Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i BIKE

» In 1993 I was sent on my first major motorcycle launch for Bike, and I was nervous. The ZZ-R1100D was, Kawasaki claimed, the fastest production motorcycle ever, and I had spent most of my time on a Zephyr 550. But the big ZZR was a joy, looking after the tentative with its silky throttle response and linear power, while allowing maniacs to go very, very fast. I seem to remember one Dutch journalist spending a night in the cells after being caught doing 172mph – the cop (we were in America) was in no mood for leniency as he’d just let off two Brits clocked at 178mph. Twenty five years later and here we are again: off to test a new Kawasaki intergalactic battlecruiser, the H2 SX (p36). And…

IN A MOVE that surprised everyone from Triumph dealers to internet know-alls, Triumph have given the Speed Triple an engine-tweaking overhaul just two years after the last. It was expected that the 2018 Speed Triple would just get the swanky colour TFT dash from the 765 Street Triple, some new colours and a renaming of the R to RS, to bring it in line with the 765 Street Triple models. But no… In fact, it’s received those plus 105 new engine parts which push claimed power from 140 to 148bhp and torque from 82 to 86 lb.ft. Both look to have been achieved primarily by letting the engine rev higher – peak power now arrives at 10,500rpm compared to 9500rpm on the old version. So what are those 105 new…

PROJECT BIKE ONE MIKE BILTCLIFFE LIVES in the Worcester village of Badsey and has a dream job as a wholesale wine merchant. Only thing is, his Reading HQ is 70 miles away but as a committed biker he chooses to commute there most days and until a couple of years ago did this on a 1992 Triumph Trophy, complete with full fairing and panniers. But being a fan of the burgeoning custom scene, he contacted his neighbour, Ben Hall at ValeSpeed Motorcycles with the idea of re-purposing his Trophy café racer-style. ‘Trouble is,’ recalls Ben, ‘the Trophy’s headstock is tall, which isn’t ideal for a café-racer which also mightn’t be comfortable for a 140-mile commute, so I persuaded Mike to go for the more ergonomically suitable ’tracker look.’ ‘Suitable’ also…

Thanks Jules. For those of you as short sighted as the Bike team here’s an excerpt from the copy printed underneath Julian’s incredible picture: ‘Despatch riders have already won admiration from all branches of the Army; and the account of a deed of real heroism performed recently by a motorcyclist will be universally applauded. It was of urgent importance that a message should be carried from the British to the French lines. This could only be done by crossing land that was being swept by rifle and shell fire from the German positions. A motorcyclist made the attempt, but was brought down by a bullet. In a moment two more volunteered, but both met the same fate as the first. A fourth made the desperate attempt, and, crouching over the…

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE a cold, wet, dark ride on slimy roads, with the additional hazards of crazy drivers, loose livestock and suicidal pedestrians to make you appreciate the qualities of the motorcycle that you are riding. And right now there aren’t many bikes I’d rather be on than a Triumph Tiger 800. It’s getting dark after a long day’s ride and our train of six bikes snakes along the slippery roads that wriggle, up, down and all around as we head back to base. Despite the conditions we’re making decent progress because the Tiger’s neutral handling, silky power delivery, slick gearbox, progressive brakes and easy to read TFT dash panel make it a doddle to ride smoothly. You just focus on the next problem, be it sheep, dog, puddle, mudslide,…

‘A combination of plush ride and an easy-to-hustle feel’ SIT ON THE Africa Twin after riding the Tiger or GS and two things are obvious. Firstly, the Honda feels two sizes smaller because it’s so narrow. It’s medium compared to XL. Instead of enforced man-spreading thanks to a plush saddle and wide engine, the Africa Twin rider’s legs drop straight to the ground, with feet flat if you’re over 5ft 8in. After the GS and Tiger it feels like a proper off-road tool – still tallish, but narrow enough to make a panicky dab easy. This trick is partly down to the saddle’s shape, which is narrow at the front, then spreads out further back to give more arse support on long journeys. But mostly it’s because the parallel twin…

