Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i BIKE

Taking a dilapidated classic and turning it into a delicious custom is one thing, but butchering a perfectly decent example requires considerably more bravado. Sean Skinner is clearly not short of that – he chopped up a tidy 1975 Honda CB400 Four to make the bike you see here. 'I could almost hear the purists' tears hitting the ground as I thought about how I was going to cut it up,' he says. 'But that's what I do.' Mind you, the CB did already have a 466cc big-bore kit plus a hot camshaft and some light porting, so it wasn't exactly standard to start with. Plus, the end result is one of the sweetest CB customs we've ever seen. So, how did he do it? Here are Sean's nine steps…

[ Aprilia ] RS457 It's the RS250 for the modern world What's new? They say 'a new chapter in the RS saga', which makes it sound like painful mid-afternoon telly. The 457 is far more exciting than that: it's perhaps the most desirable A2-legal bike yet. Its parallel twin is smack on the A2 limit (47bhp) and is housed in an aluminium frame – with a kerb weight of 175kg, Aprilia claim the best power-to-weight in class. The RS also packs a colour TFT display, backlit switches, modes and TC. When's it coming? Aprilia won't say – mid-spring, probably. Bike's opinion? Looks like it could have some of the 'mini-superbike' air old 250s and 400s used to have. It'll be a hoot.…

What's new? Chinese firm CFMoto have a strong connection with KTM, but their new rival to the orange firm's 390 Duke isn't a rip-off. The 450NK has a twin-cylinder 46bhp engine with double balance shafts and is the first smaller-capacity unit to use a 270° crank. Expect it to feel and sound a bit like a Yamaha MT-07. The NK also has a TFT display with connectivity and navigation, plus traction control and ABS. When's it coming? Anytime now, priced £4990. Bike's opinion? Right spec, right price, and CFMoto are getting a good reputation. It'll fly.…

[ MV ] And so it's happened. MV Agusta, the legendary Italian brand that's won several thousand GP titles and is famed for exotic high-performance delicacies, has built an adventure bike. This doesn't mean rudimentary mud-plugger, oh no. This is MV, and so the new LXP Orioli is 'the world's first luxury all-terrain motorcycle'. Shown in prototype form last year, its name and styling are inspired by the Cagiva Elefant Lucky Explorers that Edi Orioli won the Dakar Rally on in 1990 and 1994. Those bikes had Ducati engines (Orioli also won for Honda and Yamaha, but let's not dwell), but the new LXP has a 931cc (81mm × 60.2mm) version of MV Agusta's inline triple with counter-rotating crank. Peak torque arrives at 7000rpm but 85% is available from 3000rpm,…

[ Inside ] 'Potato-potato' perfection The 'Sound Room', or 'Indoor Pass-By Cell', is the most striking room at Harley's PDC both visually and aurally – your ears 'pop' as you enter. Designed to be completely echo-free like a big recording studio (when Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters visited he asked to record there), its walls and ceiling are covered with V-shaped foam blocks while the floor – its only reflective surface – is isolated. Temperature is always 21°C, and there are 96 microphones placed each side of a rolling road to measure bike noise, sound, vibrations and what H-D call 'Infotainment' (think stereo). 'Noise is a big deal for the brand,' lab lead Michael Hermes says. 'We do a ton of work to ensure the look, sound and level…

Group test Pottering politely through an anonymous, quaint Lincolnshire townlet aboard the Fantic Caballero 700, a young lad on the pavement pulls out his phone and points it my way as I ride past. It takes me a minute to realise: I think he's just taken a photo. Did that really happen? I mean, that's the sort of clichéd feel-good nonsense that happens in cheesy adverts, not real life. Certainly not my life. Clearly something about the Caballero caught his eye. From the blood-red fuel tank, to the bright yellow side numberboards, all the way back to the silencer's twin slash-cut tips, the Cab definitely has a presence. One that apparently transcends motorcycle die-hards and even intrigues the general public. You don't have to know who Fantic are (Italian manufacturer,…

