Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i BIKE

Save £1000 Piaggio MP3 LT300 Business » Piaggio’s three-wheeler is much wider than the Tricity, so you can ride it with a car licence. Filtering is trickier, but not impossible, and you can lock it upright at a standstill. £6499 from Motorcycles Direct, Call 01923 221125. Save £991 Yamaha SCR900 » If you’re commuting across town and want to arrive at work looking like Steve McQueen in his Baja 500 period, the SCR is a decent place to start. Obviously it should never go near actual dirt. £7998 from Motorcycle World. Call 01604 269687. Save £1255 Honda CB1000R » A rapid cross country commuter with immaculate build quality. The new one will be in the country any time now, so the old models are being cleared out. This one has…

‘When I was in Mongolia I honestly used YouTube to learn how to ride sand for the first time’ » Where are you right now? I am finally back home. For now I am crashing at my parents’ place while I get myself sorted financially. » You’ve just returned from a pretty epic ride… Yes. I started at home in England and pushed east through Europe into Russia. I then rode to Vladivostok in the far east of Russia via Mongolia. From Vladivostok I shipped the motorbike to Vancouver where I rode down the West Coast, into Baja, Mexico then south through Central America. From Panama I sailed with the bike across the Caribbean to Colombia and pushed south towards Chile and then across to Argentina to fly out of…

AND THE BEST MODIFIED TRIUMPH IS… This year’s Kickback – held at Stoneleigh Park in April – played host to the 2018 National Championships for customised motorcycles. The Championship comprises seven different categories: Freestyle; Young Builder of the Year; Best Modified Sportsbike; Best Modified Classic; Best Modified Triumph; Best Café Racer and Best Old School Chopper/Bobber. In truth Kickback tends to attract a much higher proportion of chops than a lot of other UK shows. Johnny Freeman’s Trophy-engined machine was certainly one of the highlights, and a deserved winner of the hotly contested Best Modified Triumph class. Understated is the name of the game here, Johnny employing sand-blasted engine cases, a home-made oil tank, well hidden electrics and single Mikuni carb. PRE-UNIT BONNEVILLE » Chris Nichols’ P&D Customs pre-unit Bonneville…

‘The rocky becks and moors are where throttle hands and feet are honed’ 1 Speedway GP, Cardiff Stadium 21 July speedwaygp.org Speedway is the perfect spectator sport – or so the huge crowd at the annual Speedway GP, Cardiff will tell you. World champion Jason Doyle holds the lap record at what, even for speedway, is a short lap (272 metres and 54 seconds for a whole race). This makes for exciting racing. British rider Tai Woffinden is your man to cheer but really, as laps blink past in a fast and dangerous fury, it’s the riding skill that is the must-see. And remember, they have no brakes. 2 World Trial, Addingham Moorside, Silsden 1-2 September trialgp.com Silsden’s World TrialGP is an off-road pilgrimage. This area is home to generations…

‘That cross-plane crank engine of the R1 makes power in an undramatic way compared with some of the others, but it’s really effective. It’s so well mapped that there’s no drama, but it really screams down the straights. There’s no question about which is the fastest bike here. The Ducati engine is amazing. Just amazing.’ James Haydon ‘The Ducati is scarily fast. It don’t half go. And the riding position helps down the straights because you sit in it, and when you tuck in you feel part of the bike.’ Peter Boast The winner is… » Ducati Panigale V4S. All of these bikes are so fast that on a relatively tight circuit like Rockingham you have to be a national level racer to tap into all their power. Even the…

Kawasaki ZX-10R Main teams: Silicone Engineering, Quattro Plant Main riders: Dean Harrison, James Hillier » ‘The ZX-10R is a few years old, which is good for the Isle of Man. Dean Harrison has ridden it for two years, and he’ll know his set-up. And it’s a fast bike. I know James didn’t rate it, but he’s a Grand Prix rider, and they operate at the ragged edge. You can’t be there all the time at the TT.’ BMW S1000RR Main teams: Tyco, Penz13, Smiths Racing Main riders: Michael Dunlop, Dan Kneen, Peter Hickman » ‘The S1000RR is bloody fast, but the thing that makes the difference is BMW’s race pack – it makes it a different bike to the one in this test because it’ll have a different ECU, loom…