‘We pride ourselves in dealing in bikes with rarity and wow factor’ OWNING A PIECE of high-end exotica is a dream we all aspire to. It’s what Sheffield-based The Bike Specialists know more than most. And it’s why they keep between 90 and 110 hand-picked premium race reps, classics and specials in stock at any given time. Their luxurious showroom – part of a striking former WWI army barracks, five minutes from the city’s train station – is a treasure trove of motorcycling marvels. Serious temptation indeed for anyone who covets homologation specials and rarely-seen restorations. ‘This is no museum, though,’ says General Manager and keen biker Dave Higgins. ‘Our stock is constantly refreshed as bikes are sold and we find our next batch of exotica. All our bikes are…

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. ✱ TRIUMPH’S SECRET FOUR A few brands, like Indian and BMW, tried longitudinal inline fours. Triumph nearly joined them. Chief designer Edward Turner worked on a twin-cam air-cooled four with vertical inlets from ’65 to ’67. Probably intended for the US it was called Project 7, though drawings had ‘Turnadyne’ on the tank. ✱ GIRL POWER For their 1972 advertising Ducati…

WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A TOP BOX? I know I am riding a Honda but it’s not a C90, it’s not 1972 and I don’t work for Papa John’s Pizza corporation. ‘Just use a rucksack,’ was my reasoning whenever I saw a bike weighed down with one. I will admit it now, I WAS WRONG. Now, if there’s even the slightest reason to go on a mission to the shops the CB650F is fired up and as my shopping trolley fills I gamble on how much I can get in the Honda’s boot without having to stuff vegetables down my trousers in an overflow calamity. As long as frozen Christmas turkey isn’t on the list it always surprises me how much you can stuff in. At £810 including mounting brackets…

BOLT-ON ACCESSORIES limit potential damage to enduro bikes for really tough events and are sometimes crucial if you want to make the finish. From making the race as easy as it can be to making sure the bike gets to the end without damage, these are my top additions for extreme enduro: TYRES AND MOUSSES » Soft tyres obviously bite the ground, rocks, tree roots and logs better. Inside the tyres you need softer mousses too. The spongy tubes cannot puncture but hold the tyre as if inflated to low pressures for better grip. HANDGUARDS » I have a range of handguards depending on the event. Softer guards deflect undergrowth, but for tough events this reinforced KTM Power Part wrap-around type hand guard protects levers and hands. DISC AND SPROCKET…

IF YOU HAVEN’T STARTED thinking about your 2018 biking holiday, now is the time. In this year’s Bike Holiday Guide we have six of the best tour companies talking about destinations as diverse as Cuba and Vietnam, Patagonia and the USA, Scandinavia and New Zealand. And all of these incredible places have many things in common… First of all there is the riding, from the trails of Colorado and Utah with 106 West to the other-world grandeur of New Zealand with Paradise Motorcycle Tour. There is something here for every persuasion, and level, of rider. But great riding is not the only thing this year’s chosen destinations have in common: without question the people you’ll meet on your travels will be warm and welcoming, the food will be delicious and…

THE BEST THINGS about touring Patagonia on a motorcycle are… Patagonia is a real last wilderness destination; there are iconic roads, views so good people end up riding off the road (no really, it happened) and cultures ranging from a German-speaking town to sheep farms with no Internet, phone signal or mains power. Oh and a Welsh settlement too, just for good measure. And as for wilderness, there are sections where you’ll do 150 miles between fuel stations, and that’s a long way to ride without a fuel station. The riding is simply incredible, with stunning gravel and challenging tarmac roads throughout. It really is a bucket-list destination… When to go? The riding season in Patagonia is short, essentially mid-November to the end of March. Spring is the best time…

SCANDINAVIA IS BIG but the population is small, it also has some of the best scenery in the world which makes it ideal for motorcycling. And of course, because you are going on holiday Magic Motor Experience makes it as easy as we can for you to have the very best time. We ve criss-crossed Scandinavia many times in order to link the best roads and trails, all you have to do is pack your riding kit, get on a plane and leave the rest to us. We stay at the best hotels and everything is included except drinks at dinner… Why choose Magic Motor for your 2018 trip? Magic Motor Experience have been running Scandinavian tours for six years. We started the business because we wanted to show the…

