Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i BIKE

‘I’ll always chose to jump on a band saw or milling machine to rough out parts’ [CUSTOM] Cutting edge old school Wayne Buys’ R nineT custom certainly looks cutting edge. So you’d expect all kinds of computer driven processes in the build. But not a bit of it… The fabulous handmade aluminium fairing obviously takes centre stage with this custom, but perhaps even more extraordinary are the lengths Wayne Buys went to make it work in the real world. ‘It took me 8 months to complete, with the majority of the work not visible to the eye, ’ the South African tells Bike. Underneath the aluminium is a R nineT which comes with BMW’s air and oil cooled flat twin. The problem Wayne created for himself was that the air…

[THE SUMMER RIDE: ONE] 56.934484, -5.861165 Type into Google Maps or scan the QR code and go here [THE SUMMER RIDE: TWO] 52.787714, -0.714566 Type into Google Maps or scan the QR code and go here [THE SUMMER RIDE: THREE] 52.577501, -0.757475 Type into Google Maps or scan the QR code and go here [THE SUMMER RIDE: FOUR] 53.2600254, -1.7246246 Type into Google Maps or scan the QR code and go here…

Jeff Turner Yamaha PR manager June 5, 1992. ‘I watched the greatest TT race ever’ The 1992 battle between Carl Fogarty on the Yamaha OW01 and Steve Hislop on the Norton rotary is widely regarded as the greatest TT of all time. And Jeff Turner watched the race from the startline grandstand sitting next to Foggy’s wife Michaela. Jeff was working as Yamaha’s marketing coordinator, sorting spares for the team and keeping sponsors happy. But during the race there was nothing to do except listen to the astonishing story unfold. ‘The commentary seemed to be a continuous stream of “Hizzy into first… Foggy sets a lap record… Foggy takes the lead… Hizzy into first…” They were swapping places every lap, ’ says Jeff. ‘It was amazing. The sun was out…

BMW S1000R Sport Once the go-to supernaked, the inline four no longer has the razzmatazz needed to hold its head high… or so we very foolishly thought Before this test I stuck out my scrawny chest and said the BMW wouldn’t make an impact. I’ve got loads of experience of the older versions of the S1000R, but though they were (still are) great bikes the supernaked world has taken long strides. And so while the Beemer was updated last year, its various tucks and tweaks simply don’t appear enough in the aggressive face of flashier, shoutier, look-at-my-spec competition. How presumptuous and blinkered. And so very, very wrong… The S1000R Sport is exceptional. Sure, you hop aboard and it’s all reassuringly familiar, and the steering damper gives recognisable steering weight as…

No matter what we call this strand of new bike temptation – nostalgia, heritage, W.H.Y. – the crux is these motorcycles are about two things: a revisitation or a time gone by combined with a machine that rides like a great 2022 bike should. The problem is ‘heritage’ bikes too often hark back to when motorcycles were powered by coal and wishful thinking. But not Yamaha’s XSR, their new naked is driven by that most magnificent of decades – The Eighties. Yet rather than negotiating a striking minor’s flaming brazier I’m cranking out of a bend in the Tuscan hills south of Pisa, Italy. Reaching forward to wide bars with right wrist straining and sun glinting off the blue tank while ripping through the gears as the smooth Tarmac ribbon…

Buy a used Tracer 700 Yam’s all-round twin has been on sale since 2016. Used ones start at £3500. » Engines are super-solid and rarely need a tweak at the 24,000-mile valve check – but that’s not an excuse for it not being done. » On high-mile bikes check the rear shock’s damping is damping. » Look for corrosion on fasteners, brackets, and even the frame. » Bodywork and trim can become rattly. Yamaha Tracer 7 Chirpier than the dawn chorus, as practical as wellies and an umbrella, and no more expensive than sliced potatoes. No wonder it sells so well Yamaha got the cheap-but-not-rubbish thing spot on back in 1998. Yes, the FZS600 Fazer had a silly name – originally spelt Phazer and first used in 1985 on the…