Grand lochs, quiet roads, warm pubs and eight fantastic whisky distilleries on Islay Argyll and Bute, Scotland » Roads to ride: Great roads are long in Scotland. The A816 from Lochgilphead to Oban is an hour of glorious riding, and the A83 from Inveraray to Lochgilphead takes 30 minutes. Shorter trips: turn off the A816 at Cairnbaan and ride along the Crinan Canal, or the single-track B840 along Loch Awe. » Places to stay: Rent a cabin on the Lunga estate (£190/week), stay at the Crinan Hotel (£260/night), or Clan Cottages on Loch Nell (£280/weekend). » Food and drink: Buy supplies from Oban’s Kitchen Garden deli or lunch at the Kilmartin Museum café. Search out the Tayvallich Inn in Tayvallich for a £14 pot of mussels then visit Islay for…

» Alpinestars Rogue £171 Straight-fit with semi-stretch cotton-elastane fabric and an aramid fibre lining: DuPont have clamped down on the ‘Kevlar’ trademark, so some products now just call their lining aramid. Height-adjustable knee armour pockets with Level 1 protection. We’d upgrade to Level 2 Forcefield Isolator 2 armour. » ARMR Moto M799 Tron £100 YKK zip-equipped denim jeans with inner DuPont aramid panels for abrasion resistance. The stitched-in panels cover seat, hips and knees. Level 1 knee armour included. Good extras at this price: adjustable knee pockets and space for hip armour. Big glove-friendly buttons on the front only. » Klim K Fifty 2 £295 Top-price Klim jeans are straight-leg cut with Cordura-reinforced cotton-nylon fabric available in three different blues. Inner panels are DuPont Kevlar, there’s padded tailbone protection, and…

Hugo Wilson This month: Hugo watched (and heard) Vic Allan race a CCM in 1976 and failed to kickstart one of the Bolton marque’s scary scramblers a few years later. He was the first journalist to ride the new Spitfire, and he’s interviewed the boss. A ride with Austin Clews, page 53 John Westlake This month: ex-editor, and current new bike editor, Westlake has been riding bikes for 33 years. In that time he’s ridden pretty much every sportsbike, good and bad. But nothing like Ducati’s new V4S. It’s a giant leap forward… Ducati Panigale V4S, p36 James Haydon This month: ‘it’s one of my days of the year,’ said James after our Sportsbike of the Year test, Rockingham. Watching him slide 200bhp bikes into turn one like they were…

» Like its bigger 701 stablemate, the 401 Vitpilen looks fantastic. Purer and more purposeful than the Svartpilen, it will surely cut a dash carving through traffic on a weekday morning. And you can stand around, admiring the design cues for ages. The only important differences between the Svartpilen and Vitpilen are the riding position and tyres; Vitpilen rides on road pattern Metzelers, rather than the Scorpion Trails on the Svart’. The wrist heavy riding position makes sense when you’re out of town, with wind pressure to support your upper body, but in town it’s less comfortable than the Svart, adding wrist ache to the sore arse. But then, you’ve always had to suffer for art.…

NEXT MONTH BIKE will ride the Niken, Yamaha’s three wheel version of the excellent 847cc MT-09. Believe Yamaha’s hype and it’ll be a giant leap forward for motorcycles. Believe the blokes in The Dog and Duck and it’ll be a weird irrelevance that no motorcyclist will buy. So which will it be? Fortunately there’s a legitimate way to find out, because in 2014 Yamaha launched the three-wheeled Tricity scooter you see here, which uses an almost identical front end to the Niken. At the time almost everyone ignored it, but in truth this was the first sighting of a whole new species of motorcycle… And we should have known – why else would Yamaha assign a genius who had helped design Rossi’s world-championship-winning Yamaha M1 and…

