Fast Bikes May 2022

LAPPING WITH A LEGEND

REVISITING AND RATING THIS AWESOME, AFFORDABLE NAKED

MA Y ISS 202 UE 2 391

WE TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH TT LEGEND JOHN MCGUINNESS AND GET A FEW TIPS WHILE WE’RE AT IT…

USED STREET TRIPLE 675

HOW TO

RIDE ENDURO THE ESSENTIALS YOU NEED TO KNOW

JASON O’HALLORAN

‘I WANT TO BE BRITISH CHAMP’

REBORN YAMAHA MT-10: SMARTER, FASTER AND EVEN MORE MENTAL

HEAVYWEIGHT HUSTLER HITTING ROADS AND RUTS ON TRIUMPH’S ALLNEW TIGER 1200

PLUS

BSB SEASON PREVIEW TRACK SPEC: SUPER-TRICK YAMAHA R1 TRACK RIDER CLINIC: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

ISSUE 391 MAY 2022

THE KNOWLEDGE Used Bike Guide.............................. 62

We revisit one of the best middleweight nakeds ever made: Triumph’s Street Triple 675.

Track Craft ...................................... 84 When it comes to riding on track, there are plenty of questions to answer. Lucky for us, Dean Ellison is at hand.

YOUR LIFE ON BIKES

You and Yours ................................. 88 All of your adventures.

Chatter ............................................ 90 A page dedicated to the best readers in the world…

TESTS

Reborn Renegade .......................... 18 Just how much better is Yamaha’s new MT-10? We popped to Spain to find out.

Lapping with a Legend ................... 28

28

We hopped in a car with TT legend John McGuinness for top tips and tales.

Heavyweight Hustler ...................... 40 Hitting the road and ruts on Triumph’s new Tiger 1200.

FEATURES

The O’Show ..................................... 54

Iddon’s got a bit of explaining to do.

Jason O’Halloran finished runner-up in last year’s BSB championship. We caught up with him and learned what his plan is to go that next step in 2022.

Dom is on the mend after imitating Humpty Dumpty.

Tim and Bruce go back to school with enduro champ Ady Smith.

COLUMNISTS

Christian Iddon .............................. 94 Dom Herbertson ............................. 96 Tom Neave ..................................... 97 Tom’s got his first test of the year in the bag.

Steve Parrish .................................. 98 Steve has been out and about in his usual manner.

BUY

GEAR

FASTBIKESMAG.COM

To pre-order your next issue of Fast Bikes, head to classicmagazines. co.uk/pre-order-fb

68

54

How to ride enduro ....................... 68 Track Spec ...................................... 78 Some bikes are born better than us… just like this super-trick R1.

Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today. We will send it directly to you!

WELCOME

40 Talking the torque

I

f you had to choose, what would you go for – a bike with big torque, or a massive top end? It’s a tough call to make, and in an ideal world you’d find enough loose change down the back of the sofa to treat yourself to two machines (one of each type) and a crate of beer while you’re at it. But, as many of us have learned over the years, life isn’t perfect… so what’s it gonna be? On a track, lots of ponies is more often what you want, but on a road, with your mates and a million hairpins to blast between, torquey motors have so much more to offer. I say this having just had my mind refreshed of the joys of torque on the launch of Yamaha’s new MT-10. It might have gained a few bhp up top, but the real headline is the gains it’s made in its low and mid-range performance. If you’ve ridden one, you might have thought it was already arm-wrenchingly bonkers enough, but Yamaha thought differently and I’m glad it

has cranked up the chaos. Torquey bikes are absolute belters in my opinion, as they often possess an element of edginess that is tantalisingly addictive.

That’s why we ride bikes, isn’t it, for the buzz? For that short, sharp hit of adrenaline that can only be matched by the likes of a fighter jet... and just imagine how much sofa coinage you’d need for one of them. Yep, torque is king in my book, not just for the bottom-end performance but the character of a punchy motor too; they tend to be more tactile, pulsing and lively, and, if wasn’t for rider aids, less forgiving. It's amazing how motors can be calibrated for torque or top end, as per the MT-10, and also Triumph’s new Tiger 1200 that I’ve blasted around on this month. The triple motor is largely similar to that of the Speed Triple 1200, but like the Yamaha, it features a 270-degree crank (or T-Plane, as Triumph calls it). The result sees an uneven firing

Join us on Facebook:

