Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2021 i BIKE

The innovations that are transforming our ride Given the cornucopia of engine configurations Honda have built, everything from 500CC Big Bang GP two-strokes to V-twins, 1800cc flat-sixes to DOHC 4-valve 50cc singles, which layout would one most associate with them? For me it’s got to be the V4, which has been a staple of Honda road bikes since 1982 but is now, thanks to Euro The V4 is my favourite 4-stroke configuration for motorcycles, which probably has something to do with being a certain age and seeing RC30s jousting with 851s in WSB, despite the outrageous capacity advantage of the Ducati. There are all sorts of reasons why I like V4S, but my late friend and colleague Peter Williams also thought they were ideal, which is good enough for me.…

No mistaking what Ducati are up to with the all-new Multistrada V4 S. With its larger 19-inch diameter front wheel, 52mm increase in ground clearance, bridge-like swingarm and a more ‘dominant’ riding position for improved off-road control, the model has become more adventure-like. Actually, no, let’s be accurate here – Ducati have made the Multistrada more GS-like. And who can blame them? BMW’s omnipresent R1250GS is the biggest-selling bike in our gravitationally-bound system around the sun. But wait, what’s this? With the older model’s V-twin engine replaced by an 1158cc V4 and the steel tube frame ditched in favour of an aluminium monocoque, the new Multistrada is also sportier. Lighter, shorter and more powerful, this means it also has BMW’s inline four S1000XR – the defining large adventure-sports bike –…

1 It’s all about the round black things » It’s impossible to put an exact price on a MotoGP bike because they’re never sold until they’re past their sell-by-date. But let’s take a stab at £1.5 million. So how come the two hoops of black rubber that cost a few hundred quid are the most important things on the motorcycle? Because the tyres are the only part of the bike that touch the racetrack. Therefore everything the bike does is transmitted to the asphalt through them. So you can have the quickest accelerating thing on the grid, but it’s not going anywhere unless it generates maximum grip from the tyres. This has never been truer than now. MotoGP’s latest Michelin tyres work at their best over a narrow temperature range,…

Both my grand father and father built railway trains for many years at the GWR works in Swindon. So why am I such a mechanical moron? I use YouTube to change a light bulb and my toolkit remains pristine and undeployed. My 1972 Carnielli Motograziella Cheeky Boy has never run right, spluttering to a standstill after 20 minutes of adrenaline pumping action. Instinct told me to get a pro to find the fault and editor Wilson sent me to Benjy of Straw Auto Moto Electrico, Tonbridge (07771 554570 or straw.benjy@btinternet.com). A van collected the bike and, I waited with fingers crossed for the diagnosis. ‘You open the fuel cap vent to let air into the tank when the engine is running, right?’ asked Benjy who hadn’t even fired it up…

T.ur J-ZERO jacket and P-ZERO trousers Used for: 4 months Price: £529.99 jacket and £299.99 trousers Info: t-ur.com » T.ur is the adventure motorcycling brand that has grown out of Italian commuter clothier Tucano Urbano, who make the decent quality kit favoured by stylish scooterists. The J-ZERO jacket is the new brand’s range topping winter jacket. I’ve not ridden as much as usual the past few months, but when I have the J-ZERO has kept me warm and dry, plus it’s comfortable and not crazy heavy. I really like the laminated in waterproof layer, so no faffing around with silly liners, though there is a removable insulated liner. Wrist cuffs are close fitting, so no gloves inside the sleeve, and so are the ankles – too tight for my adventure…

When launched the Van Veen had the most wallet-damaging price tag of any production bike. In the 1970s it cost twice what you’d shell out for BMW’s premium R100RS - £40,000 in today’s money. It also guzzled fuel at 24mpg, which wasn’t ideal given its launch coincided with the 1970s fuel crisis. Add the engine supplier imploding and it’s no surprise only 38 examples were sold. Hendrik ‘Henk’ Van Veen had won tiddler Grand Prix world titles with his Van Veen race team using screaming 50cc Kreidlers, and was the Dutch importer for the German brand. Recognising the future was large superbikes Henk decided to build one, so did the obvious thing and lobbed a Mazda rotary car engine into a Moto Guzzi V7 chassis. Surprisingly, this square-peg-round-hole prototype actually…

