MoreBikes September 2025 issue **FREE TO READ**

INSIDE THIS MONTH

BOXER TRICKS

RIDER TRAINING

’ve never been one for bikemeets or rallies. Funny thing is, when Ido drag myself to one, Iusually have a cracking time. Take the recent East Kirkby airfield bikenight.MyDucatiwas justone machine in asea of thousands, all lined up in aglorious display of twowheeled unity. Every style you could imagine was there and the riders were justasdiverse, too, from L-plateteens to battle-scarred veterans. Add in great music,tasty grub, and the surreal sight and sound of aLancaster bomber taxiing

past, and the whole thing was really something special. It got me thinking… How many great nights like this have Imissed by staying home? Sure, life gets in the way: work, family,the usual excuses. Butafterthis, I’m wondering less about if I’ll go to another,and more about where Ishould head next?What event is top of your agenda, and what’syour advice on making the most of such asocial gathering? Ithink we’rereally luckytohave such an active bike scene in the UK, so Ican appreciate the possibilities areendless.

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SPORTS BIKE FOR ASNIP Toptips for buying abargain used Yamaha R1

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

One crackingevent that’sjust around the corner is theClassic Motorcycle Mechanics show at Staffordshowground. That’ll soon be upon us,soifyou’reinclined to head to it, make suretotake in the show guide we’ve squeezed into this issue, in amongst the other great content. Enjoy the issue,

Sports bike surprise fromSuzuki

GSX-R1000R incoming

Every now and then abike pops up that genuinely catches us out –and Suzuki’slatest news has done just that. We’re talkingabout abrand-new GSX-R1000R for 2026. Yep, you read that right –afresh litre-class GSX-R,something many of us thought we’d never see again.

It’sareal curveball becausethe sports bikemarket’s been shifting. Yamaha’sstopped making the R1 for theroad; Kawasaki’sZX-10R is getting on abit;and much of the focus has been moving towardsmiddleweight machines like Suzuki’s GSX-8R and Yamaha’s R9. All good bikes –but not quite the fire-breathingsuperbike stuffofold

Suzuki itself looked likeithad stepped away quietly from the GSX-R game. The 1000 disappearedafterstricter emissions rules arrived in 2022, leaving only the GSX-R125 in showrooms. The firmhas been concentrating on its parallel-twin 800s and using itsolder K5-based1000cc engine in naked and sports-tourer roles. Great value, yes –

but lacking that headline superbike sparkle. Which is why this is so exciting.Suzuki revealed the new GSX-R1000R just before this year’sSuzuka 8Hours endurance race, tying it in with the 40th Anniversary of the original GSX-R750 from 1985. And while this 2026 bike is more of abig update than aclean-sheet design, the work has been focused whereitmatters –especially on the engine.

The new motor meets the latest Euro5+emissions rules without losing too much performance. In fact, Suzuki says it’ll still make 194bhp, which might not match the Ducati Panigale V4’snumbers on paper,but is still plenty for the road –and more than enoughfor asunny Sunday blast. Under the skin, the aluminium frame and Showa suspension carry over,withBFF gas forks and aBFRC rear shock –all fully adjustable. Brakes arestill Brembo monoblocs, but nowwithaneat hybrid disc mounting

system that combines race-style T-Drive mounts with roadfriendly bobbins, aiming for thebest of both worlds. Electronics arefamiliar,too: traction control, ABS, wheelie control, quickshifter –but no fancy TFT dash or cruise control here. Alighter lithiumbattery helps keep weight down, and at 203kg wet, it’sjust 1kg heavier than before. Styling tweaks include subtle, carbon-fibrewinglets inspired by the Suzuka race bikes and special 40th Anniversary paint optionsinyellow,blue, or red. They give the GSX-R afresh look without strayingtoo far from its roots.

We don’tknow the price yet –Suzuki’skeeping that under wraps until theNEC Show in November –but if it can stick to the brand’stradition of sensible pricing and finance deals, theGSX-R1000R could tempt riders back into the superbike camp. We’ll bring you moreassoon as we have it.

Motoringon… Cleaner, sharper smarter

sharper, smarter

The bigpart of the 2026 GSX-R1000 update story is in the engine, and there’squite an interesting roster of revisions inside the crankcases. Indeed, those cases have themselves been modifiedtos anew crankshaft which has 2mm larger journals, from 35mm diameter to 37mm, foradded strength durability.The bottomend also sees awider camchai with new guides which cut friction.

big part GSX-R1000 the crankcases. cases modified to suit a new up for added and durability. The bottom end sees a wider camchain major changes are to the end with a brand-new forged and bigger exhaust ports, as well as the 25mm Suzuki’s variable valve up on does say that it’s focused on helping race tuners

The majorchanges aretothe top end though, with brand-new cylinder head, higher-compression for pistons, and biggerexhaust valves. The head has modified intake and exhaust ports, as wellasthe exhaust valves (up from 24mm), and also keeps Suzuki’ smart SR-VVT variablevalve timing set up on the intake cam.

The camshaft sprocket has 12 steel ballbearings inside angled slots, and as the enginespeed increases, the balls arethrown outwards by centrifugal force, rotating the shaft in relation to the sprocket, and altering the timing automatically without any hydraulics or electronic gizmos. Thecam timing itself has been tweaked for the Euro5+emissions, with the same lift but less overlap.

Suzuki does say that it’sfocused on helpingrace tuners get morepower easily from the motor,sosome simple cam retiming mighttransform matters significantly for racers and trackday fans.

Compressionisupt thanks to the new fo and the slugs arealso grammes –not much, in terms of reciprocating at 13,200rpm. There to the inlet and exhaust, throttle bodies are2mm going from 46mm to Suzuki’sfittednew ei primary injectorswithab secondary top-feed inj airbox roof; and the exhaust has bigger borepipes, catalyst with dual ox silencer has shrunk tho from 8.3litres beforea the original 2017 bike’ So, whatweseem wouldnormallyadd ab needed to pass Euro5 the same time. Thecam overlap reductionlookslike aprime culprithere, effects that has had

Compression is up to 13.8:1 from 13.2:1 new forged piston design, are also lighter by three – not but useful forces at There are mods to the inlet and too: throttle bodies are 2mm bigger, to 48mm; Suzuki’s fitted new eight-hole injectors with a bank of top-feed injectors in the system has bore pipes, plus an enlarged catalyst with dual oxygen sensors. The though, down to 5.5 litres 8.3 litres before and looks much sleeker than bike’s giant fitment. what we seem to have is a load of mods which would normally add a bit of power – but the restrictions needed to pass Euro 5+ have strangled things a bit at the same time. The cam overlap reduction looks like a prime culprit here, but we’ll need to see what other on the power characteristics.

In the end though, theon-paperfigures arestill decent: aclaimed 194bhp @13,200rpmisaround 20bhp down on thewild 1100 V4s from Ducati and Aprilia, and also down on BMW’sM1000RR andthe HondaFireblade. But if Suzuki’smanaged to bringback ow el, be ans

Honda Fireblade. Suzuki’s managed bring back some of the grunty power delivery it pioneered on the legendary K5 model, and if the price is right, the new 1000 could be a really strong option for litre bike fans in 2025.

Next GenerationNortonalmost here

Norton’sall-new 1200cc sportsbike is gettingclose to its big reveal –and it’sshaping up to be something very special indeed. After months of whispers, grainy spyshots, and moreinternet speculationthanyou could shakeaspanner at, Norton has just ticked offa major milestone:TVS Motor Company’stop man, Sudarshan Venu, hasbeen spotted putting the bike through itspaces on aprivate UK track.If

that’snot asign that things aremoving fast, we don’tknow what is.

If you’ve been out of the loop,TVS is theIndian manufacturing giant now steering Norton’srevival. And it’s not heretojust dust offanold design and hope the badge does the work –it’sgot serious investment, engineering muscle, and theambitiontomake this 1200 a

BSA’s Back –New Bantam

350 and Scrambler 650

BSA might have disappearedfromUKshowrooms inthe early70s, but the famous Birmingham Small Armsbrand is making apropercomebackunder new ownership. Nowpartofthe Mahindra Group, BSA returned in 2021 with the retro-styled Gold Star 650 –

and for2025, there’snot onebut two new models joining the line-up. First up is the Bantam 350. Theoriginal Bantam was a post-war 125 two-strokebased on aGerman DKW design, built to get Britainmoving again. This new versionfollows

real player in the modernsuperbike class. Details arestill under wraps, but we do know this: it’sa completely fresh design compared to the old V4SV, with a new frame, newaeropackage, and awhole new attitude. Norton’skeeping the spec sheet locked down for now,but the wait won’tbelong–the bike’sset for its public debut at the EICMA show this November

the same spirit –light, simple andaffordable –but with modernperformance and kit.

Power comes from awater-cooled 334cc DOHC single making around 28bhp–a healthy step up from rivals like the Royal Enfield Meteor andHonda GB350S.At 185kg, it’salight, easy-handling package, with asteeltube frame, LCD dash, LED lights, dual-channel ABS and aproper 320mm front disc with ByBrecaliper.The best bit? An introductory price of just £3500 OTR. Also new is the Scrambler 650 –atougher,more moderntwist on theGold Star 650. Stylingchanges include ablack-finished engine; new mudguards; updated tankand seat design;ataller stance with 19inch front wheel; Pirelli Scorpion tyres; andan840mm seat height. Underneath it’sthe same solid recipe: 45bhp single-cylinder motor,steel-tube frame, Brembo brakes –and at £5999 it’sastrong alternative to bikes like Royal Enfield’sBear 650.

With these two models, BSA is showingit’sserious about makingamark again –and at these prices, it could win plenty of fans.

Incoming:TriumphScrambler 400

It’sprobably asign of the times that we’rereportingona new bike for the UK whichhas been on sale in India for a while. Even moreinteresting is that it’sa ‘British’ bike:the Triumph Scrambler 400 XC.

As with the Hinckley firm’sbigger machines, ‘XC’ means abit more offroad ability,but with the basicsunchanged. So, the 400 XC has the same 39bhp single-cylinder engine and steel frame,with aluminium swingarm, monoshock suspension,USD forks and ByBrebrakes. Butithas wire-spoked Excel aluminium-rim wheels, and Metzeler Karoo tyres instead of themoreroad-biased castwheelsand tyresonthe basic Scrambler 400. You get new bodywork, too, witha new high-levelbeak front mudguard(plus anormalfront fender) and aheadlamp flyscreen.

•We’realittle more interested in another bike which has just appeared in India first,too –the Triumph Thruxton 400. It’saneat half-fairedvariant of the Speed 400 single, with alittle more horsepower,upto41.4bhp from 39, and aneat set of classy bodywork. Expect to see more info and an officialUKlaunch in the next couple of months.

Sam Sunderland heads round the world

Two-time Dakar Rally winner Sam Sunderlandistaking on another challenge next month –he’sgoingtotry and break theworld record for riding roundthe world on abike.

Sunderland, who’sfromPoole in Dorset, is taking aTriumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer on the trip, which will cover at least 18,000 miles, and is attemptingtobeat therecordset in 2002 by Kevin and Julia Sanders. To do that, he’ll need to get roundthe planet, hittingtwo antipodal points, startingand finishing at the same place, on the same bike, in less than 19 days, eighthours, 25 minutes.

Youwon’tneed to open the calculator app on yourphone to work out that he’ll be doing morethan 1000 miles aday for 19 days, plus intermediate travel over sea crossings. Good luck to Sam. Youcan follow his progress at www.redbull.com

WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE AUTOJUMBLE CALENDAR?

KTM’s2026 690 Enduro Rand 690SMC R–Sharper, Smarter, Still Bonkers

NETLEY MARSH, HAMPSHIRE SO40 7GY SEPT 5-6, 2025

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KTM’sLC4-poweredtroublemakers areback for 2026 –and they’ve hada serious update. The 690 EnduroRremainsthe go-anywhere, do-anything machine in KTM’sline-up;happy on the commute, in the lanes, or on the toughest trails youcan find. The 690 SMC Risstill the king of the supermoto world, with styling and electronics that aresharper thanever

At the heart of both is the latest Euro5+ compliant 693ccsingle –the most powerful production thumper out there –now with a redesignedoil system and new crankcase, clutch, and stator coversfor extra durability

The tech package has been given abig lift, too. There’sanew 4.2-inchTFT dash; fullLED lighting; new switchgear;USB-C charging; KTM’s fullcornering ABS; cornering traction control; and ride modes. The SMC Ralso gains KTMConnect smartphone integration, so you can record and shareyour riding datastraight from the saddle. Styling is cleanerand moreaggressive, matching the sharper performanceand updated features. Whetheryou’retrailblazing on the EnduroRor carving up Tarmac on the SMC R, both bikes still deliverthatraw,single-cylinder fun KTM’sLC4 platform is famous for First deliveriesare due in September,withboth models pricedat£10,499 OTR

OURTOP THIS MONTH PRODUCTS 8

Words: Alan Dowds

1Shoei Rutter XSPR-Pro

£999 www.michaelrutter200.com

Michael Rutter is agenuine British bike racing legend, and he’sstill doing it (including at thesharp end of the TT lineup)in hismid-50s. The Blade is some man, andhe’sbeen aShoei helmet man for a while now.His replica is a classy,yet simple, red/white/ black design, on the base of atop-end Shoei X-SPR Prorace helmet –but this lid is even morespecial. It’sa limited-edition design, handpainted by Michael’spainter, Rage Designs, so each one is slightly different, and includes all his sponsor logos. It’sjust like the lid he wears on the island.

2

3Arai XTriumph Quantic helmet

Hinckley Triumph has asolid history of co-branded riding gear,putting its logo on custom versionsofhigh-end kit from major firms. And here’sanother one –aspecial edition of the Arai Quantic helmet. It’sasport road riding helmet, aimed at owners of the likes of

handmade composite laminate outer shell, QR visor,Pinlock insert, removable washable liner and Emergency Release System (ERS)

Anew range of cleaning products from aUKfirm set up by bikers, MotoClean says itsstuffoffers easier cleaning while protecting your machine. Its Gel Bike Wash is acleaning gel formulation which claims to remove dirt and grease for a powerful clean. It’salso pHneutral and biodegradable, and is claimed safe for paint, engine, chrome and rubber. The firmalso makes chain lube, maintenance spray and brake cleaner,with moreon the way

There areplenty of jobsona bike wherea stiffbrush will helpyou out(usually nasty, dirty ones). This set from Oxfordincludes metal

brushes with brass wire, stainless

wireand two nylon bristle heads. Thebrass one is for spark plugs, thestainless for removing rust and thenylon ones for tough cleaning. Areally handy set for atenner

the Street and Speed Triples, with two classy monochrome designs, and subtle branding. The premium Quantic lid has the usual top spec:

5Richa AuyanWPair jacket

£139.99 /www richa.eu

www

As we write this, it’shotterthanthe surface of thesun in MBTowers (okay we know you still had the heating on in Glasgow).So, we’ve got all thecool air-vented kit on. Butinthe UK, it’s only a few weeks ayear at best, so apuremesh jacket is abit of aluxury. This Richa Auyan coat is agood option for two reasons: it has aremovable waterproof liner and is also pretty cheapatjust £139.99. Youstill get premium D3O armour in the elbows and shoulders for that price, and it comes in three colourways sized S-6XL. Also available in ladies’ sizes.

Hand guards aresuch a useful thing, it’sa shame to keep them only on adventureand dirt bikes. So British firmPyramid Moto has released a set for the new Honda Hornet1000. They add protectionfromwind and rain, and do the job of abrake lever guard, too. They also look pretty gnarly–and are even made in the UK. Fabricated from durable ABS plastic, they come with steel powder-coated brackets, and all fittings.