Facebook.com/ FastBikesMagazine View Fast Bikes video content:

youtube.com/ fastbikesmag

Download Fast Bikes:

Mortons.co.uk/FB Join us on Twitter:

@FastBikesMag

BOSSY MAN

BSB SU PER S TA R

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

...and Britain’s best builder

...and pro at pranks

MONEY MAN

TRACK RIDING GURU

YOUNG MAN

coakman@fastbikes.co.uk

...and super nice bloke

FA ST MAN

TT WINNER

SUPERSTOCK WINNER

tneave@mortons.co.uk

...and karaoke king

...and combine king

OLD MAN

MOTOGP SAGE

SUPERBIKE SNAPPER

...and wine connoisseur

...and eBay addict

‘Dangerous’ Bruce Wilson

Charlie ‘The Sheriff’ Oakman

Tim Neave

John McAvoy

gramps@fastbikes.co.uk

SUBSCRIBE! See page 8 for the best deals, or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/ subscription/FB/fast-bikes

6 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

order and a tasty 130Nm of naughtiness that whetted my appetite to the max on its launch, as you’ll be able to read in a few pages' time. When did adventure bikes become so bad-ass? I, for one, am not complaining. With legislation getting more stringent by the hour, torquey bikes like these are truly worth celebrating.

Enjoy the mag,

Christian Iddon

Dean Ellison

Gary Johnson

Jack Fairman

ROAD RACING LEGEND Peter Hickman ...and BSB winner

RACING PUNDIT

Steve Parrish

Carl Stevens

Tom Neave

Jamie Morris

LEGAL LORE

Andrew Dalton

...and hardcore off-roader

Pay just £3.92 per edition That’s a 18% saving when paying by Direct Debit

Great reasons to subscribe >> Free UK delivery to your door or instant download to your digital device >> Save money on shop prices >> Never miss an issue >> Receive your issue before it goes on sale in the shops

PRINT ONLY

One year FOR £47 Direct Debit

One year FOR £48 Credit/debit card

Two years FOR £86 Credit/debit card

DIGITAL ONLY

6 issues FOR £17.99 Credit/debit card »

12 issues FOR £33.99 Credit/debit card »

classicmagazines.co.uk/FBDPS TERMS & CONDITIONS: Rates are based on UK orders only – for overseas please visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/fb-overseas. Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. Offer closes 17/05/22. Direct debit payments will continue at the price you paid, on this offer, every 12 months thereafter unless you tell us otherwise.

Full terms and conditions can be found at www.classicmagazines.co.uk/terms. Quoted savings are based on a 12-issue direct debit subscription when compared to the cost of 12 full-price printed issues.

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! 01507 529529 and quote FBDPS Lines are open from 8 .3 0am-5pm (Monday-Friday)

NE W S & RE VIE W S PL ANET FAST BIKES – NE W ME TA L,

NEW

DUKES HEADED OUR WAY! Ducati Panigale V4 SP2

For all you young guns out there, the SP2 moniker probably seems like an exclusively Honda deal, first seen on its VTR1000 SP2 WSBK homologation machine at the turn of the century and more recently on the firm’s CBR1000RR Fireblade.

But, as any old bike geek will tell you, Ducati actually built Sport Production 2 bikes well before Honda’s VTR. In the early 1990s, the 851 and 888 Superbikes both came in SP2 form (and SP3, 4 and 5 for the 888). Now the firm has jumped back on the SP2 wagon with this, the 2022 Panigale V4 SP2.

It’s an update on the current SP version (which we tested – and loved – last month), with all the 2022 Panigale updates. The mods are largely similar to the previous 2021 V4 SP but applied to the 2022 Panigale V4 S, which was itself a pretty hefty update on the 2021 model, so you get the 1.4kg lighter carbon fibre split-five-spoke wheels, carbon fibre wings and front mudguard, Brembo Stylema R brake calipers and MCS master cylinder, machined billet yokes, exposed aluminium fuel tank, STM-EVO dry clutch, 520 final drive chain, and posh SP seat. And they’re all added on top of the 2022 base model updates: more power, sharper aerodynamics, smarter electronics and improved ergonomics. There’s a supplied track kit too; mirror block-off plates, numberplate bracket removal cover, and an open carbon fibre clutch cover for that perfect Sports Production rattling sound. Adjustable footpegs from Rizoma, standard GPS module for the 10 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

Ducati Data analyser, single seat unit and Winter Test livery rounds off the wild spec.

