Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2016 i BIKE

>> Obviously we are very excited about new bikes in this issue because there are a lot of new bikes to get very excited about. The jammy journalists at Bike have been to nine foreign launches. It’s a tough job (he lied). But it’s not just foreign launches; Bike got the first UK ride on a Triumph Tiger Explorer, and we watched one being put together in the Hinckley factory. At Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground we conducted the first independent performance and power tests of the upgraded Kawasaki ZX-10R. On the roads (and runways) around Peterborough we did a group test that included the brand new Triumph Speed Triple and KTM 1290 Super Duke SE and in Lincolnshire and Rutland we got a sunny ride on the BMW R nineT Sport.…

‘The engine was a mess and took a lot of sorting out’ THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION of heroic restoration stories, the Classic Bike of the Year competition – organised by Classic Bike magazine and sponsored by Godin Sporting Cars and Motorcycles and Bonhams auctioneers – is the Premiership, world cup and grand slam of concours restoration and specials building. Put to the public vote via email and in person at the Carole Nash MCN Bike Show, Excel, London this year’s top ten bikes were sensational. And, with the ink barely dry on the last voting form, we can reveal the winner of this year’s 1000 guineas top prize – plus limitless fame and bragging rights – is Doncaster’s very own Glyn Goddard and his exquisite Triton. Accepted Triton practice dictates a…

‘It’ll be a sad day for speedway and there’s little sign of Coventry’s Bees finding a new home’ Abbey Stadium, Swindon >> There’s little glamorous about the stadium, but the track itself is a great stage for racing. It’s also going to be ripped up to make way for a housing development in 2016 so this is set to be the Abbey’s last season of sideways action after 67 years of shale spraying. It’s the longest track in the top tier of British league speedway and the high speeds alone make it worth the trip. And if the surface is right expect the Swindon Robins riders to turn local knowledge into spectacular overtaking moves. Go now before the Abbey is torn down and replaced by a smaller, more functional stadium…

TRIPLETASTIC Triumph’s beefy 1215cc inline-three isn’t short of torque or character. This year’s bike is still tweaked for looming Euro 4 emission regulations. This gives it a couple of extra horses (claimed 137bhp – we tested the previous one at 111bhp at the wheel) and 1.5 extra grunts of torque, plus reduced emissions and improved fuel economy. GRIP AND SLIP There’s a new torque-assist clutch. The design has ramps that give a servo effect. Under acceleration it effectively pushes the plates together, meaning the clutch can use lighter springs and give your left hand an easier time. With deceleration the plates naturally move apart for a slipper action, for chatter-free downshifts from high revs. FRESH FRONT-END Used on both XR and XC variants, the new WP forks are fatter than…

IF ONE MORE person says ‘Gladys’, I’ll kick their bike over. Yes, the SFV650 Gladius had divisively futuristic styling and a cringeworthy ‘Candy Red’ (ahem, pink) colour option. But it’s ironic that some who mocked the Gladius’ supposed femininity immediately thought of gladioli rather than the sword after which it was actually named. Because the Gladius was blooming great. It was my second bike, gorgeous V-twin growl at the wrist, waspish black-and-lime scheme casting invisibility over any bikes parked alongside. Allegedly the engine was so admired by rival Yamaha engineers that they considered it the one to beat when designing their MT-07. But despite impressive performance, disappointing sales have forced Suzuki to redesign the machine. 140 new components and a revived name – SV650 – and here we are. Suzuki…

UNTIL NOW, A2 licence holders could buy a bike fitting the 35kW (47bhp) rule, or a larger machine fitted with a restrictor. They could then remove the restriction after their A2 years. However, new European legislation next year means A2 bikes can’t be restricted versions of gruntier machines and must leave the factory making no more than 47bhp. Enter the new MT-03. Built in Indonesia in the factory that also puts together the R3, the two bikes are basically the same. Chassis and engine are identical except for some fairing mounting points, and the R3’s clip-ons are replaced by a top yoke-mounted handlebar placing grips 39mm higher, 19mm closer and 40mm further out. That’s it. Body position is upright and comfortable, but legs are at the same supersport angle as…

