October

Classic Bike Live 2017

Classic Bike Live 2017

This really is your last reminder to head to Peterborough Arena on the weekend of October 28/29. They’ve finalised the running order on the Classic Bike stage, marked out the display areas and made...

Battle of the Kings custom competition returns

Battle of the Kings custom competition returns

Harley-Davidson’s Battle of the Kings custom competition is returning for a fourth consecutive year, and this time around the theme will be the 115th anniversary of the iconic American brand. The...

Honda’s Neo Sports Café is nearly here

Honda’s Neo Sports Café is nearly here

Alongside the much-anticipated release of their new Gold Wing today, Honda have also whetted our appetite for new machinery with the unveileing of their Neo Sports Café Concept at the Tokyo Motor...

News podcast episode 17: New bikes from the Tokyo Show

News podcast episode 17: New bikes from the Tokyo Show

Welcome to the latest episode of the MCN News Podcast is an online offering from MCN, discussing the latest news in the biking world. The MCN News Podcast is available regularly via Soundcloud and the...

KTM sign deal with CFMoto

KTM sign deal with CFMoto

KTM have signed a deal with Chinese manufacturer CFMoto to set up a joint venture business. The deal was signed to improve KTM’s access to the Chinese market, with an eye on manufacturing bikes using...

Yamaha FS1-E: 'They could hit 55mph'

Yamaha FS1-E: 'They could hit 55mph'

“I don’t care much for Fizzys. It goes back to 1980 when I became faintly repulsed by their clumpy rubber bicycle pedals and puny frames and pathetic small-bike looks. I loathed the way they herded...

Harley-Davidson sales and profits fall

Harley-Davidson sales and profits fall

Harley-Davidson’s sales for the third quarter to the end of September 2017 fell by 6.9% worldwide compared to the same period last year. In the U.S sales were down 8.1%, slightly better than the...

Honda CR500: 'It was so far ahead of its time'

Honda CR500: 'It was so far ahead of its time'

‘Tire and it would bite you’ Dave Thorpe, three-time World 500cc MX champion “The CR500 has a reputation as being an animal, but when you are thinking straight and everything is together, it’s a...

Suzuki GT750: 'Luxurious, heavy and refined'

Suzuki GT750: 'Luxurious, heavy and refined'

‘It sounded so innocent at low rpm’ Richard Lindoe, 1970s two-stroke expert “The Kettle was released at a time when the other Japanese manufactures were making big capacity two-strokes and it was...

Cagiva Mito: 'As desirable as any superbike'

Cagiva Mito: 'As desirable as any superbike'

‘The ultimate L-plate racer’ Matt Wildee, MCN Senior Editor “With 23 years of continuous production (well, as continuous as Cagiva get), the Mito is the planet’s longest-running stroker and for the...

Honda N.S.C teased ahead of Milan Show

Honda N.S.C teased ahead of Milan Show

We’re less than a month away from most of the 2018 models being unveiled at this year’s Milan Show, which means we’re smack bang in the middle of teaser season, and the latest manufacturer to give us...

Video: Kymco tease two new scooters

Video: Kymco tease two new scooters

Another day, another teaser. Just show us the bikes already! The latest video to grace our screens comes courtesy of Taiwanese manufacturer Kymco, who will be unveiling two new scooters at the...

Honda NSR500: 'The NSR was light, agile and edgy'

Honda NSR500: 'The NSR was light, agile and edgy'

‘It went from 50bhp to 150bhp in just 100rpm!’ Wayne Gardner, 1987 500GP champion. “There was nothing like riding a racing two-stroke. I only ever rode Honda 500s in my GP career and they were so...

Make the most of the Oakdene Cafe

Make the most of the Oakdene Cafe

About 5 miles from Brands Hatch racing circuit, on the A20 London Road in Kent, is an innocuous looking prefab building set back from the highway on a pot-holed, dirt parking lot. For most of the week...

News podcast episode 16: Bike of the year special

News podcast episode 16: Bike of the year special

Welcome to the latest episode of the MCN News Podcast is an online offering from MCN, discussing the latest news in the biking world. The MCN News Podcast is available regularly via Soundcloud and the...

New KTM Freeride E-XC unveiled

New KTM Freeride E-XC unveiled

KTM have just unveiled the new Freeride E-XC at Hangar-7 in Austria (a collection of all things Red Bull), which they say is their statement of intent. KTM want to sing loud and proud about ‘urban...

Toro, Toro, Toro!

Toro, Toro, Toro!

Established Spanish off-road firm, Toro Trail, have launched a new adventure break, dubbed Toro Adventure, and using BMW’s R1200GS Rallye. Based in a luxurious mountain top villa, Toro Adventure is...

