Motorcycle First Rides & Tests | Latest Bikes Road Tests

First ride: 2009 Yamaha R1

19 January 2009 by Michael Neeves

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 Andy Downes

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...

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 MCN

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

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 Chris Newbigging

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 Adam Child

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 Trevor Franklin

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 Alex Bugeja

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...

Bikesafe courses back for 2009

03 January 2009 by MCN News Desk

Bikesafe is continuing to run courses around the country in 2009 to help improve rider ability and work on reducing the number of motorcycle accidents. BikeSafe work with more than 40 police forces...

Video: Kawasaki ZX-6R: 2008 v 2009

30 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

Kawasaki have made big claims that their new ZX-6R is more powerful, lighter and easier to ride than ever before. To find out if they’re right, Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves puts it to the test...

Video: LSL Kawasaki Clubman W 740R road test

29 December 2008 by Trevor Franklin

Kawasaki’s W650 surfaced in 1998 and dipped back under the radar sometime in 2003. Based on a very early Kawasaki model from an age where where hippies were all the rage (and itself a very good copy...

Aprilia getting to grips with the RSV4 Tuono

23 December 2008 by MCN Mole

Aprilia is speeding ahead with the naked Tuono version of the RSV4 according to MCN’s Mole. Designer Miguel Galuzzi and his team at the Noale HQ are already carving away at clay models to try and get...

Video: Buell 1125CR road test

22 December 2008 by MCN

Buell extends its water-cooled V-twin range with the introduction of the 1125CR; a naked version of the Rotax-powered 1125R sports bike. As you’d expect with a bike that has a claimed 146bhp output,...

Video: Sherco 2.5i F goes Enduro

18 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Sherco has a proven track record of building some of the world’s best trials bikes and now they’ve turned their attention to the enduro market. The Sherco 2.5i F (250cc) is very user friendly and offers plenty of torque all the way up to 12,000 rpm. Handling is good, and the bike is already a proven winner after Graham Jarvis won the recent Red Bull Romaniacs event. Watch the video below to see...

Video: Technical Analysis of Honda CBR1000RR ABS system

16 December 2008 by MCN

MCN Senior road tester Michael Neeves has been out in Qatar testing the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade equipped with ABS. Watch the video to see Michael Neeves explain exactly how the electronically-controlled ‘brake-by-wire’ system on the new Fireblade works and read the full article in MCN, Wednesday, 17 December, 2008.

Video: ABS Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade gets MCN thumbs-up

16 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

Honda recently launched their new-for-2009 ABS equipped Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade in Qatar – and our verdict is the system works. The electronically-controlled ‘brake-by-wire’ system on the new...

Video: Adrenalin-Moto XR 1200 road test

15 December 2008 by Adam Child

Darlington based Adrenalin Moto have produced this one off special XR1200 Harley Davidson, reducing the bikes weight by 25kg and significantly increasing the bikes performance and handling. They’ve loosely based the bike on the new race bike which will be appearing in next year’s British Superbike program in the new Henderson Harley Davidson XR1200 Trophy. Watch the video below to see MCN’s...

First ride: ABS Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

15 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves is in Qatar testing the new ABS Honda Fireblade… The electronically-controlled ‘brake-by-wire’ system on the new Fireblade is revolutionary, totally unique on a...

Video: Triumph 675 launch

10 December 2008 by MCN

The original Triumph Daytona 675 was a cracking supersports bike when it was released in 2006. So Triumph had a big task on their hands in making the new model better. The new Daytona handled the Cartegena circuit very well, with the uprated chassis and the suspension making it an absolute joy to throw in to the twsties. The three cylinder engine pulls from as low as 3,000 rpm. Even if you miss a...

Video: Jack Lilley Triumph Scrambler road test

10 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

Jack Lilley motorcycles are famed for producing one-of-a-kind Triumph specials and this is their latest. Based on the 2009 Scrambler, this Triumph has been given that ‘Great Escape’ Steve McQueen...

