which means if you are...

Speed cameras for sale

Speed cameras for sale

The owners of speed camera manufacturer Pips Technology has put the company up for auction. The organisation supplies speed cameras to the police, Government and other local authorities. There are a...

Ducati's record sales

Ducati's record sales

Ducati North America has announced record sales of its motorcycles for the first quarter of 2007. The sales were 15% up on the figures from the first quarter of 2006. The arrival of the much...

Video: Hornet, Z750 and FZ6 group test

Video: Hornet, Z750 and FZ6 group test

There’s a whole new bunch of middle-weight naked bikes for 2007 so we took them all out on the road together to see which is best. Check out the video below for the first comparison test of the new...

Starting young

Starting young

Here is a picture of my 18-month-old daughter, Keira, trying to ride my Honda CBR.

Scotland's three falls

On a trip to Scotland last May, my mate dropped his Fireblade in a car park at very low speed. We continued on our way to Inverness and he lost it again, this time on a corner and ended up in a ditch. He was okay and the bike was a bit bent but rideable …we thought. We set off and two miles down road, just yards from a cafe stop, his front wheel locked and he went flying thru the air and hit the...

RoadLok Sniper for custom choppers

RoadLok Sniper for custom choppers

One of America’s most famous chopper designers Eddie Trotta of Thunder Cycles, Florida is now using the all new RoadLok Sniper on his choppers. The RoadLok Sniper is available for most Harley...