Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i BIKE

‘It should be a giggle on the road’ The Ducati DesertX isn’t the only bike channelling Cagiva’s past off-road glories: this new MV Agusta is at it too. The MV 9.5 was launched amid a blizzard of retro puff about Cagiva’s ’80s Lucky Explorer Paris-Dakar bikes, and the new bike’s paintjob is vaguely similar (if you squint through a cloud of Lucky Strike fag smoke). Whereas Ducati have a link with the old Cagiva Elefant because the company provided the engine back in the day, MV’s connection is more tenuous – MV now own the Cagiva name. Still, the new 9.5 looks purposeful, with a beefy bashplate, brake disc protectors, a 21in front wheel and long travel suspension. With a claimed 121bhp it should be a giggle on road and…

In 2000, Joey Dunlop – the greatest ever TT rider – rode a factory Honda at the TT, aged 48. No-one gave him a chance, and yet he won the F1 race. In 2022, John McGuinness – the greatest living TT rider – will ride a factory Honda at the TT, aged 50. Could McPint pull-off a victory as stupendous as his hero’s? ‘I know Joey was 48 when he won against all the odds,’ says Neil Tuxworth, who ran Honda race teams for 28 years, ‘but he hadn’t had a break like John has. I know John’s been racing on the Ducati [in the Panigale V2 series] so he’s been keeping his hand in a bit but it’s not going to be easy. The older you are, the tougher…

Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP » Power: 205bhp » Weight: 196kg » Price: £28,495 For those adrenalin-soaked souls who aren’t content with the loopy V4S, Ducati have stripped more weight from the Streetfighter for even more performance. New five spoke carbon wheels, fancy Brembo brakes and a dry clutch lend even more high-end Ducati appeal. There’s also an optional Akrapovic pipe (£4355) that drops another 6kg and bumps peak power up to 217bhp. That’s probably enough to be going on with. Honda Fireblade 30th Anniversary » Power: 214bhp » Weight: 201kg » Price: £23,999 Honda give their latest Blade the 1992 colour scheme treatment and apply serious fettling. Gearing is lower, gas flow through the cylinder head is improved, there’s a new airbox and traction control is updated to give better…

KTM 890 Duke R More power, more torque and more Dukeness than any parallel twin before it, reckon the Austrians. And they’re not kidding… Still ride your motorcycle like an over-enthused teen on a stolen field bike? Describe your reasons for riding with words like wheelies and skids? Stop reading, scurry to you nearest KTM dealer and slap down a deposit on a fruity new 890 Duke R. It’s quite possibly the most mischievous, cheeky and silliness-encouraging high-performance motorcycle yet devised. Starting as a supermoto back in the ’90s, the Duke line-up has always contained light, perky, agile bikes with a focus on fun, but from the 690 model onward with practicality too. The move from single to parallel twin for the 790 brought greater performance and popularity (it was…

Jump a bike » Experience this: listening to a bike’s revs rise as the rear wheel breaks contact with terra firma is entrancing. And then mentally counting it back down to earth again. One… two… and whump. YouTube Evel Knievel for inspiration, but start off small. » Make it happen: the local humpback bridge won’t charge a fee, but we suggest getting some tuition from off-road gurus before graduating to bigger take off ramps (like Cadwell Park’s Mountain). Jump along trails on a 1250GS courtesy of BMW Off Road Skills in Wales. The two-day level 1 course costs £549. » Contact: offroadskills.com Do the double ton » Experience this: when the scenery is coming at you in chunks, naked eyeballs fixed on a speedometer needle gently kissing 200mph, and you…

In 2020 Ducati tamed the Panigale V4 by using the flexy frame from the R version (with cutouts around the headstock) and refining the electronics. The ’21 version was friendlier still and as we discover here at its world launch, the 2022 model is even easier to ride… relatively speaking. In recent years Ducati have changed tack to produce road bikes that aren’t just pretty and powerful, but easier to use, too. It’s the same story with their race weapons. Now it’s not just their factory bikes that pack out the sharp end of MotoGP and WSB, their second and third tier teams do, too. For 2022 the Panigale V4 S takes another step away from its angry past, thanks in the main to new electronics. We’re not talking just…

Affected by early quality niggles and Aprilia’s reputation for poor backup, the Shiver 750 never got the attention it deserved. Pumping it up into a 900 in 2017 hasn’t helped – last year they sold just 17 new ones in the UK. This has benefits for savvy buyers, though. New 900s can be had for under £8k, and used examples are super-cheap. How about £6500 for a year-old bike with running-in miles, or £5000 for a low-mile 2017 bike? That’s a midrange-rich 896cc V-twin with rock-solid handling, proper tech (colour dash, traction, modes, ABS) and exotic air for the price of an equivalent SV650. And they sorted the 900’s build quality, too…