Head-to-head: New and old Kawasaki ZX-6R

09 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

I’ve just come in from riding the new 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R against the old 2008 model and I’m flabbergasted. I won’t give too much away; you’ll have to read all about it in our full road test in the...

Video: Superstock Honda Fireblade faster than Touring Car at Silverstone

05 December 2008 by Adam Child

Check out this exclusive and unique footage taken at Silverstone race circuit. The Superstock Honda Fireblade easily proved faster than the Honda Type R Touring car around the historic British track. Riding the motorcycle is Steve ‘Baywatch’ Brogan, British Superstock 1000 Champion on-board his championship winning Honda Fireblade. Watch Steve Brogan’s onboard lap In the British touring car is...

Jack Lilley special Triumph Scrambler

04 December 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves has just ridden a very special Triumph Scrambler, built by Triumph dealers Jack Lilley. Here are his first impressions: “At the beginning of this year Triumph...

Video: Steve Brogan onboard at Silverstone

03 December 2008 by Adam Child

MCN road tester Adam Child bumped into British Superstock 1000 Champion Steve Brogan at Silverstone recently at a Honda media day. Steve ‘Brogie’ Brogan agreed to a few flying laps onboard his Championship winning Honda Fireblade with our cameras fitted. Check out the very fast onboard action around the shortened Silverstone circuit.

2009 Triumph Daytona 675 first test - road riding update

03 December 2008 by Trevor Franklin

The world first test of the 2009 Triumph Daytona 675 is taking place in Spain – and this is today’s update – how the Daytona 675 performs on challenging mountain roads. Triumph motorcycles for...

RiDER Power: The world's best handling motorcycles aren't sportsbikes

24 November 2008 by James Keen

In the 2008 RiDER Power survey, the bikes rated highest for handling and suspension aren’t Japanese. Even more surprisingly, they’re not even sportsbikes… As Ben Miller writes in this month’s RiDE...

Video: Ducati 1198 first ride

20 November 2008 by Trevor Franklin

Just as we were all thinking the Ducati 1098 was the best V-twin ever, out of nowhere Ducati’s 1198 appears and you can see it here in our video. MCN senior road tester Trevor Franklin travelled to Portugal’s Circuito de Algarve to get the first ride of Ducati’s 1198 to see if bigger does mean better. Watch the video below to see how the motorcycle got on and read the full article in MCN,...

The PB100: 6 - 1998 Yamaha R1

19 November 2008 by Performance Bikes

The 100 bikes to ride before you die, brought to you by the guys at MCN’s sister title, Performance Bikes. It stunned the senses… In the 1990s the FireBlade was the sportsbike to have. Fast, agile and...

Image gallery: Ace Cafe Racer

18 November 2008 by James Keen

In this week’s edition of MCN, road tester Adam Child takes a ride on the gorgeous Ace Cafe Racer created by custom bike builder Nick Gale. In case the road test left you wanting more, here’s some...

Ducati 1198/1198S first ride!

18 November 2008 by Trevor Franklin

MCNs Chief Road Tester, Trevor Franklin, is at the launch of Ducati’s new 1198/1198S at the Circuito de Algarve near Portimao, Portugal, here’s what he has to say: “While the new 1198 retains the...

Video: Miles Per Gallon Fuel Test

12 November 2008 by Trevor Franklin

With the downward spiral from credit crunch to full-on recession MCN senior roadtester Trevor Franklin wanted to see if the economy of motorcycles can still be highly prized. To find out Trevor took Suzuki’s Sixteen, BMW’s F650GS, Kawasaki’s Z1000 and a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade to Bruntingthorpe testing circuit in Leicestershire to conduct two tests. How far would a gallon of unleaded fuel go at...

Video: Bob Farnham tunes Yamaha R1

11 November 2008 by Michael Neeves

The racing season has only just finished, but Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves is already looking ahead to the 2009 season with his trusty 2007 Yamaha R1 long term test bike. He took it along to Bob Farnham, one of the UK’s top engine tuners just down the road from Brands Hatch for an engine refresh and a bit of a tune. Watch the video below to see how the bike got on and little tour around...

First rides & tests