£54.99 /www.alpinestars.com

Smartshorty gloves with acustom fit, and three smart colours, th gloves have asynthetic suede and textile/mesh stretch back panels. Ideal for commutes and shorter summer rides, they prioritise comfort and coolness, but still have plenty of protection: they’re CE level 1KPcertified, andhave soft3DTPU knuckle protectors. Velcro cuffstrap, touchscreen thumb and index fingerand asilicon print pulltag complete the neat spec.

Smart shorty gloves with a custom ladies’ and three the Chrome have a synthetic suede palm,

We’ve probably all got denim biker jeans now,but here’s an alternative set of casual protective riding trews for the nonconformists out there.The Weise Garrison is acombat trouser design, withcargo thigh pockets and subtle mods for riding.

There’restretch panels round the knees, air vents, and RE ZRO level Iarmour in hips and knees, while the main material is atough 185gsm cotton twill, withKevlar reinforcement in impact zones. Available in green or black in men’sand women’ssizes.

GIVINGSPACE TO INNOVATION

Born to in-depth design studiescarried outbyGIVI directly in thewindtunnel, theV49 AIRtop case is equippedwiththe newWINGFLOWsystem, 4Wings designed to reduce airswirlsand turbulence and Patented forvibration andnoise reduction. High performanceandunmistakablestylewithV49AIR. www.givi.co.uk

Your Ride

WIN!

Youcan win apair of Weise Norvik Jeans RRP 159.99

Weise® Norvik biker jeans offer stylish versatility and exceptional value.Rated AA for safety,they come with discreet RE ZRO® armour at the hip and knee Constructed from stretch 390gsm denim with reinforced stitching, these single-layer jeans balance durability and comfort for on- and off-bike use all-day long.Available in achoice of short, long or regular leg length and women’ssizes,too Find out moreat https://www.weiseclothing.com/

For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikesFacebook page andupload apic of your bike, tell us whereyou’ve beenonitand why you love it… and youcould findyourself staring back at yourself from within these verypages. Oh, and we’llalso pick a winner at random each monthfor awell-earned prize,courtesy of our friendsatthe Key Collection. What areyou waiting for?

WINNER -Tam Forrester Triumph Tiger 1050 That’sInveraray in the background. What acracking view

lined up for some mono action. Fewyears’ timeand they’ll be there!

Morton Royal Enfield Looking pretty,pretty sharp here on (we presume) aDGR rideorsimilar.Those Enfield 650 twins are great on arelaxed sunny cruise aswell. Topwork Chase

Chase

BoxerTricks

BMW’snew R12G/S isn’tjustaretro tribute It’sthe German brand reaching into their roots and pulling out amachine that blends old-school charm with modern-day grit

Words: Bruce Wilson Pics BMW

You’ve gottohand it to BMW. They’rethe mastersofbig adventure bikes and, arguably,they’realso the originatorsofthe sector,having broughtthis worldtolife back in 1980 when an ‘out-of-the-box’ thinkingengineer decidedto go rogueand giveanR80the Daddy Longlegs treatment. Theresult? Well, aganglyR80, dubbed theR80 G/S.Itwas abikethat would go on to spawnimagination, adventure, and severalDakar wins.Perhaps even moreimportantly,itwould formthe foundations to the German brand’s bestsellingfamilyoftwowheelers, the GSs, whichhave topped mostlarge-capacitysales charts for the last 20 years. In anod to that intrepid forefather, BMW’ve released this air-cooled, 1170cc modern-day interpretation that Iwas lucky enough to hit the dirt on afew weeksbackinGermany

Namedthe R12 G/S,itoffersa contemporaryand much morepotent twisttothe original tale,but from a distance youcould be forgiven for thinkingthe twomodels aremuch moreclosely related.

In reality, this modern-day marvel is twice as powerful, inexplicably smarter, and probably severaltimes morecostlythanthe R80G/S ever was. In fact,it’smorecloselyaligned to the brand’s covetedRnineT than anythingelse, as the twobikes share the same engine,frame,techand much more.

Okay,the headstock angle’s different, the suspension’salot longerintravel, and the wheel sizesare totallydifferent, butthose factorsaside,the R12G/S is another cracking example of BMWupcycling somethingtheyalready hadintheir arsenal, deliveringaproduct to the market that’s assuredtopull on the

heartstrings of thosegettingnostalgic, everybit as much as it will to the continuallyblossomingworld of Hipsters and wannabeadventurers, cravingacomfy and attentiongrabbingride on their nextblast to pickupasoy latte. Pretensions aside, BMWhavedelivered so much more than ‘image’ with the R12 G/S,and I’dbeanabsoluteliarifI weren’t to admit that Iwas gaggingtoget behind its bars for arip around.

Adventurebikes have always been closetomyheart and having competedintwo of BMW’sglobal GS Trophyfinals and clocked10,000 miles on my own2009 R1200 GS, it’s fair to sayIknowthe rangepretty well… and this hastobeone of my favouriteexamples of all time What’s gotmebuzzingabout this bike, youmight wonder? Well, if truth be told, the appeal is howunassuming it is.Parkedupand readytoplayat

BMWMotorrad’sEnduro Park in Hechlingen, it washardtogauge the competence of this new arrival as Iwalked over to it and studiedits laudable eighties guise. The round dash,mono-headlightand high mudguardwerecopy-and-pastetraits of the original G/S’s stylingcues, made all the moremirroredthanks to its choice of aParalever swingarm, relativelyflat and thin benchseat, plus the unmistakable protrusions of the Boxertwin’scylinders.And in true GS style, it alsocame fittedwith asaddle so high Inearlyasked for aleg-up to hop on it.Maybe aslightexaggeration, butat875mm aboveterra firma,the seatsonthe taller side of the scale. Another thingthat’sbig is the bars, whichare alsorelativelyflat andswept back towardsthe rider,nestlingjustin frontofthe bike’seye-catchinglybasic digital dash.Asfor the switchgears, they’reprettyconventional as far as

BMW’sgo, optingfor the same style of spinnywheel, cruisecontrol and brilliant‘fun button’ that wipesout anytraction control or such likeif you hold it for longenough.But that’s yourlot Unlikeit’sall singingand dancing R1300 GS brethren, the R12G/S is refreshinglybasic in the technological department, with perhapsthe most importantoffeaturesbeing the riding mode selection, whichcoversthe normalRain, Road and Dynamic functions,plus Enduroonthis model, while ourmachines alsogained EnduroPro that comes as part of the EnduroPackage,alongside an 18-inch rear wheel, enduropegs, barrisers, alongerstand, hand guards and allimportantengine guards…soyou can throw the bikeatthe scenerywithout toomuchworry Thumbingthe bikeintolife released the distinctiveboomofthe Boxer,

kickingout the flatand menacing notethat so many have come to love over the years. Indulginginafew blips of the ride-by-wirethrottle caused the characteristic twisttothe left,as the internal masses didtheir best to reaffirmthis wasabikerammedwith character as well as energy.That said, I’dunderstand whysome might be alittle disappointedtonotethat the Beemer ‘only’ claims 107bhpinstock trim,but the moreimportant figure, as Iwas soon reminded, is the115Nm of torque it delivers.

Havingsnail-pacedaround the enduroparkprovingtoour lead rider that this wasn’t ourfirst time on twowheels,eventuallyheled the wayout into some of the venue’s moretechnical and playful trails

Thegoingwas still pretty slow, butitwas agoodopportunityto appreciate howagileand effortless the bigBMW wastoplace anywhere,

backed up with afantastic turning circleand acommendable low weight,whichmade such antics all the easier

Another great thingInoted was howpliable the engine wasatzero throttle.It’dliterallypull itself along on tick-over with no risk of stallingor stuttering.Boxersare brilliantfor this trait,but they’realsogoodatgetting alick-on.

Finally, we were let off ourleads and Idid not hesitate to pull the pin, seeingthe G/S from awholly differentviewpoint. It’s worth notingthat the bikeisveryslim and minimalist, givingthe rider agenuine largeendurobikefeel, rather than somethingthat’d been hacked about to make it do off-roading. Stoodtall on the grippypegs, with my weight forward over the bars,the Beemer’s suspension seemedtosuckupthe lumps and bumpswithimpressive levels of decorum,not so much as hintingatatantrum,regardlessof howharshlyIwas treatingit. There wasa lot to likeabout the machine, that reacted strongly to pressure on the pegs,aidingthe speed at which the machine would change direction.

To reallyget it turning, however, a lock of the rear brakebroughtthe best results.The18-inchrear, kitted with Metzeler Karootyres,offeredloads of grip,but the powerful rear anchor neverfailedtoget the rear of the bike drifting, offeringamuchmoreplayful and efficientway to change direction.

Of course,the alternativeapproach wastogas the bike round, flinging stones beyond the horizon in the process.

I’dstartedthe ride with Enduro Promodeengaged,but soon came to realisethatthe functional setting limited the amountofrearslip under drive, so it wasn’t longbeforeIturned the traction control off completely.

That’swhen the ride reallycame into its own, offeringablend of hilarityand apprehension in equal measures.Thelongwheelbaseof the bikedefinitelylends its hands to skids and powerdrifts, butonafew occasions the spicypower delivery, mixed with the ever-changingsurface conditions,providedsome pretty sketchymoments.But what would you expectfromamachine with the

aforementioned115Nm on loose ground?

More to the point, Iloved howwild this thingcould be as it completely contradicted the sedate,agedlook of the bike. Thiswas provingto be somethingofa wolf in sheep’s clothing, and everybit as capable as anyofits adventure trailpeers I’ve ridden. It wasn’t toomuchof ahandful in the air, either,having

hit afew jumpsonthe Hechlingen playground beforewewereled to some deep sand sections to showoff the virtues of the 21-inchfront tyre In all the yearsI’vebeenridingGSs, I’ve craved for them to have a21-inch instead of a19-inchfront,asitmakes life so much easier in deep stuff,as the G/S showedeffortlessly. In fact, doingaphotoshoot through the section wasdisappointing, as the bike

didn’t getcrossed up or squirrelly, simply ploughingthrough from one side to the other without anydrama Wherever we went, the BMWproved itself morethancapable,withthe end of the day’sagendabeingabig trail ride outinsurrounding woodlands. Here,the ground wasa bit moreboggy and technical, butthe combination of the bike’sawesome agilityand the motor’s pliabilitytotacklingall speeds meantthe experiencewas ablast I’dbeengenuinelytaken abackby howimpressivethe G/S hadproven, supportedatall times by acracking soundtrackthatjustaddedanother dimension to the pleasurebeing experienced.

Of course,ifyou want to look for negatives,you’ll soon find them, with the kick in the nether regions coming from the pricingofthe

machine.Backatbase, chatting with the BMWstaff,theylet on that the entry-levelprice for the R 12 G/S was£14,420, butowing to the spec of bikes we’d been riding, with countlessbolt-ons, such as the ‘Light White’ colour scheme, the EnduroPackage Pro, Comfort Packageand afew other shinybits, ourmachine’shit home at around £17,000 apop.Pricey? I’ll let you be the judgeofthat, butitcertainly took abit of shine away from the bike, having noted that the R1300 GS canbeyours from £16,640. Thethingis, for me,ifIwere to ownone,I’d be hellbenton doingthe daft stuff I’dgot up to at Hechlingen, so at aminimum I’d need to buythe EnduroPackage in addition, and maybeafew extra protectiveparts,whereasthe entry

levelbringsyou the greatnessof the package, albeit with abit less all-terrain purpose. Formost, that’ll be just the ticket, and at 14 grand it’s probably on the moneyasofferings go,beingmuchmorecomparable to its natural rivals in price,slottingin betweenTriumph’s Scrambler 1200 Xand Ducati’s DesertX–whichare both fantastic alternatives if you’re into this kind of thing. The thingis, though,thatneither of them areR12G/Ss. And, truth be told, if Ireallyhad to pickone of them,it’dbethisone all daylong… even if it were to setmebackafew quid more. There’s somethingreally specialabout this bike, backed up by atimelesslookthat means you’ve not gottogochoppingitinevery other week to keep up with the Jones’. WheredoIsign?

What’s it like on theroad?

Of course,not everyone is as derangedasme, and it goes to reason some would much sooner ride this bikeonthe roads than thedirt. So,to

giveusa propertaste of the R12G/S’s all-round brilliance,wewerealso given the chance to trythe top-spec Option 719 version on the streets,fully

loadedwithother goodies,including the optional digital display,that brings awhole other look and vibeto the G/S.

Another blatantdifference wasthe switch back to the standard17-inch rear tyre that is the preferredchoice for the road and seemedfantastically capable from the get-go when the time came to startgivingthe bikeabit of aworkout.Aswas the experience off-road, the fantasticallylow mass of the biketranslatedtoeasyhandling, eggedonbyits longand stable wheelbase. The BMWfelt fantastically plantedthroughout ourthree-hour ride,thatundertook everythingfrom lighttrails to motorways in genuine comfort. The ergonomics of the bike aresoeasygoing that Icould’ve clockedplenty moremiles than we did, without need for arest. When seated,the kneeangle is super-generousand the reachtothe bars feels natural, and not toofar From switchgearstolevers, nothing broughtmeany concern, though high speeds on the derestricted sections of Autobahn did make me wish for alittle morethana flyscreen. The alternative, of course,would have been to slow down…but no one likes aquitter.

Other things to notewerehow greatthe Brembo brakes felt at all degreesofapplication, and I’d heavilyadvisetakingonthe optional shifter and blipper if youwereto buyone of these, if not for the added ease navigatingthe gearbox, for the awesome noisethe bikebarks with downshifts

Without waxing lyricaltoo much, the gististhe R12G/S wasevery bit as

SPECIFICATION:

BMW R12G/S

Engine:

Triple treat

Once seen as Triumph’sgateway drug,has the updated Trident outgrown its entry-level status?

While the 660 triple hasbeen around for afew years, until now I’dnot hadchance to tryitout, wonderinghow it’d compare to the original 675cc Street Triple I absolutelyadored when Iborrowed one to takeovertothe TT nigh ona decade-and-a- half ago. Giventhe Trident660’sspec, and the fact that when it wasfirstintroducedit washeraldedasthe Hinckleyfactory’s entrybikeintoTriumph ownership,I wasexpectingalow spec,easy-to-use, A2-licence compliantmachine that waspleasurable to ride,but maybe ultimatelyalittle dull. Iwas rightin onerespect,and it wasn’t thelast…

The pseudo-retrostylingcues on the Tridenthaveappealedtome ever since Isaw the first pressrelease images sixyears ago, and the original version (that’s the Hinckleyoriginal, not the actual T150 750cc original, the factory’stop-of-the-range machine!) gotsome rave reviews on itslaunch, so Iwas rather keen to have atry, especiallywhen the new 2025 version wasannounced.

While thereare afew changesfor the 2025 model, it is essentiallythe exact same bikeasfar as hardware is concerned. The upgrades come via the sixaxisIMU that allows cornering ABSand traction control, plusan additional ridermode(with Sport beingaddedtothe previous Road and Rain modes), cruisecontrol, connectivitytothe TFTscreen (allowingturn-by-turn navigation, control of phonecalls and music, etc.,via the Triumph app) and the Triumph Shift Assistquickshifter So,asfar as the mechanical components areconcerned, it’s pretty much all the same as before with the notable exception beingthe application of Showa’s‘bigpiston’ forks for an improved action of the frontsuspenders, although likethe previous version of theTrident, they’renot adjustable in anyway

Butithas the same 660cc threecylinder engine that makesthe same powerasbefore, the same perimeter frame made fromsteel (rather than aluminium as the stylemay suggest),

and the same rear shock,brakes, etc. So,essentially, it could be said that it is the same entry-levelbikeaswas released sixyears ago. But, of course, Triumph nowhas the 400cc singles as its entry-levelmodels,soit’sfair to saythe Tridenthas riseninthe ranks somewhat

Of course,itstill hasthe A2 compliantpower and weight figures, and the wheelbase, weight and seat heightnumbers indicateitshould be ideal for new riders, so it’d be all tooeasytopigeonhole the bikeinto beinga‘beginner’s bike’,thatmay not be suitable for the moreexperienced ridersamongstus. And that’d be a very sillyassumption to make It has, of course,still gotthe relativelylow weight (of190kgfully fuelledand readytoroll), slim and contextuallylow seat height(of 805mm) and easy manoeuvrability (decentsteeringlockand short 1401mm wheelbase) of the previous version, so the ‘entry level’ tagis still goingtobetiedtothe tapered mid-risehandlebars.But havingnow

Words: Dave Manning Pics Triumph

ridden the Trident, it’s no real surprise to me to subsequentlyhearthatmany of the sales areactuallytofolkwho aremovingbackdownthe ‘bikesize ladder’and purchasing somethinga little moremanageable than amassive tourer,super-sized adventure bikeor ballistically-fastsportsmachine.