‘The maximum length of tarmac packed into the smallest area’ MOTOGP IS BACK in Europe and the organised among you will no doubt be in possession of tickets and travel documents for the run of grand old classic tracks that take us up to the summer break. So I’d like to point you at two slightly less well-known destinations that bookend the second half of the season: Brno (5 August) and Valencia (18 November)… You need to go to Brno in the Czech Republic because you’ll be part of the biggest crowd of the year at a really well-run circuit that produces spectacular racing in all three classes. Forget the grandstand on the front straight, get yourself on the enormous grass hillside that overlooks the stadium part of the undulating…

1977 Benelli 750 Sei Estimate £8000-12,000 A tidy restoration of a 1970s Italian glam rocker. Why wouldn’t you want a 750cc six-cylinder bike with six exhaust pipes? Prices have climbed, but the auctioneer’s estimate seems reasonable. Personally I prefer them in green. 1970 Münch Mammoth Estimate £75,000-100,000 You wanted this in your hand when playing Top Trumps. Powered by a 1200cc NSU car engine these German behemoths are over the top in every way. But the quality of the castings, like the rear wheel and the chain guard are astonishing. 1989 Honda RC30 Estimate £25,000-35,000 Ex-Honda Britain race bike apparently used by Brian Morrison (at the TT) and Steve Hislop (Macau GP). That’s strong history, but like all race bikes, it’s a woodman’s axe. Road going versions of Honda’s seminal…

area that offers outstanding riding and fabulous scenery, on and off road. And after you finish exploring the local forestry routes the campsite offers views of the midnight sun and campfires. horizonsunlimited.com/events » 10–12 August Steph Jeavons at the Adventure Travel Film Festival, London World record rider Steph recently returned from her seven-continent ride (see feature in Bike , May) on her Honda CRF250L, and will be sharing the amazing stories, images and films of her journey at this year’s Adventure Travel Film Festival. Come and touch the hem of her (now slightly grubby) garment. adventuretravelfilmfestival.com » 31 Aug–2 Sept The Overland Event, Oxfordshire The great and the good of motorcycle travel come together at this adventure riders’ shindig to share info, stories and top tips around the bonfire at…

» 8 – 11 June Biker Mania, Hinterglemm, Austria A Harley-inclined biker fest in its 21st year. Beautiful mountain scenery, stunt shows and an entire town turned over to bikers adds to the appeal. biker-mania.at » 24 June Northants V-twin Custom Show, Jacks Hill Café, Towcester NN12 8ET Not exclusively V-twin, but certainly aimed at customisers and their fans. There’s also an autojumble specialising in bits and pieces for those on the make. northantsvtwin.co.uk » 28 – 29 July Motorcycle Social, Leeds, West Yorks LS12 2EB A custom bike show with a friendly Yorkshire accent. Held in the post-industrial Canal Mills exhibition centre street food, trade stands and music on the Saturday evening also included. motorcyclesocial.co.uk…

» The Adventure Touring Challenge (ATC) is ‘designed for riders wishing to combine technical riding skills with travel and discovery, as well as increasing their navigation and riding skills.’ Run largely off road in some incredible locations the ATC is suitable for rally, adventure, trail or enduro bikes and is what off road riding is all about to many people – long trails, navigation and epic scenery. The season consists of seven events combining European and North American rounds. In Europe the Serres in northern Greece, the Hard Alp Tour based out of Sanremo and the Trans Italia riding from Rimini are established events with good organisation. Organised events such as ATC’s definitely make exploring off road easier than it might otherwise be. And as well as the riding there…