Group test Four scramblers, four very different flavours. That makes it tricky to state one is 'best', given every rider will have their own priorities – be it size, price, features or speed. But let's try to form some kind of hierarchy – starting with the Benelli. Externally it's the least prod-worthy, its slightly bulbous form and a smattering of budget touches making it the one that invites the fewest lingering looks on the way out of the garage. Least remarkable dynamically, too. Not necessarily the worst, but the least memorable. The engine is fine, the chassis solid, but they don't do enough to send your brain off into fantasy land. It's the most affordable, but it feels and looks it. The Fantic and Triumph sit at opposite ends of…

PRACTICAL HOOLIGAN Abundant torque, keen response and snappy gearing mean those enjoying the pillion accommodation are pleased to find proper grab handles. The rack's not huge, but it's the same height as the seat so larger loads can straddle the two. Bungee application is easy enough. SIGNAL OF INTERNET The 'T' in SMT might be for touring, but the 'GP' on the tyres shows KTM's focus is corner capers. The Michelins feel soft, gloopy, and cling like buggery during sunny tomfoolery. More of a surprise is that they grip and give confidence now it's going cold and dark. Nicely. LIKE IT WAS BEFORE… The old 990 SMT was blessed with suspension that was both comfy and composed. So is this new one. Adjustable WP forks and shock are plush, supple,…

[ Watching ] 'TT film with glorious old-school feel offers a fabulous look back at how we used to be' Fine lunchtime YouTube distraction? John Westlake picks his fave clips Skills: Walking on water » Modern tyres are ace, but if you're like me you'll take the PR guff about sticking like Bostick in the wet with a pinch of salt. But it's all true going by the activities of this Japanese ZRX rider. Competing in Motogymkhana on stone-cold rubber and in standing water, the lean angle, braking and throttle abuse are staggering. YouTube search: 20220918 ZRX1200R motogymkhana Racing: Elbows out in WSB » At a time when MotoGP can lack overtakes, come to the final World Superbike race of 2023 and enjoy a proper bun-fight. From lap 10 (where…

It was only ever a research project,' says John Mockett, one of the main men behind the Martini Yamaha XS1100. A project that gained enough momentum to enter production when Mike Hailwood, riding Yamahas (and the Sports Motorcycles NCR Ducati 860) in the 1978 TT, brought Martini money into the bike world. Martini was the aspirational drink through the 1970s. Never mind it was disgusting. British TV was awash with adverts for the stuff: 'Anytime, any place, anywhere, it's the wonderful taste you can share… the bright one, the right one, that's Martini.' Yeah, sure. Drinks giant Martini and Rossi put big money into car racing – the corporate red, black and powder blue on white always looked super strong, and here was Team Martini Hailwood with Mike The Bike…

Of all motorcycle sports, speedway seems tailor-made for electric power. Races are four laps, so range isn't an issue; the tracks are in urban areas where noise is an issue; and the ICE bikes are gearless torque monsters so it's an easy swap for riders. The machine you see here is the world's first commercial electric speedway bike, but isn't intended to replace the methanol-burning 500cc nutters the professionals ride. Instead, it's designed as a way to get more kids into the sport by making it safer and easier to practise. 'It's aimed at kids aged six to 14,' says Paul Bowen, who runs a Yorkshire pie company by day and imports the bikes from the Danish manufacturers by night. 'Because you can limit the motor's power, it'll last a…

NEW BIKES 2024 R1300GS first test 'I can't believe how little turbulence there is – a slight rustle instead of the lid-wobbling buffeting you get from tall screens. Bloody brilliant' Launch reports from the planet's sunniest corners can only tell you so much about a motorcycle like the new R1300GS. For true depth you need to ride it 800 miles down motorways, up B-roads, across towns and, in our case, through the worst of Storm Ciarán. That's when niggles blossom into teeth-grinding frustrations, and clever touches are confirmed as pure genius. 'Go to Land's End and back,' barks editor Armitage. 'Via King's Lynn to see an off-road expert. Oh, and dyno it. And take a pillion, too.' Righto… 0 MILES: Sywell, Northamptonshire: problem one Our GS is the first 1300 out…

