Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i BIKE

Bike of the Year? What, already? But it really is 12 months since we did this last time. That was well over 100,000 road test miles, 2400 gallons of petrol and 107 road test bikes ago (we’ve not got any exact figures – this is being conservative, small ‘c’). Bike’s Bike of the Year issue isn’t an especially scientific event. We ask motorcycle testers, racers, designers and engineers to vote for their top bikes among the new models introduced for 2017. These are bikes that they’ve ridden, admired and envied. But they can’t vote for brands they represent. There are a few anomalies, but we left them in anyway. The Yamaha T7 is still a prototype, CCM haven’t started making production Spitfires yet and Vespa’s electric scooter is only a…

‘Zongshen have paid millions and there’s a royalty on each engine’ NORTON ARE DEVELOPING an all-new 650cc bike, based around a parallel-twin engine. They confirmed as much when I visited their Donington Hall base to see the new V4 SS superbike (March issue), with the 650 essentially being half of the V4. Makes sense. What we didn’t expect however was that Norton would sign a massive deal to allow Chinese motorcycle brand Zongshen to use the engine. And it is a properly big deal, as Zongshen is a massive company. Employing over 3000 staff, they make over two million bikes a year, plus another four million engines, and export to over 80 countries – many of Lexmoto’s best-selling 125cc models (below) are from Zongshen. They build and distribute Piaggio and…

‘If you have a good Suzuka it can rejuvenate your career’ FOR A LONG while the British riders were in the Suzuka Eight Hour Endurance wilderness and couldn’t get a ride for love nor money – I should know, I tried really hard for years! But that’s all changed recently – we had seven BSB riders at Suzuka this year and of course Alex Lowes won it, with Leon Haslam coming second. As usual with an endurance race, slower riders were the main hazard and you could see Lowes being so, so ruthless with them. There were a couple of times when he was passing people – especially when he was involved in that dice with the Honda at the beginning – that I was thinking, ‘bloody hell Alex!’ because…

‘I rode around Colombia for a bit and played paintball at Pablo Escobar’s house’ WHEN I RECEIVED the instruction that this issue was to feature The Craziest Trip of the Year, I knew there was only one person for the job. It had to be Ed March and his C90 adventures. Infamous among motorcycle travellers, Ed’s insane escapades over the last few years have provided a welcome antidote to the army of identikit GS riders ploughing the same old routes. If you’re not familiar with his crazy world, here we go… An engineer from Devon, in 2011 Ed, aged 24, bought himself a Honda C90 for £150, strapped a supermarket shopping basket on the front as luggage, and rode it 14,500 miles from Malaysia back to the UK. His short…

‘Yamaha’s new Power Tuner app is unique in off-road sport. Use your phone to make trackside changes’ YAMAHA’S 2018 off-road model launch in Ottobiano, near Milan, marks 20 years since the arrival of the YZM400F, the first four-stroke YZ-F. And it’s come a long way since then in terms of power, weight and rider friendliness and all the while getting lighter, faster and easier to ride. For 2018 the YZ450F has undergone a full development programme which includes a new frame and geometry, body shape, tank size, seat and suspension. The engine, in particular, has had a lot of work including higher lift cams, new piston, revised air intake, Mikuni throttle body, revised clutch and even a starter motor – still something of a novelty on an MX bike. Another…

Are these really tremulous times for us as motorcyclists? I’m not so sure. Recent announcements about the end of the internal combustion engine were met with the usual ill informed nonsense from the press, but it’s hardly a revelation is it? Oil is a finite and very dirty fuel and was never going to be around forever so electric bikes were always going to be inevitable. Initially I was sceptical and thought they were about as appetizing as a punch in the crotch but now, after a test ride and some pondering, I’m excited. Think about some of the bikes we will be presented with when all the big boys get their full research and development effort in gear. Until recently I’d have said it’s unfair to compare petrol bikes…

‘I never considered myself a particularly good anything, but I was pretty lucky’ I FIRST RODE COMPETITIVELY at Crosland Moor near Huddersfield at the first meeting held by The Pennine Drag Racing Club in 1971. My Rickman Triumph weighed less than 300 pounds and went pretty well, mid 13-second quarters at around 100mph. I rode a Kawasaki H2 and a Honda CB750 after that but I really, really wanted a Kawasaki Z1. They cost about £1200 but times was ’ard and the prospect of Z1-ownership faded like a 6-volt C70 indicator bulb. Then Suzuki dissected a Z1 and simplified, lightened and improved it, oh, and stuck a Suzuki badge on it to make the GS750. I ordered my GS750 at Earls Court in 1976, I knew it was going to…

