2009
Video: 2009 Yamaha V-Max takes to the drag strip
03 March 2009 by
Yamaha is claiming 197bhp from the new Yamaha V-Max and 123ftlb of torque. To see if the V-Max is as fearsome as the figures suggest, we took it to Santa Pod drag strip. Tempted by a new V-Max? Sell...
Video: Yamaha V-Max tears up the tarmac at Santa Pod
26 February 2009 by
Yamaha’s new V-Max is the most powerful production motorcycle we have ever put on our dyno. The new 2009 Yamaha V-Max made a whopping 184bhp at the rear tyre, and 116ft lb of torque. In numbers it...
Video: Honda Fireblade ABS v non-ABS
24 February 2009 by
In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Feb 25th, MCN road tester Michael Neeves and two MCN readers put the ABS Fireblade up against the non-ABS version. The two MCN readers were taken to Bruntingthorpe...
Video: KTM 990 SMR takes on road and track
24 February 2009 by
The KTM 990 SMR is the track-ready version of the standard SM. MCN’s Adam Child has ridden the bike at the launch and you can read his full road test in this week’s MCN, on sale February 25th. Watch...
Test ride a bike... or just bimble on it
22 February 2009 by
Went to Dobles to have a test ride on a Fireblade as part of the Honda weekend promotion. But the bike had only done 280 miles and the salesman asked if i could keep it under 6000 rpm as it was still being run in. Now, i know some could say that whilst away from the shop who is going to tell what revs you were doing, but i kept my promise to the salesman. However, what is the point of having a...
Take a test ride and win with Honda this weekend
21 February 2009 by
Anyone who test rides a Honda this weekend has a chance to win a new bike. To be eligible you just have to book online and take out a bike any time between Friday 20th and Monday 23rd February.
Video: KTM 990 SMT first ride
20 February 2009 by
The all-new KTM 990 SM-T uses the firms 990cc LC8 engine to give the SM-T the fun factor of a large supermoto, while the seat and fairing gives it all the practicalities of a tourer. Whether you want...
Video: 2009 Yamaha R1 vs Honda Fireblade
19 February 2009 by
Michael Neeves says the new Yamaha R1 engine with crossplane crank gives the bike all the top-end rush of an inline-four, with the low down grunt of a twin and at the launch of the bike in Australia,...
Ducati Multistrada replacement: top 5 rivals rated
17 February 2009 by
Ducati’s new practical superbike – the Multistrada replacement – will enter one of the fastest growing segments of the motorcycle market. Will it have what it takes to edge out the competition?...
Launch report: KTM 990 SMR
17 February 2009 by
KTM has billed the KTM 990 SMR as the world’s fastest supermoto, Chad is out in Portugal putting the bike through its paces on road and on the Portimao track. KTMs for sale Here are Chad’s first...
Launch report: Ktm 990 SMT
16 February 2009 by
The KTM 990 SMT supermoto isn’t just new for 2009, it’s an entirely new concept combining the exciting performance of a Supermoto with practical touches such as a taller screen and a fuel tank bigger...
5 of the best retro-cool roadsters
13 February 2009 by
Classic bikes are cool, but breaking down by the side of the road isn’t. If you want that old-school look without the oil leaks, why not try a modern day retro roadster instead? You get the image and...
New Yamaha R1 starts to edge out Honda Fireblade
12 February 2009 by
Our world first test of the 2009 Honda Fireblade against the 2009 Yamaha R1 is taking place in the South of France right now. We took the first bikes in the country, strapped them in a van and drove...
Cynic wanted to help test the new ABS Honda Fireblade
10 February 2009 by
MCN was looking for a cynical reader who thinks that the ABS braking system on the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade won’t work. Michael Neeves, Senior Road Tester, will be testing the bike at...
2009 Budget naked test: Which would you buy?
09 February 2009 by
In this week’s issue of MCN the latest budget naked bikes are put to the test in a road trip to Ramsgate. See how the Kawasaki ER-6n compares to the Suzuki Gladius, Yamaha XJ6 and Ducati Monster 696.
Video: Triumph Daytona 675 2009 v 2008
09 February 2009 by
Triumphs quest for domination of the 600cc supersport category took another leap forward with the introduction of the 2009 Daytona 675. While at first glance the new 675 looks identical to the...
Video: 600cc Supersport track shootout
09 February 2009 by
The 600cc supersport class is one of the most fiercely contested, with bikes such as the Honda CBR600RR and Triumph Daytona 675. The supersport shootout at Calafat had one aim – to find out which...
