Motorcycle Monthly - September 2019 - Preview

GET UP TO SPEED

THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST BIKING MONTHLY!

Trium mph’s doubled up Not one but TWO new Rocket 3ss launched from the UK factory

GOTCHA! G

The T 2020 Tiger prototype p caught out o in secret road tests PAGE 16 r

Oh NO! They’re LIVE! France gets real with acoustic cameras PAGE 4

Thi INCRED This DIBLE remote coontrol wheelieing Ducati Panigale V4S for FREE F

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September 2019

Biggest proddie motor ever 2,458cc triple is hugee and kicks out 164.7bhp @ 60000rpm

The V85 5 TT

Why Moto Guuzzi’s big new Adveenture is one of the best bikes of the year y PAGE 22

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NEWS 3

2020 Rocket 3 - Biggest.

Production. Bike. Ever!

Triumph shows it's still great at rocket science by blasting off with two new versions of the iconic muscle roadster

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11

Words: Ross Mowbray We’ve been telling you there’s a new Rocket on the way from Triumph for a few months. And the British factory has just confirmed its next generation muscle bikes – the new Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT – are on the way.

First launched in 2004, Triumph’s original Rocket III made waves with its enormous engine and huge rear wheel. And now, Triumph has decided it’s about time to update its iconic model in a way fitting to that original concept. What we now know is that, really, there’s not a huge amount between the two new bikes – the R’s essentially the standard bike, while the GT’s ready to tackle some big miles with a small screen, feet-forward footpegs, some different touringstyle handlebars, a slightly lower seat height, a pillion seat rest and heated grips as standard.

The headline news for both the all-new Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT is that they’re powered by the world’s largest production motorcycle engine.

The 2,458cc triple kicks out 164.7bhp at 6,000rpm (11% more than the old model) – and the highest torque figures of any production motorcycle, with 221Nm (163ftlb) of torque available at 4,000rpm. It’s also 18kg

In % that’s how much more power the new bike has

lighter than the old engine, thanks in part to a new crankcase assembly and a new lubrication system comprising dry sump and integral oil tank and new balancer shafts.

The weight saving doesn’t end there though, as the new Rocket 3 R and GT are both more than 13% lighter than the previous generation machine, which works out as an impressive 40kg difference.

As you’d expect, the new Rocket 3s are seriously well kitted out with a fully adjustable Showa monoshock at the rear (with adjustable rebound, compression and preload), and 47mm adjustable Showa forks up front (with rebound and compression adjustability).

Braking is looked after by some superbike spec Brembo Stylema Monobloc calipers, and those monster wheels (it’s got a 240mm rear section once again) are shod in a pair of Avon Cobra Chrome tyres, which have been developed especially for the new Rocket.

It comes with a new ’torque assist’ hydraulic clutch and a new six-speed helical-cut gearbox – which Triumph claims is precision-engineered to be smoother, stronger and lighter than a standard gearbox.

There’s a load of mod cons too, including a new TFT dash, Cornering ABS, Traction Control, four riding modes (Road, Rain, Sport and Rider configurable), all-LED lighting, Hill Hold control, cruise control and a keyless ignition – plus, the GT gets heated grips as standard.

Interestingly, the Rocket 3 R and GT each offer unique rider-adjustable footrests. On the R, there’s two vertical positions (0mm / -15mm) to choose from depending on just how sporty you like your riding position, while the GT offers feet-forward foot controls with three horizontal position choices (-25mm/0mm/+25mm).

2004

■ Two versions; the R and the GT ■ Triple motor goes up in size from 2,294cc to 2,2458cc ■ 164.7bhp @ 6000rpm ■ 163ftlb @ 4000rpm ■ 291kg dry ■ No price yet, but reckon on around £20,000 ■ Will be in dealers this December

THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST BIKING MONTHLY!

Motor Cycle Monthly, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Editor Tony Carter Editorial design Fran Lovely and Tracey Markham Publishing Director Dan Savage Publisher Tim Hartley Email editorial@motorcyclemonthly.co.uk Production Editor Mike Cowton

The Kramer 890cc racebike is now on sale. Called the GP2 R, the bike uses the KTM LC8 engine and is specced for track use. It makes 130bhp, 74ftlb, weighs 140kg and costs £27,000.

Crikey.

Hedon and BMW

When the original Rocket III was launched

In a nutshell

Kramer to buy

BMW and Hedon have joined forces to create a new range of open-face helmets. The London-based helmet manufacturer has made a name for itself over the last few years with its mix of retro-styled open and full-face lids. No news on pricing just yet, but considering Hedon’s other open-face helmets go for around £300 (and up), expect pricing around that mark.

Pikes pulls plug

Pikes Peaks organisers have suspended all motorcycle racing at America’s most famous hill climb in 2020 after the death of rider Carlin Dunne at this year’s event. It’s the first time motorcycles won’t run on the course since 1990.

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4 NEWS

Motor Cycle Monthly Hello from the Editor of MCM

Tony Carter

All about the fun

W

elcome to the slightly new looking MCM. I truly hope that you like it. You’ll notice a few tweaks here and there, like columns and stories from true experts in their fields. Where you see a column in MCM, it’s the missives of an Editor of one of the best motorcycle publications in the world.

Because we all work for the same publisher, Mortons, I’ve asked them to be a part of MCM each issue to not only add their considerable voices to our heady mix, but to also let you in on their respective worlds.

So no matter what you like to read about riding, or what you like to ride yourself, MCM is going to be even more relevant to your biking life. From new riders to classic bike enthusiasts, sport bike lovers to big mile adventurers, scooter fans to 1980s and 1990s superbike aficionados, MCM has even more of what you want. For FREE. Every single month.

Of course, we will still bring you great launch reports and tests.

There’s always lots of top products and tested reviews and the very best motorcycle news in the game, too – just as there’s been for years in this newspaper. We’re just making even more of it now.

And it’s worth saying once again that MCM is totally FREE. Don’t forget that. See this very paper you’re holding right now? Take it home.

Read it then use it in a recyclable way. We don’t mind. It’s a newspaper.

It’s all good. And it doesn’t cost you a single penny.

I’ve also brought back our Letters pages, and we’ve split our What’s On events page across the sectors where possible to make finding specific types of goings on easier. Plus there’s the excellent MCM Crossword, too, which has become a staple for those with big biking brains.

‘‘

MCM has even more of what you want. For FREE. Every single month.

So that’s it. It still feels the same, but a bit ‘more’ too. We’re never going to take ourselves too seriously (as usual) because the one thing that MCM underlines with what we do is that this riding malarky, the whole biking world in fact, is all about FUN. Without that we’d be... well, you know...

Anyway, welcome to your FREE MCM. Read it, enjoy it and send us an email if you want to. It’d be lovely to hear from you and find out what you’re up to on two wheels.

Stay safe and have fun.

tcarter@mortons.co.uk

First ‘noise’ cameras from the cops trialling on real roads They've got the first one going in France and on its first 'live' Sunday it 'caught' HUNDREDS of riders with loud cans...