Cheerio faithful F850GS, guten Morgen new F900GS. BMW have revamped their 'mid-size' adventure bike by slotting in the larger 895cc parallel-twin motor from the F900XR (10bhp more), redesigning the bodywork, fitting a new plastic tank (contributing to the 4.5kg weight loss) and using adjustable forks. Tweaked riding stance too, with lower 'pegs. Prices from £11,995. There's also an F800GS version (same engine, less power – 87bhp – and a slightly lower spec) at £9995, plus an F900GS Adventure with a larger fuel tank, more ground clearance and extra widgets for £12,350. It's also goodbye to the R nineT, which from now on identifies itself as the R 12 nineT. The rename lines the bike up with the R18 within the 'heritage' models. The R 12 also gets a new airbox…

Hyper' 698 Mono Most powerful single ever is a poke in KTM's eye What's new? Everything. It's Ducati's first single-cylinder motor in three decades and quite a thing. Based on the 1299 Panigale's top end and using its huge 116mm piston, the 659cc Superquadro Mono unit has its con rod offset to one side (allows one main bearing to be smaller, saving grams), the cylinder cast with the cases, and twin balancers to stop your eyes wobbling. It hits a rod-stretching 10,250rpm, has a record-setting 76bhp – and makes a wild 83bhp with a race pipe. The Hypermotard 698 has full electronics (with modes for lairy slides and wheelies) and its chassis uses fully-adjustable suspension and a mighty Brembo caliper. Weight (in 'running order minus fuel') is just 151kg. There's…

[ Royal Enfield ] RIDDEN & RATED Launching the new Himalayan 450 in the Himalayas is brave. Conditions are so far removed from your fave B-road – think oncoming trucks, suicidal overtakes, landslides, collapsed roads… Royal Enfield's first-ever watercooled bike soon proves itself, however. Despite being hindered by the altitude (10,000ft), the 452cc single-cylinder motor makes decent progress. Compared to the existing Hamalyan, torque is up from 23.6 lb.ft to 29.5 lb.ft, power leaps from 25bhp to 40bhp, and it revs harder. Peak power is 8000rpm, but its happy place is 3000-6000rpm. At 196kg wet it's no lightweight, but the RE is well balanced and suspended. The 43mm Showa forks and preload-adjustable Showa shock inspire confidence and aren't overwhelmed despite rough and unpredictable terrain. Even at speed the bike steers…

RIDDEN & RATED GSX-8R » Just as the R7 is based on Yam's naked MT-07, so the new 8R is a sportified version of the GSX-8S. There's obviously a fairing and forged clip-on 'bars, and suspension goes from KYB to Showa with big-piston forks. That's about it, though: geometry, seat height, tyres, electronics and engine are as per the naked. Might be no bad thing, of course, as the 8S is fabulous – but the 8R has some edgy (and sexy) competition. V-Strom 800RE » The new RE bridges the gap between the ace V-Strom 800DE and road V-Strom 650. Compared to the DE, it has cast wheels (19in front), lower suspension and a lower (redesigned) seat, new screen, and is 7kg lighter. Four-pot radial calipers, too. It hasn't the…

Silly sausages LEG 1 Early morning alarm to Newark services Sausages, bacon and fried eggs are essential, and if they're accompanied by mushrooms and black pudding then all the better. Oh, and beans and tomatoes, all washed down with piping hot tea (milk, no sugar). Food is my weak spot, and a hearty full English always overpowers my laughable willpower. And, of course, it always tastes much better when you've ridden out to get it. Dawn starts and a crisp, sunny trundle for brekkie are woven into the fabric of British biking. We all do it because… well, because it's a cracking excuse to spend time with like-minded idiots, riding your bikes on roads that are still quiet. For me, it's even better now we're deep into autumn as the…

Group test The past is a foreign country – they do things differently there. But that doesn't stop us looking back fondly at old holiday photos. Cherry-picked snapshots that stir up memories of carefree pleasure, simpler days and worry-free escapism. Cheerful, joyous and tinged with sentimental sepia warmth. The exact same appeal can be found in the current crop of modern European scramblers. Or, at least, scramblers from European brands. First and foremost is the updated Ducati Scrambler (built in Bologna), which breathes a touch more modernity into the funky, fashion-conscious V-twin. But nipping at its knobblies are fresh offerings from Italian siblings. There's Fantic's Caballero 700, combining rugged styling with a tried and trusted motor designed in Japan. There's Benelli, based down the road in Pesaro, whose new Leoncino…

