Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i BIKE

Bike Issue 598 January 2023 Contact us: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk or 01733 468099 facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine My memory isn't what it used to be, but certain recollections from my early biking years remain vivid. And they all include four letters: GSX-R. My friend Leslie was the first to get a proper big bike and his late-eighties 750 was the fastest thing ever. There was a fella in Hathern who used to do bum-clenching wheelies by the King's Arms on his 750M, and another mate had a hairy 1100 with cut-down exhausts that sounded like a Lancaster in a nose dive. And my 600 taught me all I know about handling, lean angle and making sparks on roundabouts. So it's sad to learn there won't be a Suzuki GSX-R next year (the 125 isn't…

5 BIKES THAT REALLY MATTER THIS MONTH [CUSTOM] FAIRINGS All carbon fibre, made from moulds Carl created after shaping the bike in clay. There are no mirrors to mess up the look-tiny cameras feed a rear view onto a screen in the dash. ENGINE 865cc big bore by Hallam Cycle Works -famous for making Enfield speed record engines-with exotic throttle bodies from Revelry Cycles. Power is yet to be tested: 'expect 70-80bhp,’ says Carl. Standard bikes make 44bhp. CHASSIS Forks are from a 2015 Suzuki GSX-R600, held by custom machined yokes. Rear shock is Öhlins, wheels are Excel. Frame is standard. WEIGHT The bike is 172kg, which is 30kg lighter than standard. 'I couldn't believe how heavy the original mufflers were,’ says Carl. 'They were 15kg each!’ 'With a retro you…

Save £300 Suzuki GSX-S950 Yes it's not the biggest saving and, you're right, it's pretty much the same as the GSX-S1000 (two stops to the right). But, despite the ‘950’ designation, this GSX-S has the same engine as its bigger brother but it's electronically restricted to 93.7bhp to make it eligible to be further restricted and become A2 compliant. The chassis is a little more basic but in 94bhp trim it's fine, and Robinsons of Rochdale's £300 discount sees the price drop from £10,299 to just £9999. Is there a more tempting pre AND post A2 prospect? Save £2200 Kawasaki ZH2 If discounts are a guide, Kawasaki's supercharged H2 clan is a damp squib. Which will puzzle anyone who's ridden one, and is great news if you want a blower…

True story regarding a bike icon we've recently lost: it was the late 1970s and I'm on the latest and fastest', a Suzuki GSlooo. I felt like the king of the road, and normally was. But one day an unusual looking bike joins me on a spirited, several mile ride, reaching some ‘interesting’ speeds. I had no idea what this noisy creation was but I noticed it was fully faired. After a short while the rider clearly got bored with my pace, out-braked me massively into a turn and was gone. With a spine-tingling scream I will never, ever, forget. Ten minutes later I see the bike and rider in a filling station and pull in, fascinated to find out what the bike was and who was riding it. There…

M1000RR if looks could kill then the new M100RR could slay everything else in any race, or indeed on any trackday. The race homologation version of the S1000RR sportsbike (higher-revving and more tunable 209bhp engine) gets loads of aerodynamic revisions for 2023. A new, taller, carbon fairing (on carbon mounts) covers more of the engine while redesigned wings increase downforce - from 16.3kg to 22.6kg at 186mph which is clearly essential. As well as pushing the RR down harder into your favourite B-road bend the new aero increases top speed from 190 to 195mph. Go for the M Competition version and you'll get carbon wheel covers to lower air resistance above 155mph, and black paint. Buy your M1000RR from April, £30,940. M1000R BMW have taken their already feisty 162bhp S1000R,…

1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller The first mass-production bike and the first tagged ‘motorcycle’ used a paralleltwin engine. Its 1489cc water-cooled motor made a mighty 2.5bhp at just 240rpm. 1934 Triumph 6/1 Intended to be used with sidecars, Triumph's first twin was 649cc and made just 25bhp. It was a commercial flop but set the direction for British engine development for the next 40 years. 1966 Kawasaki W1 In the early 1960s Kawasaki merged with Megura who made bikes based on the BSA A7 parallel twin. This evolved into the first proper Kawasaki which boasted 624cc and 48bhp. It was called the W1. 1969 Yamaha XS1 Yamaha started making motorcycles based on German DKWs. Their first own-design was the parallel-twin YD-1 two-stroke and the first four-stroke was also a parallel twin,…