It was over two months ago that we first brought you the news that the UK is to undergo trails of the so-called ‘acoustic cameras’ in the UK – new tech where microphone-enabled roadside tech can pinpoint vehicles with loud exhausts. Now the same technology has gone on live trial in France.

Sited in the Yvelines region near Paris, specifically on the 17-corner riders’ road in Saint-Forget (take note of this specific detail if you’re out that way this summer) the units have been given the snazzy name of ‘Medusa’, according to the newspaper Le Parisien.

So far, so Orwellian, but here’s the rub. It’s reported that on Sunday the multi-microphoned unit on this particularly nice bit of road indicated 450 ‘peaks of noise’. What that means in terms of how loud the vehicles were, nobody is saying right now.

The fact, however, that this number has been made public is clearly a push to persuade the public at large that this emerging tech is the way to go in terms of solving the perceived ‘noisy vehicles’ menace.

Want a FREE disc lock from m Oxford Produccts??

Then go and buy a Motorcycle Live 2019 Ticket

Motorcycle Live and Oxford Products have joined forces for 2019 – and that means if you spend £25 on your ticket to the UK’s biggest bike show, you’ll get an Oxford HD MAX disc lock thrown in.

In an attempt to help reduce motorcycle and scooter theft (and tackle the current crime sprees across the UK), Oxford Products is giving Motorcycle Live visitors the chance to get their hands on an HD MAX disc lock for a fraction of its retail price.

If you opt to spend £25 on an advance ticket (prior to 5pm on November 15, 2019), you’ll be entitled to collect your own Oxford Lock when you arrive at the show. All you’ve got to do is redeem the voucher that comes with your ticket in Hall 2 once you arrive. Easy.

You’ll get one of Oxford’s new HD MAX Disc Locks, which are made from hardened steel and come with Sold Secure approval. Its compact size and 14mm shackle mean that it fits the majority j

GOTCHA!

of modern bikes and is easy to transport – while its anti-pick lock mechanism is protected by a dust cover. You also get three high security keys included. But don’t worry too much if you lose them, because thankfully there is a replacement service. Worth £24.99, the disc lock is available in either black or a choice of three bright colours. All subject to availability, of course.

Ducati Multistrada V4 caught out testing And if you want to HEAR it in action, MoreBikes.co.uk has video of it, too

In July, the fellas over at top German magazine Motorrad reported that they’d seen the V4 in the flesh, and now Ducati’s next generation Multistrada has finally been caught on camera testing out on the open road in Italy – and there’s this photo and video to prove it.

Ok, so the new bike doesn’t really look any different to the current Ducati Multistrada 1260 – aside from its new exhaust system and the clearly smaller motor that you can really only see from the side-on photo (note how much shorter than the current Strada’s bodywork the overall size of the motor

is). But it’s underneath that hulking exterior where the exciting stuff’s happening. Log on to MoreBikes.co.uk to see and hear this thing in action.

A few seconds into the video you’ll see that it’s very clear that this camo’d motorcycle certainly isn’t powered by the same old V-twin engine – instead it gets Ducati’s MotoGP-inspired V4 engine.

Just listen to the thing.

Considering Ducati seems to be well into the testing process, we’re expecting to see the new Strada in the flesh at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan this November – in time for a 2020 release.

NEWS 5

Here’s Benelli’s secret squirrel 2020 TNT 600

Making 85bhp @ 11,500rpm and 54.6Nm of torque @ 10,500rpm, don’t expect much in performance to change when this motorcycle is officially unveiled at the big motorcycle shows later this year, but from these leaked photographs we can see that the new Benelli TNT 600 for 2020 will look a LOT different.

The four-cylinder naked is having a major overhaul in terms of looks, with some of the changes being brought in to not only sharpen the middleweight up (cosmetically), but also to further improve handling.

The 15-litre petrol tank looks to have become bigger on the new bike; the shoulder fairing has extended further to virtually include the radiator shrouds (indicators are included into the bodywork at the pointiest bit of this new fairing extension); the bike gets new lights front and rear; and a new cowl ahead of the dash, too.

The biggest difference is the layout of the exhaust. The end can currently sits under the seat, but this has gone with the new pipe exiting just behind the engine to keep mass centralised. The standard numberplate carrier on the current bike is also replaced by a floating-type holder.

Expect the new TNT 600 to be officially unveiled at EICMA in Milan, which is held in November this year.

SPY SHOT

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Now in red

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Kawasaki ZXR, Spanish custom specialists Japan Legends has created an awesome conversion kit for the Z900. You can pick from five colour schemes, that’ll set you back between £1600 and £2250 plus shipping.

Retro KTM Enduro film

AORC and ISDE winner Tom Mason larking about in full-on 1980s mode with a 1981 KTM 250 Enduro bike is our video of the month. Check it out at: MoreBikes.co.uk

Michael Dunlop set to return to the Classic TT on a Suzuki XR69 Michael Dunlop has been confirmed for this month’s Classic TT – and he’ll be riding for Team Classic Suzuki on a GSX-R1100-powered XR69 replica.

Dunlop will ride for Steve Wheatman’s Team Classic Suzuki on the hand-built racebike, attempting to claim a fourth win in the RST Classic Superbike race.

Dunlop missed the event last year, but considering his recent form he’ll be starting as one of the prerace favourites as he bids to end Dean Harrison’s recent dominance at the event.

The 30-year-old dominated the inaugural race six years ago and had a close battle with Bruce Anstey in 2015, before successfully fending off the challenge of Harrison for his third win in 2016.

Dunlop’s lap in that race of 126.808mph is his fastest in

the class and is only bettered

by Anstey and Harrison, who lapped in excess of 127mph two years ago when the Ballymoney man was an early retirement.

Although not the type to blow his own horn, Dunlop should be feeling good about his chances because despite suffering

injuries at the Southern 100 just over a month ago, he returned to winning form at Armoy on the roads just 16 days after breaking his pelvis.

Practice for the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix is due to start on August 17, with the race action kicking off on August 24.

6 NEWS

Is the Deauville about to return?

According to the French, yes. And it's got the Africa Twin motor. And it's going to appear in 2020

The fellas over at Moto Station in France have filed the story and they say that TWO separate sources have confirmed to them that a new version of the venerable Deauville is on the way from Honda.

MS says that the new bike is using the current 998cc twincylinder motor from the firm’s Africa Twin DCT – so the new bike will only be available without a clutch – and it’ll have a Cardan shaft drive.

There’s detail in the information that the French title has from its sources, too. The bike’s seat will be less than 800mm tall, it’ll make around 95bhp, and it’ll weigh 260kg in road-ready trim.

The new Deauville (it’s worth mentioning that there’s no confirmation that the bike WILL be called this, it’s what the French are calling it right now) will also get huge panniers as standard, that will be able to hold a full-face helmet.