Launch report: KTM RC8R
07 February 2009 by
KTM’s new RC8R is one of the best sports bikes on the planet, says MCN’s Trevor Franklin who has just ridden the bike in Portugal. The new bike is the long-awaited ‘R’ version of the already popular...
Top 5 naked roadsters for under £3k
05 February 2009 by
A budget naked middleweight is the swiss army knife of bikes. If you need one motorcycle capable of commuting, touring and weekend scratching then they offer a good compromise between practicality and...
Supersport 600 shoot-out: What will be king of the track 2009?
02 February 2009 by
In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday February 4th, the latest crop of middleweight supersports bikes fight it out to see which will be crowned king of the track for 2009. What do you think...
The peak of 1000cc lunacy for under £5k
29 January 2009 by
In a recent article in Bike magazine, tuning expert Mark Brewin argues that sportsbike development peaked in 2005. So why spend close to £10,000 on a new litre bike when you can buy one of...
Video: Suzuki Gladius launch teaser
24 January 2009 by
MCN Road Tester Adam Child is in Fuerteventura, putting the new Suzuki Gladius to the test in town and on the surrounding mountain roads. The stylish Suzuki Gladius is the replacement for the...
Video teaser: Supersport 600 track shoot-out
22 January 2009 by
Adam Child is just outside Barcelona putting the latest crop of middleweight supersport bikes up against each other in an epic race track shoot-out. The Yamaha R6 may have won last year, but this time...
Video: 2009 Yamaha R1 tested
20 January 2009 by
Michael Neeves says the new 1000cc R1 engine with crossplane crank gives the bike all the top-end rush of an inline-four, with the low down grunt of a twin. Neevesy tested the all-new 2009 Yamaha R1...
Video: 2009 Yamaha R1 first impressions
19 January 2009 by
MCN Road Tester Michael Neeves is at Eastern Creek, Australia testing the latest incarnation of the Yamaha R1. Here’s his trackside first impressions on the new flagship supersports model. Itching to...
First ride: 2009 Yamaha R1
19 January 2009 by
Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves is at Eastern Creek in Sydney to ride the much anticipated Rossi-inspired 2009 Yamaha R1. Here are his first impressions, check out MCN on Wednesday for a full...
2009 BMW K1300GT first ride report
16 January 2009 by
MCN’s Andy Downes is on the BMW K1300 series launch in Spain with three new bikes being ridden for the first time – the K1300 R naked bike, the faired S and the touring GT model. Andy has just...
2009 BMW K1300R on test!
15 January 2009 by
MCN’s Andy Downes is on the new BMW K1300 launch in Spain with three new bikes being ridden for the first time – the K1300 R naked bike, the faired S and the touring GT model and has now just stepped...
Video: 2009 Kawasaki ER-6n vs. Suzuki SV650 vs. Ducati Monster 696
14 January 2009 by
The previous Kawasaki ER-6n was a great bike and didn’t need much improving, but Kawasaki has made a few tweaks. The new revised version tested here has slightly changed fuelling, a revised chassis...
Video: The best bits of the outgoing Yamaha R1
13 January 2009 by
MCN will be testing the new ‘growler’ Yamaha R1 next week so we’ve trawled through the archives to find some of the best road test with previous model Yamaha R1s. The new Yamaha R1 will be the most...
Launch report: 2009 KTM 990 Adventure R
12 January 2009 by
MCN has just ridden the new for 2009 KTM 990 Adventure R for the first time on a 250km on/off road trek in Sardinia. The new motorcycle takes over from the 990 Adventure S as the top-of-the-range...
Video: Padgetts HRC race bike
07 January 2009 by
Senior road tester Adam Child test rode the latest HRC bikes from Padgett’s Motorcycles at a cold and wintery Cadwell Park. Padgett’s are now offering HRC brand new track ready bike for novice track...
Video: Ducati Monster 1100S
06 January 2009 by
MCN road tester Trevor Franklin already tested the new Ducati Monster 1100 at the launch, but how does the 1100cc V-twin powered naked fair on bumpy British roads? Trev has tested the 1100S version on...
Honda CB1000R is a dream
03 January 2009 by
I bought the new Honda CB1000R last month after riding sports bikes for the last 26 years and it is truly impressive on the road – especially on busy roads. It handles like a 400, but when you turn...