** Claimed * Estimated Fuelling around This is Max Deubel and Emil Horner in the ‘66 TT. Their BMW was second just 0.8 secs behind Fritz Scheidegger and John Robinson. Yes, 0.8s after 74 mins of racing. But then Scheidegger was disqualified for using Esso fuel, not Shell, so Deubel won... but the ruling was reversed three months later, the reinstated points making Scheidegger world champ. ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only Congestion cure No, not a sidecar. With a two-stroke 50cc single and handlebar steering, the Brütsch Mopetta is a three-wheel moped. Brütsch built lots of similar devices in the ‘50s, all in tiny numbers – only 14 Mopettas were made. Opel…

There are plenty of excellent riding roads in Wales, with Snowdonia in the north and the Brecon Beacons in the south. But, take your bike to either of them in summer and you’ll find out there are many, many motorhome and caravan fanciers who feel the same. But for a change of scenery from bare, windswept mountains, the Elan and Claerwen valleys in mid-Wales are a fantastic alternative, though you still find motorhomes and camper vans. These valleys are filled with five man-made reservoirs which were created between 1893 and 1953 to supply water to Birmingham, 70 miles away (in a straight line). These same valleys are now rich in wildlife and tame sheep. Ride through the wooded hills and along the sides of great stretches of deep, dark water…

‘The 1200 Tiger has always lived in the shadow of the ubiquitous BMW GS’ Triumph’s blizzard of new models continues with a radical revamp of the 1200 Tiger range of adventure bikes. Let’s be honest, they needed it. Originally introduced in 2012, the 1200 Tiger has always lived in the shadow of the ubiquitous BMW GS. If we believe Triumph, that’s changed. They reckon that the Tiger is now ‘The most capable, agile and manoeuvrable large capacity adventure motorcycle – significantly lighter than its closest competition.’ According to Triumph the new bike is 25 kilos lighter than previous versions and an impressive 17 kilos lighter than its ‘closest competition’ (that means you BMW). That weight loss has come from all aspects of the bike, but most dramatically from switching from…

‘This is no pipe dream. Backed by the world’s biggest tractor manufacturer, production starts in January’ Anglo-Indian collaboration in bike manufacture continues to surprise. Here’s the latest – a very convincing 650, shown for the first time at Motorcycle Live, Birmingham, that relaunches the BSA brand back into the global market (in which it was once the biggest player) after 50 years absence. The bike’s looks are inspired by the Gold Star model from which it also gets its name, but underneath the retro look is a modern, liquid-cooled, four-valve single that features an up to the minute Dellorto fuelling system, Continental ABS and Brembo brakes. Claimed power output is a steady, but A2 licence and Euro 5 compatible, 45bhp which should give a top speed of fractionally over 100mph.…

£1053 saving Yamaha MT-10 SP » Having noticed that their MT-10 had extended incisors, Yamaha have given the supernaked a few more horses, a posh display and questionable looks for 2022. And the SP gets the latest Öhlins semiactive suspension. All of which is super. However, Arnolds (0116 366 8358) are selling off this year’s version of the swank-tastic SP for just £13,999 – that’s a big saving over the fifteen-and-a-bit that it should cost, let alone whatever the new ’un will go for. And for most of us it’ll be just as ruddy wonderful. £2650 saving Suzuki Katana » It might not have been the hit they expected, but Suzuki were ahead of the game with the Kat’. Retros that look like bikes from the ’60s are fine, but…

The most exciting British-built bike in a decade, the £33,600 Langen Two Stroke was a sight for lockdown-sore eyes when it was unveiled in September 2020. But it was never going to work. Right? Wrong… I slide the scarlet, solid metal, killswitch to ‘on’ and thumb the starter. There’s cranking, the motor catches and the air fills with the noise and smell of, well, you know, back then. The Langen’s jewel-like, handcrafted frame, lashings of carbon and limited-edition-ness all appeal. But it’s the electronically-injected 75bhp 249cc V-twin, high-quality chassis and 115kg all-up weight that induce proper frothing. Initially I’m struck by how roomy the Two Stroke is. For such a lithe and compact-looking motorcycle, once on board it feels muscular and spacious, more akin to a middleweight roadster. Although, at…

Anyone who’s ridden a middleweight sportsbike will happily tell you that you don’t need huge power to have fun on the road and track. It’s why the Suzuki GSX-R750 is loved by those in the know, and Ducati’s baby’ superbikes; from the old 748 to the Panigale 2 the small ones are simply more entertaining than he big ones. When Ducati said they’d build a naked Panigale V2 we got excited because the current Streetfighter V4 takes itself way too seriously, and it’s not Ducati’s first naked rodeo. Their 2021 848 Streetfighter was brilliant, despite not having the willy-waving power of the 1098 version, so this modern take on the theme with the latest suspension, electronics and more power must be a sure-fire winner. And it is… Making 151bhp from…

