Latest Motorbike News

Fuel prices down at supermarket forecourts

19 September 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Up to three pence a litre is being taken of petrol by several supermarkets. Anti-bike petrol stations Pro-bike petrol stations Morrisons were the first to slash three pence off a litre of both...

Yamaha extends 'More to Play With' finance offer

18 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

Yamaha has extended its ‘More to Play With’ offer to Monday 1 December and also added more motorcycles to the scheme. View Yamaha motorcycles for sale The current offer of three and-a-half years...

BMW Off Road Skills hosts Fifth Gear off-road challenge

18 September 2008 by James Keen

Six-time Dakar competitor and Chief Instructor of BMW Off Road Skills, Simon Pavey, recently invited TV’s Fifth Gear presenters Vicki Butler-Henderson and Tiff Needell to compete in an off-road...

Free Parking for Bikes....

18 September 2008 by eatcs01

I notice a lot of bikes either parking on the roadside, or paying to use a private car park in Cromer (North Norfolk). Obviously, these pour souls do not realise that North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) do not charge bikes to park in their pay & display car parks, even if you take up a car space when the bike spaces are full. If you’re coming to N Norfolk, as a lot of bikers do, then please...

Motorcycle Test...

18 September 2008 by tomo1200

Well….a week after the “powers that be” swallowed their pride and admitted they were not ready to implement the new test, the DVLA can still not issue a test date to anyone who had a pre-booked test aranged at one of their new test centres….and they will not be issuing till at least next monday… Oh and by the way, if you had booked the new test at the new test cost, £80, you will not be getting a...

Drunk drivers less dangerous than texters

18 September 2008 by Michael Carroll

Drivers who write text messages at the wheel are more dangerous than those who drive while drunk or on drugs, according to research from the RAC Foundation. The skills of 2000 motorists aged 18-24...

submersed in MCN

18 September 2008 by Andrew Brown

I am based in China as a submersible pilot! I look forward to a good read of MCN after a 300 meter dive in the South China Sea. I can’t get MCN over in China, but my wife buys it for me every week so...

Practise what you preach

17 September 2008 by steved42

There has been lots of talk lately about speed cameras and Police using dodgy tactics to catch speeding drivers, but I question why Norfolk Police have stopped using Hi Visibility vests when doing speed checks! Passing them today on the A47, 2 officers had set up a speed check on the side of a busy dual carriageway both dressed completely in black!! Does this mean they no long practice what they...

New helmet tests flawed

17 September 2008 by Steve Farrell

New official helmet tests have focused on hitting helmets in the wrong place, MCN can reveal. They include more impacts to the side of the helmet than required by European standards because testers...

Latest 2009 Aprilia RSV4 spy shots

17 September 2008 by Chris Newbigging

Aprilia’s new RSV4 superbike has been spied days before its official launch in Rome this weekend. The new pictures from the ApriliaNews Blog show a finished road bike minus a few pieces of trim –...

New Yamaha Aerox

17 September 2008 by Anonymous

I stumbled across this image, does anyone know anything about it? Is it the new Aerox?? I really like it, it’s about time Yamaha updated the Aerox. Anyway I thought MCN readers might be interested.

BMW Reliability? A fallacy!

17 September 2008 by TDMANDY

Having read various recent articles over the reliability (or otherwise) of BMW’s, I thought I would add my brief contribution. Having suffered the delights of BMW car ownership some years ago (poor service, poor build qulity, major reliability issues), for some strange reason I decided to forget all those memories and purchase an R1100SS from a BMW franchised dealer. 800 miles on the clock, owned...

Dickerson’s Vincent Rapide to be auctioned

17 September 2008 by Michael Carroll

The Vincent Rapide ridden by land speed record chaser Marty Dickerson is due to be auctioned in Los Angeles in October. The American took two Class C land-speed records at Bonneville on his Rapide,...

Protect your baby with an intercom

16 September 2008 by paul hughes caerphilly

I had my garage broken into and had my sons Suzuki DR350 stolen, so I went to buy an alarm but on the way got chatting to a mate… Between us we came up with the simple idea of using baby intercoms, so in the event of some lowlife breaking in your shed or garage, you have a far better chance of catching them! The good news- we recovered the bike in the end!

Free in this week's MCN: Why Rossi is the greatest

16 September 2008 by James Keen

In this week’s edition of MCN, we have a free 8-page supplement on why Valentino Rossi is the greatest racer of all time, by the man he arguably stole the crown from- Giacomo Agostini. Click here to...

More BMW Quality Issues

16 September 2008 by Fasteddie

I had a BMW R1150GS and within 12 months I had to have the front wishbone replaced due to corrosion. On the same bike some months later the fuel gauge failed. Also had to have this replaced. So I decided to upgrade and purchased the R1200GSADV… with less than 2000 miles on the clock the fuel gauge failed. Took it to the BMW dealer who supposedly fixed it and…of course…they had not! Unfortunately...

George White offering amazing deal on Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8

16 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

If you’re in the market for a Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8, then you’re in luck. Motorcycle dealer George White has an amazing finance offer available on the GSX-R1000 to beat the credit crunch. Suzuki...

New MCN September 17: Worlds first test of Triumph Street Triple R

16 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

In this week’s Motorcycle News, we bring you the World’s first test of the new Triumph Street Triple R. The Standard Triumph Street Triple is already regarded as a brilliant motorcycle, so will the...