>> As well as Montesa, several other European off-road manufacturers are exploring the idea of models that straddle the worlds of trials, trail and enduro. They’re ideal for green lanes, and perfect for off-road novices. Sherco 290 X-Ride £4999 >> Spanish firm Sherco’s X-Ride has been around for a couple of years but follows a similar set of rules as the 4Ride: trials bike basically with a built-up seat and bigger brakes. Uses a two-stroke engine. sherco.com KTM Freeride 350 £6499 >> We couldn’t not compare the 4Ride with the Freeride – KTM’s. For anyone who wants a green lane bike that’ll do a bit more, though it’s a less capable trials bike than the Montesa or Sherco. There’s also a two-stroke version. ktm.com Beta 300 XTrainer £5400 >> A…

>> The revised Yamaha FJR 1300 and new KTM 1290GT add to an already crowded sports tourer market place. If you want to combine big distances with a really engaging road riding experience this where to be. THE CLASS LEADER BMW R1200RS >> Instant punch from the big-balled boxer, the handling to wade in on a trackday, allied with comfort, efficiency and seemingly endless options. Not as sporty as a KTM 1290 GT, and not as touring as a Triumph Sprint GT. Ideal middle ground. From £11,065. DON’T OVERLOOK Honda VFR1200F >> The VFR is refined, classy and long-legged, with secure handling and a great ride quality. Don’t let its lack of electronic widgets put you off – it’s a massively underrated. Base model is listed at £12,999, but you’ll…

Adjustable high screen, £150 >> 53mm taller, 55mm wider, and with 12.4° of angle adjustment. Takes 20 minutes to fit, and the mechanism bolts straight on – some 800s (XRx, XRT) have this adjustment as standard. Weather protection improved considerably. Expedition panniers, £690 >> Every serious adventure bike needs aluminium panniers, yes? The top-opening waterproof cases are lockable, have removable lids, and come in bare aluminium or black. They don’t just clip on though, and a mounting kit is another £250. Gulp.…

Honda Africa Twin Pros: looks, sounds, feels pukka. Purring yet punchy twin, refined suspension, and enough bells-and-whistles without being tackily flashy. Cons: questionable pillion comfort... but little else. Price: from £10,499 PCP deal: £2155 deposit, £115 for 36 months, final payment £5414. Total £11,719. BMW F800GS Pros: rugged and able in the dirt, amazingly frugal, has endless options... and got the right name on the side. Cons: less touring friendly, not as smooth, costs more if you match the Tiger’s spec. Price: from £8850 PCP deal: £1990 deposit, £99 for 35 months, final payment £4362. Total £9518. Suzuki V-Strom Pros: cheap yet with decent standard spec, 998cc V-twin out-grunts 800s, solid and robust, and not ‘another’ GS... Cons: as trendy as corduroy flares, not as able off-road, less attractive residuals.…

‘Progress became slow and dangerous – I kicked my way through drifts here and slithered on hard packed snow there’ IT WAS LATE 1967 and I was a 19-year-old student, bored and full of late-teen angst. My year consisted of six months at Rugby College of Engineering Technology and six months working in the electronics industry. Then leafing through The MotorCycle magazine one week I saw mention of the forthcoming Elefant Rally at the Nürburgring. I knew the event had been started by Ernst Leverkus post-war and was aimed at bringing together the relatively few motorcycle enthusiasts around at that time. I’d never considered I might attend, but it looked like my sort of thing. I decided this would be my winter project. My motorcycling friends of the time were…

‘The big 450 is a blistering bike… and it makes a lovely trail bike’ This month: Husqvarna FE450 Other bikes ridden: Triumph Tiger 800XCx Hours ridden: 6.5 I’M NOT THE FASTEST RIDER off-road, neither am I phased by much – if things get technical it is still part of the course so a bike must be able to do it, therefore I can do it. It sounds arrogant but it’s not – I’ve done enough riding of bikes in my life to know what I can and can’t do. I’m not slow either but I don’t mind riding slow for a half minute if I’m bloody tired. Sod it, sometimes I even stop. At an event such as the Michelin Tough One, quite likely Britain’s toughest extreme enduro, I have…