Electrically adjustable screen, top-flight electrics and a price tag of around £13,500 also are on the cards.

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Indian takeaway (BBQ)

The earlier Deauville was a popular bike and sold many units How feasible is this bike, in reality? Well, we’ve heard for some time that Honda was going to use the current 998cc twin motor from the Africa Twin in something else – the Africa Twin is going up in engine size for next year – and it makes some sense for the factory to pitch a motorcycle between the market that’s interested in something like the Africa and something like, say, a Yamaha FJR. The news from the French guys certainly links up the various bits of information that have been trickling out of the factory for the past year or so.

One thing that we’re interested in seeing is if the new Deauville has the all-the-way-through ‘boot’ of the original, which saw the old 650cc machine from 1998 having built-in panniers without backs that linked up across the back of the bike. Sounds daft, worked like a treat on the move and meant that you could carry a lot more stuff on the bike than you thought was possible.

So you’re going to the Sturgis Rally this year (big rally in America with loads of Harleys, Indians, that sort of thing…) and you want to make the hungry hipster statement so that you get noticed amongst the beards, tattoos and cloth caps.

What do you do?

How about fitting a working

The supposed ‘new’ Deauville looks like a cross between a VFR and a BMW, doesn’t it?

And elsewhere in Honda’s ‘future plans’ dept...

Patents from Honda show that the factory’s quarter-litre off-roaders (with some pretty decent on-road manners, too) are moving to twin-spark tech for next year.

Outwardly, the bikes look pretty much the same as the current models, but will come with two spark plugs instead of one and a new mechanical fuel pump and direct injection.

Twin spark helps the engine burn the fuel/air mixture more efficiently. The mechanical pump is going to reduce the amount of services needed on the bikes

and the injection should increase ‘pep’ from the motor when the throttle’s cracked too. In reality, this is pretty much what you want from these bikes for the coming year – especiiallly as th hese motorcyclles are such massive sellers in Asia and emerging markers around the globe.

BBQ to the side of an Indian Springfield Darkhorse?

Yeah, that’ll do it. Apparently this bit of metal for cooking meat is a Traeger Ironwood 885 wood-fried thing that can hold 10 whole chickens or seven racks of ribs.

The unit was built by Thor Drake (yep) of See See Motorcycles, Stateside.

NEWS 7

❮HOLY HELL! One second it’s all OK and you’re chasing a fast lap, the next...

➠

This is what happens when you lose control of your BMW HP4 race bike at Misano.

Luca Salvadori’s bike tucked underneath him at 161mph as he pushed hard in qualifying for a race round at Misano.

The resulting crash did this to the bike... thankfully, Luca wasn’t hurt in the fall, except for some bruising

around his elbow and back. And his team had the bike ready to go again in TWO hours...

Here’s what Luca himself said about the crash: “This is simply the worst fall of my life. I lost the bike at 161mph while I was pushing hard for a good grid position.

“I banged my elbow and had no bike, but the team were incredible

Want your motorcycle news FIRST, FRESH and FREE? Then make your essential, one-stop website.

Get up to speed. Every single day. and managed to get me a motorcycle to ride again, from nothing, in just two hours. Thank you to them for working so hard for me, and for Dainese for literally saving my skin.”

➠

Classic Racer #199 is OUT NOW The world’s BEST motorcycle racing publication has hit the newstands so get yours before they sell out

➠ ➠

With features on the biggest, best and most infamous racers and bikes from the history of motorcycle racing around the world, Classic Racer is a MUST for anyone who’s ever seen a motorcycle race on track.

The latest issue is headed off by the legendary Fausti Gresini – hardest man to race in modern GP. There’s the incredible 1971 Ducati 500cc GP V-twin racebike unclothed. Michael Scott tells the story of Mick Doohan’s career end, and the whole magazine is painted in incredible images from snapping legends Don Morley and Nick Nicholls.

It doesn’t get better than this for race fans. Get your issue of CR now and join the grid for those who know what real racing means.

To get Classic Racer just head to the shops.

If you fancy getting it a bit smarter, go to classicracer.com for all the details of how to get it cheap, early and delivered to your door.

KTM’s RC4R is go

This is a four-stroke 250cc machine, which is a step below the KTM RC250 R used in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. So far we know that the bike without fuel weighs just 92kg, has a 290mm front and 220mm rear brake, and runs on 2.5” and 3.5” rims. It looks pretty sweet. Road version, anyone?

AGV has its ARK AGV has just revealed its own communications system for its Sportmodular, AX9, K5 S and K6 lids – and it’s been created with the help of Sena. Priced at £249.99, it lets you communicate with up to four riders simultaneously, up to a distance of one mile away, make and receive calls, listen to music and FM radio, and hear turn-by-turn GPS instructions from your smartphone.

➠ Bruce Anstey is BACK!

The Kiwi is making his return to racing THIS MONTH after cancer treatment

➠

After two years of intensive treatment for cancer, Bruce Anstey has announced his return to racing with an entry to this year’s Classic TT event on the Isle of Man. The 12 times TT winner has been out of action for two years while he underwent treatment, but has been declared fit to race again. The New Zealand rider jointly holds the record for the most podium finishes in the Classic event, with six in total, including three wins.

Anstey will be riding for the Malenco by Padgetts Motorcycles

team on a Honda 250. He set the fastest ever lap for a 250 machine at the 2017 Classic TT when he clocked the quarter-litre two-stroke around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course to a 120.475mph best.

The 50-year-old rider from Wellington has also taken victory 13 times at the Ulster Grand Prix and 10 at the North West 200.

At the 2019 Classic TT, Anstey will be joined by Padgetts team-mates Davey Todd and Manxman Conor Cummins.

Both Anstey and Todd will

£500 off a Suzuki compete in the four-lap Lightweight Classic on Honda machinery, whilst Cummins and North Yorkshire’s Todd will take to the Mountain Course on Yamaha machinery in the Superbike Classic.

The 2019 Classic TT runs from August 17-26.

Suzuki has launched a new incentive, rewarding anyone who takes a test ride on selected models with £500 off the RRP when they go on to buy.

Running from August 1 to September 9, it applies to both the GSX-R1000 and GSX-R1000R, the GSX-S1000F, GSX-S1000, GSX-S750, the V-Strom 650 and V-Strom 1000, the SV650X and the KATANA.

8 CROSSWORD

ITTT’S THE MOTOR CYCLE MONTHLY

C CROSSWORD! D! Thhis AMAZING wheelie-ing remote

WIN

control Ducati

Crossword compiled by Ben Rumbold of MotoXwords If you can solve this month’s MCM Crossword then you can be in with the chance of being the lucky winner of this absolutely brilliant mini Ducati from Spin Master Toys.

It might be tiny (a 1:6 scale model that is just over 35cm long and 26.5cm tall), but this incredible minimotorcycle punches way above its station.

As if the looks of the Panigale V4S aren’t enough on its own, the bonkers bike also has working headlights and a rider. It shifts too, able to hit 12mph.

