Motorcycle First Rides & Tests | Latest Bikes Road Tests

RVF is better than ever

15 December 2004

Now that I’ve finally stopped holding a grudge against our Used Bikes Editor for sending my RVF400RR (on loan from DK Motorcycles) into a gravel trap at Rockingham, I can finally admit that it might...

Le cops nab our man

29 September 2004

Used Bikes Editor Angus Farquhar is completing his last session at the European Superbikes School three day track course at the Norgaro circuit in France. He’s going quicker but is 90 Euros lighter in...

French tour for CBR

22 September 2004

motorcyclenew.com’s Angus Farquhar is off to France on his long-term test Honda CBR600F on Friday, September 24, to take part in a three-day track school at Nogaro. Farquhar is riding down to the...

Our big French thrash

22 September 2004

Used Bikes Editor Angus Farquhar has just called from the pits at the Nogaro circuit in France, where he’s improving his track skills with the European Superbike School. Farquhar is sweltering in 25...

Z750 tidied and sorted

22 September 2004

Changing the suspension on my Z750 made a big difference when I rode it at Rockingham. The Hagon Products (0208 502 6222) front and rear suspension took the handling from ‘ok’ to confidence...

Final Rockingham night

01 September 2004

Wednesday September 1, is the last chance to meet the MCN longterm test bike riders at a Rockingham track evening. Attending will be MCN Editor Marc Potter on his Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade, Chief...

Long termers on track

25 August 2004

A host of MCN long term test bikes and their riders enjoyed a cracking night at Rockingham on Wednesday. Editor Marc Potter was there with his blade, road tester Michael Neeves took his R1 out, road...

GSX-R tweeks tested

25 August 2004

The tweeks to my GSX-R1000’s suspension have made a significant improvement to the way the bike handles on track. I rode Rockingham on August 18. Harris’s Ohlins suspension experts adjusted my...

Crunch time for our RVF

18 August 2004

Our long term test RVF400RR (on loan from DK Motorcycles) is in need of cosmetic repair work after a bit of off road action at a rain-soaked Rockingham on Wednesday night (Aug 18). Used Bikes Editor...

Meet us at Rockingham

18 August 2004

Meet members of the MCN team at Rockingham track evenings this month – the latest is on Wednesday, August 25. It’s our third evening of this current season – and they continue every Wednesday up to...

MCN tours Ireland

11 August 2004

After another night back in Bray, the pair set out to make the long trip back all in one go. 100 miles to the ferry, a two and a half hour crossing and 350 miles across Britain seemed like a do-able...

MCN tour hits first snag

11 August 2004

MCN’s Angus Farquhar and Marc Abott have reached Ireland after an eventful first stage of their trip to the Emerald Isle. Used Bikes Editor Farquhar was enjoying the sun started to go down – and he...

MCN rides Rockingham

11 August 2004

The consensus amoung the other riders was the same, with everyone having a great time. And in the paddock we had been joined by other memebers of the MCN staff, including Editor Marc Potter. It felt...

MCN tour hits NW200

11 August 2004

MCN’s dynamic touring duo, Angus Farquhar and Marc Abbott, have spent the afternoon in Joey’s Bar on their trip around Northern Ireland and Eire. Farquhar says the weather is good and spirits are...

Calling GSX-R owners

11 August 2004

Got a GSX-R? So have three of MCN’s long term test team and we’ll be taking all of them to Crescent Suzuki’s performance centre in Verwood, Dorset for an open weekend all GSX-R owners will enjoy. It’s...

Follow MCN on tour

04 August 2004

MCN’s Angus Farquhar and Marc Abbott are off on a tour of the Emerald Isle this week on their long-term test bikes Farquhar and Abbott will be pilling on the soft luggage and taking the Honda CBR600F...

Great night at Squires

21 July 2004

Many of the MCN long term fleet made the trek up the A1M from Peterborough on Wednesday June 23 to sample the bike meet at Squires Cafe in Yorkshire. It was an informal two-hour ride-out after work,...

Parking row latest

14 July 2004

The observant ones among you might remember that Editor David Cushman was unfortunate enough to have his 2004 GSX-R1000 stolen from a parking bay in London in April. His long term report, here,...

Back to superbike school

01 July 2004

I know how to ride. Sounds arrogant doesn’t it? But it’s true, I really do know the theory of how to ride inside out. It’s the practice I sometimes struggle with. After a series of relatively hefty...

Rapid Skills day

01 July 2004

There’s not much point in having a sports bike if you don’t know how to use it properly. Having only ever owned all-rounders before I thought it was about time to learn some fast riding skills now...

Living with a CBR600F

30 June 2004

Too much cold tyre acceleration ruined the first set of new tyres I put on the CBR but when I had the new Pirellis fitted the different profile made the tyre rub on the Hugger that was fitted to the...

GSX-R breezes service

30 June 2004

My GSX-R1000 has sailed through its first service – and that’s a stage further than the first one I had this year… That one, you may recall, got stolen the day before it was booked in for its first...

Mistaken identity?

02 June 2004

Sometimes finding out more about a second-hand motorcycle can be fun, in a Sherlock Holmes kind of way. I’m planning to attend a trackday run by the guys at www.400greybike.co.uk, and thought I should...

BMW R1200GS off to a bad start

26 May 2004

Peter Baker, 34, is running a 2004 BMW R1200GS for MCN this year. He’s one of the paper’s two Deputy Editors and has 20 years of riding experience. His previous bikes include a Triumph Tiger 955i, BMW...

GSX-R750 turned me into a scrubber

26 May 2004

Andy Downes, MCN’s News Editor, is running a GSX-R750 this year. This is what he has to say about it so far. If you’ve got an ’04 GSX-R750 and want to contact Andy, email him at andy.downes@emap.com...

Daring to be different with a Multistrada

26 May 2004

Phil West is MCN’s road test editor. He’s running a Ducati Multistrada this year. You can email him about it on phil.west@emap.com. Here’s what he has to say about the bike: Call me awkward, but I’ve...

Learning to love his GSX-R600

26 May 2004

Matt Wildee is one of MCN’s team of news reporters. He is running an O4 Suzuki GSX-R600 this year. This is what he has to say about it so far. The GSX-R and I are set for the ultimate summer. In then...

Hooked on a Honda RVF400

26 May 2004

It’s the bike I always dreamed of owning as a teenager, and almost a decade later it’s still as sexy as ever. It truly is a mini-version of the RC45 and every ride so far has had me imagining I’m at...

CBR is the perfect choice

21 April 2004

In the four weeks I’ve had it the CBR has done 1500 miles on everything from my daily commute to work, motorway trips around the country, and as many back lane rides with my mates as I could squeeze...

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