Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i BIKE

Chinese motorcycle companies traditionally start by churning out city runarounds before progressing to bigger fare. Not in this case. Great Wall Motors (GWM) - a Chinese car manufacturer - recently revealed the mind-boggling details of their first motorcycle, the Souo S2000GL. Essentially, the Souo (GWM’s motorcycle sub-brand that loosely translates as ‘soul’) is a Honda Gold Wing GL1800 and then some. It has more power, more cylinders, more gears, more weight and more inches of TFT screen. And although many elements appear to be Gold Wing rip-offs - the chassis and Hossack-style front end, for example, are shameless Honda copies - the engine is different enough to merit investigation. Most of the big engine differences are at the top end. Whereas the Honda uses a single overhead camshaft per cylinder…

‘A strong World Endurance engine is a useful WSB tool’ These are dark times for the once mighty Honda Racing Corporation, with their MotoGP riders spending considerably more time in gravel traps than on podiums and their two factory World Superbike pilots currently 17th and 18th in the championship. So no wonder there was an ecstatic reaction from HRC when their ridiculously trick Fireblade won this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race for the third year running. Despite the chasm in results between WSB Hondas and the endurance bike, Honda claim they’re essentially the same thing. ‘The durability required for Suzuka 8 Hours is the same as that of World Superbikes so we don’t have any difficulty with reliability,’ HRC’s Jun Tokue tells Bike when asked if they have to…

Steve Beckwith EX-BIKE COP AND NOW A COACH WITH RAPID TRAINING » There’s a series of corners on the B6479 between Settle and Ribblehead, just before you get to the Ribblehead Viaduct, which are just fantastic. Some come back on themselves, and you can really push on. Besides being great fun, they’re very useful to me as a riding coach. When you’re going left-right-left-right, you soon find out what level the client’s riding is at. The first thing I notice here is their positioning. Untrained riders tend to stick to the centre of their lane rather than moving to get a better view. After they’ve improved this, it’s down to how they handle the bike - when they’re turning into corners, when they’re getting on the gas, all that sort…

Toprak has a staggering built-in gyroscope. He spent his early years messing around doing acrobatics on the beach in his home town of Aianya on the Mediterranean seafront. ‘When I was a child I liked doing back flips, front flips, jumping, everything… I was always trying this kind of thing on the beach and in the sea.’ This soon led to tricks on motorbikes - his father was well-known stunt motorcyclist Arif Razgatlioglu (known as ‘Tek Teker Arif’, or Wheelie Arif). He started on dirt bikes, progressing through 50, 65 and 85cc KTMs, and did his first road race on a Honda CBR600RR aged just 12 or 13. Toprak still practises gymnastics, his massive core strength playing a vital part in his ability to defy physics - and fire out…

1986 Suzuki GSX-R1100 G and 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 K1 ‘I’ve got five K1s and about 17 older GSX-R1100s and GSX-R750s, although to be honest I’m not 100% sure how many I have. I think I’ve got about 50 GSX-Rs in total but they are in various states of disarray and they aren’t all complete. It’s a bit of an obsession… ‘The GSX-R is such an iconic bike. I’m old enough to remember them first coming out and although I was a teenager on £27 a week then, so they were the stuff of dreams, now I can afford to buy them. So I have been and for the past six years or so I’ve been amassing them. ‘The G was just a frame last weekend but I built it up…

Triumph Rocket 3 Largest and most torquey mass-produced bike of all time gets even more clout. Obviously What’s new? There’s a new engine map which takes the 2458cc inline triple to a gargantuan 166 Ib.ft of wallop and 180bhp-that’s an extra 15 nags. There’s a new exhaust to help hit Euro5, too. There’s a light dusting of chassis changes, involving redesigned 10-spoke cast aluminium wheels (to better show off the single-sider swingarm) and some new tyres from Metzeler. As before, there’s an R version with mid-mount ‘pegs and some attitude, and GT with forward controls, pulled-back ‘bars, a pillion backrest and a screen. Bike’s opinion The Rockets were already a staggering duo, with handling, nimbleness and manners the defied the long, low, weighty chassis and that cartoon rear tyre. None…

‘I don’t look like a spod if I have to wear it in the real world’ HJC RPHA 1 £800 (ON OFFER AT £460) We’re apparently most likely to come a cropper minutes from our front door. So while I only live seven miles from Bike’s bunker, wearing my Sunday best race lid isn’t overkill. Venting is effective. Field of vision is huge. Wind drone gets irritating on long runs and the visor release is secure, not quick, but I trust it. oxfordproducts.com RICHA GHENT GORE-TEX GLOVES £139.99 Waterproof leather mitts with insulation that strikes a compromise between keeping single-digit temperature chilis at bay, while remaining comfy if it’s warmed up by the end of the day. Save the faff of carrying and swapping between two pairs of gloves in…

