MoreBikes October 2021 Issue

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RETURN GOLD STAR OF THE

We ride the new 650 from BSA

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IN

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Benelli’s TWO Leoncino 800s

WORTH

£49.99

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Change your tyres

RIDDEN

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Everything you need to know to make the most of the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show

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IN

These winter-ready se gloves from Wei

IT’S SHOWTIME

HOW TO

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HIT THE ROAD Our favourite ride in the LAKE DISTRICT

NEWS 3

A nod from the Editor What we’ve been up to this month...

rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

Dealer’s choice

T

here’s been a lot going on at MoreBikes HQ this past month. In addition to all the usual fun stuff that goes into producing this paper for your reading pleasure, the bikes have been coming thick and fast for us to test – and I’ve been scrambling around trying to get the chance to swing my leg over as many of them as possible. We’ve had electric scooters, learner-legal trail bikes, retro-styled scramblers, big tourers and, more recently, a pair of sporty middleweights.

I’m not really a big sportbike guy.

Given the choice, I’ll always try and get my hands on anything with a whiff of off-road potential rather than bikes with innate on-track prowess. I like their looks, I like the comfort, I like the versatility – and I love riding the trails. I guess it’s partly an age thing. I’m 30 and I kind of missed out on the big boom of fast bikes and fluorescent suits in the 90s (when I was just a nipper).

My old man did have a trick Honda CBR600 when I was little, but I was much more interested when he chopped it in and splashed the cash on a chunky Honda XR650R. But it’s recently been brought to my attention that I might have been missing out. While big trailies will always have a place in my heart, having spent a bit of time on Aprilia’s RS660 and Yamaha’s R7 I’ve started to question my priorities. It turns out middleweight sportbikes are an absolute blast to ride. Who’d have known, eh? I’m already starting to think trackdays for next year.

But what about you? What’s your favourite type of bike to ride? Has it changed over the years? Did you used to love sportbikes and now you like adventure bikes? Did you start off on a two-stroke and now you swear by a four? We love hearing from you, so if you get the chance please get in touch (and if you send over a photo we’ll even be able to get you on our Readers Ride secion) next month.

Editor Ride safe.

​ oreBikes, Media Centre, M Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Editor Ross Mowbray

FOOT OFF THE GAS Surrey County Council reveals bold plan to trial reduced speed limits on its county roads.

Expected to cover an 80 square mile area to the south of Guildford and Dorking, the council has confirmed its plans to restrict rural speed limits from 60mph (down to as little as 20mph), following the release of a new policy paper named the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT). Released in April, it outlined the value of making a raft of changes to transport policy, including a new national guidance on setting speed limits.

Surrey County Council’s quickly got on board, and just a few months later has announced a new trial to see if it’s effective. Speaking about the news, Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and

economy, said: “Most rural roads in the area are still subject to the national speed limit of 60mph, which is inappropriate for these types of roads. Evidence suggests that implementing lower speed limits should reduce the number and severity of road collisions.”

Only time will tell if this leads to further reductions in speed limits on winding rural roads…

While the intention’s admirable and any effort to reduce collisions is a worthy endeavour, we can’t help but feel that the council’s going about it in the wrong way. Surely there needs to be a level of trust placed with road users, who are evidently capable of judging the correct speed to drive or ride if the conditions or visibility are far from ideal?

MOTOGP: GASGAS and Tech 3 join forces And they’ve recruited Pol Espargaro to ride…

Following the news that GASGAS will be joining the MotoGP paddock for next season, it’ll likely come as no surprise that the KTM and Husqvarna-affiliated firm has just announced it’ll be working with Tech3. The Austrian connection doesn’t end there, because it’s been confirmed that the GASGAS Factory Racing Team will be led by none other than ex-Tech3 and KTM rider Pol Espargaro.

It’s an exiting time for GASGAS. Although the Spanish firm has had

a long and illustrious history in its own right (particularly in the off-road world), since the Pierer Group (that’s the name of the big company who look after KTM, Husky and GASGAS) took over, it has already managed to bag a win at the 2022 Dakar Rally at the hands of Sam Sunderland (another ex-KTM rider). And with a whole host of new models being released (including its first-ever road legal bike) and a MotoGP campaign to get stuck into, we can’t wait to see what they do next next.

Testing Triumph There’s finally some good news for British motorcycling, because a record-breaking number of motorcycle tests were taken at UK test centres between 2021 and 2022.

An impressive 67,511 people took their Mod 2 motorcycle test between April 2021 and March 2022, which the British Motorcyclists Federation reports is over 2000 up on the previous record set in 2012-13.

Admittedly, Covid-related test centre closures and backlogs might have skewed the figures slightly, but either way it’s great to see that there appears to be a growing enthusiasm for twowheeled travel.

Production Editor Mike Cowton Group Advertising Manager Sue Keily Divisional Advertising Manager Ashley Johnson Advertising Simon Meyer 01507 529310 Advertising deadline for November issue ​Editorial design Fran Lovely, Mike Baumber, October 6, 2022 Sales and Distribution Manager Carl Smith Charlotte Turnbull, Charlotte Fairman Marketing Manager Charlotte Park Publishing Director Dan Savage Commercial Director Nigel Hole Publisher Tim Hartley Customer services number 01507 529529 Email editorial@morebikes.co.uk

Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm Call 01507 529529 or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/MB10 or email subscriptions@mortons.co.uk MoreBikes is published monthly on the third Friday of the month by Mortons Media Group Ltd and printed by Mortons Print.

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4 NEWS

Bigger Himalayan We’ve been talking about the next generation of Royal Enfield’s Himalayan for years. Despite a whole host of spy shots doing the rounds and rumours emerging at every turn, the factory’s been blowing hot and cold about whether or not we’ll actually see one anytime soon.

But now we think we’ve finally got some concrete proof that the bike will be coming, as Royal Enfield boss Siddhartha Lal has teased the bike on his own social media channel. And Lal’s got form.

He posted a similar snap of the new 350 Hunter ahead of its official release in Bangkok last month.

Lal posted a five-second head-on video of a bike crossing a river.

Although the footage didn’t give much away, the LED headlight and short screen matched up to a bike that was recently caught out testing in the UK. Official details are hazy, but we're expecting the new Himalayan to be powered by an all-new liquid-cooled 450cc singlecylinder engine and come kitted out with 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, plus some long travel USD forks and a monoshock.

Retro adventure We’ve just got a glimpse of CFMoto’s adventure-ready CL-X700. First shown as a concept at EICMA back in 2019 alongside the CL-X700 Heritage and CL-X700 Sport (which are already on sale), the CL-X700 Adventure looks to be finally ready for production.

While there’s been no official word from CFMoto's UK distributors, we're quietly confident we should see the new stylish roadster-cum-adventurer in the not-too-distant future.

The bike's built around the same Kawasaki ER-6-derived 74bhp 693cc parallel twin motor and CF Moto-designed tubular steel chassis as the Heritage roadster and Sport café racer – but it also gets a larger 19-inch front wheel; an off road-style ‘beak’ front mudguard; wider handlebars; a different seat; and a touring screen. Sadly, there’s no bash plate to be seen in the photos, so don’t expect the bike to be tackling anything too serious off-road.

We rode one of the first CLX700s to come into the country and if that’s anything to go by, the Adventure version will be well worth a look.

IS A TOURINGREADY REBEL 1100 ON THE WAY?

Rumours are swirling that Honda’s gearing up to release a touringready version of its Rebel 1100 cruiser in the coming months.

With the big bike shows just around the corner, the rumour mill is going wild with speculation about what’s on the way from the top manufacturers. While patent filings, emissions documents and spy shots are all good indicators of what to expect, they don’t always give the full picture… and it could be that the very bike we’re expecting to arrive this year won’t get its big reveal until next. It’s not always easy to get it right. But there’s one magazine that’s on the money more than most: Young Machine. It constantly surprises with the specificity and accuracy of its new bike news – which is why when it says there’s something on the horizon, other people listen.

It reckons that Honda’s going to reveal a touring version of its Rebel 1100 in the coming months. We’ve no idea about how it came about this news, and there’s no official word from the factory just yet but, based on past success, we’re now quietly confident that a luggage-laden, faired version of the Rebel 1100 will be coming for 2023. In truth, it seems like a bit of a no-brainer for the factory. It’s currently missing a bit of a trick by not having a ‘more traditional’ cruiser/ bagger in the range, and with a few small tweaks and a couple of additions, the job is basically done.

There’s talk of more new bikes from Honda, too.

The factory hasn’t even tried to keep its Hornet 750 a secret (with official design drawings and teasers released earlier in the year), but there hasn’t been any official word on the much-rumoured and eagerly anticipated Transalp 750. It’d make sense. Honda’s gone to all the effort of creating a new 750cc engine, so why not make the most of it and use it as a base for a couple of bikes…?

GOTCHA!

All-new Suzuki V-Strom breaks cover Spy shots confirm the Suzuki V-Strom ‘700’ is on the way for 2023, replacing the long-serving and muchloved V-Strom 650.

It’s the end of an era. Hampered by new emissions regulations, Suzuki’s bulletproof V-Strom 650 is on the way out.

Thankfully, there’s good news, too, because the bike that’s going to replace it has been spotted while out and about undergoing final testing, ahead of its expected official release at the upcoming EICMA show this November.

Suzuki’s kept remarkably quiet about the bike so far, so at this stage there’s been no official confirmation about what exactly is going to be powering the latest middleweight ‘wee-strom’. That said, the snaps do seem to reveal that it won’t be getting an updated ‘V’ twin motor, and will instead be powered by an altogether different parallel-twin (which is believed to be 700cc). But despite the new engine, the newest version of

Suzuki’s mid-capacity adventure bike is still expected to keep its ‘V’ name.

Aside from the motor (and in spite of the camouflage bodywork), there’re a few more bits of key information we can glean from the spy shots. There’s a new squared-off headlight (which sits somewhere between the Katana and V-Strom 1050); improved upsidedown front forks; and larger, off-road ready spoked wheels (expected to be a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear). But at this stage that’s about all we know.

Thankfully, it looks like we won’t have to wait long to see it in the flesh, with rumours suggesting it’ll be making its first proper public appearance at the EICMA show in a couple of months’ time.

While the new V-Strom’s plenty to get excited about, there is a big question mark about another iconic bike in Suzuki’s range. The SV650. It

uses the same 650cc v-twin motor, and if it’s being phased out in favour of a newer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly parallel twin, it’s fair to assume that the current SV’s probably going to be next on the chopping block. Here’s hoping that Suzuki decides to use its newest powerplant to update its plucky, affordable and always fun naked bike rather than retire it. Our fingers are firmly crossed.

NEWS 5

Moto Morini’s two 650 roadster twins The Italian firm is continuing its recent resurgence with the unveiling of two all-new 650 twins. Here’s what you need to know.

Moto Morini’s upping the ante following the release of its X-Cape 650 adventure.

The Italian firm might have endured multiple changes of ownership and brief periods of inactivity in its recent past, but since being bought out by Chinese automotive giant Zongshen in 2018 things have been a bit more steady. Lately it’s been knocking out a small range of unique models that include the naked Corsaro, the retrostyled Milano and the V-twin-powered Super Scrambler. But it decided to shake things up for 2022 with the introduction of a new middleweight adventure bike: the X-Cape 650.

But that’s only the start – all told it’s got plans for 11 new models over the next two years. And here’s two of them. Called the Seiemmezzo (after their 650cc engines), the two bikes take inspiration from Morini’s iconic 3½ 350s of the 1970s.

They’re powered by the same CFMoto-derived 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine as the X Cape (which offers a claimed 61bhp, 40lb-ft of torque and a top speed in excess of a ton), and they are also built around the same tubular steel frame. But

that’s where the similarities with the adventure bike end.

The Scrambler-esque 6½ SCR comes kitted out with black wire-spoked wheels (18-inch up front and 17-inch at the rear); semi-knobbly Pirelli MT60s; an off-road style mudguard; number boards; higher, wider handlebars; and a small flyscreen.

The more road-focused 6½ STR has cast alloy wheels (of the same size as the SCR); Pirelli Angel GT tyres; lower bars; and a slightly sportier riding position. Suspension-wise, the SCR and STR come with adjustable Kayaba USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. Braking is looked after by twin discs gripped by twin piston Brembos up front, and there’s also a Bosch fuel injection unit and ABS and a 5-inch colour TFT display (with Bluetooth Smartphone).

At this stage there’s been no official word on how much they’ll cost or when we’ll be able to get our hands on one, but with the X Cape 650 coming in at around the seven grand mark, it’s fair to assume the two Seiemmezzos will be similarly priced.

We can’t wait to see what the Italiancum-Chinese factory reveals next.

REVEALED

6 NEWS BMW goes CARBON BMW knows what its doing when it comes to suspension – and its latest creation with ZF (Zahnradfabrik) is further proof.

The two firms have collaborated to develop a carbon fibre telescopic fork for BMW’s World Endurance Team. It’s a clever bit of kit consisting of a carbon fibre outer tube and a carbon fibre composite/metal inner tube.

Getting technical, BMW Motorsport Director Mark Bongers explained: “Using this material and this technology allows us to shift the threshold at which body vibrations occur. One major focus during development was the design of the homogeneous bending loads. The goal being for the throttle response for the rider to be extremely subtle, even under the most extreme strains.

And feedback from the riders confirmed that the goal was achieved.”

With BMW going on to take the title at the Spa 24 Hour round of the Endurance World Championship, they’re clearly effective – and now we’re wondering how long it’ll take for the forks to make it on to a production bike.

Old tech, new scooter Piaggio has filed design drawings for a ‘new’ suspension system for both its two- and three-wheeled scooters.

We say new, but actually Piaggio’s making use of an invention by 18th century Scottish physicist James Watt. Called Watt's linkage, the clever design would replace traditional telescopic forks to allow less lateral motion of the axle it is attached to, which in turn would result in a more reactive front end (helping both rider confidence and precision).

The system would likely be lighter than a conventional set up, too, particularly when you consider that Piaggio has filed patents for an aluminium version (in addition to steel).

At this stage there’s no news about when we’ll actually see this ‘innovation’ on a production scooter, but reports suggest that it’ll likely end up on Piaggio’s quirky MP3 three-wheeler as well as its recently-released One electric scooter.

YAMAHA’S SCI-FI TUNING SIMULATOR FROM THE FUTURE

It’s not easy to set up a motorcycle, but Yamaha's just unveiled a clever bit of technology which could make it a lot easier.

Featuring a ‘functioning’ throttle and brake and gear controls, the Motolator (moto-simulator) makes it super easy to try out any number of different bike configurations, and allows Yamaha to adjust the seat height, footpeg positions, handlebars (both width and height), and even the size of the fuel tank to suit an individual rider on the fly. It’s a seriously clever bit of kit.

There are a few different uses for the technology, but its ability to assist with research and development of new models is surely its most valuable asset. The Japanese factory will be able to tinker and tweak bike layouts to find the perfect ergonomics for

upcoming models (without having to build new prototypes from scratch each time). It’ll also be great for race teams. They’ll be able to quickly work out exactly how to get the best fit for their riders before they’ve even turned a wheel on track. Just think of the time and money Yamaha will save.

At this stage we’ve got no idea if the general public will get the chance to try it out for themselves. Instead, if you want a bespoke machine you’ll have to splash some serious cash and hit up the high-end manufacturers who do things in a slightly more traditional way (MV Agusta’s a good example). But because of the time it takes to do it properly, it works out very expensive. The Yamaha Motolator has the potential to change all that – but first let’s see what the factory does with it.

Benelli to release 802S naked for 2023? .

There’s talk that the Italian factory is gearing up to reveal a bigger and punchier version of its 752S middleweight naked.

‘Middleweight’ naked bikes are big business.

All of the biggest names in the game have their own version of the stripped-back bikes which neatly blend sporty performance with comfort and practicality… But of late they all seem to getting bigger. KTM’s Dukes up to 890cc and Ducati’s Monster is now a monstrous 937cc. That’s partly because Euro 5 emissions regulations have stifled older engines, and the only way to maintain power and torque without sacrificing efficiency and environmental kudos is to up the size of the motor. Seems illogical – but it’s not.

That’s why it should come as no great surprise that Benelli’s following suit and upping the capacity of its own sporty unfaired roadster. But there’s more. While turning its 752S into an 802S (that’s what we reckon it’ll be called, anyway), it’s actually managed to eke out an extra 15 horsepower. That’s pretty impressive.