I often read the Bike letters pages. I read letters from the ‘bikeless’ the ‘short of funds’ or the ‘don’t want to mess up their pride and joy’ merchants. Well I have a suggestion for all these poor, disadvantaged contributors… In January I bought a Mash Dirtstar as a bit of a punt and it’s the best £4000 I’ve ever spent. I don’t worry about rain or muck, it’s fast enough to keep up with the traffic and it even gets past most of it. I’ve taken it up some pretty crabby green lanes with blokes on proper off-roaders, I rode it a bit in the snow and it’s not bad over our pot-holed roads either. It’s just great fun. I’ve had a bike since I was at school and…

Honda Fireblade SP Price: £19,770 Power: 189bhp @ 13,000rpm Torque: 84 lb.ft @ 11,000rpm Weight: 196kg Know this: Lowest on power, but you can use every bhp Suzuki GSX-R1000R Price: £16,239 Power: 199bhp @ 13,200rpm Torque: 87 lb.ft @ 10,800rpm Weight: 203kg Know this: Only bike here without semi-active suspension BMW S1000RR Sport Price: £15,205 Power: 199bhp @ 13,000rpm Torque: 83 lb.ft @ 9750rpm Weight: 208kg Know this: The cheapest on test by over £1000 Ducati V4S Price: £24,035 Power: 214bhp @ 13,000 rpm Torque: 91.5 lb.ft @ 10,000 rpm Weight: 195kg Know this: Lightest, longest, torqueyist, priciest Yamaha R1M Price: £19,799 Power: 197bhp @ 13,500rpm Torque: 83 lb.ft @ 11,500rpm Weight: 199kg Know this: New M gets semi-active suspension Kawasaki ZX-10R SE Price: £18,949 Power: 197bhp @ 13,000rpm Torque:…

‘I found the midcorner feel so dependent on the tyres. The standard Pirelli Super Corsas on the Blade and the V4S and the Metzeler Racetecs on the S1000RR felt rock solid. James had been at the tyres on the GSX-R and R1M when I rode them and they were moving more. I couldn’t get on with the ZX-10R’s Bridgestone RS10s. They were particularly horrible at the start of the day in the cold.’ John Westlake ‘The BMW and Suzuki are very, very good midcorner, but they’re not quite as informative as the R1 and V4. With those two you can spend all the time pushing the envelope and having fun.’ James Haydon ‘I really like the GSX-R1000R. It was easiest to change a line midcorner and though the suspension feels…

HARLEYS EVERYWHERE When you walk into the main area of Yoshi’s garage you are greeted by a sea of Harley-Davidsons and all things American. There is Yoshi’s custom-built bobber that’s based on a 1972 Harley-Davidson Sportster and a copy of the bespoke, red, Harley-Davidson Shovelhead (foreground) he built for Michael Schumacher when Michael retired from Formula 1. Come the weekends the bar and café are heaving with bikers – it becomes California’s answer to the Ace Café. THE OWNER Yoshinobu ‘Yoshi’ Kosaka (63) owner and founder of Garage Company on his 1978 Suzuki GS1000 vintage superbike. Yoshi moved to Los Angeles in 1983 because he thought Tokyo was too small. He eventually set up a garage in 1987, since when his collection has grown and grown. BADGES A cabinet stacked…

The Brother: William Dunlop Michael Dunlop’s elder brother by three years » Michael’s strongest attribute as a rider is his size and his determination. His size allows him to wrestle a bike over the bumpy sections of the TT course and I think that’s where he makes up a lot of time. It’s hard to see a weakness in someone who’s probably the best TT rider of them all – bar John McGuinness. But if I was pushed I’d say it’s his determination, again because it’ll probably catch him out some day. He rides with pure hunger for success and he’ll do whatever it takes to win a race. He rides with his heart and really muscles the bike around. As I say, that determination is his main strength but…

