Motor Cycle Monthly - September 2018

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THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST BIKING MONTHLY!

September 2018

#147

Life in ultra H-D

Mind-boggling bikes revealed

MT-09 power Leans like a bike Just look at it!

It’s the RD350LC LPEL ★ SCA BE HE

THE SCAL LD PE HO

L★

KTM’s 790 Duke is the weapon of choice!

OLD THE BEH SC

Classic screaming good fun from ’81

✪ 105bhp ✪ 169kg ✪ £8499 ✪ Awesome

★ BEHOL PEL DT AL

HUGE trade deal set to drop bike prices!

Spy shots!

Ducati’s 2019 Diavel caught out

The cost of motorcycles sold in Europe could fall by as much as 8%. An historic trade agreement between the European Union and Japan has blown away price-hiking tariffs on 99% of Japanese goods – including motorcycles and motorcycle parts.

More on page 6

NEWS 3

Harley-Davidson’s BIG plan

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An adventure bike, a streetfighter, LiveWire going into production and loads more motorcycles announced

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Talk about turning your motorcycle world upside down! Harley-Davidson has sent the motorcycle establishment reeling with its huge plans for the future with a raft of new motorcycles ranging from 500 to 1250cc.

And topping the wow factor has been the machine pictured here – the firm’s brand new Pan America adventure bike.

The Pan America is powered by a new water-cooled motor which is going to form the powerplant for a range of new motorcycles. In the Pan it’s appearing as a 1250cc V-twin with a host of electronics, ride-by-wire throttle and traction control.

Harley hasn’t released any specifics in terms of output or spec yet, but this thing looks serious.

What we can see from the single photo sent out from the factory is that the bike gets trick Showa suspension and hard-biting Brembo brakes.

There’s no mention of price yet, but we do know that the bike will be released in 2020 and will be the first bike to appear from what Harley-Davidson is referring to as the ‘middleweight range’.

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Kind of lookalike?

And here’s the Streetfighter 975 Planned to launch at the beginning of 2020 alongside the Pan America (above), this is Harley’s meaty new Streetfighter 975 – powered by the same modular, watercooled V-twin motor that’s at the heart of the big Adventure bike.

Harley is keeping us in suspense by being light on details about the big bruiser for now - but it’s hard not to be impressed by the new bike’s looks.

“The bold actions we are announcing leverage

Harley-Davidson’s vast capabilities and competitive firepower – our excellence in product development and manufacturing, the global appeal of the brand and our great dealer network,” said Matt Levatich, the firm’s president and chief executive officer.

“Alongside our existing loyal riders, we will lead the next revolution of twowheeled freedom to inspire future riders who have yet to even think about the thrill of riding.”

Not officially announced, but...

Now, this wasn’t officially announced

by Harley-Davidson amid the myriad of new motorcycles, but at the same time as the showy reveal was happening, we were also sent details of a set of patents, which show that Harley-Davidson is working on an Emergency Autonomous Braking System for its next generation motorcycles.

The patent reveals that HarleyDavidson plans to use sensors to watch you when you ride. The system then works out if a rider is physically or mentally prepared for emergency braking. The sensors would be placed on handlebar grips, saddle, footrests and instrument panel (and even inside the helmet)

THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST BIKING MONTHLY!

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to evaluate if a rider is prepared to react – before the autonomous braking takes control. If the system detects that the rider is not prepared for emergency braking, it would turn on warning indicators – and if the rider fails to respond, the system will automatically slow down the motorcycle.

Equally, if the system detects that the rider is alert and has started to apply brakes, it will assist by applying additional braking pressure.

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The cut and paste superbike

Log on to MoreBikes.co.uk and search ‘superbike’ to watch some incredible timelapse footage of a French artist making a life-sized superbike out of cardboard and tape. The card creation of a big Kawasaki has moveable levers, working suspension and flip-up footrests. It’s incredible.

Marketing manager Charlotte Park Commercial director Nigel Hole Customer services number 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm

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Pakistan-based Sigma Motors imports and manufactures low and medium displacement bikes for emerging markets. And its flagship model is its Sigma Warrior 350, which looks remarkably like a Ducati 848.

Sigma has even created a model with Ducati branding, to show just how close it is to the iconic Italian manufacturer’s machine. It’ll only set you back a fraction of what it cost for the bike its looks are based on – with a price tag of £4200.

MCM recommends bikesafe.co.uk

Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies

KTM has launched a new competition to get a 790 Duke for a fortnight AND VIP MotoGP access at the British GP round on August 26. To enter, just make a film saying why you want to be the winner. Tag your video #790SUMMER and KTM will decide which is the best one.

4 NEWS

Harley’s big plan is electric (and 250cc, 500cc) motorcycles and £750 MILLION of investment

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Suzuki announces CLASSIC track day at Cadwell Park Announced in the final week of July, the audacious plans by HarleyDavidson to bring in a huge raft of new motorcycles caught the motorcycle world napping.

And while we all have to wait until 2020 to get our hands on the likes of the Pan America adventure bike and Streetfighter 975 (see page 3 – ed), one new bike from Harley is going to hit dealerships next year – the electrically powered LiveWire bike.

What we know is that LiveWire is not only going to be the first motorcycle out of the blocks in this ‘new wave’ of bikes from H-D but also the first in what the company calls “a broad, no-clutch ‘twist-and-go’ portfolio of electric two-wheelers designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport”.

That’s a bit waffly, but it does mean

that LiveWire will be followed by additional models which will appear through 2022 to broaden what’s on offer from H-D with lighter and smaller electric bikes.

What will these look like? Well although Harley didn’t release any photos of any actual electric models other than LiveWire, it did show a range of drawings of where the designs for the smaller electric bikes were going. And they’re pretty funky.

But that's not all. Harley went on to announce that, as part of what amounts to an astonishing £750 million of self-funded investment, it is also developing a small-displacement (250cc to 500cc) motorcycle for the Asian emerging markets. This small bike is going to happen as part of an association with an as-yet-unnamed manufacturer in Asia.

“A broad, no-clutch ‘twist-and-go’ portfolio of electric two-wheelers designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport”

Suzuki is hosting a classic Suzukithemed track day at Cadwell Park on September 13 – in partnership with its Vintage Parts Programme. Spots are available for £125 and will be open to all Suzuki machinery manufactured before 2000, with riders able to book into one of four groups – novice, twostrokes, up to 750cc and over 750cc – and enjoy six 15-minute sessions throughout the day. For more info go to: www.classicbiketrackdays.com.

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Riding

For more information on getting on two wheels, check out our brilliant sister publication – On2Wheels

NEWS 5

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VIDEO: Watch the ‘WAYNE’ trailer

The latest issue of the excellent Classic Motorcycle Mechanics is on newsagents’ shelves right now so make sure you get your hands on the BEST motorcycle magazine looking at superbikes of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. There’s a long look at the legacy of the immense Yamaha R1, loads of tests plus the sweetest reboot of the Suzuki-Katana-for-the-modern-age that you’ll ever see!

Costing just £4.30, CMM is the absolute must-have for fans of modern retro metal.

If you’d rather go online to buy it then check out: www.classicmechanics.com.

Log on to MoreBikes.co.uk and search ‘Wayne’ to see the trailer for the upcoming film about 1987 500cc GP world champion, Wayne Gardner.

The movie, due out soon, blends animation, modern interviews and archive footage to tell the story of the Aussie kid from a small mining town who rose to the highest echelons of the sport. It’s a cool watch.

The world’s best place for superbikes from the 1970s, 80s & 90s

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6 NEWS

WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS FRONT-HUBBED THING GOING TO TURN INTO?

(from Kawasaki’s special futures/sci-fi department)

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Designs show weird front-end is on the way, but which motorcycle will we see it on in the near-ish future? And why?

Okay, hands up people – we’ve got no idea what this patent design filed by the Japanese company is for – but it’s weird and has had us scratching out heads for a couple of hours now, so we figured we’d leave it to you to tell us.

These patents have just appeared from Kawasaki showing a very odd looking, hub-steering front end with detailed images of the bike’s front wheel and how it works.

There are only two things we can be sure of (largely because it’s mentioned in the patent itself ) and they are that this design is going on to a motorcycle

at some point and that it’s currently not like anything we’ve seen that’s heading for a production motorcycle from Kawasaki so far. Except, that is, for the Concept J bike which was shown five years ago.

Okay, so these patents are a long (production-based) way away from the funky, impossible loveliness of the Concept J bike, but if you look at the side-on design of the front of the bike and view it as looking at the inside of the right front wheel (as if the left hand front wheel and unit had been removed altogether) then there’s a similarity here. Kind of.

Japan-EU trade deal announced Free trading cuts 99% of tariffs on Japanese goods INCLUDING motorcycles!

It’s the world’s largest bilateral free trade deal which has been announced by both the EU and Japan and it could see the cost of Japanese motorcycles drop by as much as 8%.

Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister and EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk have put the agreement together in response to Donald Trump’s announcement of supposed solidarity with Vladimir Putin a week before the Japan/EU deal was announced.

In essence it means that once the deal has been ratified by both sides through their legal process, the Japan/EU trade deal will see 99% of tariffs on Japanese goods wiped out. It could take eight years for this to become a reality as far as cars (and motorcycles) go though, due to financial markets settling to absorb costs. Will we in the UK see the benefits of this, once Brexit has been finally wedged through the constitutional process? Possibly, if this can be added into the no deal/some deal machinations.

KTM 790 Duke R caught

Admittedly, the 2019 KTM 790 Duke R doesn’t look dramatically different from the current 2018 model. But these spy shots show that the Duke R is going to get a range of higher spec bits and pieces, including Brembo brakes – in the form of a monoblock front caliper – fully adjustable WP suspension front and rear, and of course, a set of distinctive orange wheels. Nice.

8 NEWS

Peugeot 2019 super scoot caught out and about

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Revamped Citystar scooter exchanges previous commuter clothes for something much more ‘super’ Our spy snappers have caught this during a day staking out a private test track – it’s a very highly camouflaged Peugeot Citystar scooter undergoing final bodywork tests.

It’s hard to tell exactly what the nuances of the new bodywork are, largely because of the effective camo colourscheme, but what is instantly obvious is that the new scooter is a lot bigger than any current models.

So the Citystar looks to be heading more towards the superscoot than plain old commuter fodder.

The new bike gets lower, more

SPY SHOTS

funky headlights, there’s a lot more bodywork up front – suggesting various storage compartments, the rear of the bike’s body has been completely re-designed with new lights and the bikes snapped were running two different screens, one black and quite small while the other is huge with an effective kick-lip at the top to deflect more wind off the rider at speed. It’s hard to spot in the images but the screen may be adjustable for different heights, too.

Expect the bike to be shown for the first time at the Paris show later this year.

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Honda boss goes public on Hornet rumours ‘We’ve got TWO new 650s coming! One will be funky, one will be mainstream.’

How about this for all you Hornet fans out there? Great news emerging about the future of Honda after a top interview with Fabrice Recoque, director of the motorcycle division of Honda France.

Here’s the response when French motorcycle mag Moto Revue asked if Honda has closed off the idea of bringing back the Hornet. Recoque said: “Absolutely not! Our roadster strategy will be established in two phases.

“Medium-term we will have a new bike which will be about 650cc and that will be presented in the coming months.

“I cannot say more about this.

“That bike will be followed by another new bike, this one will be more volume-oriented and we have already started work

on it, but it’s not for now.”

The interviewer went on to ask whether either of the new bikes will be a rival for the bestselling Yamaha MT-07, to which the Honda boss added: “Our strategy will not be to attack the MT-07 with the same style or a similar price. We will propose a very different motorcycle with a unique style and very different positioning.

“It will probably be a bit more expensive but also very different and slightly off the competition.”

When asked when the bikes are likely to be seen it was made clear that Honda’s not looking to hit all the big bike shows in earnest with the new Hornet, with Recoque saying: “The new bikes will be presented at EICMA in Milan [in November – ed]. As for Cologne and Paris, it’s under discussion, but I hope that we’ll have something to present in Paris. In any case it will be either Cologne or Paris, but not both.”

McQueen’s ‘On Any Sunday’ Husqvarna 400 up for sale The King of Cool’s 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross which appeared in the cult documentary, On Any Sunday and on the front of Sports Illustrated, is set to be auctioned off by Bonhams.

You can register your interest at Bonhams now if you’re keen – but don’t expect a bargain. In 2009 a Triumph which belonged to McQueen sold for $84,000 (just over £50,000). The Bonhams sale will be held on Saturday, October 6 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. For more info: www.bonhams.com

 9

10 NEWS

SPY SHOTS

DUCATI’S

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2019 Diavel REVEALED

These are the closest, best photos yet captured of the next-generation Diavel out on test

VIDEO: Himalayas on a Hayabusa

Log onto MoreBikes.co.uk and search ‘Himalayas’ to see Youtuber Jasminder Singh tackling the treacherous terrain between Leh, Ladakh and Delhi on his 1340cc hyper-sportbike.

It’s not for the faint-hearted...

This bike was the subject of much interest at the recent World Ducati Week (July 20 to 22) where it was shown to the masses at the event.