Goodbye GSX-R VALUE NOW £3500 - £7000 1986 Suzuki GSX-R1100 1052cc inline four 125bhp 196kg (dry) All these years later I can still vividly remember opening up the original big GSX-R for the first time – and instantly realising that the brutally powerful four that would star on Bike's May '86 cover outclassed every previous superbike. It's 1052cc engine made 10bhp more then the previous GSX1100 yet the bike weighed 41 kilos less, giving a wild power-to-weight ratio. My race bike, nicknamed Tyson after the boxer, finished 14th in the Le Mans 24 Hours and made the September '87 cover – bolted to a sidecar. Roland Brown VALUE NOW £3250 - £5500 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 999cc inline four 175bhp 166kg (dry) The GSX-R1000 was a star from the moment of…

£8500 Ducati 350 SCR Ducati's revived Scrambler family is to the Italian brand what ‘modern classic’ Bonnevilles are to Triumph. Retro, fashionable, big-selling… but just not as cool as the originals. Built from 1962, Scramblers were off-road style bevel-drive singles and today make hugely-desirable (and usable) urban tools. This late 350 SCR is typically enticing. Recently restored and a feast of upright alloy and chrome, the thrummy 27bhp single is light, delicate and manageable. It's also been reduced, and when even the cheapest new Scrambler Icon Dark costs £8195 it becomes a proper option. £22,500 ‘76 Benelli 750 SEI Another iconic Italian brand that's back in business thanks to the Chinese. They're building modest machines, so maybe they should look closer at their bonkers past. The 1974 750 Sei may…

Forma Jasper HDry £199.99 sportsbikeshop.com These have gone up in my estimation since wearing them when I ran over my foot during a comedy Harley/pegdown/U-turn incident. Until then I'd been suspicious of the Forma's light weight compared with my old BMW touring boots, and questioned whether the protection was up to much. I can now say it is, certainly in terms of stopping your ankle twisting under the weight of a Nightster. They've been waterproof so far and are moderately warm. Obviously they're as visually appealing as dog vomit, but touring boots are. Fastback 2 Drystar £179.99 aipinestars.com I prefer riding in boots like these nowadays. They're not ultraprotective, but they're sturdy and I love how comfy they are, on and off the bike. Astars do similar ankle height versions,…

Britain for Bikers Simon Weir is Bike's route expert, and so he should be having just written Britain for Bikers. With ultra-clear A-Z mapping and roadbook-style directions (or GPX files at simonweir.co.uk) this spiralbound A5 book is designed to slip into a tankbag. This particular route isn't included and can instead be found on Simon's super helpful website. I learnt to ride in Norfolk but left when I was 18, moving to London for college and not going back. Well, obviously I visited a lot, but moving back to the county after 30 years I've found I still enjoy a lot of the same places – especially along the North Coast. What I also found is that this area, always busy in summer, is even worse with tourist traffic now.…

I'm making a decent recovery after my crash at the Manx Grand Prix. I'm going to Liverpool to have my back checked over and hopefully be told everything's OK. But my broken wrist isn't healing so I've got to have bone grafted from my hip, and all the broken ribs are a nightmare. They take so long to fix and I've got seven of them – last night was the first time I've slept in a bed for 12 weeks, rather than on a chair. Franco's a lot younger than me and so the little finger he broke at the Thruxton BSB round sorted itself a little quicker. He still had to miss Cadwell and Snetterton which he really didn't like, but with a fixator on the outside after his…

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Best for keen teens Kawasaki Ninja 300 If you're 17 or 18 and want to try racing, the Kawasaki is the bike to get. It's probably the strongest bike at this size, a proven championship winner, and there's just loads of progression – you can do trackdays, ride at club level, then move to BSB and even WSB support classes. Have a go in your 20s Suzuki SV650 Minitwins is great for folk in their 20s or 30s with a bit of experience, and the SV is the bike. The class is an easy place to start, and the bike's very reliable and affordable. You'll get a good racer for £3k. Kwak's ER-6 is faster with tuning, but the SV's better when you're starting out. Middle-age capers Honda CB500 You're…