Video: Yamaha jump on the teaser bandwagon

Video: Yamaha jump on the teaser bandwagon

Not wanting to be left out, Yamaha have now joined in the fun with the release of a teaser video teasing something on October 25 – bang in the middle of the Tokyo Motor Show. Mark October 25 on your...

Yamaha’s MT-09 new model barmy

Yamaha’s MT-09 new model barmy

After a year of rampant success with their hot SP version of the already bonkers MT-10, the Japanese rumour mill suggests that Yamaha are on the verge of releasing an SP version of the MT-09, too. The...

MV Agusta reveal new F4 RC

MV Agusta reveal new F4 RC

After the recent announcement of the Lewis Hamilton-designed F4 LH44, MV Agusta are battling back with another stunning new bike, following months of financial turbulence. The immediate fruits of this...

Moped gang jailed for 18 years

Moped gang jailed for 18 years

A gang of thieves who used mopeds to enable their crime spree of more than 100 robberies in a period of less than three weeks were jailed last week for a total of over 18 years. Claude Parkinson, 18,...

Bike tech – the way forward

Bike tech – the way forward

BMW have long been at the sharp end of motorcycle tech development, and are continuing to push the boundaries with their ConnectedRide programme, which aims to deliver inter-vehicle position awareness...

Zero Motorcycles get a bit more range for 2018

Zero Motorcycles get a bit more range for 2018

Zero Motorcycles have now made their 2018 range a l-i-t-t-l-e bit more exciting by adding 10% more range and faster charging. The electric motorcycle manufacturer has introduced three new batteries;...

Tougher terms for reckless drivers

Tougher terms for reckless drivers

Drivers who kill behind the wheel could now be sentenced to life in prison under new legislation. Those who cause death by dangerous driving, or by careless driving while under the influence of drugs...

The Sunday Social with the British Trans America Expedition team

The Sunday Social with the British Trans America Expedition team

For this week’s Sunday Social we spoke with Major Nick Foulerton and Surgeon Lieutenant Alex Bamford, two members of a six man military expedition that recently rode from Ushuaia, Argentina to Prudhoe...

Revealed: The best vans and trucks for lugging motorbikes

Revealed: The best vans and trucks for lugging motorbikes

If you’re lugging your bike around to be fixed or transported during the wintry season, chances are you’ll need a big vehicle. Luckily, help is at hand if you’re trying to decide what to buy or rent...

In one go: Triumph's Explorer tackles the road, off-road and motocross

In one go: Triumph's Explorer tackles the road, off-road and motocross

We’re currently slap bang in the middle of teaser video season, but Triumph don’t have any teaser videos to show us apparently, so instead they’ve put together this video with their current Explorer...

The history of two-strokes

The history of two-strokes

It’s all about character. Nothing else on two wheels delivers the visceral thrills of a two-stroke engine. They deliver a hit of power every other stroke where a four-stroke manages only half as many.

Excelsior-Henderson brand up for auction

Excelsior-Henderson brand up for auction

The entire historic brand of Excelsior-Henderson is set to go up for auction at the Mecum auction in Las Vegas on January 27, 2018. Excelsior-Henderson was a big American motorcycle manufacturer, on a...

Officially one of the best on the spanners in Europe

Officially one of the best on the spanners in Europe

A Suzuki mechanic working at Bristol’s Fowlers dealership has come second in a European-wide competition that celebrates and finds the best technicians on the continent. Dave Ball has been a...

Dales pitstop

Dales pitstop

Deep in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, at the head of Wensleydale, lies the small market town of Hawes. Drop in on almost any weekend throughout the riding season and you’re guaranteed to find more...

Coroner calls for cycle lane review after motorcyclist death

Coroner calls for cycle lane review after motorcyclist death

A coroner has said there needs to be urgent research into the levels of grip on London’s cycle superhighways following the death of a motorcyclist in Battersea. Assistant Coroner for Inner West...

BMW’s 2018 R1200GS Adventure arriving in dealers now

BMW’s 2018 R1200GS Adventure arriving in dealers now

The new-for-2018 incarnation of the R1200GS Adventure has arrived in dealers, bringing all the updates enjoyed by the 2017 R1200GS to conform to Euro4 regulations – and adding a whole host of optional...

Officially the coolest kid on the block

Officially the coolest kid on the block

We all remember being a kid, riding around on a bicycle and wishing it was a motorbike. A piece of card on the frame getting attacked by the spokes of the wheel was a common sight, providing a...

Alta Motors unveil Redshift EX

Alta Motors unveil Redshift EX

American electric bike builders Alta Motors have been steadily developing their line-up and now they’ve added another: the Redshift EX, an enduro version of the existing MX model. The changes are...

Dear oh deer, it’s that time of the year

Dear oh deer, it’s that time of the year

Road safety organisation, GEM Motoring Assist are warning drivers and riders to be extra vigilant of deer at this time of year as they are more active due to the rutting season. With the Deer...