This month: Yamaha XSR700 Other bikes ridden: Ducati Hypermotard, Triumph Tiger Miles ridden: 1406 KEY AMONG OUR XSR700’s charms is a lack of mass. Slim, trim, at only 186kg fuelled it weighs the same as a Honda NC30, a bike noted for un-bloatedness. It slices cities, dances down B-roads. It’s also easy to push out of a cluttered shed, through a narrow gate, down my garden path and tuck past the wife’s car. Especially using the moving technique a dealer with a jam-packed showroom once showed me: >> Put bike on sidestand. Straddle front wheel, light against belly, hold ’bars, lift bike upright. >> Move it as required by pushing backwards. With the bike vertical it needs little to hold up, so effort and concentration are used avoiding obstacles. Lean…

John Westlake Contributor >>I’m deeply intrigued by the new Thruxton. Can something so damn handsome really satisfy old sportsbike riders? If so, I’m in. Martin Fitz-Gibbons Contributor >>I’d love to ride KTM’s 1290 Super Duke GT – just so long as it really does live up to its promised fusion of usefulness and silliness. Mike Armitage Deputy Editor >>Always had a soft spot for SVs. The perky new blighter on p87 looks like reinforcing ‘not what you ride but how you ride it’.…

Price cut by 34% KTM RC125 >> They don’t make little bikes like they used to. Except, of course, they do. The KTM is a proper sharp-handling 125 that looks the part, will do 80mph and can give 100mpg. The RRP is £4549, but Fowlers (fowlersktm.co.uk, 0117 977 0466) will flog you (or your off-spring) one for £2999. You see used bikes for sale at £800 more than that... Big bike tiny cash Yamaha XJR Racer >> It was a new model only last year but that isn’t deterring CMC Motorcycles (cmcbikes.com, 01246 860046) from punting out non-ABS models of the Racer version of Yam’s XJR1300 for £7989 on the road. That means the creamy 1251cc inline four with twin Öhlins shocks and on-trend styling for a saving of £1825.…

‘It’s probably one of the least explored corners of the planet’ >> Where are you now? Roing, a town in the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh, India’s most north-easterly state. >> What’s the plan? To spend two and a half months exploring Arunachal Pradesh, a wild and inaccessible region between Tibet, Burma and Bhutan at the eastern edge of the Himalayas. It was closed to foreigners from 1950 up until the late 1990s and is still subject to permits and military restrictions. It’s an incredibly remote region and is probably one of the least explored corners of the planet. My journey is taking me about 3000 miles from the dense tiger-riddled rainforests and opium clad hills of the east, to the snowy peaks of Tawang in the west. At times…

In tassels we trust I am a born again biker and I love it! It was my 16th birthday when I first rode legally on my Garelli Monza 50cc, it had a full fairing and I had rebuilt it myself, the year was 1978. I was done for speeding by a bike cop on that first day. Flat on the tank in a 30 mile an hour zone he pulls up alongside me, smiles and shouts, ‘pull over’. He looked at my licence, wished me happy birthday and booked me, said he was doing me a favour and hoped it would teach me a lesson. Thanks. My mum was furious. I had to go to the magistrates court and she had to come along as I was still classed as…

Ducati Hyperstrada £11,331 >> According to the words of Ducati’s product marketing manager, Paul Ventura, the new 939 line-up is ‘one family with three characters’. The Hypermotard is the sporty roadster and ‘perfect urban assault bike’ that’s intended to be fun wherever you ride it. The SP version is the track-ready, high-spec performance one. And if you’re after more practicality and a bike better suited for racking up miles, there’s this – the also-new Hyperstrada 939. Just as with the previous model, the Hyperstrada is the supermoto-style version with adornments designed to make it easier to live with. And so the ’strada comes with decent size screen, panniers with 50 litres of stashing space, a centrestand and 12v power sockets. There’s less of the up-in-the-clouds feel of the other Hypers…

>> The F700 is available in two versions, the base model at £7185 and the more highly equipped Rallye model, that we rode, at £8275. Both bikes use the same 798cc parallel twin cylinder engine from the F800, but different management software reduces power and torque; claimed power is 77bhp @ 7300rpm, while peak torque is delivered at 5300rpm. The chassis is more road-focussed than the 800GS: it has a 19-inch front wheel, less suspension travel and a narrower handlebar. The seat height is lower too; there are four different seats giving heights of 790-860mm, plus a low suspension option that drops it further to 765mm. The Rallye model comes with handguards, heated grips, onboard computer, centrestand and pannier fittings. And it has the white body panel/red frame/black wheels that…