New bikes versus our dyno, scales and datalogger Maybe our K1600GT had a bit of a cold, as it looks a bit sniffly high up the revs. Top-end fireworks don't matter on a tourer though, and big torque right off idle is why the K16 feels great to ride. 100 lb.ft at 3000rpm? Amazing.…

Not yet ready for the switch to fully electric power? Then Kawasaki's HEV should help. Though there are hybrid scooters – Honda has a hybrid PCX – this is the world's first hybrid motorcycle. Based on (we think) the Ninja 400 paralleltwin, the HEV also carries batteries and has an electric motor, allowing the rider to switch between petrol and electricity. So you can silently sneak out the sleepy housing estate using battery power early on a Sunday morning, and then let rip with internal combustion in the sticks. At time of going to press Kawasaki had just slipped the covers off the bike so details were vague, and it's still a prototype. However, they say it's destined for the 2024 model range. Reason enough to be excited… And Kawasaki…

I f you're drinking drat it reminds you of a Harley-Davidson Sportster then you're not alone. H-D's laid-back 883 and 1200 twins were huge sellers across Europe and the firm's most popular models in the UK, and their discontinuation has left a gaping hole in die market. And now along comes die new Royal Enfield 650 Super Meteor: an air-cooled ‘true-blue highway cruiser’ with a sculpted-out seat, feet-forward controls, Eighties-tastic mag wheels and more than a passing resemblance to certain American iron of yore. Someone at Enfield is very switched on. There's further logic behind this new model. RE's Meteor 350 is a staggering success and their Interceptor 650 is constantly at the sharp end of the best-sellers table, so a bike styled like the former with the flexible drive…

Small torque wrench Most torque wrenches are designed for cars and therefore, like most car mechanics, are large and crude. For bikes you'll get far more use out of something small, covering torques from around five to 50 lb.ft and using a 3/8in drive so it fits most of your sockets without an adaptor. The only bolts I use a whacking great automotive torque wrench for on my Triumph Sprint are wheel nuts, the front sprocket nut and some of the frame bolts. Everything else is covered by this, from Williams (which seems to have gone – Norbar do a similar one). It's beautifully simple, with a push through head (ie, you don't change the direction of the mechanism – just click the drive shaft through to the other side).…

Hoisting a controlled wheelie is really good fun. However, it is also illegal. There is no offence as such of ‘pulling a wheelie’ but it encompasses all the elements of dangerous driving while being a deliberate act which hugely reduces your control, braking and forward vision. Well, a decent wheelie does. Outraged police So, if you are written up for a proper wheelie expect an outraged police class 1 motorcyclist to be explaining to a bench of sour-faced magistrates how you have deliberately compromised your braking, steering and vision to show off. Not good. The harsh reality of all this is a 12 month mandatory ban, a hefty fine and compulsory extended retests for all classes of licence after your ban. Worse still, if you hurt someone in the process…

Who you callin’ chicken? With the Gold Star now launched and new dealers signed up, what next for revived BSA? Unfortunately we wouldn't count on a new version of the Rocket III. A triple's probably beyond them yet, the original's styling (by the folk who did the Raleigh Chopper, Bond Bug and Bush radio) was widely reviled and Triumph might have something to say about the name. Our money's on a 250 or 350 Bantam single to take on Enfield's Meteor. ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only Grandpa of the RC30 Honda's first homologation special happened way back in 1980. The CB1100RB was built for the Castrol Six Hour at Australia's Amaroo Park.…

[ Watching ] 'Racing on what can only be described as inappropriate vehicles’ Racing: baggers In last month's issue our own Mat Oxley chatted to racing hero and finger missing legend Jeremy McWilliams about life, going sideways and why he is still winning at the age of 58. If you've never heard of, or seen, bagger racing then check out Jezza at Daytona on what can only be described as inappropriate racing vehicles. Youtube search: MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Race 2 highlights at Daytona Bonkers: mini Motocompo, big power My Honda Motocompo turned 40 this year. – the joys of free road tax and no more MoT stations are mine to enjoy forever more. With the rake and trail of a flamingo's leg my folding ped can be…