The numbers are, of course, pretty impressive.

The SP2 makes 215.5bhp as standard and weighs 173kg dry. Fit the optional Akrapovic race exhaust and you get a stunning 12.5bhp more, up to 228bhp, while also shifting 5kg off the mass; 228bhp and 168kg dry are stark numbers (almost double the power of the first 851 SP2, and 20kg lighter) – as is the price; £34,295 is a hefty chunk of change. But for what the firm itself calls ‘The Ultimate Racetrack Machine’, it might just be a bit of a bargain – whether you’re a young gun or an old geek. V Visit: www.ducati.com

2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 S

No massive changes for the already excellent Multistrada V4S – but the 2022 model does have a rather interesting set of electronic upgrades.

Not so much the updates themselves – there’s a new lowering mode on the electronic suspension set-up, which lets you set minimum preload to drop the bike down a bit for riding through town with lots of stops, and the infotainment system

gets a new menu system and upgraded user interface. What is interesting is that these upgrades can be downloaded onto existing bikes – a firmware update, if you will. You need to go to the dealer to have it installed at the moment, but it’s an intriguing sign of what could be coming soon – better rider aids packages, improved power, and upgrades to electronic suspension performance, all downloaded like a new smartphone OS. The other upgrades include a new white colour, a suspension lowering kit, and new alloy hard luggage.

More details: www.ducati.com

Keep an eye on our online channels – Facebook, Twitter, and the Fast Bikes website (www. fastbikesmag.com) – for live updates on news as it happens

DEPT OF WEIRD MOTORCYCLE TIE-UPS PART Triumph Breitling Edition Speed Twin

Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid We saw this trailed at the bike shows before Christmas, of course – Yamaha had a prototype Rally Raid version of the Ténéré 700 on show at Milan. As is the way of these things, we now have the full production version ready to go... and doesn’t it look wild?

On top of the base Ténéré spec, you get longer-travel suspension, a proper 23-litre saddle-type fuel tank with dual filler caps, Öhlins steering damper, and a new five-inch colour LCD dashboard.

The suspension is pretty impressive: it’s KYB kit, with a massive 230mm travel on the front fork and 220mm travel on the rear KYB

monoshock – 20mm more than stock at both ends. The forks are reinforced and have lighter internals, while both the forks and the piggyback shock are fully adjustable.

The screen and fairing are larger and more protective, and the parallel twin motor also gets more protection thanks to a three-piece engine guard, new radiator grille and a die-cast aluminium engine support. And the ABS has three modes, including a fully-off setting for super-hardcore dirt action.

The new World Raid costs £11,600 and will be in the shops around May this year. More info: www.yamaha-motor.eu

ONE

We’re not totally convinced about matching up a £16k Triumph Speed Twin with a £4500 Breitling watch. But then we’re Apple Watch men around here, daddio! The special edition Speed Twin is a handsome beastie, with natty blue paint to match the dial on the Breitling Top Time watch. It’s limited to 270 copies and allows you to buy the equally limited edition watch to match. You’ll know if this is the sort of thing for you.

KTM Brabus 1300 R

PART TWO

Brabus? Isn’t that the firm that makes add-on wings and big alloy wheels for smart cars? Well, yes, and it does do some decent stuff for other cars, especially big fast Mercedes-Benz autobahn-bashers. But what is it doing here, on our favourite nutter supernaked V-twin, the KTM Super Duke?

Well, the firms have ‘teamed up’ to produce the first Brabus bike, based on the wild Austrian 1290.

It’s mostly a cosmetic and chassis upgrade, though there is a Brabus silencer and a quick-action throttle, so the 180bhp motor should be extra-peppy. It also has forged rims, WP APEX semi-active suspension, WP PRO steering damper, and a load of CNC-machined chassis bracketry and carbon panels. Just 77 of each colour will be made – black or red – and they all sold out within two minutes of going on sale, even at the £35k price tag…

Ducati XDiavel Nera

PART THREE

So far, we’ve had watches and cars, so what about settees? Bizarrely, this Ducati XDiavel Nera features a special leather seat from high-end Italian furniture maker Poltrona Frau.

Imagine, if you will, a DFS edition Triumph Rocket 3 (okay, don’t do that actually).