One criticism of the old Speed Triple was that it was barely a step up in performance from the 765 Street Triple. Well, the new one nails that. The all new bike makes a claimed 178bhp and is 10kg lighter than the old Speedy, pitching it directly at KTM’s loopy Super Duke R and BMW’s latest S1000R. Triumph’s chief engineer Stuart Wood explains the thinking… » What parts are carried over from the 1050 engine? Absolutely none. Every single component of the motorcycle is completely new. Crankshaft, conrods, pistons, crank cases, cylinder head, gearbox, frame, suspension, clutch… » How has the engine changed? We’re now at a 90mm bore, where previously we were 79, and the stroke is 60.8mm, which is shorter than previously (71.4mm). We’ve got an engine we…

‘A bike that evokes emotion with raw American muscle’ To celebrate 100 years of Chiefs, Indian have revealed three new ones, all designed by the man they pinched from BMW three years ago. The variants are all powered by Indian’s humongous air-cooled 1901CC V-twin and come with an array of electronics. ‘We wanted to capture a timeless look that never goes out of style, and looks beautiful whether naked or fully dressed,’ says Ola Stenegard, Indian’s design director, whose previous work includes BMW’s S1000RR and R nineT. ‘We also wanted to keep it simple enough to allow riders’ imaginations to take flight with personalisation options and possibilities. Ultimately, this is a bike that evokes emotion with simple mechanical styling and raw American muscle.’ Despite the back-to-basic looks and stripped back…

This can’t be right. Norton are progressing logically. After the chaos of the Garner era, the company’s move into a new factory near Birmingham signals that Phase 3 of Norton’s plan has been achieved. Next up: new models. Interim CEO John Russell told Bike last May that once he and his team had come up with a recovery plan (Phase 1), addressed technical issues with the current bikes (2) and found a new factory (3), then the ‘exciting bit starts – turning Norton into what it can be. Which markets should we go into, and which products should we make’. A Norton spokesperson told Bike that the new Solihull factory – part of a multi-million pound investment from Norton’s parent company TVS – will be fully kitted out by the…

On 29 September 1990 the fabled Ascot Park dirt track, in Gardena California ran its last half-mile national race before it was demolished. Over the years Ascot helped make many a racer’s name: Mert Lawwill, Gary Scott, Kenny Roberts, Gene Romero, Jay Springsteen, Ricky Graham, Bubba Shobert, Doug Chandler, Chris Carr, Scott Parker and many more. Evel Knievel made his first nationally televised jump at Ascot. On the night I was one of the 11,000 fans that crammed into the arena for the last time to see Ronnie Jones take the win. The souvenir T-shirt was a beauty. Lawrence Peeney, email IF YOU’VE GOT AN OLD T-SHIRT LIKE LAWRENCE’S TAKE A PICTURE OF THE WHOLE SHIRT, ARMS INCLUDED, AND EMAIL IT TO THE ADDRESS AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.…

If you’re thinking Yamaha XT500 then it’s exactly what Mash were hoping. Their X-Ride is pitched as a back to basics single with the look of a ‘classic enduro’, and its profiles and colours are no accident. With the relentless popularity of retros they’re not the first company to echo the style of the iconic XT, of course – Ducati’s Desert Sled also has more than a passing resemblance. There are major differences here, mind. First, the Mash is closer to a classic thanks to an air-cooled single-cylinder engine. And second, this new 650 is just £4999, which is half the price of the Doocardy. This eye-rubbing asking is thanks to the X-Ride’s simplicity, yes, but also because it’s knocked out in China. Mash are French but their bikes are…

‘Usability means GSX-Rs can see larger mileages… This isn’t an issue’ NOISY BIT IN THE MIDDLE Engines are well proven and dependable. Servicing is typical Japanese sportsbike at around every 3500 miles, with valve clearances at 15,000 miles. If you’re wading in yourself with the spanners (and why not?) then use good quality synthetic 10W/40 oil, a genuine Suzuki filter and a pukka sump washer too, unless you want a dotted garage floor. Exhaust valves (in the pipe, not the head) tend to stick in place, usually because of stubborn cables. The valve’s only real function is to pass noise regulations at low revs, so taking the cables off the pulley (leaving the valve fully open) is a cheap fix, though you need to whip a wire out the back…