Rechargable 2 Cell LiPo batteries give the Upriser its oomf, but it’s the clever tech hidden in the back wheel that make this R/C. Twelve mini wheels built into the rear ‘tyre’ mean that the bike can drift, slide out of turns and even perform full-on wheelies from a standing start. It can also do mean burnouts that you can accelerate through to make the bike and rider spin faster and faster.

There’s never been anything like the Upriser before. Get your hands on one and you’ll never leave it alone.

The Upriser Ducati Panigale V4S is on sale now from all good stores. It costs £149.99.

Worth over £149!

CROSSWORD 9

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August 2019 Issue #158

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Last Month’s Answers:

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Across

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1 Glencrutchery Road, 8 Aberdare, 9 Seal, 11 Oxford, 13 Emilio, 14 Reed, 16 Kop, 19 Combe, 20 Vertigo, 21 EBC, 25 Metre, 26 PPE, 29 Mali, 32 SV, 33 AGV, 35 & 23 Across Sons Of Anarchy, 36 Tuono, 37 UK, 38 Speciale, 39 Indian Springfield

Down

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Across 1: New three-wheeled model from the Lion-logo-sporting French giant. (7,10) 8: Ewan & Charley’s Swiss co-rider and cameraman. (7) 9: Most recent site of the Portuguese MotoGP round, the last one being in 2012. (7) 11: The action of 39 across turns the part in question this way. (3) 12: The record-breaking TT-winning Birchall brother in the chair. (3) 13: Type of reservoir that is firmly attached to the top of a rear shock absorber. (9) 15: Short circuit racing discipline on an oval circuit, but not on shale.

(5,5) 18: Trials competition rule that keeps the riders’ wheels turning. (2,4) 20: Vital valve-compressing component. (8) 21: Two-wheeled wing of the famous Munich-based car company, with the bike factory in Berlin… (8) 25: … who have in recent years released machines where these are unusually asymmetrical at the front. (6) 27: Staple Suzuki sport-bike model, first launched in 1984. (3-1) 29: Traditional engine design used by 21 across with horizontally opposed pistons. (5) 33: Kentish racer, favouring number 99, who scored a pole position for Mahindra in his 125cc GP days. (5,4) 35: The big chiefs of global motorcycle sport. (3) 36: A change to a bike’s paint job might use a different one of these to the main colour. (3) 37: Alex De ____, San Marino-born ex-MotoGP rider. (7) 39: To loosen a component, usually in an anti-clockwise direction. (7) 40: Kawasaki’s Ninja H2 features this readout for turbo performance on its TFT screen. (5,5,7)

Down

Get up to speed.

Every single day.

1: Keeping the noise down in your silencers needs plenty of this. (7) 2: French blue cigarette brand who sponsored Yamaha when Valentino Rossi first moved to them. (9) 3: Iron Maiden’s brand of beer who sponsored Peter Hickman during his successful TT this year. (7) 4 & 24 Down: The Italian suppliers to MotoE also make this fantastic old-school looking, but still all-electric naked bike. (8,4,4) 5: A start-line groove for most off-road races. (3)

6: Lorenzo Dalla ___, Italian front-runner in this year’s Moto3 World Championship. (5) 7 & 19 & 30 Down: British drag racing venue – I have to give you one obvious clue! (5,3,7) 10: Long-running Czech Motocross venue that sounds like a cough sweet. (5) 14: Yamaha’s Motocross bike model in letters. (2) 16: Very nearly became bike racing’s first BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2017. (3) 17: Spanners the shape of steaks for those hard to reach places? (1,4) 18: How some people describe bike riders, or the bits that bolts go into. (4) 19: See 7 Down 20: The first Brit since Barry to win a premier class Grand Prix. (3)

1 & 23 Down Giacomo Agostini, 2 Norton, 3 & 17 The Purple Helmets, 4 Hayate, 5 Route, 6 Russia, 7 Dell Orto, 12 Duke, 15 & 27 Down Royal Enfield, 18 Fibre, 22 Capirossi, 24 & 10 Down HM Plant, 28 Nankai, 30 Avon, 31 Uncini, 34 V-Twin 22: A lot of racing series award this to the best newcomer of the year. (6,3) 23: Famous biker café on London’s North Circular Road. (3) 24: See 4 Down 26: Sergio, 125cc GP winner as a team-mate to Bradley Smith and World Champ Julian Simon. (5) 28: The opposite suspension damping setting to Compression. (7) 30: See 7 Down.

31: Yamaha’s Trials bike model in letters. (2) 32: Riders with injured legs have often set up a rear brake lever to be operated by this. (5) 34: A time when you definitely need 25 across! (5) 38: Troy ___ Designs, American makers of very cool off-road gear. (3)

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10 NEWS

Rea and Haslam win the 8-Hour

TT 2020 schedule

The riders had to win it twice though... kind of...

Kawasaki took the win at this year’s Suzuki 8 Hours, after being forced to appeal after Yamaha were declared the winners – despite Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu finishing 18.720 seconds ahead.

World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea was holding on to a commanding lead during the final leg of the race in Japan, but with just two minutes left he took a tumble after hitting an oil spill from another bike. The race was subsequently redflagged, and Kawasaki were expected to be announced as the winners.

But the team failed to make it back to the paddock within the stipulated five-minute window, which led to Yamaha’s Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark and Katsuyuki Nakasuga being declared winners. Understandably, Kawasaki weren’t happy – and the team launched an appeal.

After much confusion, Rea and Kawasaki team-mates Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu were declared winners.

Rea said: “From being dejected and feeling that everything was out of our hands, I had already gone back to the hotel, said goodbye to all the guys, with lots of tears.

“I was in the restaurant already,

ordering dinner, when my mechanic Uri called me and said, ‘Hey, are you sitting down?’ I thought he was going to ask me to go to another restaurant – but he then told me we had won the 8 Hours. I think common sense prevailed in that one. I have no words because I am really emotional and happy. The emotional roller coaster is unreal.”

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2019 AUGUST 15 Greetham Gathering Great Lane, Greetham, Rutland LE15 7NG. www.greethamgathering.co.uk Tel 07759 052146.

16-18 Another Piggin’ Rally Stoke RUFC, Hartwell Lane, Barlaston ST15 8TL. www.greedypigsmcc.co.uk 16-18 MGCGB GuzziFFest 2019 Riverside Camping & Caravan Park, Marsh Lane, North Molton Road, South Molton, North Devon EX36 3HQ. www.motoguzziclub.co.uk 16-18 Vosa Rejects Rally Walton Sports and Social Club, Shay Lane, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 6LA. www.yorkshiretrikers.co.uk Tel Teg 07944 692219.

Email teg.carnell@gmail.com.

16-18 Worcester Rally & Custom Show Coney Green Farm, Ribbersford Road, Stourport, Worcestershire DY13 0TE. Tel 07743 135858.

Email edwardo693@hotmail.co.uk.