Bikes on TV: September 17-23

16 September 2008 by Alison Silcox

KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – Discovery Real Time DRTE -Discovery Real Time Extra DSC – Discovery Channel DHD – Discovery Channel HD EXS – Extreme Sports Channel MM – Men and Motors MOT – Motors TV SS1...

Tribute to Rollie Free

16 September 2008 by Tarmac Terrorist

Here are some pics of my tribute to Rollie Free’s land speed record run. On September 13th 1948, he achieved 150mph. On September 13th 2008… I managed a pretty good speed 🙂

Top 10 33bhp bikes

15 September 2008 by James Keen

If you’ve just passed your test in the UK and you’re under 21 or chose to take the A2 license, then you’re restricted to a bike with a maximum of 33bhp for the first 2 years. But don’t despair, we’re...

James Toseland gets Aston Martin sideways

15 September 2008 by Steve Farrell

James Toseland gets an Aston Martin sideways in TV’s Fifth Gear tonight. The MotoGP star takes tips on fast driving and drifting from presenter Jason Plato in a V8 Vantage, then takes the wheel to...

Police helicopter targeting bikes in W Berks?

15 September 2008 by andyjn

Traveling on the A4 yesterday PM between Hugerford and Newbury, I spotted what looked like a police helicopter rising from behind a nearby hill which then started tracking the A4 (luckily in the opposite direction). I think I also later saw it hovering over the A34 near Newbury. Anyone also see this, or know if West Berks have started operations?

Road deaths up for Brunstrom – again

15 September 2008 by Steve Farrell

Deaths have doubled on the roads of controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom, nicknamed the Mad Mullah of speed cameras. Figures just released on North Wales Police’s website show 17 people lost...

Camping with MCN

12 September 2008 by anthonyR1

I went camping with the family and it was raining all weekend, and yes I had to have my MCN…

Bikers shell out £1000 a year on kit

12 September 2008 by Michael Carroll

British motorcyclists spend an average of almost £1,000 on kit every year, according to research by retailer Infinity Motorcycles. Shop for over 45,000 products with MCN Leather goods account for the lion’s share of the £960 per annum average spend, with riders shelling out £321 each year on jackets and jeans. Helmets were the next highest (£241), followed by textiles (£183), boots (£138), and...

Friday funny: Yamaha R1-engined golf kart

12 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

Think golf is boring and an old mans game? Well how about livening the game up with a golf kart? Not just any old golf kart, mind. One with the engine from a 2007 Yamaha YZF-R1 that produces 125bhp! It’s not everyday you see a golf kart wheelying down the high street! Some people have too much time on their hands…

Yamaha extends free and subsidised insurance campaign

12 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

Yamaha has extended its Free and Subsidised Insurance campaign to Sunday 30 November, on all mopeds, 125cc scooters, both the XT125X and R models and both YBR125 models. View Yamahas for sale Yamaha...

BMW quality issues- rear shock

12 September 2008 by Alan Brigden

After reading the artical regarding BMW reliability I would like to ask the question, as an owner of a 2006 1200 GS Adv with only 6675 miles on the clock, how many of you fellow owners have had there rear shocks fail? I’m on my second one to date, my local dealer when questioned about the quality of the replacement told me that I’m the only one he has fitted in the past 12 months, if the previous...

New Test Postponed

11 September 2008 by Steve Farrell

The new motorcycle test has been postponed by six months due to a shortage of test centres. The new test was due to be introduced from September 29 but has now been pushed to March 30 next year. The...

MCN search for Honda's greatest fan

11 September 2008 by Laura Kennerley

Are you a fanatical follower of Honda? Do you have a garage bursting with Hondas from across the years or a select collection of rare machines? If so, MCN wants to hear from you. We are looking for...

Sneak preview: Dainese's 2009 range

11 September 2008 by Michael Carroll

Dainese unveiled its 2009 motorcycle clothing collection during a major launch event in Italy last week. Buy Dainese clothing The latest Dainese range comprises everything from full-on one piece...

Ducati Hypermotard and Multistrada get Pearl White option

11 September 2008 by Andy Downes

Ducati has extended its colour range by adding the pearl white option to two more of its top models, the Hypermotard and Multistrada. Following the pearl white finish introduced on the Ducati 848 and...

BMW Quality problems

11 September 2008 by BMW_Mick1962

I have read with great interest about the BMW quality problems of late and would like to add my experience of it. I bought a R1200RT as an ex demo machine on a 54 plate at 7 months old with just over 6,000 miles done. It was the biggest pile of rubbish I have ever owned. in the year and a half I had it it suffered the following: Bohth cam chain tensioners failed, front discs warped, 3 fuel sender...

Petition to protect trackdays

10 September 2008 by Anonymous

How many times have we been told that track days are restricted because some $*%! has just moved next to a race circuit that’s been there for 70 years and has complained to the local council – and got away with it! Credit to a guy called Keith Watts who’s started a petition to get a green paper in place that would require any complaints from new residents to be rejected. So if you want to protect...

Stolen Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail

10 September 2008 by Ray Ursell

Here is a picture of my 2001 Harley Davidson Heritage softail, stolen from my garage in North Hykeham, Lincoln last night. The garage door was forced open, a heavy duty bike chain cut & I believe...

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