STEPHEN A’LEE GT Motorcycles Performance boss man is one of the people that makes this happen. GT brought seven bikes to the day. JAMES HILLIER TT racer on a day off, took a few bikes around for a spin. Who can resist the appeal of focused two-strokes and Honda V-fours? TEAM BIKE Team Bike/Howard Lees Racing’s RC30s ready for a canter. A perfect opportunity for some running in miles and suspension checks. HONDA RC30 This is GT Motorcycles Performance’s endurance racer, run in the No Limits endurance championship against the latest 1000cc bikes. HONDA NSR500V Semi-factory V-twin 500GP bike with TSR chassis raced by Haruchika Aoki in 1999 and Jurgen van der Goorbergh in 2001. HONDA NSR500V 500cc two-stroke V-twin built by GT Motorcycles Performance using a new Nico Bakker…

PERFORMANCE TESTING >> The clutch gets wiffy if you use too many revs, so get the lever out, get the twistgrip wide and the BMW launches flat, level and hard – it hits 60mph quicker than an S1000RR and chomps through its close gear ratios. If the bars wiggle going from second to third you know it was a fast start. Despite being wet with a modest headwind, the Racer hits 130mph in 680m – about two-fifths of a mile. It’s stable hitting the rev limiter in top as well, needle at the end of the speedo. FACTS AND FIGURES >> It might be called the Racer but the geometry isn’t exactly sporty. It’ll still hustle mind, and is super-stable, with plenty of old-fashioned ‘roadholding’. TYRES >>BMW supply the Racer…

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. GIANT KILLER Jeremy McWilliams put an Aprilia V-twin on the podium at the 2000 British GP, and set the last-ever 500cc 2-stroke pole when 990cc MotoGP arrived in 2002. It wasn’t the Aprilia folk recall, though, but a Proton KR3. His Phillip Island time on the V3 stroker would have qualified him sixth in last year’s Aussie MotoGP. GALLIC KWACK-A-LIKE…

Mike Armitage >>Deputy editor Warm, golden, late-summer road trips – there’s nowt like ’em. Here’s the kit I’ve come to trust for successful days away… I’M INCREASINGLY bemused by the kit available for every conceivable biking eventuality. Perhaps it’s the escalating obduracy that complements my advancing years, but there seems to be an increasing amount of clobber designed for ever-narrowing parts of biking that’s too fussy, specific and clever for its own good. Here’s my good old-fashioned kit and theory that more than does the job… Carrying stuff >> Don’t use a rucksack if you’re doing anything like a reasonable distance. It’ll feel fine initially, but any weight and drag will add to aches by the end of a ride. My Oxford Aqua T-30 roll-top tailpack is cheap (RRP is…

Mike Armitage This month: Mike normally suffers with a bad back after a long ride, but see how he employs his Tony Manero footwork, dancing around the Ducati SuperSport after a ride to Wales. If only John Westlake had been told. Bad Backs group test page 80 Rupert Paul This month: Well known in Northamptonshire Newt Fancying circles, Rupert is ostracised by NNF members when arriving for meetings on his emission-heavy Ducati. Will the plug-in Energica improve his social life? Energica Eva page 64 Hugo Wilson This month: The editor proposed that the only way to effectively test the Ducati Desert Sled was to ride it along the Pyrenees from Atlantic to Mediterranean, and obviously he was the man for the job. Good holiday Hugo? Ducati Desert Sled page 46…

£1900 reduction MV Agusta Stradale Trad MV glamour, with growling power, single-sider, hot looks and full electronics, in a comfy capable road bike. Naff fuelling, dicky wiring? Not anymore. List for the funky 800 triple is £11,899, but PGH (03309 006179) will sell you one for £9999. Yeah, MV are wading through financial worry, but this is exotica for Kwak Versys cash. Down by £4000 Suzuki RF600 Remember when 600s were great road bikes? The ’93 RF600 was as fast and ace-handling as a CBR yet comfy and long-legged like a ZZ-R, for £5245. That’s £9975 in today’s cash. Padgett’s (01924 478491) have new unused RFs at £5895 – that’s £4k less than if loaded by inflation, and £1300 cheaper than a slower, less powerful Honda CBR650F. Hang on to…