Those who went into the closedroom viewing had to hand in their phones at the door, such is Ducati’s desire to keep the more detailed elements of the muscle cruiser secret.

So it must be annoying to the factory and those who saw this bike under wraps, that these shots have now surfaced.

With these photos of the bike trying to head out on consumption testing, we can now see plenty and from what we now know, it looks even more like the Diavel’s evolution is heading back to the original pretty-sporty ethos of the 2013 version of the big Ducati.

Under the WDW wraps, the bike was codenamed ‘Project 1309’ – a name given to it because this bike is the ninth ‘tweak’ of the Diavel since 2013.

Two years after the bike was launched in 2011, the Diavel underwent a makeover that left it sportier and more aggressive so it’s clear that next year’s bike is going down a similar route.

On the prototype motorcycle that we’ve caught here, we can see that the bike is using the 1262cc V-twin Testastretta DVT – it’s the same engine that you find in the Multistrada and the XDiavel, it makes 156bhp.

There’s some major changes to the bike including the exhaust. Gone are the large double exhaust cans on the right-hand side, replaced by a compact exhaust unit that sits centrally under the bike. This is done to help centre the bike’s mass and improve handling.

The new Diavel is also getting corner ABS, a blipper to let the rider crash through the gears without the need of a clutch, wheelie and traction control and various riding modes. The new Diavel is also getting Ducati Power Launch which will be single-button activated.

Its dash is coming Bluetooth enabled so that the bike can link up with a smart phone directly.

The better driveability is enhanced by the new steering head angle which has switched from 62° to 63°.

The rear suspension travel has also been upped from 120mm to 134mm although the seat height and position has been kept the same, Ducati reckons that where the rider sits on

the bike is an ideal middle-ground between sport and touring. The bike’s wheelbase has grown by 15mm and is now 1600mm in length.

We know that there will be at least two versions of the bike for 2019, the S version (with Ohlins suspension and other, higher level parts) and the standard bike (Marzocchi and Sachs suspension).

The Diavel now has a Panigale swingarm and overall looks more slim – thanks largely to the small exhaust unit and cosmetic touches like the narrower rear which has the LED tail light mounted flush. Indicators are now integrated into the license plate holder as they are with the XDiavel.

Ducati will produce enough aftermarket touches so that owners of the next-gen Diavel will be able tour on the bike if they want to. Items like panniers, a touring screen and upright for the larger pillion seat are due to go online at the same time as the bike officially hits dealers in early 2019.

Suzuki reveals RM-Z250 for 2019

The RM-Z250 gets an all-new frame and swingarm, optimising rigidity and improving handling, along with a new rear shock and updated front forks.

There’s a new front brake setup with a bigger disk for stopping and new Dunlop tyres to enhance grip.

The Suzuki RM-Z250 is expected to arrive early next year, no news on price just yet.

CSC’s Grom-inspired electric ‘City Slicker’

Californian motorcycle manufacturer CSC has just unveiled its new electric motorcycle – and it looks fairly close to a little Honda Grom.

It’s a compact machine, measuring 1.8m in length, with a wheelbase of 1.25m – but it weighs a surprisingly portly 150kg, presumably as a result of its electric motor and battery.

The unspecified electric motor powers the CSC via a belt drive to the rear wheel – up to a top speed of 75kph. It’s not too expensive, prices start from around £1500.

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  11

12 NEWS

Sent down! The moron who filmed himself at 189mph

High speed blast on a stolen Yamaha R1, filmed on an iPhone then saved to a computer = time in prison.

It’s believed to be the fastest EVER speed by which a motorcyclist has been convicted in this country – the phone footage shows Adam Campion getting pretty close to the double tonne on a stolen bike.

Without bothering his brain cells too much, the scrote, riding someone else’s pride and joy, then took the footage and uploaded it to a laptop, which police found when they executed a warrant on his home in September 2016.

As a result of the huge speed on a public road and other offences filmed by others which showed Campion, 26, of Hucknall, Notts, wheelieing on public roads, the bumbling idiot was

jailed for 21 months at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday after admitting five counts of dangerous driving. He also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender with the retention of stolen goods.

The court was told how Campion’s laptop was seized, which contained

hundreds of videos and images of motorcycles being ridden recklessly.

Detectives used forensic facial recognition which identified Campion as the rider – despite him wearing a crash helmet at times.

In one of the most damning videos, Campion can be seen riding the bike one handed while holding his mobile phone in his left hand and taking the Yamaha R1 to an indicated 189mph.

Notts Police Inspector Glenn Longden said: “The illegal and dangerous use of motorcycles is a massive issue to our communities and although this investigation was immensely complex and time consuming, the result in court has been satisfying.”

Bennetts launches NEW insurance for classic motorcycles Motorcycle insurance specialist Bennetts has launched insurance for classic bikes – offering owners of modern classic and vintage machinery individually-tailored coverage to help protect their pride and joy.

Bennetts has designed the insurance for classic motorcycles, to make it as easy as possible for owners to customise and modify their bikes. The policy includes 16 common modifications covered as standard – and, best of all – if any of the modifications are made after taking out the policy, they don’t need to be declared to Bennetts. Plus, for non-standard modifications, there’s no administration fee to amend the policy to include these changes.

Bennetts’ new classic motorcycle insurance also includes optional agreed value, making sure each unique bike is insured to the correct value. Should the worst happen and the bike is written off, the salvage retention options allow owners to buy back their bike and recover any parts. And, for those who want to show off their prized possession to fellow enthusiasts, the policy includes show and events cover too.

And Bennetts is also offering insurance for both modern and classic motorcycles on one multi-bike policy (up to four bikes) – so owners who have more than one type of machine in their garage do not need to insure each one on separate policies.

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Classic Racer #193

OUT NOW!

Packed to the rafters with incredible photography, the best words and the finest interviews, Classic Racer is the must-see magazine for any fan of motorcycle racing. Mixing racing from the 1950s with more modern clashes of the racing gods, Classic Racer gets the REAL story from the men who made it happen.

Priced just £4.50, make sure your get your hands on Classic Racer before it sells out. If you fancy grabbing it online then log onto: classicracer.com.

It’s THE motorcycle magazine that YOU should grab this month.

14 LAUNCH REPORT

Parallel universe Back in 2015 KTM teased us with the drop dead gorgeous 790 Duke Prototype. Three years later it’s finally here – but is the ‘Scalpel’ sharp enough to cut down its naked middleweight rivals?

Words: Carl Stevens Photography: KTM It’s been a long time coming, but KTM has been pretty busy since it whetted our taste buds with the prospect of a class defining mid-capacity hooligan.

Building ground up bikes always takes a while and thanks to KTM’s methodical approach – that has seen the 790 kitted with more new features than you can shake an orange stick at – it’s easy to see where the time’s gone.

Ditching the single cylinder lump of old, the Austrian marque has added another chamber into the Duke’s mix.

And thanks to a succinct design and some snazzy components such as forged pistons, dual balancer shafts, a painstakingly honed cylinder head and precise valve timing, the compact and lightweight twin-pot’s delivery dwarfs the still available 690’s output with a claimed 105bhp and impressive 64lb-ft of pulling torque.

Even if you’re one of those die-hard KTM single cylinder fans and are struggling to digest this change in small-bike powerhouse direction, you’ll hopefully be able to take comfort in knowing the brand has maintained that raucous deep Barry White-esque tone that we’ve come to love and expect from Dukes. This is thanks to a 75˚ crank offset and 435˚ firing order, mimicking the bark and brilliance of the big bad 1290 Duke.

KTM has even angled the exhaust system to deliver the engine note to your ear with more vigour.

On the subject of exhausts, I know a lot of people are disappointed with the pipe’s location (the prototype had a jaw-dropping MotoGP under-seat style when it was unveiled to the world in 2016) but while the

production-approved can doesn’t match up to the prototype’s visual draw, its positioning does permit space under the seat for the bike’s electronic nerve centre and airbox.

Everything about the KTM is built with purpose at heart, from the way it’s styled to the way it handles, the way it makes its power to the way it makes you want to wind its throttle to the limiter.

Yep, it’s a pretty calculated machine and the same goes for its stressed member steel chassis and load bearing rear sub-frame. With handling and agility being so vital to a middleweight, KTM has gifted the 790 high quality suspension in the shape of WP forks, which, although they aren’t adjustable, have a pre-defined setting that is claimed to suit every type of riding (and a broad range of rider weights), coupled with a WP preload-adjustable shock and hidden KYB damper to save you from tank slapping your way to infinity and beyond. To keep you sunny-side-up, another first for KTM is its decision to head down the Maxxis tyre route.

Sports-touring Maxxis Supermaxx ST rubber has been developed specifically for the bike.

On top of all the mechanical goodness, the 790 comes with an impressive set of electronics that has, essentially, been taken from the flagship Super Duke. Fully adjustable traction control, a power assisted slipper clutch, ride-by-wire throttle, adjustable cornering ABS, plus a quickshifter and blipper lead the technological charge, with four different rider modes offering

different pre-defined levels of power and throttle response (Track, Sport, Road, Rain) all changeable at the flick of a finger. There’s wheelie control too, plus a launch control system.

Having made my way out to a sweltering Gran Canaria for the model’s glitzy launch, the time eventually came to cock a leg and kick off the inevitable joyride. A short and slow jaunt was the first order of the day, but not before I’d had the chance to take in the bike’s low seat height (it’s even lower than the 390 Duke’s) and its low weight feel – at just 169kg wet it’s definitely no lookalike sportster.

The supermoto-esque toy made my hobbit-like frame feel immediately

TECH SPEC KTM 790 Duke

Engine: 799cc two-cylinder DOHC parallel twin Bore x stroke: 86 x 65.7mm Compression: 12.7:1 Fueling: DKK Dell’Orto Power: 105bhp @ 8000rpm Torque: 64lb-ft @ 8000rpm Traction control: Yes ABS: Yes Quickshifter: Yes Wheelie control: Yes Launch control: Yes Autoblipper: Yes Frame: Steel frame with engine as stressed element Front suspension: WP-USD 43mm forks Rear suspension: WP shock absorber Front brakes: 2 x 300mm discs with four piston calipers Rear brakes: 240mm Single disc with two piston caliper Wheelbase: 1475mm Seat height: 825mm Wet weight: 169kg Fuel capacity: 14 litres Price: £8499 From: www.ktm.co.uk

LAUNCH REPORT 15 at home and I was pleased to see a decent size seat, some tall mounted handlebars and low(ish) pegs. With the motor booming and the 790’s dash lit up like a Christmas tree, I scrolled through the rider modes and slotted it into ‘Street’ mode.

The motor’s initial throttle pick up still felt sharp and punchy through the bike’s slick operating ride-bywire system. It may have only been a half-hour trek down a highway and through villages but I instantly got a feel for the 790 Duke, which proved playful on demand and containable when tootling. Hitting the motorway was my first real chance to perform a speed test, so I got the motor singing and found the bike’s straight line speed and stability to my liking.

Getting back on some smaller roads, we hit a load of slow stop-start sections, which weren’t to the KTM’s liking. Dawdling along, the motor did feel a bit lumpy, with the only cure being to throw more revs into the mix and run a gear lower than you’d expect.

Switching to Rain mode improved matters somewhat.

The 790 Duke might have shone while being well behaved, but being ragged was where it was happiest – as I soon grasped having knocked mine into Sport mode just in time for a 70-mile

IN DETAIL

stint on dazzlingly twisty roads no wider than a kart track. This was where the Duke’s sublime chassis came into its own, offering the kind of change-of-direction rate that you would expect from a shopping trolley.

The bike was carving corners with minimal effort. You could really feel the benefits of the 111,111 man hours (yes, that many) that’ve gone into building this bike and, as we swept effortlessly through third gear flowing twisties there wasn’t any soft wallowing or head shaking nastiness to write home about, not even when we hit one section that was riddled with hairpins and short straights.

It was here that I really got a taste for the engine delivering what it does at its best. The throttle instantly picked up and the torque just catapulted me out of bends. I soon learned that as fast as I could throw gears through the slick operating ’shifter, the Duke’s motor was more than eager to consume them and throw revs and pace back my way.

In general, the whole bike was performing very well on the roads, including its four-pot

Weight: 169kg Power: 105bhp @ 9000rpm Torque: 64lb-ft @ 8000rpm Seat height: 825mm

Electronics

The 790 Duke gets a whole host of riding aids and electronics derived from the Super Duke 1290. Adjustable traction control? Check. Wheelie control? Check. Launch control? Check. Cornering ABS? Check. Quickshifter and blipper? Check and check. The 790 Duke even comes with Motor Slip Regulation, which essentially works as adjustable engine braking.

Frame etc.

A light yet sporty feeling chassis constructed from a whole range of materials (mostly steel) to keep things compact and nimble, the 790 Duke even uses the engine as a stressed member, contributing to a sophisticated chassis geometry that delivers a precise feeling even with its relatively long wheelbase.

Engine

Suspension

Developed for the 790 Duke, the WP 43mm open-cartridge forks offer an aggressive dynamic. Even though they’re not adjustable, they offer a huge scope of feel, with 140mm of fork travel. The WP rear shock has adjustable preload as standard.