Michelin Superfast Inflator Keeping tyres up to pressure is a pain in the arse. Or it is for a tight-arse like me who buys cheapo pumps that bend in ten minutes. So while Michelin’s Programmable Superfast inflator is overkill, it’s a joy to use. Plug into a 12v accessory socket (or a USB using a £5 adaptor), quickly set your desired pressure, and it swiftly and quietly does all the pumping. It’s also got adaptors to fit footballs and those annoying pushbike Presta valves, plus a light. My tyres have never been as well tended. List is £75, but they do smaller and less over-the-top versions. MA michelin-lifestyle.com EXPERTS IN THIS ISSUE Hugo Wilson Multi bike owner Mourning the loss of the BMW R1250RT, just as it gets cold. Chippy…

The internet is full of stories from people who’ve repaired a puncture at the roadside (over there, to the right, shows the tool you use to prepare the hole for the glue) and happily ridden on it for thousands of miles. Yet all the tyre companies say these repairs aren’t safe long term. So who’s right? ‘I’ve seen all kinds of puncture repairs,’ says professional motorcycle tyre fitter Mark Brunt of Mobile Bike Tyres. ‘The best ones are the long sticky pipe-cleaner ones – they’re the most difficult to remove when I repair the tyres properly. But would I leave one in long term? Definitely not, especially on anything quick. As you go faster the centrifugal forces expand the tyre apart which can let air past that kind of repair…

Having a bike has opened up my life, no doubt. Especially after being stuck inside in lockdown. It’s such an advantage to be able to just go and see mates, without relying on public transport or dad’s taxi. Living in a village I’m so used to waiting for a bus or asking for a lift that it’s taken a while to fully realise I can do things on my own. It’s my transport, my freedom. There’s a better view than in a car, it’s easy to park, super cheap to run, and I like feeling in control. Involved. Daily riding has really boosted my confidence, and also my road awareness. I can predict what traffic will do. Mum’s happy with me riding as well. ‘I thought I’d be a nervous…

‘Flapping steering, full suspension work-out and horrific speed. Bum-clenching’ Workshop: inspiring two-stroke capers Alex Degnes is our kind of bloke. The Norwegian wants to create the fastest 50cc bike ever and makes nitro-burning supercharged mopeds in his shed. His videos are educational, funny and often scary. This one is a full-race motor into an old rigid moped frame: ‘If it’s going to be a death trap, it needs to be a fun death trap.’ Youtube search: too much engine, too little frame Skills: it is big and it is clever I remember going to Donington Park as a kid and seeing a chap from Finland skiing behind a Z1300 in clogs and doing massive rolling burnouts. That fella was Arto Nyquist, and the stuff he could do on Kwak’s six-cylinder…

‘With styling inspired by the Ducati powered Cagiva Elefants of the 1980s and 1990s… it looks fantastic’ The current crop of gadget laden and beak equipped adventure bikes evolved gradually from the big trail bikes beloved of Dakar Rally inspired Europeans in the 1980s. First they morphed into adventure bikes, and then the adventure bikes became tourers. Now Ducati are the latest manufacturer to realise that they’ve left a place in their range for a lighter, more off-roadable bike that returns to the values of the original big-trailie: light, agile, off-roadable and with rugged good looks. The Desert X was first shown as a design exercise at the Milan show in 2020 and has now been unveiled as a 2022 model that’s due in UK dealers around May. We’re very…

Bike’s highly scientific poll of people wandering past the new Norton cafe racer prototype at the NEC bike show suggests they’ve got the styling cock-on. Everyone we interviewed loved it, with the only complaints being whether the revitalised company could be trusted, and the expected £25,000+ price. The V4CR is the first prototype to be designed, engineered and built at the new factory (see page 66) and shares all its major components with the freshly revamped V4SV superbike. That means it gets a 1200cc, 185bhp V4 engine, a hand-welded and polished aluminium frame, a swingarm machined from a single lump of aluminium and carbon fibre fuel tank. Differences include the rear subframe, which is shorter, plus of course the lack of fairing, though the carbon panels manage to cover almost…

From the wonderful to the weird, Bike’s pick of this month’s stories from the motorcycling world… The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) is a global phenomenon. The first of the annual cafe racer rides in 2012 had an impressive 3000 riders, every one of them wearing their most dapper gear. By 2019 there were 116,000 riders in 678 cities across 104 countries. Even during Covid-hit 2020 they managed 56,000. Lockdowns scuppered 2021’s mass rides but 2022 is expected to be DGR’s biggest year yet. So why has DGR become so successful? ‘I think a lot of it was “right time, right place,”’ says DGR’s founder and driving force Mark Hawwa from his home in Sydney, Australia, where he’d started a group called Sydney Cafe Racers in 2010. ‘Within a year there…