>> 23 September Olivers Mount Gold Cup,, Scarborough Your only opportunity to watch road racing in England. It’s properly hairy – even Michael Dunlop couldn’t believe how close the trees were when he first visited. Make sure you watch at Jefferies Jump. oliversmountracing.com >> 13-15 October Brands Hatch BSB The final round of the championship on the full GP circuit with one race on the Saturday and two on Sunday. The Showdown format means riders will almost certainly be fighting for the championship, guaranteeing some epic racing. brandshatch.co.uk >> 12 November MotoGP, Valencia Fancy some winter sun while joining 100,000 Spaniards celebrate Marquez winning his fourth MotoGP title? Probably. We recommend taking a week off, getting the ferry to Bilbao and riding the 500 miles to Valencia. Trip! motogp.com…

>> 1 – 3 Sept The Overland Event, Hill End Outdoor Centre, Oxfordshire Fast becoming the go-to get-together in the UK, the Overland Event returns to the homely grounds of the Hill End Outdoor Centre where road-weary riders gather together to drink local beer and tell tales around the fire. There are test rides, demonstrations and presenters from all over the world too. overlandevent.com >> 29 Sept – 1 Oct Overland Expo East, Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina, USA The ‘premier overlanding event in the world’ returns to the fabulous Biltmore Estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Expect 100+ exhibitors, 140+ classes, and slideshows and 100s of experts including authors and videographers. All tickets must be bought in advance, however if you are in the midst of an extended round…

28 August - 2 Sept ISDE, Brive, France The International Six Days Enduro is the sport’s biggest annual event and with the depth of British talent we stand a good chance of a podium finish, at least. World class acts such as Steve Holcombe and Jamie McCanney are just the tip of the iceberg though: the hundreds-strong ISDE entry is filled with British riders. isde-france-2017.com 3 September British Grasstrack Championship, Bromyard, Herefordshire It’s hard to argue that grasstrack isn’t one of the original and best dirt bike sports to watch live. The British Championship at Bromyard is one of the UK’s biggest annual events and features the nation’s best, and many different classes. grasstrackgb.co.uk 23-24 September Enduro GP, Hawkstone Park, Shropshire No apologies for offering two enduro events this month.…

This isn’t some top-of-the-head collection of bikes we quite fancy. Goodness, no. These are the greatest new motorcycles of this year as voted for by experts from across motorcycling, from engineers and test riders to designers, dealers and racers. Invited to vote by Bike , the rules are simple: they must be new-for-2017 bikes, and nobody is allowed to vote for a manufacturer that they work for or represent. So not only is this the definitive countdown of the best new metal, it’s also the only place where you can find out what key BMW staff really think about Ducati’s products. And the votes are in... 50 Kawasaki ZX-10RR £16,389 998cc inline four 186mph 197bhp 44mpg ZX with light wheels, big brakes, beefed-up motor. Extra R adds lure, but little…

The Racer is flash enough for us, but if you want more BMW have umpteen extras under the Spezial banner, including ‘Option 719’ milled parts. Ooh. RESERVOIR CAPS BMW have three different finishes in the 719 line-up. These are in the ‘Storm’ set, with a grey finish and machined accents. BELT COVER Referred to by Beemer as the ‘hero’s breast’, the machined aluminium cover for the front of the boxer makes the most impact. CYLINDER HEAD COVERS Choose Classic (bare alloy), Storm or black and gold Club Sport. They also do retro ones designed by Roland Sands. ADJUSTABLE LEVERS This finish is the Club Sport option, which is a bit gaudy and not really at home on the Racer. Perhaps the ones to avoid...…

>> Morocco is a biker’s paradise for many reasons: mild temperatures, plenty of sunshine even in winter, lenient police, mountain passes, deserts, coast and forests. You can even ride on the beach. >> The Tizi n’Test Pass is one of the ten most dangerous roads in the world. It runs over Morocco’s Atlas Mountains between Marrakech and Taroudant. This twisty, narrow road runs up to a height of 2092 metres and features tarmac, gravel and ominous overhanging rocks. Any bike can do it, but the harsher your suspension, the lower the speed and fun factor. Stop for a Berber omelette at the Bellevue Café. Alternatively try the Restaurant la Petite Gorge in the Todra valley. >> A favourite route: descend to the Sahara and climb on the Erg Chebbi dunes,…