>> Let’s see now: Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Moto Guzzi, Triumph... yes, it seems everyone wants in on the adventure bike market. With ever-more power, fancy electronics and real comfort, they’re true all-rounders. THE CLASS LEADER BMW R1200GS >> It’s obvious, of course, and everyone has one. But there’s good reason for this. Climb on a GS and, after a few miles to acclimatise, you soon see why it’s all the bike you ever need. Fast, frugal, comfy, composed, well-equipped, dependable... and fantastic residuals. THE OVERLOOKED Yamaha Super Ténéré >> Not as powerful as newer rivals, nor as sexy. But the big XT is dependable and all-day comfy, has excellent build quality and, after a curiously on-the-quiet update a couple of years ago, is way better than preconceptions suggest.…

RIDING MODE AND fuelling controversy have surrounded Yamaha’s MT-09 since its 2013 release. Those days are now over. Yamaha’s Shun Miyazawa and I are riding the tight curves and limited straights of the Cv-720 north-west of Altea, leaning off at silly angles, squeezing the triple engine out of corners and ripping down straights with front wheels drifting into the air, without thinking of snatchy drive or having to cope with unexpected response. This motorcycle is finally hilarious. Pulling up, I grab a word with Shun. He’s been product manager of the MT range since 2011. ‘On the first generation 09, we argued about throttle response. We kind-of intentionally kept the super-snatchy mode to tell people that we are back in the game and that we are changing our mindset. Planning…

>> Yamaha’s feisty, frugal and friendly MT-07 revived the mid-weight market and set the standard for value. Cheap isn’t good enough anymore – bikes have to be fun, well built and desirable too. It’s like the welcome return of the UJM... THE CLASS LEADER Yamaha MT-07 >> There aren’t many bikes that do 70mpg, cosset your bum on a sunny commute, pull huge second-gear wheelies, flick about like a 250 and cost five-and-a-half on the road. So ace it made everyone else slash prices. Giant-slaying genius. DON’T OVERLOOK KTM 690 Duke >> At £7699 it certainly isn’t cheap and it’s only got one piston, but the 690 is special. The motor is a technical marvel, it flicks and grips like a racer, and there’s a purity of purpose we haven’t…

>> 600 miles (after running-in): change engine oil and oil filter. Safety checks of controls, brakes and steering. Cost: £69. >> 6000 miles/one year: change engine oil and oil filter, strip and clean brakes, adjust cables and chain, safety checks. Cost: £199. >> 12,000 miles/two years: change engine oil and oil filter, replace air filter and spark plugs, check and adjust valve clearances, renew brake fluid, adjust cables and chain, plus safety checks. Cost £449. Minor and major services then repeat every 6000 miles (or annually). Prices supplied by Webbs Triumph (01733 223444, webbsmotorcycles.co.uk) – labour on the first service is free if you buy the bike from them, otherwise budget £159. There’s also a ‘rubbing strip’ on the swingarm which Triumph say to replace at 6000 miles; Webbs only…

FEET AND LEG BASICS DONE RIGHT >> PUT YOUR INSTEPS on the pegs to keep your toes an inch or so away from the gear and brake lever. You can then use the back brake effortlessly. >> DON’T SPLAY YOUR FEET out like a duck. Besides looking daft you risk touching your toes down in corners which can put the wind up you if you’re not expecting it. >> SHUFFLING YOUR BUM about and waggling a knee at the tarmac is a game for the track. On the road stay planted and concentrate on the basics of vision and planning. WHAT I TEND to see is people riding with the balls of their feet on the pegs, like a racer. This is fine provided you operate the controls with enough…

Kawasaki ZX-10R Total mileage: 295 Tyres: Bridgestone RS10 Price: £13,785 otr Story this month: a what’s-it-do-mister test on dyno and track. Turn to page 48 for glorious words and amazing facts. Yamaha XSR700 Total mileage: 1724 Tyres: Pirelli Phantom Price: 6385 otr Story this month: amazed by XSR’s nimbleness (p136) we are about to swap retro tyres for something more modern. Kawasaki Versys 1000 Total mileage: 6190 Tyres: Maxxis ST Price: £11,060 otr Story this month: nearly 1000 winter motorway miles result in… a drive chain that might need adjusting soon. Talk about bulletproof. Triumph Tiger 800XCx Total mileage: 2915 Tyres: Metzeler Karoo 3 Price: £10,200 otr Story this month: impressed the masses at the MCN Motorcycle show and breezed for 3000 miles in our big test (p110).…