Adventure Well, it's not every day you and your bike get blessed by a Shinto priest. Not sure about religion, never have been, but it can't hurt, can it? Especially when the chap goes to all sorts of lengths to get dressed up for the occasion, bangs a drum, sings, and then gives you a nice cup of tea. It's a blessed relief to get in out of the rain. Sheeting down in the way an island weather system can dump untold cubic metres of water down your neck for hours on end, the modest yet beautifully appointed temple is a godsend for this traveller. We, the group, are at the Urahoro Shrine on route 38, overlooking the town of the same name (population 5000), on the south‑east coast of…

Know How [ Buying ] HEY, IT'S A SINGLE… One consequence of the large-capacity single-cylinder engine is that the abrupt low-rev torque takes a heavy toll on the cush drive rubbers in the rear hub. Some owners go as far as to pack them out with cut-up pieces of old inner tube to increase their longevity. Feel for undue snatch and jerking when rolling on the throttle. Chains and sprockets get an equally hard time, and scrimping on their quality is a false economy. Look for a bike with trusted brands (or OE replacements) that's properly adjusted and lubricated (and not all gritty and mucky from trail use). Rear tyres can wear quite swiftly too, so give it a good coat of looking at. STICKING BREAKES The XT660Z suffers a common…

This issue of Bike is stuffed with fabulous new motorcycles, but none are as rare, exotic or downright lairy as this new – yep, brand spankers, built from all-new parts – Yamaha TZ750, which is up for sale at specialist dealer Lusso Veloce. 'TZ750s are just as wild as people say they are – they really do wheelie in every gear,' says Lusso boss and accomplished racer Chris Mayhew. 'I won half a dozen races on a TZ750 like this a couple of years back and frankly, it's like taking a machine gun to a knife fight. You run it in the classic 750 class and it annihilates everything. Your granny could win on it. Well, I say that, but it did break two of my ribs after sending me…

Here's a little fact to stop you in your tracks: 2023 Moto2 dominator Pedro Acosta was born when Valentino Rossi was on his way to winning his first MotoGP championship with Yamaha in 2004. MotoGP's hype machine has already anointed the 19-year-old Spaniard as the next Marc Marquez. And Acosta will still be a teenager when he makes his premier-class debut – aboard a Tech3 GasGas RC16 – next March. Not even Rossi or Marquez managed that. Wonderkids are nothing new in the MotoGP paddock, of course – the lower classes are a conveyor belt of keen teens. But Acosta has that special something, just like Rossi and Marquez. In fact, like all the greats. You see it in their riding, obviously. Then you see it in the way they…

NEW BIKES 2024 [ Bimota ] 2024 FACTOIDS Power: 197bhp Capacity: 998cc Wet weight: 230kg (est) Price: £60,000 (estimated) We know it'll be crazily expensive, and we know that the benefits of its radical design may be marginal. But for us, the new Bimota Tera was the star of the recent EICMA show. How can you not love an upright sports tourer with a blown engine and hub-centre steering? Bimota have pushed alternative front ends on their Tesi models for yonks. This latest version on the Tera still separates acceleration, braking, steering and suspension forces, and provides a degree of anti-dive, but now has a direct link from 'bars to wheel to improve feel over previous layouts. Steering lock and ride quality are also improved. Suspension is posh Öhlins, with the…

NEW BIKES 2024 [ Kawasaki ] RIDDEN & RATED Don't dismiss the new ZX-4RR as 'just' a learner-friendly A2 bike. That's exactly what it isn't. Its four cylinders may only add up to 399cc, but the Kawasaki has 76bhp. Weighing 189kg fuelled and at £9124 on the road, it wades into the middle of the modern crop of middleweight sportsbikes. We're talking Aprilia's RS660 (£9650, 99bhp, 183kg), Honda's CBR650R (£8499, 94bhp, 208kg) and Yamaha's R7 (£8910, 72bhp, 188kg). As well as the horses to trounce its iconic ZXR400 ancestor, the ZX-4RR's power‑to‑weight ratio is spicier than the Yam R7. Neat. What it doesn't have is wallop – peak torque of 29 lb.ft at 13,000rpm is 20 grunts shy of the Yam – and so it needs working. Hard. The RR's engine…