THE BEST THINGS about touring the Balkan Region on a motorcycle are the beautiful routes and landscapes – a unique journey from the end of the Alps through the Balkan mountains and down to Europe’s deepest canyon and the Tara river in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro. These routes offer level and navigable gravel roads, (challenging but safe for most riders) in stunning national parks, by mountain lakes and around the Croatian islands of the Mediterranean. Our tours visit five countries – Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro – starting in Ljubljana, Slovenia. From the trails through the Slovenian Alps 2000 metres above sea level to the villages in the Bosnian mountains, you will pass by clear rivers and lakes where you can still drink natural spring water and stop off at…

Hugo Wilson This month: Post Christmas and Hugo’s mind immediately turns to holidaying. Handy then that this is also the time of year for Bike’s annual Holiday Guide. Seven fabulous riding destinations and how to make the best of them. Holiday Guide ’18, middle of the mag John Westlake This month: Sports tourers used to rule the sensible-but-fast roost until those pesky adventure bikes turned up. John heads off to see if Kawasaki’s H2 SX is a mentalist with panniers or a proper comfy rocketship. Or indeed both… Kawasaki H2 SX first ride, page 36 Mark Graham This month: editor-at-large MG, not content with throwing himself out of Chris Walker’s sidecar at 100+mph ( Bike , August 2016) decided SnowQuake required his debut. Chris Walker, unsurprisingly, did not attend. Ice,…

ROSSI AND VINALES looked much happier on the Yamaha at the first test in Sepang, using the 2016 chassis. I know they didn’t come top of the time sheets on the final day (Lorenzo broke the lap record on a Ducati), but those times were put in on qualifiers. If you look at the times on race tyres Rossi and Vinales were one and two. It’s clear Yamaha went in the wrong direction with the chassis in 2017 and it’s probably linked to flex control. Who knows exactly what happened, but perhaps both of them had a great test on a smooth, dry Japanese track with the first 2017 bikes and decided it was the route to go. But a too-stiff chassis would work fine there – that’s what you…

‘WR250F is sharper and the freer-revving engine brings new life’ YAMAHA’S WR250F IS probably the dirt bike you should buy. Certainly a 250cc four-stroke enduro bike is the best starting point for most people who ask: ‘what’s a good first off-roader?’ Yamaha’s everyman and woman bike sees a lot of fine tuning by engineers who’ve largely concentrated on the engine for 2018. Their unique answer to mass centralisation, the rearward slanted engine (which allows the fuel tank to sit further back and lower), has new porting in the cylinder head, a redesigned air intake funnel, a new camshaft and valve springs, a flat-top piston design and diamond-like coated, shorter piston pin plus a new nickel chromoly steel connecting rod. All-in that boosts bottom, mid and top end power but chiefly…

‘The things that make it such an impressive retro-custom-cruiser are also what make it truly great in slippery conditions’ IT SEEMS LIKE the chuntering of a jibbering fruitcake. However, I’d like to declare for the record that Triumph’s low-slung, stripped-back, custom-tastic Bonneville Bobber is mighty fine transportation during a British winter… I’ll accept that the Bobber’s basic design means practical limitations. Weather protection isn’t a strong point, meaning riding clobber performance is frequently tested, and I’m a familiar face at the local jetwash. Despite several thorough searches I’ve failed to locate a suitable surface on which to place my tailpack. Triumph have also fitted a small beaker instead of a proper-size fuel tank. All of which is insignificant on a slick and chilly February morning, thanks to the eye-opening rideability…

The obvious choice 1992 Kawasaki ZZ-R1100 £1995 » This C-model has plainly had a recent respray and looks very tidy indeed. With 31,000 on the odo it’s hardly had a tough life. And it’s almost impossible to walk past one of these as a means to taking utter liberties with any time/distance imposition when you want to get somewhere very quickly. The Kawasaki ZZ-R1400 is a fantastic machine and it’d be lovely to have one sure – but it’s not a whole ten grand better than one of these. Especially not this one in green. Fantastic value even at dealer money. The other option 2005 Yamaha Fazer 1000 £2395 » Always loved these. Very fast and yet still relaxing enough to not have to ride at a million miles per…

