Motorcycle First Rides & Tests | Latest Bikes Road Tests

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - setting it up to suit

23 June 2010 by James Keen

The GSX-R600 is great fun on the open road, but at slow speed the riding position can be torture – supersport 600s aren’t known for their comfort and in fairness that’s not what they’re about. But...

Staff bikes: CBR600F - Carb cleaning brings it back to life

23 June 2010 by Andy Downes

After buying my 1998 Honda CBR600F in the middle of the grim winter weather actually getting around to riding it had to wait for a while. When I did get to ride it, it was clear the carburettor would...

Video: Honda VFR1200F - DCT vs standard

23 June 2010 by MCN

In a world first comparison test we pit the standard Honda VFR1200F against the auto gearbox version. Find a Honda VFR1200F for sale The auto (or DCT) version is £1100 more than standard. Is it...

Top ten v-twins

22 June 2010 by MCN

More than 12,000 MCN readers have responded to our Biking Britain survey this year, and your combined scores on the bikes you own and love (or hate) have allowed us to put together this definitive...

Ducati Streetfighter - full review

21 June 2010 by James Keen

The Ducati Streetfighter has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the Ducati Streetfighter review “It...

Poll: Is the auto gearbox VFR1200 the future?

18 June 2010 by MCN

Honda’s radical new automatic transmission VFR1200F DCT has already impressed in isolation – but how good is it back-to-back with the conventional version? In next week’s MCN we’re going to find out.

Kawasaki D-Tracker - full review

17 June 2010 by James Keen

The Kawasaki D-Tracker 125 has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the Kawasaki D-Tracker review “The...

Video: Honda Goldwing review

16 June 2010 by MCN

MCN editor Marc Potter has spent a week riding the latest Honda Goldwing and he’s loved every minute of it. Find a Honda Goldwing for sale Read the Honda Golwing review Watch the video for...

Video: Ducati Monster test - 796 v 696 v 1100

16 June 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new Monster 796 aims to be novice friendly, but enough of a buzz for more experienced riders. Find a Ducati Monster for sale To see if it’s really the best of both worlds, we test it...

Racing a BMW S1000RR at Silverstone

14 June 2010 by Michael Neeves

After a successful outing at the Brands GP round of the MRO Stocksport championship, where I picked up a couple of third places, the Vari-Trac Park Lane BMW team have invited me back to race with them...

Poll: Is the Monster 796 the perfect compromise?

14 June 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new Monster 796 is supposed to be novice friendly, but still thrilling enough for more experienced riders. Find a Ducati Monster for sale To find out if it really is the perfect-sized...

Top ten adventure bikes

10 June 2010 by MCN

More than 12,000 MCN readers have responded to our Biking Britain survey this year, and your combined scores on the bikes you own and love (or hate) have allowed us to put together this definitive...

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - Thundersprint 2010

09 June 2010 by James Keen

I’m not a racer – I haven’t even done that many track days. So it was surreal to end up in the start line queue behind the likes of Chris Walker, Danny Webb and Steve Parrish ready to compete in this...

Yamaha Super Tenere - full review

09 June 2010 by James Keen

The Yamaha Super Tenere has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the Yamaha Super Tenere review “There was a...

Triumph Sprint GT - full review

09 June 2010 by James Keen

The Triumph Sprint GT has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the Triumph Sprint GT review “Take Triumph’s superb Sprint...

Win a day as an MCN road tester

09 June 2010 by James Keen

MCN has teamed up with forum HondaCB1000R.com to offer you the chance to win a day as an MCN road tester. Click here to place your bid HondaCB1000R.com are raising money for When You Wish Upon A...

Video: Yamaha Super Tenere v BMW GS v Multistrada v KTM 990

09 June 2010 by MCN

Who needs to go abroad on an adventure biking holiday when the roads, weather and people of the UK can be this good? These adventure bikes made every bit of our 2-day 640-mile road trip to the...

Yamaha XT 1200Z in ACTION!!!

08 June 2010 by MarcusKingma

Lot off people think the new Yamaha XT 1200Z Super Ténéré is only a motorbike for the road. We show you it isn’t. Camera & Edit by Marcus Kingma

Reader's race reps needed for MCN road test

08 June 2010 by Michael Neeves

MCN needs to get hold of some specific models for a race rep road test. If you have one of the following bikes and you’d like to see it in the paper, please get in touch: 2008-current Repsol...

Staff bikes: CBR600F - The proud (and skint) owner of a 1998 Honda CBR600F

07 June 2010 by Andy Downes

Nobody in the world is more relieved I have actually been successful in finding a new bike than those MCN staff who sit closest to me at work. No longer do they have to look at what I have just found...

Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - I can see clearly now

07 June 2010 by Marc Abbott

I have an addictive personality; I horde things, lots of things. There are approximately 30 pairs of shoes scattered around my house, my garage looks like a library, the loft is full of old C90...

Poll: What will be king of the adventure bikes in 2010?

04 June 2010 by MCN

This week we’re testing the new Yamaha Super Tenere XT1200Z against its established rivals in Scotland. The £13,499 Yamaha faces stiff competition from Ducati’s brilliant new Multistrada 1200 S...

Yamaha Tenere world first group test

04 June 2010 by Marc Potter

We’re off to Scotland to test the new Yamaha Super Tenere XT1200Z against its established rivals. The long-awaited 1200 parallel has just landed in the UK so we’ve whisked the first one in the country...

Kymco KR Naked 125 ridden

04 June 2010 by Luke Brackenbury

The first thing that strikes you about the new KR 125 is just how aggressive and good looking it is. If it wasn’t for that tiny engine hanging from the beefy aluminium spars of the frame, most of us...

Jawa 350 first ride

04 June 2010 by Peter Henshaw

Twin shocks, four gears and a dead simple 350cc two-stroke twin – the Jawa is back. For those who don’t know, the Czech-made Jawa has been around nearly as long as Royal Enfield’s Bullet, and now you...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - 6000 mile service in ten weeks

03 June 2010 by Andy Downes

Just ten weeks after I was lucky enough to get my hands on the 2010 BMW R1200RT as my long term test bike it has been in for the 6000 miles service. The result is a bike that now feels as fresh as new...

Staff bikes: Victory Hammer S - Hey you, pipe down at the back!

03 June 2010 by Chris Newbigging

The genuine Victory accessory performance 2-1 exhaust on my Hammer S looks lovely. Deep chrome, neat welds and a shape that really suits the hot-rod shape of my Victory. So I’m gutted that I’ve...

Video: Ducati 1198S review

03 June 2010 by MCN

MCN road tester Adam Child has had the use of a Ducati 1198S for the last month and he’s covered roughly 2,000 miles in that time. Find a Ducati 1198S for sale Read the Ducati 1198S...

Staff bikes: Yamaha TZR250 - On every other Sunday

02 June 2010 by Chris Newbigging

You’ll probably think I’m a bit of a slacker for not starting my TZR250 blog until I’ve already competed in three rounds of this season. Which is fair enough, but in my defence, the start of the...

Video: Yamaha FZ8 v Monster 796 v Shiver v Street Triple v Z750

02 June 2010 by MCN

The middleweight class has expanded in all senses this year, with the appearance of three new larger-capacity bikes: The Yamaha FZ8, Ducati Monster 796 and the revised Aprilia Shiver 750. They’re...

New Bimotas tested

28 May 2010 by John Westlake

To celebrate the announcement of a new UK importer, Bimota brought along the DB5S, DB6, DB7 and Tesi 3D to Brands Hatch for us to ride, to refresh British riders’ memories of the exotica they...

Guest road test: Shervin reviews the Kawasaki ZX-10R

28 May 2010 by MCN

Shervin Rezaiy is a trained auto mechanic, internet phenomenon and awesome motorcycle modifying legend. We are privileged to have him review the greatest bike of all time, the 2005 Kawasaki...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki Versys – The return of the Versys

28 May 2010 by Liam Marsden

If a man by the name of Sam Pinney ever asks to borrow your bike, say no. Bad things happen. Everything was going well until I was informed some scamp in London had tried to steal the Versys. Here...

Staff bikes – Victory Hammer S: Calling open-minded Harley owners

28 May 2010 by Chris Newbigging

The Victory Hammer S continues to be a pleasure as I rack up miles in the sun, and I’ve yet to run in to any problems. It also continues to draw praise. A week spent road testing meant the Hammer was...

Staff bikes: Ducati Multistrada 1200 - The bike I've waited 10 years for

27 May 2010 by Marc Potter

Picked up my new Ducati Multistrada 1200 Touring on Friday and I couldn’t be more delighted with it. With electronically-adjustable Ohlins suspension, changeable engine maps, heated grips, keyless...

Video: Hypermotard 1100 v GSX-R600 v Speed Triple

26 May 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new Hypermotard 1100 Evo is a great bike – but it has divided opinion in the MCN office. One side of the office thinks it’s a relevant and fun alternative to a supersports machine like the...

First rides & tests