BIKE TRACKDAYS >>Bike’s road bike-only trackdays are the perfect way to bunk off work. 100 readers meant wall to wall bikes at Rockingham. There was sunshine too. OLD CHUFFERS >>England on a summer’s day is even better when seen from the saddle of a 1948 Matchless. Who needs rear suspension anyway? Or lights, or speedo... LACK OF PETROL >>There’s a fuel gauge fault on our long-term test Triumph Street Triple so Ben ran out of petrol on the A1. You can get 700ml of fuel into a 500ml water bottle. DRESSING UP >>Bike’s resident man-child Paul Lang actually wet himself with excitement over HJC’s Star Wars range of helmets. Join him at a convention if that’s your thing.…

ANGEL NIETO, WHO has died following a quad-bike accident, was the world’s third most successful Grand Prix racer, behind Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi. The Spaniard was king of the tiddlers, taking 13 world championships in the 50cc and 125cc classes between 1969 and 1984. He won 90 Grand Prix victories, always riding rinky-dink two-strokes with the narrowest of powerbands. Nieto was the toughest of the tough: squat, muscular and prepared to do just about anything to win races. He rode through a hellishly dangerous period, racing mostly on street circuits, shorter versions of the Isle of Man TT. He only rode once on the Isle of Man, in 1968, when he somehow managed to crash his 50cc Derbi and break a leg. Twenty-six-years-old when he won his first world…

Ducati XDiavel S ‘Thiverval’ Built by Fred ‘Krugger’ Bertrand >> World Champion builder Fred Krugger never disappoints. When Ducati dropped the XDiavel off at his workshop in Belgium they gave him an open brief, but with one caveat – the bike needed to stay within the ‘cruiser’ genre. In other words: no clip-ons or rearsets. Krugger delivered a brutal projectile with Tron-style angles and factory-level finish. The name ‘Thiverval’ comes from a small racetrack in Île-de-France, but we reckon this behemoth would be perfect for blasting down to the Med. Contact: krugger.net H-D Street ‘Thor’s Hammer’ Built by See See Motorcycles >> This flat tracker from Portland, Oregon is almost road-legal and one of the best-looking Harleys we’ve ever seen. The Street is the perfect donor bike for those who…

‘It’s a rich, meaty, reverberating Pavarotti fart’ SPOT THE CONNECTION: three track days, DirtQuake, a classic race meeting at Spa Francorchamps, two small bike meets, a ferry queue, and any pub car park, anywhere. The link is that at each, someone wandered up to the R nineT Racer within minutes and said either ‘Lovely bike, what’s it like?’, or ‘I thought about getting a test ride on one of those but then I sat on it’. More so than any other bike – even the gorgeously appealing Triumph Thruxton R – the Racer draws praise, and knowledgeable wariness about the extreme riding position. For such a simple variant on the R nineT – basic suspension, no rear subframe, nose fairing – it seems to have made a huge impact. But…

SEAT POSITION Some owners complained that the series one riding position was odd. Long arms and short legs were needed, otherwise knees would rub on the backs of cylinder heads. This wasn’t so much of an issue for ladies, who also liked the low-ish 805mm seat height. Tall? Try a series two bike. They had their engine moved 25mm forwards, allowing knees to clear the heads. AFTERMARKET PARTS All too often series one bikes don’t react well to aftermarket exhausts and Power Commanders which tend to upset the complicated fuel injection system and cause hesitations when on the throttle. This is all because the V7’s self-adapting parameters interfere with the Power Commander. Your best bet is to just fit an aftermarket exhaust and the bike will adapt on its own.…

‘If you hit this stuff and brake or steer you can reasonably expect the worst to happen’ The biking season coincides with Councils ‘top dressing’ the carriageways. This is a process by which the top 30 to 50mm of the road surface is replaced with small granite chippings. The top layer of a road is designed to slowly wear away. Bitumen binds together gravel chippings and the bitumen, which is intrinsically soft, wears away leaving loose gravel. In order to elongate the life of the roads a superbly bike unfriendly method is used to replace this top wearing course. At its most basic tonnes of gravel chippings are rolled into the road, raw and without binding agent which creates a hellish surface for just about any bike, with the possible…

Jonathan Pearson >>Off-road Editor I’m always looking for new ways to bother my bank account. And right now my three best ideas are… The DIY rally bike choice Yamaha Super Ténéré £1200 >> I’ve been ogling a 750 Super Tén for a while with the view to upgrading it into a rally bike. Though some are in great condition there are some shitters about which would still serve my purpose if the engine is in good order. This 1990 falls between the two: it looks ok, has been sitting for a while but generally is ‘a runner’. Yamaha’s 750 twin is soft, lumpy and perfect for all-terrain riding. By most accounts it’s reliable too so I’d be building a bike around that with rally bodywork, a different tank, tyres, motocross…