Bike news

MCN IAM Better Riding Guide: A planned system of riding

MCN IAM Better Riding Guide:  A planned system of riding

Approaching riding in a planned way will quickly help you to improve your motorcycling skills. It will help you spot hazards earlier and plan your progress in an efficient way. Hazards you may...

Terry Shepherd (1931 – 2012)

Terry Shepherd (1931 – 2012)

Former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and legendary two-stroke engine tuner, Terry Shepherd passed away on October 5 2012, after a battle with cancer. He started racing Norton motorcycles in the...

Chinese Kawasaki-alike 250 for £2000

Chinese Kawasaki-alike 250 for £2000

An Italian-designed 250 expected to cost around £2000 has been unveiled as a concept at the Chinese motorcycle show. The single-cylinder Kawasaki Z-esque KP250 could go into production within months.

New Loncin uses BMW G650GS engine

New Loncin uses BMW G650GS engine

A road bike using the same engine as BMW’s G650GS has been unveiled at the Chinese motorcycle show. Chinese firm Loncin, which makes the single-cylinder 650 engine for BMW under licence, is using it...

Less than 30 left: Moto Guzzi Daytona RS 1000

Less than 30 left: Moto Guzzi Daytona RS 1000

The Moto Guzzi Daytona was always the pure, no messing race replica in the range, whether in 1000cc form, or the with the later 1100 motor. Fuelling problems slightly marred the performance, but...

Sons of Anarchy season four DVD launch at Ace Cafe

Sons of Anarchy season four DVD launch at Ace Cafe

The Ace Cafe plays host to the launch party for Sons of Anarchy season four on DVD tonight, Friday October 12. Visitors will be able to grab some Sons of Anarchy goodies in the raffle, watch bonus...

Destination dealer: Metropolis Motorcycles

Destination dealer: Metropolis Motorcycles

ADVERTISING PROMOTION Metropolis Motorcycles has three branches located in London, each with their own areas of specialism to cater for the city biker’s every need. The North London branch, located...

Öhlins invest in British Racing

Öhlins invest in British Racing

Öhlins Racing UK has launched a reward scheme with a difference to help support British Superbike championship riders. British Supersport and Superstock riders who choose Öhlins products for the 2013...

MCN Shop deal of the week: Oxford Bone Dry suit

MCN Shop deal of the week: Oxford Bone Dry suit

The Oxford Products Bone Dry one piece waterproof suit is the perfect suit for the unpredictable British weather thanks to full waterproofing and the ability to quickly and easily pack up in to a...

BMW HP4 available from 1 December 2012

BMW HP4 available from 1 December 2012

BMW has revealed the prices of the new HP4 and HP4 Carbon which will go on sale from December 1, 2012. The 193bhp standard 2013 HP4 is priced at £16,700 OTR while the Carbon version will cost £19,350...

Poll: What do you want from the RCV road bike?

Poll: What do you want from the RCV road bike?

Tetsuo Suzuki, the boss of HRC wants to hear from MCN readers about what they want the promised V4 1000cc RCV road bike to be like, and how much they think it should cost. One of the internal debates...

Oct 10: Bikes on the Box

Oct 10: Bikes on the Box

KEY TO CHANNELS.   DRT – Discovery Real Time  DSC – Discovery Channel   DHD – Discovery Channel HD   EXS – Extreme Sports Channel  EUR1 (2, HD) – Eurosport 1 (2, HD) MOT – Motors TV   CH4 – Channel...

Win a place on Troy Corser's off-road masterclass course

Win a place on Troy Corser's off-road masterclass course

MCN has teamed-up with double World Superbike champion Troy Corser to offer a place on his ‘Masterclass’ course at the Wheeldon Off Road centre in Devon; a three-day course with accommodation that...

New MCN October 10: Japan's back!

New MCN October 10: Japan's back!

In this week’s MCN, out October 10, we have all the analysis from the Cologne Show, as Japanese manufacturers look to take the fight to the Europeans. Yamaha unveiled a three-cylinder engine which the...

You ask/you answer: Are newer bikes better?

You ask/you answer: Are newer bikes better?

“I’ve got £2,500 cash in the bank with which to buy myself a new (to me) bike, and I can’t decide what to get. “I’m currently own a rough ZXR400 L3 – my first post-test bike – and I’m looking to get a...

Poll: Are electric bikes the future?

Poll: Are electric bikes the future?

Electric bikes are slowly but surely catching up to traditional motorcycles, with electric bike manufacturer Brammo claiming their Empulse makes 54bhp and has a range of up to 120 miles. With...

Poll: Should full riding kit be a legal requirement?

Poll: Should full riding kit be a legal requirement?

Helmets are currently the only item of protective clothing which must be worn while riding a motorcycle in the UK, although in some places around the globe no protective clothing is required. Is a...

Video: 2012 Cologne Show highlights

Video: 2012 Cologne Show highlights

Cologne 2012 saw a raft of new bikes unveiled such as the all-new and eagerly-awaited BMW R1200GS, an updated Triumph Street Triple, Suzuki V-Strom 1000 concept and retro Honda CB1100. Also revealed...