John Frears-Hogg Ridden from UK to Australia on a XT550. Been exploring Cornwall for 30 years. Chris Davidson Runs Ireland’s only retro motorbike rental company. » retroventures ireland.com Tom Campbell CEO of the North Coast 500, rides a BMW R1200RT and Gas Gas trials bike. » northcoast500.com Eddie Hampton Raced for nearly 30 years before starting North of Ireland Motorcycle Tours. » ednimtours.com John Westlake Bike’s new bike editor. You can’t keep him away from the Peak District. Stephen Herbert Bike’s Digital Editor and camping addict. Likes a night under canvas and a head torch.…

I have seen a surprising rise in inquiries from motorcyclists who have had their insurance renewal declined on the most specious grounds. I believe the source of this problem is comparison sites where insurers try to compete on minimum premium and have no underwriting discretion. One poor guy put some reflective patches on his bike and was told this was a colour change and therefore his bike would no longer be insured. Eventually a grown-up in underwriting corrected the position, but it was a miserable few weeks for the rider. This is one of many examples that highlight the fact that insurers have massively more unofficial power than you do as a mere paying consumer. Your insurer is governed by a system of laws and weak regulation which hugely tips…

Gilera 150 Arcore £1999 » I’ve an unshakable attraction to bikes of a smaller size and also to old tat. An equal love of two-strokes means there’s been a stream of dinky smokers through my shed, but having recently flogged a Suzuki X5, MZ 250 and a pair of Mobylettes it’s perhaps time for a small-bore four-stroke to squeeze in. This Gilera fits the bill: flat-out-everywhere displacement, period charm, and some of those valve things in its cylinder head. The 70s lines, logos on the dials and handsome engine are appealing, though the price is a tad salty. Suzuki Goose £1675 » Underpowered, daft name and too small for my gangly frame. Yet I’ve got a squidgy spot for these early ’90s grey-imports. The DR350-based four-stroke single needs thrapping everywhere,…

BACK IN 1998 I HAD AN ORIGINAL 1997 Suzuki TL1000S after signing for Team Suzuki. It was my first big capacity road bike and I loved it. Mine was a red, full power version without the steering damper but with Remus end cans for the wonderful V-Twin bellow. I had some enormous flighty tank slappers but it was nothing that race bikes didn’t do so it never bothered me. With hindsight we know it bothered others and tragically killed a few (so they were recalled, given steering dampers and had their power knocked back around 13bhp to try and tame it). Hence the unfortunate widow maker nick name. Roll on 20 years and I saw a really good one at a dealer with the spec I wanted. A 1997 full…

ROCKINGHAM »Our sportsbike test at Rockingham was great. Ride the circuit yourself at our trackdays on 16 July and 13 September. ENERGICA »We’ve been queueing up for a go on the Energica Eva EsseEsse9. A 107bhp electric bike? Bring it on. Test next issue. HUNGER »Langy went to the bike meet at The Sportsbike Shop in Boston. Lots of people, lots of bikes, and a massive queue at the burger van . SUNSHINE »It’s here, so we all rushed out to ride bikes on the bank holiday weekend. Fingers crossed for a long hot summer. Please. Trackdays 16 July and 13 September » Only £99 To book please go to bikemagazine.co.uk/trackdays Subscribe Get an Oxford Alpha XD14 disclock this month »Worth £54.99 Call 0185843 8884 or go to greatmagazines.co.uk/bike Free…

Price £10,792 otr (Standard £9392 otr) Engine 847cc, 12-valve DOHC liquid-cooled three Power 112bhp @ 10,000rpm (clmd) Torque 64.5 lb.ft @ 8500rpm (clmd) Top speed 135mph (est) Rake/trail 24°/100mm Wheelbase 1500mm Wet weight 227kg (minus cases and brackets 215kg) Seat height 850mm, 865mm Tank size 18 litres Economy 44mpg (indicated) Colours gloss black, grey, matt blue Availability late May (standard early May) Bike verdict Post-pubescent Tracer has mature road manners and shapely bodywork. The GT adds the gadgets you want for just £1400 over the standard bike. Great ride and still great value. Bike rating 8/10…

Price £5599 Engine 375cc, liquid-cooled DOHC single Power 43bhp @ 9000rpm (clmd) Torque 27.3 lb.ft @ 7000rpm (clmd) Top speed 105mph (est) Rake/trail 25°/95mm Wheelbase 1357mm Wet weight 150kg (clmd) Seat height 835mm Tank size 9.5 litres Economy 65mpg (est) Colours black Availability now Bike verdict A stylish alternative for A2 licence holders wanting to stand out from the crowd. But the cheaper KTM390 does it all for a lot less cash. Is there a dealer near you? Bike rating 7/10…

» 23-24 June Coast to Coast cyclemotor and moped run, Hartlepool to Whitehaven This issue of Bike hits the news agents on 30 May, plenty of time to buy and fettle a silly moped for the National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club’s two-day, mid-summer run across the Pennines. Pedals are needed on some of the steeper inclines. The overnight stop, for rest and refreshment, is at Alston, Cumbria. thebuzzingclub.net » 24 June Herefordshire Edge, starts Ross-on-Wye Vintage Motorcycle Club navigational event is a perfect excuse to ride fantastic roads in Herefordshire. All bikes over 25 years old eligible and the diversity of bikes is impressive, but numbers restricted so best try and book a place. £11 for entries received before 21 June. It’s not a race. I said, it’s NOT A…

» If you’ve always wanted to explore the faraway lands you read about in Bike but can’t afford to fly your bike out, American motorcyclist and visionary, Guillermo Cornejo has come up with the solution – Riders Share. Basically it’s an Air B’n’B for bikes, so you book a bike online, turn up and off you go. There are flexible cancellations, unlimited miles, insurance and no deposits,. Guillermo has several hundred bikes and riders signed up – most are in the US but the site is growing all the time. We will keep an ear to the ground and check how it’s working out for renters and riders alike… » riders-share.com…

Final result 1. Ducati Panigale V4S 2. Yamaha R1M 3= Suzuki GSX-R1000R 3= Honda Fireblade SP 3= BMW S1000RR 6. Kawasaki ZX-10R SE The level of electronic sophistication on these sportsbikes is extraordinary, but one thing our track test demonstrated is how much skill and bravery you need to use them to go faster. Take the Panigale V4S’s capability to control rear wheel drift going into corners. In theory, this allows anyone to slam the back brake on going towards a corner and let the electronics slide the rear round as you keep the bike pointing at the apex – with the front fully loaded all the way, obviously. But the reality of doing that from 150mph means it’s beyond almost everyone – even Boastie, an ex-European flat-track champion, decided…

» Austin Clews told us his dad was ill when we went to the factory. Next morning we heard that Alan had passed away that night. He was 79 years old and had spent 47 years developing CCM bikes. His vision for a four-stroke scrambler changed the soundscape at motocross tracks around the world in the 1970s as CCMs battled two-stroke opposition. He was involved in the development, and tuning of the bikes until very recently. CCM remains a family concern with Austin Clews, his brother Russell and brother in-law Gary Hathern, as well as Alan’s grandsons still involved. HW…

RAVELLING ACROSS CONTINENTS on a bike is a challenge, but it isn’t hard: I circumnavigated Africa, alone and unsupported, on a Yamaha Ténéré XT660Z riding through 34 countries, over nine months and 34,000 miles. I also, amazingly, circumnavigated South America. I say ‘amazingly’ because I am seriously accident prone and, on top of that, my sense of direction is poor – I get lost in my own kitchen. For various reasons this was a one year four month spluttering through all 13 countries racking up 36,000 miles. I was speaking to a Zimbabwean psychiatrist recently and he told me I am fairly sane despite this urge to circumnavigate every continent. He drew a circle with a smaller circle inside it. He then said: ‘This is you, you are a wheel.’…