Best mountain road Grossglockner High Alpine Road FACT FILE Country: Austria Length: 23 miles Pros: Immaculate surface, scenery, perfect mix of hairpins and sweepers, no lorries Cons: Expensive toll, lowered speed limit » There are so many amazing roads in Europe’s mountains. A half-dozen could make a good case for being the best: from Romania’s Transfăgărăşan to Spain’s Alto de Velefique; from Portugal’s N339, the Portuguese Stelvio, to Italy’s actual Stelvio or Passo Pordoi. There’s Switzerland’s Five Passes, while France has Col de la Bonette, Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Izoard and many more… But only one of the great Alpine roads was designed to be brilliant to, erm, drive. The day after Austria’s Grossglockner High Alpine Road opened in 1934, it was used for a car race. It’s been constantly…

Toprak rode for the factory Yamaha team from 2020-23, and won the World Superbike title in 2021. His switch to BMW for this year was unexpected given the German manufacturer’s record in WSB, but he’s brought the M1000RR to the top of the championship. ‘Both bikes have their strengths and weaknesses,’ says Toprak. ‘Both have fantastic front ends that allow me to brake late and hard.. The R1 is lighter, changes direction quicker, and holds a tighter mid-corner line. It’s more user-friendly but lacks acceleration. ‘The BMW, despite being heavier, handles very well and has a strong top end. It doesn’t hold as tight a line as the Yamaha, but the overall handling difference isn’t as significant as one might think - as evidenced by our results this year.’…

Now this is a blast from the past. My first day on Bike was back in 2003, the year the CBR600RR was launched. Resplendent with reflected Rossi/RCV glory and a then-novel underseat silencer, it represented an unrecognisable transformation from the friendly, all-round 600F. The bookish wallflower had taken their glasses off, let their hair down and transformed overnight into an utter sauce pot. That RR was stiff, wrist-heavy and tiny, while its furious, frenzied motor needed screaming to the heavens. In my 20s, I was in awe. Twenty-plus years later and the CBR600RR is back on the scene, following a brief commercial hiatus. This one’s ‘new’, sure, but that snazzy new bodywork (complete with must-have mini-winglets) can’t disguise the sense its fundamentals can still be traced right back to 2003.…

Yes, another Chinese bike from a brand you’ve never heard of. But the Kove demands attention. Firstly, they’re not playing at this: Kove have been getting on the podium in World Supersport 300 against factory tackle from Kawasaki, Yamaha and KTM, and last year put three bikes into the Dakar Rally, all of which finished. Secondly, and more importantly, it seems the new 800X Pro is as good as anything from established brands. And at £8499 it’s not only £1600 cheaper than the benchmark Yamaha Ténéré 700 but undercuts… well, pretty much everything. The bike impresses immediately. There’s a generous TFT dash, a clean cockpit with nicely fitting fairing inlays and super-neat cable routing, and the level of finish is high. It’s understated, modern and classy. Picking the 800X Pro…

GSX-R at 40 In the Classic Superbike race at last year’s Manx GP, Michael Dunlop pedalled this GSX-R750 SRAD around the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course at an average of 126.681mph. The fastest-ever lap by a 750cc bike, it would have put the 28-year-old 750 in eighth place during qualifying for this year’s Superbike TT against all the BMW M1000RRs and Honda Fireblades. Clearly, it’s a bit special. This is evident before I’ve even trundled out onto Cadwell Park’s undulations. The racer feels oh-so-different to my own SRAD road bike - the footpegs are tucked high, the seat is way taller, and the four-cylinder engine responds so crisply to a mere whiff of unleaded it makes me wonder if my own bike’s airbox is full of papier mâché. And…

TIDY ENOUGH The idea of a tail tidy crossed my mind. But when I bungee’d on quite a bit of luggage for a weekend away the hook-placing potential was magnificent. I thought the plastic aero flaps were inspired by Honda’s MotoGP effort, but maybe it was the Practicality Department all along. TWO’S COMPANY For a two-hour round trip to Donington for WSB the pillion seat was occupied by my 5ft 10in son. ‘Needs more padding - my bum started to ache after 45 minutes - and a proper grab handle, plus you being a shortarse means the wind hits me in the face. But loved it.’ SITTING NOT-SO-COMFORTABLY It’s not full-on sporty, but I’m 5ft 7in with very short legs, and climbing aboard for the first time took me back…

[ Why I love my… ] ‘I love the way it does everything. People who’ve never ridden one are always amazed at its versatility - it’s much more than just a sofa on wheels. A few years ago I went for a ride with a group of lads on sportsbikes and they still talk to me about looking in the mirrors and seeing them full of K16 because they couldn’t shake me off through the twisties. Looking at it you’d never believe how easy it is to throw into corners. It’s beautifully engineered. ‘Of course, it is staggeringly fast. I was quite proud of my clean licence, then I bought my first K16 in 2016 [a 2012 model - Ed] and got two lots of points - it’s so smooth…

» New geared 50cc bikes are thin on the ground and either retro, which Lyle doesn’t like, or pricey European enduros. So, we’ve bought a four-year-old Lexmoto Hunter for £680. There are a few crusty fixtures and fittings, the air filter honks like a goose, and the winkers don’t always wink. And the oil I thought was dribbling from the crankcase breather turns out to be coming from the engine - a bolt is AWOL, the motor’s moved, and a mount has rubbed its way through. No bother. Being a cheap Chinese bike means cheap bits, and eBay’s ‘Assured Fit’ scheme means I can order new and used parts online knowing they’ll be right-or I’ll get free returns and a refund. A box of goodies arrives, including second-hand switches that…

If you were expecting the new Panigale V4 to be a mere styling update you might want to have a sit down. There’s a new frame and suspension, no more single-sided swingarm, and the electronics are verging on A1 levels of sophistication. Take the new eCBS system. When you brake hard into a corner, this doesn’t just automatically apply the rear to maximise braking power (yep, Ducati’s flagship has combined brakes) while simultaneously modulating brake pressure to stop the front washing out. No, eCBS also brakes when you’ve stopped braking. Really. When you release the front brake as you approach a corner apex, the bike will continue braking at the rear to help hold a tight line - precisely mimicking what Pecco Bagnaia does with his thumb rear brake lever.…

Mass electrification will probably happen, eventually. So, in the Scouting vein of ‘be prepared’, here are the observations of someone who’s spent their life in propulsion. Driveability can be amazing Bikes have a magical connection between your hand and the rear wheel. Much of this is down to the glories of modern control systems. The fact you can make a 200bhp+ missile do your bidding without spitting you off might be down to God-like riding skill, or it might be down to a computer. And with electropropulsion, things will only get better. With an engine, when you open the throttle the atmosphere (being quite big) does a great job of pushing air into the engine instantly, which the control system matches with fuel - this is what gives that lovely…

1 MARC MARQUEZ He wasn’t the first to enter a corner sideways or dangle a leg. But the modern way of getting a race bike through a corner - enter sideways on one wheel, hurl it onto your elbow (or shoulder), and exit using as much kerb and body English as possible-was perfected by Marquez. When you watch MotoGP in awe of the riding styles, it was all pioneered by the eight-time world champion. 2 GARRY MCCOY Out of a ride in 1999 and thinking of going back to being a cabinet maker, McCoy joined the WCM Yamaha team in 500cc GPs for 2000 - and set the series alight with his sideways style. Drifting into, through and out of corners, he got the 16.5-inch Micheiin rear tyre to work…

Pay for your Hyper’ 698 RVE ducati.com » CASH PRICE: £12,067 on the road » PCP: Deposit £2000, 36 monthly payments £158.46, optional final payment £6848 (4000 miles, 9.9% APR) » HP: Deposit £2000, 36 months £322.69, total £13,616.84 (9.9% APR) At risk of stating the bleedin’ obvious, the Hypermotard 698 feels like a proper supermoto. Don’t mistake this for any of Ducati’s previous flirtations - it’s not like the 2007 Hypermotard 1100, nor the more recent water-cooled V-twins. This doesn’t have the air of a slightly muddled roadster wearing an aspirational dressing-up costume. This is the real deal. It’s toweringly tall. It’s laughably slim, knees grasping the tank like pages around a bookmark. It’s ludicrously light. The handlebar puts hands so wide they’re in different postcodes, but also sets…

Nathan Colombi, chief spanner-wielder for Team Classic Suzuki, tells us what went into the 750. ‘It started as a 1996 Lucky Strike factory bike built for the Suzuka 8 Hours. They went to town in this period. Today lots of Superbike parts have to be standard, but on these the sky was the limit. They had super-light cranks, titanium con rods, slipper pistons, incredibly aggressive camshafts - they were as extreme as you could run, with no restrictions on the number of engines. Suzuki had an option of six ratios for each gear, a choice of three primaries, plus all the options on final drive. ‘Factory engines ran smaller main bearings, but we quickly realised we needed a more substantial bottom end. For durability and engine inertia at the TT,…

‘If you want something to sizzle your sensations, the M1000XR is superb’ Slipping a rabid superbike engine into an upright all-rounder was a stroke of genius. The M1000XR is staggering; whoever it was at BMW who had the flash of inspiration deserves an extra Frankfurter Würstchen at lunch. It came third in our Best Bike of 2024 celebrations last issue - clearly, it’s anything but a clunker. Take it for a test ride and it supercharges your adrenaline system and turns your brain to blancmange. The variable-valve engine is so mighty you can leave it in top gear for anything other than junctions, letting you ride it like the world’s fastest twist ‘n’ go. Or let the tacho streak to the top-right of the classy TFT and reach wherever you’re…

Know How [ Ahead of its time ] No one was so far in front of dull convention than Alfred Angas Scott, way back in 1908. An early adopter of the Day Cycle engine (after Joseph Day) - now better known as a two-stroke - he correctly ignored the Otto Cycle (four-stroke) as a sluggish device with one stroke to produce power and another three to wear itself out. By 1912 a Scott had won a Senior TT - and repeated the feat in 1913. That was after the authorities of the time imposed a 1.32 penalty multiplication factor on the displacement of his engines in 1911 as they were ‘over-efficient’ compared to four-bangers. Great publicity. Scott’s engines were liquid-cooled parallel-twin two-strokes. The 1922 486cc Scott Squirrel boasted a kick-start (Scott…