16-18 BMF Dambuster 4 Rally Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, nr Coningsby, Lincolnshire LN4 4PL. www.bmf.co.uk Tel 0116 2795112.

Email admin@bmf.co.uk.

16-18 Numbskullz RC 1st Let’s Get Numb Rally Miners Standard, Winter, Derbyshire DE4 3NW. Tel 07702 573131 or 07972 418874.

Email stanbrook.marie@yahoo.co.uk.

16-18 British Superbikes - Round 8 Cadwell Park www.britishsuperbike.com 17 Classic Police Vehicle Meet Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 17 Scorton Auto & Bike Jumble Scorton, North Yorkshire Events Centre DL10 6EJ. Tel Bert 07909 904705.

17 Yamaha TR1 Rally Sammy Miller Museum. www.sammymiller.co.uk 17-18 Passion for Power Classic Motor Show Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6QN. www.cheshireautopromotions.co.uk Tel 01507 529529.

17-19 Renegade MC present the 12th Redskin Rally Frog Farm, Susans Lane, Upchurch, Kent ME9 7HA. www. renegademc.com Tel 07872 346707.

Email skully@renegademc.com.

18 Ladies Day Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London

NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 18 Tewkesbury Classic Vehicle Festival Tewkesbury School Playing Fields, Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 8DF. www. tewkesburycvf.org Tel 01452 260063.

18 Bowood Summer Classic Car & Motorcycle Show Bowood House, Derry Hill, Calne SN11 0LZ. www. classicshows.org Tel 01484 667776.

Email info@classicshows.org.

18 Ledbury Leader Grasstrack Sparrington Farm, Pencombe, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4SL. Tel Sally Palmer 07968 649327. Email sallyannpalmer226@gmail.com.

18 TAG Speed Motorcycle Show.

Lepton Highlanders Sports & Social Club, Wakefield Road, Lepton, Huddersfield HD8 0LX. www.tagspeedmotorcycleshow. co.uk Tel 07487 234067.

Email tom.greenwood@ tagspeedmotorcycleshow.co.uk.

18 Breakfast Meet. Battlesbridge Motorcycle Museum, Essex SS11 7RF. www.battlesbridge.com/events Tel 01268 769000.

18 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes Horton in Ribblesdale, (meet car park).

Tel 01772 782516.

18 VMCC (Essex Section) Ride Out Costa Coffee, Stanway, Colchester.

Tel Brian Irwin 01376 342885.

21 VMCC (Dorset section) Mid-Week Run. Old Ox Inn, Shillingstone, Somerset DT11 0SF. dorsetvmcc. co.uk/events Tel 01258 860864.

23-25 Belgian Classic Trophy Gedinne, Belgium. www.crmb.be 23-26 GNAA Motor Show - Cars & Bikes Dormans Club, Oxford Road, Middlesborough TS5 8AE. www.dormansclub.co.uk 24 Sunbeam MCC 2nd Bolney Vintage Run Bolney, Sussex. Tel Rob Pond 01306 628297; 07907 694751.

Email robpond123@yahoo.co.uk.

25 Sunbeam MCC 3rd Summer Pioneer Run Handcross, Sussex. Tel Rob Pond 01306 628297; 07907 694751.

Email robpond123@yahoo.co.uk.

25 Cheshire Classic Car & Motorcycle Show Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9JY. www.classicshows.org Tel 01484 667776.

25 Harley Day Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com

The TT is already planning its return to the Isle of Man TT next year, and we’ve just got a first look at the schedule for the two weeks of heartstopping racing on the famous island’s Mountain Course. If you’re planning a trip over to the island, the action kicks off on May 30 and runs for a total of two weeks. Of course, the schedule could change, but here’s what it is right now: ■ Saturday, May 30: Evening Qualifying ■ Monday, June 1: Evening Qualifying ■ Tuesday, June 2: Evening Qualifying ■ Wednesday, June 3: Evening Qualifying ■ Thursday, June 4: Evening Qualifying ■ Friday, June 5: Evening Qualifying ■ Saturday, June 6: Race Day 1 (Sidecar Race and the Superbike TT) ■ Monday, June 8: Race Day 2 ■ Wednesday, June 10: Race Day 3 ■ Friday, June 12: Race Day 4 (Sidecar Race 2 and the Senior TT)

TO LIST YOUR EVENT EMAIL jclements@mortons.co.uk

25 21st Ripon Classic Car & Bike Show & Autojumble Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon HG4 1UG. www. markwoodwardclassicevents.com Tel 01697 451882. Email info@ markwoodwardclassicevents.com.

25 P&D Custom Bikes 4th Annual Bike & Hot Rod Show Slinfold Cricket Club, Lyons Road, Slinfold, West Sussex RH13 0RY. Tel 01403 791038.

Email pdcustombikes@yohoo.com.

25 MotoGP - Round 12 - GoPro British Grand Prix www.motogp.com 26 Notts Classic Car, Bike & Mini Show Thoresby Park, Ollerton, Notts NG22 9EP. www.classicshows.org Tel 01484 667776. Email info@classicshows.org.

26 Kent Chrome and Cruisers Vehicle Show & Autojumble Faversham Showground, Staple Street, Kent ME13 9HY. Tel 07903 339466.

Email maggsian@hotmail.com.

27 British Two-Stroke Club Lincolnshire Branch club night Sausthorpe Village Hall, 7pm. Details from Andy Jones 07940 447570; Jay Smedley 07502 222754.

29 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes Fleetwood Model Boating Lake.

Tel 01772 782516.

30-01 Wakinyan Rally Birch Coppice Social Welfare Club, Watling Street, Dordon, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 1SY. www.salutationmcc.com Tel 07772 482544.

Email nigellast@hotmail.co.uk.

30-01 Stormin’ The Castle Witton Castle Country Park, Witton-Le-Wear, Bishop Auckland, Country Durham DL14 0DE. www.storminthecastle.co.uk Tel 0870 2258352.

31 VMCC (Dorset section) Breakfast Meet. Henstridge Golf and Leisure, Marsh Lane, Henstridge, Somerset BA8 0TG. dorsetvmcc.co.uk/events Tel 01258 860864.

31 Sunbeam MCC Gingerbeards Trial Jackson Woods, Horsmonden.

Tel Neil Sinclair 07885 660939.

Email sinclairndlp@hotmail.co.uk.

SEPTEMBER 01 Vintage Japanese Bike Day with VMJC Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com

01 Classic Cars at Hoghton Tower Hoghton Tower, Hoghton, Presto, PR5 0SH. www. markwoodwardclassicevents.com.

Tel 01697 451882. Email info@ markwoodwardclassicevents.com 01 Motorcycle Fest White Lion Pub, 46 High St, Baldock SG7 6BJ. Tel 07963 609143.

01 2nd Annual Hot Rods, Hotdogs, Car & Bike Show Oldham Rugby Union, Manor Park, Byrth Road, Oldham OL8 2TJ. Tel 07984 044142. Email benowenpritchard@hotmail.co.uk.