» Sadly, starting my old Honda XR400R nearly bursted me so the replacement had to be electric start yet with the same lovely chuggability. This L version of Honda’s potent 4-stroke dirtbike came well under list price as a covid demo. I want a trailie not a wannabe enduro bike and it is lighter than the XR, very quiet, has winkers and a great headlight. The 600-mile oil change intervals I got myself tweaked about turn out to be irrelevant on a trailbike. I adore the remarkable grunt of a 4-stroke 450 – even detuned as this is – and the excellent suspension soaks up any accidental disappearances into washouts. The two glitches are range and fuelling at low revs. I carry a can to top up the pitiful 7-litre…

Mercifully Norton’s ‘new’ V4SV shares only basic design with the V4 SS/RR briefly sold by previous owner Stuart Garner’s failed company. 35 safety and reliability faults were found with Garner’s ‘effort’ which explains why 428 of the bike’s 900 components have been redesigned. The 1200cc motor makes a claimed 185bhp and 91 lb.ft of torque. That’s 30bhp down on rivals – and what was claimed for the SS too. Norton say that’s partly because they’ve focused on road manners. Yet going by the tiny, diamond-stitched, leather seat it doesn’t feel like a friendly road bike. The tank is narrow, the clip-ons low but only a short reach away. The riding position says race track. The ‘Carbon’ model I’m riding has bare carbon bodywork and BST carbon rims to differentiate it…

The saddle of a Royal Enfield Classic 350 is a decent place from which to observe an English summer’s day. There’s not much to distract you from important matters, like the view, smells of the countryside, the sensation of the sun on the back of your neck. And whether you should have stopped at the last roadside stall to buy locally produced honey. But it needs the right road, the right journey and the right frame of mind to make the most of it. We’ve had an Enfield on test for three months, but almost every mile has been ridden on the wrong road. The Classic shouldn’t live life flat-out on damp dual carriageways, battling with weekday traffic while its rider frets about deadlines, invoices and appointments. For our last…

Giancarlo Morbidelli made a few quid running a furniture factory and building precision woodworking tools. He used the cash to invest in his passion for bike racing and engine tuning, and entered the 50cc Grand Prix class in 1969. Disc-valve 125cc and 250cc two-strokes quickly followed and Morbidelli won five 125 world championships plus a 250 title between 1975 and 1980. Chuffed, Giancarlo decided to fulfil his ambition to build a road bike. It would be a doddle for an outfit with over a decade of GP race experience. Or it would be had they not decided to ignore all of it. Rather than something sporty and sharp, Giancarlo wanted to create a luxurious sports-tourer. The new bike was to be an opulent extravagance, the two-wheel equivalent of the sort…

The definition of madness is said to be repeating the same thing, over and over again, and expecting a different outcome. In (quite a long) lifetime of riding bikes I have dabbled in road racing and hillclimbs, trials and enduro, all without the need to clutter my house with any kind of trophy display facility. But despite a lack of commitment, talent and bravery I still want to experience the gut twisting tension of pre-race nerves, the harsh truths that competition exposes and maybe one day I’ll find a bike sport that I can actually do. We’ll not pass this way again, and if you don’t try new things you’ll never know what they’re like. So, here I am at Peterborough Speedway track (vast crowds not pictured) about to make…

‘There are two types of XSR customer: those who were there before and remember what we’re referencing and younger ones who weren’t there but like the imagery. The difference between XSR and MT customers isn’t so much age as sporting aggression. MT riders are typically a bit more aggressive and focused on performance while XSR riders are happy to have the performance but they’re a bit more relaxed. ‘We’re fortunate that Eighties fashion trends are becoming big again – we’re seeing that clearly in popular culture. As time moves on, the references move with it. It’s exciting that we have a lot of great bikes coming up for inspiration – the Eighties was the second golden period for Japanese machines. ‘If we tried too hard to reference a particular model…