DISCOVERING MIND-BLOWING ROADS is the hidden bonus of bike launches. I’m in Portugal for the launch of the Yamaha MT-09 SP (p14) when we come across the N2. It’s a long road – 459 miles long. But it’s at its most spectacular on the 41-mile stretch from coastal Estoi to Almodovar. Here it pulls away from the beaches of the Algarve and plunges into the wrinkled Cauldron Mountains. The whole route is so twisty that taking the motorway instead means going 17 miles out of the way, but still saves 30 minutes travel time. Only road lovers would shirk the multi-laner, so we’re the only ones using the N2. We exit Estoi and ride out across a group of leafy hills. Corners start packing themselves in past Barranco do Velho.…

THE COLORADO ROCKIES and Utah Canyonlands are a destination that should be on every rider’s bucket list. Amazing vistas and beautiful, scenic riding combine to make every day a memorable one. Ride for hours on fun, scenic beginner off tarmac roads that take you to some of the most amazing scenery in the world. 4200 metre peaks, natural red rock arches, alpine meadows of wildflowers, deep canyons, old mining towns, high alpine passes and native American ruins are some of the amazing highlights you will visit on a 106 West tour. Combine the scenery with fun, easy dirt roads and you have all the makings of an amazing motorcycle adventure tour. For those willing to leave the paved tarmac and cell phone service behind Colorado and Utah have some of…

LOST LUGGAGE » Bike’s resident fast bloke James Haydon has just got his riding kit back, two weeks after he needed it for the Panigale V4 launch. Nice work EasyJet. CAMPING »When in Morocco, do as the Moroccans do. Which, on the Triumph Tiger 800 launch (p52), is what Wilson reasoned when it came to accommodation. DEAD BATTERY »5.30am and Westlake curses the Z1000SX’s flat battery. He nearly misses a plane. Turns out after fitting heated kit he hadn’t refitted the positive terminal. MUD »‘We’ll be testing the bikes along some country lanes,’ we tell kindly dealers before borrowing their bikes. Then we see a trail leading into the hills. Oh dear.…

Kawasaki ZZR1400 £2900 cheaper than H2 SX » If you want fast and comfy, you should try the ZZR1400 before splashing out on an H2 SX, p36. Kawasaki Birmingham have, according to them, the only green standard 2018 ZZR1400 in the country, selling for list price (£12,199). Suzuki GSX-R1000 £8300 cheaper than an R1M » The new R1M is amazing, but most of us couldn’t extract the last 2% of performance which is where the R1M wins over the GSX-R. So save £8300 and get a brand new GSX-R from Waltham Cross Motorcycles (01992 663316). Price: £11,499. Suzuki V-Strom XT £3605 less than Africa Twin AS » The big V-Strom is hugely underrated and £8995 for this 2017 model from Wheels Motorcycles (01733 358555) seems like great value – it’s…

 » Where are you right now? I’m on a flight from London back home to Reykjavík, Iceland. ‘I love how motorcycles make me feel part of the landscape. But it’s the people I meet who make it extraordinary’ » You’ve recently returned from a solo ride with an unusual theme. Tell us about Henge to Henge… I visited Stonehenge a decade ago and went to Arctic Henge last summer, and was really taken with it: no ropes; no entry fee; four gates made of massive stone arches and a growing circle of stone dwarves. Then in June I was suddenly let go from my day-job. I wanted to change my state of mind so looked on the situation as an opportunity, I also hadn’t created any new work since I…

‘The weight of the GS is intimidating, but the reality is not that bad’ AS THE TRAIL briefly levels out we hit a clearing and feel the sun on our backs for the first time today. It’s a relief – it feels like a sign that things are looking up. After a nervy half hour, I’m relaxing on the Africa Twin, finally believing I might avoid entertaining the local A&E department with some fascinating fractures. And at last I can settle back and enjoy watching Bob on the GS up ahead. With its panniers and top-box, the GS looks wildly inappropriate for the tiny trail Bob’s aiming it at. The BM has the look of a galleon setting forth up a babbling brook. But up on the poop deck Capt…