01 North West Classic Motorcycle Show Cholmondeley Castle, nr Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8AH. www.classicshows.org Tel 01484 667776. Email info@classicshows.org.

01 Road2Recovery Charity Rideout Starts from Wistow Rural Centre, Leicestershire LE8 0QF at 11am. www. claireschallenge.co.uk Ends at Eye Kettleby Lakes, LE14 2TD. Tel 07949 8836869.

Email claireschallenge@mail.com.

01 Sunbeam MCC Greybeards Trial Jackson Woods, Horsmonden.

Tel Neil Sinclair 07885 660939.

Email sinclairndlp@hotmail.co.uk.

01 BMPS Magnificent Motorcycles Llandudno Promenade, Whistle Stop Café, Goldwing, Wirral Wobblers and others. Access prom opposite St Georges Hotel, LL30 2LG. www.bmpsnwales.org.uk Tel John Dean 07816 066465.

Email johnatsilvergate@aol.com.

04 VMCC (Dorset section) Lunch Meet Henstridge Golf and Leisure, Marsh Lane, Henstridge, Somerset BA8 0TG. dorsetvmcc.co.uk/events Tel 01258 860864.

06 Bike Night - Jacks Hill Café Jacks Hill Café, A5 Watling Street, Towcester, Northants NN12 8ET. www.jackshill. co.uk Tel 01327 351350. Email capellacaterers@btconnect.com.

06-07 The Carole Nash Eurojumble Ringwood Road, Netley Marsh, between Cadnam and Totton, Hampshire SO40 7GY. www.classicbikeshows.com Tel 01507 529529.

06-08 Ace Café Reunion Weekend Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 06-08 Isabena Rallye La Puebla de Roda, Ctra. Graus-Viella km 27, 22482

La Puebla De Roda, Huesca, Aragon, Spain. www.isabena.eu Tel + 34 (0) 974 544 530.

Email info@isabena.eu.

06-08 The Soggy Moggy The Woodgreen Animal Shelter, Kings Farm, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, Cambs. www.Tigermcc.co.uk Tel 01354 680831.

Email Time2party@tigermcc.co.uk.

06-08 British Superbikes - Round 9 Oulton Park [Triple Header] www.britishsuperbike.com 06-08 World Superbikes - Round 10 Portuguese Round www.worldsbk.com 07 Classic Motorcycle Show Buntingford. Tel 07963 609143.

07-08 NSA (National Sprint Association).

Lancaster Raceway, East Kirkby Airfield, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4BP. www.nationalsprintassociation.org 08 Baldock Bike Fest White Lion Pub, 46 High St, Baldock SG7 6BJ. Tel 07963 609143.

08 Borders Classic Bike Show Lacon Childe School, Cleobury Mortime. www.bordersbikeshow.com Tel Tracey Clinton 01746 718016. Email bordersclassicbikeshow@gmail.com.

08 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes Heron Corn Mill, Beetham. Tel 01772 782516.

08 Salisbury Motorcycle & Light Car Club, Arbuthnot Trial Starts at The Barford Inn, Barford St Martin. www. salisburymotorcycleandlightcarclub. co.uk Tel Mike Viney 01725 514801. Email arbuthnot@ salisburymotorcycleandlightcarclub. co.uk.

08 Sunbeam MCC 12th Constable Run Monks Eleigh, Suffolk.

Tel Marian Johnson 01255 470063.

Email marj_35@btinternet.com.

08 VMCC (Essex Section) End of Summer Run Tesco car park, Maldon.

Tel Dave Overy 01621 893450.

12-15 The 33rd Drink Drop & Doss Wingmore, Elham, near Canterbury, Kent CT4 6LT. www.rejectsbrotherhood.co.uk Tel 07710 622266. Email rejectssocialsec@outlook.com.

13 Dreamflight to Dorset Leaving from Ace Café, London to Herston Yards Farm, Swanage, Dorset BH19 3DJ. www.herstonevents.com/dreamflightto-dorset Tel 01929 422932.

Email hello@herstonevents.com.

E&OE: All events are subject to change. Please check with the event organisers before booking accommodation or travelling.

Th he MCM legal column is compiled byy managing pa artner Andrew ‘Chef’ P Prendergast and his bike-riding barristers and ssolicitors at White Dalton W Motorcycle M Solicitors.

S The firm deals with personal w injury claims and its sister a company, Motor Defenc Defence Solicitors, company 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’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution. White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer to your question, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insuranceappointed solicitor, get proper independent advice.

For road traffic offences, call the Motor Defence solicitors on 0800 280 0912.

For non-offence cases, call White Dalton motorcycle solicitors on 0800 783 6191.

Need advice If you need advice on a biking-related legal question or query, email mail@whitedalton.co.uk. The best Q&A will be published in MCM, in confidence, of course.

Q&A

WHITE DALTON 11 Our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials and troubles

Q

Who should be helping my wife? We were riding two up on a narrow country lane last summer on my Aprilia Tuono when we had a head-on with a car. I can’t remember what happened and neither can my wife. However, apparently a witness behind us said I was slightly on the wrong side of the road as it was so narrow. Luckily I wasn’t too hurt, but my wife broke her hand and has post-concussion syndrome. She had to change her job working for the local council and lost money. My insurance company have kept telling us we need to wait to see how she heals up and they will advise and help her. However, when I spoke to a different handler last week they said my wife should get independent legal advice. What should she do?

A

Your wife should get legal advice ASAP. It appears the collision was your fault so she can sue you by reason of her being an innocent pillion.

Whilst that may sound weird, i.e. wife sues husband, legally it is not uncommon. You pay insurance and they will have to cover you and pay out for your wife’s injuries and losses. As for the injuries, I suspect she will need to get an orthopaedic and

For more info, go to:

neurological opinion with a view to evidencing her losses that have arisen from the collision. Postconcussion syndrome after a blow to the head is a funny one and can lead to poor concentration and depressed mood Whatever she does, she needs to get some independent legal advice. She should not rely directly on your insurer to advise and help her.

Q

About four years ago I broke my foot after a lorry ran into the side of me. I needed three operations and couldn’t work as a scaffolder.

Liability was admitted and my solicitor got some interim payments. We were due to head to court to let a judge decide how much I should get. However, my solicitor has just sacked me for lying after the other side sent her a video of me running a local marathon and working at a building site. The other side have also made an application to ‘strike out’ my entire claim. If I had seen the video earlier I would have given a slightly different statement. Although it would have meant I would get less money, I wouldn’t have said I hadn’t returned to work and my foot was still causing problems. So all in all I have been stitched up by the lorry driver’s solicitors and my own guys as I was injured and liability was admitted. I’m going to go to court on my own as the judge will have to give me something. However, it does seems like the whole world is against me?

Err... Ok...

Created by Indian custom-house Maratha Motorcycles, the bike’s been built from the bones of a Royal Enfield Classic/Bullet 500. Now there’s no accounting for taste, but we can’t quite understand why anyone would do this to a retro-styled Royal Enfield.