Destination dealer: GT Motorcycles

Destination dealer: GT Motorcycles

Business partners Mike Grainger and Steve Haith opened GT just six months ago. Occupying two large modern showrooms in Plymouth and open seven days a week this popular dealership has quickly become...

Crosstourer too sporty for pillion insurance says Aviva

Crosstourer too sporty for pillion insurance says Aviva

The UK’s biggest insurer is refusing cover for Honda Crosstourers unless riders agree to never carry a pillion. Aviva says the VFR1200X is a sports bike and on a list of machines the firm will not...

Video: 2013 Ducati Multistrada first ride

Video: 2013 Ducati Multistrada first ride

It might look barely changed but the 2013 Multistrada gets revised fuel injection, improved torque, cosmetic tweaks, new lights, advanced ABS and DTC and the new ‘Skyhook’ semi-active suspension...

MCN deal of the week: £200 off AGV GP Tech faces helmet

MCN deal of the week: £200 off AGV GP Tech faces helmet

The AGV GP Tech is the same helmet worn by AGV’s top riders in MotoGP and WSB. The GP Tech is made from super-light carbon kevlar and features Cool Max lining to keep your head cool. This week we’ve...

Rate the new bikes from the Cologne Show

Rate the new bikes from the Cologne Show

The major new bike announcements from the 2012 Cologne Show have all been made, with the all-new BMW R1200GS topping the bill. As well as the new GS, there was a new Street Triple and Street Triple R,...

Ducati Launch 1199 Panigale RS13 at Cologne

Ducati Launch 1199 Panigale RS13 at Cologne

This is the stunning new 1199 Panigale RS13, a race-ready customer version of the 1199 Panigale, which is eligible for most domestic and world superbike series. The Ducati Corse prepared machine is...

Oct 3: Bikes on TV

Oct 3: Bikes on TV

KEY TO CHANNELS.   DRT – Discovery Real Time  DSC – Discovery Channel   DHD – Discovery Channel HD   EXS – Extreme Sports Channel  EUR1 (2, HD) – Eurosport 1 (2, HD) MOT – Motors TV   CH4 – Channel...

Unnecessary instruction?

I wanted to take my full bike test, but felt I didn’t need to pay to use a riding school. So my journey began with me booking my theory test. I logged on to direct.gov.uk to book which was really simple and I was pleased to find that the longest I had to wait was about four days. On September 11 I managed to ace the motorcycle theory test. I put this down to a copy of the Driving Test Success CD...

Suzuki V-Strom 1000 concept revealed

Suzuki V-Strom 1000 concept revealed

Suzuki has unveiled the V-Strom 1000 concept today, the near production ready bike is still being called a concept but looks like it could go into production within a year. Suzuki has officially...

Aprilia RSV4 gets ABS for 2013

Aprilia RSV4 gets ABS for 2013

The Aprilia RSV4 APRC will get ABS for 2013 as well as a power and torque boost, as was revealed today at the Cologne Show. The 2013 RSV4 will be the most powerful to date, with a claimed power output...

Honda Dakar contender revealed

Honda Dakar contender revealed

This is Honda’s all-new CRF450 Rally Paris-Dakar desert racer as officially unveiled at the Cologne Show. Based on Honda’s current CRF450X enduro and developed in conjunction with HRC, the Honda...

New colours for 2013 Ducatis revealed at Cologne

New colours for 2013 Ducatis revealed at Cologne

Ducati has announced colour and details changes at the Cologne show, ahead of anticipated new model launches at Milan next month. Twentieth anniversary edition Monsters and a new, larger capacity,...

Honda CB1100 finally comes to UK

Honda CB1100 finally comes to UK

The air-cooled retro CB1100 will finally be reaching UK shores. The fuel-injected 1140cc DOHC inline four boasts 87bhp, tips the scales at 247kg, and the vertically challenged will appreciate the...

Yamaha unveils future vision with three-cylinder engine

Yamaha unveils future vision with three-cylinder engine

Yamaha has unveiled its on-going commitment to motorcycle innovation this morning at the Cologne Show, by revealing its new three-cylinder P3 engine. Along with the expected unveiling of an updated...

New FJR1300 heads 2013 Yamahas

New FJR1300 heads 2013 Yamahas

The biggest updates yet to the long-in-the-tooth FJR1300 tourer, including high tech electronic suspension, traction control, riding modes and more, is the highlight of Yamaha’s new range for...

New BMW R1200GS revealed

New BMW R1200GS revealed

The new BMW R1200GS will use a 125bhp water/air cooled motor and feature semi-active suspension. The biggest change comes in the engine, with the introduction for the first time of water-cooling.

New MCN October 3: New bike special!

New MCN October 3: New bike special!

In this week’s MCN, out October 3, we reveal all the 2013 bikes at the Cologne Show. BMW has revealed the all-new R1200GS, which features the most advanced electronic system to-date and a new...

Peugeot Metropolis 400 Three Wheeler Unveiled.

Peugeot Metropolis 400 Three Wheeler Unveiled.

Peugeot have just taken the wraps off a brand new 400 cc three wheeler scooter to rival the Piaggio MP3. This is the first new scooter from Peugeot following a promise made in 2010 to overhaul its...