While some bikes areideal forriders without agreat deal of experience, thereare othersthat cancater fornew riderswhilstcontinuingto provide a fantastic ridingexperience forthose with afew years’ ridingunder their belts,bringingsmiles to the miles without arequirementfor massive poweroutputs,highlevels oftechor three-piece suitelevels of comfort.

The Tridentepitomises thatidea with apurityofdesign, spec and feel. And it’s afeisty little fella, too. It is reminiscentofthat 675 Street Triple in many ways,but maybea little less sporty and not as sports-focussed, in part thankstothe lessrev-hungry requirements of the engine, butalso due to the lowerspecsuspension and brakes,although it is closeto being as much fun on asmooth sectionof twisty Tarmac

The 660cc tripleis an impressively flexible lump,with the focusbeingon accessible torque rather than outright powerfigures(and, of course,the outright powerhas alimit brought by the bikehavingarequirement of a capabilityofanA2licencerestriction). Triumph hassucceeded in its aim, with 90 percentofthe outright torque figure(47.2lb-ft,ifyou need to ask) beingavailable through the middle 50 percentofthe revrange.Theend result is that youdon’t need to be

chasingrevsall the time to make good progress,and short-shiftingthrough the boxisasgoodaway of covering ground as playing‘hunt the limiter’. It actuallyfeels likea larger capacity engine in the wayitpullsfromlower in the revrange,and the three-cylinder configuration certainlyhelps to keep it smooth,with the endresultbeing abikethatwill be as comfortable in a citycommuteasout on the open road. Forme, the optionofrider modes seems alittle unnecessary on abike

that hassucha flexible powerdelivery and such asmooth fuellingand throttle feel. So much so that even Sportmode is suitable for stop-starttownand traffic riding, and it could be argued the ‘normal’ Road mode is good for more enthusiastic ridingaslongasyourright wristhas the flexibilitytosuit,given both modes have the same poweroutput with the differencebeing in howquickly the butterfliesinthe throttle bodies are opened. After swappingthrough the modes early on in my day’sride, Iopted

to just stay in Sport, anditwas fine for everything– even delicate, feet-up turns on gravellylaybysfor the photostops

The new quickshifter is pretty good, and while it won’t shift up on aclosed throttle,itwill shift down on an open one,whichisa tadironic as thanks to the powerplant’sprodigiousspreadof torque (especiallygiven its capacity), you’reunlikelytowanttoslip down a cogortwo to overtake. It’s (yet) another bikefor whichIwonder if the addition of a‘shifter is moredowntofashion

(orcustomer demand) ratherthanthe actualneed.

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That said, it could be argued that in speedcamera-enforcedBritain, the addition of cruisecontrol is avital one, despiteacommon assumption of it onlyreallybeingneededonabikethat haslong-distance touringasits raison d’être. The cruisecontrol on the 2025 Tridentisthe very simplest, both in termsofhow easy it is to use, and in what it offers– it’s just abasic on/off with no incremental buttonstotweak the speedthat hasbeenset. However, it is auseful addition, albeit perhapsa little oddinthatit’sstandard fare on abikethat many mightnot consider it necessary,and in that other equipmentcomes as optional tras such as heated grips anda USB arger(andthereare alsooptions me mayconsider to be lessvital, ch as scrollingindicators, andtyre essure monitoring). Butitmustbe memberedthat, even with the new electronics and forks,itremains at the me price as the outgoing model, so vingtopay alittle extrafor thosebits at not everyone wantsisfairenough I’djumpedonthe red-liveriedbike for the ridingshots –asitmatched my helmet –but Idothink the blue livery is perhapsalittle classier and will age alittle better,but both of those, and the yellowalternative, come with an increasedprice tagoverthe basicall blackversion.

Thereare anumberofother bikes that slip into the same ‘mid-range nakedbike’ category as the Trident, although Iget the impression there’s still somethingofan‘entry-level’’ prejudice’againstthe Hickleytriple that others, such as the Suzuki GSX-8, Yamaha MT-07, ApriliaTuono 660, etc.,don’t have.Which is ashame, as the Triumph is probably the best all-rounder in that group, with the best flexibilityfor all ridingconditions and, as such,could be argued it is the perfect mid-range nakedbike. With that said, I will alwaysargue the perfectbikeatany one time is the one I’msat on… Thankstothatimpressiveengine and the waythat, despiteits capacity, it acts likea much larger inline four,pulling smoothlyand strongly from next-to-no revs,itwould be asuperbengine for a mile-munchingtourer, with abit more room,a slightly moreupright riding position and the abilitytotakeaset of made-to-fit hard luggage. What’s that you say? There’sa TigerSport 660 with exactlythe same engine? Yesindeed, and you’ll be seeing moreofitsoon…

Geton twowheels –andcashin!

Here’sa life hack that can getyou into motorcycling, makeyou asafer rider,and save you money– it’sa no-brainer, right?!?

This is goingtobethe best summer ever to be a16–24-year-old just abouttoget into motorcycling. Why? Well, the new TryRide initiativefromthe National Young Rider Forum(NYRF)and Phoenix Motorcycle Trainingislaunching this August to encourageyoung people to trymotorcyclingby providing300 lucky participants their first motorcyclingexperience at half price beforetheyevencommit to CBT.

The ideaistomakethe transition into motorcyclinglessscary and

stressful, and to make first-time ridersmoreskilledand saferon the roads.So, if youare that young person wantingtohaveagoatriding motorcycles,oryou have someone likethat in your family, read on to find outhow to make that happen.

What’s aTry Ride?

TryRides areaimedatyoung firsttime ridersyet to do their CBT. They include both online and practical elements:the learnerswill first completetwo onlinemodules developed by leadingindustryexperts

beforegettingintothe saddle for a ridingexperience

The first online module,View from the Saddle,isabrand-new resource developed by the NYRF with Esitu, thankstofunding from the Road SafetyTrust.It’saset of 18 short hazardperception/hazardprediction films,depicting20new hazards for would-bemotorcyclists to spot.These arerealhazards,filmedfromthe perspectiveofayoung motorcyclist, that canleadtodangerous situations

Thesecond module completed online,Ridefree,isa course for

moped and motorcycleriders developed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agencyand National Highways.Itcoverstopics such as the HighwayCode, protectivekit, bikemaintenance and other useful topics for thosenew to biking.

Once the learner hasregistered, the module canbecompleted in sections,enabling riderstocome back and finish it in atimescale that suits their needs.

Once the online modules have been completed,it’stime for the practical experience to seewhatit’sreallylike

to ride amotorcycle. Thiswill take place with afullyaccredited,friendly instructor at one of the 21 Phoenix Motorcycle Trainingcentres across the country.

Forfull details of the Try Ride scheme,visit the NYRF websiteat: www.newriderhub.net

Show me the money!

Here’s howthe whole thingmakes financial sense, too. TryRide experiences typicallycost£40, but thosewho takepartinthis initiative and completeboththe online and

Phoenix Motorcycle Trainingwas chosen as thedelivery partner of the TryRide initiative as it is theUK’shighest rated and largest motorcycle trainingschool. Phoenix Motorcycle Training runs 21 local trainingcentres across the country,providing high-quality courses delivered by fully accredited instructors, and designed to meet arange of customer needs, from complete beginners to experienced riders.

For TryRides, CBTs, full licence andpost-licence trainingwith Phoenix, visit https://phoenixmotorcycletraining.co.uk/

The National Young Rider Forum(NYRF) is agroup of road safety professionals joiningtheir expertise to specifically look at youngmotorcyclists. The forummembers include representatives from local Authority Road Safety Teams, Safer Roads Partnerships, Motorcycle Industries Association (MCIA), Motorcycle Action Group(MAG), Police forces, Fireand Rescue and the DVSA.

For further information about theTry Ridescheme, visit the NYRF website www.newriderhub.net

practical sessions will be refunded £20 of that price

The money-backoffer is available from 1August, 2025, butthere are only300 places available under the TryRide initiative.

Because the TryRides are delivered by the UK’slargest motorcycle training organisation, Phoenix Motorcycle Training, there areplenty of places around the countrywhereyou cantakepart. For afull listofparticipatingPhoenix Motorcycle Traininglocations,visit phoenixmotorcycletraining.co.uk

What’s the catch?

Thereisn’t one. Notreally. The aim of the TryRidescheme is to explore whether thosewho completethe course aremorecompetent and safer riderswhen theyprogressto their CBT. The results could help to informfuturepolicyaround licensing regulations and make ourroads safer for everyone

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitatorofthe NYRF,said: “Motorcyclingisalifeline for many youngpeople,offering them freedom without the expenseof learningtodrive and buyingacar.

“Takingthe CBTgives new riders agood groundinginthe basicskills andknowledge to ride amotorcycle safely. This initiative seekstoenhance the existingsyllabusbyintroducing new riderstotwo excellente-learning modules,Ridefreeand View from the Saddle.

“Wehopethatthesemodules, combinedwithgivingyoung people their first ridingexperience in asafe environment, will lead to increasing numberschoosingmotorcyclingasa transport choice.”

Mark Jaffe,the owner and chief

instructor of Phoenix Motorcycle Training, said: “Weare thrilledto roll outthis excitinginitiative, which hasthe potentialtonot onlygive hundredsofyoung people the chance to findtheir freedom on motorcycles, butalsomakethem safer riders.

“AtPhoenixweare all aboutthe qualityoftrainingweprovide and making everyone as safe on the roads as possible –initiatives such as this aregreat opportunities to explore howwecan all do that even better while introducingnew people to the wonderful worldofmotorcycling.”

How to sign up for aTry Ride To sign up for aTry Ride,all you need is to be 16-24 yearsold and open to the freedom,possibilities and fun that ridingmotorcycles can bring.

If that sounds likeyou,orsomeone you know, youcan bookyour place through Phoenix Motorcycle Training: Web: https:// phoenixmotorcycletraining.co.uk/ Email: bookings@teachmetoride co.uk

Telephone: 0330 2235787

AVON

PARSONS MOTORCYCLES LTD

Old PitGarage, Coombend,Radstock, Avon BA33AT 01761433522

www.parsonsmotorcycles.co.uk

Beta, Peugeot,Super Soco,Rieju

CORNWALL

THOR MOTORCYCLES LTD

Tretoil,Lanivet,Bodmin, Cornwall PL30 5BA 01208831774

www.thormotorcycles.co.uk

BSA, Beta, Benelli, CCM, Fantic,GPX, Indian, Keeway,Mash, MotoMorini, Mutt,Talaria

HERTFORDSHIRE

RACEWAYS MOTORCYCLES

25 Church Lane,Stevenage HertfordshireSG1 3QW 01438368656

www.racewaysmotorcycles.com

AJS, Motorini, Spada and Oxford Clothing,Zontes

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

COOPERB MOTORCYCLES LTD

ThePiggery, Eastern Maudit, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN297UE 01933665403

www.cooperbmotorcycles.co.uk

BSA, RoyalEnfield

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

MSC

PastureRoad,Stapleford, Nottingham NG9 8GG 0115 939 2713

www.scooters.co.uk

Aprilia, Benelli, Derbi, Italjet,Lambretta, MotoGuzzi, Piaggio,Royal Alloy, Super Soco,Vespa

WEST SUSSEX

MOTO WARD LTD

Victoria House, Church Street, Rudgwick,West SussexRH12 3HJ 01403 823222

www.motoward.co.uk

Yamaha

SCOTLAND

JIM ALLAN MOTORCYCLES LTD

208 Grahams Road,Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland FK2 7BX 01324 620111

www.jim-allan.com

Aprilia, Beta, MotoGuzzi, Light Weight Suzuki, Quadzilla

entry from9am with advance ticket

This year’sshow is shaping up to be an unmissable celebration of motorcycling heritage, with over athousand stunning bikes on display.

From rare retro rides to iconic classics, StaffordshireCounty Showground will be packed to

the rafterswith two-wheeled legends.

Special guests, and long-time friends, Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall will be taking to the stage throughout the weekend, ready to share stories and answer your questions about their incredible careers. These

racing icons have made an undeniable markonmotorcycling historyand are afantastic addition to this year’sline-up. Motorcycle clubs from across the UK will once again come together to showcase their passion, craftsmanship, and the vibrant community built around

classic bikes.

Looking for parts, gear,orrare finds? From elusive motorcycle components to top-quality merchandise, the trade stands and autojumble are amust-visit for anyenthusiast.

The show will also be bursting with live entertainment

including jaw-dropping stunts from Bolddog FMX, the gravitydefying Wall of Death, and toe-tapping live music from The Daisy Belles.

Save £4.50 when you book in advance –adult tickets just £16.50! Find out more at www.classicbikeshows.com

Legends alignat Stafford!

Youcan meet TWOracing legends,bepartoftheirbanter,see some verygorgeous motorcycles AND win Wayne Gardner’s title-winning hat if you come to the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show at Stafford this October!

You really need to be at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by CaroleNash over the weekend of October 11-12.

And I’ll tell you why… For me, it’sthe best showof the year (but then Iambiased) and this October’sshowatthe StaffordshireCounty Showground will be the best-ever:and here’s why.

Firstly,we’ve got two of the finest special guestsever. Ican speak from experience when I saythat you will love thebanter between two legends and good mates Wayne Gardner(1987 500cc world champ) andhis best pal Roger Marshall (11-times British champ.) Their stories are both hilarious and momentous. You’ve got to come alongand listen to Jack Burnicle quizthem both on their careersand life-long friendship…

Best of all, CMM has gotten hold of ahat WORN by Wayne Gardner during his championshipwinning season in 1987 and one luckyshow-goer will be receiving it. Detailsare yet to be finalised and it mayinclude acharity bid or two, but we want to see this unique piece of motorcycle race memorabilia go to aworthyand newhome. You’ve got to be in it, to win it! More detailsabout this can be found later in theshow guide!

Then there are the bikes… as usual there will be hundreds of beautiful bikes on displayon the manyclub stands. So, all of us (around 30,000 over the weekend) can have agood gawp at some stunning two-wheeled machines.

As usual and like Classic

Motorcycle Mechanics magazine itself, the focus of the show is all that’sbest in modernclassic motorcycling –sothat’sbikes from Japan and Europe from the 1950sthrough the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and even nudging into the late 2000s. We follow the rules of the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC)… so ‘anything 15 yearsorolder’ is eligible as aclassic. This means

the show coversawonderful breadth of machineryand all of these eras and beyond will be on displayinthe manyhalls. Don’t forget to check out the Bonhams auction: whether you’ve got the moneytobid or not: it’sstill good to dream…

And then there are the race machines, manyofwhich will be fired up outside in the Classic Racer GP Paddock. That is areal

AMessage from OurSponsor

2025 is aspecial yearfor all of us at Carole Nash, as we proudly celebrate our 40th anniversary. As we markthis incredible milestone, we’redelighted to once again sponsor the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show

Taking place over the weekend of October 11–12, this familyfriendly event remains the largest gathering of classic motorcycles and enthusiasts in the world -and it’sonly getting better!

Now firmlyestablished as akey date inthe biking calendar,the ClassicMotorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by CaroleNash continues to grow,and this year’s event promises to be the most thrilling yet.