Find something solid Chain your pride and joy to something immovable. The heaviest and highest-rated chain in the universe is pretty much useless if it's just threaded through a wheel on a parked bike – a couple of well-built scumbags will drag your bike into the back of their (obviously stolen) van before anyone realises what's cracking off. Don't do the obvious Got a trellis frame, tube swingarm or exposed subframe? Consider threading your chain around one of these parts, rather than through the wheel. If the ne'er-do-wells are desperate for your motorcycle they'll sacrifice a front wheel (they can get it out in a couple of minutes) and drag the rest away to be stripped for its valuable parts. Make it difficult Get your significant other to hold a…

1 John Westlake Ex-editor Westlake scours the planet, as he does every month, for the five bikes that really matter. From customs, to vintage, to V6s and trackday tackle. The five bikes that matter, page 08 2 Martin Fitz-Gibbons Ex-Bike staffer MFG gets to grips with the avalanche of 2023 new bikes. It's a great year for fresh metal, carbon, rubber. And what about those twins…? 2023 new bikes, page 36 3 Jamie Turner Among many amazing things happening with new bikes in 2023 is the emergence of the twin as the rising engine format. Fascinating. Professor Turner investigates. The technology of twins, page 57 4 Mat Oxley Bike's resident frequent flyer and pitlane correspondent takes time with Mr Overtake himself, Brad Binder. So how exactly do you do it Brad? The Oxley…

From the wonderful to the weird, Bike's pick of this month's stories from the motorcycling world… Since 1995, 31 other road racing clubs have gone out of business,’ says Dave Stewart, who recently decided to close Thundersport GB after 15 years. ‘Now there are only ten clubs left.’ For anyone interested in racing at any level these are shocking figures. Club racing isn't just an entertaining weekend for those who can afford to do it, it's been the start-point for every successful British racer from Sheene to Toseland to Crutchlow. And, according to Dave, it's in a terrible state. Part of the problem is costs. From being a cheap form of motorsport, almost all club racing is now expensive. ‘When 1 was running Bemsee [one of the biggest and oldest…

After what must have been a disappointing season in British Superbike on a Ducati Panigale V4 R, Yorkshireman Tom Sykes is heading back to World Superbike next year – and he's back on his beloved Kawasaki ZX-10R. Thirty-eight-year-old Sykes won the WSB championship on a green machine back in 2013, and holds the record for the most pole positions in the class's history. He'll be riding for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, who have a rigorous testing schedule planned – including time in a wind tunnel. ‘With a rider of his calibre, our goal can only be the top five,’ said team gaffer Manuel Puccetti. Not winning, then?…

As Bike was being bundled to the printers another new Honda (see page 42) rumbled into view. This is the CMX1100T Rebel. The ‘T’ stands for Touring, the new version of the 1100 having hard luggage with hinged lids and 35 litres of space (16 in the right side, 19 in the left), plus a half-fairing. Well, that's what Honda call it, though it's more of a generous screen. Paperclipped to the back of info about the Rebel was also news of an electric scooter. Honda have sold batterypowered scoots in Japan for a while, but the EM 1 e: (catchy name) is the first electric machine for Europe. It's got a swappable battery for indoor charging and does about 25 miles on a charge.…

Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA Telephone 01733 468099 Email: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine In 2017 I rode nny Tuono to the Aprilia factory in Noale, Italy. I'd ridden there via Nordkapp, Norway so reckoned I deserved a works tour at least. But the man on the gate told me they were closed for holidays and to piss off. As I sobbed into my sleeve and turned to go a lovely PR woman called Sofia walked by, saw my sad face, and told me to come back the next day. The next morning I got a unique one off, one-person tour of the Race Development Labs, conducted by Aprilia's Deputy Chief of Racing. I got to stroke ex-GP bikes from the likes of Rossi, Bradl and Biaggi. I got…

