Latest Motorbike News

Swinton Bikes offers 25% discount as part of start-up promotion

11 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Insurance firm Swinton is promoting the launch of the first dedicated website for the firm’s motorcycle division, by offering a 25% discount on policies taken out through the site by April 5. Swinton...

Evel Knievel toy most popular toy for adults

11 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

The Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle is officially the toy adults would most like to play with again, according to research by website Do You Remember. The wind-up toy is at the head of a top 10 list of the...

Video: Dainese airbag suit for 2010

11 March 2008 by Chris Newbigging

Dainese is set to release its new air-bag-equipped suits by 2010 – a full 10 years after development of the system began. Dainese’s D-Tec system is the first airbag from a major protective bike cloting manufacturer, although small companies have released jackets with cruder activation systems. Shop for motorcycle products: compare prices on 1000s of motorcycle parts and clothing Read the full...

Daytona Bike Week pictures

11 March 2008 by Denis Hatherley

Daytona Bike Week 2008. I was at the Daytona 500 and took a few pic’s of a few people I think most readers should recognise. www.twowheelsoneplanet.co.uk Check out the website for more pics.

MCN visits Australia

10 March 2008 by panagiotis

In Australia reading MCN.. excuse the visual pun!

Waste of life

10 March 2008 by Mr.L.Crassweller

I’ve had my 26yr old son on the phone in floods of tears – his best pal was knocked of his CBR600 in Potters Bar by an 75+ lady driver who according to witnesses just pulled out on him. Not a bone broken but head injuries which he died of today – if ever there is a case for compulsory testing of the over 70s this has to be it. He was only 22yrs old, his whole life in front of him, bike mad and a...

Aprilia reveals official RSV4 drawing

10 March 2008 by Ben Purvis

Aprilia might have already shown its new V4 in prototype race form, but this official drawing gives a hint of how the production machine is likely to look when it appears later this year. Although the...

Police to use 'horse box' speed camera

10 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Police in North Wales have converted a horse box into a stealth speed camera to target motorcyclists, according to an insider. The new hidden speed camera unit was due to be trialled yesterday in...

Mike Oldfield: “Bikes have been one of my greatest inspirations in music”

10 March 2008 by Andy Downes

The musical talent behind the massive-selling Tubular Bells says bikes have helped him write music and inspried his latest project. Hear him talk about it in this exlclusive video. Oldfield was catapulted into the limelight back in the early 1970s with the massively successful instrumental album Tubular Bells which went on to sell more than 15 million copies and spend 250 weeks in the...

Riders rush to buy the KTM RC8

10 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

KTM has already pre-sold 180 of the 350 RC8’s destined to come to the UK. The motorcycle has been causing quite a stir since it was introduced last year so it is no surprise it is selling well. Watch...

Wet weather leaves '08 bikes un-collected

10 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Scotland’s weather isn’t known for being the most forgiving, but a particularly unpleasant start to March has impacted deliveries of new motorcycles in the country. Dealers who had geared up for the...

Mountain winter survival MCN

10 March 2008 by dazbumby

Yet another survival course, this time 3000 meters up on the Zugspitze in the German Alps. Good job MCN was there to keep me sane…well..??

My SV650 Streetfighter

09 March 2008 by rowey1010

After crashing my first big bike over christmas on a slippery roundabout, I set out to street fighter my SV650 Sport. Here’s the outcome! Please comment and tell me what you think, cheers. Ride hard,...

Warm Behind

09 March 2008 by David Maskell

The wife will insist on a warm seat before a rideout.

Never go anywhere without MCN

09 March 2008 by Martin Clark

Got dumped by my wife and just thought i would send you a picture of me trying to get over it!

Faster Movie and The Doctor The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid now available in Six European languages

08 March 2008 by Frances Leyland

Continental Europeans can enjoy the excitement of MotoGP motorcycle racing in their own languages. DVD editions of ‘Faster’ and ‘The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid’ now have soundtrack...

£30 cash back with Pirelli Diablo Rosso tyres

07 March 2008 by Chris Newbigging

Pirelli is reintroducing its successful cash-back offer with the new Diablo Rosso sports tyre. Anyone who buys a set of new Diablo Rosso can claim £30 back from Pirelli by downloading a voucher from...

Daredevil Robbie Maddison undeterred by crash

07 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Daredevil Robbie Maddison still plans to beat his own long jump world record at the end of the month despite crashing yesterday. The 26-year-old suffered a cuts and bruises after hitting the landing...

Road pricing not a new concept for the UK

07 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

The RAC Foundation says the introduction of road pricing would be a backward step, and is no substitute for a coherent long-term plan for the maintenance and expansion of the UK’s road network. Extra...

Pass us a rizla!

06 March 2008 by anton james

A chance meeting at the MCN bike show me (on the left – Anton), my mate John and Lee met and had a photo with one of the nicest racers, no other than Mr John Reynolds. He took time out to speak to us...

Trials of road pricing technology for bikes to go ahead

06 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

Trials of technology which could be used to implement national road pricing for motorcycles will go ahead, the Department for Transport has said. Plans for national road pricing were shelved on...

Video: Husqvarna's 2008 SM510IR, SM450RR and a World Championship winning bike

06 March 2008 by Michael Neeves

For the past ten years, Italian off-road motorcycle manufacturer Husqvarna has been in the business of making fiery supermotos. The company, recently bought by BMW, have continued to tweak and upgrade their range year on year and 2008 is no different. MCN’s Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves travelled to Benidorm to try the new SM510R, the SM450RR and the S1 World Championship winning 450 machine...

Road safety expert’s anti-motorcycle letter to MPs

06 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

An influential road safety expert has told MPs bikes above 600cc should be banned to cut emissions. In a letter obtained by MCN, Stephen Plowden, advisor to The Slower Speeds Initiative and author of...

"Mr Loophole’s right-hand man” told family to “lie” over speeding charges

06 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

The right-hand man of celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman told a wealthy family to lie to avoid a speeding charge, a court heard yesterday. Trevor Howarth, 46, is alleged to have told Janet Lefton, daughter...

Push bikes should get separate traffic lights, columnist claims

06 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Cyclists should be given their own set of traffic lights that change 5-10 seconds ahead of the main lights because of the danger posed to push-bikers by motorcyclists and other road users, a columnist...

Picture gallery: Charley Boorman’s Hawg Haven chopper

05 March 2008 by Liam Marsden

Charley Boorman may be better known for accompanying Ewan McGregor on the Long Way Round and Long Way Down, but it seems Charley Boorman is also interested in his custom choppers. This is Charley...

Bennetts advises us to beware the ides of March

05 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Seeing into the future is a gift many of us may wish we had, but insurance firm Bennetts says it has just that ability, having used claims data to predict Friday March 14 will be the most dangerous day of the year for motorcyclists to be on the road. The firm bases its forecast on data covering the period June 2006-July 2007, which highlighted five key dates as being the most risky for bikers. The...

North Wales Police provide bikers with escort!

05 March 2008 by John Dabek

Thought the readers might be interested in our solution to the anti-bike road policing in North Wales – we have our own escort….

Lidl reveals range of motorcycle clothing and accessories

05 March 2008 by Michael Carroll

Supermarket chain Lidl has unveiled a range of low-priced motorcycle clothing that it believes will appeal to bikers looking to get on the road without investing a huge amount in kit. The range is due to launch on March 20 and comprises a two-piece his and hers cordura jacket priced at £59.99, matching trousers for £49.99, a men’s leather jacket costing £49.99, a £12.99 rain suit, a balaclava...

Sbarro reveals four-wheeled motorcycle

05 March 2008 by MCN Newsdesk

Geneva-based designer Franco Sbarro has revealed the Pendolauto concept bike at the annual Geneva Motor Show. The four-wheeled leaning “bike” uses independent front and rear suspension to allow it to...

Video: The £40,000 Kawasaki ER6

05 March 2008 by Chris Newbigging

£40,000 buys you a Ducati Desmosedici RR, or a dream garage full of bikes. But 3UpRacing spent the money on this – the four-stroke answer to a 250GP bike, powered by a humble Kawasaki ER-6 engine tuned for 95bhp in a chassis weighing just 110kg wet. You can read the story in this week’s MCN, out Wednesday March 5, but here’s a video of the bike running if you’ve not picked up your copy yet.

Boris Johnson reaffirms pledge to open bus lanes to motorcycles

05 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson has reaffirmed his pledge to open bus lanes to motorcycles with the publication of his transport manifesto. Boris Johnson’s manifesto states: ‘I believe we...

New MCN March 5: KTM's RC8 was worth the wait

05 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

It was worth the wait. KTM’s RC8 gets the MCN treatment of the world first test. Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin has been out in Spain to test new superbike and it seems the KTM RC8 did not...

Video: 2008 KTM RC8 - it was worth it

05 March 2008 by Trevor Franklin

KTM already produces decent V-twin powered bikes in the shape of the 990SM and the Super Duke but these aren’t machines burdened with the ‘tag’ of Superbike like the new RC8. MCN’ Chief Road Tester...

MCN Daily 05/03/08: Your daily video motorcycle news

05 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

In episode 57 of the MCN Daily motorcycle news show London Mayor Ken Livingstone says motorcyclists who want to ride in the capitals bus lanes should vote for Boris Johnson, the 2008 World Superbike calendar has been reduced to 14 rounds after the Indonesian race is scrapped and Casey Stoner is raring to go after fully recovering from his injury Subscribe to this podcast with RSS Subscribe with...

Livingstone’s advice for motorcyclists who want to ride in bus lanes: vote Boris

05 March 2008 by Steve Farrell

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has some advice for motorcyclists who want to ride in London bus lanes: vote for Boris Johnson. MP Boris Johnson: motorcycles in bus lanes no brainer Livingstone issued...

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