£2000 VFR750F (RC24) » The model that started the VFR rollercoaster. Launched in 1986 and evolved from the VF, the 750 had a 742cc V4 with gear-driven cams (to avoid cam chain woe after the VF debacle) and the first twin-spar aluminium frame on a 750 (Yamaha’s FZ was steel, Suzuki’s GSX-R was a cradle). Used RC24s were cheap - we bought a usable one for £800 a few years ago - but prices are rising. This 1988 model (which got 41mm air-assisted forks instead of 37mm damping rod), for sale on an internet auction site, looks a decent buy having lived inside all its life. £4791 VFR1200F (SC63) » We prattle on about the 1200, but the largest VFR is so underrated. Its 1237cc V4 is a masterpiece. The…

Work on key aspects of customising the bike has begun, with Adam Dance (admoto.co.uk) using his metal-bashing and English Wheel skills, initially on the side panels that will hide the fuel injection and other plumbing and abet the desired design objectives. For those unfamiliar with the process, here you see the 2mm alloy sheet, measured, marked and snipped into the required shape but expertly extended to allow for shrinkage after it’s bashed and curved into a final profile that will fit precisely. Once Adam had used a hard resin mallet to create the basic curves and folds in the metal which is placed on a leather, shot-filled ‘pillow’, the English Wheel uses a large, revolving, erm, wheel to gradually shape and smoothen the metal over an interchangeable series of curved,…

The Pennines, aka the Bank Bone of England, is a wild and woolly place to ride a bike. And is no worse for that. For me this place has a whiff of the old British twin about it, and one day I’ll get back there riding one. But for this excursion I rode the latest, astonishingly quick and more capable than me, Kawasaki 1000SX. Here we go… Starting in historic Barnard Castle, home of Scott Leathers (every TT rider worth their salt has worn these Great British leathers), the ride heads out of the town on the B6278 north past the excellent Three Tuns pub, Eggleston. For the first few miles the countryside is lush green rolling fields and dry stone walls, not what you expect from the Pennines at…

After a Busa-less two years, Suzuki have corrected their aberration and revealed a revamped model that’s essentially the old one with new electronics, brakes and styling. Though the engine has received dozens of changes, many seem aimed at getting it through Euro5 emission regulations – fundamentals such as bore, stroke and compression ratio all remain the same, but the midrange is stronger and top-end power is down by 7bhp to 187bhp. And the major changes are... ‘According to Suzuki power only starts to lag the older version at around 9000rpm. By then you’re usually in prison anyway’ MORE MIDRANGE Although Busa addicts will no doubt be disappointed by the lack of power hike (six-cylinders, 1500cc and turbos were rumoured) the changes will almost certainly make it a better road bike.…

Rather than take on the GS head-to-head, KTM’s new Super Adventure S befuddles the Beemer by being more tempting to disenchanted sportsbike riders. The new KTM’s styling is more aggressive, the handling sharper and it gets a new toy as standard – radar cruise control. The GS probably won’t get that until 2022. At £14,999 the KTM is competitively priced too – a radar-spec’d Ducati Multistrada with semiactive suspension like the KTM’s is over £20k. You’d think the headline change would be the radar-controlled cruise control, which will lock on to a vehicle in front and automatically maintain a constant distance (it uses the same Bosch electronics as BMW’s new R1250RT and the Multistrada). But all KTM’s marketing guff concentrates on changes to the styling and the performance benefits of…

Towards the end of the year, between covid mutations, I set out for a run towards the East Coast. On the return leg, with a low setting sun in the west, I missed a road imperfection. I’m still not sure what that imperfection was, but travelling in the mid 50s 245kg of motorcycle slammed into an area a gentleman prefers to keep safe from harm. Two weeks later, mired in the new covid outbreak, I am sent by my GP to have the area scanned in Addenbrooks hospital. Despite the strain on hospital services the process is faultless and my tension disappears completely when looking at the scan I ask the specialist if the damage I am looking at on the screen was caused by the ‘impact’. ‘No idea,’ he…

We liked the R nineT right from the off, in 2014. Here, at last, was a bike that had of-the-moment function to gild its retro shape throwing. That first go-at-it used the air-cooled boxer engine from the old R1200 family, would touch 140mph on the clock and kicked hard in the midrange. It sounded great from the moment it cracked into life, kicking itself impressively to the right before settling into a menacing-ish burble. It was comfortable, spacious and equipped with plentiful Brembos, good ground clearance and trucklike stability. The way it would roll from upright to full lean, sending messages from the front tyre to your hands through its S1000RR-style 46mm non-adjustable forks, was sublime. It made you want to lose the piss-pot and dig out the full-face Arai.…

Craftwork in the gallery The curators of the Queensland exhibit also did 1998’s ground breaking show at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, but there are far more custom bikes this time. It’s a testament to the current strength of the bike art scene. Clockwise from left: 2016 Max Hazan BSA 500; ‘Bobbed’ 1928 Harley Davidson JDK; 1941 Harley Knucklehead based chopper; Craig Rodsmith’s ‘Corps Leger’ powered by a 150cc BSA Bantam engine. Sci-fi cycle The Bandit 9 Eve MkII by Daryl Villanueva is based on a Honda pressed steel frame, but pared down and reclothed in a cartoon science fiction style. World’s fastest Indian Burt Munro’s famous ‘World’s Fastest Indian’ evolved from a 1919 production bike, but was developed and modified by hand, by one man over more than 30…

Miles ridden: 1087 Riders: John Westlake, Mike Armitage & Hugo Wilson Tyres tried: Avon Cobra Chrome Fuel used: 28.6 gallons If you accept that motorcycling is entertaining but fundamentally silly, then the Rocket 3 is the purest motorcycle ever. Its very concept is wilfully and hilariously daft. You can believe a wild-eyed genius in a shed would bolt a 2500cc engine into a motorcycle (we’re looking at you Allen Millyard), but a mainstream manufacturer churning out thousands of the things? Barmy. And the performance is equally potty. The way the Rocket accelerates from just off tickover is a nightmare for anyone trying to keep up – ‘oh look a big fat cruiser, oh dear where’s it gone?’ But the Rocket’s best trick – which it’s pulled off since the first…

» Triumph handle. The TT600 spotsbike was the first time we sampled the signature mix of rapid steering and agility with stability and neutrality, but it was let down by its 599cc four. When the naked Speed Four variant arrived it was tainted by the TT, but actually the motor was sorted (new cams, timing, injection) – the short-stroke four is hilariously thrashable and won’t break. Add the sportsbike’s great suspension, supersport 400- like handling and amazing brakes, the looks of the iconic Speed Triple (go on, squint) and comparative rarity - plus some fabulously bold colours – and what’s not to like? Loved private bikes start at £2000. Mike Armitage…

** Claimed * Estimated Keeping on track » Fantic have updated their Cabellero for Euro5, and bolted on better switches and a new seat at the same time. Lovely. We rate the retro single and hope the Italian brand will make more bikes based on models from the past. Maybe a fresh take on the ’75 Alpenscooter, used on the first italian expedition to Antarctica and in the 1980s by the Alpini Corps. Blade gets even lighter » Yamaha have offered paper model plans and knitting patterns to bike modellers for yonks. Now Honda are at it. They’ve already released a papercraft Super Cub and have recently followed it with a paper CBR1000RR-R. Just pop to the Fan Zone on their Virtual Motorsports Land website to download the parts sheet…

‘Headcases riding as fast across unknown deserts as most of us manage on the M11’ Noise: Hillier on the H2R Thirty seconds that will make you pine for sunny Isle of Man afternoons and a highly tuned supercharged motorcycle. James Hillier tears towards Creg ny Baa on a 310bhp Kawasaki H2R and the sound as he rips through Brandish and Hillberry is pornosonic. Youtube search: Isle Of Man Kawasaki H2R James Hillier 216 mph! Comebacks: Valentino at Assen As the old boy prepares to start his 26th year as a GP racer, let’s head back in time and remind ourselves what japes he got up to in his youth. This one is from Assen in 2007 when Rossi is 11th on the first lap. You can guess where he finishes.…