Street fighter V4 SP2 Can you have too much of a good thing? Ducati think not as the racy Streetfighter V4 is sharpened further, including chassis tweaks from the Panigale (higher swingarm pivot, more supportive tank),updated quickshifter and modes, and a revised dash. Then there's the new SP2 model. As well as Öhlins suspension identical to the Panigale's, it has flash Brembos, carbon rims and a dry clutch. £30,751 on the road. Multistrada V4 Rally More comfort, greater range, less thirsty, easier to move. Who'd not want all that? The Rally's revised seats, larger screen, better footpegs and vast 30-litre tank have clear benefits. But we're just as intrigued by rear cylinders that shut down on the move (as well as at idle, like a regular Multi’), and electronic suspension…

I remember that the late, great John Robinson once wrote something along the lines of ‘Ask an engineer to design an engine, and he'll come up with something with the best state of balance and as close to even-firing as he can – he just can't help himself.’ This is true, and very much along those lines it's the reason why I like 90° V-twins and Boxers. As an engine obsessive I like the way they both provide excellent balance without having to resort to using balance shafts*. But while they look good one needs to accept that they are not so good for packaging - all those pipes running all over the place, the more complicated induction run, the impact on gearbox placement. And here we are now with…

He's Bike's new editor now so we have to be nice about him. A man who knows his tools, especially torque wrenches. He does wheelies so he knows about mingers and the law. It's been a year of ups and downs for Bike's resident racer. Bike's route expert heads back to his Norfolk roots. Saying goodbye to our long-term test Kwak Z650RS. He likes it.…

A racing slick is the stickiest rubber you can fit to your trackday bike. True, but only if you can lap as fast as racer. If you're a mere mortal you'll never exploit their potential and unless the compound you've chosen matches the track conditions those expensive slicks won't last long. Racing tyres also degrade through heat cycles, need to be baked in tyre warmers before they work properly and are sensitive to pressure. Trackday tyres, such as Metzeler's latest Racetec TD Slick, make more sense. They're near-as-makes-no-difference as grippy as a racing tyre and can be used from cold. They work in a wide range of track temperatures and Metzeler say they can be turned to even out the wear, too, I've tried them on my S1000RR racer and…

ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES BLUE = Available just on iPad RED = Available on iPad and Android ORANGE = Available in print only Sheene's passes away One of the sadder auction lots sold at the recent Stafford show was a collection of press passes used by Barry Sheene, who died in 2003. Put up for sale by the Sheene family, there's no more powerful symbol of the world champion's later media career. Pitlane and trackside passes for the GP, WSB and F1 events he commentated on for Australian TV were included, all with authentic wear and tear. The lot sold for £1657. We'll have a Stag… Triumph motorcycles expanded into cars back in 1923, and built the Herald, Dolomite and Spitfire. Sadly it can't happen again… well, unless BMW decide…

John Doe Explorer jacket Used for: three months Price: £332 Info: ridejohndoe.com This too-cool-for-me jacket has full AAA certification. Impressive, but nowt new. But then you feel how light and comfy it is and wonder quite how they've done it. It's made of soft cotton twill but lined with something called XTM Fiber, an abrasion-resistant material which, along with the discreet armour, means high levels of protection if you take a tumble. It includes what they call Coolmax so it is breathable, too. It's not an all-year-round jacket – there's no thermal liner or waterproof membrane, though a snug weave and a beeswax coating mean it's shower-proof. I like that the long arms don't ride up, and the large poppers, discreet branding, vertical zip on the inside pocket (easier to…

December WHY GO? What better way to feel good about yourself than riding to your local hospital carrying toys for kiddies who'll be spending Christmas on the children's ward? Also, there's something curiously life affirming about riding round dressed like a twot for a good cause. WHERE? There are festive toy runs all over the country in December (Google will supply your nearest), but check the details first – some hospitals have lists of toys they need, and prefer them unwrapped. And obviously don't just pitch up at the children's ward unannounced with an air rifle and a drum kit strapped to the back of your Ducati. They tend to take a dim view of that, even if you are dressed as an elf. HOW MUCH? Just the cost of…