New for the 790 Duke comes KTM’s first parallel twin engine, which has been designed to be the most compact in its class. The DOHC power plant has been dubbed the ‘LC8c’, or ‘liquid-cooled, eight-valves, compact’. With two overhead camshafts and a crank pin of 75˚, it delivers 64lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm and 105bhp at 9000rpm.

Cosmetics

KTM says that functionality trumped fashion, meaning every part bolted onto this bike serves a purpose and this is why the 790 Duke is so aesthetically raw and aggressive. For example, the seat houses the airbox and electronics. This means that there’s no room for extra clutter or unnecessary plastics.

16 LAUNCH REPORT

stoppers that were doing a good job of hauling the 790 up on demand, although if you’re going to be fussy the initial bite could’ve been a little bit sharper.

I am also a fan of the slipper clutch and autoblipper, which performed in tandem like troopers as I stamped down three or four gears at a time, encouraging the best kind of pops from the can on tap. Fair play to KTM, it hasn’t just bolted on electronics, the factory has given the 790 a considered armoury, which in turn feeds a huge amount of confidence to the rider.

To step things up a level, KTM had organised a track workshop at Circuit De Maspalomas. It was here that I got the chance to unleash Track mode.

No matter how good a bike is on the road, the track will usually weed out any issues, yet as soon as I got out and gave it some stick, the 790 Duke felt staggeringly good.

I’d been looking forward to this but I secretly had two standard reservations about the spec of the bike: the non-adjustable forks and the Maxxis rubber. Happily, those fears were unjustified. Not only did the tyres perform a treat, offering great grip, feedback and agility, but the suspension offered impressive stability through the faster bends and offering loads of feel and confidence at full lean in the corners.

But it wasn’t just the handling characteristics that grabbed my fancy; the motor won me over too. This bike’s not stupidly powerful, but the way it delivers its torque and linear power is addictive.

I always found the KTM to have the power I desired on tap, and to be easily accessed too – even with the traction control turned off. The power would surge through from 3000rpm and keep pulling up to its 10,000rpm limiter.

I was having a lot of fun on the bike and the pleasure continued when we switched the race track for the Japanese-style Motogymkhana course, where the sheer agility of the package was brought to the fore. The course was marked out in an insanely tight manner, but it was nothing the Duke couldn’t handle.

It’s incredible just how nimble the 790 is even with the long wheelbase, which is mainly down to having a steering head angle of 66˚ and 98mm of trail – a clever move from the Austrian brand to have an agile bike without compromising stability.

This might sound like tosh but it’s mightily impressive considering the Duke is actually 65mm longer than the Street Triple, yet is one of the easiest bikes I’ve ever ridden to get from side to side. Clever stuff.

Of course, a bike will always have

compromises, yet KTM has done an absolutely cracking job of creating an impressive and fun package. For under £8500 you get a ridiculous amount of bang for your buck, but how would it stack up against the competition? Does the ‘Scalpel’ genuinely cut the Street Triple from the middleweight throne?

Is it user-friendly enough to lure new riders away from the likes of an MT-07? Is it really that much better than the 690 Duke? They’re all tough questions to answer, but what I will say is that with the 790 you get a unique experience. It will suit some riders a treat, while others will hate it.

But for me, I’m definitely one of the former. Having spent last year blitzing around on the 390 Duke, I found the 790 the perfect tonic to my desires for more – more power, more agility, more fun. It sure ticked all my boxes.

“I found the 790 the perfect tonic to my desires for more – more power, more agility, more fun. It sure ticked all my boxes.”

18 LAUNCH REPORT

Beemers for all

BMW’s all-new super scooter looks the part – but will it impress the commuter crowd?

Words: Ross Mowbray Photography: BMW Motorrad In the wider two-wheeled community, BMW has never been widely renowned for its scooters. Of course, over the years the Bavarian brand has dipped its toe into the market a handful of times – and at the time of writing it does have a couple of big 650 maxi-scooters in its stable, though it’s never really managed to grab a decent stronghold on the commuter crowd. But, there’s some real money to be made in the mid-sized scooter market and BMW knows it. The sector turns over a fairly consistent 35,000-40,000 units a year worldwide – and BMW reckons that it stands a very good chance of making a dent in that number with its all-new C400X. First impressions are good. In fact, photos don’t quite do the little scooter justice. It’s aggressive, almost muscular front end is undeniably a BMW – in fact, it even shares the same headlight unit as the new F850GS. Overall build quality is good too – as you’d expect from a BMW. Interestingly though, the machine is made out in China, on a dedicated BMW production line at Loncin.

Don’t worry though, they know what they’re doing. The very same

people used to build BMW’s almost indestructible F650GS. If you compare the C400X to the other mid-capacity scooters on the market (Yamaha’s XMAX 400, Suzuki’s Burgman 400 and Kymco’s Xciting 400i), the C400X seems more compact and a little sportier than the competition – which is perfect when you consider its intended purpose – urban commuting. Admittedly, storage space is at a bit of a premium as a result. There are the usual two lockable cubbyholes at the front and the right-hand one even comes with a 12V plug-in point. But it’s the under-seat storage that’s really compromised. Sure, there’s enough room to fit a half-face lid and a few other bits and pieces, but compared to its competitors there’s not a huge amount of room.

BMW has been quite clever though, including a Flexcase system that allows you to expand the under-seat storage area to allow space for a full-face lid to be stored alongside a half-face one – although, you can only use it when the scooter is stationary.

Settling into the seat for the first time, I found the C400X exceptionally comfortable – with a very natural riding position. It comes with a

80.7

is the claimed mpg for the C400X

LAUNCH REPORT 19 Closest rivals

755mm seat height as standard, which with my 6ft 1in frame and 32in legs I could settle on with room to spare.

Okay, so it doesn’t offer the roomiest of footwells, but there’s ample room to get settled. It weighs in at 204kg (6kg less than Yamaha’s XMAX 400), but it’s so well balanced and well-built that it never truly feels ‘big’.

From an equipment and accessory perspective, BMW offer an abundance of options, allowing you to tailor the C400X to your needs. I was riding the top specification model, with BMW’s own integrated connectivity system, keyless ignition, heated seat and grips and LED daytime running light – all in all the kit would set you back close to £1000 on top of the projected £6000 for the standard model. I say projected, because prices for the UK are yet to be set.

Let’s talk about the heart of the BMW C400X, its 350cc powerplant with CVT (twist and go) transmission.

In practice, it’s a capable little motor, helping the scoot to be sharp off the line and get the jump on traffic, while delivering good levels of torque right through the rev range up to an indicated top speed of 86mph. Plus, BMW reckons it’ll return 80mpg and a tank range of over 220 miles, which is not bad at all.

Yamaha XMAX 400 RRP: £6149 FEATURES: ABS, TC, an adjustable screen and keyless ignition as standard

TECH SPEC BMW C400X (2018)

Engine: 350cc water-cooled single cylinder four-stroke, four valves per cylinder, single overhead cam Power: 33.5bhp @ 7500rpm Torque: 26lb-ft @ 6000rpm Brakes: (F) Double 265 mm rigid discs with four-piston calipers (R) Single 265 mm disc with one-piston floating caliper Suspension: (F) Telescopic front forks with 110mm travel (R) Double aluminium swingarm with spring struts, adjustable preload and 112mm travel Tyres: Pirelli Angel Scooter (F) 120/70-15 (R) 150/70-14 Max speed: 86mph (139kph) Seat height: 775mm (760mm option available) Weight: 204kg Fuel capacity: 12.8 litres Economy: 80.7mpg (claimed) Price: TBC (approx. £6000) Contact: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk

For braking, the C400X comes with twin discs and radially-mounted four-piston Bybre (Brembo’s Chinese subsidiary) calipers at the front, and a single disc with single piston floating caliper at the rear. They offer decent power and BMW claims that at a speed of 62mph, its stopping distance is 38m – which sounds fairly impressive. And I was impressed with it out on the road. They’re sharp, without being aggressive – which inspires confidence in their ability. Of course, the brakes are also assisted

Suzuki Burgman 400 RRP: £6299 FEATURES: ABS, advanced engine immobiliser by two-channel Continental ABS. Admittedly, I did find the ABS to activate fairly easily, but even when grabbing a handful of front brake at high speed and pushing the C400X to its limits, the little scoot stayed in shape and I felt totally in control.

The suspension is a fairly unsophisticated affair in the form of telescopic forks at the front and a twin shock at the rear – but they’re more than up to the job. I found the suspension to offer a really comfortable, yet surprisingly firm

ride – while offering a reasonable compromise between performance and comfort. I did my best to put it through its paces, bobbing around into potholes and launching over speed bumps, and the C400X handled it all in its stride – and I was no worse for wear as a result. What more could you ask for?

From a handling perspective, the C400X is at the top of its game. I’ve spent a fair bit of time on some of its mid-sized scooter competition, and I reckon the BMW is the most agile out

Kymco Xciting 400i RRP: £5599 FEATURES: Smartphone connected, ABS and an adjustable screen

20 LAUNCH REPORT

of the lot. It handled long sweeping twisties and tight switchbacks even better than I thought it would – and in traffic it’s truly brilliant, with a tight turning circle and easy handling.

Motorway work is easy too, even as you push the 350cc engine right to the top of its power band. The engine never feels all that stressed, it’s stable and assured, and the wind protection isn’t too bad either.

Scooters aren’t for everyone and there’s a big contingent out there that would ask why would you spend

£6000 on a scooter, when you could get your hands on a ‘proper bike’? But they’re missing the point. The C400X is very well built. It handles well, stops well and the engine is punchy and capable. Sure, there’s a little less under-seat storage than some of its competitors, but it’s also lighter, narrower and more agile than them too. It all depends on your priorities.

If you want to go blasting down twisty B-roads or carving through city traffic on your way to work, the BMW C400X has everything you need.

BMW’s connectivity BMW is really pushing its connectivity package for the C400X. Essentially, it’s a clever TFT-display and BMW Motorrad Connected app. The headline act is its own sat nav system, which works through the app and is displayed on the TFT in the form of a basic

arrow-based system. The app also allows you to find out where you last parked, check the weather, see where the nearest petrol station is and view various bits and pieces of data from the machine, including mileage, riding time and average speed.

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22 LAUNCH REPORT

Yamaha Niken: All up front Is it a gimmick or the saviour of motorcycling? Or neither?

Or both? Dunno. Looks odd.

Looks like fun.

WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOGRAPHY: Yamaha Europe

Since Yamaha Motor was founded in Japan back in 1955, it has been responsible for developing some of the most ground-breaking and influential motorcycles and scooters on the market. It has always tried to push the boundaries of what’s possible on two and now three wheels.

Back in 2015, Yamaha displayed its MWT-9 three-wheel concept motorcycle at the Tokyo Motor Show – and now, just two years later, the Iwata-based manufacturer has unveiled its new production Niken, the world’s first multi-wheel motorcycle.

It presents, arguably, one of the biggest innovations seen in mainstream motorcycling in the last decade (maybe even two) – pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with its clever Leaning Multi Wheel (LMW) technology and two front wheels that, Yamaha says, inspires corner-carving confidence and offers up to 80% more grip.

To put it through its paces, our sister publication MSL has been out to Austria – riding over 180 miles of mixed mountain roads, including some tight switchbacks, fast sweepers, niggly

TECH SPEC Yamaha Niken

Engine: 847cc three-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves Maximum power: 113.5bhp @ 10,000rpm Maximum torque: 87.5Nm @ 8500rpm Suspension: (F) Double twin-upside down telescopic forks with 110mm of travel (R) Link-type suspension with 125mm travel Brakes: (F) Hydraulic double discs, 298mm (R) Hydraulic single disc, 282mm Tyres: (F) 120/70 R 15 (R) 190/55 R 17 Seat height: 820mm Wet weight (including full oil and fuel tank): 263kg Fuel tank capacity: 18 litres Price: £13,499

alpine passes and even some cobbled roads too.

After spending the day scraping its pegs while carving up some beautiful mountain roads, I’m surprised by the level of admiration I now have for Yamaha’s leaning multi-wheel machine. It’s actually very capable and great fun.

Admittedly, the Niken is quite difficult to define. It’s not really a bike, because it comes with three wheels not two. But it leans over so it’s not a trike either. Basically, it’s like nothing else on the road – aside from a couple of big maxi-scooters, namely, the Peugeot Metropolis and Piaggio’s MP3. But they don’t go quite like the Niken does.

Of course, the way it looks is not going to appeal to everyone.

But from the front it actually looks pretty mean – with wide, muscular bodywork, and an aggressive LED light pattern. The back end is essentially an MT-09.

It’s not a motor ‘bike’, granted – but does that matter? Climbing aboard for the first time it doesn’t feel as strange as it looks. Okay, it is fairly heavy at the front and you can’t throw it around in quite the same way as you would a sportsbike (despite its very compact pillion seat – one of few disappointments) – but it almost feels like a big scooter, or a super-stable tourer. Or maybe even a chunky, wide, kitted-out adventure bike. This is apparently deliberate, and that’s fine.

Oh, and although it looks pretty big, it actually has near enough the same

dimensions as the Tracer 900.

