April

Video: 257bhp Icon Sheene - first ride

04 May 2010 by MCN

Icon Motorcycles’ £107,000 Barry Sheene tribute bike is an extraordinary machine, and it’s first shakedown test at Silverstone proved the potential of the GSX1400-powered special. Watch the video...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - Rear disc on front wheel

30 April 2010 by Steve Farrell

More surprises from my bought-unseen £300 GPz. When I removed the warped front brake discs to replace them, I found that in fact only one was a front disc. The other was a rear. They’re the same...

2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 - first ride

30 April 2010 by Adam Child

Aprilia’s updated 2010 Shiver is currently being tested by MCN’s Adam Child on the amazing Route Napoleon in the south of France. This is what he has to say… 2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 – tech specs...

257bhp Icon Sheene: it runs!

30 April 2010 by Michael Neeves

MCN tested the Icon Motorcycles’ £107,000 Barry Sheene tribute bike at Silverstone this week with the world exclusive first test in next week’s paper. The Sheene Icon is an extraordinary machine but...

MCN celebrates 20 years of Triumph

30 April 2010 by Phil West

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of the first new Hinckley Triumphs. At the Cologne Show way back in 1990, John Bloor’s all-new Triumph concern unveiled its first new bikes – the...

Video: Ducati Multistrada 1200 v KTM SMT v BMW GS v Tiger 1050

29 April 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new top-of-the-range adventure bike has four different riding modes – but can it beat its three best rivals in each of those applications? Read the 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200...

My first sportsbike

28 April 2010 by Neil Manning

Having taken my test at the ripe old age of 42, I played safe and rode a brand new Suzuki Bandit 650SA. Having mastered the basics of riding a bike I then wanted a bit more power and moved up to the...

Video: 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 longterm review

27 April 2010 by MCN

MCN’s longterm test fleet for 2010 includes the Kawasaki Z1000. MCN road tester Michael Neeves has had the bike for a month and covered 600 miles so far. Read the Kawasaki Z1000 review Find a...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - Marseille, Bologna and Skegness and 2500 miles in five days

26 April 2010 by Andy Downes

It’s the words you learn to dread while working at MCN – “Can I borrow your bike please?” In this case there was no way out. MCN Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin needed to get to Marseille in the...

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - First impressions

26 April 2010 by James Keen

My gleaming new GSX-R600 turned up at the office at 2.50pm on Friday and by 3 I was on the way up to Skegness for the MCN Live! weekend. I’d volunteered to help marshall the MCN ride out on Saturday...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - MCN Live! priorities

23 April 2010 by Ian Jubb

Getting the priorities right for MCN Live at Butlins, Skegness. The GS is really a do anything bike and it carries beers and snacks pretty well too! Now on with the disk lock and away with the key...

Staff bikes blog – Victory Hammer S: 48mpg!

23 April 2010 by Chris Newbigging

When you don’t have a fuel gauge, you get tuned in to how many miles you can do on a tank. My Hammer S usually gets around 125 miles before I fill up, returning 38mpg on a country roads blat – fairly...

Video: 2010 Kawasaki Versys longterm review

23 April 2010 by MCN

MCN’s longterm test fleet for 2010 includes the Kawasaki Versys. MCN web producer Liam Marsden has had the bike for a week and covered 500 miles so far. Find a Kawasaki Versys for sale Read the 2010...

Ducati Monster 796: latest update

21 April 2010 by MCN

MCN Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin is now riding back from Italy on the final leg of his 2500 mile marathon to attend the launch of the new Ducati 796. Here are his latest views of the new...

World first ride - Yamaha FZ8 and FZ8 Fazer: 'Plenty of mid-range grunt'

19 April 2010 by MCN

MCN’s chief road tester Trevor Franklin has just finished riding the new Yamaha FZ8 and FZ8 Fazer at the launch in Marseille, France. So far Trevor has this to say about the two machines. “On...

MCN puts Harley-Davidson XR1200 racing bike to the test

16 April 2010 by MCN

MCN Senior Road Tester, Adam Child has just finished riding at Oulton Park putting one of the Harley-Davidson XR1200 race bikes through its paces in preparation for the first round being held as a...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - Ilmberger carbon hand guards

14 April 2010 by Ian Jubb

The first change to the look of the BMW comes in the subtle form of new hand guards. Ilmberger Carbon to be precise. I think they look great, bringing a little bit of sportyness to the overall look. Next up – Fender and Hugger in carbon. Further reading Staff bike blogs | BMW R1200GS blog BLOG10 R1200GS10

Video: Suzuki GSX1250F v CBF1000GT v VFR1200 v FZ1 Fazer

14 April 2010 by MCN

After MCN’s first ride of the new £6,999 Suzuki GSX1250F we realised that it’s a great bike at a bargain price. But how does it compare to the more expensive all-rounder competition? Read the...

Wanted: Your Triumph for an MCN road test

13 April 2010 by Trevor Franklin

MotorCycle news is compiling a feature about 20-years of Hinckley manufactured Triumphs, and MCN is looking for original 1991 models to be included. The bikes required are: 1991 Trophy 1200 1991...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - 3000 miles in 2 weeks

13 April 2010 by Ian Jubb

After 3000 miles in three weeks it’s now the second time to top up the oil. It seems to use an awful lot of the golden stuff. I read on forums that this would be the case but didn’t expect to have to put so much in. Only my two stroke lambretta uses more! Pictured is the nifty little key you get to make sure nobody can mess with your filler cap. Further reading Staff bike blogs | BMW R1200GS...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - The RT doesn't disappoint

12 April 2010 by Andy Downes

I’ve just woken up in Moffat in Scotland after a great days ride up yesterday on the BMW R1200RT. There’s nothing like a long trip to help you gel with a new bike and the RT didn’t disappoint managing...

In next week: Suzuki GSX1250F group test

09 April 2010 by Chris Newbigging

MCN has tested the new Suzuki GSX1250F for the first time on UK soil – but as it only has one real direct rival, we’ve done things a little differently. We’ve included it’s closest competitor, the...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki Versys – The final countdown

09 April 2010 by Liam Marsden

On 11 April 2008 I passed my motorcycle test, I was 17 at the time. This means that until 11 April 2010 I’m restricted to 33bhp and my Kawasaki Versys long term test bike has already arrived. On...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - Ten days, 650 miles and all is cool…just wet

07 April 2010 by Andy Downes

At some point over the next few months I might get to find out what the BMW R1200RT I am running as a long term test bike is like to ride in the dry. So far, the bike has been out in the wet, the...

Video: WSB Ten Kate Fireblade on the road!

07 April 2010 by MCN

The new edition of MCN Sport magazine is out now, featuring a world-exclusive real roads test of the awesome 220bhp Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Fireblade. But you can get a flavour of this...

Video: Ducati Monster 1100 ABS - brake tested

07 April 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new ABS-equipped Monster costs £700 more than the standard non-ABS version. To find out if it’s worth the extra cash, MCN brake tests the Monsters back-to-back. Find a Ducati...

Staff Bikes: Victory Hammer S - Time for tea

01 April 2010 by Chris Newbigging

This is only my second blog entry, and I’m already cheating by blogging on someone else’s Hammer activity. German magazine Motorrad has replicated BMW’s viral video for the S1000RR, where the superbike appears to pull a table cloth from under a fully laid table. There’s some doubt as to whether the BMW really did, but using a Victory Hammer, the German journalists sort of manage it. The plates,...