It’s called the Asura (or the Devil).

What do you think to it? Cool or fool?

A

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

The only person who has ‘stitched’ you up is you.

You’re a muppet who has lied and got caught.

You didn’t want to tell the truth because you would have got ‘less money’. Without wanting to preach, compensation is meant to do that. Compensate.

It is not a lottery win. Further, the whole world isn’t against you. However, the law is. Section 57 Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 deals with cases of ‘fundamental dishonesty.’ This means that if the court finds you have been lying about part of your claim, it can dismiss the whole of your claim, even if some of it is true.

For more info on getting on two wheels, check out our brilliant sister publication

Learners Commuters Buying On Two Wheels

Riding

12 WORLD LAUNCH REPORT

It looks just like the last one.

Except it doesn't - not really.

This is the new mighty muscle cruiser from the Italians. It's new. It's ALL new. And it's astonishingly brilliant to ride

Words: Tony Carter Photography: Ducati When was the last time you rode a bike that was largely alone in a sector that it, itself created?

A bike that is instantly recognisable.

That made a load of power and delivered in a chassis that was… ok look, enough of this.

Let’s talk about the new Ducati Diavel 1260. Actually, the 1260S. It’s the one we’ve been enjoying on the world launch in Spain.

It’s incredible. And I don’t mean that in a ‘gosh, look at this lovely new motorcycle in the sun, isn’t it spiffing’ kind of way – I’m talking about a bike that I want underneath me all the time. It’s incredible.

It’s spot on. It’s a beast, it’s fun, it’s easy to use and potently rampant on the road, and I say this with true conviction after just 175 miles or so on the road.

The reason it works is because of the overall changes that Ducati has made to the Diavel – the geometric changes are huge (although, happily, the riding position is virtually identical to the original bike’s design).

What the Italian factory has done is take the 1,262cc Testastretta motor from the XDiavel and move its engine further back towards the back wheel.

Up front they’ve pulled in the rake and trail to speed up and make the handling feel lighter and more responsive. They’ve also shortened the swingarm and shifted the oil cooler to the front of the motor to clean things up aesthetically.

The factory has also cleaned up and made the exhaust much more elegant.

It’s still double can, but it juts out of the belly of the bike in a race, stubby sort of way instead of effectively blocking out the single-sided side of the single-sided wheel.

Exhaust aside, the bigger, geometric changes equate to a riding experience that, if you’ve had the pleasure of that original Diavel launched nine years ago, is instantly familiar, but still really quite different. Close your eyes and you know you’re on a

Diavel. Look at the new 17-litre tank and flared shoulders complimented by the single, tiny colour screen and idiot lights perched on top of the handlebars, and you know you’re on a Diavel. Fire the lump into life and you would bet your life that a Diavel was under your backside.

So Ducati has at least got this right.

Almost everything on the new bike is new. Aside from that engine, front mudguard, handlebars and rear mudguard holder, it’s a freshly created Diavel for 2019.

And yes, the new bike might be 5kg heavier than the old model at a (now) 288kg wet and the wheelbase is longer (20-odd mm) but even just paddling the bike around, let alone getting out on the move, the whole thing feels lighter and more nimble than you remember – the engineering theory works in practice. It’s brilliant. It’s racetrack thinking used to just make life easier on the road.

1,262

The size of the new Diavel’s motor

Ergonomics 2019 In reality, the new Diavel is actually much, much nicer to ride than you might thing (I say this largely to those of you who have never ridden one of these things). The ergonomics, so usually a worrying term in motorcycle design, are pretty much spot on for whatever you need to do, no matter how tall you are.

It’s mostly down to that magic triangle of a high handlebar position, low seat and midmount footrests that do it.

There’s nothing about this bike about which you have to stretch or cramp yourself up for. And I say that as a 5ft 8-ish chap who’s built very much like a chimpanzee with a long back, long arms and less than long legs.

Now, Ducati will tell you (as they told all of us on the launch) that the new Diavel can cope with pretty much anything with little effort and an elegant touch that lets the bike glide over bumps. etcetera with ease. This is not the case, BUT I’m telling you this because I do not think for one moment that the reality of how the Ducati is set up is in the smallest bit detrimental to the riding experience. In fact, I think the reality of the springers actually adds to the fun.

You see, the Ducati’s suspension is fine for the road.

The whole bike feels very connected to whatever ribbon

of the grey stuff is happening underneath you. Braking is wonderful on the 1260S, thanks to those Ohlins forks and M50 Brembo calipers. Every bit of every bit of the bike is talking to you constantly.

So it stands to reason that you can’t have a bike that’s talking to you in this very connected way and still have it glide over bumps, etcetera on the road. If you’re going to get that almost intimate level of detail from the suspension then you just can’t have the same system choosing to also be smooth over other undulations on the road.

But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Whilst the Diavel’s suspension can be a bit notchy over the rough stuff, for 99% of the time it’s spot on and involving. I’ll take that type of suspension over the other any day of the week.

There’s 10mm more rear wheel movement too, up from 120mm on the old bike with plenty of room on the bigger, plush saddle. Overall, the Diavel is an extremely nice place to be.

WORLD LAUNCH REPORT 13

159

In hp, how much power the bike makes @ 9,500rpm

14 WORLD LAUNCH REPORT PILLION SEAT

CONTROLS

A nice touch to go with the frankly huge pillion seat is the pull-out grab handle that squirrels away under the seat when not needed. A minus mark on the Diavel though, is the loss of the original bike’s wonderful flip-down pillion footrest arms that were hidden away under the first gen’s seat bodywork. The new bike’s pillion footrests are conventional units sited above the swingarm.

The Diavel gets snazzy backlit handlebar controls that feature Cruise Control (on the left switchgear – a nice touch) and a hands-ffree system. The tiny 3.5 5inch TFT colour screen is fine for anything you want to do with it, even in direct bright sunlight. Bit small for this type of bike, though.

There’s a bar of idiot lights sat just on top of the handlebars, too.

THAT PHAT TYRE

ENGINE, THE ENGINE

Sitting on a 17-iinch h riim, the huge 240mm rear tyre that so iconised the original Diavel in the minds of the public makes a return to the 2019 new Diavel.

A custom-made Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, the remarkable looking rear hoop gives a claimed MotoGP-like profile on the Ducati that is incredibly stable (and still flickable into corners) and confidence-inspiring when the bike’s hauled right over in turns.

The Diavel now gets Ducati’ss awesome Testastretta DVT 1262cc motor that makes 159bhp @ 9,500rpm whilst kicking out 95lb-ft @ 7,500rpm. On the S version (as tested) the bike comes with the Ducati Quick Shift up/down gear goodie, too.