It’s comfortable too and after six hours in the saddle I felt surprisingly fresh. The seat isn’t exactly low, at 820mm – but standing at 6ft 1in with 32in legs, I could get my feet planted flat on the floor with no trouble.

It weighs in at a fairly hefty 263kg, but it’s well balanced considering its stature. I could paddle it around car parks with ease, though anyone much shorter than me might struggle.

Interestingly, the seating position and bars have been shuffled back – helping to ensure 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear, although that does mean you don’t get to see very much of the front wheels when riding.

But let’s get into the Niken’s defining feature: its leaning multi-wheel technology and those two front wheels. They help it stick to the road like nothing else I’ve ever ridden – and in a subtly different way to a two-wheeled motorcycle. But throughout our 260km test route the levels of grip on offer from the front end never failed to impress – once I got used to it. Even when the rain came (and it come down hard) I was confident that the front end wasn’t going to let me down.

The front end suspension, which works in unison with the LMW system, is equally impressive. It’s reasonably soft, but thanks to its twin-fork system and two front wheels, the Niken somehow manages to track smoothly over rough terrain.

263 That’s the

weight of the Niken in kg

LAUNCH REPORT 23

What you need to know Where’s that name from?

Meaning ‘two swords’ in Japanese, the word Niken originates from 17th century Japan when the two-sword style of swordsmanship was first invented. It proved revolutionary and marked the beginning of a new era in combat.

Who can ride it?

Unlike other three-wheelers – the high-performance Yamaha Niken can only be ridden on a full motorcycle licence.

Who’s it aimed at?

Interestingly, Yamaha hasn’t really done any specific market research on who’s going to

buy the Niken – but, there are three main groups it reckons could be tempted. There are the innovators, who are always looking to get their hands on the latest tech. Then there are the expert riders, who are looking for a tool to help them get the most out of riding. And finally, there’s function oriented riders, who are looking for extra confidence and stability.

What’s it going to cost?

It’s not going to cost as much as you might think – setting you back £13,499. Yamaha has been purposefully aggressive with its pricing strategy to try and convert as many motorcyclists as possible.

24 LAUNCH REPORT Learn about the lean Parallel linkage

The parallel linkage controls the lean limits of the front end, ensuring both wheels stay aligned during cornering, and offering up to 45º of lean before it hits its limit (and you scrape the pegs on the floor).

Independent articulation

Twin USD KYB forks are mounted outside the wheels for maximum lean angle, offering 110mm of suspension travel. They work independently.

Its 41mm front forks provide direction setting – and hold the wheel and brake assembly in alignment. And the 43mm rear forks provide shock absorption, with full preload, compression and rebound adjustment.

Dual front wheels

The Niken uses unique 15in front wheels and specifically developed Bridgestone tyres to recreate the natural steering feel of a two-wheeled motorcycle. They help to offer high-speed stability, cornering confidence and, Yamaha claims, up to 80% more grip.

What is Ackermann geometry?

In simple terms, Ackermann geometry means that the inner wheel must follow a tighter radius than the outer wheel, like on a car. It works to create a natural motorcycle feeling in all conditions – by allowing each wheel to independently track the required radius without slip or scrubbing, ensuring the Niken holds its line and doesn’t drift wide.

It’s like it’s on a set of train tracks. I was bobbing around into ruts, over rocks, gravel and scores in the road, trying my best to catch it out – but it wasn’t fussed and took all of this in its stride. Rear suspension is a fairly standard mono-shock, much like that of the MT-09, with adjustable pre-load and damping, and it works well too – soaking up the bumps with no particular problems.

The brakes are decent, allowing you to stop quickly and safely – though they do have to work hard to pull its hefty weight to a standstill. I only got the ABS to trigger a couple of times at the front though, intentionally grabbing a big handful of brake.

Thanks to its two front wheels, and clever LMW system, you can actually brake smoothly right the way through corners – and it’ll still hold its line. Yamaha did suggest that you shouldn’t do this all the time though, only when you really need to – as it’ll overheat the ABS module.

Its engine is a peach too – pulled from the MT-09 and Tracer 900, but tweaked with a few harder wearing internals to allow it to pull the Niken’s weight.

Impressively, it actually manages to return near MT-09 levels of performance, kicking out 113.5bhp at 10,000rpm and 87.5Nm of torque at 8500rpm. Continued on page 26

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26 LAUNCH REPORT 1/ TECHNOLOGY: As you’d expect, the Niken’s well kitted out. It comes with a traction control system that offers two riding modes and can also be turned off.

Plus there’s a D-MODE, which offers three running modes for the engine.

2/ LEANING MULTI-WHEEL SYSTEM: The Niken is based on the use of revolutionary advanced leaning multi-wheel technology, in the form of an Ackermann steering unit with double upside-down front forks that help to offer a maximum lean angle of 45º.

3/ SUSPENSION: Double upside-down telescopic forks with 110mm of travel and rebound and compression damping adjusters at the front and fully adjustable link-type suspension with 125mm travel at the rear.

1

4/ FRAME: The Niken is built around an all-new hybrid frame, which has been specifically developed for the revolutionary leaning multi-wheeler to help it stay planted, while offering a sports bike level of handling. Its head pipe area is manufactured from cast steel, its swingarm pivot area is made from cast aluminium, and the main frame that connects the two is made from steel.

2

4

3

5 6

6/ WHEELS: Dual 15in front wheels with 410mm track – and a single 17in wheel at the rear.

7/ GEARS: It comes with an A&S clutch for increased stability when down-shifting, and a quick shift system for smoother, clutchless up-shifts.

7

8

Continued from page 24 In practice, that means it’s plenty quick enough to blast past traffic without any real concern.

For rubber, Yamaha teamed up with Bridgestone to ensure the grip on offer from the tyres, matches up the Niken’s 45º leaning capabilities.

At the front, there’s a pair of specially developed 15in 120-section tyres from Bridgestone that are well up to the job. But interestingly, the rear is fitted with a Bridgestone Battlax A41 ‘Adventure’ tyre, which offers less grip than at the front.

Although this might not seem like a particularly obvious choice, it lets you break traction easily, and kick the back end out when you open up the throttle as you come out, or go round, a corner – which is great fun.

It comes with a lightweight aluminium 18-litre fuel tank, helping to achieve a (claimed) range of around 190 miles – which seems about right for what is intended to be a ‘sporty’ machine. From a technology perspective, it’s kitted out with an easy-to-read LCD-display, LED lights front and rear and a range of tech to make riding it even easier, in the form of YCC-T, D-MODE, cruise control and traction control system, as well as an A&S clutch and quick shift system.

I’m by no means the most experienced of riders – I only passed my test a couple of years ago – but I could push harder than I would usually on roads I didn’t know. And

the harder you pushed, the more rewarding the Niken seemed to be.

You can go rapidly from peg to peg and remain confident that it’ll hold its front.

In short, it’s obvious that a huge amount of brain power, care and effort has gone into perfecting the Niken – and after spending a day in the saddle I can say with certainty that it’s all been worth it. In fact, I’ve never heard a group of journalists agree so wholeheartedly on something – which is surely a testament to just how good the Niken is. You need to ride one. It’ll surprise you. I know it surprised me.

5/ ENGINE: It’s powered by a 847cc, three-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC CP3 engine – pulled from the hugely successful MT-09 and tweaked to suit the Niken’s heavyweight frame.

8/ BRAKES: Dual 298mm front discs generate high levels of braking performance and the increased surface contact area provided by the double front wheels enables the Niken to stop quickly and efficiently.

The rear brake features a large diameter 282mm disc, and with these three large diameter discs working through three wheels, Niken riders have a high degree of control.

LAUNCH REPORT 27

Timeline of weird front ends Yamaha’s innovative history

Historically, Yamaha has always tried to push the boundaries of what’s possible in motorcycling and the Niken is no different. Two of the Japanese brand’s biggest innovations are the GTS1000 and the TMAX.

1993 – Yamaha GTS1000 The GTS1000 was hugely innovative, with its forkless front suspension and hub centre steering.

2001 – Yamaha TMAX

The TMAX was the first scooter with motorcycle levels of riding performance.

28 HEAD TO HEAD: OPEN-FACE HELMETS

✮ ✮ Davida Ninety 2 vs Bell Custom 500 ✮ ✮ Open-face helmets – some think they’re just for scooter riders or pilots of classic machinery, but they are a valid choice, no matter what you ride. Lighter and with a wider field of vision than a full-face, if you are a glasses wearer like me they’re easier to slip on and off.

Bell and Davida are perfect examples of companies growing out of need. Roy Richter formed Bell in 1954 when, unable to find what he wanted, he made his first fibreglass helmet in his garage in Bell, California.

Davida started in the Wirral in 1974 engineering bespoke motorcycle parts, but began helmet manufacture at the start of the Eighties when founder David ‘Fid the Lid’ Fiddaman was similarly frustrated and designed his own. Bell remain staunchly American, while Davida are rightly proud of being the sole UK manufacturer of open-face helmets, with the entire production process hand-made in the UK. Both companies cater for the higher end of the market, so we took the opportunity to compare a helmet from each. Davida supplied their Ninety 2 (RRP £289 in plain colours and up to £400 for patterns), while Bell sent a Custom 500 (RRP £149.99 up to £189.99. There is a carbon range at around £350/380).

Davida also sent along a couple of visors (the ‘Punk’ five-stud and three-stud ‘Bubble’), while the Bell came with a three-stud Bubble item.

If you’re looking to ride in Europe, the Ninety 2 isn’t for you (it has a BS6658 Type B licence – Davida’s ‘Jet’ helmet has the ECE 22.05), while the Custom 500 has Euro and US licences (NB. There are Bell helmets that only carry the US DOT

licence, not imported to the UK. Beware if you buy from the US). The Bell comes with visor and synthetic leather bowling bag as standard. The Davida supplies a conventional cloth carry bag and visors/goggles etc at extra cost.

The key criteria with open-face helmets are: ● Fit – they need to fit snugly to prevent lifting. ● Soundproofing – open-face, so in theory louder. ● Effectiveness of eyeware (goggles/visors) – their job, especially on longer rides, is to protect your face from the elements, plus be stable and secure. ● Finish and comfort – we’re looking at the high-quality end of the market, so you can expect these elements to be top-notch.

Both helmets ooze quality. The Davida’s paintwork is a deep, rich sheen. The finish on the Bell belies the price difference – if you told someone it was a more expensive helmet, they’d believe it from the looks. Both companies can produce bespoke paint jobs (see Davida Jet review) if required, for an additional cost.

The Davida has a narrow profile, the Bell is rounder (perhaps due to the various Euro requirements), but both fit snugly. Slipping on a Davida is an art form, but once you have the knack it is instantly comfortable with the plush padded leather interior feeling great. It fastens via a D-ring, with the same aviation-grade leather used to create the straps used on the inside.

The Bell took a little more getting used to. The profile is different, with the circumference around the forehead/temple area feeling narrower (I could feel it pressing gently, not uncomfortably, but when I took it off after a longish ride I had a criss-cross pattern from the lining on my brow). Open-face helmets need a snug

Davida:

TECH SPEC Bell:

Fibreglass shell (three shell sizes) Quilted aviation grade leather interior and strap Size specific EPS liner Five snap pattern for visors (can come without studs; these cannot be retro-fitted) Leather D-ring pull Cloth helmet bag Due to use of fibreglass, Davida claim unlimited lifespan Weight: 1300g Certification: BS 6658 1985: Type B

Low-profile composite shell (five shell and EPS liner sizes) Multi-density EPS liner Integrates five snap pattern for aftermarket shields and visors Padded chin strap with D-ring closure and strap keeper Leather D-ring pull Bell-branded, lined helmet bag included Five-year warranty Weight: 1175g +/- 50g Certification: ECE 2205

fit, so I recommend you try before you buy. The Bell also fastens via D-ring, with a soft, comfortable chinstrap.

Those of you who think an open-face helmet will be noisy, please try a Davida. Slip it on and the world becomes a much quieter place. At lower speeds there is no need for earplugs.

Riding in the Ninety 2 at motorway pace with plugs in and using their bubble visor, it is one of the quietest helmets I’ve ever worn. Okay, you get the wind coming in under the visor, but the soundproofing is exemplary… it is so quiet I found myself over-revving the bike, as I couldn’t hear the engine! The Bell is also quiet – I struggled to hear someone speaking to me. It’s peaceful in there up to motorway speeds, when windblast had an effect, but the addition of earplugs sorted that out.

And they’re so light. The Ninety 2 is 1300g, with the Bell a svelte 1175! They’re both nicely balanced, if you’re spending hours in the saddle your neck will thank you afterwards.

DAVIDA

HEAD TO HEAD: OPEN-FACE HELMETS 29 Both helmets were so stable. The concern as the pace picks up is the helmet lifting, but they were rock solid at motorway pace.

The visors supplied by Davida performed differently. I initially went for the Punk as it does up with five studs, so I thought it would be more stable (and it attached easier).

It is a shorter, squarer cut.

Up to 40mph it was lovely, but as I picked up pace I was reminded of the line in the Hawkwind song ‘Freefall’: “The wind will take your frightened face and force your mouth to smile.”