It’s a lovely leather saddle, we’re sure, and the XDiavel is a proper performance cruiser with its 160bhp 1262 V-twin motor. But at £25,895, you’ll probably need to be a big Poltrona Frau fan to put an order in on one of the 500 limited editions.

MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 11

L, NEWS & REVIE WS PLAN ET FAST BIKES – NEW META

Andy Ibbott takes on Everest

KTM 890 Duke GP edition

And a very sensible special edition to end on: this natty GP edition of the excellent 890 Duke middleweight roadster. It’s pretty much just a fancy paint job, with MotoGP inspiration, lots of orange paint, and a neat pillion seat cowl. In shops now.

Most of you will be well aware of our old mate Andy Ibbott – either from reading his words or being taught how to go round corners faster… He started out his career as a road tester here at Fast Bikes in the mid-1990s, then moving to MCN, before launching the California Superbike School here in the UK and throughout Europe.

He’s had some health issues in recent years, having suffered a massive stroke during a life-saving operation in 2011. But he hasn’t let that slow him down – and now he’s taking on Mount Everest to raise funds for the excellent Two Wheels for Life charity. Andy will be climbing to Everest Base Camp in May and aims to raise £10,000 to support the MotoGP-backed charity. Good luck sir!

Find out more and donate here: www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/andy-ibbott

Wayne Rainey to ride at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Another amazing story, this – proper 500 GP legend Wayne Rainey is coming to the UK in June to ride his 1992 Yamaha YZR500 up the famous Goodwood hill climb course at the Festival of Speed.

Rainey is one of the original 500 GP gods, who battled the likes of Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His career was cruelly cut short after a horror crash at Misano in 1993, where he sustained spinal injuries that paralysed him from the waist down. He’s been in a wheelchair ever since.

In recent years, Rainey has returned to riding on various specially-adapted bikes – but this will be the first time he’s ridden the bike he won his final title on. “I’m incredibly excited to not only be attending my first Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer, but to also be riding my 1992 Yamaha YZR500 up the famous hillclimb,” he said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one I just couldn’t pass up. I want to thank the Yamaha Motor 12 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

TT GOES LIVE FOR 2022 TT on TV

Company for preparing my 1992 YZR500 and adapting it for me to ride, MotoAmerica for helping make the entire project fly, and The Duke of Richmond for really making this a reality. I can’t wait to meet the fans who come from all over the world for the Goodwood Festival of Speed.”

We reckon this will be one of the events you can’t miss this summer. More info on the Festival of Speed at: www. goodwood.com/motorsport/ festival-of-speed

The Isle of Man Government released details on its 2022 TT live online TV package last month – and it’s a corking deal. For just £15, you’ll get full access to all the action from race and practice week, as well as loads of other behindthe-scenes material. And loads of the non-live content will actually be available completely free of charge.

The TT organisers have invested massively in the production side, with a new studio near the start-finish line, two helicopters, loads more live kerb cams, and double the number of roving camera crews round the island. There’s a massively expanded presenting team as well, headed up by Jennie Gow, Steve Plater, Matt Roberts and Cameron Donald, as well as bike journalist John Hogan. It’s all available on the Vimeo TT+ channel – more info available at the main TT website: www. iomttraces.com

ES T PERF ORMA NC E PRODUC TS ALL THE LATEST, CO OL ES T & TRICK

ARAI ISLE OF MAN TT RX-7V EVO Two years without the TT has been hard, and this limited edition TT Arai helmet is a welcome reminder that the greatest road race around will be back in a couple of months. Arai has released 15 of these lids since 2007, and they’ve become a bit of a collector’s item for hardcore TT fans. The brand has a strong tradition at the TT and is the choice for many of its top racers.

The 2022 design is by Aldo Drudi, lid painter to the gods, and incorporates the Manx Triskelion logo as well as the name of the island in Manx, Ellan Vannin, and a subtle chequered flag theme. Under the paint is the firm’s top-end RX-7V EVO lid with composite shell, double-D ring strap, QD visor, removable washable liner, and race-spec venting.

RRP: £ 875 www.whyarai.co.uk

MICHELIN ROAD 6 TYRES First launched back in 2002, the Michelin Pilot Road was one of the game-changing modern tyres that worked amazingly well in the wet. This sixth generation of the firm’s sporttouring hoop aims to continue the tradition with even better wet weather performance than the previous Road 5 fitment. The firm claims a 15% improvement in wet grip over the Road 5 – as well as 10% more mileage. The new tread pattern looks sweet, 100% silica compound boosts grip on cold damp surfaces, and there’s a GT version for larger, heavier machines like the Suzuki Hayabusa and BMW K 1600. Available in all the popular sizes, and in the shops now.

