Latest Motorbike News

Clampdown on un-roadworthy bikes catches 15 times as many cars

07 June 2013 by Steve Farrell

A police clampdown on un-roadworthy motorcycles ended up catching up to 15 times more cars than bikes. Police had warned riders in advance: ‘Don’t risk it by taking to the roads without ensuring that...

Staff Blog: Neeves on the Hyperstrada launch, broken keys and trackdays.

07 June 2013 by Michael Neeves

This is the second in the series of video reviews for my Ducati Hyperstrada long term test bike. Here I go along to the official launch of the Hyperstrada, get a puncture, bend my ignition key and do a trackday at Anglesey. BLOG13 | HYPER13

Staff Blog: Mud flinging

07 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Senior Editor Richard Newland’s BMW R1200GS isn’t the only longtermer with a mud-flinging problem, the Judge has one too. On damp, wet or just plain dirty roads the front wheel throws up a lot of...

Google Glass coming to motorcycle helmets?

07 June 2013 by MCN

Next year’s defining new-tech moment is sure to be the public release of Google’s first ‘wearable’ technology, Google Glass. You’re probably already aware of the idea: a tiny heads-up display fitted...

First pictures: Biaggi testing Pramac Ducati MotoGP bike

06 June 2013 by Michael Guy

Six time world champion Max Biaggi returned to the track today at Mugello today testing the Pramac Ducati MotoGP bike. Following his retirement from WSB at the end of last season, the 41 year old...

Staff Blog: Finding time for the Hyperstrada

06 June 2013 by Michael Neeves

I’ve never known it to be so busy in MCN Road Test land, so I find myself away travelling lots. It means that sometimes I’m riding my Hyperstrada every day and occasionally weeks will go by where it...

Cal leathers up charity auction

06 June 2013 by MCN Staff

Yamaha in the US are autioning off a set of road racing leathers as worn by Monster Energy/Tech 3 MotoGP star Cal Crutchlow. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Feed the Children Oklahoma Relief Fund. Feed the Children is Yamaha Motor Corporation’s official corporate charity. “We are so pleased that Cal has graciously donated his authentic Spidi custom-made leathers to help provide relief...

MV Agusta F3 800 ridden!

06 June 2013 by Michael Neeves

MV Agusta’s brand new £11,499 F3 800 is currently being put through its paces at Misano in Italy by MCN Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves. Here are his first impressions: “The new machine is...

Cycle lane cameras

06 June 2013 by Andy Davidson

London’s Cycling Commissioner Andrew Gilligan has announced plans to set up CCTV cameras at cycle boxes and lanes to catch motorists entering them illegally. It is illegal for motorists to enter the...

Smoggy Petronas F1

06 June 2013 by Tim Thompson

A rare, zero-mile Petronas FP1 worth £33,000 has been destroyed by fire, just days before it was due to be delivered to a customer in the UK. The bike was being pdi’d in the Zurich workshop of FP1...

Staff Blog: Deflated at Donington

05 June 2013 by Steve Hunt

Being responsible for the online aspect of Motorcyclenews, I don’t get much of a chance to leave the office and the phosphorous glow of the monitor screens. So, when I had the opportunity to spend...

£100 fines for speeding and driving on the phone

05 June 2013 by Steve Farrell

Fines for speeding and using a hand-held mobile phone while driving will rise from £60 to £100 under Government plans. Drivers who hog the middle motorway lane or tailgate also face £100 fines with...

Staff Blog: Swings and roundabouts

05 June 2013 by Richard Newland

Every bike will delight and frustrate you to some extent – it’s an inevitable truth. While touches of pure and simple genius will provide fodder to evangelise to your friends, there will always be...

MCN Guide: How to fit soft luggage

05 June 2013 by MCN Staff

We get a lot of queries here at MCN about how best to secure and fit soft luggage to bikes. So we thought we’d answer as many questions as possible in this quick, instructional video. – How to fit a...

MCN in Thailand

05 June 2013 by leximoo

Koh Samui airport, having a read before flying home!

Race attendance are on the slide – why?

04 June 2013 by MCN

Race attendance are on the slide – why? pollcomment

Triumph release new colours and a Sprint GT special edition

04 June 2013 by MCN Staff

Triumph has announced special editions of its Sprint GT, Thunderbird, Tiger Explorer and Street Triple Models. The mid-range tourer, the Sprint GT, sees a host of new features including heated grips,...

Foggy Petronas FP1 – ultimate exotica, or waste of time?

04 June 2013 by MCN

After 10 years MCN has finally got hold of a Petronas FP1 to test it against its rivals of the time, the Ducati 999S and Honda CBR900RR Fireblade. But is the FP1 a pointless waste or true exotica? ...

How much should you get paid for winning the Senior TT?

04 June 2013 by MCN

The Isle of Man TT is possibly the most dangerous motorcycle race on the planet, but do you think the race winners get enough prize money for their efforts? pollcomment

MV Agusta F3 800 details revealed

04 June 2013 by Michael Neeves

MV Agusta has released details of its new £11,499 F3 800, which will hit dealers in July. Based on the current inline-three cylinder F3 675 supersports machine, MV says it tips the scales at the same...

You ask/you answer: How to get the best out of MotoGP

04 June 2013 by MCN

“Having stopped riding after getting knocked off five years ago (injury, mortage, wife, kid etc), my wife had obviously noticed my yearning for all things bike hasn’t gone. So for my birthday this...

Staff blog: How much?

04 June 2013 by Steve Farrell

I got a shock when I saw the price of new standard rear tyre for the Burgman 650 ABS Executive from a Suzuki dealer: £184 plus £30 for fitting. The first one has just been replaced during the 4000...

Staff blog: A question for readers

04 June 2013 by Steve Farrell

I’ve been accused of being over-critical of bikes in the past. A spot of rust after a couple of months and I have a whinge about it in print. “What about the positives?” a manufacturer once...

New MCN June 5: Dunlop treble at the TT

04 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

In this week’s MCN, out June 5, we have all the news from the beginning of race week at the TT. Michael Dunlop has so far taken three wins from three races, could this be the start of a new era? Also...

Staff Blog: Welcome back CBR500

03 June 2013 by Andy Calton

When the first Yamaha FZR600 came out back in the day (1990) I was all over it like a rash. The black and pink paintscheme may have been a little ‘let’s go disco’ naff but these were the days of the...

First middle age fumblings with a Ducati

03 June 2013 by Jeff Patrick

On a weekend where the sun sat high and my adrenaline ran free, it seemed appropriate in the infancy of middle age to throw my leg over my first ever Ducati and see what Hampshire’s bountiful roads had to offer. The bike in question was a 2013 Panigale, which, with its £5,000 insurance excess had the temperature up before the very obliging salesman even turned the key and fired up what can only be...

Staff Blog: I Love Sunny Saturday Rides!

03 June 2013 by Alison Silcox

What glorious weather, waking up on Saturday morning with sun streaming through the window I had no excuse but to get out on the Yamaha Fazer8 and ride. My other half was helping mates at the Bemsee...

Bad roads

02 June 2013 by Brian Sketchley

I drove up the M1 today. Has anybody else seen the huge holes that are appearing along the joins between lanes? Where there should be cats eyes or over banding potholes are appearing and forming a void down to the previous surface level anywhere up to a foot wide and up to 10 or 15 feet long. Hitting one at speed while changing lanes could result in loss of bike control with disastrous...