I hadn’t realised how much of the time I ride with my mouth open, until at 6070mph the air went into my mouth and my lips flapped! If you’re riding for longer at higher speeds, the bubble visor works much better as it sits lower and has a lip at the base to flip air over the top.

The Bell bubble visor is somewhere in between. It was more effective than the Punk, deflecting air more efficiently, but Davida’s bubble visor gave a better result as the pace picked up. I did worry that the aluminium edging would be obtrusive, but you don’t see it once it is on and if like me you are a clumsy klutz and drop it when fitting, it took the initial impact and prevented cracking (two small chips were not in my eyeline).

Both helmets are a very valid buy. Great finish, stable even at motorway pace, quieter than you’d expect and to

be honest quieter than pretty much anything else I’ve worn, but I prefer the Davida – the lining felt more comfortable and it was a better fit (I think this is another Arai/Shoei head thing, my head shape is better suited to a Davida). But if the fit is right, the Bell is a strong choice, especially at the price (coming with a visor and attractive but impractical carry bag), coming in £140-odd less than the Davida plus visor.

BELL

“So why haven’t you worn an open-face helmet?”

That was the question Sharon from Davida asked me when we were introduced at their stand. Frankly, I had no good reason. When I started riding, everyone I knew wore a fullface, and I probably believed all the stuff about them being noisy etc. As a wearer of glasses I thought they wouldn’t suit me (ever got rain on your glasses when riding? It isn’t funny).

This test proved me SO wrong. They’re easier to get on and off, their field of vision

is a revelation, they’re comfortable, quiet and simply adding a visor or goggles (there are spectacle-friendly goggles and even ones that can have prescription lenses fitted) means glasses wearers like me can add that vital weather protection.

And an open-face makes you part (rather than apart of everything. Other road users see the human being not just the bike. A van was unintentionally stopping me from

filtering. He saw me, said sorry and made me a gap. Would he have done so if I had been wearing a full-face?

If you’ve never tried an open-face helmet, give it a go. I think you will be surprised. And no, you don’t have to start hanging round in cappuccino bars, listening to bongo music and talking about Jack Kerouac…

30 

32 WHAT’S ON

What’s On: the essential dates 2018 AUGUST 25 Sunbeam MCC Gingerbeards Trial.

Jackson Woods, Horsmonden.

Tel Neil Sinclair 07885 660939.

Email sinclairndlp@hotmail.co.uk 26 Sunbeam MCC Greybeards Trial.

Jackson Woods, Horsmonden.

Tel Neil Sinclair 07885 660939.

Email sinclairndlp@hotmail.co.uk 26 Cheshire Classic Motorcycle & Car Show. Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9JY. Tel 01484 667776. www.classicshows.org 26 Waterlooville Motorcycle Club Grass Track. Tel 02392 593004. www.waterlooville-mcc.co.uk 26 Harley Day. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 26 LE Velo Lancs & South Lakes.

Oxenhope Rail Station.

Tel 01772 782516.

26 Hornsea Biker Event. Cinema Street, Hornsea, East Yorkshire HU18 1PA. www.hornseabikerevent.org.uk 26 MotoGP – Round 12: Octo British Grand Prix. www.motogp.com 27 Arley Vintage Rally. Arley Village Hall, Upper Arley, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1RZ. Tel 07986 170715. www.bvmc.org.uk 27 Notts Classic Motorcycle & Car Show.

Thoresby Park, Ollerton, Notts NG22 9EP. Tel 01484 667776. www.classicshows.org 27 Blenheim Palace Festival of Transport.

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxon OX20 1PP. Tel 01484 667776. www.classicshows.org 30 Krazy Horse – Park it in the Market.

Greenwich Market, Greenwich Church Street, London SE10 9HZ.

www.krazyhorse.co.uk 30-01 Salon Privé 2018 Concours Motorbike Classes. www.salonpriveconcours.com Tel 01753 827067 31-01 The 25th Carole Nash Eurojumble.

Netley Marsh, Meadow Mead Farm, Ringwood Road, Woodlands, Southampton SO40 7GY. www.classicbikeshows.com Tel 01507 529529

SEPTEMBER 1 Classic Motorcycle Show.

Buntingford. Tel 07963 609143 2 VJMC Bike Day. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 2 Classic Motorcycle Show. White Lion, Baldock. Tel 07963 609143.

2 Festival of 1000 Cars inc. the NW Classic Motorcycle Show.

Cholmondeley Castle, near Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8AH. Tel 01484 667776. www.classicshows.org 2 VMCC (Essex section) Colne Valley Run. Tel Dave Iszard 01621 892206.

2 Northamptonshire Navigation Rally 2018. The Grange Sports Field, Northampton Road, Earls Barton, Northants NN6 0HG. Tel 01604 859215.

6 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes.

Eric Morecambe’s statue, Morecambe.

Tel 01772 782516.

6-9 The European Finals. Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants NN29 7XA. www.santapod.com Tel 01234 782828.

7 Ace Cafe Reunion Weekend –

TO GET YOUR EVENT ON THESE PAGES EMAIL jclements@mortons.co.uk

Continental Run Ride-In & Party. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 7-9 British Superbikes – Round 9: Silverstone GP. www.britishsuperbike.com 8 South Midlands Autojumble.

Ross-on-Wye Livestock Centre, Oveross, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 5QQ. Tel 01989 750731.

8 Ace Cafe Reunion Weekend Party & London Ride-Out. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 8-9 Killalane Road Race. www.loughshinnymotorcycleclub.com 8-9 National Sprint Association (Northern Section) 60th Anniversary NSA Sprint. East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincs PE23 4DE. www.sprinting.org.uk 8-9 National Rally of Scotland.

Tel 01506 419260.

Email colinbpate@yahoo.co.uk 9 Garstang Autojumble. Hamilton House Farm, on A586, off A6, Garstang, Preston PR3 0TB. www.garstangautojumbles.co.uk Email info@garstangautojumbles. co.uk 9 Borders Classic Bike Show. Lacon Childe School, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. Tel 01299 270642.

9 VMCC (Essex section) End of Summer Run. Tesco car park. Tel 01621 893450.

9 Salisbury Motorcycle & Light Car Club Arbuthnot Trial. Tel 01725 514801. Email arbuthnot@ salisburymotorcycleandlightcarclub. co.uk. www.salisburymotorcycleand lightcarclub.co.uk 9 Sunbeam MCC 11th Constable Run. Monks Eleigh, Suffolk. Email Marian Johnson marj_35@btinternet.com

9 Brighton Burn Up! Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 9 MotoGP – Round 13: Gran Premio Tribul Mastercard di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. www.motogp.com 14-16 British Superbikes – Round 10: Oulton Park. www.britishsuperbike.com 14-16 World Superbikes – Round 10: Portuguese Round. www.worldsbk.com 15 Scorton Auto & Bike Jumble.

Scorton, North Yorkshire Events Centre DL10 6EJ. Tel 07909 904705.

15 Kempton Park Motorcycle Autojumble. Kempton Park, Staines Road East, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex TW16 5AQ. www.kemptonparkautojumble.co.uk Tel 01507 529529 15 Sunbeam MCC 10th Sunbeam September Challenge, North Yorks.

Tel 01751 431478. Email alec. thompson7@pobroadband.co.uk.

15 Eckington Motorcycle Day 2018.

Town centre precinct, S21 4EH. Contact Keith Riley 01246 431459.

Email keithriley777@btinternet.com 16 BTSC Run to the Sun. Godstone Ponds, Surrey. Tel 01883 623049.

16 Romney Marsh Bikejumble. Marsh Road, Hamstreet, near Ashford, Kent TN26 2JD. www.elk-promotions.co.uk 16 Blue-Haze – Fantic & Fizzy Frenzy & Two-Strokes. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 16 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes. Ullswater.

Glenridding Pier. Tel 01772 782516.

19 VMCC (Essex section) 4th Wrinkly Run. Tesco, Maldon. Tel 01621 892206.

22 West Country Autojumble. New

Cattle Market, Driffield Road, Cirencester GL7 5QA. Tel Paul Powell 07831 421455.

23 ’Normous Newark Autojumble. The Showground, Drove Lane, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts NG24 2NY. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk Tel 01507 529529.

23 SBMOC The Bulldog Run. Climping Village Hall, Climping, Littlehampton, West Sussex. Tel 01243 820534.

Website sbmoc.vpweb.co.uk 23 Bike Day. Ace Café, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com 23 Leighton Hall Motorcycle Hill Climb. Leighton Hall, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9ST. Email info@ leightonhallmotorcyclehillclimb. co.uk www.leightonhallmotorcycle hillclimb.co.uk 23 Classic Bike show at Codsall Middle School, Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton. Tel 07811 376770/01902 839038. Email wynnejones.t68@mail.com 23 MotoGP – Round 14: Gran Premio Movistar de Aragón.www.motogp.com 27 LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes. Gargrave, meet on canal towpath, by bridge in village. Tel 01772 82516.

28-30 British Superbikes – Round 11: TT Circuit Assen. www.britishsuperbike.com 28-30 World Superbikes – Round 11: French Round. www.worldsbk.com 29 LE Velo Northampton gathering. The Lamb, High St, Stoke Goldington MK16 8NR. Tel 01604 499858.

29-30 National Sprint Association (Northern Section). York Raceway, Seaton Ross YO42 4SS. www.sprinting.org.uk

RIDE THIS IN A DAY 33 A day trip to take: Anglesey Penmon Point, Anglesey, was deserted that Bank Holiday Monday evening. The beach looked firm, and in my mind’s eye it was straightforward – down the slope, along the pebbles, swing left over the high tide mark, into a depression, up onto the road and home. In the real world the rear wheel of my BMW R1200GS had dug itself into a deep hole...

Words: Andy Nicholson Bank Holidays present options, and mine was to circumnavigate Anglesey. Not the two hours of big roads with a tea stop in Amlwch but the quiet unclassified roads that go nowhere.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the little village with a big name, is just over the Britannia Bridge and was where I stopped to look at the map. A number of coastal dead-ends were circled in blue ink, linking my fluid notion of travelling all the way round the island with finding places I’d never been before. Half a kilometre along Brynsiencyn Road led to the Menai Straits and Carloe Randall’s studio where she produces two-dimensional interpretations burnt into metal plate. She also seemed to be expecting me, which was spooky.

From Newborough I took the A4080 through Hermon then the unclassified road across the dunes into Aberffraw village, crossed the bridge and headed for The Church in the Sea at the end of Penrhyn Road. It’s not quite in the sea, but gets cut off twice a day.

Back on the A4080 to Crigyll Beach and then 16.3 miles of lanes to South Stack lighthouse. The little road on the left out of Rhosneigr boasts the official Highway Code road sign with the tilting car in the red triangle; always good to follow on an

adventure bike. Avoiding grass and mud in the middle of the lane, I crossed Four Mile Bridge onto Holy Island, lingered in Trearddur Bay and rested at South Stack.

The lighthouse is a tourist magnet and a vital first marker along the treacherous shipping lanes of the Dublin-Holyhead sea route.

Heading north, I found the A5025 at Valley crossroads to follow the north coast with its beacons keeping ships safe on their way to Liverpool. You can see them all from the main road but the dead end at Trefadog held promise of a sealed track to Church Bay. Perhaps in 1988 there was Tarmac but now it had deteriorated to mud. I turned back.

The small roads delight from Church Bay to Llanfairynghornwy below the Monument on Mynydd y Garn, erected in 1897 to commemorate Sir William Thomas, the High Sheriff of Anglesey who philanthropically pumped profits from his Merseyside businesses into the local community.

For the next point of interest, keep the landmark on your right as grass appears up the middle, turn right and then left in the village. Cemlyn Bay Nature Reserve was deserted but has the added excitement of a car park, which floods at high tide.

The tide was well out as the unkempt Tarmac turned to sand down on Dulas Beach. Parallel stone markers impersonated a roadway along the north bank of the Afon Goch (Red River) estuary extending the impression of Tarmac into the wilderness.

The foreshore beckoned with Ynys Dulas (Seal Island) just visible out to sea. I followed it until the stones ran out.

The pebbles sprayed like shrapnel, we slowed, until the drive shaft rested on the stony beach. I dismounted, and the bike remained upright without my support,

ensconced in its own trench. No tourists appeared this time, so I’d have to deadlift 230kg of German technology out of the hole.

I smiled. Andy, I thought, you are such a plonker.

Anglesey had given me a day to write home about. The weather had been forgiving, the views stunning, the map reading involving and the roads rewarding.

Snowdonia glistened with snow as I headed back over Menai Bridge, the A55 was quiet, Colwyn Bay services had petrol and I was home in time for dinner.

PRODUCTS 35

NEW PRODUCTS

Each month MCM features a range of brand new gear, to help you find the best-value products on the market today.

Wemoto’s Festival of Jurby Merchandise for 2018

Raising money for the Manx GP Supporters’ Club RRP: £1-£10 Wemoto has expanded its range of Festival of Jurby Merchandise in a bid to raise more for the Manx Grand Prix Supporters’ Club’s injured riders and helicopter fund.