What's new? This is the ace V100 Mandello – our 2023 Bike of the Year – with wellies on. Actually, it's more than that. Suspension has an extra 40mm of wheel travel each end (170mm) and chunkier 46mm forks mount a larger 19in front wheel. Aero is tweaked, there's a larger and adjustable screen, tank size grows to 21 litres, and there's radar front and rear for the riding aid gubbins. Wet weight climbs from 233 to 246kg (that'll be the extra gas). When's it coming? Spring, hopefully. Bike's opinion? Potent adventure-tourist for those who find its V85 TT sibling a bit too… well, Guzzbox. (There's a new cast-wheel V85 entry model as well, called the Strada. Choices, choices.)…

What's new? The name and, erm, the colours. OK, maybe we're being snooty. Apologies. We actually like the new 350. It's based on the existing Classic 350, and shares the 'J-series' 349cc air-cooled 20bhp motor (also used in the sales-success Meteor), simple cradle frame and basic but entirely suitable suspension. However, the tank, seat and other details replicate the Bullets that were the mainstay of the firm's range… well, forever. When's it coming? It's in dealers now; prices start at £4629. Bike's opinion? We're all suckers for nostalgia, and it didn't seem right when Enfield canned the last Bullet in 2020. If you'd like a modest wee Enfield for chuffing about breezily on then surely you'd go for the Bullet over a Meteor or Classic. Every time.…

No flashy futuristic technicolour TFT display. No multi‑purpose Bluetooth connectivity featuring integrated sat-nav guidance. No scrolling bar graph rev counter. No rev counter at all, in fact. Take your eyes off the road to glance down at the Triumph Scrambler 900 and all you'll find is – get this – a circular dial, containing a needle pointing at some numbers. The mind-boggling minimalism of it all. Wherever do those Hinckley folk get their crazy ideas from… Oh, all right, if you want to be picky a little LCD insert can show a fuel gauge, a gear position indicator, two selectable trips, real-time and average mpg… and switchable traction control… and, cough, a digital rev counter. But let's ignore all that for now because I'm clumsily scrabbling towards making a point.…

Group test Buy a used Benelli Mojave 360 Want a Pesaro bike tha You need the late-60s s » The model was only made from 1967-69 for the US market, to comply with AMA enduro regs. They crop up in Europe, though. » Not many were built, and parts are rare. Luckily there are reproduction items now being made. » Yellow ones are faster… honestly. This could be the bargain dark horse (or, err, baby lion) of our foursome. Benelli's Leoncino 800 Trail is not only the least-expensive bike here, it also has a very promising spec sheet. The motor is the most powerful. It's the only bike here with twin front brake discs. Its rear shock has the only damping adjuster to be found among the group. Wheels use…

Honda could have revived the CB500T, but that would not have gone well. Smartly, they opted for a 'multi' – ie, a four-pot engine that didn't behave like an emasculated jackhammer. And the 1140cc CB is the most refined air-cooled four they've ever built. Its numbers aren't huge (83bhp), but they're not meant to be. This is a bike for wafting you sweetly over a ton, then drifting back to a comfy 80mph in as much luxury as any naked retro permits. Asymmetrical cam timing lowers dynamic compression on the middle pots to reduce temperature. Cool, eh? The chassis works, finish is delectable, and you'll stand out in a sea of twins. From £4k…

Axxis Storm SV modular helmet Used for: four months Price: £129.99 Info: axxis-helmets.com » Let's start with not-quite-so-dandy bits. This example's matt black finish is a swine to clean. On a (rare) hot day the vents struggle a tad and you're aware there's no brow vent, and if I'm being picky, the lining isn't very good at wicking away the resulting sweat. But all else with the Storm SV is good. The seat belt-style fastening is easy to use, the chin bar drops down and locates with a pleasing clunk, and the visor clicks down into place with a reassuring click, too. The vents in the chin and on top are easy enough to use with a gloved hand, and so is the drop-down sun visor which has its lever-switch-thing…