This month: Yamaha FZ1 Fazer Other bikes ridden: supernakeds (p72) , Versys, Beta Rev 3 Miles ridden: 960 MY FZ1 HAS LED A COSY LIFE this winter. While the Versys 1000 has racked up 2500 salty miles, the Yamaha has snuggled under a dust sheet with an Optimate for company. Consequently, I wasn’t too anxious about the MoT. I just pulled off the sheet, started the FZ and went inside to put on my waterproofs while it warmed up. I’d barely struggled into one leg when I heard things going wrong. Instead of the revs dropping they were increasing. By the time I’d hopped outside it had stabilised at 4000rpm. I had no time to concoct any theories – the MoT was due in 15 minutes – so after twiddling…

IT HAS BEEN part of Honda’s range since 1987, inspired a generation, proved a force in racing and helped forge the company’s enviable reputation. But it all comes to an end next year, when Honda will drop the CBR600RR from their line-up. While sales of large sportsbikes are bouyant the supersport market has dried up, so Honda see no future for the 600. ‘Unfortunately Euro 4 emission legislation will kill the CBR,’ said Bike’s source at the factory. ‘We cannot justify the cost of further development fees on such a small number of sales anymore. The US were our ally with this model, but now they are also suffering with poor sales. We’re not actually making CBRs anymore – I think the last produced were in…

British Superbike Haydon’s BSB Prediction 1 Haslam 2 Shakey 3 Ellison >> I’m a big Shane Byrne fan but for the first time ever cracks emerged last season. He no longer looked quite the force he’s been. He needed a big change and swapping to Ducati has provided it. He’s been awesome on Ducatis before and John Hopkins showed how well the Panigale can go last year. But I can’t help feeling it’s still a slightly tricky bike and although I see him winning races I don’t see him as Champ this season. Knowing Shakey I could well regret these words! I’m very excited about Leon Haslam returning on a ZX-10R. He knows how tough it is in BSB. If he stays injury free he’s my favourite for the title.…

‘A real café racer must handle and brake better than the original, and weigh less’ THE ZENITH OF the Universal Japanese Motorcycle is surely the DOHC Honda four-cylinder CB range. And the high-water mark in terms of caffing one must be this version from Madrid-based Rebellion Of The Machines. Crucial to the build is the employment of a Yamaha R6 front-end and swingarm. The swingarm (being a mono) was by no means a drop-in on the twin shock CB rear. A linkage and strong points had to fabbed and welded and this is where the philosophy behind the build becomes interesting. Despite the huge change in suspension componentry the chassis retains the original Honda geometry. ‘We’re not better than 25 Honda engineers,’ says Rebellion’s Adolfo Calles. And it looks fresh…

>> They don’t dominate the market like 15 years ago, but sportsbikes still make up a large chunk. In fact sportsbike registrations were up almost 12% last year, close behind adventure in sheer numbers. Sportsbikes ain’t dead yet. THE CLASS LEADER BMW S1000RR >> Judge best in class on sales and the S1000RR is runaway winner. BMW sold more than their R1200RT and the four-cylinder missile outsold the nearest rival by 40%. With its 194bhp, roll-on thrust to waste all rivals and umpteen fancy options, it’s where others aim. DON’T OVERLOOK Triumph Daytona 675 >> Nobody buys 600cc sport models anymore, which is why Honda are dropping the CBR (see p10). Don’t forget the unique sensations of the lithe, punchy, eager 675, though. For undiluted sportsbike thrills there’s still little…