Over the past three years, Wemoto has raised more than £48,000 through the sale of its Jurby T-shirt. A stylish way of celebrating Isle of Man history while helping support current riders, this year’s T-shirt design celebrates the 40th anniversary of Mike Hailwood’s comeback to mainstream motorcycle racing and remarkable win at the Formula 1 TT on the Isle of Man. To add to this, Wemoto has added caps, pins (badges) and fridge magnet bottle openers to its Jurby range – with all the profits going to the charity.

The Manx Grand Prix Supporters’ Club helps to fund the life-saving helicopter ambulances on practice and race days during the Manx Grand Prix. The charity also supports injured riders and their families, as well as donating money to help with medical equipment.

For more information, visit: www.wemoto.com/parts/jurby_merchandise

Alpinestars GP Plus Venom One-Piece Leather Suit RRP: £899.99 The Alpinestars GP Plus Venom leather motorcycle suit is part of the latest Alpinestars collection – and as you’d expect, it’s equipped with everything you need to help you keep safe out on two-wheels.

Essentially, the CE-certified GP Plus Venom one piece suit is an aggressively designed, fully featured race suit with class-leading protection. It’s spot on for track days and racing – incorporating a range of innovative features to help keep you safe, in comfort.

It’s manufactured from 1.3mm supple premium grade cow leather, and comes with large accordion stretch panels strategically positioned for improved movement and comfort on the bike. There’s also reinforced stretch fabric panels on the sleeves, crotch, calves and chest to further improve fit, movement and feel.

It’s equipped with an ergonomic back hump shaped for improved airflow and performance at high speed – which has actually been tested in MotoGP. It also comes with pre-curved sleeves and legs to help improve comfort fit and reduce rider fatigue, and perforated panelling for ventilation.

On the inside, there’s integrated padding throughout, pre-shaped, multi-layer knee construction, and a reinforced seat area to help with comfort. For ventilation, it comes with a removable inner mesh liner. And there’s even an inner waterproof wallet pocket for safe storage of documents.

Protection comes in the form of internal CE-certified Alpinestars GP-R protection on shoulders, elbows and knees, CE-certified Alpinestars Nucleon hip protectors, Dynamic Friction Shield (DFS) external dual density TPU sliders on shoulders and knees, an innovative new elbow slider made from a triple-density polymer compound for improved performance in crash slides. And there’s also Aramid fibre inserts on the arm and leg for critical seam reinforcement.

Admittedly, it is without any hardcore chest and back protection – but this is no cause for concern there’s room for an Alpinestars Nucleon chest pad at the front, and the Alpinestars Nucleon back protector at the rear.

For more information, visit: www.alpinestars.com

Mortons Archive Deckchairs RRP: £99 // www.classicmagazines.co.uk The Mortons Archive offers one of the greatest collections of motorcycle images in the world. Whether it’s a rider from 1937, a showroom photograph of a rare bike model, or just a highly unusual shot of a rider in action – it’s probably tucked away in the archive.

And now you have the chance to get your hands on a deckchair bearing the image of your choice from the extensive Mortons Archive – allowing you to relax in style on your favourite moment from motorcycling history. Whether you are looking for that unique gift or something different for yourself, these are ideal.

Popular images include: ■ Ago’s Leap (Product Code 9848) ■ Ago’s Leap V2 (Product Code 9849) ■ BSA G S Engine Line (Product Code 9850) ■ BSA Goldstar Tank (Product Code 9851) ■ Clint Eastwood (Product Code 9852) ■ Hailwood 1 (Product Code 9853) ■ Hailwood Rear (Product Code 9854) ■ Joel Roberts 1967 (Product Code 9855) ■ McQueen (Product Code 9856) ■ Barry Sheene 1 (Product Code 9857) ■ Barry Sheene 2 (Product Code 9858) ■ Sidecars (Product Code 9859) ■ Triumph Petrol Pumps (Product Code 9860) ■ Triton (Product Code 9861) ■ Velocette 1 (Product Code 9862) ■ Velocette 2 (Product Code 9863) ■ Velocette Engine (Product Code 9864) For more information on Mortons Archive, and the images available to choose from, visit: www.mortonsarchive.com

MCM TOP PICK

R&G Indicator Extenders RRP: £10.83 (plus VAT)

Following the introduction of new MOT rules stating that direction indicators must have a minimum separation distance of 240mm, R&G has launched a selection of extenders for its range of e-marked Micro Indicators, ensuring that bikes shod with R&G’s award-winning Tail Tidies can pass the new test.

The extenders are available in three sizes: 65mm, 50mm and 35mm. R&G itself makes the point that: “With some licence plates in some countries, with certain tail tidies, the indicator lenses can be partially hidden behind the licence plate. The extenders maximise safety and ensure legality, as you can choose the length of extended needed for optimum indicator positioning.”

For more information, visit: www.rg-racing.com

Black Classic Open Face Helmet RRP: £37.99 | Sizes: XS to 2XL | Colours: Black, White, Matt Black Black is a relatively new brand in the budget bike gear category – but recently it’s cemented its place in the industry thanks to a range of reasonably priced quality kit.

From jackets and jeans, through to helmets – Black does it all.

We’ve recently got our hands on a Black Classic Open Face helmet, and have to confess, the quality (considering its price) is incredible.

Constructed from polycarbonate, the lid features a drop-down sunshield that can be moved into position using a lever located above the left eye. There’s a suede fabric internal lining for comfort and a micrometric chin strap, with adjustment, to help get the perfect fit.

For more information, visit: www.ghostbikes.com

36 TRIED & TESTED

TESTED

Each month MCM features a range of gear that we’ve tested extensively out on the road, to try and find the best-value products on the market – so you can spend your hard-earned cash with confidence.

Urban Glow RideStar

RRP: £65.95// Tested by: Peter Henshaw

The Urban Glow has been around a few years now, and it’s a great idea – a black mesh waistcoat with hi-vis strips to wear over your normal jacket.

It somehow manages to look cooler than any other hi-vis solution – so cool, that apparently even Ewan McGregor has one – and has been a hit with cyclists and horse riders as well as bikers.

The latest variation on the theme is the RideStar, which is basically the same as the original TriStar vest but with sleeves carrying extra hi-vis. It’s based on the same black mesh which zips up the front and has two zipped cordura pockets for keeping odds and

ends in. Just like the TriStar the hi-vis is available in Lime, Silver or Electric Pink, all of which do the reflective thing at night.

It’s slightly more cumbersome and bulky than the TriStar I used to use, partly inevitable with arms, partly because I’ve got the XL, which is probably a size too big for me. But the extra vis on your arms is welcome and I feel a lot more visible when wearing it. Also nice to know that the RideStar is Made in England – there’s not much motorcycle kit which can claim that any more.

For more information, visit: www.urban-glow.com

AGV Sport Modular flip-front helmet RRP £549.99 // Tested by: Mikko Nieminen The flip-front helmet has traditionally been the lid of choice for tourers, riding instructors and police officers, but is shunned by many due to it typically being rather bulky and heavy. However, they have been loved by scores of everyday bikers, myself included. But now you can forget everything you thought you knew about flip-front helmets, because the AGV Sport Modular is rewriting the rulebook big time. The new model is compact, light, sporty, and looks very much like a racing-style full-face helmet.

First of all, the weight. This is a full carbon fibre helmet with an official weight of 1295g, although my kitchen scales returned 1382g. Still, it is an incredibly light helmet. My Shoei Neotech 2, which also feels reasonably light, tipped the scales at 1682g, making it 300g heavier – that’s the equivalent of wearing the AGV with a 10oz steak taped on top. When you pick up the box in the shop it feels almost like they forgot to put the helmet in there.

The lightness is combined with good aerodynamic performance, so the helmet still feels light at higher speeds and there’s no

vibes. There’s also an adjustable integrated spoiler at the back, which reduces turbulence and maximises stability – I know, it sounds more like a sports helmet, huh?

There are the standard chin and top vents for air to flow in and an extractor vent at the back to let it out. The lining is plush, as you’d expect at this price point, and it’s cleverly shaped at the bottom to close as many gaps as possible and keep the lid quiet. The really clever thing about the lining is that it’s reversible, offering either a warm or cool feel and making the lid more versatile.

The chin strap is secured with a traditional double D buckle.

The view from the Pinlock-equipped visor is great, with a wide aperture and no distortions. The internal sun visor is also handy, and

it’s easy to operate from the left side lever. I love the visor release mechanism, which is easy to use and pretty much guarantees that you won’t break your visor every time you do a bit of kit maintenance.

The only issue I had was with the shape of the chin guard, which didn’t leave much space between the front of my chin and the helmet. Admittedly, I have a pretty big chin, so others will probably not have the same problem, but for me it was a niggle.

Overall the lid is brilliant. It’s manufactured with care and high-quality components, which goes a long way towards justifying the price tag. But the real selling point of this helmet is the weight and sporty design – together they are sure to lure a fair few full-face wearers to try a modular helmet.

For more information, visit: www.agv.co.uk

THIS MONTH’S BEST BUY

Black Ballistic Motorcycle Jeans RRP: £79.99 // Tested by: Ross Mowbray Over the last couple of months, I’ve been putting Black’s allnew ballistic motorcycle jeans through their paces. The first motorcycle jeans to be added to the Black range, they’re

Price includes

27% OFF

priced very reasonably, and come equipped with plenty of features to help keep your skin intact in the event that you end up on the Tarmac.

They’re lined with 250gsm DuPont Kevlar fibre in all key abrasion areas – which is discreetly stitched, offering the illusion that you’re simply wearing a pair of fashion jeans. And there’s pockets for knee protection too. Best of all though, they’re very comfortable – and I found the fit perfect, thanks to its short, standard and long leg options.

You can’t ask for much more than comfort and protection from a set of bike jeans – particularly on a budget.

For more information, visit: www.ghostbikes.com

Armr Moto Tara Brown Boots RRP: £119.99// Tested by: Anna Finch I love these boots. I like the style of them and they feel quite robust and confidence inspiring. Made of cowhide with plastic ankle protection, they’ve also got a waterproof and breathable membrane, though as they arrived in the middle of our long hot spell I haven’t used them in the rain yet so can’t vouch for the waterproofing. The sole is described as ‘heat and oil resistant anti-slip’ and I can confirm that they are very grippy!

They come with multiple closures, with laces, buckles and two YKK zips, though thankfully you can just use one of the zips and ignore everything else. If I have a criticism, it’s that the zip backing isn’t quite stiff enough, so they can ‘fold up’, making zipping

difficult. But overall they’re great, and I really like the fact that they don’t look like motorcycle boots – I’d be happy walking through town in these.

For more information, visit: www. tri-motive.com

38 

TECH TALK 39

Tech Talk: I.M.U

GSX-R1000R with no clothes on.

IMU (which stands for Inertial Measurement Unit) is an acronym that pops up in conversation more and more often these days when the topic is new bikes.

But what exactly is it, what does it do, and how does it work?

What the brains really look like

Shinichi Sahara, Suzuki's chief engineer on the GSX-R1000R project and a former project leader in MotoGP, explains...

Words: Mikko Nieminen

The IMU allows the 10-stage traction control of the GSX-R1000 to deliver precise intervention when required by monitoring the bike’s pitch, roll, and yaw, meaning the bike can continue driving forward efficiently without too much wheel spin or without being held back unnecessarily.

It also optimises braking performance, by preventing too much rear wheel lift under heavy braking for slow corners, and detecting lean angle of the bike during cornering.

For the V-Strom 1000, the IMU allows optimal ABS control while detecting lean angle of the bike during cornering, giving riders added confidence and reassurance on their long adventures, or while having fun on twisty roads.

MCM: What is an IMU? SS: IMU is a device that measures angular velocity and acceleration.

Using IMU output, things like vehicle behaviour can be calculated.

MCM: How does it work?

SS: IMU output captured through CAN communication is used in various electronics systems parameters.

With the GSX-R1000R, IMU output is used as the control parameter for traction control or ABS. In the case of the DL1000, IMU output is used as the control parameter for the ABS or combined brake system.

MCM: Are there different versions of IMUs? SS: There are various suppliers existing in the world and there are various specifications of IMU. Measurement of angular velocity, acceleration, number of axis, etc. will vary from IMU to IMU. MCM: Are the units manufacturerspecific, if so, how?

SS: The IMUs that Suzuki uses are the ones that passed the level of accuracy, durability, etc. that Suzuki requires (there is nothing Suzukispecific about the IMUs that Suzuki uses in terms of functionality). Suzuki has been using IMUs as control parameters in racing, like MotoGP. MCM: Which motorcycles use IMUs and why?

SS: At the moment IMUs are fitted to our GSX-R1000s and the V-Strom 1000 range.

Shinichi Sahara, GSX-R1000R chief engineer.

MCM: Why does it make a difference?

SS: It makes a difference by increasing the performance of rider aids such as traction control for GSX-R1000

IMU unit for the V-Strom DL1000. and ABS for both GSX-R1000 and V-Strom DL1000. While these systems already work well on a number of machines, the IMU means more information is being fed into the ECU, the motorcycle’s brain, which can only mean that those systems are operating with an increased level of knowledge of what the bike is doing at any given moment. This means that the performance of those rider aids is increased.