» 2002 Tuono R Limited This 200-bike limited run tested the market’s appetite for a naked RSV. Gold frame, carbonfibre bodywork reinforced with Kevlar. Öhlins non-radial fork and rear shock, and Brembo four-pot calipers. 998cc – 181kg dry – 121bhp – £3500-6000 » 2003 Tuono RSV Fighter Gen 1 Tuono rushed to production after the Limited’s success. Engine, suspension, brakes and frame are all 2002 RSV Mille. A steering damper counters slapping on hard acceleration. 2003 frames are light bronze. 998cc – 181kg dry – 115bhp – £2300-£3800 » 2003 Tuono 1000 Racing 300-bike limited edition to support one-make European race series. The bike comes with full bodywork kit and all race entries. Yellow numberboard, white wheels. 2004 bikes sold without the race kit. 998cc – 181kg dry – 115bhp…

Benjamin Smith Sales executive » Rides a well-kept Yamaha R6 for commuting and regular Sunday blasts. Worked with Webbs for ten years. Andy Wood Sales executive » 41 years riding bikes and doesn’t own a car. His favourite bike was a GPZ1100. He once went to Inverness for a pint. Sam Aitchison-Boundy Clothing and accessories » Known for breaking down, Sam owns many bikes including a Yamaha R6… Adam Corney Valeter » 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 owner loves off-roading and trackdays. Get in touch Webbs of Lincoln, 117-121 Portland St, Lincoln, LN5 7LG Tel: 01522 513193 webbsoflincoln.co.uk…

This isn’t a limp brochure-style round-up of all the bikes you can buy. No, your guide is far more useful as it only contains bikes that we have tested, with comparable on-the-road prices plus data, expert opinion and must-know detail gathered by fussy full-time testers. We do hundreds of thousands of miles, dyno, datalog, weigh and answer the big questions. Don’t buy a new bike without reading this first. ✱ THIMBLES FOR PISTONS Honda’s five-cylinder 125cc and six-cylinder 250cc Grand Prix racers of the late 1960s are the stuff of four-stroke legend. And they nearly built an eight. Having worked on a four-cylinder 250 and the inline six, engine designer Shinichi Miyakoshi devised a 250cc V8 that unfortunately wasn’t used. ✱ MOPEDCROSS KTM have been a force in motocross since…

» If you’ve never seen racing at Spa you need to. And this is the best event in Europe to see pukka historic race bikes. This year is a celebration of 30 years of World Superbikes, but there will be a huge variety of bikes, plus celebrity ex-racers. Weekend tickets are €30 if you pre-order, but €50 on the gate. Camping and (for some daft reason) bike parking are extra. » Four hours from Calais, or from the north go Hull-Rotterdam. » 29-30 June – 1 July. bikersclassics.be…

Head master HJC RPHA 70 Used for: six months Price: £350 Info: hjchelmets.eu » Don’t let the internal sun visor fool you, this is a sporty helmet. It resonates at bassy frequencies ,which is tiring on long journeys but helps you hear the engine on track. The visor fastener is placed centrally and a lock keeps it shut – great for racers who might knock open visors on bumpy circuits, but fiddly to operate in gloves on the road. A chunky chin vent switch is often mistaken for the fastener. Elsewhere, two tiddly rear vents are fiddly in the extreme. But that’s where the criticism stops. The initially-tight fit settles into palatial comfort over the first month’s riding, the visor-changing mechanism is much easier than Shark’s or Arai’s, and there’s…

WE’VE ALREADY CLOCKED up 3271 miles on our 1200 Tiger test bike, and it’ll feature in a comprehensive road test next month, but we are still adding to the miles on the clock of Triumph’s luxury adventurer. Mike Armitage has racked up the bulk of the mileage on his executive commute (ie, he comes in when he feels like it), but Steve Herbert grabbed the keys for the slog down to Wales to the Triumph Adventure Experience (see p120). ‘On a four-hour ride to south Wales the ride was sublime, especially with heated grips and seat, up/down shifter, cruise and easy to operate functions. But what’s up with the fuel range meter? Brimmed, it sometimes showed 300 miles +, sometimes 200 and when the gauge is on half, the range…