We have been working towards this for a long, long time,’ says Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Europe’s race manager, after an R1 won World Superbikes, British Superbikes, MotoAmerica, and the All Japan Championship. Despite Ducati honing their Panigale V4, BMW wading in with a new M1000RR, and Kawasaki evolving the ZX-10R, Yamaha whupped them with a bike that’s largely unchanged since 2015. The thing’s so old it hasn’t even got wings. Here’s how it did it… The base bike is solid ‘The R1 is quite a good motorcycle,’ says Andrea, understating the case somewhat. ‘Especially the latest specification that was introduced in 2020 – this immediately gave confidence to the riders. And the connection of the throttle to the torque [thanks to the crossplane crank] is very helpful for them. Also…

In a short break from the daily grind I read, this week, about a number of people who regret their lockdown purchases. And this got me thinking… Back as far as mid-January, and mid-lockdown, nostalgia for adventures past led to a shiny Tracer 700 being delivered while the snow was still laying on the ground. Was it with a sense of regret that the Tracer and I rode through the beautiful Scottish landscape? No. On a trip to the coast? Not a regret in sight. Riding out to meet a friend on a cool early autumn afternoon? Still nothing negative. So, as the mild summer evenings slowly give way to the darker nights of winter, and plans of future adventures, does regret for my lockdown purchase trouble me in the…

Service bay It’s not certain yet whether there will be a Norton dealer network in the UK: ‘With a premium modern luxury product you have to avoid having too many levels between customers and manufacturer because it dilutes the brand,’ says CEO Dr Robert Hentschel. In the meantime bikes will be serviced here, in a dedicated service bay inside the factory. Customers can watch from a viewing area. The factory This is on an industrial estate just off the M42 near Solihull in the Midlands. It’s a big old unit with enough space to produce 8000 961s a year, plus a design and R&D centre, showroom, service workshops and offices for all the staff. It’s not all high tech Reassuringly not everything is controlled by AI and measured by lasers.…

Getting my KTM 500 EXC from Portland, Maine to Iceland was surprisingly easy, logistically (Bike, December 2021). The difficult part was getting the bike from my base in Phoenix, Arizona in the American South West to Maine on the north east coast. The USA is a big country. Maine is just about as far as I could have a bike transported in the US’s lower 48 states. The shipping companies knew this and were quoting premium rates, more than to get it to Iceland. Driving it myself, in a one way rental truck, sounds like a better solution. But this worked out even costlier because of one-way drop-off fees. So it turned out that the best, most fun and affordable solution was to RIDE. Door-to-port, direct, with the help of…

CONTROLS AND BITS Early bikes (2015-16) feature switchgear that isn’t famed for ruggedness and dependability, so make sure it’s all intact and works as intended. Don’t be surprised to find an aftermarket adjustable clutch lever, as lots of owners think the standard fixed item is a bit cheapo for a premium bike. You’re likely to find uprated headlamp bulbs in earlier XRs that have non-LED lights, too. 2020-on XRs have a swanky dash, but there’s nothing amiss with the older LCD unit. UP-AND-DOWNY PARTS Ask if there’s been any warranty or recall work. There were a few niggles with the fork legs which could cause leaky fork seals, which BMW should have sorted. And obviously look for escaping fork oil, too. ESA (electronic suspension adjustment) is a popular option –…

The RT has that magical balance of steering feel and light, neutral handling’ Talking Mrs W into a long pillion ride requires some diplomacy but with the sumptuous accommodation of the BMW R1250RT LE available for the journey the odds of success increase dramatically. ‘Yes, it’ll be comfy,’ I promise with confidence and, for the coup de grace, ‘and the pillion seat is heated.’ Thursday lunchtime we stuff the panniers and prepare to climb aboard the RT for a 150 mile ride to Somerset. And it’s a promising start before turning a wheel. ‘At least it’s not stupidly tall,’ says Mrs W. She’s not a fan of having to clamber aboard adventure bikes. Then I point out the switch for the all-important heated seat. Our route takes us along the…

When you first put your entry form in to race the Dakar it feels very removed from doing the race itself. While sat at the safe and comfortable kitchen table in May/June, you fill in some data fields on the Dakar website, send Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O) 4000 euro (that’s for them to even look at your entry form) and then wait for their decision. Then in late July, they let you know if they’ll let you give them even more money by accepting or declining your entry. Fast forward five months of training, testing, fundraising and planning (those months seem to go by very fast indeed), and it soon becomes time to take everything to the boat in Marseille to go to the race in Saudi Arabia. To help…