The well-established F800GS was originally introduced in 2008 but only gets minor changes for 2016. It is now available in three versions; the base model (£8850), the Rallye (£9335) which gets heated grips, handguards, computer, centrestand and pannier fastenings, and is finished in white with a red frame. And the Blackline (£9475) which is the Rallye with tinted screen, LED indicators and black metallic paint. A combination of four different seats, and a short suspension option, gives a range of seat heights of between 820-920mm. A 21-inch front wheel, spoked wheels, long suspension travel and wider bars make it a far better proposition on trails than the 700. The ride is plush and the bigger wheel rolls over lumpy terrain. It’s also got slightly lower gearing than the 700 so,…

HURRAH FOR COMMON sense. Adjustable screens are common on adventure bikes but are all manual, requiring twirled handwheels or even a toolkit. However Triumph have realised the extra pounds for electric operation, both weight and financial, are negligible on a quarter-of-a-ton bike starting at 12 grand. It’s the first week of March, and despite meaning spring there’s blanket fog. No bother: select the screen option on the handsome, easier-to-use dash, and pick a height to suck water off your visor. As this bike is a range-topping XCA there are handguards, hot grips, fog lights and a heated seat, too. On damp B-roads the Explorer gives confidence. Scale and mass supply reassurance, fat 48mm forks laugh at bumps. It swoops with greater agility than looks suggest and steadfast roadholding. I wouldn’t…

>> It’s not all knobblies and beaks. In 2015 the UK bought twice as many nakeds as adventure bikes, with sales up 27% over 2014. And ’14 was up 32% over ’13. Sporting ability, comfort, toys and practicality make big nakeds the go-to for Britain’s ex-race replica riders. THE CLASS LEADER BMW S1000R Sport >> Scream-in-your-lid fast, yet smooth and flexible. Sharp and sporty, but comfortable and reassuring. Oh, and must-have gizmos included. Wins our group test in this issue, as it’s done every time we’ve tested it, and is frequently the UK’s best-selling naked. Mint. DON’T OVERLOOK Kawasaki Z800 >> Kawasaki’s old Z750 was a huge hit in Europe, but in the UK we were put off by its duff suspension and aging motor. The Z800 is a night-and-day…

TAKE IT EASY. Waft along a sunny (but cold) Catalan coast road for a couple of miles, hang a right up an increasingly overgrown lane which eventually dissolves into a dirt track. Spring over a rugby ball-sized dollop of granite, skip off a cork tree root sticking out the ground like an old man’s arm and head for a view point high in the hills. All of this on the same bike? Sure, why not. Soft trail, trail, trial, freeriding, E-riding, trail riding... there’s a pattern emerging here. Part of me struggles to place the Montesa 4Ride. Who will buy this in rainy Britain? Take a ride on the 4Ride though and your perception of what a trail ride is will change. Honda’s 4Ride is nothing new, it follows a…

UNTIL NOW YAMAHA’S FJR1300 has only had a five-speed gearbox. However, clever use of space means 2016’s FJR now comes with a full complement of six. Comparing past and present ratios, the new 5th and 6th gears sit either side of the outgoing final ratio, so there’s a tad more thrust in fifth and a taller sixth for ludicrously relaxed cruising. Sit in top at 80mph and the engine purrs at just 3500rpm, a drop of 400rpm; brisk overtakes require a downshift. First and second are a little taller too, improving acceleration. Brake and change down for a tight corner and the assist and slip clutch comes into play. It’s the same part as found on the YZF-R1. Knock down through gears without rev-matching and the ‘slip’ bit gives soft…

>> All have an adjustable seat, traction and ABS. XRs have a 19-inch front wheel and Showa suspension, XCs use a 21-inch front and taller WP suspension. >> Tiger 800XR: cast wheels and no beak mean an XR. Base bike has an adjustable screen and 12v power socket. £8600. >> Tiger 800XC: spoke wheels and pointy nose mean XC. Fixed screen position and no power sockets. £9100. >> Tiger 800XRx: comes with comfort seats, cruise control, modes, centrestand and a second 12v socket. £9700. >> Tiger 800XCx: adds cruise, modes, centrestand, engine bars, sump guard and power sockets to base spec. £10,200. >> Tiger 800XRT: the XRx plus touring bits (hence the T) – tyre monitoring, heated grips and seat, fog lights. £10,700. >> Tiger 800XCA: top-of-the-range adds heated grips…