The little box that makes the GSXR1000R clever.

MCM: What possible future developments could there be?

SS: Suzuki will continue to pursue engineering that will further improve the basic performance of ‘run’, ‘turn’ and ‘stop’.

Also, Suzuki will be involved in the development of engineering that brings about improvement in safety, comfort and environmental friendliness.

6

The amount of ways an IMU measures movement

40 UNDER THE SKIN

Redfox Grinta: Racing Retro Awesome Ducati from Dutch wizard Jan De Vos. Words: Tony Carter Photos: Gary ‘Declan’ Chapman

Redfox Grinta is well known in classic racing circles for a heady combination of top-level machining skill and the dark art of putting together sorted and quick bikes. Most notable, and probably most memorable, is this bike which is the 750 short stroke race bike contested by Michael Rutter at last year’s Classic TT. The head man at Redfox, Jan De Vos, tells the story of how the partnership of Rutter and his tuning shop came about: “In 2013 I had a telephone call from Dave Burr (Tony Rutter’s team manager) and he asked if we could do something with a Ducati TT1 for Michael, ready for him to ride in the Classic TT. “And that was it for a while. After that first question, which we said yes to, we didn’t hear anything else. At least, not for a while.

It wasn’t until 2014 when Dave eventually called back and he said: ’Okay guys, now it’s for real. Let’s get started on a bike’.

“So it was at that point that we travelled to the UK to visit Michael, to speak to him in person, and it was then that we came to an agreement about what we would build and how it would come together.”

That first bike set the template for the race bikes that Rutter was to get to grips with, but for that first outing everyone involved wanted a big motor to race around The Mountain Course on.

De Vos: “So it was that we made the first bike and that was a TT1 with an 1170cc engine so that it could go out and race against the other motorcycles in the Classic TT Superbike class.”

It wasn’t a straight fight though, the big four-cylinder motorcycles that the Ducati was taking on were running up to 1300cc in size.

De Vos: “Michael did a fabulous job and ended up 10th overall among the finishers.

He bagged a fastest lap of 120.474mph which meant that – at that moment in time – he was the fastest twin two-valve ever on The Island.”

It was a fine start for Rutter and the bike and while there was another tempting outing on the shelves as a possibility for 2016, the planets couldn’t quite line up in time.

De Vos: “That year Michael wanted to ride on our bike again, but, in all honesty, he just called us too late and even though we would have really enjoyed having Michael on the

machine again, we couldn’t get it ready in time.

“So the next chance for us to get together was in 2017 and that was when we decided to take on The Island with our comeback on two bikes – a 750 short stroker for the Lightweight category and an updated 1170 for the Superbikes.”

Michael ended up 13th in the Superbike race and runner-up in the Lightweight race – a fine result for the Redfox short stroker, but things didn’t remain as rosy for very long.

Technical infringement

During post-race scrutineering, the Redfox bike was found to fall foul of a technical infringement and Rutter and the squad were removed from the result.

De Vos explains what happened: “Our fuel tank was too big, it was as simple as that. I could have sworn that it was a 24 litre tank, which would have been okay, but the reality was that it was bigger.

“But it wasn’t as if the bigger tank actually gave us an advantage because we could prove that we used only nine litres a lap and because of that the bike was filled

up with 22 litres of fuel and no more.”

Protestations fell on deaf ears after the race and Redfox was told that despite what the fuelling may have showed or not, the tank was still too big and the ruling stuck. The podium finish was taken away. No result would stand for the 750.

De Vos: “So there was no discussion and this was a big disaster for us. At the end of the day I have to hold my hands up and say that it was a genuine mistake and it was my mistake. But there was no way back and we lost the result.”

So, result standing or not, with the 2017 Classic TT not exactly bubbling over with champagne and plaudits there were silver linings to take away from the post-race storm. And that was hugely positive for this year’s event.

“It was a difficult decision to put up with but that’s racing. What we know from this race is that our bike was again the fastest 750 twin two-valve motorcycle ever on The Island (Rutter finished the race with an average speed of 115.723mph / 1 hour 18m 14.929s – Ed), and that is very encouraging for where we go with this motorcycle and the work we have done so far.”

UNDER THE SKIN  41

42 

RETRO SUPER COOL 43

Yamaha’s RD350LC: Of a generation

It’s the noise and acceleration above 6000rpm that is still so addictive; the sudden burst of activity every time the throttle is wound back in anger and the 347cc two-stroke motor comes alive.

Words: Roland Brown Photography: Phil Masters

You might think the thrill would have worn off after all these years, especially now so many bikes produce far more performance than this elderly machine from the early Eighties.

But if the RD350LC can no longer deliver the giant-killing speed on which its mighty reputation is based, the little Yamaha still puts a broad smile on its rider’s face with every ride. So much so that, if you were to make a list of the most popular motorcycles of all time, it should surely feature prominently. In fact when a certain weekly paper recently held a vote to decide just that, the ‘Elsie’ came out on top – ahead of the FireBlade, R1200GS and all the rest.

That’s quite an achievement for a humble Japanese twin that produced less than 50bhp and had a top speed of not much more than a ton, but for many riders Yamaha’s raw, racy LC was the high-performance bike of its day. Certainly, few machines can have brought so much fast and furious enjoyment to so many as the liquid-cooled two-stroke twin that Yamaha unleashed in 1981.

In many ways the LC had the lot: speed, excitement and handling – plus reasonable practicality, reliability and economy. Although it had an appetite for fuel and two-stroke oil, it was relatively cheap to buy and to run. And it looked great too, with a restrained style that contrasted with its outrageous personality. No wonder it was such a success.

The RD350LC was a descendant of the string of outstanding air-cooled two-strokes with which Yamaha had established an unmatched reputation for middleweight performance. The

line had begun with the YR1 model in 1967. And throughout the Seventies, models such as the 350cc YR5, RD350 and RD400 had kept the tuning-fork logo to the fore. The ‘RD’ initials stood for race developed and were well earned because most of the Yamaha twin’s gains in performance and reliability were due to the firm’s efforts on the track.

Perhaps surprisingly the initial reaction was not universally positive, with some testers wondering whether the LC was too peaky and aggressive to appeal to more than a limited section of the market. Well, maybe it didn’t appeal to everyone – but for all those riders looking for high performance on a low budget, no other bike even came close. With a 110mph top speed, wheelie-popping acceleration and racetrack credibility, this was the stuff of a speed-crazed teenager’s dreams.

The LC needed little help to become a hit for Yamaha, but it got some assistance anyway in the form of a hugely popular one-make racing series. This began in Britain as the RD350 Pro-Am Series, contested by a mixture of professional and amateur riders (hence the name) including future 500cc works GP racer Niall Mackenzie. They rode identical LCs, prepared by Yamaha and allocated after keys were drawn out of a hat.

The result was outrageously close, aggressive, crash-littered and generally spectacular racing, which became unmissable TV viewing for millions at a time when bike

racing was rarely seen on the box.

The original Pro-Am challenge soon led to an international series that included riders from many European countries plus Australia. In the last couple of years, some of the original stars have squeezed into their leathers to take part in Pro-Am revival races, contested on restored LCs. Reliability was one of the LC’s many attributes, both on road and track, although it wasn’t infallible.

Engine studs sometimes broke,

140

That’s the wet weight of the RD350LC in kg

44 RETRO SUPER COOL How much, Mister?

The inevitable drawback of the LC’s popularity and recent high profile is that prices have risen steeply. “You’re looking at £8000 for a really good, restored 350LC now – or up to 10 grand for a mint bike with a bit of history,” says Daryll Young, who should know. The boss of Silverstone-based IDP Moto (www.idpmoto.com) masterminded the recent LC racing revival, and he has bought and restored several dozen 250s and

350s over the last couple of years.

Even settling for an unrestored bike, or an RD250LC rather than a 350, is unlikely to result in finding one going cheap. “With the 350, I’d say £3500 to £4500 for a slightly scruffy runner,” says Daryll. And the smaller model shares most parts, so prices are not much lower. “A good 250LC will go for around £5000, up to £7000 for a mint one.”

TECH SPEC Yamaha RD350LC (1981)

Engine type: Liquid-cooled two-stroke parallel twin Displacement: 347cc Bore x stroke: 64 x 54mm Compression ratio: 6.2:1 Carburation: 2 x 26mm Mikunis Claimed power: 47bhp @ 8500rpm Transmission: Six-speed Electrics: 12v battery; 60/55W headlamp Frame: Tubular steel cradle Front suspension: Telescopic, no adjustment Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable preload Front brake: Twin 267mm discs Rear brake: 203mm drum Front tyre: 3.00 x 18in (Avon Roadrunner) Rear tyre: 3.50 x 18in (Avon Roadrunner) Wheelbase: 1550mm Seat height: 787mm Fuel capacity: 16 litres Weight: 140kg wet

and exhausts cracked due to engine vibration before the design was changed. Yamaha modified the carbs to prevent misfiring, revised the rich-running oil pump and the beefed-up the exhaust mounts with tie-rods under the engine. They also introduced a new black/red ‘Mars Bar’ colour scheme, along with an optional bikini fairing and belly-pan and, in some markets, a full fairing.

The original LC’s reign was short, because for 1984 it was replaced by an all-new model, characterised by the new exhaust, whose flap moved at certain revs to optimise volume for both high- and low-speed running.

The YPVS, or Yamaha Power Valve System,

£3500

What you’d pay for a scruffy RD350LC

RETRO SUPER COOL 45 Riding the thing

gave slightly stronger midrange delivery with no loss of top-end, and led to the bikini-faired Yam, officially the RD350LC YPVS, being known as the Power Valve.

Other mods including a bikini fairing, air-assisted forks, rising-rate shock and tubeless tyres helped make it another hit. That mid-Eighties period of the Power Valve’s rule was probably the high point of the RD350LC’s existence, but the model was not finished yet.

The fully-faired 350LC F2 and naked 350L N models were also fairly popular, partly because switching production to South America helped keep prices low. The fully-faired LC initially had a rectangular headlight, then went to twin round headlights in the early Nineties, remaining in Yamaha’s range until 1994 as the RD350R. With its performance little changed, the Yam’s reputation had inevitably faded, and most young riders dreamt about the more glamorous and expensive FZR400RR four instead.

By the time the two-stroke was phased out in the mid-Nineties it had lasted in its various forms for well over a decade, it had sold in huge numbers all over the world, and it confirmed its status as the ultimate poor boy’s superbike.

The entertainment begins the moment you kick the engine into life (there’s no electric starter) and the two-stroke powerplant comes to life with a burbling, rather harsh sound through those twin pipes, which also belch out a fair bit of smoke and fumes. Along with good, clear instruments, the Yam has excellent controls and a light clutch.

Some play in this LC’s gear linkage means the change is less smooth than it should be, but the six-speed box still works well. For a rev-happy two-stroke the Yamaha is very easy to ride in town, where its relatively upright riding position also helps make it impressively comfortable.

It’s out on the open road, though, where the 350LC really comes alive. One moment the bike is dawdling along behind a line of cars, the next, there’s a gap in the oncoming traffic so I’m cogging down two gears, winding back the throttle and holding on tight as the Yamaha streaks towards the horizon with enough force and noise to send a tingle down my spine.

The wind-blown riding position and high-pitched shriek of the exhaust combine to make the bike feel as though it’s travelling faster than it really is – in many ways that’s a good thing.

The Yamaha also provides plenty of entertainment in

corners, where its light weight (140kg) is the main reason for its flickable handling.

Nobody who saw the outrageous manoeuvres that took place during a typical RD350LC Cup race will doubt that the bike’s frame is stiff enough, and its basic geometry and chassis layout good enough, to allow fearsomely hard and fast riding. This ageing bike’s suspension feels soft and bouncy at times, but still encourages me to throw it into turns with enthusiasm. Among this LC’s few non-standard parts are braided front brake lines that help the twin discs’ old-fashioned single-piston calipers deliver a respectable amount of stopping power.

A narrow pair of Avon Roadrunners don’t grip like modern radials, but they make the most of the slim twin’s ground clearance, of which there is plenty.

One reason the LC is such fun to ride after all this time is that its components are still nicely balanced – there’s just enough power for some full-throttle excitement without crazily illegal speeds, and enough handling and braking ability to cope with the straight-line performance.

It’s easy to understand why it captivated so many who rode it back in the day, and is still so fondly remembered all these years later.

46

Biker Friendly Guide

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VJMC 47

Waiting in the Wings: Suzuki RF900 Words: Steve Cooper With all this spin about buying modern classics as an investment, as a ‘pension pot’ and the like, there’s only one way the market is going in terms of cost... and that’s up.

No sooner has a bike featured in one of the numerous magazines peddling older bikes to older folks than its value increases. Unless it’s this month’s subject matter – well at least for the moment anyway. Suzuki’s oft ignored, long overlooked and occasionally derided RF900 has so far failed to figure in financial speculations, and here’s hoping it doesn’t for the foreseeable. Why? Because it’s supremely good large capacity for significantly little money.