‘If you go onto a price comparison website do not go on price alone’ There is a superficial attraction about buying the very cheapest comprehensive insurance you can get away with. Price comparison websites want to encourage the cheapest premium but as your risk is what your risk is, you live where you live, your claims record is fixed and your bike is your bike how can there be such variation between premiums? As with everything in life, you get what you pay for, but only to a degree with insurance. How then do you filter out the good? If you go onto a price comparison website do not go on price alone. You will naturally filter out the very expensive premiums. Good, they do not want your business. Your…

James Holland Owner » Known in the trade for his eagle eye, James is owner and founder of the Bike Specialists. Dave Higgins General manager » Keen biker with more than 30 years in the motor trade. Eve Holland Sales liaison » With the business from the start, Eve makes sure every purchase goes as smoothly as possible. Dave Aspinall Technician » A master Yamaha and BMW technician with 25 years of experience. He keeps things running. Get in Touch The Bike Specialists, The Old Barracks, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S2 4EE Tel: 0114 399 3750 thebikespecialists.com dave@thebikespecialists.com…

CAST ALLOY WHEELS ON OLDER BIKES – even BMWs – are prone to corrosion, especially where rim meets tyre and clip-on balance weights or frequent levering has damaged the surfaces. Which explains why pressure within my K75’s rear rubber had been steadily diminishing during late autumn. Solution? Whip off the wheel, pump up the tyre then wet and check for air bubbles. Next up, remove the tyre, inspect for mutilation then clean and gently abrade the rim as necessary with a wire brush, ideally of the electric rotating variety. I could, of course, have done this in my own workshop but my local Presteigne Tyre Services (01544 267240) are biker friendly and Dave let me watch as he expertly did it, replacing a knackered-looking valve stem for good measure. And…

THERE’S A PECULIAR JOY to riding round on a bike you’ve had in bits. For me there’s a layer of wonder added to all the other riding emotions. Wonder that I’ve managed not to wreck what was, before I started the 24,000-mile valve service, a fully functional 20-valve, 140bhp motorcycle engine. Wonder that each of those exhaust shims the size of this ‘O’ that I fitted are now thrashing up and down at 83 times a second getting the valve timing right each time. Wonder that the dozens of electrical connectors, fuel and cooling hoses that I re-connected while looking at a photo on my phone and thinking ‘well, this looks like it must go here,’ are all pumping the right stuff to the right place. Accelerating from 6000rpm to…

THE BEST THINGS about touring Vietnam on a motorcycle are… Despite what decades of war films might suggest, Vietnam has much more to offer than tunnels and booby traps. From incredible mountain passes in the North, across bamboo bridges and on to some of the most intense city riding in the world, riding this country is an incredible experience. You’ll leave humbled by the hospitality of people who have nothing more than the food they’ve grown and be genuinely surprised by just how good the road riding is… When to go? November to March is the best time to ride to miss the rainy season and if you head to the south you’ll still see temperatures well over 30 degrees Celsius. In the north, the mountains can get chilly, down…

CUBA IS A WONDERFUL combination of beautiful landscapes, history, colonial architecture, nice friendly people, good food, drinks and cigars set in the unique context of a country that in some ways is frozen in the 1950s. Getting to know Cuba on a bike provides direct contact with the Cuban culture, the unique history of this country and its spirit… Why choose La Poderosa Tours for your 2018 motorcycling adventure? La Poderosa Tours is the leading motorcycle tour agency in Cuba and our team is composed of passionate and experienced people who adore what they do. Ernesto Guevara jnr has been a Harley-Davidson aficionado ever since he was a teenager and will show you around the island with his best childhood friend Camilo and Luisito who also loves Harleys, and music.…

‘We have volcanoes and mountains, we have a desert and 3000 glaciers we have bubbling mud and ski-fields…’ MANY YEARS AGO after their first visit, Bike magazine named New Zealand ‘Motorcycle Heaven’. There is nothing flat or straight here, the Romans never got here, the roads are amazing, bend after bend and every type of corner you can think of, and I can’t think of one that tightens on you! It’s all the most scenic parts of the world brought together in two islands a bit bigger than Great Britain. Think of your 68 million population take 63 million away and that’s summer in NZ. There is no traffic to speak of away from the main centres of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. We have volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, we…