>> Triumph’s luggage range goes from soft tank bags to big aluminium cases, but we tried Givi’s Maxia 4 top-box. £269 isn’t cheap, but at 56 litres it’s huge – big enough to take two helmets – giving the space of panniers without hindering filtering. It’s got reflectors, internal straps, ‘monokey’ operation and is waterproof and robust, although the lid on ours sometimes unclips. It needs the SR6401 mounting plate (£92). Annoyingly fitting this requires four holes to be drilled in the 800’s plastic rack. Not good at selling-on time.…

‘The hearing part of the brain responds more quickly than the visual part of the brain’ Old cases often refer to drivers or riders ‘sounding their horn,’ but the use of the horn has come to be seen as more of a rebuke than a warning and sometimes as an excuse for road rage. The horn is an essential part of the rider’s armoury. As a matter of law you cannot use your horn between 11pm and 7am in a built up area, but if I thought the use of my horn would stop me getting involved in a collision I would not be checking the time first for a non-endorsable offence. The horn should not be used as a rebuke and, for what it’s worth, I think that is…

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. EXACTLY UN-THE-SAME Ducati’s feet-forward XDiavel isn’t their first cruiser. Neither was that Indiana of 1986. No, their first was the Cruiser – a 175cc ‘luxury’ scooter from 1952. Designed with Ghia, and Italy’s first four-stroke and auto scoot, the 12bhp single had to be limited to 7.5bhp and 50kph due to government regs. It lived for just two years. CRYING SHAME…

‘Cocky abandonment of the trickle charger’ This month: Aprilia Falco Other bikes ridden: BMW R nineT Sport Miles ridden: 136 Used for: three months Price: £319.99 Info: factoryagencies.co.uk NEXX’S XT.1 Raptor is a full face, full carbon helmet with a drop down sun visor and Pinlock. It even comes with a slot to plug in a Bluetooth headset. Nothing about the XT.1 feels cheap. Fit and comfort is similar to my exceptionally comfortable and much more expensive Schuberth S2. The vents are effective and easy to operate even in thick winter gloves. I wear a small and at 1470g it’s not the lightest, nor is it the quietest. The visor mech isn’t the slickest I’ve used, but I never need to change the visor. And there are other flaws. Canted…

This month: Ducati M900 Monster Other bikes ridden: Ducati Scrambler, BMW R nineT Sport Miles ridden: 112 FOR ME, COMPARING our Scrambler with my own Monster 900 is as hard as asking me which of my children I like the best. On paper the bikes are very similar. Both have a steel tube frame, an air-cooled two-valve V-twin, simple suspension and stripped-back appeal – they’re about enjoying the ride as much as enjoying the speed. And, if you’ve ridden a 1990s Monster, you feel its DNA in the Scrambler. Many miles have been ridden on both bikes and on paper the Scrambler should be out in front: better brakes, suspension and power delivery. And it’s a huge success – in 2015 they sold around 15,000 Scramblers. Last year I wrote…

This month: Honda CB400N street-tracker and VT500Ascot Miles ridden: 0 THE STREET-TRACKER’S ONGOING ‘loose build’ throws up numerous items that either look or fit all wrong, especially as I’ve replaced the CB400N’s wheels with smaller CB400F items and largely junked the stock electrics. But such projects inevitably involve endless trial, error and the consequent costly hassle. With the Ascot, my (naïve?) ambition to aesthetically improve the front-end has proven equally vexatious and being a US-only model, aftermarket alternatives are non-existent or mad-expensive, so they must be custom-made. And so it goes… Handlebars and headlamp Starting to come together. ‘Hanger’ handlebars from oro2u.com shortened by 3 inches look tidy. Original CB400N headlamp doesn’t. The tyres aren’t too big Chunky 4.10 x 18 Continental Escape tyres are technically too big to fit…

WHEN YOU LIVE WITH a motorcyclist there’s always going to be a time when bikes are in the house, that’s just how it is, isn’t it? She tried to persuade me to hang it from one of the old beams, which are as strong as RSJs, but you just know that if you hoist it 25 feet into the air, the only time it’s going to come down again is when you sell the house. So that’s just not an option. I moved it in just before Christmas and then we had 16 people round for Christmas Day with all the kids going, ‘Can we get on it?’ You can’t really refuse, can you? I’m trying not to be too anal with it, but Steve Sawford’s crew did such a…