RRP: From about £ 250 www.michelin.co.uk

ALPINESTARS FUSION LEATHER JACKET Prefer your high-end race leather protection in two-piece form? We all get old eventually... but this Alpinestars Fusion jacket should give you as much protection and style as a flash one-piece. It is Tech-Air 5 airbag compatible, comes with CE armour in shoulders and elbows, and is made of premium cowhide and the firm’s MATRYX material. It’s packed with stretch panels for comfort, has a racy pre-curved cut to suit a riding crouch, and is fully vented to keep ye cool on them hot summer days which are incoming any time now. It comes in black/red and black/grey, and zips onto any of Alpinestars’ leather trouser options.

RRP: £ 590 www.alpinestars.com

14 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

PRODUCTS

MWR R7 AIR FILTER AND AIRBOX COVER The new Yamaha R7 supertwin is a saucy little beastie and the tuning goodies are starting to appear for it. This race air filter and airbox cover set from Dutch firm MWR claims to give up to 11bhp power gains and would be just the job for a stage-one tune, alongside a performance pipe and remap or fuelling mods. The foam filter is washable and should last a lifetime if properly oiled and maintained, while the airbox cover swaps in for the stock part, giving much more airflow. Available separately but you’re as well getting both in there, eh?

RRP £74.99 (MC-090-13R FILTER); £74.99 (MC-095-13 AIRBOX COVER) WWW.SPEEDYCOM.CO.UK

WUNDERLICH BMW RNINET CYLINDER HEAD PROTECTORS BMW’s Boxer engine is a sensible design in many ways: ideal for cooling, good balance, and makes shaft drive easy. But it’s not so good when you fling it on its side. Cylinder heads, cam covers, spark plugs, coils – they’re all exposed and easily smashed in a spill. Enter the German BMW specialist Wunderlich: it makes engine protectors for loads of Beemers, including these chappies for the popular R nineT range. Hard-anodised aluminium, 3M impact-absorbing polymers, strong looks and easy fitment – all the good stuff for sure. They fit all the R nineT models from 2021 on, have replaceable outer skid pads, and come with full fitting kit.

DUCATI CARRERA VALENCIA SUNGLASSES

RRP: £ 319 www.nippynormans.com

Let’s be honest, we all want to be Jack Miller. Factory Ducati MotoGP rider, daft as a brush, monster wheelies, and a top laugh. And now you can get a (tiny) bit closer to that goal by picking up the same Ducati Carrera sunglasses that Miller and his wee pal Pecco Bagnaia are sporting here. You know the score: quality sunglasses have better optics, resist scratching and, most importantly, look very cool... which more than makes up for the price tag.

These Valencia shades are new for this year, cost about £109, and are available via your Ducati dealer or online at the Ducati store. Jack would definitely approve – you just need to work on the wheelies now.

RRP: £ 109 https://shop.ducati.com/gb/en/

IRC BLIPPER/QUICKSHIFTER FOR INDIAN FTR1200 The Indian FTR1200 is a sweet bit of kit, with flat track style, torquey motor and decent handling. And now you can retro-fit a proper up-and-down quickshifter with this cunning IRC SGRace unit. It uses a compact control unit with a plug-and-play fit to the stock wiring and connectors, and comes with its own strain gauge shift sensor. Fully customisable blip and cut times for the perfect set-up, and also works in road or race shift modes.

RRP: £ 796 www.bikehps.com

MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 15

ED AND REV IEW ED THE VERY BES T KIT – US ED, ABUS

SEVEN RIVAL RIFT MX COMBO TESTED BY: TIM NEAVE MILES: 150 TIME: One month PRICE: Jersey, £64.99; pants, £169.99 WEBSITE: www.racefxb2b.com

When you’re in leathers 24/7, there’s nothing more satisfying than swapping them out for some fresh new mx kit, and Seven MX sorted me with out with exactly that for our recent off-road endeavours. I put the Rival Rift motocross combo kit through its paces on the KTM 450 enduro machine and on the Electric Motion trials bike over at Inch Perfect last month and, as expected, the kit stood up to the mud and blather with no bother whatsoever.