Getting into specifics, the 802S will be powered by a 799cc parallel-twin engine

which has been manufactured by its parent company Qianjiang Motors in China, but at this stage that’s about all we know. Thankfully, it’s good news. That’s because QJ’s got form, having been developing progressively impressive engines for Benelli for years. In fact, we’ve just spent a couple of weeks riding its pair of retro-tinged Leoncinos (there’s actually a test ride later on in this very issue), which are both powered by a 754cc twin motor. It’s very good; probably the best thing about the bike, all told.

There’s been no word on pricing or availability, but rumours suggest it’ll make it to market in its home market of China first (before making it across to Europe at a later date). That said, there’s no reason it won’t get a big official reveal at one of the major bike shows towards the end of the year (no matter whether that’s EICMA, Intermot or the Tokyo Motor Show). Either way, with Benelli continuing to go from strength to strength – and the quality of its bikes getting better and better with each new model year – we can’t wait to see the next machine to come from the Italian/Chinese factory.

8 EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

DIARY DATES

16-18 Goodwood Revival It might be a bit pricey, but this is one of the most magical events on the motorcycling calendar. If you’re into classic cars and bikes and you want to see some big names chucking them around one of the most picturesque tracks in the country, this is the place to be. www.goodwood.com

23-25 British Superbike Championship – Oulton Park The BSB Championship heads to Oulton Park for three days of action-packed bike racing, including support races from the British Supersport Championship, the British Talent Cup, and the National Superstock 1000 Championship. www.britishsuperbike.com

16-18 Steve Henshaw Gold Cup at Oliver’s Mount Get up close and personal with some of the best road-racers at England’s only natural ‘road’ race track. As ever, you can expect a packed grid and some intense competition. www.oliversmount.com

25 59 Club Day + BSA Bantam Meet at the Ace Cafe More biker fun at the iconic Ace Cafe. Kicking off at 9am as usual, this time you’ll be able to check out a load of cool classics and meet members of the original 59 Club from 1964. www.london.acecafe.com

18 Normous Newark Autojumble A cracking autojumble just off the A1 near Newark, next door to the Air Museum. It’s a great day out with an array of bikes, parts, restoration services and consumables all up for grabs. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk

September 30 - October 2 Bennetts British Superbike Championship – Donington Park It’s time for another action-packed weekend of racing as some of the best riders in the land go head-to-head. This one’s at the iconic Donington Park. www.britishsuperbike.com

18 Custom & Cruiser Bike Day at the Ace Cafe There’s always something cool going on at the Ace – and if you’re into your bikes and cars you’ll not be disappointed. Kicking off at 9am, you can grab yourself one of their cracking breakfasts and start the day right before checking out some cool customs and cruisers. www.london.acecafe.com 24 Squires Café Autojumble Another autojumble. This one’s at the infamous Squires Café just outside Leeds. Jump on the bike, go for a butty and have a nosy around the pitches. www.squires-cafe.co.uk

OCTOBER

1 Rufforth Autojumble More jumble fun to kick off October right. This time it’s at Rufforth Park in Yorkshire. If you’re in the market for a new winter project, or you’re on the hunt for that ever-elusive part, it’s well worth a look. www.rufforthautojumble.com 1-2 British MotorCycle Racing Club – Brands Hatch Bemsee is back at Brands for some of the finest club racing in the land. www.bemsee.net

2 End of Summer Scooter & Mod Special at the Ace Cafe This is one for the scooterists out there. Start your Sunday right with a trip to the famous Ace Cafe. www.london.acecafe.com 4-9 Intermot This isn’t necessarily one you’d nip out on the bike and visit. It’s the Cologne Bike Show and is one of the most important events of the year.

Expect big new bike launches and updates from the biggest names in the game. www.intermot-cologne.com 6 Krazy Horse Bike Night Krazy Horse in Bury St Edmunds knows how to do a bike night. Expect classic and modern motorcycles, American cars and some hot rods while you chat, eat, drink and listen to some cool bands. www.krazyhorse.co.uk 9 Brit Vs (Vincent & Velocette) + Classic Bikes at the Ace Cafe It’s another Sunday morning bike meet at the world famous Ace Cafe on the outskirts of London. If you’re into your classics, it’s well worth a visit. www.london.acecafe.com 9 Weymouth Beach Race We love a beach race here at MoreBikes – and Weymouth is a good’un. Expect some thrilling action as riders battle it out to keep it together across the challenging track on Weymouth beach. www.amca.uk.com

READERS’ RIDE 9

In partnership with Forcefield Body Armour

We love to see what you lot are riding – and we know the rest of you like it, too.

It’s just like pottering around a bike night and checking out what’s been brought out for a ride. Now we’ve decided to bring the bike night to you, asking readers to send us photos of their pride and joy for the world to see. Here’re some of our top picks from the last month.

Shaun Metcalf’s Yamaha DT250.

He tells us it could be up for sale soon… keep your eyes peeled on the MoreBikes Classifieds.

Andreas Scherr’s old school Honda Africa Twin looking resplendent in its ’90s paint job.

David Smith’s pride and joy – his Yamaha RD350LC. It’s had a full rolling restoration over the past seven years, using only genuine parts. It’s completely standard apart from the period look Allspeed exhaust and a Micron fork brace. There’s no doubt all his hard work has paid off…

Gary Lambton’s track-ready ‘Black & Yellow’ Honda CFR400R.

Phwoar. Steve Hardy’s Bimota DB2.

The Italian firm really does know how to build stunning motorcycles.

Rob Abbott’s super-cool BMW R80 RT street tracker custom. It’s an ex-Police model, not that you’d be able to tell anymore!

Martin Hartshorn’s Honda C90 looks ready for anything.

Pete Firth’s Honda VFR800 loaded up with luggage and ready for a tour.

Rob Kusters’ Yamaha FZR looks super cool. We love that ’90s paint scheme.

Tim Hopkins’ 1996 Ducati Monster 900. It’s done 30,000km and is kitted out with a Dynajet kit, a raised exhaust, custom pipes and an Ohlins shock. Love it.

Robert Miller’s lovely little Honda C90. He mostly uses it to commute the five miles to work – but has also taken it over Applecross Pass in Scotland. Good work that man!

10 PRODUCTS

HEAD TO TOE FOR £500 Is it possible to kit yourself in top-quality biker gear without splashing out a small fortune?

WORDS: Bob Pickett Money is tight for a lot of us at the minute.

Rising living costs are causing plenty of people to have to scrimp and save and cut their spending where possible. But if you’re riding bikes and scooters, you’re going to have to spend a bit of cash to make sure you’re well protected should the worst happen and you end up trading blows with the Tarmac.

That’s why we’ve been finding out if it’s possible to kit out a biker from head to foot without breaking the bank? The gear would need to meet the proper PPE legislation – so there’s no bargain basement knock-offs here – but it would also need to be affordable enough for most people to afford after a few months of saving. That’s tricky.

To start with, we needed to set a reasonable budget. After a few calculations, we settled on £500. You could probably do it for a little bit less, but you’d soon be sacrificing safety and quality, and that’s not the way we wanted to go. So £500 it is. Here’s one way you could spend it.

EN 13594 : 2015 CE Certified

Tucano Urbano Penna Gloves £37.99 / XS – XXL / www.tucanourbano.com

CE-approved summer glove with a synthetic suede palm and elastic fabric on the back with mesh inserts.

Touchscreen compatible. Rigid inserts on knuckles and padding on the fingers with an abrasion pad on the palm.

TCX Hub WP Boots

£129.99 / 36-48 / www.nevis.uk.com

EN 13634: 2017 CE certified

Micro fibre upper, front and rear padded area for a better comfort, rear reflective insert. Waterproof lining. Reinforced with inserts at malleolus, heel and toe, new designed polyurethane shift pad integrated in the sole.

Close by one side Velcro band buckle, ergonomic design with micro-injected insert. Features anatomic, replaceable footbed and a touring sole with specific grip design to offer a superior stability on different grounds.

Shark Ridill Helmet

From £99.99 / XS-XL / www.nevis.uk.com Launched in 2017, the Ridill features an injected thermoplastic resin shell with a 2.2mm scratch-resistant Pinlock® compatible visor. Developed using Computational Fluid Dynamics, the ventilation of the helmet has been optimised to ensure riders are kept cool in warmer temperatures. The Ridill features an integrated sunshield which is operated with just one hand and the lining is both removable and washable. The Ridill fastens using a micro-lock buckle system for a secure fit and Certified is equipped with SHARK’s Easy Fit glasses system – ECE 22.05 great for those riders who wear glasses while riding.

Furygan Mistral Evo 3 Jacket

£129.99 / Mens: S-4XL / Ladies: S-2XL / www.fuygan.com

Certified A EN 17092

The latest evolution of the Mistral, Furygan’s emblematic summer jacket, is the Mistral Evo 3. Fully CE-approved with ergonomic D3O protection, the Mistral Evo 3 mixes Furygan’s typical protection and comfort with a subtle, yet sophisticated, design.

Features a back pocket for Furygan D3O protectors, reflective inserts, Furygan Skin Protect lining, light and breathable fixed lining, trouser-belt connecting snap loops, waist and sleeve adjuster tabs, four pockets (two outside, two inside).

Richa Hammer 2 Trousers £99.99 / Mens: 30-44 / Ladies: 6-26 / www.nevis.uk.com

Certified EN 17092

At a glance these simply look like a regular pair of jeans but they are Aramid lined to give superior abrasion resistance and contain CE Level 2 armour in the knees as well as having two hip pockets for optional extra armour. Double stitched to give extra strength and style and with two front pockets, a coin pocket and two functional rear pockets.

A Rated Level 2 CE armour in knee (hip armour can be added separately).

AND ANOTHER THING… If there is one thing you can guarantee in the UK, it is going to rain at some point.

If you can manage to find another £48, you can also get your hands on a full set of waterproofs. They’ll no doubt pay for themselves several times over.

Tucano Urbano Diluvio Start Waterproofs £47.99 / XXS - 4XL / www.tucanourbano.com

Waterproof and windproof jacket and trouser set with taped seams, storm flap on central zip and accordian opening at the ankles for ease of putting on.

Ergonomic hood folds into the neck; reflective inserts for added visibility in poor conditions.

COMPETITION 11

NAME THE BIKE WIN these brilliant Weise Gloves

To be in with a chance of winning these winter-ready gloves from Weise, all you’ve got to do is identify the blacked-out bike in the image and send us your answer and your details either online or in the post.

We’ll then pick the winner from an upturned helmet crammed with correct answers – and that person will be sent a brand-new pair of gloves that’ll help look after you out on the open road. It’s that simple.

So, what are you waiting for? Get cracking for the chance to win.

Good luck!

Worth £49.99

WIN BIG WITH MOREBIKES

LAST MONTH: DID YOU GET IT?

Last month’s bike was Suzuki’s Intruder cruiser

Weise Gloves We’ve teamed up with the good people at Weise to offer you the chance to win a pair of its Fjord gloves. They’re designed to keep your hands warm and dry as you keep racking up the miles through the autumn and into winter – thanks to a combination of full-grain leather and textile on the outside, and a fleece lining on the inside.

They’ve also got padded knuckles and palms; dual layered leather (in critical areas); stretchy finger panels; silicone palms (for grip); adjustable cuffs; and they’re touchscreen compatible, too.

For more information visit: www.thekeycollection.co.uk or www.weiseclothing.com

Here’s the legal bit that you need to know

To be in with a chance of winning, fill in your details on the form or enter online and return to: MoreBikes, Weise Gloves, 2022 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Competition closes: October 14, 2022 Answer:.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name:...................................................................................... Surname:..........................................................................................................................

Address:...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Town/City:........................................................................ County:....................................................... Postcode:....................................................................

Email:......................................................................................................... Telephone:............................................................................................................

There are no cash alternatives available. The winner(s) of the Weise gloves will be the first name(s) drawn at random from the upturned MB helmet. Terms and conditions apply.

To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of MB) please visit www.mortons.co.uk/privacy

■ YOU can also ENTER online! Just check out the MoreBikes social media channels for more information.

12 RECOMMENDED RIDE

BRITAIN’S BEST RIDING ROADS

Kirkstone Pass loop The Lakes are one of the UK’s top destinations for bikers – for a very good reason!

C

omprising a patchwork quilt of quaint villages overlooking moody lakes in the shadow of spectacular fells, the Lake District covers 912 square miles and includes England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, at 978 metres (3210 feet). Market towns such as Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside and Keswick are perfect bases for exploring the area with their traditional inns, local art galleries and outdoor equipment shops. Aside from the millions of walkers that flock here every year, there is little wonder that the Lake District is also one of England’s most popular destinations for bikers, thanks to its network of winding mountain roads and steep, narrow passes.

Each and every journey conjures up a unique experience, whether it be cruising by idyllic lakes or heading over dramatic fells. And should you fancy a mega day out, you could always opt for a major loop around Cumbria, taking in the dramatic coastline and through lesser populated areas of the Western and Southern fells.

A natural hopping-off point for those travelling northwards along the M6 is the town of Kendal, from where it is an enjoyable twisting ride onwards to Windermere. From here you can split westwards to Coniston or continue heading north through historic Grasmere and its associations with William Worsdworth, then on to Keswick, a magnet for tourists with its bustling market square, B&Bs, hotels, shops, pubs and restaurants. If you are heading either southbound on the M6 or westward on the A66, Keswick is possibly the best town to begin your tour of this dramatic landscape. Depending where you are in the UK, it may take some time to get to the Lakes, but it’s well worth it. The Lake District is about a five-hour ride from London and the South East, 1.5 hours from Manchester and two hours from York.

RECOMMENDED RIDE 13 Sponsored by

WATCH THE VIDEO

While you’re there...

■ HILL TOP Near Sawrey, Ambleside.

Bought in 1905 with the proceeds from her first book, ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’, the 17th century farmhouse at Hill Top and the surrounding countryside inspired many of Beatrix Potter’s books. When she left the house and farm to the National Trust, she stipulated that it be shown in the same condition as when she lived here, and in each room you can see objects that relate to her stories. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ hill-top ■ DOVE COTTAGE Grasmere, Ambleside.

First family home of the poet William Wordsworth, Dove Cottage is a traditional Lakeland cottage with dark wood-panelled walls and stone floors, heated by coal fires. Still furnished with the Wordsworth family belongings,

the cottage looks much as it did when the poet lived and wrote here, and is a mirror of life in the early 19th century.

Next door in a separate museum where you can see memorabilia about the poet, his family, his travels and his work. www.wordsworth.org.uk ■ GRASMERE GINGERBREAD SHOP Church Cottage, Grasmere, Ambleside LA22 9SW. Tiny Lakeland shop in a former 1630s school, stocking gingerbread, rum butter, fudge and mint cake. Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and it is now enjoyed by food lovers throughout the world. www.grasmeregingerbread. co.uk

Turn by turn

KIRKSTONE PASS MAP Download the route at www.mslmagazine. co.uk/maps

■ This route begins in Ambleside. On the A591 north of the town and almost opposite the unique Bridge House, turn right up Kirkstone Road. You are soon past the outlying cottages of the town and into the countryside as the road winds ever upwards. There is little wonder that it is highlighted as ‘The Struggle’ on the Explorer OL7 – The English Lakes, South-Eastern Area map, as it narrows to a 1:4 gradient. Just be thankful you’re not on a bicycle!

Turn left on to the A592. Right, time for refreshments, so if you fancy a traditional inn with altitude, pop into the Kirkstone Pass Inn, a former important coaching inn and the third highest pub in the UK at 1,730ft. There is a large gravel parking area opposite the pub. You are now on Kirkstone Pass, the Lake District’s highest pass open to motor traffic, connecting Ambleside with Patterdale and the Ullswater Valley.

If you did not fancy tackling ‘The Struggle’, there is an easier route to arrive here by heading south on the A591 from Ambleside, through Windermere, to Troutbeck to a junction where the road doubles back on itself on to the A592.

Back at the inn, continue northbound, passing striking fells to your left and right, by Brothers Water,

to eventually arrive in Patterdale, around the southern edge of Ullswater and on to Glenridding, the starting point for many hikers heading up Helvellyn. This is another good spot for refreshments or simply to chill out. Now continue along the western edge of Ullswater, picking up the A5091 towards Dockray, Matterdale End and Troutbeck. Here we join the A66 for a brief sprint to Threlkeld, after which we pick up the B5322 southwards. Just past Legburnthwaite at the head of Thirlmere we join the A591, which skirts the eastern edge of the reservoir.

Our next major stopping-off point is the village of Grasmere. Park up and visit the Gingerbread Shop, where Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854. A unique, spicysweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and is now enjoyed by food lovers all over the world. On the southern edge of Grasmere is Dove Cottage, best known as the home of poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy from December 1799 to May 1808. The poet is buried in St Oswsald’s Church in the centre of the village. Back on the bike, and it’s back along the A591 to Ambleside, sweeping past the edge of Rydal Water to Bridge House, where we began our day trip.

14 KNOWLEDGE

CHANGING TYRES

We look at how the professionals change tyres and how you can do it yourself with a few simple tools, if you want to.

USE THE PROS

Words and photos: Matt Hull Many thanks to Hutch at HTE Motorcycles (old bike specialists in Norfolk 01328 700711) for his knowledge, and Chelley for magnificent advice, humour and tea-making skills I often hear folk who’ve bought tyres online moaning about having to pay for fitting and balancing. ‘Do it yourself then’ is my callous reply.

You can. The tools to do it are not expensive and could last a lifetime, but you need to know what you’re doing, it is physical and there is a good chance you could damage a wheel.

HOW THE PROFESSIONAL DOES IT

If you have the right tools and stands, take the wheels out as it saves labour.

Bikes like the BMW have a front wheel that is identical each side, so mark the rotation with an arrow. We are working on a rear here, so luckily that’s obvious!

The air needs removing, so either remove the valve core if the valves are recent, or pull/cut the valve out – for the money they are not worth risking. Next is to break the tyre bead seal breaker. The tyre machine has a pneumatic arm that pushes the tyre bead in from the wheel rim, breaking the seal. It’s easy on tubed tyres, but much harder on tubeless, which are

thicker. Move the wheel around until the whole side is free from the rim, then swap over and loosen the other side. It can be very easy to catch a wheel with the bead breaker, so you can’t rush it.

Now comes the fun part – getting the jaws to clamp the rim while the tyre hides where they are… Again, time, patience and experience help. It also won’t work if you skimped on the previous job of breaking the bead…

So why does it cost £15-25 or so, per wheel, to fit and balance a wheel? Because the world isn’t there to just serve you, that’s why. First off, buying from someone online prevented your local bike shop from making a few quid, so they have to recoup a little from fitting. Fitting tyres to two free wheels will take around 30 minutes; so that’s half-an-hour in wages. Tyre fitting and balance machines cost several thousand pounds, then there’s the cost of the tyre

soap, wire brushes, valves, tubes and other sundries. Even the pressure gauge needs to be tested once a year – which costs. And once in a while a wheel may get scratched – which will need to be paid for. Then there is the big one – insurance. Should you have a blow-out, are you going to sue the giant tyre company? The tyre supplier? No, you’ll head to the bike shop who fitted them.

You may have saved a few quid, but a local bike shop is worth so much more.

KNOWLEDGE 15 SOME POINTERS

Once the wheel is held, the arm can be lowered, adjusted to the diameter and width of rim and set. Most modern machines move the arm away from the rim, or it could act as a potato peeler on the paintwork.

Then your favourite tyre lever comes out and using the arm knuckle as a pivot, lever the tyre bead on to the knuckle. You can then get the machine to spin the wheel, peeling off the tyre, though some need a little help. Then repeat the other side, which means bending the tyre more, so old ones are tricky.

The old tyre soap will have solidified to the rim, along with rubber, dirt and, quite possibly, corrosion. Alloy wheels need cleaning with sandpaper or a wirebrush, while chrome rims need cleaning and possibly rust killing and painting to prevent them rotting.

While you’re doing this check for cracks in the rim, and broken or dullsounding spokes which may need tightening. If in doubt with spoked wheels, spin them on the wheel balancer to check they are true. Fit a new valve or rim tape for spoked wheels.

Mount the wheel back on the machine and have a good inspection of the new tyre. Look for the correct size, the direction arrow so you know how to mount it, and any damage – have a feel inside, too. Then grease me up, Scotty! Tyre soap costs little and is designed for the job, unlike washingup liquid, which stays slippery, possibly causing the tyre to spin on the rim and corroding the metal.

Then there is the knack of ‘throwing’ the new tyre on to the wheel in a way it goes on as well as possible.

Use the machine to finish the job on both sides and ensure the yellow dot is lined up with the valve for better balance. There’s also a line around the tyre bead – use that to make sure it is seated well. If it’s uneven, bounce it around until it is!

Pump the tyre without the valve core in, as this gets more air in more quickly, until you hear both sides pop once each. Then pop the core in and check the pressure, and make sure it is still seated nicely.

Done!

■ Short levers are no good – get long ones ■ You cannot get a tubeless tyre to seat without a compressor – you can with a tubed tyre ■ Always remember new valves, tubes and rim tape – don’t be so tight!

■ Never patch an inner tube ■ Use the best quality tyres and tubes you can ■ Take your time – if it’s fighting you, what have or haven’t you done?

■ Keep an eye on the markings – most tyres have a direction arrow so fit them the right way ■ You need to hear two pops, one each side, when blowing up the tyre to seat it on the bead ■ Use this time to check spokes, rims, brakes, wheel bearings and parts you can’t see when the wheel is fitted ■ Fit the correct tyre for your bike. Old British bikes are mainly designed for 100% walled tyres ■ If you see cheap tyres, ask yourself – why are they so cheap? There’s little mark-up on tyres, so they are probably old stock. Ask to see the date stamp from the side, as this will give the manufacture date. If you use them a lot, fine. But if they’re five years old now and you do a couple of thousand miles a year, how old will they be when you go to change them? Your wallet, your choice.

HOW TO FIT TYRES YOURSELF WITHOUT MACHINES

It’s our opinion that if you can pay someone to fit your tyres, then do. There are no benefits to doing it by hand. But if you’re working nights, tight, or simply stubborn, then read on. You will need a compressor for tubeless tyres and tyre gauge to seat the tyre properly; good tyre levers; plastic rim protectors; a bead breaker (or mallet…); chocks of wood; tyre soap; valves; tubes; rim tape; lead weights; some carpet; a balancing shaft (which you can make); muscles; and patience!

Hutch from HTE motorcycles made this superb bead-breaking machine himself more years ago than he cares to remember! It took him some time to design and build. It is adjustable for different sizes and prevents the use of a mallet and blocks of wood.

Tube core or valve out, position the wheel and use the lever to break the bead seal. It takes time, but works.

Both sides, and all the way round, remember…

With a new valve fitted, place the wheel on some carpet, your knees on the tyre and rim protectors on the opposite side. Using your knees to help push the tyre into the well of the wheel will help give you more slack, so you can use the tyre levers to start to lever the bead off. Use one lever to hold, while using the other to prise, working carefully around. Take care not to catch tubes with the levers if fitted, although for the money it’s always best to fit new ones. But old ones make handy spares!

BALANCING

With one side off, you now need to pull the other side up with the lever, gradually getting it off the same side as the first. You can see here that Hutch gets a little of the second side off, then brings the wheel upright to get a better angle. It’s easy to knock off the rim protectors and this bit gets tricky, especially with tubeless tyres. And with new rims you feel so paranoid of scratching them! Many do use a rubber mallet to ‘assist’ the tyre off, so again taking time helps.

Check the new tyre, then place the wheel on the carpet. Soap up the bead and ‘throw’ it on, then get your

knees to push the tyre as much into the wheel well (the central part of the wheel that is deeper) so you have more slack to work with opposite.

Using your hands, rim protectors and levers get the rest on. Next, if needed, pop the tube in, with a little air in to keep its shape – this helps you not to pinch it with the lever – and loosely do the valve nut up to hold it in the valve hole.

Then the second side goes on, watching not to catch the tube – it’s amazing how flexible a new tyre is compared to an old one, and even easier with tyre soap!

A balancing jig costs from around £50 and is just a shaft held in a set of bearings with some cones to allow different wheels to fit. Once fitted, allow the wheel to self-balance a few times, marking with chalk TDC each time; they should be very similar. The more modern and good quality the wheels and tyres, the less weight should be needed.

It’s a guessing game at first.

Clean the wheel with alcohol or brake cleaner before you fit the sticky pads – you don’t want the weights flicking off.

Check again once fitted.

16 LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650

LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650 17

GOING FOR GOLD WORDS: Ross Mowbray / PHOTOS: BSA and Woodcote Events

After a nearly 40-year hiatus, one of the most important names in British motorcycling is back – and to kickstart its revival, it’s created a new of version of its most celebrated model: the Gold Star. To put it through its paces properly, we took the chance to ride it at the top-secret Millbrook Proving Ground across its extensive cross-section of test tracks. Here’s how we got on.

If you’re under the age of 60 and you’re not clued up on the ins and outs of classic bikes, it’s probably quite difficult to imagine the importance of BSA. But back in the 1950s, when British bikes still reigned supreme, Birmingham Small Arms was one of the biggest and best names in the game.

Despite now being best known for its bikes, BSA (or Birmingham Small Arms) was first founded in 1854 by 14 Birmingham-based gunsmiths, making a name for itself as a producer of firearms and ammunition. It wasn’t until 1878 that it first began to make cycle components – and it took the firm another 27 years to build its first prototype motor bicycle in 1905, another five to finally reveal it to the world in 1910, and another nine to establish the BSA Motorcycles name in 1919. That was the start of a long and turbulent journey which saw the Midlands firm cement its place in the motorcycling history books.

And there was one particularly important bike which helped the firm

to do it. The BSA Gold Star.

Starting life as a development bike, the first ‘Goldie’ came about after four-times TT winner Wal Handley thrashed the competition at Brooklands in 1937 riding what looked to be a (mostly) standard Empire Star model. But it was actually a tuned factory special – which ran on alcohol, had 13:1 compression, was kitted out with a racing magneto – that blasted around the London track at an average of 102.27mph (and achieved a fastest lap of 107.57mph).

That was enough for Handley to claim a Brooklands Gold Star (which was awarded to anyone who completed a lap of Brooklands at over 100mph during a race) and generated a load of attention for BSA’s tontopping single. And in 1938, the Gold Star was born (with road, track and trials models to choose from).

With its alloy head and barrel, Amal TT carburettor, lightweight Elektron gearbox shell and a 7.8:1 compression ratio – plus the fact that each model was assembled and tested at the

18 LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650 TECH SPEC BSA Gold Star 650

Price: From £6,500 to £7,000 Engine: 652cc single cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC with twin spark plugs Power: 45bhp (33,500kW) @ 6,500rpm Torque: 40.5lb-ft (55Nm) @ 4,000rpm Top speed: 100mph (ish) Transmission: 5 speed, chain final drive Frame: Tubular steel Suspension: (F) 41mm telescopic forks (R) Twin shock absorbers with preload adjustment Brakes: (F) 320mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating calliper (R) 255mm disc, Brembo single-piston floating calliper Tyres: (F) 100/90 R18 Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp (R) 150/70 R18 Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp Seat height: 780mm Weight: 213kg Fuel tank: 12 litres Fuel consumption: 70.6mpg (claimed) Warranty: Unlimited miles / 2 years Contact: www.bsacompany.co.uk/bsa-gold-star

factory to ensure 28bhp at 5250rpm was guaranteed – you’d probably expect that the Gold Star got off to a flying start. But it didn’t. Sales were modest, but not so modest that the factory didn’t continue production for 1939. However, with the start of the Second World War putting a halt to life as normal and BSA’s plans shelved while it supported the war effort, it was another nine years before another Gold Star rolled out of its Birmingham factory. Thankfully, a healthy post-war appetite for the versatile 350 meant that BSA decided it was time to offer a 500cc version of the Gold Star, too.

In 1950, the ZB34 Gold Star 500 was born, featuring an engine based on its existing B33 design (with a new alloy head and barrel like the 350).

The last (and most iconic) version of the Gold Star was released in 1956.

The 500cc, 42bhp, 110mph machine came with a 1½-inch Amal GP carburettor, megaphone silencers, a newly developed RRT2 gearbox, and an optional 190mm front brake. This model marked the beginning of the

end for the ‘Goldie’. Although demand was good and it remained in the lineup until 1963, BSA struggled to keep up with advancing technology and production engineering techniques, and while other bikes were moving with the times, the Gold Star stuck to its successful formula.

And it was successful. Gold Stars won road races, short circuit races, scrambler races, trials competitions – and even claimed victories at the notoriously challenging Isle of Man TT and bone-shaking International Six Days Trial (ISDT). And that’s without getting into how much it was loved by the general motorcycling public at the time.

But despite such success, BSA fell into financial difficulties due to mismanagement, and in 1973 the once buoyant brand (which was selling one in every four motorcycles around the world at one point) was forced to cease production. And then it was gone. That was the way it remained for nearly 40 years until in 2016 the brand was purchased by

the Classic Legends arm of Indian automotive giant the Mahindra Group (who also own Peugeot Motorcycles, Jawa Moto and SsangYong Motors).

Six years of research and development later and BSA is back for 2022, with a new Gold Star 650.

With only a quick glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking the new Gold Star’s a bike straight from BSA’s heyday, but on closer inspection there’s no doubt that the fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, Euro-5 compliant bike, with Brembo brakes, ABS, Pirelli tyres and (most importantly) an electric start, is suitably modern. There’s even a small LCD dash, a USB-A and USB-C charger on the bars and a DIN

power socket. As you’d expect, there are period touches, too, with a set of traditional twin-dial clocks, a twist-off fuel cap and even a remote oil tank neatly complementing the overall aesthetic of the bike, with its period twin-shocks, spoked alloy rims, bench seat and carefully designed single cylinder engine.

The engine’s a peach. Making 45bhp at 6,500rpm and 40.5 lb-ft at 4,000rpm, the BSA’s big 652cc single (which is essentially a redesigned version of an old Rotax design) might not sound all that impressive on paper, but it’s actually one of the best bits of what’s in essence a bloody good bike. BSA’s done some clever

work to balance the engine and reduce the vibrations, and it’s much smoother than you’d expect it to be.

It’s still a single so you’ll definitely know about it if you leave it in too high a gear, but in general it pulls smoothly and cleanly right through the revs as you work your way through its five-speed gearbox.

With its historical connection to the ton-up club, BSA’s done all it can to ensure that the new ‘Goldie’ is capable of hitting 100mph – and it will (according to the clocks at least)… just. But as you’d expect, it’s not at its happiest with the throttle pinned in the search for more speed. By its very nature it’s much more content when

Quality Brembo callipers grab single discs at the front and rear, offering enough stopping power to pull the 213kg ‘Goldie’ up without too much trouble.

It’s not the most aggressive set up, but it suits the bike well, and there’s no doubt it that stops better than an original 50s or 60s model.

BRAKES

BSA’s done a properly nice job with the styling, and I think there’s little argument that the new-for-2022 Gold Star 650 definitely looks the part, with its teardrop-style fuel tank, bench seat, spoked rims, preunit style engine and twin-dial clocks combining to create neat, genuine homage to the original.

STYLE

The Gold Star is powered by a single-cylinder engine, that’s been designed to look like an original pre-unit single. The big liquid-cooled, 652cc DOHC four-stroke motor features a 4-valve, dual spark head to meet strict Euro 5 emissions laws, and kicks out a healthy 45bhp at 6,500rpm and 40.5lb-ft at 4,000rpm, which is enough to help the bike top a ton.

ENGINE

The dual cradle, tubular steel frame, conventional 41mm forks and twin preload-adjustable shocks nicely balance comfort with performance, while the 18and 17-inch Excel wheels come shod in some quality Pirelli Sportscomp rubber which offer plenty of grip, allowing you to throw the retro-roadster around much harder than you might initially expect.

CHASSIS

There’s no electronic trickery or sophisticated rider aids here (bar the ABS), it’s a simple back-to-basics motorcycle and it’s all the better for it. One subtle hint that this is a modern machine is the LCD dash up front, which offers a useful range of key information (even if it isn’t the easiest to read in direct sunlight). Less subtle is the USB-A and C charger stuck on the left side of the bars. As undeniably useful as it is, the unit looks like an afterthought and doesn’t really fit the overall look of the bike.

TECHNOLOGY

LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650 19

20 LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650

things are a little more lazy, although I was impressed at how well the bike hustled through the fast-flowing Alpine-style section at Millbrook, with more than enough punch to put smiles on the faces of even the most seasoned of road testers.

The Brembo brakes and braided lines are a nice touch which definitely add a bit of kudos to the bike, but in practice the single 320mm disc at the front and 255mm disc at the rear offer a little less bite than you might expect, although there’s plenty of feel and more than enough to pull the bike up quick enough and safe enough for the situations you’re likely to be getting this bike into, particularly when you make full use of the ample engine braking offered from the big single.

The ABS is the only disappointment.

I had a couple of hairy moments, once when I was a bit heavy-handed with the front when coming to a stop, and once when I was a pushing the bike hard and braking aggressively ahead

of a sharp turn – while other riders reported having similar problems with the rear when scrubbing off speed. For less experienced riders it should be reassuring to know that the ABS is doing its job, but personally I found it more intrusive than I’d usually like.

The tubular steel chassis has been developed by British firm Ricardo, while the non-adjustable front forks and preload-adjustable rear shocks come from American suspension specialist Gabriel. The suspension’s set up pretty soft and has clearly been designed for comfort rather than outright performance – and yet the bike performs well under pressure, offering enough composure to maintain a swift pace through the Moto Gymkhana-style town course and the aforementioned Alpine section of Millbrook. Under particularly hard braking there’s a bit of dive from the front, so it’s much better to get it done early, settle the

bike and roll into the corner before powering out the other side. The Pirelli Phantom tyres offer plenty of grip, and although it was a bone-dry day with near-perfect conditions, I expect they’d be more than capable in less favourable weather, too.

The bike’s very easy to get on with – the seat’s comfortable, the riding position’s neutral and riders of all shapes and sizes seemed to look at home riding it. While it’s much more suited to short blasts and bimbles rather than big-mile touring, the 12-litre tank should happily offer you well over 150 miles before you need to take a trip to the petrol station (BSA actually claims it’ll do 70.6mpg, but there’s no gauge on the clock to either confirm or deny that).

Available in a five different colour schemes, you can get your hands on the base Highland Green model for £6,500, the Insignia Red, Midnight Black or Dawn Silver models for £6,800, or you can opt for the Silver

LAUNCH RIDE - BSA GOLD STAR 650 21

Sheen Legacy with its chrome bars, mirrors and mudguards and polished engine cases for £7,000. It’s a competitive price, keenly priced to entice style-conscious youngsters and old-school BSA enthusiasts alike.

But there’s a lot of choice out there if you’re in the market for a retro-styled roadster. There’s Triumph’s Bonneville T100 (priced at £9,395), Kawasaki’s W800 (priced at £8,499) and, of course, Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 (priced at £6,039).

Question marks still remain about how it’ll stand the test of time and how well you’ll be supported if something does go wrong, but with Mahindra’s big business know-how, credible build quality, a two-year unlimited mileage warranty, and plans to have a 20-strong dealer network in place by the end of the

year, punters should have confidence that the new BSA Gold Star is well worth the investment.

BSA’s been very smart with the launch of its new Gold Star 650. It’s done something different in a very crowded market, creating a unique single-cylinder machine which proudly replicates one of the most iconic machines in British biking.

While some BSA enthusiasts will likely be disappointed that the new ‘Goldie’ isn’t what it used to be, there’s no doubt that it’s a cracking bike that’s easy to ride, great to look at and cheap enough for a whole new generation of riders (and those that always dreamed of owning an original, but could never afford it).

I reckon it’ll do very well, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in this latest chapter for BSA.

PLAN YOUR DAY WITH OUR

STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE 23

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WHEN: OCTOBER 15-16, 2022 WHERE: STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY SHOWGROUND, ST18 0BD WHAT: ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS IN THE BIKING CALENDAR, CELEBRATING CLASSIC BIKES FROM THE 70S, 80S AND 90S.

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24 STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE

Welcome to the show!

C

lassic motorcycles have just gotten too expensive.

If you’re my age and you zipped about on the likes of old, knackered Yamaha RD350 Powervalves, you’ll know just how bloody expensive they are now, more so the once humble LC! And if you progressed on to a big four-stroke – maybe a Suzuki GSX-R750 slabside or even a slingshot – then you’ll also know that these aren’t the cheap, entry-level classics they once were.

But there is hope. The VJMC (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club) has a 15-year rule and that means we can indulge in bikes that are that little bit newer and perhaps not quite so ‘classic’ as others.

With this in mind, we decided to look back 20-30 years… that’s 1992 to 2002. This was an era of Brit Pop, FireBlades, R1s, PlayStations, Carl Fogarty, Suzuki Bandits and many, many more super-cool bikes that can still be found for bargain prices, if you look hard enough. Don’t believe me?

Well, my own £1000 Triumph Speed Triple 955i will be on the stand, so come and take a look and see if it puts Niall Mackenzie’s Honda NR750 and Yamaha YZF-R7 to shame!

Our hall will be fully interactive so pop along, challenge me at Tekken 2 on the PlayStation, and listen to the cool sounds of the decade that taste forgot. It’ll be a giggle.

And then there’s our guest of honour

250 acres of classic motorcycling heaven

– John Kocinski. What a star. I was lucky enough to see John’s impact on the World Superbike championship when I was a reporter covering the World Superbike series. Dropping a former 500cc GP winner and 250cc champ into a paddock which contained Carl Fogarty, Aaron Slight, Pierfrancesco Chili, Troy Corser, Anthony Gobert and Simon Crafar took the series up a notch! He was a winner from round one at Misano on the dominant Ducati, but his time with the Italian factory would last only one season before a switch to Castrol Honda to take the V4 RC45 to its one and only title. I, for one, will be listening intently to the interviews up on stage; the man is a legend with a lot to say, racing the world’s best in both 500cc Grand Prixs during its golden years and World Superbike in that championship’s golden era, too.

So – enjoy all the staple delights of the CMM Stafford Show, but then come and be cool and down with the kids and help us celebrate 1992-2002!

Bertie Simmonds Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Editor

The brand-new Naughty 90s Hall ‘Classic’ is in the eye of the beholder and, well, it’s time for the new guard to make its mark at Stafford. This brandnew hall, in association with Suzuki, will showcase the very best and most interesting future classics from the 1990s and early 2000s. You’ll find a mixture of clubs from the era and a display of individual, affordable bikes that you simply must have in your garage.

90s Classic ride-in

Near the GP Paddock we’ll be hosting a 90s classic bike ridein. We’re giving away 90 tickets per day worth £3000, which will give you free entry, and allow you to park up inside the show itself! To take part in the 90s ride-in, all you have to do is apply online at www.mortonsevents.co.uk. You will need to be in the show by 11am and be able to stay until 3pm! Tickets are limited so be quick!

STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE 25

MEET DOUBLE WORLD CHAMP JOHN KOCINSKI There’s no doubt our 2022 guest of honour is a real superstar. He was the 1990 250cc Grand Prix world champion; AMA winner; 500cc Grand Prix competitor; 1997 World Superbike champion; Wayne Rainey’s teammate; Kenny Roberts’ protégé; and part of the dynasty of American greats.

You can join racing virtuoso John Kocinski live on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club Stage across the weekend. He will be interviewed, warts an’ all, by Eurosport commentator and motorcycle pundit Jack Burnicle, who’ll be asking questions about what it was like racing Rainey, Doohan, Schwantz, Lawson and Foggy, winning and losing in a cut-throat sport, and just how hard it was to give Cagiva their first-ever dry race win in 500cc Grand Prix racing.

As well as the main man himself, we have a few of his stunning racing machines too, including John’s 1994 Cagiva Factory C594 race bike.

Get your Kocinski paraphernalia at the ready and we’ll bring the Sharpie!

1997 was the perfect pairing for Castrol Honda and John Kocinski

26 STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE

CLUB CELEBRATIONS

It’s a big year for some of the clubs at Stafford, and there will be some special displays to help celebrate.

The guys on the Benelli Club UK stand (B119/120, Balcony, Main Hall) will be celebrating 25 years as a club.

Where did it all start? Stafford Classic Bike show of course, just a few yards from where the stand is situated at this year’s show! It was formed by two like-minded enthusiasts, Steve Peace and Mike Schofield, who were sick of hearing the old joke from others that a Benelli club would be so small their members could fit in a telephone box. They wanted to lift the profile of the Benelli Club and will be making a splash bringing their best bikes from the membership. The club is an independent enthusiasts’ club that caters for the needs of all Benelli, Motobi, Wards Riverside, and MBA/ Morbidelli motorcycle owners, both classic and modern. Although based in the UK, they have a worldwide membership. Check them out before the show at www.benelliclubgb.net and visit the club on the day! I’d ask for some birthday cake if it was me!

Also celebrating at the Stafford Classic Bike Show is the Moto Guzzi Club UK (www.motoguzziclub. co.uk). They will be paying homage to the Guzzi brand which reaches its centennial in 2022. Yes, that’s 100 years of Italian sex appeal on two wheels. The club itself was established in 1976 by a small band of 40 enthusiasts. The club now has approximately 2,500 members in the UK, Ireland and overseas, and more than 40 local branches. Just like the Benelli guys, the very best Guzzis will be taking centre stage on their stand (B115, Balcony, Main Hall).

Let’s not forget the BSA Bantam Club. They will be hosting a special GPO exhibit featuring some super examples of the ‘working’ Bantam.

Hands up if you started your riding career on a BSA! The club itself will also be celebrating 20 years together and as a massive supporter of the classic bike scene in the UK, please make sure you go and see the club stand (P6, Prestwood Hall) and check them out at.

There’s more. It might be hard to

believe, but one of the most modern clubs in the classic bike scene is actually turning 40 this year. The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) has always been run by a dedicated team of volunteers since it was founded in 1982 by a small group of like-minded enthusiasts who appreciated early Japanese bikes, their style, reliability, practicality and technological achievements.

At the time of the club’s inception, air-cooled four-cylinder bikes still ruled the roost, twin shock absorbers were still in vogue, and a middleweight bike was probably 350-500cc and almost certainly a two-stroke. How times change. The very bikes that were new back then are now collectable and as prized as any early 60s Japanese offering.

The club’s number one aim is to promote the enjoyment of Japanese motorcycles, pure and simple. You don’t even need to own a bike to be a member! How open-minded is that? All they ask is that members share the club’s passion for some of the most amazing mass-produced bikes ever to come out of a factory.

This year they are taking the show by storm and bringing over 50 bikes from the members; some concours, some daily rides, but all pay homage to the Japanese manufacturers. You can’t miss this. (Stand M57, Main Hall plus other zones.) www.bsabantamclub.com

MUST-SEE METAL

The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club turns 40 on stand M57 (Main Hall)

There are over 1000 classic motorcycles on display at the Stafford Classic Bike Show so it might be hard to see everything in just one day. Here are three bikes that you simply must seek out!

First up is Chris Swani’s stunning 1996 Ducati 916 Biposto which it’s hard to believe is 26 years old! An immaculate example of the base model and with just 6200 miles on the clock, this takes you right back to the heyday of 90s motorcycling. Original apart from JHP pipes and a hugger. Fogarty eat your heart out!

Vic Shield has given his life and what must be most of his bank account to his 1982 Yamaha RD350LC Flat Tracker.

Right, let’s get something

straight, it’s not your standard LC, far from it. This little beaut’ in Kenny Roberts livery has a Yamaha 375cc engine in a modified frame with Yamaha WR wheels and Honda CRF forks. An extra 25 horses through tuning makes this a proper 80s headbanger.

Bravo Vic! Finally, you have to check out Kevin Haslam’s 1977 Rickman Kawasaki CR1000. This barnstored example was ‘lost’ for 29 years but has now been lovingly restored to its former glory by Kevin and his wife. It took two years and no doubt a lot of grazed knuckles and swear words to bring this ‘rare as the proverbial hens’ teeth’ Rickman back to life. A proper muscle bike that’s guaranteed to put hairs on your chest.

STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE 27

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ALL WEEKEND

Watch the UK’s best freestyle MX riders reach for the sky in the main ring

This year’s Stafford Classic Bike Show is just brimming with stuff to see and do. In amongst the thousands of classic bikes and trade stands, we’ve got brilliant live music from the Daisy Belles, banging out hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

There’s the UK’s finest freestyle motocross stunt display team in the Main Ring; stage interviews with GP legend John Kocinski; race bikes fired into life in the GP Paddock; and Bonhams Live TV outside the auction hall, so you can watch the world’s biggest classic bike event in full flow.

A special demonstration of the finest club trials hosted by the Old Codgers trials team will

see young and old tackle the ‘Stafford Stage’. Watch out for those dabs!

We’ve got a bar with plenty of beer on tap and a Sega Manx TT arcade machine. Why not see if you’re still fast enough to win a prize, but best to leave the beer until after you’ve raced!

Bikes fans… it’s going to be one heck of a classic bike weekend!

HONDA’S OFFICIAL FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS DISPLAY TEAM

Based on the latest extreme sports action including freestyle motocross and motorcycle back flips, the Bolddog FMX team travel the UK and Europe wowing the public. The team is managed by one of Europe’s top freestyle

motocross riders, Dan Whitby, the first person to flip a fourstroke motorcycle in Europe!

With the largest, most sophisticated FMX landing ramp ever seen anywhere in the world (described as the best ramp in the world by many UK and US riders), riders jump gaps of over 75ft and perform tricks which involve the rider leaving the comfort of the seat in mid-air. The show features a wide selection of freestyle motocross tricks such as the ‘superman seat grab’’; ‘Indian air’; ‘heel-clicker’; ‘rock solid’; ‘double-nac’; ‘switch blade’; ‘kiss of death’; ‘lazy boy’; and many more.

See these guys in the main ring opposite the grandstand throughout the weekend. Well, you can’t really miss them!

Hailwood return to Stafford Sadly David Hailwood, son of the late, great Mike ‘the bike’ Hailwood, couldn’t make Stafford in April - so we’re delighted that he will be with us on Saturday 15 at the October show.

David is bringing back some of the most significant artefacts from his family archive and will be on hand to talk with race fans throughout the day – as well as being available to sign copies of his new book, Hailwood in 100 Objects.

Find David on stand M1 in the Main Hall.

Buy your next bike in the UK’s biggest classic motorcycle auction

BONHAMS AUTUMN SALE This year the two-day mega autumn sale features an extraordinary collection of 31 speedway motorcycles, reflecting the glory years of a sport once the second most popular in the UK. The Forshaw Speedway Collection represents 60 years of speedway history from its beginnings in the 1920s. Led by an exemplary pre-war American duo of a Crocker and an Indian, the collection also includes European solo-style motorcycles, representing great marques such as BSA, Douglas, Norton and Rudge.

They are offered with associated memorabilia, including six engines and an extensive selection of race jackets. Having been displayed at the prestigious Haynes Motor Museum

Formerly the property of Angus Maitland, 1912 New Hudson 349cc

for the past 25 years, the collection is now offered with a total high estimate of more than £500,000.

The auction starts at 10am on both days with viewing beforehand and during each day. Access to the auction is with a catalogue which you can buy beforehand or on the day. Simply visit www.bonhams.com and head over to the motorcycle section.

There really will be something for everyone, just take a look at these three unique and incredible bikes for sale at the auction:

1912 New Hudson 349cc Lightweight Project

Like Sunbeam, the British New Hudson Cycle Company was noted for building high-quality motorcycles, the result

1928 Sunbeam 493cc Model 9, £10,000-12,000

of the work of the leading engineer Herbert ‘Bert’ Le Vack, designer of the celebrated J.A.P. Speedway engine, which powered New Hudson machines such as this example.

The motorcycle is offered as a barnfind direct from 70 years’ single-family ownership from the descendants of Brooklands racer Angus-Maitland, who campaigned at the celebrated British circuit before the First World War. He was also one of the founders of the Trump Motorcycle Company, noted for its formidable Trump-Jap ‘90 Bore’ Veteran racer, whose racing team was later sponsored by the Duke of York. Estimated at £3,000-5,000.

1928 Sunbeam 493cc Model 9 The two-owners-from-new 1928

example offered is one of the rarest of its type, as one of the last ‘flat tankers’ before Sunbeam adopted the more popular saddle tank, and offered a unique lubrication system.

Just 19 Model 9 Sunbeams of this type are recorded with the VMCC register.

Purchased new by Walter Stoney, a Sergeant flight mechanic with 101 Squadron, this Sunbeam supported its owner’s war service in the RAF, carrying him from the RAF base in Norfolk to his home in Hetton, North Yorkshire, with a regular pit stop at Leeds Railway Station for a ‘pot of tea’ in the winter months.

He rode the motorcycle for more than 60 years until his death. Its subsequent keeper was friend and

Offered from the Forshaw Speedway Collection, ex-Red Rice, 1934

fellow Yorkshireman Ken Ellwood, an RAF pilot who purchased it in 1987 when Walter died and restored it to its former glory 13 years later, even though he did not have a motorcycle licence and preferred to fly his Tiger Moth aeroplane. It is now offered by the Ellwood family after 35 years, with an estimate of £10,000-12,000.

1934 Crocker Speedway 500cc OHV

Crocker’s hand-built masterpieces earned the marque a legendary status, with its V-twin machines some of the world’s most valuable. Founder Albert G Crocker started out making speedway frames for V-twins before producing more suitable singlecylinder machines.

It is believed that no more than 30-40 single-cylinder bikes were produced, including this 1934 example, known as the ‘Red’ Rice Crocker after its original rider, which Richard acquired in a swap for a Brough Superior in 1996. It has been described as the ‘most original known as it still has the correct Crocker tank, frame, etc.’. The motorcycle is totally original except for the seat which was replaced by Rice and so has become part of its history. Estimated at £100,000-150,000.

28 STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE

TIMETABLE Saturday 9am 10am 10.30am

10.30am 11am

11am 11.30am 12pm 12pm

12.30pm 1.30pm 1.30pm 2pm

2.30pm 2.30pm

3.30pm

4pm 5pm

Bonhams Stafford Sale opens for viewing Bonhams Stafford Sale Auction John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest GP legend John Kocinski Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring Show closes

Sunday 9am 10am 10.30am

10.30am 11am

11.30am 11.30am 12pm 12pm

Bonhams Stafford Sale opens for viewing Bonhams Stafford Sale Auction John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest GP legend John Kocinski

12.30pm Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand 1.30pm Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience 1.30pm Live music by the Daisy Belles on the bandstand 2pm Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall 2pm John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area 2.30pm Bolddog Free Style Motorcross Stunt Team in the Main Ring 3pm Jack Burnicle talks to GP legend John Kocinski on the Yamaha Racing Heritage Stage in the Main Hall 4pm Awards presentation in the Main Hall 5pm Show closes

STAFFORD OCTOBER SHOWGUIDE 29

INTERVIEWS ON STAGE

RIDE IN PARKING AREA

We love our bikers...

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e’ve been in the motorcycle equivalent of hibernation for what feels an age... be that lockdowns, restrictions, or even good-old winter.

So when the weather and

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1

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conditions allow, you want to be out and about, riding those roads, feeling your bike run beautifully and the bugs splat on your visor. On your own or as part of a group, it’s what we live for.

We’re sure you will have your favourite route – whether it’s to or from Stafford, or for another occasion too – but if you are looking for a few ideas on where else to go, what to do, where to chat to like-minded folk and perhaps just have a great brew at a place which guarantees a warm welcome, this is your page.

You can always find some interesting roads to and from any of these great venues, and it’s also worth bearing in mind that when you get there, chances are you’ll find some fellow bikers keen to chat about your machine, your route... and share their own experiences too.

As you can see from the map, there are cafes, bars and placews to stay all around the UK which are perfect for a visit.

So go on, support these venues which love their bikers... get out there and pay them a visit, you will not be disappointed!

ROAD TEST: BENELLI LEONCINO 800 AND LEONCINO TRAIL 800 31

TWO KIND OF A

Benelli’s building on the success of its retro-flavoured Leoncino 500, creating two bigger, badder and better versions for 2022.

WORDS: Ross Mowbray and Simon Meyer PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

Modern retro bikes are big business. Most of the biggest names in the game have their own unique take on the trend, and although reimagined versions of old bikes might be derided by some as little more than a hipster trend, one could probably argue that they’ve helped entice a new generation of riders into the world of motorcycling (as well as allowing a few older ones to buy a version of the bike they always dreamed of owning, but with the added bonus of reliability and an electric start).

If these are the sort of bikes you’re into, there’s a massive amount of choice out there. Triumph was an early adopter, making the most of its rich heritage with a full (and ever-growing) range of sharp-looking machines. Ducati's making the most of it, too, with a massive range of Scramblers of different shapes and sizes. There’s

more. BMW’s got its R Nine Ts; Yamaha’s got its XSRs; and even Honda has a range of (slightly more modern) Neo Cafes. And that’s barely scratching the surface. If you’re after a stylish bike, then you are truly spoilt for choice, no matter whether you want to hit the lanes or the twisties. This time we’ve been taking a look at Benelli’s offering: its recently released Leoncino 800 and Leoncino 800 Trail.

Benelli’s actually Italy’s oldest surviving motorcycle brand, but it’s undergone a serious resurgence in recent years after short periods of relative inactivity through the 1990s and early 2000s, punctuated by the release of some seriously sporty exotica including the Tornado Tre 900 sportbike and TNT roadster. It was bought by China’s Qiangjiang in 2005, which was subsequently taken on by automotive giant Geely

(who also look after Lotus and Volvo) in 2016, and since then Benelli has been making strides in the European market, expanding its range and making improvements with each passing year.

This isn’t the first Leoncino from the factory.

Way back in 1951, Benelli launched its original Leoncino 125cc – and it quickly became one of the most popular machines in the Italian firms 106 year history. And in 2017, a revitalised Benelli revealed a reimagined 500cc version of the Leoncino to the world (which was quickly followed by a Trail version with knobbly tyres, bigger wheels and longer travel suspension).

They impressed, offering a respectable balance between performance, quality and value for money – but now, after much anticipation, the Italian factory has revealed bigger and better 800cc versions of the two bikes.

32 ROAD TEST: BENELLI LEONCINO 800 AND LEONCINO TRAIL 800

Benelli Leoncino 800 WORDS: Simon Meyer

The Benelli Leoncino 800 is deceptive.

It’s a lot more compact than what I’m used to, so when I first jumped on, its low seat could have easily fooled me into thinking it was a smaller-capacity machine. But as soon as I held down the starter button and fired her up, any illusion I had that this was a ‘little’ bike was quickly shattered.

When I take a bike back from the office on my 23-mile commute I try to take things slow to start with. It’s all about getting used to the bike and then beginning to push harder and harder. That wasn’t the case with the Leoncino, though. I felt immediately comfortable and I had such confidence out of the gate, that I was quickly throwing it through corners with little concern.

It really is so responsive. Even in built-up areas it is incredibly agile, and at low speeds you can easily manoeuvre it past parked cars or filter through traffic. That said, if the pace really slows down and you’ve got to pull the clutch in, you’ll need to give it

a bit of throttle when you feather the clutch out to ensure the bike doesn’t stall. It only caught me out a couple of times in the first days of the test – I found I quickly (and subconsciously) adjusted my riding to suit.

The Leoncino’s 754cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine gives it plenty of oomph. The engine produces power of 76.2hp at 9000rpm and 49lb-ft of torque. The torque’s particularly impressive. Travelling at 50, I prepared to overtake. Now, usually, I would drop a gear and open the throttle. On the Leoncino, that’s not necessary. Even in 6th gear I was able to nip past the car quickly and efficiently without any trouble. I like that.

Due to its road-focused ride, the standard Leoncino has 17-inch wheels at both the front and rear (its Trail-ready brother has a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear combination).

Tyres are Pirelli MT60RSs – there’s a 120/70-17 up front and a 180/55-17 at the back. They’re a sort of roadgoing knobbly tyre. They look good and offered plenty of grip on the bone-dry backroads of Lincolnshire.

Sadly, I didn’t get to see how well they handled a downpour, but I suspect they’d be up to the job.

The Standard Leoncino has a slightly choppier ride than you might expect from a relatively focused street bike, although it’s not uncommon for the current crop of retro machines to be

TECH SPEC Benelli Leoncino 800

Price: £7499 + OTR Engine: 754cc liquid-cooled four-stroke twin with DOHC Power: 75bhp @ 8500rpm Torque: 49lb-ft @ 6500rpm Transmission: Chain driven, 6 speed gearbox with multidisc wet clutch Frame: Trellis steel tubes with plates Suspension: (F) Forks with 140mm of travel and spring preload adjustment / (R) Monoshock with 48mm of travel and spring preload adjustment Brakes: (F) Twin semi-floating 320mm disc with mono-block four piston callipers (R) single 260mm disc with double piston callipers Wheels/Tyres: (F) 120/70-ZR17 (R) 180/55ZR17 Seat height: 805mm Weight: 222kg Fuel tank: 15 litres

ROAD TEST: BENELLI LEONCINO 800 AND LEONCINO TRAIL 800 33

set up a little soft, with a focus on comfort as much as performance.

There’s some nice kit doing the work though, with upside-down forks with 50mm diameter stems providing 130mm of travel at the front, and a central mono with preload adjustment at the rear.

The good stuff continues with the brakes. There’re Benelli branded callipers which grab a pair of semi-floating 320mm discs at the front, and at the rear there’s a single 260mm disc. Okay, so they’re not exactly top specification, highperformance superbike-spec ones, but then again they don’t need to be. They do a good job of pulling the bike up quickly and efficiently.

The only criticism is that the rear brake pedal was a bit spongy. I

had to press quite hard to engage it, past the point where my foot was comfortable. I suspect it could be a set up issue and would likely be easily dialed out, particularly because I didn’t have the same issue on the Trail. The Leoncino has a claimed 15-litre tank, and if I brimmed it I could manage around 120 miles before the fuel light flashed up. I could have probably managed another 15 miles before it ran dry, which means you’re looking at a relatively respectable (particularly considering how throttle happy I was at times) 41mpg.

Although there’s not a huge amount of technological trickery fitted to the Benelli (there’re no rider modes to mess around with), it does come with an easy-to-read

TFT dash. There were a couple of touches I particularly liked. First, the gear indicator. It reminded me of a slot machine – with the selected gear shown, but also the gear below and above. Second, the rev counter.

It goes around the outside on both sides of the display like a horseshoe.

While they’re not important features, I thought they gave the bike a little bit of gloss, which has maybe been missing from previous generation Benellis. The Leoncino also comes equipped with LED lights. That’s nothing to shout about. But they’re bloody brilliant. My wife followed me back home – and she said even half-a-mile away she could see when I was braking.

If you’re in the market for a funkylooking roadster that’s a little bit

different, this modern classic is a real contender. There’s a lot of choice out there, but the Benelli holds its own.

Previous Benellis might have been built to a budget, and priced as such, but the Leoncino 800 is not. It’ll set you back £7499 (plus on-the-road fees, which’ll probably be another couple of hundred quid). That means it’s a few hundred quid more

expensive than Yamaha’s enduringly popular Yamaha MT-07. But the Benelli’s got a bigger engine and a bit more about it. If I was spending my own hard-earned cash and I was in the market for a mid-range naked, the Benelli would definitely be in the running.

I did get the chance to ride the Trail and it has a much higher and softer ride, which definitely has its place, but for me the standard Benelli Leoncino is the one. It really is a lot of fun... although, depending on your riding style it really will be worth test riding them both, to find out which will be more to your liking.

34 ROAD TEST: BENELLI LEONCINO 800 AND LEONCINO TRAIL 800

TECH SPEC Benelli Leoncino Trail 800

Price: £7799 + OTR Engine: 754cc liquid-cooled four-stroke twin with DOHC Power: 75bhp @ 8500rpm Torque: 49lb-ft @ 6500rpm Transmission: Chain driven, 6 speed gearbox with multidisc wet clutch Frame: Trellis steel tubes with plates Suspension: (F) 50mm diameter forks with 148mm of travel and spring preload adjustment (R) Monoshock with 50mm of travel and spring preload adjustment Brakes: (F) Twin semi-floating 320mm disc with mono-block four piston callipers (R) single 260mm disc with double piston callipers Wheels/Tyres: Spoked tubeless wheels/ (F) 120/70R 19 (R) 170/60R 17 Seat height: 834mm Weight: 222kg Fuel tank: 15 litres

Benelli Leoncino Trail 800

The brainchild of Benelli’s purposebuilt CentroStile design centre in its home town of Pesaro, the Leoncino Trail’s a real looker; simple and stripped back, but still undeniably stylish. It’s Italian at the end of the day – even if it does happen to be manufactured in China.

Built around the same 754cc four-stroke parallel-twin engine and trellis frame as the standard Leoncino 800, the Trail gets a few extra goodies to help make it a bit

better suited to the rough stuff. That includes a 19-inch spoked wheel up front (and a slightly slimmer 17inch at the back), dual-sport Pirelli Scorpion rubber, and a tiny bit of additional suspension travel (10mm extra at the front and 2mm more at the rear). As a result of all that, the set up is slightly different for the Trail. It’s taller (with an 834mm high seat), has a longer 1480mm wheelbase, and more ground clearance, too (increasing from 162mm to 191 mm). It works well,

providing an upright but neutral riding position with an authoritative view of the road, while also offering a surprisingly comfortable ride when you’re stood up on the pegs.

That’s not always the case. Quite often, these retro-styled scramblers don’t actually seem that well suited to trail riding. At least the Benelli feels right when you’re standing… sometimes that’s half the battle.

First things first – let’s talk about the engine. It’s lovely, kicking out 76 horsepower at 8500rpm and peak torque of 49lb-ft at 6500rpm. There’s plenty of power on tap to have a ball on the road… it’ll get the jump in town, and quickly and efficiently

overtake all but the fastest of traffic, too. It’s super smooth, but the best bit about it is that there’s torque to play with right through the rev range.

For stopping the brakes are more than up to the job. They’re not particularly refined and there’s not loads of feel, but it kind of suits the bike’s innate simplicity and retro-styling that you’ve got to grab a bit of a handful to pull up quickly. While it can be a little disconcerting at first, you’ll soon get used to it – and thankfully the set up makes complete sense off-road, as it helps to reduce the chance of you grabbing the front brake and losing

ROAD TEST: BENELLI LEONCINO 800 AND LEONCINO TRAIL 800 35

the front end when grip is down to a minimum. But to be honest, because of the way the Benelli’s geared, you can make use of its ample engine braking the vast majority of the time.

The gearbox isn’t exactly slick, but I didn’t have any trouble nudging it into the right one at any point so it gets a thumbs up, too. The only disappointment is the combination of clutch and throttle as you set off. Like Simon, I had a couple of moments where I wasn’t giving it enough revs when setting off and I ended up stalling. I soon got to grips with it and after the day I didn’t do it again, but it’s still worth mentioning.

Its suspension is decent, too, with the longer travel units working to soak up the worst lumps and bumps that Lincolnshire’s pothole-laden roads could throw at it (probably helped by the fact it’s dialled in to handle the trails). It’s good when the surface improves and you want to push on, too, with only a little dive under really

heavy braking. Sadly, there’s only preload adjustment at the rear, so you can’t tune the springs just how you like, but I found the standard set up about right, although if you were inclined to push hard and brake late, it is likely you’d want to stiffen the ride slightly. That said, it's great to throw around. With its tall stance, low centre of gravity and wide handlebars, the Leoncino Trail is surprisingly easy to throw around. Despite the bigger front wheel, I had every confidence chucking it around just as hard as I would the standard bike.

Off-road, the Leoncino is deceptively capable, too, thanks mostly to its 19-inch front wheel and Pirelli Scorpion dual-sport rubber. Of course, it’s no out-and-out dirt devil, instead blending reasonable off-road agility with slightly more serious chops on the road. It’s probably style over substance just a little bit, and it is missing an upswept exhaust and a decent bash-plate to make it even half

appropriate for anything particularly tricky, but if you just fancy hitting up some hard-packed gravel and easy green lanes, it’s more than up to the job. Admittedly, it’s more than likely that many riders won’t want to take their Leoncino Trail off the Tarmac for fear of dropping it, but you’d be remiss not too. It’s capable, unintimidating and agile, and as a result is great, great fun to ride.

I didn’t really expect to be so impressed, but it really is a cracking middleweight that looks good, goes well and offers exceptional of bang for your buck. Whether you’d sooner splash your cash on a bike from a more established brand, well, that’s up to you, but personally, I think there’s something to be said for taking a different path. If you’re after a funky, fun and thoroughly flickable machine that’ll handle trails and Tarmac with equal vigour, you could certainly do a lot worse than Benelli’s Leoncino 800 Trail.

KNOWLEDGE 37

Cost-effective

Classics Suzuki GT250 Finally – an affordable 70s stroker!

Words: Steve Cooper Photographs: Gary Chapman

38 KNOWLEDGE

Back when learners could ride 250s the market was hugely competitive.

Everyone had a favourite and for a variety of reasons but there’s no denying which bike sold in the greatest numbers – Suzuki’s GT250.

At the height of the 1970s more GT250s were sold than any other 250. Simple, robust, easy to service and fast enough for any teenager it’s not hard to see why they flew out the showrooms. So good was the quarter litre GT that courier firms even supplied them to their riders as the bike of choice!

Background

Suzuki led the way back in 1965 when they launched the ground breaking T20. Variously sold as the Super Six/X6/Hustler it laid down a blue print that lasted for four decades. Revised and modernised for 1969 the T250 would prove to be another huge commercial success for the Hamamatsu firm. Models were cosmetically updated but little else was changed. For the 1973 European market the T250 received a significantly reworking along with a disc front brake and the distinctive Ram Air cylinder head cooling cowling. Many argue it was nothing but a marketing ploy yet it stood the GT250 apart from everything else out there, got bums on seats, filled dealers cash registers and inspired a generation…not bad for dubious piece of alloy.

The bike

Unlike some new models the GT250 never went through a ‘settling in’ period or suffered from teething problems. Being based very solidly on the outgoing T250 there was nothing of the bike that hadn’t been there

before from a mechanical perspective.

Cosmetically the side panels had been previously used on the later T350s as had the tank but in different colours.

What made the bike stand out from the crowd was the Ram Air cowling that sat over the cylinder heads. Used on every GT of the period from 125 – 550 the alloy casting was supposed the increase air velocity over the tops of the cylinder heads. The idea was that by forcing air through a large opening that then subsequently tapered to the rear air flow would accelerate and take heat out of the top of the motor. Did it work? The jury is still out on that one but it did give the bike a unique look.

Other than changes to graphics and colour schemes the GT250 really didn’t change much over the first three years of its life; the only significant difference was that the 1975 M model finally lost the rubber fork gaiters previously fitted. 1976/7 saw significant revisions to the bike although the older model was still on sale with many dealers and often seriously discounted prices…which doubtless also helped to make it the most popular 250 of the period. The Ram Air cylinder head was dropped on the GT250A although the new cylinder heads still retained their wedge shaped profiles. Supposedly extra finning was said to address the Ram Air’s absence. 28 mm carburettors replaced the previous 26 mm units, additional transfer ports were added to the cylinders and a change in compression ratio gave a little more power. Also included was a washable air filter along with revised second and third gear ratios.

However, the biggest upgrade was to the crank shaft which finally received four main bearings – two per cylinder.

The previous three bearing crank had

been a throwback all the way to the 1965 Super Six but as power increased over the years it was obvious a fourth bearing was needed. Cosmetically the GT250 lost its fake air grills on the side panels and a simpler, less busy, graphics pack was adopted.

The tuning modifications, revised porting and revised crank increased power slightly but with something of a trade-off. According to Suzuki’s PR the upgrades were supposed to increase torque as well but period road tests reported a loss of power below 4000 rpm but an increase as the motor headed for 7000 rpm.

The GT250 hung on in the face of increasing competition from Yamaha’s RD250 until the 1978 C model but the writing was on the wall.

KNOWLEDGE 39

The basic design had been pushed to the limit and sales were dropping off.

With its final graphics curiously aping Yamaha’s speed block design the grand old dame took a final curtain call before bowing out gracefully.

X7 lost a full 18kgs, gained reed valve induction and, almost overnight, became the 250 to have leaving Yamaha’s RD250 looking decidedly stale and old hat.

Lineage and Legacy

Quite possibly the GT250 is the least expensive, air cooled, 250 stroker of the period to buy now. Although present on the classic they’re rarely seen at shows which is, frankly, rather odd given that they sold by the boat load. The CCI (Crank Case Injection) oiling system is arguably the best of its kind meaning the motors tend to be reliable. It’s also physically a decent size so you’ll not feel cramped riding it. Spares situation is the same as any other bike of the period and engine parts really shouldn’t be an issue.

The GT250 proved to be a huge success in Europe and quite possibly this even confounded its makers given that it really only a cosmetic rehash.

In reality the blueprint that had been serially updated and revised from 1965 through to 1978 had reached its sell-by date. Still sticking with the basic concepts of a horizontally split crankcase and six-speed transmission Suzuki rolled out an all-new design sold in the UK as the X7 but still officially designated as a GT250. The

Why you might want one now

Typical Prices

Summary

The later X7s have become even more popular recently leaving the earlier GT250s behind in terms of prices. There’s no ‘right’ model to go for with condition dictating the values. Complete rolling projects start around £1000 yet some chancers want double that yet you can get a decent unmolested runner for as little as £2500-£2700. A good, earlier, restoration can be had for £3500 at auction. We also spotted a very tidy C model in need of a top end rebuild for just £1900 which has to be a bargain.

Mint restorations are out there for £4995 and sometime even more but unless you really want one at that level £4000 maximum should see you smiling at a classic GT250 stroker in your garage. You know you want one!

Kawasaki’s S1/KH250 is now making silly money and Yamaha’s coffin tanked RD250s are beginning to go the same way. The GT250’s performance is on a par with its peers and the Suzukis do make a rather unique sound. If you want a 1970s 250 stroker the GT250 is the one to go look at before they too start to become too expensive – you’re unlikely to be disappointed. Buy a complete runner for sensible money and smile inanely every time the motor comes on pipe!

Faults and Foibles 1: ENGINE/ GEARBOX

Strong motor no better or worse than others of the period.

4

2: CYLINDERS

Check quality of threaded exhaust spigots where down pipe meets it

9

3: BRAKES

Decent front caliper requires occasional maintenance

8

4: IGNITION

Points need to be correctly gapped, timing must be via a dial gauge

5

5: SEATS

7

Ensure seat base isn’t rotten

6: EXHAUSTS

1 2 6

3

Look for signs of crash damage; check weld between down pipe and silencer for corrosion.

7: SUSPENSION

Gaiters on K model now hard to find and never cheap.

8: PETROL TAP

Vacuum operated. If diaphragm fails fuel can run through carbs into crankcases

9: SPEEDO/TACHO

Plastic faces of gauges infamous for crazing and tuning opaque.

See YouTube tutorials on how to fix them.

THE INSIDE LINE TO CLASSIC JAPANESE IRON 41

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Not from 2000, but 2001, when a young Valentino Rossi joined forces with Colin Edwards for the Suzuka 8-hour endurance race.

WORDS: Steve Cooper PHOTOS: Mortons Archive The new millennium delivered a few surprises in the world of MotoGP along with one confirmation – KRJR (Kenny Roberts Jnr.) was capable of winning the world championship just like his old man. Building on a second place in the standings the previous

year, Kenny took the premier title for Suzuki. And amazingly, despite four retirements at the start of the season, Max Biaggi took third place for Yamaha. What no one was expecting was that the second place man would be rooky 500 rider Valentino Rossi.

Okay, with the gift of hindsight this would have looked possible, but not at the time. And, looking at the statistics now, if Rossi hadn’t had two DNFs at the start of the season he might even

have had the title at the first attempt – he was only 49 points adrift of Roberts at the end of the season.

Rossi’s success was to be Honda’s only genuine reason to celebrate Y2K – pretty much everything else went pear-shaped for the previously dominant factory. The official factory team (Repsol YPF Honda Team) with Àlex Crivillé, Sete Gibernau and Tadayuki Okada had a fairly grim season. Àlex Crivillé could only

manage ninth by the end of the year with six retirements and a mystery illness. Gibernau had the same number of retirements and Tadayuki Okada simply struggled with the factory machine. Honda’s honour was upheld by the Emerson Honda Pons team managed by former 250 champion Sito Pons with Rossi, Loris Capirossi and Alex Barros. Italian Loris was hit with three retirements over the season but still managed a creditable seventh, with Brazilian Alex grabbing a hugely impressive fourth despite the same number of DNFs. So what went so wrong for the Repsol team? Well, according to crew chief Jeremy Burgess: “In the middle of the corner, in the transition of getting back on to the power, the engine was weak, because all the power had gone to the top. You couldn’t transfer the weight with the throttle from the front to the rear without feeling this weakness. That led to a tendency to over-open the throttle... and things would happen.” In essence, HRC had probably overthought the 1999 motor in a bid to ‘improve’ it and in the process delivered a machine that was actually inferior. Obviously the details are supremely sketchy but it’s a reasonable assumption that Pons Team weren’t gifted the so-called ‘best bits’ or were presented with a downgraded version thereof. Once again Honda’s mantra of continuous

improvement for its own sake came round to bite them on the corporate derriere. How obvious was the error of judgement? By Round 3 of the 2000 series, parts from the 1999 machines were being retro-fitted to Y2K bikes.

Honda begrudgingly had embraced the two-strokes so hated by the company’s founder and, perhaps, reluctantly at first, looked to make the best of a bad job. That they’d exceeded everyone’s expectations (possibly including their own) speaks volumes for the dedication involved, but times were changing. Honda was pivotal in driving the move away from stinkwheels to four-strokes – their first love. Behind the scenes, the powers that be were working on a transition away from fiery half-litre smokers to supposedly greener 990cc four-strokes. The era of the screaming missiles was almost over, but not quite. The ‘humble’ two-stroke still had a stay of grace for a little while.

The VJMC – run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists. For membership enquiries only Tel: 01454 501310 Email: membership_vjmc@ yahoo.co.uk Address: PO Box 1949, Yate, Bristol BS37 0BX Office hours: Mon-Thurs,10am4pm (please leave a message)

42 FIRST RIDE: LEXMOTO SM-XE 125

TAKE TO THE

TRAILS Those with a taste for the mud often eschew big adventure bikes something that’s capable of hitting the trails harder and faster. That’s where Lexmoto’s all-new SM-XE 125 comes in.

WORDS: Nicholas Ellis / PHOTOS: Ross Mowbray

A1 LICENCE

Back in the 70s and 80s trail bikes were properly big business. But that’s not really the case nowadays.

If modern riders want to hit the rough stuff, generally they’ll think about buying an adventure bike and not a lightweight, motocrossderived machine with lights and a numberplate. I don’t really know why that is… personally, I love a trailie.

While they might not have the natural road manners or the two-up comfort and carrying capacity of a proper

‘adventure’ motorcycle, they’re far easier to ride off-road. And to me (and many others like me) that’s very important. Honda’s CRF300L is the perfect example. But the easy-going dual sport from Japan will set you back six-and-a-half grand. That’s a lot of cash. What if you only have £4,000 to play with and you want a brand-new bike with two years’ warranty? How about the new SM-XE 125 from Sinnis?

Never heard of Sinnis before?

The Brighton-based importer has been selling bikes built by Chinese manufacturer Jinan Qingqi in the UK since 2006. And over the last 16 years it’s made a name for itself, supplying some of the best-value machines on the market. That should come as no great surprise, considering its partner Jinan Qingqi is one of the largest and most reputable manufacturers of small motorcycles in China, making parts for both Suzuki and Peugeot (in addition to producing small-capacity

motorcycles for the domestic marke, too). Of course, there are still a few issues regarding the perception of Chinese-manufactured machines by the wider motorcycling community in the UK. But with each passing year quality improves – and the suggestion that Chinese motorcycles are poorquality machines that’ll fall apart before you’ve even ridden them out of the dealership is increasingly far from the truth.

Over the past few weeks we’ve had the latest learner-legal trail bike from Sinnis on test, taking the chance to put it through its paces on the Tarmac and dirt. Here’s how we got on.

Looking at the SM-XE in the flesh for the first time, there’s no denying it’s a good-looking machine – and for a road-ready trail bike on a budget, it

looks the business (thanks in part to its upswept exhaust, bash plate, MXstyle seat, knobbly tyres and a suicide stand). You’d easily be forgiven for thinking there’s more than a 125cc on offer, with its big-bike styling and tall seat disguising its limited, learnerfriendly power output.

It's a nice place to be, too. Despite the seat being very firm, it’s comfortable enough for long stints in the saddle, thanks in part to the soft suspension set up, but we’ll get into that more later. The standing position’s nice and natural. I’m 6ft 1in tall and I got on better than I thought I would. I’ve ridden bikes of all shapes and sizes and you’d be surprised at the amount of variance in standing comfort. The Sinnis is pretty good.

But one of the best things about the

FIRST RIDE: LEXMOTO SM-XE 125 43

SM-XE is its weight. Tipping the scales at 141kg, it’s incredibly easy to manoeuvre out on the open road; paddle round car parks; turn on the trails; and even pick it up (when you inevitably drop it) off-road.

Its seat stands at 885mm, which is on the taller end of the spectrum.

Once settled in with the suspension compressed I could get both feet flat on the floor with room to spare.

Anyone under 6ft might not find things quite so easy, but the bike’s light enough that most riders should be able to manage as long as they can get one foot on the floor.

The Sinnis is powered by a 125cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine which kicks out just 14-and-a-bit bhp, so although it’s not going to be

setting any records for speed, it’s pretty respectable for a learner. It’s plenty nippy enough off the mark, and out on the open road you’ll easily get the jump on traffic, up to about 40mph, before acceleration becomes a little more laboured up to its top speed of around 60mph.

Consequently, overtakes are pretty much out of the question and instead you’d do better to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. It’s a nice amount of power on the trails though, particularly for the lessexperienced riders it’s aimed at.

The Sinnis is equipped with single discs at both the front and rear.

They’re not especially sophisticated, but there’s enough bite to pull the lightweight little bike up without

any trouble. There’s ABS, too, which isn’t usually ideal if you’re riding off-road, but actually I didn’t find it too intrusive (although it would have been nice to be able to turn it off ).

Suspension comes in the form of telescopic USD forks at the front, and a monoshock at the rear. In practice they’re more than up to the job, and offer a reasonable balance between comfort and performance.

As you’d expect it’s all set up fairly soft to help the bike deal with the worst that the roads and dirt can throw at it – it works well on the road but is probably a bit too soft for proper off-roading. It’s so soft that if you hit any big bumps or lumps on the trails you’ll be bounced around, although a more confident rider can

compensate for that by soaking up some of the impact with their legs instead of relying entirely on the springs to keep things in check.

Its 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel are the right size, but they’re clad with budget Timsun tyres. It was bone dry for the duration of our test, and the tyres lapped up both Tarmac and trails with ease, never struggling for traction and never failing to find grip. I’ve no idea how they’d perform in the wet, but I suspect they’d do a decent enough job based on looks alone.

Right, so who’s going to want to part with their hard-earned cash for the Sinnis SM-XE 125? Personally, I reckon it’s easy-going, confidenceinspiring nature would help to

TECH SPEC Lexmoto SM-XE 125

Price: £3399 + OTR Engine: 124cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke Power: 14.8bhp @ 9500rpm Torque: 8.4lb-ft @ 8500rpm Transmission: 6-speed/chain driven Frame: Tubular steel single loop cradle frame Suspension: (F) Upside-down telescopic forks (R) Link-Actuated Monoshock Brakes: (F) 290mm hydraulic single disc (R) 240mm hydraulic single disc Wheels/Tyres: Spoked/(F) 2.75 – 21 (R) 4.10 – 18 Seat height: 885mm Weight: 141kg Fuel tank: 6.5 litres

44 FIRST RIDE: LEXMOTO SM-XE 125

make it a great first motorcycle for those on a CBT (providing they’re tall enough to swing their leg over it with confidence). Alternatively, I could see it ticking boxes for an older rider who wants to dip their toe into trail riding, without having to clamber over a gigantic adventure bike (or fork out the massive amount of cash bikes from more established manufacturers often command). Admittedly, there are alternative machines from other ‘budget’-focused firms, but Sinnis has a proven track record, a good reputation and a decent dealer network, so you should have plenty of confidence in buying from them.

With decent power delivery low down in the rev range, nimble handling and a good quality of finish (considering its price), the Sinnis is not to be sniffed at. If you’re looking for a small-capacity, lightweight, affordable machine that’ll handle some commuting, slow-paced touring, and (most importantly) a few green-lanes, the SM-XE is definitely worth a look.

AT A GLANCE 45

KYMCO DTX 320 A2

The Taiwanese factory has recently released its new adventure-ready scooter. Here’s what you need to know.

LICENCE COMFORT:

You can expect a comfortable ride, thanks to the plush (800mm tall) seat and choice of two foot positions. There’s also a decent size screen and a set of knuckle protectors too, which should help to deflect the worst of the weather away from the rider.

KYMCO has attempted something new in the scooter market, something it’s calling an adventure crossover scooter. It’s not a totally alien concept; scooters with limited offroad ability have been about for years but, more recently, Honda’s carved out a bit of a niche with its X-ADV and ADV 350.

Presumably that’s why Kymco has decided to reimagine its existing Downtown 350i – adding a few bolton parts, making a few tweaks, and fitting some new bodywork to create its new DTX 320.

STORAGE:

While scooters are often renowned for their under-seat storage space, the DTX is a bit of a disappointment. There’s a bit of space and there’s an automatic light to help you see what you’re doing in the dark, but initial reports suggest you’ll struggle to get a full-size adventure-style lid in there (despite Kymco showing two full-face helmets in its promotional shots). There’s also a double glove compartment up front, to throw in the stuff you need to hand.

KEY FACTS Engine: 320.6cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke, single cylinder Power: 28.2hp @ 7500rpm Torque: 22lb-ft @ 5750rpm Weight: 194kg Seat Height: 800mm Fuel tank: 12.5 litres

£5559

WHEELS:

It comes with a 14-inch wheel at the front and a 13-inch at the rear, which are shod in some knobbly CST dual-sport rubber. Expect them to offer plenty of grip in the dry, but quickly find their limits when things get a bit muddier.

TECH:

It’s not exactly dripping with the latest technology.

There’s a simple LCD dash, a couple of USB ports, keyless ignition, and a Traction Control System. It’s the same system as its road-going sibling, the Downtown, but to help increase thrills (and arguably control) off-road, you can turn it off and get the rear wheel spinning.

ENGINE:

BRAKES:

SUSPENSION:

FUEL:

It’s powered by a 321cc, liquid-cooled, fuelinjected, four-valve single-cylinder engine. It’s nothing groundbreaking but delivers a nice punch of power – more specifically, it’ll kick out 28.2bhp at 7,500rpm and 22lb-ft of torque at 5,750rpm.

The 37mm diameter forks with 110mm travel up front and twin shocks with preload adjustment and 108mm travel at the rear are much better suited to rough Tarmac than any serious offroad terrain, but they’ll likely do the job nicely unless you’re pushing particularly hard.

Stopping power comes from a pair of 260mm floating discs with three-piston callipers up front, while at the rear a twin-piston calliper bites a 240mm disc. There’s a Bosch ABS system, too.

It’s all pretty standard, but it should do a good job of hauling the 194kg scoot to a halt.

Kymco hasn’t revealed any official facts and figures about how many miles you’ll be able to get from the 12.5-litre fuel tank, but initial reports suggest it should be capable of doing around 70mpg, which means you should be able to manage well over 150 miles from a single top-up.

46 WATT BIKE

Welcome to Watt Bike. The electric market’s getting bigger and bigger – that’s why we’ve introduced this standalone section that’s dedicated to all things electric. We’ll be bringing you news, products, guidance, tips, tricks and, most importantly, reviews of the latest and greatest electric bikes, scooters and pedalecs to come to market every single month.

THE KEY FACTS

If you’re 14 or over, you can ride an ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle’ without the need for registration, tax or insurance. It must have pedals, and its motor should not propel the bike once it hits speeds of 15.5mph. If it’s not an EAPC and is propelled without pedalling (or exceeds the 15.5mph speed limit), it will be classified as a motorcycle or moped. As a result you’ll need a driving licence to ride one, and it’ll also need to be registered, taxed and insured. Oh, and you’ll need to wear a crash helmet, too. Simple.

There is a bit of confusion about what sort of size of electric bike you can legally ride as you progress through the various licence

categories. But it’s not as complicated as it may first appear. Instead of paying attention to peak power like you would on a conventional petrolpowered motorcycle or scooter, UK regulations for electric machines focus on the amount of continuous power* available. That means you could buy an 11kW (15bhp) electric motorcycle or scooter, which is actually capable of delivering around 45kW (60bhp) of peak power. But because it doesn’t make that power ‘continuously’, you’d still be able to ride it with your CBT certificate.

HOW TO CHARGE

There are a few different ways to charge your motorcycle or scooter, but it all depends on the adaptors

LIGHTNING’S READY TO STRIKE

that come with your choice of ride.

Most of the (cheaper) lower-powered machines can only be charged using your standard three-pin plug socket that you’d find in any home in the UK, and generally it’s only the bigger and more expensive machines that can make full use of the network of fast chargers. Speaking of which, the public charging network is growing fast and at the time of printing there are over 45,000 connectors in the UK (according to www.zap-map.com). ✶

Continuous power is defined as the amount of power the motor is capable of sustaining (continuously) for 30 minutes.

SUPER SOCO’s TWO new entry-level electrics Super Soco has just introduced two more electric motorcycles to its growing range in an effort to further cement its place as the UK’s most popular electric motorcycle manufacturer.

Called the TS Street Hunter and TC Wanderer, the CBT-friendly learnerlegal bikes are powered by 2.5kW (3.4hp) electric motors which Super Soco says should be good for getting them up to a top speed of 45mph.

In their standard form they offer 35 miles of range, thanks to their single removable batteries which can be charged using a conventional three-pin UK plug socket in 3.5 hours.

It’s also worth noting that they’ve also got the capacity to run a second battery, which will effectively double their potential range – although the

Lightning Motorcycles has created a streamlined version of its Strike electric sportbike that it’s hoping will take speeds to in excess of 250 miles per hour.

With help from the world’s largest niobium producer CBMM, as well as aftermarket saddle manufacturer Corbin (the boss Mike Corbin set the electric land speed record himself way back in 1974), Lightning’s Tachyon Nb could be on to a winner.

We’ll have to sit tight to find out how it gets on though, as at this stage there’s been no official confirmation about when the Tachyon Nb will be taken to Bonneville for its first proper run.

NIU CUTS COSTS

Electric scooter giant NIU is making the move to cheaper sodium-ion batteries for one of its new models in 2023.

With the growth of the electric vehicle market increasing demand for lithiumion batteries, the Chinese firm has decided to create a new electric scooter using cheaper, more readily available sodiumion batteries.

That’s not all – there’re also rumours that NIU is considering doing some research and development around the possibility of using older lead-acid battery technology, in an effort to keep costs low enough to compete with its petrol-powered rivals.

additional weight might skew the figures slightly. They’re both kitted out with keyless ignitions and come fitted with an in-built alarm. There’s even a handy tracking feature, which when linked to the Super Soco smartphone app allows riders to track their bike in real time (as well as monitor its charging progress remotely).

Priced at £3799 (inclusive of the Government OZEV grant), the city-ready TS Street Hunter roadster comes in a choice of Storm Grey, Black, Platinum White and Charcoal Blue colourways, while the scrambler-ish styled TC Wanderer (it’s got knobbly wheels and wider bars) is available in Ceramic Blue, Vintage Green and Stormy Grey.

If you’re looking for a cost-effective city commuter or a learner-legal ride to nip about on, these two are definitely worth a gander. And credit to Super Soco for introducing more motorcycles and not just sticking to step-through scooters like a lot of the competition.

CONVERT YOUR MOPED

E-core is essentially an exchangeable electric motor which could be dropped in, in place of your moped’s existing petrol motor. Aimed exclusively at 50cc fourstrokes (for now) you’ll get a 1200 watt-hour removable battery pack that can be carried indoors for recharging and a 3kW electric motor.

That should mean you’ll get similar levels of performance from your scooter (with the added bonus of nearly double 8kW (12bhp) of peak power.

Fitting sounds straightforward, too. Unbolt the old 50cc unit, bolt in the E-core, add a stay to support the battery, and then connect the wires and the throttle.

They’re currently undergoing prototype testing, while also trying to get investors on board to help scale the project. Either way, it’s a very interesting idea and should surely be more cost-effective than chopping in your old scooter for an electric one when the time comes when we all have to make the transition.

WATT BIKE NEWS 47

Kawasaki’s TWO electric bikes are coming soon

Honda powers on The Japanese firm has just signed a deal with technology giant LG, and together they’re sinking a massive $4.4 billion into a new battery production facility in the USA. It might seem like Honda’s been a bit slow on the uptake with its electric output, particularly when it comes to motorcycles. But with cars and scooters beginning to make it to market, it’s hopefully not going to be too much longer before we see a production motorcycle, too.

With the new factory expected to be ready to mass-produce lithium-ion batteries by the end of 2025 and Honda Japan stating that it plans to make close to two million electric vehicles annually by 2030, it certainly looks like we’re getting there.

Can-Am’s back to bikes

There have been whispers that Kawasaki could be gearing up to launch electric motorcycle twins with up to 30bhp of peak power.

Kawasaki could be poised to become the first big name Japanese factory to reveal a range of electric motorcycles.

Recent reports suggest that we’re not going to have to wait too much longer for the first glimpse of the launch of a pair of new battery-powered learner-legal machines from the manufacturer.

It shouldn’t come as a great shock.

Kawasaki’s been tinkering away in the background for a little while now, and

it even showed off its full-size electric prototype undergoing on-track testing a few years ago. But instead of a full-size, full fat motorcycle, the Japanese firm looks set to go down the learner-legal route.

Tipped to be called the Ninja E2 and the Ninja E2-R (which likely denotes a naked and faired version), the pair of Kawasakis won’t be like your usual 125cc commuter.

While they’re expected to kick out continuous power of 14.8bhp, there’s talk

that there will be 30bhp of peak power to play with, which would put them on a par with the A2 licence Ninja 300. Sounds like fun, right?

Sadly, that’s about all we know about the two bikes for the time being, so we’ll just have to sit tight until the factory is ready to roll. Chances are it won’t be too much longer though, with the big bike shows at the end of the year fast approaching.

NEW METAL: Fantic’s ISSIMO 45 You might not think of pedalecs if you think of Fantic. But maybe you should.

Fantic’s probably best known for making seriously capable motocross and enduro bikes, and super-stylish retro-looking scramblers, so you might be forgiven for not knowing that it’s also well into battery-assisted pushbikes. And it’s just released a new one.

It’s an S-Pedelec called the ISSIMO 45. Never heard of an S-Pedelec before? Not to worry.

The S stands for Speed and, you guessed it, they go faster than a ‘traditional’ electric bicycle. In fact, because they’re capable of doing 28mph they’re actually in the same category as mopeds – which means you need a licence to ride one.

The ISSIMO 45 is powered by a Bafang M600 motor which kicks out a whopping 84lb-ft of torque, though the motor is only a tiny 500W number (which is equivalent to around 0.67 horsepower). Fantic says it’ll reach a sustained top speed of 28 mph, but because of the way these things are measured, it’s likely it’ll do even more (though probably not for very long). Charge is stored on a detachable 600Wh battery, and with the addition of a second battery you’ll be able to extend its range from 31 miles to 62 miles on a single charge. And if you make use of the pedals rather than just twisting the throttle, you’ll be able to manage quite a bit more, too.

Away from the electric bit, there’re some 80mm front forks, hydraulic disc brakes and 20x4-inch fat tyres – and to ensure you can ride it legally on the road, it gets a numberplate holder, full lighting and a mirror, too.

Priced at around £3,500, if you’re in the market for a slightly unconventional machine to tackle the daily commute, we reckon the Fantic’s worth a look.

It’s been a while since CanAm made a motorcycle – and it’s just revealed it’ll be producing two of them. And they’re electric.

Scheduled for release in 2024, the Can-Am Origin and CanAm Pulse are actually just the start. Its parent company BRP has said there’s a whole host of electric two-wheelers on the way. But for now, let’s focus on what we’ve got.

The Origin’s a kind of modern-day throwback to Can-Am's off-road racing glory days, and is designed for tackling trails and Tarmac with equal vigour, while the Pulse is an out-and-out road bike (which has more than a shade of Husqvarna’s Vitpilen about it).

They’re powered by a brand-new Rotax E-POWER electric motor, which Can-Am claims will provide plenty of punch to get up to proper speeds. Basically, these bikes won’t just be good for the city commute. Can-Am’s also revealed that the two motorcycles can either be charged at home or on standard Level 2 public chargers.

That’s about all we know. Of course, there’s still a way to go before the 2024 release date, but if these initial photos are anything to go by, CanAm means business. We’ll have to sit tight until August 2023 for the full technical specifications, but if you’re keen to be the first to know, you can visit the company website and sign up to get the latest news straight from the horse’s mouth.

48 FIRST RIDE: SUPER SOCO TC MAX

TO THE MAX We take a second look at Super Soco’s learner-legal roadster, the TC Max.

WORDS: Jonathan Schofield PHOTOS: Gary Chapman The TC Max is a 125cc equivalent electric motorcycle, yep 125cc. That means as the legislations stand, it falls into the A1 category, so if you're over 17 and have a CBT certificate to hand this could be the mode of transport you’ve been looking for. With fuel prices on the up and unlikely to reduce dramatically anytime soon, why not…?

The TC Max is small, rather diddy.

Seat height is a smidge (that’s roughly 5mm in old money) higher than a Grom, so at 5’ 10’’ I’m flat-footed.

Wheelbase on the other hand is longer, 1347mm. The styling is not what you’d expect. I mean that in a very positive way. If you (like me) loved the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 there are definite (well, in my eyes) nods to that Scandinavian machine.

The strong front stance on USD forks with a single large circular lamp bezel set halfway between the clock assembly and the front mudguard is balanced by the free-floating look of the seat. The numberplate and rear lights are attached to the swing arm.

Straight away the TC Max felt comfortable, if not a little firm. Be warned, if you try just sitting on it the built-in alarm will go of. Instead you’ll need to use the keyless round fob to unlock the bike. Wait for the funky little noise, and then it’s a case of pressing the power button at the top of the tank to fire everything up before you’re ready to get going.

Super Soco has also made sure that you cannot set off without the side stand up. Also, as a second failsafe, there is a power disable button on the right-hand switchgear. Once all that’s squared away and where it should be, you’ll be greeted by a simple green READY light on the dash. Twist the throttle and away you go.

If the TC Max was the first electric bike you’d ridden, then you’d probably be expecting a bit more get up and go. Headline news about electric vehicles seem to focus on the instant torque and bundles of power available, but that’s not really the case with the TC Max. It is a 125cc equivalent, after all. And in the real world you want predictable and smooth delivery - and the TC Max does just that.

It’s 12.9Nm (at the motor), provides no snatching or sudden jumps in power, even when snapping the

throttle open and closed.

The ride comfort is good. The front forks coped well with even the poorly maintained Lincolnshire B roads, as did the rear mono shock. My only complaint is that with the bike being as light as it is, you can end up with a small amount of bucking from the rear if you run over a really rather big pothole or a low-set manhole cover. Not enough to push you off your riding line or upset your traction, it can just take you by surprise the first couple of times.

The brakes on the TC Max are brilliant. Not a named brand that I have spotted before, but the feel and ability (combined with the lightness of the bike) allow you to pull up to a controlled stop in an impressive way.

At this point it’s also worth noting that the Super Soco has no gears and, in turn, there’s no clutch. Your standard front brake lever on the right side activates the front brake, and is very effective, but what would have been your clutch lever is now a CBS (combined braking system) lever acting on both front and rear discs and this pulls you up even quicker.

Now, in the time I have been on the TC Max I have not had the possibility to ride it in the rain (yes, I’m in the UK, just global warming has made it more like theSouth of France, without the brilliant food) and as it has not got ABS I cannot state if it would lock up or not, and if so how easily, but in the dry it’s very impressive indeed.

I was sceptical about the nylon mix tyres and again was happily given more confidence in their ability the

FIRST RIDE: SUPER SOCO TC MAX 49

longer I spent on the TC Max. They did the job admirably well, but I would love to see what a set of good rubber did to the ride. I suspect it'd make a big difference.

One of the questions I have been asking myself is, will this bike be useable all-year round, and at the top of that checklist are lights? Am I going to be able to get around at night and feel safe? Well, I have ridden bikes with worse lights, that’s for sure. They are LED but they are not the most confidence-inspiring.

Yes, I could get about, but found myself dropping my speed to be happier with the distance the light was thrown. That said, I was in deep, dark countryside, and considering this bike has been primarily designed for urban environments, I can forgive the slightly lacklustre shine from the LEDs. The charging of the TC Max is super simple and can be done with the battery in the bike or removed. The charger is a unit that plugs into a standard household socket and from flat Super Soco says it should only take between three and four hours to fully charge. That’d be great – but actually, I found it was closer to six.

Not the end of the world, particularly if you can get into the habit of charging it overnight. A rubber cover on the right-hand side of the bike hides the charging port, or you can remove the battery from under the false fuel tank. Unfortunately, this is not the easiest as the battery is locked in place (great) but to unlock it you need to use a key that is then in the way when it comes to pulling the 22kg battery straight up and out of its slot.

Honestly, after two or three times it does become easier, but where Super Soco has missed a trick is that the charger will not fit in the small storage space under the false tank. I would not want to ride around with a large metal charging unit in a backpack

so that I could charge at work or a friend’s house if needed. Maybe in the future they may amend that. Until then its either carry the charger or make sure you’re not going to run out.

On the same right-hand side of the switchgear there is a sliding switch that allows you to select one of three riding modes. If you’re used to riding technologically advanced motorcycles, you might be expecting tweaks to throttle response and traction control, but in truth, the modes simply offer more or less speed. Simply numbered 1, 2 and 3, these modes limit the maximum speed that the bike will attain. Mode 1 has a maximum speed of 34 mph, still quick enough for you to get a speeding ticket but a good place to start. Mode 2 tops out at roughly 45mph, and 3 gives you a maximum speed of a supposed 60mph.

In actual fact I found that with a favourable wind and a small tuck, a faction less than that could be pried out. I maxed out at 56mph on the satnav, but the speedo showed just a needle thickness past 60.

With the increase in modes and speed comes a reduction in the distance that the TC Max will carry you. Mode 3 (which to be honest is what I stuck to after the first few days) gives 43 miles on the clock when fully charged; in reality when riding with the throttle wound open and any kind of hills, that range was down to between 35 and 38 miles.

Mode 2 increases the displayed range to 52 miles and mode 1, 87 miles. Of course, I had to check to see how close I could get to the top end figure so on a very warm and still morning I set a route that would loop in ever-decreasing circles around my home village, meaning that when the battery eventually gave out, I shouldn’t have too far to push. So how did it do? Well, after shedding about 2kg of weight due to deciding to do the test on one of the hottest days of

the year, it did close to its estimated range of 87 miles. Deciding to stop altogether at 81, however, the last mile-and-a-half the indicator showed 0% charge and no miles of range left! It does have a discrepancy in the speedo and odometer compared to the satnav I was using. It was, give or take 10%, out. So, when the speedo was reading 60mph I was actually doing 54mph.

That may be down to the hot weather affecting the tyre pressures and altering the overall circumference of the wheel, but I doubt it would create that much of a difference. At least as far as I can see it’s the correct side of not being spot on.

You’d be rather unhappy if every time you went out you where hit with a ticket because it was reading 10% under what you were actually doing.

Overall, the TC Max is a good option if you’re after something a bit different to the current crop of A1 licence 125cc petrol machines that are out there. It’s lightweight, stylish, comfortable, offers good range for city use, and has brilliant brakes, but the inability to carry a charger under the false tank is a big frustration. Would I part with my hardearned cash to own one – and have I been fully converted to eco battery bikes? Well, I have been converted, but I’m not sure that the TC Max would be my first choice. If I was in the middle of a city instead of rural Lincolnshire then it would be on my radar for sure.

TECH SPEC Super Soco TC Max

Price: £4,399 (Alloy Wheel), £4,499 (Spoked Wheel) Motor: 5.0kW Battery: 60v 45Ah (2.7kWh) Battery Capacity Power: 5.0kW (Max) / 3/9kW (Rated) Torque: 12.9Nm (At Motor) Frame: Carbon Steel with Aluminum Subframe Brakes: (F) Disc with CBS (R) Disc with CBS Suspension: (F) USD Front Forks (R) Monoshock Wheels: (F) 90/80-17 (R) 120/70-17 Seat height: 770mm Weight: 101kg (with 22kg battery) Warranty: 2 Years Vehicle, 3 Years Battery & Motor

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

The firm 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’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.

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

Q&A Q

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

The knock-on of Covid-19… it’s a dog’s life. Round where I live it appears that every man and his dog (no pun intended) got a dog ‘for the kids’ when Covid arrived in 2020.

Unfortunately, that included my neighbour. This thing is a pain in the arse and constantly barks and digs under the fence into our garden and then… well, you can guess the rest.

Now, I’m not particularly blaming the dog for his behaviour as it’s not his fault. He needs to be trained.

However, the neighbour is about as much use as a chocolate teapot and his lack of care has now knocked me for six. Unbeknownst to me, the neighbour’s dog had escaped (again) after they left the garden gate open (again). As it has no recall whatsoever, it apparently spent the afternoon running around the village chasing anything that was on two wheels, from kids on scooters to motorbikes. That was until I turned into our cul-de-sac on my Triumph Bonneville (I had been out for a ride in the Peak District for the day). Once it spotted me, the dog shot out of a bush and straight in front of me. I had no chance of stopping and hit him at about 15mph.

The result was I fell off, breaking my arm and wrecking the side of my bike,

Need advice

and the dog now has a broken pelvis and leg. So, after we each got operated on, I now have to have the awkward chat with my neighbour as to who is to blame. Me or the dog? He asked my wife for my insurance details as he had a £2,000 vet’s bill to pay and wants to claim it back from my bike insurer.

The cheeky git. My view is he needs to pay for my broken arm and bike.

What do you think?

as your neighbour was meant to have their dog under control and didn’t, and it caused you to fall off your motorbike, he is liable for the damage caused, i.e. your broken arm and wrecked bike. As for getting the compensation for your injury and loss, you need to ask your neighbour if he has insurance to cover this. He may well have pet or home insurance that may cover this. If not, he may have to foot the bill himself.

A

Q

First of all, if you are unlucky enough to hit a dog, a horse, an ass, a mule, a sheep, a pig, a goat or cattle then there is a requirement (S.170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988) to provide your details to any person reasonably requiring them, or to report the accident to the Police. This should be done as soon as practicable and no later than 24 hours. If you do not stop, fail to provide your details or report the accident to the Police you will likely fall foul of the 1988 Act and be liable to prosecution. So, long story short, as you hit a dog, you need to give your insurance details to your neighbour, even if he is a cheeky git. Now, giving your insurance details does not mean you are liable for the accident. That is just you simply complying with the law. As for liability for the collision,

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 MB, in confidence, of course.

Over the summer I have been going to our local bike night at the pub.

It’s been a proper hoot and loads of awesome-looking bikes have turned up. It’s become a bit of a mecca for those who are good at stunting to rock up and put on a bit of a show by pulling wheelies and doing burnouts, etcetera on the road outside the pub.

A few locals have come out to kick off but were soon sent running when me and my mates starting booing and laughing. The problem I have now is I got a Notice of Intended Prosecution for dangerous driving. One of the chaps on our Facebook group (who works in insurance) reckoned that if I didn’t I.D. myself and give someone else’s name then the Police can’t get me. As he is an insurance expert, me and my mates all gave each other’s names. However, the Police then interviewed me and produced a video from Facebook of me pulling loads of wheelies over the summer. I was offered a duty solicitor but as I had to go to work, I decided to go it alone and went ‘No comment’

in the interview as that is what my mate had done the week before (the Police are after him as well). I am now worried I am in serious trouble and my third mate is being interviewed next week. Can I get done?

A

Please do not go on University Challenge as it would be fair to say you are not the brightest button in the tin. Pulling wheelies and doing burnouts is textbook ‘dangerous driving’. Therefore, if the CPS can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your riding fell far below what was expected of a competent and careful rider, and it was obvious that to ride in that way would be dangerous, then a Court will convict you. If convicted, it’s a minimum disqualification of 12 months and you could be locked up for a maximum of 24 months.

As for lying about who was riding, you need to be prepared for a court appearance for perverting the course of justice. This also carries a custodial sentence if convicted. All in all, I suspect you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. If you get summonsed to Court, you need to get some legal advice immediately and make sure you have your underwear and toothbrush packed and ready.

Lastly, listening to a chap who works in insurance on Facebook is not generally a good substitute to getting legal advice from someone who is actually legally qualified.

FROM THE VAULT 51 BSA legend John Draper shows off the versatility of the original Gold Star, tackling a particularly tricky climb during the 1958 Scottish Six Days Trial.

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For Sale

BSA Thunderbolt, 1967, metallic blue with white coachlines, 650cc, twin new Avons controls, cables Siamese exhaust, starts easily, running well, matching numbers bike, V5C, photos available, free delivery arranged Tel. 01723 372219. North Yorkshire

HONDA CB250 2002 model, Sorn for 10 years, rebuilt to put on road with new chain and sprockets, battery and genuine Honda exhaust, rides well, very good mileage, 75 +mph, £1200 Tel. 02380 812440.

Southampton.

HONDA CB250N 1980, very good condition, 19,900 miles, tax/MoT exempt, mainly original, £1550 Tel. 07484103498.

Somerset.

HONDA CB750/4 1979, black, 8500 miles, d/state import, vgc, recommissioned carbs/brakes, new tyres, battery, seat cover, £4999. Tel. 07759 607498.

HONDA MAGNA VF750C with V4 DOHC engine derived from Hondas superb VFR engine, this is one of the later Magnas that came out in 1993 (UK registered bike) the engine is one of the best parts of this bike & has lots of low down torque for effortless cruising, low seat height make this bike suitable for most riders, original purple paint, four owners, part service history, 2 keys, electric start, genuine mileage history, £3200 Tel. 01435 577144.

HONDA SH300I 2012, 1800 miles, two owners, MoT until November 2022, ABS, heated grips, new battery, front pads, front fork seals, rear shocks, drive belt and rollers replaced, some superficial body panel damage, top box included, good condition, £2200 ovno Tel. 07976 218061.

HONDA CX500B 1981, blue, project not running, good engine, David Silver swingarm, MoTad, crash bars, carrier, 31,000 miles, two keys, recent tyres Bridgestone, complete bike, V5 present, manual, some spares, £700 ono Tel. 07774 001331.

Manchester.

HONDA REBEL 1997, Cruiser, very nice motorcycle, electric start, 11,000 miles, MoT till 24/4/2023, £1950. Tel. 01691 831139. Powys.

HONDA SHADOW VT750 in good working condition, will put 12 months MoT on for buyer, stainless steel spokes fitted, chrome radiator guard, riding boards and rack installed, original pegs and rear seat still with bike, new battery, this is a second bike and surplus to requirements, £3500 Tel. 07739 412143.

KAWASAKI W650 2002, red & cream, 14,000 miles, excellent condition, reluctant sale, £3950 Tel. 01291 423392.

KAWASAKI ZR-7 2001, blue, 8 months MoT, new tyres, front calipers, all new cables, good all round condition, fly screen, 23,000 miles, valve and carb service, 19,000 miles, £1400 ono Tel. 07951 067803.

HONDA VFR800FI 2000 model, 57,000 miles, very good condition, serviced regularly, Scottoiler, Baglux tank harness, Givi rack and topbox, new tyres, £1800 Tel. 07779 783260. North Wales.

HONDA CB750/4 1979, black, 8500 miles, d/state import, very good condition, recommissioned carbs/brakes, new tyres, battery, seat cover, £4999. Tel. 07759 607498.

HONDA VFR1200FD 2014, metallic red, 29,000 miles, s/h new brakes & fork seals, fresh MoT, very good condition, optional Givi rack, matching topbox, £4999. Tel. 07759 607498.

KAWASAKI Z650 1980, V reg, metallic green, UK, one owner, engine is complete but frame is dismantled for restoration, looks all there, wheels also complete, £1800. Tel. 01223 350289 evenings. Cambridge.

KAWASAKI ZX6R-J1 2000 Ninja, immaculate, 21,000 miles, two keys, owners manual, Haynes manual, fitted gear indicator, new radiator and hoses, always garaged, Pilot road 3 tyres, tool kit, datatagged, MoT June 2023, £1900 Tel. 01516 069983. Wirral.

KAWASAKI ZX900 2000, project bike, very much complete purchased recommission back to road use, £750. Tel. 07950 398750.

KYMCO X-CITING 2021, 71 reg, 400cc, ex maxi scooter, 5900 miles in blue, fsh, mint condition, no winter use, 82 mpg, garaged, sat nav, £4699. Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire.

KTM 990SMT 2013, lovely clean condition, two owners, 23,000 miles, recent service, MoT to 28/1/2023, nearly new tyres, many extras, £4500 Tel. 07896 046810. Cambridge.

MASH 500 2020 my last venture into motorcycling time to stop, after 60 years losing confidence and strength, 1750 miles, excellent condition, £2200 Tel. 01892 542256. Kent.

MOTO GUZZI SPORT Sport 1200, 2009, 22,400 miles, owned 8 years, panniers, hugger, GPR can, double bubble screen and service history, £5000. Tel. 07714 005795. North Kent.

ROYAL ENFIELD EFI Bullet, 2017, 11 months MoT, well looked after, £2500 or exchange Honda CB500 or similar Tel. 07398 649343. North Yorkshire.

TRIUMPH Twenty One, 1964, black/ivory, mint condition, rare Bikini model, hence price £4000, buff log, too old to ride, must sell Tel. 07752 312211. Berks.

TRIUMPH ROCKET III Tourer, 2008, 2300cc, 8000 miles, unused, in blue, lovely bike, will need light recommission, any sensible offers, have other bikes available Tel. 07950 398750.

West Midlands.

TRIUMPH AMERICA 2005, 10,300 miles, good condition, many upgrades, OEM spares, too heavy now, £3600 ono Tel. 07823 693477. Nottinghamshire.

YAMAHA XJ6S Diversion, 2009, 31,600 miles, 7 months MoT, power bronze high screen, heated grips, Scottoiler chain oiler system, pyramid hugger, topbox, all round good condition, always, garaged, £2300 ono Tel. 07714 378253. West Mids.

Parts For Sale ARIEL SQUARE 4 cylinder head, £350. Tel. 07833 906288. Essex.

BMW 1150GS tank cover, blue & white, + Haynes Manual, £30.

BSA rear number plate, A&B models, £15. BSA A & B Rocker box, empty, £10. Honda NC700 radiator guard, £15. BSA sump plate & filter, £10. Ariel single clutch centre and basket, £50.

BSA A10 kick start quadrant, £25. BSA tank badges, metal, A65 Rocket 3, £40. Dunlop rim + middles 3.25x19, £25. BSA Aries small journal con rods, £40. Ariel gearbox, mainshaft, £30 Tel. 07968 390994. West Midlands.

SPARES FOR HONDA SS50 Honda CB250/350K, Kawasaki W650/W800, Yamaha XJR1300 Tel. 07711 107649. South Wales.

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BSA A65 cylinder barrels with new pistons and rings, also twin carburettor cylinder head with carburettors and original Rocker box cover and a box of mixed sidecar fittings, contact for details Tel. Chris 01342 894580.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT700 Haynes Manual 06-2013.

Honda NT700 Deauville inner pannier bags to fit wide or cargo panniers, as above pyramid front fender extender all new, £55, contact for more details Tel. Roy 01302 340181. South Yorkshire.

KAWASAKI ER500 SPARES: starter motor fitted with new brushes, petrol tap fitted with new repair kit not tested, set new brake pads still boxed, new starter repair kit still boxed, starter clutch and fly wheel, £50 the lot Tel. 07854 630495.

KAWASAKI Z200 clocks, tail light, left side panel, Z250 clutch kit with steel plates, new. Also Suzuki RF600 fuel tap, Service Manuals KZ200, KZ650, KZ750, KZ1000, KZ1100, good condition Tel. 07425 716876. West Yorkshire.

Wanted BSA B40 or similar engine wanted, reasonable condition and price please Tel. David 07436 002647. Email. thehubbards1954@hotmail.com

Miscellaneous ABBA BIKE STAND with fixing kits for Kawasaki ZXR750 and ZX-6R, (fixing kits for other bikes available from ABBA), little used, £60. Tel. 01516 069983.

DAVE COOPER collapsible single bike trailer, spare wheel, loading ramp, used once, garaged stored, max 250kg, fits in car boot, £225 leave message Tel. 01614 375415. Manchester.

BMW Gortex suit (lined), XL, freshly dry-cleaned, £75. Tel. 07759 607498.

BOOKS: ‘From TT to Tokyo’, Robb. ‘Road Racing Takin The Mick’, Grant. ‘Ariel Story’, Hartley. ‘Save the Triumph Bonneville’, Redmond. ‘The Racing Motor Cycle’, Woollett, all £10 each plus p&p Tel. 01543 425795. Staffs.

KAWASAKI TT LEATHER JACKET in green and white to match bike with Kawasaki ‘K’ on the shoulders, size 42, not scuffed, never been down, £90 Tel. 01516 069983. Wirral.

MOTORCYCLE GEAR FOR SALE: Ladies Ixon Nivana 4 motorcycle jacket, waterproof textile, size 8, £45. Ladies Frank ThomasLady Rider, waterproof textile, size LXS, £50. Dainese Goretex Touring Jacket + back protector, CE/EN approved padding with zip-on inners, UK size 52, £180. Teknic black motorcycle trousers, waterproof with zip-on inners (thermal), UK size 32, £40. Profirst black padded fleece hoodie, size large, £25. Schubert S1 helmet double visor (inner tinted) quick release strap, size small, £120. Redroute Camo trousers with Kevlar inners, knee and hip padding, size 34s, £45.

Rukka Goretex Virium black waterproof gloves with Goregrip technology and hard knuckles, size large, £80. Tractech Stinna Schoeller Keprotec gloves, black, white and red with carbon fibre, size large, £40. TomTom Rider V2 with UK and European Maps with motorcycle attachments, charger and 2 carry cases, £130.

Tel. 07835 443917.

ROLL TOP BAG 50L, blue, never used as new, £10. Large 65L holdall yellow, vgc, only a few scuff marks due to bungees, used once, £15 Tel. 07999 873401. Flintshire.

TALBOT CAMPER Day Van, 1990, MoT until 2023, unused, tidy, win number competitions, clean and dry, rebuilt engine, no use due to health issues, best offer around £1500 Tel. 07950 398750. West Midlands.