Alex Grant Photographer The pits, Kings Lynn Stadium 12 July, 2016 » DirtQuake is a brilliant thing: think flat-track, cobbled together bikes, the white heat of competition and, this particular year, a band with a singer who dressed like Davros from Dr Who. For me a big part of DirtQuake was being able to hang out in the pits – it was all part of the deal and no one seemed to mind. So I’m standing there and a wheel pushes past me, followed by the longest forks I’d ever seen. The bike just kept coming – it must have been ten feet long. Sat on it was a bloke in rubbish leathers and a dirt bike helmet. Anyway he went out racing and he really gave it the full…

» There isn’t a trailie in my garage. I love the idea of something byway friendly but, as a threshing incompetent on surfaces that aren’t hard and smooth, I’ve never made the commitment. Hence my preparation for our shindig was borrowing a Honda CRF300 Rally. I’d ridden the previous 250 and even ventured the other side of the hedges, so knew it’d be perfect for me to flail on the trail. And so it proved – the 300 was light, encouraging, friendly, with suspension that absorbed stuff and an unintimidating motor. Easy to pick up after an unplanned lie down too. The dash claimed 92mpg over the day, and despite excess camping clobber the CRF purred on the 90-minutes home. Six-and-a-half looks pricey for a wee 250, especially when the…

We love Yamaha’s Ténéré 700. Its combination of agility, affordability and rugged off-roadability made it a favourite for journeys that include trails and tracks. The new World Raid version of the T7 moves the concept on, but also pushes the price up too. Big distance is not a problem for the uprated bike as its new, twin-filler tanks boost capacity to 23 litres (up from 16 litres), increasing range to a claimed 300 miles. The outboard design of the twin tanks means the system sits lower than on the standard bike, allowing a redesign of the bodywork and seat. This keeps the centre of gravity close to that of the original bike, despite the extra mass. On the road you do notice the increased load when changing direction quickly, while…

DEPENDABLE TORQUE Aprilia’s 1197cc V-twin is extremely oversquare and understressed in 125bhp Caponord form – especially as this claimed figure is nearer 100bhp at the wheel. It can feel and sound a bit loose and slappy at low revs, especially in Sport mode, but on the move should be smooth, well mannered and willing to rev. It should be super-reliable too – service it on time and it’ll see-off 100,000 miles, no bother. Minor services are at 6200 miles and cost about £175; the major valve-check comes every 13,000 miles and will be a 400-quid touch at most dealers. MECHANICAL WHATNOTS The standard chain often suffers from accelerated wear so inspect for play, stiff links and hooked sprockets. And then haggle accordingly. Check the rear sprocket nuts are tight. Cables…

£7980 BMW R1100S » Don’t think of the R1100S as a race replica. Sure, there was a race series for the boxers that attracted big-name jockeys, and it was the first BMW with clip-ons and rearsets. Has 916-style pipes, too. But the S is more sporty roadster than trackday implement. This doesn’t mean it’s not engaging, mind – the twin spews out thick torque from chuff-all revs, the Telelever front end gives consistently light steering and there’s steadfast poise. With its load-separating front and floaty Paralever rear the 1100 swallows up bumpy B-roads with ease. This one has the accessory pipe and has done just 4000 miles. £12,980 Triton T100 » Built by JHS Racing, this is a spankin’ Manx Norton frame made to 1966 specification with a pre-unit Triumph…

CAMPING, AND TEENAGE SON, FRIENDLY Bike’s long term test Z650 turned up at our palatial lean-to already befitted with a pillion grab. Which is good because it’s handy for attaching camping gear to and my lad said it’s, ‘so much easier to sit on the back and hold on dad’. £139.95, add £33 extra for chrome. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT Two non-stop, three hour, jaunts in one day and my arse didn’t moan once. That’s because there’s a generous amount of, high mileage appropriate, padding in the right places. 820mm seat height is easily manageable if you’re shorter in the leg department. NOT HARD AT ALL I’m not one for preload this and rebound that, but what I do know is the Z650’s ride is about spot-on for…

You never forget your first love – or your first tour. At 17, with a freshly printed paper licence, I set off on my first solo bike trip. Destination: Snowdonia, North Wales. Now, 35 years later, I keep returning to one of Great Britain’s most phenomenal places because I’m infatuated with it. You can get set in your ways after riding an area over a long period of time, so to keep things fresh I sought the advice of tour guide Maya Kenney. She recommended reversing some of my favourite roads, which led to this ride… From Betws-y-Coed (gateway to Snowdonian, and worth checking out the beautiful Swallow Falls) take the B5106 to Llanrwst and join the B548 towards Abergele. This is one of those beautiful roads that seems to…

‘It was the first time I’d properly seen him riding this season. Man he’s fast’ We turned up at Donington Park for the third meeting of the Junior Superstock Championship in a good place. We’d won at Silverstone, and Oulton had gone OK even though the bike got crashed in the first race. I suppose that win lifted our ambitions, and while we went through winter thinking that regular top sixes would be nice, now we’re wanting podiums. Free practice one is first thing Friday morning and Franco’s fastest with a 1:10.772. FP2 is first thing in the afternoon, and he’s second, but only a thirtieth of a second behind Max Cook. Then he crashed at the Old Hairpin. He took a bit too much of the inside kerb and…

Michael Rutter at Handley’s Handley’s is basically a left-right chicane, just past the 11th Milestone, but with a ten foot high wall on the right side, which must be intimidating for riders who’re doing well over 100mph through here. This is Michael Rutter on his BMW S1000R Superbike during Thursday evening practice. The bloke with the cuppa is Simon Bell. TT evangelists talk about it being the best sporting event on the planet, and it’s hard to argue when the supporting evidence looks like this. Utterly thrilling. ‘Hickman has been on another level this year, with two wins and a third as Bike went to press’ Peter Hickman at Handleys This is the other side of the road from the shot on the previous page, taken with a remote control…

» The Dirt Track Riders Association was set-up in 2013 to take over from Shorttrack UK which brought the sport to the UK in 2005. ‘I got involved in organising it when Peter Boast (Bike contributor and Shorttrack UK prime mover) stepped back. Somebody had to otherwise it wouldn’t happen.’ Now Anthony leads a team that has 160 riders registered, with slick race organisation, a positive image and passionate atmosphere. ‘As a sport it looks simple, but once you do it you find there’s intricate detail.’ The downside of running the meetings is there’s no chance to ride. ‘I’ve got a vintage class Triumph 750, but I don’t race in DTRA meetings.’ » Dirt Craft Slide School – dirtcraft.co.uk » DTRA – dirttrackriders.co.uk…

Two weeks ago we had no summery dirt riding in the Peaks planned. Two days ago, all the coolant in Jonners’ Husqvarna was on the floor. Two hours ago we awoke to a dry day after a night of rain. And two seconds ago Mike was upright. An element of uncertainty always attends a Bike jaunt, especially one involving loose surfaces. Apart from the last one; that was always going to happen. This seasonal outing had been frequently suggested and, not unsurprisingly given the characters involved, never quite nailed down. A confirmed group making a firm statement of intent attached to an infallible plan was needed. Again, very little chance of that happening but the terse yet remarkably informative, ‘See you in the Peaks Thursday week for a trail ride,…

» Our campsite was carefully selected for its proximity to sleep-ruining sources of noise, and is consequently beside a busy A-road and beneath a popular flight path. However, when I start the Husky, these intrusions are put firmly into perspective. Ye Gods it’s loud. Next to Mike and Dickie’s quietly chuffing Hondas, the Husky sounds like a MXGP bike – all harsh edges and crackling threat. I bought the bike a couple of months ago and this is its first proper off-road outing. It had no service history and looked like a field bike so I changed the tyres, oil, filters and spark plug but haven’t got round to sorting the non-standard silencers. Every time I braaaap down a gorgeous Derbyshire lane then unleash machine gun backfires on the overrun,…

» I’d had one of these years ago and regretted selling it, so I got this one three years ago. It’s a 1991 bike and I’ve had absolutely no issues, despite it being used day in, day out and mainly off-road. It’s 62bhp so is really understressed – if you are using it on trails it’s barely working. Fuelled up it probably weighs 150 kilos, maybe that’s a bit much. They are kick start which puts some people off, but it’s a really easy starter. They are going up in value. I paid £3000 for mine, but people are now asking £5-6000 for good ones. A lot of them have been converted into supermotos which seems like a shame to me.…

As sports tourers go KTM’s Super Duke GT is clever, because it hits that much missed target of offering fast-group trackday action one moment and day-long comfort the next. Ever tightening emissions regulations have forced the Austrians to make the Super Duke GT Euro5-compliant so, for 2022, the motor has been brought in line with the legislation – without sacrificing performance. KTM say. There are a host of other improvements too, from lighter wheels and a new TFT dash and switchgear to improved ergonomics, an easier-to-adjust screen and a new optional ‘performance’ mode. But is it better? The 2022 Super Duke GT produces the same numbers as the old model (175bhp and a whisker under 1041b.ft of stomp). Overall performance is very similar to the previous, not Euro5, model. Roll-on…

Tool of the month Optimate 2 battery charger When did bike batteries get so complicated? Gel cell? Absorbent Glass Mat? Lithium Ion? EFB? What’s going on? And, critically, can I recharge this deeply discharged’ (me too) maintenance free item (not me) from a test bike using my trusty, but 20 year old, Optimate? Answer? Probably, but to be on the safe side I ordered a new Optimate 2, which can identify the battery it’s attached to (including Lithium Ion), and respond accordingly. Battery now reading 6.7 volts. Fingers crossed. optimate.co.uk…

Sod-off sportsbikes are amazing, but don’t sell well in textile Blighty. BMW’s S1000RR does well, but the Kawasaki ZX-10R and Suzuki GSX-R1000R don’t get in the UK’s top-100 best-selling bikes. And despite all its history the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade has the hardest time. Which is mad. It might not be an ‘RC’ model but the lithe, powerful, light Blade has a real HRC air to it. You sense it’s crafted by genius engineers, the type of people who came up with bikes such as the original Yamaha YZF-R7, Honda SP-1 and Suzuki RGV250 SP. Yes, it’s revvy, firm and demanding, but it feels special. But not having runaway sales means bargains: list is £20k but you’ll get a brand-spanker for three grand less. And the £23,499 SP model can be…

‘It’s no longer a given that J. Rea will carve to victory’ Southern 100 Isle of Man July 11-14 » If you didn’t manage to get over to the Island for the TT, the Southern 100 offers the same experience on a smaller scale. It’s held on the 4.25-mile Billown course so you can get to see most of the highlights over a couple of days and when there’s no racing there’s always the TT course to entertain yourself with… southern100.com World Superbikes Donington Park July 15-17 » Toprak Razgatlioglu (world’s best braker) and Alvaro Bautista (Panigale-maestro) have injected spice into the championship and it’s no longer a given that J. Rea will carve to victory. Put another way: it’s worth going along to watch at Donington again. worldsbk.com British…

Remember the five Ps » Preparation is everything. You can buy proprietary anti-insect polishes and sprays that leave a thin film to stop the bleeders from gluing themselves to your visor, but raiding the cupboard for the household polish does just as good a job. Always apply to a cloth first – some aerosols have propellant that’s not friendly to visors. Don’t forget the rest » Easier to tease flies off a nice, shiny bike. Normal bike or car polish is decent enough, but try a little silicone shine. If you’ve ever got it on the soles of your boots you’ll know how slippery the ruddy stuff is. It’ll make black plastic parts buff up nicely too. I’ve also been putting a smear on the shoulders of my leathers, with…

» Hello Jason, what are you doing in the BSB paddock? My son Seth is racing in Junior Superstock, so I’m involved through that. He’s fortunate that he’s got a couple of very good companies to support him. We went back to Australia when my main racing finished and now our kids have finished school and Seth wants to be here doing this so we came back over. » What else are you up to? I’m team manager for Oxford Speedway and I’m involved with the Team GB Speedway youth development. I do a lot of coaching with riders like Tom Brennan, Anders Rowe, Drew Kemp, Leon Flint, Jordan Palin and Dan Gilkes. I also work for ATPI which is a big travel company who have been a sponsor of…