Admittedly, I did have to wear my coat on top most of the time because it was near-Baltic, but I was comfortable throughout.

I’ve always been in between sizes when it comes to mx pants, but with the risk of baggy bottoms looming, I opted for the smaller size and Seven had me sorted with its waistline Velcro tightening system and room to loosen or tighten either way, so I could get it set just right for me.

The pants are made from a durable, breathable and lightweight material which has been race-cut for a tailored, athletic fit that reduced bunching and excess bulk. The durable polyester construction allows for four-way stretching and maximum flexibility. Air intake panels help regulate body temperature and TPU knee overlays provide extra durability and protection. The large wrap-around rear yoke stretch panel provides unrivalled fit and support, and the anti-slip waist closure system guarantees a secure fit and peace of mind on those core-ripping seat bounces. Finally,

top-grain leather panels on the knees provide heat and abrasion resistance, finishing the pants perfectly.

Available in sizes 28”-38” and in two other colour ways.

There isn’t a great deal to say about the jersey other than the design and colours are

great, the cut is bang-on, and it fits a treat.

The Rival Rift is lightweight and the material has moisture-wicking performance and air vent holes under the armpits to keep you cool on those sweaty off-road days.

The jersey is available in sizes small-2XL and comes in a choice of three colours.

SHOEI VFX-WR GLAIVE TC-5 TESTED BY: TIM NEAVE MILES: 150 TIME: One month PRICE: £549.99 WEBSITE: www.shoeiassured.co.uk

I’ve had Shoei motocross helmets on my noggin for more than five years and wouldn’t have it any other way. Shoei has led the off-road helmet industry for some time now, with its bold, innovative design and exceptional safety features. The new VFX-WR model has once again raised the bar for premium head safety and here’s why. The shell is made up with organic fibre, multi-composite and highperformance fibre in various layers for a shock absorbance and optimum rigidity. An additional layer to the three-piece EPS liner provides different shock-absorbing

16 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

levels and reduces rotational acceleration energy to the head in the event of an accident (M.E.D.S). The Emergency Quick Release System simplifies helmet removal by removing the cheek pads easily, and since all of the pads are detachable and washable, you can keep your lid fresh. The ventilation system provides fresh air intake and hot air outlet, while maximising aerodynamics and a stylish design. It’s available in sizes XS-XXL (with four different shell sizes), but most importantly, there isn’t a tricker-looking helmet on the market, let’s be honest.

ED AND REV IEW ED THE VERY BES T KIT – US ED, ABUS

ARAI CHASER X HELMET TESTED BY: Max Silvester MILES: 500-plus TIME: 2 Years PRICE: from £ 439.99 WEB: www.whyarai.co.uk

Having seemingly spent nearly my whole childhood running around banging my head against everything, keeping my head safe is incredibly important to me now. Growing up as a younger brother, I got everything handed down to me, used to wearing helmets that never really fitted right or dealt the best with dampening sound; though starting on a Yamaha TZR50 and a DTR 125, of course, I never had any complaints about the noise. My first taste of Arai was the RX-7V, and that started my love for the brand. Yes, it too was a hand-me-down from my brother – but at least he had an appetite for good helmets...

The Arai Chaser X is like the little brother to the RX-7V: side by side, the helmets are similar. The Chaser X is made with Arai's super fibre laminate outer shell, a strong composite of Arai specialty fibres and resins.

Every single helmet is handmade and tested five times over to prove they’re safe.

Arai even specifically points out that it

doesn’t need to test its helmets that many times for European guidelines but does it anyway. I believe I have been pretty lucky when crashing with one of these helmets on. When I've unfortunately had a crash, the most damage a helmet’s had is scraped paint, occasional small scuffs, or a smashed rear vent, which can be replaced for about £30. I think I could genuinely ramble on and on about the durability of these helmets for hours; I have and always will be charmed by their pure attention to detail.

Putting the helmet through the absolute terror that is the British climate, I've tested it in all weathers. The ventilation system does an amazing job. Using a single intake air vent on the top of the helmet, brow vents, and a three-position chin vent, I can keep cool air continuously rolling in. The single rear vent and side exhausts also draw hot air out of the

back of the helmet. The visor is also made to fit a pinlock inlay lens. I have very mixed experiences with this system; despite mostly using a standard tinted visor on track, a clear visor with a pinlock is almost essential for cold and wet weather riding, it does a great job of keeping your vision clear.