FRAMING IT

LIGHT ’EM UP

The new Diavel’s headlight and indicator lights have come in for extensive work from the factory. The headlight features a new DRL (on the S version only) that collars the hi-beam LED large headlight unit. The front indicators are now sited on the sides of the radiator and pulse with a pseudo 3D effect, which is actually far more effective in real life than it sounds when we write this down.

With overtones of the original bike, the new chassis for the new Diavel is just that – a new chassis. The exposed trellis frame is smaller than on the old bike, the sub-frame is completely new and a single cast unit and the single-sided swingarm look massive, but on the move you feel none of the unit’s mass.

TECH SPEC 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 (1260S)

Engine: Ducati Testastretta DVT 1,262, L-twin, 4-valves per cylinder, Dual Spark, Liquid-cooled, Desmodromic Variable Timing (same) Bore x stroke: 106 x 71.5mm (same) Compression ratio: 13.0:1 Power: 159hp (117kW) @ 9,500rpm (same) Torque: 95ib-ft (13.1kgm, 129Nm) @ 7,500rpm (same) Fuel injection: Bosch electronic fuel injection, 56mm elliptical throttle bodies with Ride-byWire system (same) Exhaust: Stainless steel pipes and single muffler with twin tail pipes, catalytic converter and two lambda probes Gearbox: 6 speed Clutch: Slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch with hydraulic control Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Rear wheel: Light alloy cast 8” x 17” Rear tyre: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 240/45 ZR17 Wheel travel (front/rear): 120mm / 130mm Front suspension: Ø 50mm fully adjustable fork (Öhlins Ø 48mm fully adjustable fork) Rear suspension: Preload and rebound adjustable monoshock (Öhlins fully adjustable monoshock), Aluminium cast single-sided swingarm Front brake: 2 x 320mm semi-floating discs, 4-piston M4.32 Brembo calipers, PR18/19 radial master cylinder (M50 Brembo calipers, PR16/19 radial master cylinder). Bosch Cornering ABS Evo Rear brake: 265mm disc, 2-piston Brembo floating caliper. Bosch Cornering ABS Evo Instrumentation: 3.5” TFT colour display and separate idiot light back of lights Front tyre: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70 ZR17 Kerb weight: 244kg Seat height: 780mm Wheelbase: 1,600mm Rake: 27 degrees Trail: 120mm Fuel tank: 17 litres Price: Diavel £16,795 (Diavel S £19,985) PCP info: 1260: Initial payment of £3,780.10 (22%) and then £189 for 37 months with a final payment of £8,645 1260S: Initial payment of £4,139.06 (21%) and then £229 for 37 months with a final payment of £10,411.00 For more: www.ducati.com

FRONT BRAKES

Front brakes are WSB-spec M50 radially mounted Monobloc calipers with a PR 16/19 radial master cylinder.

They are absolutely wonderful.

SERVICING THE BIKE

Ducati has increased the gap between services on the Diavel. With the new model you’ll need an oil service at 9,000 miles and a Desmo service at 18,000 miles.

Stop that wheel lifting (and/or spinning) Ducati’s Traction Control (TC) and Launch Control (LC) are a delight to use, but whilst the TC is fully in line with how most people ride, Ducati does allow a rider to customise the levels of TC interruption fully in various sub-menus on the bike – the WC isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think.

The LC is activated by a button on the right-hand switchgear. You pull the bike up to a standstill, press the button and pull the clutch in fully. Wind the throttle up as high as you want and then DON’T dump the clutch… if you do, things get lairy, fast.

This is because it takes the system a beat to work out what you’re doing. So grabbing a handful and then dumping the clutch is a bad idea because whilst one part of the Diavel is telling another part of the Diavel what’s going on, you’re finding yourself quickly out of shape with a heap of power dumping

SUSPENSION

Up front on the 1260S are sublime TiN treated Ohlins 48mm fully adjustable forks and there’s the same make fully adjustable, off-sset mounted mono-shock on the rear.

its way through the back wheel. This can really get your attention, fast.

So, what you do is select launch control, grab the clutch, loads of power and then – almost two-strokey – you feather the clutch ever so little to get the thing moving. Once you’ve done that you can dump the lever and gas the thing, and then the bike leaps off into the distance with you Wile E Coyote-ing off the handlebars as physics tries to keep up.

Get it right and this bike will just snap away from a standing start. It’s pretty amazing.

The system is based on Ducati’s racing arm and is based on a two-strategy algorithm that constantly monitors what the bike is doing.

Both algorithms are at work and decide on aspects of the bike together (this is what accounts for the very small lag in the launch control protocols). There are eight levels of intervention by the system available.

On the road, this thing is a peach.

The motor has a virtually flat torque curve. In reality this means that no matter where you are in the rev range you can crack the throttle and the bike surges forward – in fact, you can pop the bike into a gear higher than you think and just lazily ride that torque if you want to. It’s that good and means that you’ve got lots of the 95lb-ft on tap whenever you want it.

There are three riding modes, Sport, Urban and Touring, with each giving you full power with various levels of delivery finesse combined with the factory-set traction/wheelie/abs levels as wanted. You can go into the bike’s digital brain and set each element of each riding mode to suit your style and need further. You can also do this by an app on your smartphone.

But back to the riding experience and the sublime chassis topped off with more than a soupcon of fruity, revvy motor. Get it into the top end of the revs and it just romps away with an animalistic growl that undresses the 1,262cc DVT Testastretta’s track DNA and begs you to keep going.

Don’t get caught up thinking that this hulk is all about blasting A roads and chasing triple-digit dragons.

Thanks to the DVT motor, slow speed manners and ability are second-to-

none. This bike is a doddle to ride at walking pace. Low down, pottering through towns is smooth and thinking-free.

Niggles? There are a couple. The mirrors show you a lot of what’s behind, but get over 3,500rpm and they turn the view into a silly, vibrating mush of colours and the TFT colour screen is fine but – at 3.5 inches across - a bit too small for me.

I’d happily have a bigger screen for more info availability.

Oh, and some heated grips as standard should really be a fixture on this bike, not just available as an aftermarket option.

But hey, I’m splitting hairs here.

This new Ducati Diavel is pretty

flippin’ excellent. It’s a real road riding motorcycle at its best on fast sweepers and tight turns. Crack the throttle and it feels raw and urgent – hiding the cleverness and the billion gizmos that are keeping you upright as you launch towards the next corner. Plus it has that 240 section Pirelli rear tyre that grips and turns into corners like you wouldn’t believe.

Price-wise you’ll pay £16,795 for the standard 1260, which only comes in grey. It’s £19,985 for the S model that gets M50 Brembos up front, 48mm Ohlins TiN forks and a host of other things which you really do want.

The 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260S is absolutely terrific and I urge you to get one in your life.

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16 NEWS Triumph Tiger Thruxton R Black

SPY SHOTS 765 Daytona Moto2

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Secret Triumphs caught out on the road

In one ride-out from the British factory's secret Spanish base we bagged shots of the new 765 Daytona Moto2 bike, the new Thruxton R Black AND the new Tiger. Yep. Words: Tony Carter