We’reespeciallyexcited to welcome 1987 WorldMotorcycle Grand Prix Champion Wayne Gardner and multi-time British champion and former Grand Prix rider Roger Marshall, who will be

sharing memorable stories from their legendaryracing careers.

As always, the halls will be filled with an incredible arrayof classic and retro motorcycles. The club stands will be going all out to impress, each hoping to takehome the coveted Best Club Displayaward.

Private collectorswill also be showcasing their prized machines, painstakingly restored to their former glorywith passion,

treat for the ears(and nose if you likeCastrol R) but do bring some ear plugs just in case!

Of course, the show is not just about the bikes –it’sabout the bits –you will be able to find heaps of parts being sold on the various stands and stalls over the show weekend. And bring the family too, as there’s plenty to see and do, withsome entertainment around the

showground and plenty of food and drink stands to keep you fed. So, what are you waiting for?

The show is over the weekend of October 11-12 at the Stafford County Showground –that’s ST18 0BD for your sat-nav. Formore details of opening times, ticket prices, go to: www classicbikeshows.com/staffordo/ Bertie Simmonds

precision, and remarkable craftsmanship.

The expansive trade and autojumblearea offersaparadise for motorcycling fans, fullofparts, tools, and rare finds to fuel any project, no matter the size.

And of course, the renowned

Bonhamsauction will once again drawacrowd, withastunning selection of bikes up for grabs for those bold enough to win them in ahigh-stakes bidding battle!

We hope you enjoythe show The Carole Nash Team

Packed crowds admire rows of gleaming machines at last year’sClassic Motorcycle Mechanics Show,celebrating the best of vintage and classic motorcycling.

Visitorstothis year’s Stafford Classic Bike Show are in for atreat, with notone, but two cracking guests linedup! Great friends and racing legends Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall will taketothe stage throughout the weekend, recounting thehighs and lows of their successful racing careers.

Wayne Gardner,the “WollongongWhiz,”discovered his passion for motorcycles early, racing minibikes by age 12 in NewSouth Wales. After leaving an apprenticeship to chase his racing dream, he debuted in 1977 on asecond-hand250cc Yamaha, finishing second at Amaroo Park and winning soon after at Oran Park Raceway.His fearless, ‘win or crash trying’ mentality sawhim rise quickly, though it almost led to aban from the Auto Cycle Union. His sponsor,KarlPraml, intervened

Racing royalty

at Stafford

The ‘Wollongong Whiz’ joins long-time friend Roger Marshallfor aweekend of live stage sessions and GP Paddock fire-ups —stories, insight and proper race-bred banter

and urged him to refinehis skills and focus on winning championships. By 1979, Gardner was excelling in both350cc and 750cc categories, and in 1980 he dominated awet race at Sandown, Victoria. HisJapanese engineer,Mamor Moriwaki, recruited him for the Australian SuperbikeChampionship and international events.In1981, Gardner and co-rider John Pace stunned factoryteams by taking pole at the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours. That same year,hewon his first British race and formed alasting friendshipwith mentor Roger Marshall, who helped him master British circuits and hone his skills further.Despite a fractured ankle, Gardner won at Suzuka again that year He joined Honda in 1982 and entered the 500cc world championship. Ahorrific crash involving Franco Uncini shook

him deeply,but Gardner pressed on. With limited supportin1984, he self-funded his European campaign and won the British 500cc title. Honda backed him in the 1985 world championship, but his three-cylinder bike struggled against more powerful rivals.

In 1986, Honda finally provided competitive machinery, and Gardner won his first 500cc Grand Prix, making historyasthe first Australian to do so,before finishing the season second overall. The following year,he clinched the blue riband world championship, becoming the first Australian to achievethe milestone.

Acareer highlight came at the inaugural 1989 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, where he claimed adramaticvictoryrepeating the feat in 1990 while injured. His teammate, Mick Doohan, inspired by Gardner’s

success, would later go on to win five worldtitles.

Gardner retired from Grand Prix racing in 1992 with 18 Grand Prix winsand four Suzuka 8-Hour victories. He moved into V8 Supercars, winning at the 1993 Australian GP and earning the nickname “Captain Chaos.” He later competed in Japan’s GT Championship and made a one-off appearance at Le Mans in 1998. Gardner’sfearless spirit and success left alasting legacy in motorsport.

Joining him on stage will be none other than Gardner’sbest mate, multiple British champion and former Grand Prix rider,Roger Marshall. Marshall first knewhe wanted to race after watching his first-ever bikerace at Cadwell Park as ayoung boy.

In 1970, he went halves on a sidecar outfit witha mate and completed afull season racing as apassenger.Fast forward a

fewyears, and he found himself as afactoryrider with Heron Suzuki. In 1982, he won the British Championship, Formula 1Championship, and the Ulster Grand Prix before being voted MCN Man of the Year by fans, ahead of Ron Haslam and Barry Sheene.

Marshall collected an impressive 11 British championships throughout his career and finished runner-up to JoeyDunlop in the 1984 F1 World Championship after switching to Honda. He also claimed podiums at the Isle of Man TT,finishing second three times, and wasa formidable force in Grand Prix racing,taking victories at both the Ulster Grand Prix and the North West 200.

See both these racing legends both on stage and firing up some legendaryrace bikes in the GP Paddock throughout the weekend –you won’twant to miss this!

Back for2025– Step into theRetro Hall!

Get ready to be transported straight back to the golden era of motorcycling.The

Retro Hall is the ultimate destination for modern classics, bursting at the seams with gleaming ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s machines polished to perfection.

From painstakingly restored showpieces to well-loved originals, everybikestill radiates the same charm, character,and heart-racing excitement that made them icons of their day. Whether you’re aseasoned rider or just discovering the magicof two wheels, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear as you soak in the nostalgia.

This is atruecelebration of motorcycling heritage,with fantastic clubsalready confirmed including the Yamaha XJR OwnersClub, Old Skool Suzuki Club, and the UK 2Stroke Club –each bringing an incredible lineup of retro legends. Admire the craftsmanship, swap stories with proud owners, and connect with fellow enthusiasts whoshare your passion.

Everybikeinthe hall tellsa story –asnapshot of acool, rebellious era that continues to inspire today’s ridersand fuel the dreams of the next generation.

Hear the roar of racing history in theGPPaddock!

Immerse yourself in the golden age of racing in the iconic Grand Prix Paddock –the ultimate live startup zone at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash.

Hear the past roar backtolifeas legendaryclassic and retro machines fire up and shakethe ground beneath your feet. Feel the rumble, smell the oil, and witness these masterpieces in motion as passionate ownersbring them alive. Adding even more depth to the

experience, the ever-knowledgeable John McCrink will guide you through the history of each machine, sharing fascinating stories and insights into the engineering, ridersand racing moments that shaped motorcycling’sgolden era.

Whether you’re alifelong enthusiast or just discovering the thrill of classic bikes, the Grand Prix Paddock offersan adrenaline-charged journeythrough time. Don’tmiss this chance to see, hear and feel the rawpower and legacy of racing’s finest.

Ashow-stopping Yamaha race replica on displaywith theUK2Strokes ClubatThe Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash, Stafford.

Getyourbike under the hammer at Stafford

Calling all motorcycle enthusiasts,collectors, and sellers—Bonhams invites you to be part of the most anticipated event of the year: the Autumn Stafford Sale,taking place October 11-12, 2025 atthe Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash. Afterarecord-breakingSpring Sale, which achieved £3.2 million with a96% sell-through rate, Bonhams is firing up the classics once again with astellarlineup of legendarymachines. From rare pre-war icons likethe 1937 Vincent-HRD Series-A Rapide, to historically significant barnfinds, racing icons and top tier superbikes, this auction includes something for everytaste and budget.

The Bonhams Motorcycles team will be on hand throughout the weekend in both the main show hall and the auction saleroom, located in the Sandylandsand

ArgyleHalls. They’ll be offering free expertadvice oneveryaspect of buying and selling at auction, and will also beaccepting additional motorcycle entries. Looking ahead, the team’sfinal sale of theyear will take place online from 5–15 December,hosted from their dedicated motorcycle facility in Milton Keynes –with complimentarystorage and professional photographyavailable forall sellers.

Whether you’relooking to sell acherishedvintage bike, a sought-aftermodernclassic, or alarger collection,there’snever been abetter time toconsign with Bonhams. With unmatched global reach, decades of expertise, and a trusted platformthat consistently deliversexceptional results, Bonhams is the ideal place to showcase yourmotorcycle to a worldwide audience.

Let your motorcycle takethe spotlight!.

The Autumn StaffordSale

The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show

Sandylands &Argyle Halls I11& 12 October 2025

BRING

PUBLIC VIEWING

Sandylands &Argyle Halls

Saturday 11 Octoberfrom09:00

Sunday 12 Octoberfrom09:00

ENTRY

Gallery Guides £10 (admits one)

ENQUIRIES

+44 (0) 20 8963 2817 motorcycles@bonhams.com

HERE’S ASNIPPET OF WHAT’S CONFIRMED AS GOING UNDER THE HAMMER’

OCTOBER11–12,2025

TIMETABLE

10.30am John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incrediblemachines in the GP Paddock area

10.30am BolddogFMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

11am Jack Burnicletalks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage 11am OwdCodgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic DirtBikeExperience

11.30am Livemusic by Daisy Belles on the bandstand

12pm Bolddog FMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

12pm John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incrediblemachines, plus special guests Wayne Gardnerand Roger Marshall

12.30pm Livemusic by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

1.30pm OwdCodgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic DirtBikeExperience

1.30pm Livemusic by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

2pm Jack Burnicletalks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage

2.30pm Bolddog FMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

2.30pm John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incrediblemachines in the GP Paddock area

3.30pm Jack Burnicletalks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage

4pm Bolddog FMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

5pm Showcloses

SUNDAY

10.30am John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area

10.30am Bolddog FMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

11am Jack Burnicle talks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage

11.30am Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic DirtBikeExperience

11.30am Livemusic by The DaisyBelles on the bandstand

12pm Bolddog FMXStunt Team in the Main Ring

12pm John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guests Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall

12.30pm Livemusic by The DaisyBelles on the bandstand

1.30pm Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic DirtBikeExperience

1.30pm Livemusic by The DaisyBelles on the bandstand

2pm Jack Burnicle talks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage

2pm John McCrink hosts the livestart-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area

2.30pm Bolddog FMX Stunt Team in the Main Ring

3pm Jack Burnicle talks to Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall on the Carole Nash livestage

4pm Awards presentation in the Main Hall 5pm Showcloses

Head to our stand for fantastic

our

Get your classic bike fix throughout the year and takeadvantage of our brilliant

at the

This year’sClassic Motorcycle Mechanics Show,sponsoredby Carole Nash, promises an

for

enthusiasts and families alike—with apacked programme of entertainment, thousands of stunningclassic and retro bikes, and abustling trade and autojumble scene. Whether you’re aseasoned rider or simply looking for afun dayout,there’s somethingfor all the family to enjoy.

Returning for 2025, the freestyle motocross legends Bolddog FMX will once again light up the main arena with gravity-defying stunts.

As Honda’sofficial, and the UK’s number one motorcycle display team, they’re famous for jawdropping tricks performed on the world’slargest and most advanced mobile landingsystem. Expect heart-stopping moments as the riderspush the limits of what’s possible on two wheels, soaring 35 feet in the air while delivering on-board commentary for each mind-blowing move.

Get your dancing shoes ready, because The Daisy Belles are back. With pitch-perfect harmonies

and anostalgic setlist, they’ll transportyou through the sounds of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Their energetic, retro-inspired performances offer the perfect chance to unwind —whether you’re dancing along or enjoying apicnic by the bandstand as the sound of classic bikeengines hums in the background.

Also returning is the legendary Foxfamily’sWall of Death, thrilling crowds with breathtaking,highspeed stunts performed on a vertical wall. It’saspectacle that defies physics and has to be seen to be believed.

And, of course, no Stafford Classic BikeShow would be complete without exclusive live interviews on the main stage.

This year,racing legends Wayne Gardner and Roger Marshall will share insights and stories from their extraordinarycareers—a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from two of the sport’smost iconic figures.

With allthisand more, the 2025 Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show,sponsored by CaroleNash, is set to delivera weekend packed withnostalgia, high-octane action and familyfun.

Scan the QR code for full

High-flying fun at Stafford

SneakPeak this Week

Few bikes have the pedigreeand track success at the Honda RS series of race bikes. Neil Smith’sexample, which can be found in the competition hall, is a 1999 Honda Rs125nx4 Grand Prix spec machine. An ex-British Super Bike contending machine which also campaigned on the fearsome roads of Ireland.

The RS125 is known for its intense and aggressive riding experience with a verynarrow powerband putting out ahefty 48bhp at 12,250rpm.

The 1982Yamaha RD350 LC wasknown for its race-derived design, fun handling,and distinctive two-stroke characteristics. Manywere raced/ hacked to death in the UK on the club circuits as it wasverymuch a bikeyou ride to the track, race it, crash it andthen ride home for tea!Dave Smith’sexample has been owned for 9years and up to summer 2024 he wasstill riding this bikebut collecting newold stockparts along theway.Atthe beginning of winter 2024Davefitted all NOS parts andrebuilt the matching numbers engine making what has to be, one of the best, most original examples around!

Itmight not be retro; it might not be Japanese, but John Weeden 1965 DMW 500cc Hornet is just poetryinmotion. In August 1965 DMW launched what wasthe British bike industries answer to the rise of ‘foreign’ race bikes. Apair

of 250cc Villiersengines were mounted in amodified ‘Hornet’ frame to create this formidable 494cc stroker known as the ‘Starmaker’. There wasalso the alternative choice of using a pair of RoyalEnfield engines to makeyour dream racer

In1989 Suzuki let loose the RGV250 on the British public. It was an instance hit and the closest Joe Public could get to feeling likeaGrand Prix racer or,inreality,be Kevin Schwantz everytime you rode it. It wasSuzuki’s answer to the Kawasaki KR1 and Yamaha’sTZR250.

This beautiful 1990 Suzuki RGV250M VJ22A headbanger belongs to Alan Percival and is the best factorypaint scheme for the entire production runfrom 1989 to 1994. The VJ22A featured upside down forks, a17” rear wheel and power increase to 62hp.

WIN WAYNE’SHAT!

The 1987 500cc Grand Prix champion Wayne Gardner will be the star guest at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash, over the weekend of October 11–12, 2025.

And you’ve got achance to win the veryhat Wayne wore during that legendary1987 season, at the Stafford County Showground!

Wayne wasthe first Australian to win the 500cc World Championship. His path to international successbegan when he came to the UK in 1981, where he struck up a

friendshipwith multiple British bikeracing champion Roger Marshall

The duo wowed the crowds at The ClassicBikeGuide Winter Classic in Newark this January, and you won’twant to miss them together againonstage at the CMM event.

Last month, you mayrecall, CMM editor Bertie Simmonds won Wayne’sold hat at auction. Wayne had originally given the hat to legendaryGrand Prix paddock journalist John Brown in 1987, just after claiming his title. JB treasured it for yearsuntil his

passing in 2012.

Bertie says: “I took the hat to the Newark show and Wayne recognised it immediately.Wayne said that JB wasalovely fella, and he’shappyfor us to auction his hat off. He’ll hand it over to the winner at our show in October –and he’seven planning to bring along some other goodies too.”

John Brown suffered from heartissues later in life, so we’ll be raising funds for the British HeartFoundation.

Keep an eyeonthe next issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

and the Classic BikeShows social channels forfull details on how to win this fantastic prize!

The Devil

andthestaircase

Acracking, adventurous andvariedride on largely unclassified roads in Mid Wales…

Words &Pics: SeanTarver

Don’t be toodisappointedwhen you encounterthe surprisinglylow speed limits as you ride up the Horseshoe Pass to the PonderosaCaféfrom Llangollen. Even at asedatepace,I managedtoinadvertently remove materialfromthe underside of my rightfootpeg as IpushedmyV7into the wide sweepofthe horseshoe itself.You canponder the views from the café as you munchyourbreakfast of choice and admirethe array of bikes that arenormallyinthe car park.Thereisalongride aheadof you so make the best of it

Ourride starts here. Descend the other side of the pass,through aset of twisty bends and then turn left on to the A5104 whichbecomes the A494 to Bala.When youarrivein Bala,you have achoice here: stay on the 494 and circumnavigatethe lake,

turningoff towardsLlanuchllyn and huggingthe shorethe other side (like Idid),orturnleft acrossthe northern part of the lake on the B4391 and then turn rightontoatrack towards Rhos yGwaliau.Followthisnarrow track through the woodsand it will takeyou up through the hills, huggingand occasionallycrossing over astream. When Irodeit, Iencounteredjust afew vehicles and some sheep.I stopped for aphoto. Onecar passed me in 10 minutes;the driver gave me acheerywave. Reaching the peak of the road, Icontinued through Rhiwargor and descendedtoLake Vrynwy. Enjoyingthe views,follow its tree-lined, mossy banksand look for the road to the Bwlchy Groes, a long, steepclimbupanarrowtrack The startisona U-shaped part of

the road just beforeabridgeand is alittle understated.Thelasttime Ihad made this ascent, Irealised afterwardsthatIhad not been to the very top. After afew miles of climbing,turn rightatthe junction and ascend through aseries of tightbends to apull-in at the top. Thisisagood place to stop for acoffeeand take in the scenery. Stunning viewsof the mountains of Snowdoniaand apparently,onclear nights,an excellentplace for stargazingas it is well away from artificial light. During my last visit therewas no one elsethere, just sheep cropping the grassand that wasthe onlysound Icould hear.Two vehicles and a fighter jetwentpastinthe half-anhour or so Ihad stopped –nobikes unfortunately.

Carryingdownthe other side of the mountain, it is alongand steep descent. Ihad to feather the brakes and uselow gearstocontrol the bike’sspeed down this steeproad. At the end of this road,join the A470 southand head for Penegoes after switchingtothe A489. Going through the village, turn left opposite the LlywnLodgingcampsite. Ifound this road by accidentafter Istopped heretolookfor amoreinteresting routetoLlanidloes. Afarmer stopped nexttomeand wound down the windowofhis pickup: “Are you lost, you alright?” he said. IexplainedI waslooking for amoreenjoyable routetoLlanidloes. He confirmed my choice of road andgavemesome directions to getonit. Ithanked him in Welsh,hegrunted and droveoff in acloud of diesel fumes (maybe

he thoughtIwas an English tourist havingagoatspeakingWelsh –half true,Isuppose). This ledtothe B4518. This road is sublime,withtwistsand fastturns as you ascend yetanother mountain, unfortunately with nowheretostop and takeaphotoonthe summit.I came down the other side and pulled into alay-byoverlooking the Llyn Clywedog reservoir.Fromhere, drop down into Llanidloes andpickupthe A470 andthenthe A44 lookingfor signsfor Devil’s Bridge Just beforethe bridge itself,I stopped off at Woodlands Café for morecoffeeand asnack.Isat on their verandaand feda very friendly Robin with some crumbs.You can pay£4.75 to visit the bridge,which is actuallythree bridgesbuilt on topofeachother, the oldestbeing

built in the medievalperiod, and the 300ft Mynach waterfall. It hasbeen atourist attraction since the 18th century

Picking up the B4343, head to Tregaron. From this small town you need to find the Devil’sStaircase road, headingeast, the entrance to whichcan be found betweenthe Spashop and the statue in the town square. Thisisanold drover’s road that snakes through the western part of the Brecon Beacons for about 20 miles of wilderness. It’s narrow, twisty,gravelstrewnand remotewith 25 percentgradients.Thestaircase itself is aseries of tight, hairpin bends that descend the side of alarge hill (mountain if you arefromWales).

Iwas told Imight encounterlogging lorries,but Ididn’t at the time.

Imade steady progress through this narrow lane in second or thirdgear, reachingspeedsofupto30mph!

Sometimes it’s better to slow down and appreciate what is around you rather than rushing through it

After making an initial climb up the wooded side of ahill, the countryopeneduptomoorland; Istopped to takesome photos.I stopped again at the famous and remoteNantyrCwr phone boxand satwatchingthe stream bubbling under the bridge. Onecar passed me and then abike–the rider waved at me.Carryingon, the road started to drop,and Istopped at apull-in for acoffee. Irealised afterwards that Ihad stopped at the topofthe staircase itself.Somebody hadplaced achild’s picnic benchupthere, so I satonit. Iheard the distantbeatof amotorcyclecomingupthe hill, its engine noteincreasing,decreasing, and then increasing again as it made its ascent. It seemedtotakequite a few minutesfor it to appear –aBMW GS with twopeople on it who waved as theypassed. Istartedmakingmyway down this narrow,gravel-scatteredroad, droppingdowntoaglen with alow bridge acrossthe river. Iintended to stop and takeaphoto, butthere were some people and acar there already and Ithoughtthatmay spoil the atmosphere, so Icarried on through moremiles of wilderness, one farmhousestandinglonely. The road hugged the side of anarrow valley; ariver rushedbelowmeasI wasable to pickupthe pace alittle towardsBeulah and then Garth. When you arrive at Garth, you may need abreak!Fromhereyou canpick up the A483 and head home or you canexplorethe roads of the Brecon Beacons National Park

With adventureand ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopy by scanning this link.

Q&A

Q.Iwas filtering through traffic on my Honda CL500. It is arelativelysmall bike, so it is perfectfor gettingthrough traffic.Ihad just squeezed past atruck and waspassing on the offside of aTesla carwhen he beeped at me.I movedbackacouple of feet and askedwhat his problem was. He told me Iwasn’t meant to be filtering, and Itold him to f##k off.We shouted at each other for about30 seconds butasthe lights up ahead turnedgreen,I set off.Unfortunately, as Iset off, my handlebar ‘accidentally’ clipped hiswingmirror(that is what Itold the Police anyway,ha-ha!).

As he wasabig chap,Idid not want to stop; plus,Ionlyclipped it.Ihad forgotten all aboutit, butafew days laterthe Police gotincontact,and Idid avoluntary interview (without asolicitor as Idid notwanttowait). It turns outthe Tesla owner grassedmeup. Hiscar hada fancy camerasystemand captured thewhole thingon video.

Ihavejustreceived aCourt summons for failingtostopand report an accident. Iwantto defendthisonthe basisthisisthe Tesla driver’s fault forbeepingatmeinthe first place andthey cannot provethatIknew Ihad actuallybroken the wing mirror(the Police showedme the videoand photos of it hangingoff afterI clipped it.Could Iargue it wasapoor-qualitycar,and it is not my fault?).

IamanHGV driver and cannot affordtoget anypointsoraban, etc. CanIask the Court to givemeacourseand payabiggerfine or somethinginstead of gettingpoints?

A.Thephrase‘play sillygames and winsilly prizes’ springstomind… Just becauseyou need your licence for work does not mean you cansimply payabiggerfine or do acourseto avoid points or aban. All Courts have to follow the ‘sentencingguidelines’.

In this case,ifyou arefound guiltyorplead guilty, youcould be subjecttoapenaltypoints endorsementoffive to 10 points;plus ordered to paya fine; Courtcosts;and aVictim Surcharge. Also, you need to be awarethat the Courtcould order adrivingdisqualification of sixto12 months;acommunity order;orupto26weeks in prison.Iwould just add that this hasthe flavour of points and afine,etc., rather than a prison sentence

With regardstoyoursuggested‘Defences’, no, you cannot defend it on the basishebeeped first,orthatthe wing mirrorwas of ‘poorquality’ Long storyshort,you ‘accidently’ hit awing mirror, brokeit, rode off and arenow facingthe consequences

My advice is you plead guilty, putforward mitigation andtry to obtain the mostlenient sentence possible.Lastly, if your jobdepends on

SOLIC IT ORS www.whitedalton.co.uk

aclean licence,itappears you mayneedtoget anew job.

Q.I hadjusthad amegaday outwith my girls.Iampartofawomen-onlygroup, and we hadbeenout forthe dayaround the Shires.Wecovered around 200 miles,consumed tea and cake and talked nonsense. Standard stuff!

Iwas on the home straight ridingthrough Milton Keynes when suddenlythis young lad(he was21years old and at uni) pulledout in front of me on an electric scooter(it wasanofficial scooteryou canhire). Ihit him reallyhard, and I thoughthewas seriously injured.Luckily,hegot up and helped me getmyEnfield Himalayanup off the floor.Ihaveaquoteof£1800.78 to fix it

Iamnow consideringwhether to claim off my fullycomprehensiveinsurance policyorgoafter the lad. However, Iknowhe’s21years old, at uni, and will not have much in the wayofmoney so is probably a‘manofstraw’.

My insurer is tryingtoput me off claiming from them,sayingitwill affect my no-claims bonus. Theysaid theywould putmeintouch with athird-partycompany at no costtome and Iwould getafreehirebike, etc. However, I’ve read online that some people have been ripped off by this hirebikecompany.What should Ido?

The MB legal column is compiled by managing partner Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast and his bike-ridingbarristers and solicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors.

Thefirm deals with personal injury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences. White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law,and they have full bike licences, too. They don’tact for insurance companies or theprosecution. White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, andifits professionals don’t know the answer

A.Iamgettingmoreand morecalls about ‘helpful’insurerstryingtoput their customersofffromclaimingfromthem.In short, youhavepaidyourmoneytoinsurea risk.Ifthatriskhappens,i.e.yourEnfield gets damaged, then yourinsurance company should payout for that risk,ifyou want to claim. It’s as simple as that.Whilstyourno-claims bonuswill be affected,yourbikeshould be repaired and back on the road sooner ratherthanlater Alternatively, youcould go after the lad, and in this scenario,Iwould seriouslyconsider it as he wasonan‘official’e-scooter.Unlikethe ‘privately-owned’e-scootersthatare basically illegalonthe road,the ‘official’ones will likely be insured.Therefore, if this is the lad’sfault,the insurer should payout

As for the third-partycompany,you’reright to question their motivations.Thereisnosuch thingasa ‘free lunch’ as theysay,and theymake their moneyoffrecovering/storingand hiring bikes,etc.Ifyou sign paperworkthatsaysyou’re liable for thesecosts,and theydonot recover their outlay from the lad, guesswho theywill be comingafter? Youguessedit, you.

Oneofthe worstcases Ihaveseenisa£30,000 storage/hirecasewhen the bikewas wortharound £1500. In my view, it wasout of order and alot of stress for the poorbiker who theywerechasing for moneyafter theydidn’t getitfromthe third party.

to yourquestion, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advicefromyour insurance-appointedsolicitor,get proper independentadvice.

For road traffic offences, call the Motor Defence solicitors on 0800 2800912. For non-offence cases, call White Dalton motorcycle solicitors on 0800 783 6191.

If you need adviceona biking-relatedlegal question or query,email mail@whitedalton. co.uk. The best Q&A will be publishedin MB,inconfidence,ofcourse.

byname, sports bike by nature

Fancy the thrills of asports bike but without aching wrists? Well, these tworule-benders might be your perfect match…

Words: John McAvoy Pics GaryChapman

It is inevitable that with the passage of time,and with apriorityofwinning races,sportsbikes in general have become moreand morefocused and extreme in their nature. Personally, I’mokaywith that, as nowadays a modern sports bikecommands as much interest and respectfor its ingenuityand engineeringasit does for its performance.However,it is also afact that as sports bikeshavebecome more loadedwith technology and single-minded, theyhavealsostarted carryingbiggerprice tags,whichmay or maynot putsome people off them So,it’sarelief and comfort that in very recenttimes we’veseena

couple of bikes emerge whichcan legitimately claim to be sports bikes, butdue to their origins aremuch softerand friendlywith howthey deliver on that brief.TheYamaha XSR900GP and Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR areboth just one step removedfromtheir nakedrelatives –theMT-09 in the case of the Yamaha, and the SpeedTriple 1200RSinthe case of the Triumph –whichmeans the DNAofeachbikeiscompletely differenttoa ‘normal’ sports bike Now, Iknowwhatyou’reprobably thinking,and you’dberight:these bikes arenot directlycomparable for lots of reasons,but they’reboth

Retrobyname,

herebecause while theyare very different, they’reboth doingthe same thing–providinganalternativetothe hardcoresportsbike, without having to go all the waytoanaked bike, ‘super’orotherwise The Yamaha represents the lower end of the price,performance and spec end of the scale,withaplayful, shoutylookthatismorethana nodtothe ‘good ‘oldays’,while the Triumphoffersmuchmorespecand performance in amuchmoresubtle, restrainedpackage.Both bikes offer something different, butalso, both bikes offer the very same in so much as both provide aviablealternative

to either ascreamingsupersport bike, or aweapons-grade superbike. Whether thesebikes likeitornot, theyare kindred spirits and may well be the template for othersto follow–asportsbikethat’sactually comfortable,has performance which is easy to access, and isn’t goingto breakthe bank Since the XSR900GP was announced, I’ve been itchingtoget thesetwo bikes together.Bruce rode the Yamaha at its launch, andIwent to the Triumph’s launchbackin2022, whichwas asub-zero,slipperyride,so Inever reallygot to getunder the skin of the Speed RR.Sincethen, sadly, the

Triumphhas been dropped from the brand’sline-up,but thereare plenty of prime used examples on the cards, so keep that in mind if youlikewhat we’vegot to sayabout it Anyway,that‘minor’hiccough aside,itdidn’t putmeoffgettingthese bikes together for aweektosee if thereisanythinginthe ‘lessismore’ approach of both thesesportsbikes. Butwith Bruce and Timotherwise engaged, Icalleda very hard-toimpressmateofmine who is aproper die-hardrace replicafan, to come alongfor aday to seewhathethinks of this pair of very different, butvery similar,bikes.

Yamaha XSR900 GP

I’mnot goingtolie,the look of the XSR900GP is rightupmystreet, whichshouldn’treallycome as a surprisegiven that the eraofGPs on whichthe XSR’spaintscheme is basedonwas the eraIgrewup watching. Isay watching, because back then therewas no internet,and the onlyway to actuallywatch GPs wasifyou were reallyrichand could affordsatellitetv, or as in my case,you hadamatewho hadrichparents and hadEurosport.This meantthatevery nowand then I’dbeable to watch the likes of Lawson, Rainey, Cadalora, Kocinski and Abeeither doingthe impossible on their YZR500 GP bikes resplendentinMarlborographics or as wasoften the case,gettingsent to the moon and back with bonecrunchingresults.

MCN wasstill blackand whitethen (seriously), so apartfromthe annual trip to Donington Park forthe GP, monthlymagazines,and afew rare opportunities to watch arace on

my mate’sEurosport,the sightofa YZR500 in full colour in the 90s was actuallyararething. Thismight be whythe colour scheme on the XSRGP mighthavesuchabig impact, becausefor all its iconic status,itwas ararethingtosee in full colour back in the day. So,it’snot reallyamassive surprisethatwhen Yamaha revealed the bikeitwas instantlyahit,and pretty much sold outbeforethe press launchevenhappened.

At this pointyou could be forgiven for thinkingthatYamahaplayeda blinder for just paintinganXSR900 likeapackofcigarettestotap into our emotions and nostalgicmemories of atime when the sunalwaysshone then just satbackand openedtheir order books. No,theywentmuch deeper than that, and if youtakethe XSR900 as the startingpoint,whichis itself derived from the nakedMT-09, then youquicklyrealise that the GP is aunique,bespoke bikedesignedto deliver adifferentexperience

The keychanges arethat the riding position is very differentfromthe retroXSR900. The seat is taller and further back thankstoadifferent, longerfuel tank,the footpegsare higher and further back,and the handlebars areclip-ons whichare set lower. The chassisgetsa swingarm from the Tracer 900, whichis55mm longerthanthe retroXSR’s,some extrabracingaround the frame to make it stiffer,some longerforks –fullyadjustable –and asofterrear shock,presumablybecause thereisa differentlinkageratio to compensate for the longer swingarm

The GP alsogetsafull suiteof adjustable electronic rider aids,and asix-axis IMU all navigatedvia a fancy5-inchfull colour dashboard, and all theretomakeiteasiertoget the mostout of Yamaha’s excellent three-cylinder 890cc engine which we already knowand love.It’s codenamedthe CP3 becauseit’sa 3-cylinder layoutwith aCrossPlane crankshaft–the R1 engine is called CP4, and the MT-07 is calledCP2. The CP3 engine makes119bhpand avery useful 68lb-ft of torque.It’sanengine that Yamaha areusing in avariety of

applications –MT-09, Tracer,XSR, XSR-GP,Nikkenand soon the R9 –with zero changestothe mechanical or electronic architecture of it for anyofthe platforms it’s been used in, whichsaysa lot aboutjusthow versatile it is.Inshort, it’s apeach

Thereare alsosome reallynice detail touches around the bikewhich go hand-in-hand with the fag-ash paintjob,suchasthe yellownumber boards,the fairingbracketfixedusing ‘R-Clips’, the little extensions to the fairingwhichprovide alittle extra aeroaround the hands,justlikethe GP bikes

Yamaha have executed thesedetails brilliantlyand deliberately, because theydidn’t need to go to the hassle of making aset of separate screw-on hand guards when theycould have just mouldedthe fairingtoinclude the profile,but separate ones,riveted to the fairingisfar moreauthentic.Then there’sthe redwheels…Ohmyword, whydon’t morebikes have brightly coloured wheels? Theymakethe bike look faststood still, and in the case of the XSR-GP provide the finishing touch–eventhough it wasonlyEddie Lawson’sYZR whicheverhad red wheels

The look of the XSR-GP is so strong that it’s impossible to ride past ashop frontand not look at myself in the window, whichiskind of sadthatfor all the greatnessofthe many bikes I’ve ridden over the years, admiringmyself on abikeina shop windowreflection isn’t somethingthathappens often at all, so the XSR-GP gets amassive thumbs up for providingagold standardfeel-goodfactor,but is it a one-trickpony?

At £12,500 the XSR-GP is not what you’d describeasexpensive, butit’s not cheapeither,especiallywhen you compare it to the likes of Kawasaki’s ZX-6R and Honda’sCBR600RR,but it’s not playingtheir game –the R9 hasto do that –but £2000 is still £2000, so it’s arelief when straightaway it’s obvious that the XSR-GP isn’t all showand no go.Obviously with just under 120bhp it’s not abikethat’s goingtotrouble most, if not anyofthe electronic rider aids that it hastooffer. So,just

likeevery time Iride an MT-09, Ido chuckle to myself when amongstall the brilliantlysophisticated electronic functions,the mostuseful one is the one to switch them all off with.Irony is aliveand well.

The curiousthingabout the engine is howdespiteitbeingidentical in everyway to the MT-09’s,it feelsless playful in the XSR-GP as it does in the MT-09, whichisanother wayofsaying

that the XSR-GP isn’t nearly as easy to wheelie as the MT-09. Giventhat both bikes have the same final drivegearing, the longerswingarmand softer rear suspension areall Ican think of for whyitshould be so.Nonetheless, the XSR-GP between4000rpm and 8000rpm is an absoluteweaponand canbemade to travel very,veryfast. In alot of ways,the XSR-GP reminds me of aYamahaTRX850 I

enjoyable experience.Dynamically, the ridingposition, whilstquitea step away from the XSR’s, is still very relaxedand easy to getalongwith –you could easily ride one all day. The handlebars arequitehigh, and not at all far away,and the fairing, which mayonlybeahalf fairing, is really effective and easy to gettuckedin behind. The suspension is reallygood quality, and as Idiscoveredresponds well to adjustment, whichisalwaysa goodsign. It sends all the information you need from the ground to the palms of your hands/toesand bum, and Ididn’t reallynotice anylackof control or lossoffeedback when I startedtopushon.

Youcan ride the XSR-GP lazily,just dollopingalong, takinginthe dayand surroundings,orifyou want to geta wriggle on, you candothat, too, butin the absence of vast amounts of power and grip,you’vegot to earn your kicks by reallygettingstuck into the corners rather than goingall Yee-haw on the straight bits.TheXSR-GP felt great reallypushingthe frontend into the cornersand leaningitright over in the middle of the corners, then just casuallyshort-shiftingonthe wayout

Yamaha XSR 900GP Engine:

890cc, liquid-cooled, 3-cylinder

xStroke: 78mm x62.1mm Compression: 11.5:1 Fuelling: EFI

Claimed Power: 119bhp @10,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @7000rpm

once owned, which, whilstalot less powerful than the XSR-GP,had a similar powerdelivery. Therewas a bit on offerinthe topend of the rev range, butall the good stuff wasin the middle,and tappingintoitwas howtoget the best outofit. The big difference with the XSR-GP is that thankstothe passage of time,itdoes have adecentamountoffizz at the topend unlikethe TRX. Shortshifting at about8000rpm on the XSR-GP is wherethe action is,and lettingitroll into cornerswithlots of momentum and lean angle is key.

InitiallyIwasn’t afan of the suspension, especiallythe rear,which wastoo soft,and lackedcontrol over bumpswhen it wasloadedupwith corneringforces.SomuchsothatI took the time to getmymeasuring tape outand checkthe rear sag, which wasmiles out. Icursedthe previous custodian/journalistwho hadthe bike beforemeand obviously twiddled the remotepreload adjusteronthe rear shock and didn’t putitback. Rear sagrestoredtobetween 15mm and 20mm,and the rear end came to life,transformingthe XSR-GP from abikethatfelt like it hadcornerscut in the suspension department, to one that’s been properly sorted,and feels balanced, controlledand really supportive.

The viewfromthe saddle is great, too. The dashboardmight be very modern, butits layout,while all digital, is very retro80s/90s by virtue of beingsimple and clear, with a massiverev counteratits heart. The fairing whichsurrounds it is really wide and tall, and not at all modern, whichisrefreshingand adds to the whole experience of beingon somethingdifferenttothe modern crop of sports bikes. Oh,and it’s impossible to not notice the ‘R-Clips’ that hold the fairingtothe bracket just likearace bike–it’sasthough Yamaha thoughtthatthrough! Thereisnodenyingthe fact that ridingthe XSR-GP is athoroughly

Iwould have reallyliked it to have abit morelife at the very top end to help sustain wheelies or takeadvantage of crests hereand theretoreallycompletethe overall experience,but it’s asmall detail in the grand scheme of things.However, if endless, easy wheelies areyour thing, then the MT-09 is yourbike, whichhas pretty much all the same features and engine as the XSR-GP butnot the sports bikestatusorTHAT colour scheme,whichleads me neatly on to the final pointIreallywantto make aboutthe XSR-GP

Howcan it be that apaint scheme canlift abike’sdesirabilitytoanother level? Logicallyitmakes no sense, but it is true that so much aboutwhy we ride bikes makesnosense, let alone whywemight prefer one bikeover another.I’veriddenhugelyexpensive, exotic,raremotorcycles on the same streets localtomeand haven’t admired myself andthe bikeI’m on in my reflection in shop windows

anythinglikeasmuchasIdid on the XSRGP. If nothingelse, the GP is a masterclass and statementto everyone elsemakingmotorbikes thesedays, that just likeweeat food with oureyes, we alsobuy bikes with oureyes. Does it look good?Ifthe answerisnot yes, then it doesn’t matter howgoodthe spec sheet is,or howexotic it is,it’sgoing to be ahard sell. Thatsaid, beauty is in the eyeof the beholder,sothe whole pointis subjectiveanyway. Yamaha have played ablinder with the XSR900GP by not onlyoffering an alternativetothe hardcoresports bike, butalsomanagingtotap into a retrovibe, except without the need for checkedshirts,beard oil and a preference for pretentious bullshit coffee. As much as it pains me to admit it,myperma-angry, professional northerner,and hanger-onfor the day, summedupthe XSRperfectly when he said: “That’s rightgood,thatis.”

RETRO BY NAME…

Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR

As the Yintothe Yamaha’s Yang,the Triumph Speed Triple RR playsthe same game,but in adifferentway Whereasthe XSR900GP is loud and unapologeticallyromantic, theSpeed Triple RR is classy, understated, bigonrefinementand fullyloaded on spec.It’salsosignificantlymore powerful than the Yamaha,thanksto packing1160cc from three cylinders for averyhandy 177bhpand 92lbft of torque.Italsocomes with Ohlins semi-active, fullyadjustable suspension frontand rear,and Brembo Stylemabrakes, all of which combinedmakes the£5450 difference in price betweenthe twobikes perfectlyreasonable

The SpeedTriple RR is abrilliant, simple idea, whichnodoubt probably wasn’t as simple to executein practice,but at the risk of dumbing down the work done by Triumph’s designteam, theytooktheir fantastic Speed Triple 1200RSnaked bike, loweredthe handlebars by 135mm and movedthem 50mmfurther away.Then theymoved the footpegs 15mm higher and 26mm further back and addedatidylittle topfairingto completethe transition from naked biketosportsbike.

So,the SpeedTriple RR gets asports bikeridingposition, half fairingand Pirelli Supercorsa tyres, and bears the SpeedTriple name –the name of abikewhichTriumph have sold 102,000 of since 1994 -all ofthem aggressively-stylednaked bikes.Yet thisone hasasmooth,curvyhalf fairingand single largeheadlight not dissimilar to that found on the ‘Modern Classic’ Bonneville Youcould be forgiven foroverthinkingthe RR,asonthe surface there’re mixed messagesas to who the bikeisfor.Isitaretromodern classic? Is it acafé racer nakedbike?Isita sports bike? Is it aroadster? All that mattersisthat the Speed Triple RR is simply brilliant, and absolutely offers agenuine alternativetoasuperbike,

whichisreallyimpressivegiven that under the fairing, the onlydifference betweenitand the nakedRSisthe ridingposition

Thegeometryisthe same; the centre of gravityisthe same; the wheel travel is the same;the engine is the same; the gearboxand gear ratios arethe same; the rideraids arethe same; and the brakes arethe same brilliant Brembo Stylemas;but with less aggressive pads

The suspensionisstandardonthe RR,but not even an option on the RS –itisOhlinssemi-activeS-EC2.0

OBTi kitthattakes its instructions dependingonthe speed, gear position, revs,throttleposition and IMU,sopitch and lean angle are nowalsofactored into the three pre-setmapsfor the activedamping: Comfort, Normal and Dynamic.Itis alsopossible to fix the suspension, so it workslikenormalpassive/analogue suspension. Youcan getthe same pre-setmapsfromthe activemode as astartingpointand then setthe dampingmanuallyvia the screen and abuttononthe switchgear insteadof clickers on the shock or forks. It won’t come as ahugesurpriseto learn that the ridingexperience of the Triumph is massivelydifferent to the Yamaha.For starters there is the engine,whichisanabsolute masterpiece.Inthe RS,the engine is the very definition of usable,smooth and perfectlysuited to the road, so as dayfollowsnight,the same canbe said for the RR.

That said, just likewiththe Yamaha, the radicallydifferentridingposition doesinevitablythrow alot more weight over the frontofthe bike, so agooddealofthe RS’s playfulness is lostwhenitcomes to impromptu wheelies.Theengine feels morein yourface onthe RS than it does in the RR,but that’s just the laws of physics in action, and it’s thosesame laws of physics whichmakethe RR farmore effectiveatdealingwithcorners.

triedtouse differentridermodes to bringindifferentsuspension settings

The problem went away when Iput the bikeinto‘Track’ mode,which stiffens the suspension andhas less intervention from the traction control. This would not usuallybethe direction I’dgoinwith the setupto tryand cure instabilityoverbumps and under acceleration. However, what it does suggestistwo things:the default setupin‘Road’and ‘Sport’has settings that aretoo soft at the rear, causingtoo much weight to transfer under hard acceleration, thus taking toomuchweightoffthe front. Plus, the leveloftraction control whichacts as anti-wheelie in this scenario is too earlyand tooabrupt with its cutand releasein‘Road’and ‘Sport’. Ithink the combination of riding reallyhardoverbumpy roads, arear setupthat’stoo soft,and an antiwheelie that’s tookeendid make the RR feel abit looseattimes,but the good news is that ‘Track’modewas literallyperfect,and all the instability disappeared with the push of afew buttons

SPECIFICATION:

Triumph Speed Triple RR Engine: Type: 1160cc, liquid-cooled, 3-cylinder

Bore xStroke: 90mm x60.8mm

Compression: 13.2:1

Fuelling: EFI, ride-by-wire

Claimed Power: 177.6bhp @10,750rpm

Claimed Torque:

The RR is nothing likethe RS, especiallywhen it comes to midcorner stabilityand accuracy. Having the extraweightoverthe frontmeans that youuse the bike’sgeometryto getitinto, through,and outofthe corners, rather than simply usingthe natural leverage an upright riding position of anaked bikeoffers, the downside of whichisstabilityunder acceleration and at high speed–somethingasportsbikerarelysuffers from,but many nakedbikes do.So, it wasagenuine surprisetomethat unlikeonthe billiardtable smooth Spanish roads that the presslaunch took place for the RR,itfelt agood bit lessstable accelerating off cornersin the UK that aren’t smooth surfaces Curiously, the solution to the issue Iwas havingcame when initiallyI

Eventually, the perfectset up was when Iwentintothe ‘Rider’ mode, whichallows youtoprogram what you want. Ijustpulledinall the settings from ‘Track’mode, and switched off the traction control/antiwheelie,and Iwas averyhappy chap Ithink unlessyou candeliver areally smooth traction control/anti-wheelie system,theyare morehasslethan they’reworth.Acrude cutand release to an engine’s powercan create more problems than it solves,and it’s this area that I’ve often hadanissue with Triumphs in general over the years. Compared to pretty much anybike in themarket, includingthe humble MT-09 on whichthe XSR900GP is basedon, the system not onlyonthe RR,but all Triumphs have far fewer functions,and no adjustability. The ‘adjustable’Ridermodeonthe RR onlylets youchoosewhat settingyou want from anyofthe fixed modes.So, for example,you canhavethe ABS maps from the Trackmode, athrottle mapfromSport mode,and traction control from Road mode.The‘Rider’ mode is moreofa mix-and-match menuthananadjustable menu. As well as not having anyadjustmentto the functions that it does have,there’s

Electronics.

Riding Modes: Yes

Power Modes: Yes

Traction Control: Yes

ABS: Yes(Cornering)

Quickshifter/Autoblipper: Yes

Wheelie Control: No

Slide Control: No

Launch Control: No

Pit Limiter: No

Cruise Control: No

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1439mm

Rake/Trail: 23.9 degrees/104.7mm Seat Height: 830mm WetWeight (Claimed): 199kg Fuel Capacity: 15.5 litres

Info: Price: £17,950 From: www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk

alsonoadjustment to engine braking, there’snoseparateadjustable antiwheelie,and there’snoadjustable slide control, all of whichthe XSR 900GP does have Now, here’sthe thing. While it does frustratemethatTriumph are so far behind when it comes to their electronics,inamassive act of contradiction, Isortofdon’t mind either.Thereasonfor this is because as Imention in the GP piece,nine times outof10theyjustall get switched off,soyou could saythatit’s amootpoint. However, since theyhaveput the system on the bike, it reallyshould performbetter, in particular when and howitintervenes.Initiallyit’s just tookeen, and toocrude as it is If you’regoing to build abasic suite of rider aids,you reallyshould make the few functions that youdooffer work perfectly. The traction control/ anti-wheelie reallycould be alot more

refinedand be moreinkeepingwith the rest of the bike.

Havingsaid all of that, Ialsofreely admitthatthe occasions when it’s noticeable areaveryspecificset of ridingcircumstances.Inshort, if you’re ridinglikeyourhair is on fire, and on aparticularitybumpy road, with a lot of second and thirdgearcorners whichprovoke the mostviolent acceleration, then the shortcomings of the Triumph’s rider aids do rear their head, butinevery otherscenariothere is no problem.You could saythat I’m nit-picking, and you’d be correct,but even though Ifreelyadmit that the frustration is onlyveryoccasional,I do still believe that if you’regoing to puta rider aids suiteonabiketoday,it really should feel likeone from today, and not from yearsago

The Speed Triple RR is awonderful biketoride.Thehandlebars are nice and low, the seat is long and spacious, and the engine is an absolutebeauty. It hasall the ingredients to deliver on its brief to be an alternative, and it absolutely does.Ithas areallystrongfeel-good factor,insomuchasbecause it has asofter appearance,it’sjustthat bit lessexpectantofyou,soyour mindset is differentwhen youthrow aleg over it

Often when you setoffonamodern superbike, it canfeellikebecause the purposeinthat bike’slife is to winraces,that thereisadegreeof expectation on howyou ride it.Not so with the SpeedTripleRR. There’s an elementofflyingunderthe radar on the Triumph,and the feelingof not havingany burden of expectation that comes with beingonarace replicaisasliberatingand asourceof pleasure, just as clocking yourself in the reflection of ashop windowis on the XSR900GP

The Speed Triple RR makesavery, very strong case as an alternativeto asuperbike. It’s gotnearlythe same amount of power, roughlythe same weight, qualitysuspension, handles beautifully, and comes without the baggageofexpectation and imagethat you getwith asuperbike, and is several thousand pounds cheapertobuy It’s drippinginqualitytouches all over,and Iespeciallylovethe carbon fairingsupports behind the dashboard. There’snoneed for them to be made in carbon and lacquered If theywerepaintedalloy you’d nevernotice them,and you certainly wouldn’t mark the bikedownif theywere. However, in bare carbon they’reareallynice featurethatserve as areminder that the Speed Triple RR is aclassy bike.

Triumph were very bold when theylaunchedthe SpeedTripleRR acoupleofyears ago, and the fact they’ve nowdropped it already would suggestit’snot been amajor

predictingthe market andplayingto their strengths, andthey’ve spotteda gapinthe sports bike market.Basically, todayifyou don’t want an uber hardcore litrebike, thereisn’t asports bike foryou –but now thereis, and just becauseitisn’t absolute weapons gradedoesn’t make it impotent. Its buildquality is off the chart, andthere arelotsofnice touchesall over,suchas the cables andwires areall outofsight, whichmusthavetaken someoneweeks to figureout wheretoput itall. Ijust wish they’dcalleditsomethingelse.’

Twoyears later, Istand by every word.It’sstill afantastic bikeanyway, butasanalternativetoarace replica, it’s genius

successfor them –Ihavenoidea. Isuspect,however,the bikes they did sell would have sold extrabikes that theywouldn’t have sold as a brand otherwise,asthere’snot really anythingintheir rangethat you’dbuy insteadasan alternative.

Forinstance, aStreetTriple 765 customer mightbetempted on to aSpeed TripleRS, or aTiger 900 customer mightbetempted on to a Tiger1200, butthe SpeedTriple RR wasverymuchina class of one by virtueof beingnot just likeany other bikeinTriumph’s line-up,but by being sufficiently different to everythingelse outthere, and for that youreallydo have to doff your captoTriumph In my launch report back in 2022, Iwrote:‘Triumph hasa habitof

Iwould have lovedtofind out what my northern sidekickfor the daythoughtabout the SpeedTriple RR,but despite spending alifetime on sports bikesand racing bikesin BSBand the TT,Iwas shockedto learn that he’d neverdeliberately wheeliedabikebefore… until we gottothe runway for some pictures, whereupon he discoveredthe joyof deliberate wheelies on the Triumph Thismeant that likeall simple creaturessuchaspet dogs wholearn anew trick, he couldn’t stop to talk aboutimportantstuff.

Ironic, and yetsomehowvery tellingthat one of the mostdevout race replicaridersIknowlosthis wheelie cherry to the Triumph Speed Triple RR –the softer alternative.

By the end of the day, there’snogetting away from the fact that we’d spenta daybuzzingaroundmylocal roads, and messing aboutonarunway, and both of us were well and trulysatisfied with ourday’s riding. Maybewe’dhave felt differentlyifwe’dthrownatrack dayoreveningin, too, butwedidn’t,so we’ll neverknow.

Thatsaid,Bruce rode the XSR 900GP on trackatits launch, and I rode the Speed Triple RR on track at its launch, and we both reported that theywereperfectly adequate at scratchingout the laps without anyfuss. The question in my mind is whether thesetwo bikes arethe startofanew genreofbikes,orifit’s just twomanufacturerstakingfull advantage of some existingplatforms that already theyhaveintheir ranges,and with averylight touch, producingsome niche bikes to grab a few extrasales?

Only theyknowthe answerto that question,but what Idoknow is that the currenttrajectoryofthe superbikesectorisonthe whole not very good.OnlyDucati, BMWand Hondareallyremain committed to the ongoingdevelopmentofthe superbike, and in the same space of time theSuzukiGSX-R1000 and

The reckoning

Yamaha R1 have been discontinued, thesetwo bikes have appeared, whichcan’t be acoincidence Dynamically, both bikes are predictablyverydifferent, butwe knew theywould be.Individually, theyserve up very different experiences in one way, butare very similar in others, because both arecapable of delivering bigshots of aparticular type of feel-goodfactor that arace replica can’t.They’realsoverygoodlookingbikes,and abreathoffresh air to the currenttrend of sharp edgesand acuteangles,wings and massiveslots of heat management–lessisdefinitelymore.

Most of all though,while both bikes aredefiantlyveryniche, their very existence onlyadds to the motorcyclinglandscapeby broadeningthe choice of what’s out there, whichcan only ever be agood thing.

Usinganaked bikeasthe donor to create asportsbikeisareversalof theusual trend that for decades has seen nakedbikes derived from sports bikes.So, we saluteYamahaand Triumph for theirdifferentapproach, whichhas producedtwo amazing motorbikes for us to enjoy

Insurance schemesproviding:

•Fire &theft cover forregistered/unregistered off-road forregistered motorcycles, bothathomeand away

•On-road cover formotorcycles used in Trials or Enduro competitions

•Cover for 2-stroke, 4-stroke &electric off-road over 2-stro motorcycles

•Fire &Theft cover forchildren’soff-road motorcycles for children’s off-road

•Cover for classic &vintage motorcycles over motorcycl

•Cover for trikes includingCan-Am, over inc Rewaco&Boom

QuickSpin: AJS ADV-S125

For those after anippy 125 with an all-terrainoutlook, AJS’sADV-S125 deserves to be on your radar

What is it?

AJS is aname that has appeared on motorbikes since the UK firm was founded way back in 1909.Naturally, thereisarich sporting history to look back on with various bikes featuring the initials AJS having achieved success at the Isle of Man, as well as off-road in British motocross, with achampionship win in the late 60s. Having exchangedhands afew times within this timeframe, the company’saim todayisto

produce excitingand unique, light motorbikeswith great value to reflect itsheritage

Despite my initial thoughts about trying out another 125cc scooter to see if it couldhave anything to offer compared to other manufactures’offerings within the class, when Ifirst saw this ADV-S with its adventurestyling Ihad a bit of an uplifting feeling that there is potentially something alittle different heretoexplore.

Talking the torque

Sticking with the styling to start with, the ADV is trying to make aclear statement that the focus isn’tjust on amachine built for commuting but one that is also shared with the sense of adventurewith a look not too dissimilar to Honda’s larger X-ADV.The combination of the chunkier bodywork, which needs moreofastep-over than the conventional step-through of other scooters, with the adventure-styled

tyres, offers the potential forsome light off-road antics. The ADV-Sis powered by a125cc single cylinder engine producing 7.1kW (9.6bhp) at 7500rpm withaCVT twist-andgo transmission for an easier riding experience while optimising engine performance and fuel efficiency On the morepractical side, the screen height is adjustable with three different settings which is carried out without tools but does requireboth hands, so adjusting on the move

isn’treally something toattempt Thereisahandy USB charger built in, which the majorityofriders are becoming ever morereliant on, and the usual spacious underseat storage that is amust for any machine that wants to be able to mix with its peers within the class.

Cracking on…

After the littlestep-over (as previously mentioned) to get behind the bars of the scooter,Ifound

Words: Andy Bell Pics: Leah Furlong

myself easily in quite acomfortable position. The large, well-padded seat provides abig scope for moving around to suit ridingstyles, with room to slide backinto a longer relaxed riding position, or when wanting to explorethe ADV’s moreplayful nature, Iwas able to move forwardand into amore focused posture. The footsteps also provide options for ridercomfort and preference with the traditional spacious flat-footed stance,and the

choicetoopt foramorerelaxed feet forward positionthatisbecoming morecommonplaceonscooters. Also backingupthe ergonomic comfort are the handlebars, which I found to be fairly wide and straight, and justthe rightheight for myself. Standing at 140kg,the weight of the scooter was hardly noticeable with thebulk of the mass that the ADV did carry feeling so low it made every movement so easy,whether Iwas moving the scooter around

in the garage, negotiating urban traffic, or out on my favourite country stretch of road to get home. Further to my confessions about judging abike beforeeven laying eyes on it, the suspension was another area Iwas too quick to doubt. Now,I’m not going to say that the suspension is as good as the kind of full-on electrical system that can be found on some sports bikes today,but for what Iwas looking for given this is alower priced 125cc scooter,Iwas pleasantly surprised. The twin rear springs and telescopic forks up front felt well balanced and offered moresupport than Ihad preconceived with no surprises or obvious weak spots. When riding this ADVduring my time with it and thinking of its

potential to leave the Tarmac behind, obviously Ihad to have atry so when passing asuitable-looking green lane, Iwas quick to do aU-turnand head away from the road to explore alittle of what could be achieved.

The off-road excursion in question was afairly tamegravel track in fairness and nothing like resembling amotocross circuit, but it was still loose enough formetonot want to take most road bikes on to.

The ADV soon had me confident enough to get quiteapace up on the loose surface, with the adventurestyle tyres providing enough grip and feel for what Iwas trying to achieve.

The 14-inch front and 13-inch rear wheel werefine for the surface Iwas on, but Istill had to respect larger stones and rutsand do my best to

avoid them to increase my chance of returning the scooter unscathed. Back on the Tarmac, Ihad to focus on how well the engine pulled and, naturally,how good the brakes were when needed. The 125cc motordid pull through the automatic gears well with enough acceleration to make joining traffic from ajunction on alower-powered machine less daunting, but the ADV did start to lose abit of steam after 50mph. Going abit quicker is achievable with time or on adownhill stretch, and maybe Icould lose apound or two to make lifeeasier on the motor, but commuting on afaster stretch of road would probably be abit intimidating.

The brakes, however,were something to really shout about

Riders of similar bikes will know the set up with the combined left lever operating both front andrear brakes, andthis set up had me pushing moreeach time to see just how well they worked. The right lever on its own was enough to slow thescooter when just needing to shed alittle

speed, butwhen bringing both levers into play,the stopping power was morethanenough to push the limits of most riders’capabilities.

Tech-wise, thereisa colour TFT display which looksthe part on here,giving thescooter amodern feelwith the usualuncomplicated

layout. Something that does appear on the ADV, which not every bike comes with, is abuilt-in alarm. If Iamhonest, Ireally didn’tget on with this one as although it was sensitive enough to activate at the slightest touch, this did cause a few issues especially with the alarm

arming itself within afew seconds of inactivity of thescooter

Needless to say,therewereafew choice words muttered every time I set the alarm off, and this did leave me wondering if thisweresomething Iwould get used to living with or if it would prove aconstant annoyance.

Worth apunt?

After having alittle rant about the alarm system on the ADV and putting the littleissue to one side, thereare alot of positive pointsfor this scooter.The styling would see it

stand out in acrowd of other similar capacity scooters, and its capability for light off-roading could also see it being in favour for some potential owners. It accelerates well and stops even better when needed, while also being uber-economical to run.

The stuff that matters…

Power: 9.6bhp/7.1kW@ 7500rpm

Weight 140kg

Price: £2849.00

Contact: www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk

Buyingaused…

YAMAHA YZF-R1

Yamaha is acompany that prides itself on developingcleverengineering solutions to overcome problems,and while not everyresult is successful (er, Niken, GTS1000, MT-01...),some most certainlyare.

In the 1980s,when the firm waslooking at extracting more performance from its inline four engines,the R&D team came up with afive-valvecylinder head design, whichwas first used on the FZ750 in 1985. Whydoesthis matterwhen it comestothe 2007 YZF-R1? Ever since the FZ750, all of Yamaha’s big-capacitysportsbikes hadrun a

In 2007 Yamaha abandonedtheir five-valve head withthe revised YZF-R1...

Words: JonUrry

five-valvehead, butthisgeneration of R1 reverted to afour-valvedesign, ending22 yearsoftechnology in one fell swoop. While this maysound likequite a dramatic decision, the truth of the matter is that the five-valvehead designhad simply runits course. Newengineering techniques allowed the four-valvetomatch the fivevalveinterms ofperformance (the YZR-M1 MotoGP bikealsoswapped) and as therewerenobenefits, Yamaha concludedthatthe extra manufacturingcosts were better spent elsewhere–namelyonelectronic

trickery!OrasYamahacalledit: G.E.N.I.C.H technology Genesis in Electronic engineering aimedatNew InnovativeControl technology basedonHuman sensibilities (yes,really...) was basicallyYamaha’sboffins’termfor integratingmoreelectronic controls into motorcyclingtoenhance the ridingexperience.Nowadaysthis is commonplace,but in the mid-2000s Yamaha wasveryforward thinking when it came to entering the new ‘digital’era of motorcycles

Havingunveiledthe world’sfirst ride-by-wirethrottle system (YCC-T)

on the 2006 YZF-R6, the 2007 YZF-R1 alsoinherited this new technology butaddedtoitwith electronic intake control (YCC-I). Automatically separatingthe intakefunnels at pre-determinedrevs(reducingthem from 140mm to 65mm in length), the theorybehind YCC-Iisthat longerintakes produce fasterintake pressure,boostinglow and mid-range performance,while the shorterones provide lesspressure, enhancingtopend power. Much likevariable valve technology,Yamahahoped YCC-I would deliver asportsbikeengine that hadthe best of both worlds –low-end

gruntand asearing top-end. Things didn’t quitegoaccordingtoplan... When the 2007 R1 arrived, Yamaha unveileditina wonderfullybold red andwhitepaint scheme (complete with redseat) that paid homageto the original 1998 bike. Claimingthat G.E.N.I.C.H hadinjecteda new raw spirit reminiscentofthe original model that hadbeensadly lacking in subsequentgenerations,the 2007 R1 wasdesignedtobethrillingto ride.FairplaytoYamaha, it certainly wasthis,but unfortunately that’s not what the sportsbike market wanted and the 2007 R1 endedupbeing the

Other things to know…

Valve-clearance check

The R1 hasYamaha’s traditional 24,000-mile valveclearance intervals. If thebike is approachingthis number,be wary as it is abig bill of around £700 due to the complexity and compact nature of thebike.

Seized EXUP valve

Located on the left-hand side of the pipe whereitgoes from two into one, the R1’sEXUP valve loves to seize. Check it is opening and shutting (it should cyclewhen the ignition is initially turned on, but you can also rev the motor). If the ‘Fi’ warning light is displayed or the tacho sweeps to afault code, be wary Generally,itisthe EXUP valve and agood run sorts it out,but it could be an electrical or sensor issue...

YCC-I delete

This generation of R1 introduced not only ride-bywirebut also variable length intake trumpets (YCC-I) to the party.Some internet forum ‘experts’ champion removing the YCC-I system, but this isn’t recommended as it ruinswhat thereisofthe engine’sbottomend.

Hot cat!

The catalytic converter (located in the black single section of exhaust that leads up and then splits into two, after the EXUP valve) runshorribly hot, somethingthat can get quite uncomfortable in summer Fitting ade-cat link pipe is thoroughly recommended to save your ankles from getting cooked.

Price guide: £3995-£6900

Cheapest private: £3995

38,641 miles, well used and abit tatty Ideal track bike!

Our choice private: £4950 12,000 miles, just serviced and clean with agood service history

Cheapest dealer: £4950

18,510 miles, 2008 bike in black and fair condition considering mileage

Our choice dealer: £5990

19,550 miles, lovely red/white bike with Yoshipipes

Ex-demo: n/a

Gearing

Some owners swap the 45-tooth rear sprocket for a47-tooth item (the 2009 crossplane bike runs this gearing as standard) to give the R1 abit moredrive and impression of mid-range. It is a cheap performance boost that is worth exploring.

Brake calipers and discs

Yamaha reduced thediameter of the R1’sdiscs from 320mm to 310mm and added huge sixpiston calipers to the2007 R1. Check the discs’ thickness isn’t near the minimumlevel (it is stamped on the disc) andthat the calipers haven’tseized any of their pistons. Also feel for apulsing from the brake lever at low speed that indicates a warped disc –they can run quite hot!

Slipper clutch issues

Afew owners have experienced issues with the R1’sslipper clutch, which was newfor 2007. Feel for any juddering when pulling away that hints at damage or wear to the clutch basket. Usually anew set of clutch plates sorts it out butif the basket itself is wornyou are in for abig bill.

Suspension linkages

Ask when the bike’ssuspension linkages werelast stripped and regreased. Yamaha states every 12,000 miles butrealistically this is way too long andideally they should be looked at every four years or so to prevent them from seizing up. Also check the head and wheel bearings for any play or roughness.

xStroke:

x53.6mm

12.7:1 Fuelling: Electronic Fuel Injection Tested Power: 155bhp @12,200rpm Tested Torque: 102Nm@ 9400rpm

Chassis Frame: Aluminium twin spar

FSuspension: 43mm conventional forks, fully adjustable

Rsuspension: Monoshock, fully adjustable, twin-speed

Brakes: Six-pistonradial calipers, 310mm discs

Brake: Two-piston caliper, 220mm disc

shortest lived of all the R1 models, onlysold for twoyears beforethe 2009 ‘crossplane’R1replacedit. So,what went wrongand is the 2007 R1 now worthconsideringasa used model?

The thingabout this fifth generation of R1 is that it is actuallyaverygood model –aslongasyou knowwhat you arebuying. Very differentinits character to the fairly relaxedoriginal ‘underseat pipe’ R1 models (20042006) and soulful first-generation crossplane bikes,the 2007-2008 R1 is an unashamedlywild beastinattitude and it is all down to that new fourvalvemotor

Decidedlylacking in bottom-end drive, one look at the R1’srev counter tells youall youneedtoknowabout this engine.Thetacho goes up to a high 13,750rpm revlimit andfrom 1000rpm to 5000rpm the numbersare all crunchedupand small, hinting

ALSO CONSIDER THESE:

2008 Honda CBR1000RR

Private: £4500 Dealer:£4999

The ‘stubby nose’ Blade arrived in 2008 andwas a proper litre-bike contender Classy to ride with aturbinestrong engine, it’sagreat sportsbike for road riding.

Engine: 999cc, l/c, 16v,inline four

Tested Power: 162bhp @ 12,000rpm

Tested Torque: 107Nm @ 8600rpm

2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R

Private: £4400 Dealer:£4999

The thirdgeneration of ZX10R blends the wild first gen with the morerefined second gentocreateabrilliant Ninja that hits allthe rightnotes. Engine:998cc,l/c,16v inline four

Power: 159bhp @12,000rpm Torque: 101Nm @10,200rpm

2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000

Private: £4500 Dealer:£4999

The GSX-R1000 was updated alongside the R1 in 2007 with twin pipes and morerelaxed geometry.Less thrillingthan the K5, but this is easily sorted and it’scheaper

Engine: 998cc, l/c, 16v inline four

Power: 159bhp @12,000rpm

Torque: 103Nm @9500rpm

that thereisnopoint allowing the needle anywherenearthem! If you liketorev bikes, the R1 is blisteringly fastonce its engine is allowedtoget into its stride and goes absolutely ballistic at 9000rpm.But if you want to takeiteasyitcan feel decidedly breathlessand asthmatic until the revcounter gets over 6000rpm,which ultimatelyisfrustratingonthe road And this all-or-nothingattitude is reflected in its chassis.

Setveryfirmly with little compromise, the 2007 R1’sframe and suspension certainlyswaymore towardstrack usethanB-roadblasts. Often abit flighty due to its harsh setup, when youupthe pace on this generation of R1 it certainlygets your heartracingbut while doingsoit alsogives you aright old battering. Naturally, youcan dialabit of this aggression outthrough its fullyadjustable suspension, butthere is onlysofar youcan go;intruth this wild natureisinherentwithin thebike. And that’s whyfans of the 2007/08 R1 love it and whythosewho don’t likeits full-on attitude tend to steerclear of it,optingfor either the generation beforeorafter instead as they aremoreamenable

So,think very carefullywhichkind of rider youare beforeyou part with yourcashbecause if youare happy to putthe effortin, the 2007/08 R1 is not onlyfairly exclusive, it is also incrediblyengagingand will certainly make the hairsonthe back of your neck stand up duringevery ride.But if you want alaid-backlitrebike, this particular generation of R1 is probably best avoided...

ShoeiNeotec 3flip-fronthelmet

Weirdly,I’ve managed to spend nearly 30 years in this game without having aShoei helmet in my (massive) kit cupboard.I guess it’spartly habit. When I started out, other journosonthe magazines whereIworked were ‘the Shoei person’ and Ijust never got round to trying one.

So, Iwas filled with anticipation when Igot this Shoei Neotec3 helmet. Not just because it was afirst, but also because Igot to sample Shoei’snew Personal Fitting System (PFS) treatment at the firm’sUK importer,Feridax in Halesowen. The PFS technical guru Chris Ball measured my skull

with agiant caliper device,entered the dimensions into aclever computer program, and proceeded to add and take away various parts of the internal comfort liner on the Neotec 3. The result was a perfectly matched lid, optimised for me by the PFS system. I’ve worn the Neotec on a few riding launches and tests since and have been mightily impressed with it. Thefitis flawless –asyou’dexpect from the customising process–but it’s also areallyhigh-quality helmet all round. Theflip-frontaction is positive and smooth, as is the visor mechanism; the internal sun visor is acinch to use, and it’s

incredibly comfortable, with the liner material cossetingyourskin. One thing that took abit of getting used to was the very close fit around the chin bar,which felt abit claustrophobic when you closed the flip-front at first. But once the lid is closed, it just gives avery neat, draught-free fit around your chin and neck. The vents are great, and with the Pinlock insert in place, the visor stays resolutely mist-free. Finally,the Neotec 3is fully ECE22.06 approved, and gets five stars in the UK Government’s SHARP helmet rating program so is safe as houses. The big downside is the price, of course: nearly £700 for this

bright graphic GraspTC-3 model (plain black or white versions are £90 cheaper). But Iwill say that, compared with other lids I’ve tested, the Shoei doesn’tfeel overpriced at all; you really are getting one of the best helmets around for that cash. And if your dealer operates the PFS custom fitting service, then it will be even better (thereisa £50 cost for it). Shoei UK has alist of PFS dealers on its website

TESTED BY:Alan

Dowds

TIME: 14 months

WEB: www.shoeiassured.co.uk

Price: £680

FalcoAvantour Evo Boots

I’ve had these boots for quite a while now and they’ve hadsome serious miles clocked in them While the boots have provedto be unexpectedly good at keeping water out (as Iinitially discovered on atrip to the Lake District awhile ago), what Ireally hadn’t expected was not only for them to be remarkably waterproof, but also to remain so over the coming months. As yet (and I’m very awarethat I’m potentially jinxing myself here and opening myself up to aworld of trench foot), I’ve not treated theboots to anykindoffurther waterproofing as they haven’t really needed it, limiting myself to simply washing them down with the outside tap. They probably deserve some kind of treatment by now…

Although they’ve never been especially noisy boots –and that’s aphrase that only motorcyclists will really understand –theyhave started to become alittle squeaky of late, but certainly nowhere near as intrusive as those Sidi Vertebra bootsthatyou canhearover two fields!

The soles have seemed pretty durable, too, with wear only really noticeable under the balls of each foot which, in itself, is arather odd place for them to start wearing But, given that they never had really deep tread to start with, the amount that they’ve worniscertainly acceptable, nigh impressive.

These boots arenow replaced in the range by the Avantour 2boots, whichhave afew morefeaturesand atad more protection, and cost £299.99.

TESTED BY: Dave

Manning

TIME: 2years

WEB: www.bikerheadz.co.uk

Price: £269.99

Sale

AJS Desert Scrambler

2022, £2,000, 71 scrambler, 125cc, zero miles, never ridden, maroon metallic.

Please call 01233632524 726

BMW R1150GS

2001,£2,400, good condition, fullBMW luggage, Remus exhaust plus original, Sargent comfort seatplus original, good Metzeler tyres, service history. Please call 07867808709 945

BMW R1200RS engine, parts only,includes transmission, £60. Exhaust tail box, silencer,£50. Please call 07519112082 913

BSA Bantam Petrol Tank £50, fitsmodel D5 or D7 or anyother Bantams, filler capwith oil measure, petrol tapchrome centre strip, verysolid no rust inside/ outside needs painting. Please call 01268735135 916

1959, £9,950,immaculate 500cc, Clubman trim, Twin clocks, new Avons, new GP Carb, Konis, alloyrims, Thorspark ignition, owned six years, photos available, V5C, from privatecollection, freedelivery arranged. Please call 01723372219 718

Bikelug Trailer motorcycle trailer,single, canbedismantled without tools ideal for storage, can fit inside small van etc, built in loading ramp, all electrics no longer used, £450 ono. Please call 01268735135 915

ConcentricCarbs

£80, Pair of Wassell Evolutionconcentriccarbs, 30mm for T120 Triumph Bonneville Polishedand as new,used once still boxed. Please call 01515319213 710

Harley-Davidson

883/1200 Sportster

£80, Harley-Davidson 883/1200 Sportster forward controls, complete set, nearlynew 2010 to 2022 models. Please call 01515319213 709

Haynes Workshop Manuals

Yamaha FSI 1972to1983. Honda MBX/MTX125 and MTX200 1983 to 1993.

Suzuki GS and DR125 Singles1982 to 1994 HondaCG125 1976 to 1994,£9.95 each.Tel 07399359072 941

Honda 50 Sport

1965,£2,000, good condition, runs ok, only one previous owner.Please call 07463541606 943

Honda CB500

1995,£1,350, good conditon, top box, matching panniers, heated grips, screen, 47,000 miles, only 3 owners just had full service by Sand DMotorcycles, Chesterfield. Please call 07463541606 944

Honda CB500 2002, £600, non runner project, need slight work, good runner,clutch gearbox, engine, all lights, working panels, verygood, some bits need fitting back on, need smaller bike. Please call 02920883315 842

Honda CB500R 2014, original exhaust pipe, £60 ono,buyer collects Horsham, West Sussex. Please call 01403217403 703

Honda CM125CE

1984, £950, historic vehicle, tax and MoT exempt, partly restored, loads spent on parts too manytolist, in running order little to do to finish, other projects force sale, could deliver at cost. Please call 07907458246 909

Honda Forza 2023, £3,299, FSH, garaged, nice condition,2 keys, greatmaxi scooter, full auto belt drive, 95 mpg. Please call 07784499299 914

Kawasaki EN500 Trike 2001, full bodykit, head gasket blown. Please call 01543370720 910

Kawasaki Z1300 1987 to 1989 parts to be soldasjob lot, offers. Also 4x3camping trailerErde make, contact for details. Please call 01543370720

911

Kawasaki Z650

2018 Givi rails monoloc plate 4117 FZ, £30. Also Puig Mito screen, light smoke Universal fitting, £20. Telford area buyer to collect. Please call 07729114610 919

Magazines

Motorcycle Sport (MSL) magazines, earliest publication editions Dec 1962 to Dec1969, 5 missing. Jan1970 to Dec 1975, 18 missing, all excellent condition, £230 including postage delivery. Please call 07535200297 946

RoyalEnfield

£2,650, classic redand chrome rear carrier,fitted 2700 miles, serviced, showroom condition, 2022 model. Please call 01285861462 708

RoyalEnfield

1962, £2,950, Crusader Sports immaculate, new Hagon shocks, tyres, seat, speedo, lightweight 250cc, single sylinder,photos, V5C, reducing collection, free deliveryarranged. Please call 01723372219 719

Shad TopBox £30, 37 litre top boxwith twofixing platesand two keys, as new.Please call 07778742954 707

Suzuki 350T Rebel

£5,995, two stroke, Kreg, one owner,California import, nowBritish registered, superbcondition.Please call 07883077061 912

Suzuki Bandit 1997, £3,995, USAimport, drystored 10 years, approx 81,000km. Please call 07519818549 917

Suzuki GSXR600

2002, runs beautifully,full tank of fuel, hasfull service, MoT and battery. Please call 01158755159 848

Suzuki V-Strom DL1000 2018, Giviairflow touring extendable screen, £50. Main stand, £70. Black seat, £60. Original standard screen as new,£25. Please call 07355986267 918

Triumph Thunderbird 900 newboxed, chrome sprocket cover, also fits Legend Sport Adventurer, £300 +£7postage. Also rechromed cover,£200 + £7 postage. Peashooter OE silencer,rear section excellent undamaged, £500, collection only.Please call 07434513161 702

Triumph Thunderbird Sport 2004,4,950.extras,rear rackengine bars, full service, 10,862 miles, good tyres, comes in yellow, black. Please call07872 969902 704

Triumph Tiger 100

1957, £6,950, immaculate, 500cc twin, manyreceipts during eleven years ownership, new stainless rims, clutch, battery,easy starter,running well, free deliveryarranged. Please call 01723372219 720 Yamaha RD350F1

1985, £7,759, fully restored afew years ago, alloriginal owned 19 years, just put on tyresand fluidsMoT matching nos. Please call 07801740127, Derbyshire 679 Yamaha RT360

1973,£4,250,Yamaha

RT360 Trails type Road bike. Single cylinder 2 stroke.Quick little bike. 21 inch front wheel. 6volt kick

start. Everything works. Podfilter,original missing. Nice tidy bike with new tyres. Well wortha look Morephotos on request. Please call 07941 430617, Worcestershire 675

Yamaha XSR700 original exhaust system as new,£75. Kawasaki GTR1000, newseatcover, £15. Classic Motorcycle Mechanics40+ copies, various years, £2 each. Reynold heavy duty chain splitter,£8. Please call 01772783774 844

Wanted

Camper Van lookingfor small to moderate size camper van preferrably with some MoT, petrol or dieseland not really bothered about age of unit, please text details including location. Please call 07790512582 986

Honda Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BSA, Norton wanted pre 1982 for my next project consider anything. Please call 07398052043 920

Suzuki Suzuki250GT and Suzuki SB250, fair conditionand reasonable priced. Please call 02842757206 847

Suzuki KII

80cc, 1967, good condition, no rust, on pressed steel frameorswing arm, suitablefor restoration. Please call 07305228044 843

BSA Gold Star