Compared to the RX-7V, the Chaser X is focused more on comfort. The lining is very accommodating, as well as being customisable. It is possible to add extra cheek pads if needed, and there is even space to accommodate speakers for communication systems. Sticking with comfort, the overall weight, coming in at about 1.5kg, is not the lightest helmet on the market, but with the weight of it being well-balanced, it has never been a problem – even after wearing the helmet for extended periods. All in all, whether it’s on road or track, this is an amazing all-round helmet that I can proudly recommend.

MAY 2020 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 17

LAUNCH

18 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

YAMAHA MT-10

WORDS> BRUCE P I C S > LO N G - JO N / A N T P R O D U C T I O N S

REBORN Yamaha’s MT-10 requires no introduction, but in more recent times the thing it has needed most is a good and proper upgrade.

I

t’s hard to believe it was six years ago that the MT-10 came bounding into our lives, kicking down our senses, and making our licences feel as vulnerable as a worm on a fishhook in a pool of piranhas.

While its looks might have split opinions more so than Marmite, its unapologetic head-banging formula won over our hearts, souls, and mesmerised minds, delivering to the masses an affordable, outrageous and performance-fuelled wheelie machine, complete with wide ‘bars, a comfy seat and mirrors that showed more than just your hairy armpits. You could say the MT-10 was a pioneering performance for the Japanese brand, arriving on the scene just a year after the 2015 launch of Yamaha’s coveted MotoGP-inspired R1, which became the donor of much of the MT-10’s parts, DNA and excitement. The truth is that the iconic hypernaked we’ve since come to know and love was picking up the pieces from where the MT-01 and FZ1 had tried and failed a decade earlier. Unlike its predecessors and their long lists of limitations, the MT-10 nailed the magic formula, taking the fight to like-minded rivals, such as KTM’s Superduke and BMW’s S1000R. A legend was born… but time takes no prisoners and in recent years the shine has been shed from the brand’s flagship naked, overwhelmed by nextgeneration competition with more tech, more power and, quite honestly, more appeal.

When the word got out that Yamaha was set to release a new MT-10 towards the back end of last year, I’ll admit my heart did a few backflips and my mind meandered off into the distance with visions of a ground-up, no-holds-barred hooligan machine, the likes of which we’d never seen before. Surely, that was the right and proper way for Yamaha to evolve the MT story, ensuring the continued success and desirability of a bloodline that

has sold a total of 420,000 machines since 2013 (with the arrival of the MT-09), and equates for nearly 50% of the brand’s sales year-on-year. To put it starkly, without the MT family, there probably would be no Yamaha – and they, above all, people know that. So, like many, I was a tad confused and disappointed as my dreams of a box-fresh MT-10 were bludgeoned into the abyss when it transpired that the model was actually getting an ‘update’. Having put my toys back into the pram and taken the time to study the specs of the next-generation renegade, I found some comfort. Quite a lot of comfort, in fact, egged on mainly by the knowledge that the motor’s output had been given a good seeing to, while ticking the boxes to make it Euro5 compliant. If there’s one thing the old bike wasn’t lacking it was torque, but that’s not stopped Yamaha from getting down and dirty with the motor’s low and mid-range characteristics, bolstering both significantly through changes to the fuelling, intake and exhaust systems. At the same time, peak power’s now cranked up to a claimed 165bhp and they’ve even managed to make the bike 15% more fuel efficient. That latter point is significant because one thing that hasn’t changed is the size of the MT’s 17-litre tank, which is prone to running ‘eMpTy’ all too often. It has been slightly restyled though, becoming narrower, in a bid to offer better purchase with the rider’s knees while blending in with the rest of the new bodywork that is now less ‘Transformer’ and more ‘Predator’, thanks to a sleek and menacing new face that features dual LED headlights and indicators, plus sharper styled daytime running lights in the shape of a Y… for obvious reasons. The rear seat unit’s been remodelled also and, thanks to a new subframe, the rider seat height has increased by 10mm to encourage a more front-bias feel

LAUNCH

YES, IT’S GOT MORE TORQUE. YES, IT’S GOT MORE POWER… BUT IT’S ALSO NOW GOT A THROTTLE THAT OFFERS FEEL AND PRECISION.

20 MAY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM