Bike news

Year: ALL

2000-2001 Kawasaki ZX6R J1

05 August 2002

My ZX6R J1. I tend to give each bike I buy a name, and as Toy Story 2 was my favourite movie when I purchased the J1, an obvious name was Bullseye; the little horsie hero, who carried everyone to safety having been able to keep pace with a jumbo jet. Great start! The colour choice was obvious, I’d never look at a Kawasaki and think " Hmm, what colour shall I buy? " Mainly because the green bikes...

1996 AND 2002 Honda VFR

05 August 2002

Having owned a 96 vfr750 for six years, I recently tested the new VTEC-equipped VFR800 and frankly it was a revelation: the VTEC is both more sporty AND more stable at cruising speeds. The vfr750 is no slouch in the engine department, but the handling is certainly on the soft side. The new VTEC engine is much more enthusiastic at the top end, and the handling of the Honda’s flagship Sports-Tourer...

2000 Kawasaki ZX6R-J1

05 August 2002

A few months into the new millennium and the time had come to replace my tired ‘Bandit 600′ with a more exciting and involving machine. After much research and several test rides on the 600cc regulars as well as several other larger bikes I short-listed the wonderfully capable Triumph Daytona and the striking new fox-eyed ZX6R-J1. Not the most obvious of duels but at 6’ 5” tall, my height was the...

The all new R6 revealed

05 August 2002

Fuel injection, more power and a fresh look is what Yamaha has lined up for a crisper and even more aggressive R6 in 2003. And thanks to our factory sources, you can read all about it in the new MCN,...

2000 Suzuki GSX750F

05 August 2002

Suzuki GSX750F – styled like a teapot, they say? Righty-oh then. Have you ever – I mean EVER – seen a teapot that looks like a GSX-F? You have? Can I have half a gram of whatever you’re on? The bike is marketed as a sports tourer, but it’s certainly more tourer than sports. It really is exceptionally comfortable, although the well-padded seat may be a bit too tall for " vertically challenged " ...

1982 Yamaha XJ750 Seca

05 August 2002

It was 1994, I was looking for a cheap lightweight tourer. I liked the Yamaha XJ900F, but not the riding position. Then I came across a Yamaha XJ750 Seca. An American import, 1982, with 10,000 miles on the clock. The slightly pulled back bars, the big shapely petrol tank, the ‘funky’ instrument panel and the shaft drive and the glistening red paint work, all at a price I could afford. The dealer...

1984 Honda VF1000F

05 August 2002

I could have bought a sports bike, or a cruiser, or a muscle bike but I didn’t. You see I like older bikes, I like to be able to see an engine and recognise all the bits and I like to ride a bike that doesn’t have to be serviced by Nasa! I suppose the simple fact is that I like riding bikes not studying metallurgy or electronics. That’s why I bought a 1980’s superbike, a Honda VF1000F to be...

Win a dream job with MCN

05 August 2002

Fancy landing the job of a lifetime with MCN, the chance to ride the best bikes in the world – and get paid for it? Read on… At the end of a massive talent search, the result of a huge public phone...

1989-1991 Honda CBR 600FL

05 August 2002

This model became the bench mark for sports tourers, and gave Honda the edge on the opposition. With its 599cc engine and modest 130+mph for the early speed freaks it was destined to do well in the...

1998 Kawasaki GPZ500S

05 August 2002

Lets face it the letters GPZ do one of two things to you, you either go all misty eyed and remember the 80’s when Kawasaki produced some of the baddest bikes around. Or you burst out laughing and think are bikes like that still made? Either way lets get a handle on the situation and set the record straight. When it was first launched the GPZ500s was like the Fazer of today it represented a...

1998 Yamaha FZS600

05 August 2002

It’s black, loud as sin and looks as mean as cat’s piss. It runs like there is sand in the fuel tank, water in the gearbox and sponge in the brake lines. It is rusted pretty much from the front forks all the way back to the tip of the exhaust pipe (there might even be rust actually on the tyre!). There are two repaired punctures in the rear tyre (a Bridgestone barely scrubbed in), and some road...

Husqvarna unveils 2003 models

05 August 2002

Swedish firm Husqvarna has just released details of its 2003 range of off-roaders, which includes all new four-stroke 250 and 450cc production models. The range, which marks Husqvarna’s 100th year of...

Bike bargains around the corner

05 August 2002

With manufacturers about to reveal their 2003 machines in a few weeks time, and industry sources predicting a slowdown in sales, the next few months should see some amazing bargains in UK showrooms...

Fancy a classic ride at the Manx?

05 August 2002

There’s a ride going begging at this year’s Manx GP. George Ridgeon is the Past President of the Manx Grand Prix Riders Association and his rider has had to pull out through illness. So, if you’re available to ride a Greeves 350 in the Classic Junior race put in a call quick. Practice for the Manx starts on starts on August 17. George can be contacted on: 01452-857160.

Your bike reviews updated

05 August 2002

We’re adding more of your bike reviews today. The sheer volume of entries means that we can’t post them as fast as we’d like, but keep clicking back to check for new ones. Hit the link on the right...

Get your traffic stories on TV

05 August 2002

Everyone has a horror story about commuting – well, Carlton TV wants yours. Its motoring programme ‘Pulling Power’ is planning to cover the problems faced by bikers in the capital. Aggressive...

Aprilia RST1000 Futura

05 August 2002

I must be the most stupid person in the world! I bought my latest bike from a picture in a magazine. Damn! that’s a nice looking bike I thought when I saw an Aprilia RST1000 Futura in a bike magazine.

2002 Suzuki SV650

05 August 2002

Brands Hatch WSB, what better journey to test out the SV’s capabilities. Used normally for commuting 40 miles daily and the odd jaunt down to the coast, the SV has returned an average of 52 mpg and...

1987 Kawasaki EX-500

05 August 2002

Three weeks ago I decided my car had two wheels too many and threw caution, and the red line of my credit card to the wind and bought a used 1987 Kawasaki EX-500A with only 10,215 Km. A custom paint job, stainless silencers, and one helluva self-image change were included. Being that this is my first motorcycle I have no basis of comparison, but I will share what I do know. I have put 2500 Km on...

1996-2001 Kawasaki ZX-7R

05 August 2002

The Kawasaki ZX-7R according to some bike journalists is yesterday’s news; they say its heavy, underpowered and hasn’t got the sharp looks of some of the latest offerings from Japan and Italy. I...

1997 Honda FireBlade

05 August 2002

Honda’s Fireblade. It seems everyone’s either got one, had one or knows someone who did have a ‘blade’ was dead quick on it. Hardly surprising really, given their dominance during the early to mid nineties. They were the bike to have and come 1997, Honda more or less had the jap 900 sports bike class sewn up, despite valiant efforts from the other 3 manufacturers in the form of 9Rs, the YZF 750...

1993 Fireblade CBR900R

05 August 2002

Well I never thought it would happen to me, but it has, I’ve fallen in love. It’s been a whole year of contented togetherness. I can’t get enough of her after market exhaust and her peculiar sized...

1984 - Honda VF1000

05 August 2002

It must be something to do with Physics. How is it that a bike as large as this can be so skittish around bends? Surely the mere bulk and tonnage would pin the beast to the ground – not so, get the line wrong, even at modest speed (no knee scraping here), and you’re assured of a heart in mouth, clenched buttocks moment as this leviathan defies every attempt I make to turn at the apex and hold the...

1999-2000 Yamaha R6

05 August 2002

Having chucked a ZX-6R down the road on a track day, it was clear that the cost of repair made the bike uneconomic. It was time cut losses and run. It was an emotional moment as I watched the remains...

Kawasaki ZRX1200R

05 August 2002

If it’s a muscle bike your after then you don’t have to look too far as there are a growing number out there. Kawasaki’s ZRX1200R being a good choice, what with 6 pot callipers to help bring the REX...

Live paddock at NEC show

05 August 2002

TOP race teams are being invited to November’s NEC Show to form a huge new paddock area. Organisers hope the likes of Ducati, Honda and Yamaha will bring their bikes, riders, transporters and even...

2002 Honda Transalp XL650V

05 August 2002

" Er…what is it mate? " is a reaction I’ve had more than once. Honda’s water-cooled V-twin ‘dual sport’ machine has a large following on the continent and has been around for nearly 15 years, but still sells fairly slowly over here. So why buy a machine that looks like a dirt bike, but has a lazy engine and a half-fairing? I wanted a bike I could ride to work all year, and that could cope with...