When launched, many reports damned the biggest RF with faint praise arguing it was neither fish nor fowl, didn’t seem to sit well in Suzuki’s model range and was, apparently, made down to a price. This came from the same ‘experts’ who happily talked-up the almost self-recycling Bandit range… pah! Perhaps the real deal breaker was the strange shark gill panels that filled out a substantial part of the bike’s midriff. Variously lampooned for looking like something from a Miami Vice custom car or a poor man’s Ferrari, the vents almost killed the RF900’s sales before the

bikes were uncrated. However, those that took a test ride or scrounged a few miles from a mate’s bike came back grinning from ear to ear. Here was a stunningly competent machine that went fast enough for most real world mortals and handled better than many can ride… and it was cheap, almost obscenely so. Back in 1994 the RF900 was a significant 10% cheaper that a Honda VFR750 and almost 25% cheaper than a Honda Fireblade.

Based around a downsized GSXR1100W motor, the RF’s credentials were already a given; the power plant would be bullet proof. Downsizing valves and carburettors upped the midrange from good to delicious, making the bike so much more real world usable. Suzuki’s legendary gearbox warranted less toe input thereby facilitating a significantly less frantic ride.

Dispensing with cutting edge extruded alloy frames in favour of good old fashioned steel may have increased the bike’s mass but it also lowered the price. Yes, agreed, the suspension was at the budget end of the spectrum but arguably it was more than up to the job and, crucially, better than 80% of the potential buyers’ riding ability anyway. The RF900 wasn’t targeted at the out and out sports bike rider, which was where the journalists had got it wrong. The

intended market was what’s now normally described as ‘sports-tourer’.

This was the sort of machine that could maintain serious speeds hour after hour without deforming the limbs and spine of its rider. It wasn’t a CB900RR and was never intended to be one. This was near super bike performance at a seriously reduced cost. Flexibility is the key word here and with the numerous considered modifications bestowed on the 1100 derived motor it only needs five ratios in the box. With a claimed 135bhp at the crank, more like 120bhp at the rear wheel, and 74lb-ft of torque there’s enough going on there to keep most riders more than entertained.

Given its ancestry and revisions, engine reliability was unquestionably a given and in 1993 Suzuki Germany, supported by Metzeler and the German motorcycle magazine Motorrad, collaborated to deliver four endurance records over one, six, 12 and 24 hours. Any motorcycle that can run for an entire day and average more than 152mph consistently has to be extremely well made.

Still not sure it’s a bike worthy of consideration? The RF900 has been variously stroked back to 1100 and some ccs, has been supercharged, turbo charged, sprinted, drag raced, tuned, tweaked, turned into a track day machine and just keeps on coming back for more. Be under no

“The home of the Japanese classic”

illusions this is a seriously strong piece of kit!

Cosmetically the RF900 splits opinions. The single colour versions can look variously bland or street sleeper if in black depending on your perspective; or appear to be a poor man’s VFR750 when decked out in red. After just one model year Suzuki decided frames painted the same colour as the plastics was a bad idea and opted for flat silver, giving the illusion of alloy. Later models came in various colour schemes perhaps best described as ‘restrained shell suit’.

Okay, the RF900 may not be the ultimate late 20th century rocket

Want your fix of Japanese classics? Then you need...

6 issues for £20

Visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/cmm87 Expiry: 31/12/18 Call: 01507 529529 and quote code: CMM87 *UK only offer

machine but two decades on, who actually cares? And for the modern classic fan the news is simply stunning.

You have to work really hard to spend more than £2500 on an RF900. For less than the price of second-hand scooter you can have a 900cc missile. A bargain you say? Oh yes… but get in there fast before everyone else catches on!

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: Monday-Thursday,10am-4pm (please leave a message)

USED BIKE GUIDE 49

Kawasaki Ninja 300: big bike feel Looks good, feels great. The Ninja shines ahead of its A2-compliant rivals.

Kawasaki introduced the Ninja 300 in 2012. The 300 was a great fit in the rapidly expanding A2-compliant small capacity market, and when Kawasaki rationalised its range into ‘family’ groupings, it remained, with the Z300 quietly slipping off the books. The 300 was itself replaced in 2017 by the Ninja 400.

We took out a 2016 bike with 3717 Miles on the clock.

torque of 19.9lb-ft at 10,000rpm, housed in a tubular steel frame. It features a slipper clutch, conventional forks, assisting the front dual piston caliper, 290mm disc and rear dual piston caliper, 220mm disc to bring the 300 to a stop. Our test bike had a performance kit fitted which includes and Akrapovic end can and aftermarket gear indicator.

Give me some spec

The Ninja 300 has ‘grown-up’ dimensions. Big enough for a real ‘big-bike’ feel, but still small enough so that new licence holders will not

A 296cc, four-stroke parallel twin capable of 93mph top speed, puts out 38.9bhp at 11,000rpm with maximum

So what’s it like to ride?

feel intimidated. It’s roomier than first impressions might dictate and despite the clip-ons you can sit quite upright when pootling around in town traffic which really helps keep your bodyweight off your wrists.

Overall, the little Kawasaki is a very light 176kg wet which makes it handy when you're paddling about (be thankful for the low weight because the limited steering lock gives the Ninja the turning circle of an ocean liner).

That 296cc parallel twin will trundle lifelessly in slow traffic, giving no indication of what happens when you

Thanks to East London Kawasaki/ Bacons Motorcycles for the loan of the bike: 737-741 Eastern Avenue Ilford, Essex, IG2 7RT Tel: 0208 252 6020 www.baconsmotorcyles.co.uk

Words and pictures: Bob Pickett

clear off. The performance figures, however, give a clue: this is a bike that needs to be worked hard. Get it spinning at 8000rpm it gives a brisk ride, at 10,000rpm it’s on song, feeling taut and together.

Just think about cornering and the baby Ninja tips in. That narrow profile front dips with zero effort, and the 140/70 section rear hugs the road.

Direction change? No problem. It is accurate to a fault – I aimed between two inspection hatches on one corner and it placed precisely into the tiny gap.

Sit up, keep it in that upper rev range and it picks up pace briskly (reputedly 5.6 seconds 0-60mph), rather than driving forward, as you search for the top end torque.

Stopping? I loved the brakes, which gave all the feel I needed, allowing gradual halts or – if you needed to pull

up suddenly – a firm squeeze on the front lever backed up with the rear got the bike hauled up hard.

It has a light clutch, slick gearbox, great clocks… and mirrors that look like they will give loads of feedback… nope. I had no idea if someone was behind me no matter what I did.

What nick is it in?

It’s in nice shape. There was a slight scuff on the right side fairing panel, but nothing to worry over.

What’s it worth?

The dealer wants £3699 For a 2016 model with 3717 miles clocked. Our dealer search revealed a smallish number of used bikes available, from a 2014 model with 2796 miles on the clock for £2999 up to a 2015 bike with 9063 miles for £3999.

50 WHITE DALTON The MCM 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

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

Q&A

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

Q

I went out for a blast to the coast on my TZR250 ‘smoker’. I joined a dual carriageway and was cruising at about 65-70mph. I spotted an old Fiesta up ahead doing about 60mph. However, due to the traffic in the outer lane I couldn’t overtake it and the next thing the Fiesta in front just slammed on the brakes hard, coming to a stop. My sphincter reacted accordingly and I got on the brakes. I scrubbed off most of the speed but couldn’t avoid hitting the back of the Fiesta. Turns out the driver was in her 80s and the police said she got muddled up where she was going and just stopped. I’m now left with a scrotum like a space hopper and a bent TZR. My insurer said it’s my fault as I hit the back of her car and that she can claim from me. Is that right?

A

Short answer: no. Your insurer is wrong. While the general rule is that if you run into the back of someone else it will be your fault, it’s a popular misconception that it’s always the case.

The courts will consider if the driver in front of you behaved ‘unreasonably’. From what you have said she did, as she stopped her Fiesta suddenly or without good reason. While the Highway Code states you should “leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops”, a court will not find you have to be the perfect rider and hold you liable for someone slamming their brakes on and stopping in lane one of a 70mph dual carriageway for no good reason. My advice is you sack off your insurer and get a solicitor who knows what they are doing.

Q

When I left home the sun was shining so I duly put on my lid with my black tinted visor (race-use only). However, I got held up and by the time I was wandering home the sun had long disappeared. I was two turns from home when someone stumbled out of the local pub and into the road. Unfortunately I didn’t see him and knocked

him over. Thankfully, he was okay but the impact smashed my fairing. The police decided not to take any action but said they could have done me for driving without due care and attention for riding with a black tinted visor at night. The cheek of it! If the local yokel hadn’t been drunk I wouldn’t have hit him. Can I make a claim?

A

You could bring a claim but you will not win 100% on liability because first and foremost you were riding at night with a black tinted visor only meant for the track. The court will likely find you were partially to blame as you couldn’t see as well as you could have done with a clear and legal visor. In addition, the court may well find that you, as a rider, should have anticipated that drunken people may be stumbling out of the local pub and you should have been on the lookout. That may sound harsh but there is a bucket-load of case law on the point and pedestrians often get something with regards to liability even if they appear to have done something stupid. As an aside, riding with a black tinted visor at night could amount to driving without due care and attention in my view. I say this because your riding did fall ‘below what would be expected of a competent and careful’ rider.

BMW’s opened up new rider training centres in Darlington and Edinburgh

The new schools join established sites in Royston, Hertfordshire and Stokeon-Trent in Staffordshire – and will offer the same comprehensive suite of training for those learning to ride, right through to the RoSPA Advanced Rider standard. Both schools offer riders a broad selection of BMW bikes – from the A2 licence BMW G310R roadster to its renowned R 1200 GS adventure bike.

For more info call: 08000 131 282 or visit: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk

For more info, go to:

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

Learners Commuters Buying On Two Wheels

Riding

Classified FREE Selling your bike is

THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST BIKING MONTHLY!

For sale

BMW R1100S 2002, elderly owner for past 11 years, arguably an appreciating modern classic, comfortable, fast, handles really well, a beautiful bike, 41,700 miles, MoT, garaged, may negotiate with BMW panniers, h/ grips, s/s Lazer exhaust, £2550.

Tel. 07967 665114. Glasgow.

HONDA VFR800 F1 2000, only 737 miles from new, mint, blue, on Sorn, £4000 ono. Tel. 01609 776996 for details. N Yorks.

HONDA CB125S 1972, complete rebuild (cheap insurance), best example, £3000. Tel. Paul 01935 474998. Email: yeovil@ bransonsmotorcycles.co.uk

HONDA CB250RS 1982, for sales or repairs, period fairing, carrier, as original, including spares, bargain £300. Tel. 01253 825655 for details.

BMW R1200RT blue/silver, 2007. Details: Panniers, top box, tank bag, ABS, heated seats, heated h/bars, adj windscreen, BMW battery charger, MoT til March 2019, tyres almost as new, new battery, 35k, £4150.

Tel. 01723 513666. N Yorks.

BSA BANTAM D14 1968, 175cc, restored back in 1995, only taken on sunny days, just had carbs cleaned, new ignition coil, spark plug, battery and oil change, starts and runs well for 50 year old bike, brakes and electrics all work, t&t exempt. Tel. 07802 504756. Northants.

BEAMISH SUZUKI 1981 Trials, rebuilt, as new, l/weight classic trials, 250cc, show use only, recently, delivery can be arranged, £1950. Tel. 01376 343559. Essex.

BMW F650ST 1998, top box, panniers, heated grips, new chain and sprockets, 32k miles, £1600. Tel. 01723 373791. N Yorks. cliveroberts4@talktalk.net BMW R100GS 1992, vgc, long MoT, reducing my bike collection, £4695. Tel. 01895 624554; 07798 866071. Middx.

DUCATI ST2 1998, R reg, exc cond, 27k, standard exhausts, colour matching panniers included, reluctant sale due to my age, bike is now getting too heavy (owned since 2010), kept fully serviced, MoT til August but will either put new MoT or compensate financially to purchaser. Tel. Mike 07966 248863 nr Swansea.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL883C 2005, MoT Oct 2018, silver pearl, 10,175 miles, mature owner, excellent condition for year, two owners, garaged at all times. Tel. 07809 283104. Hants.

HONDA 125 Pantheon S-Wing, dark blue, 2007, 16k miles, some minor cosmetic damage to l/h/s due to bike falling over on driveway! otherwise excellent clean condition, rides like new, well looked after, MoT Jun 2019, £875. Tel. Steve on either 07771 866621 or 0208 7140101.

Carshalton, Surrey.

for private readers

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT700 ABS, black, 13,400 miles, just had MoT, well cared for by mature owner, oil and filter changed regularly, new Bridgestone rear tyre & rear brake pads, c/w Honda top box & Oxford Battery Mate charger, £3000. Tel. 07716 497963. W Dunbartonshire.

HONDA FIREBLADE 1997, 28k, MoT, recent carb clean, new tyre, battery, fuel cut off switch, new d/bubble fairing, professional spray painted by previous owner, exc cond and fun to ride, garaged and dry miles, £2500 ovno. Tel. 01293 521328. W Sussex.

HONDA CB400N 1980, a real eye-catcher, black, t&t free in 2 years, great condition, on the road, collector’s bike, must be seen, £2750. Tel. 07757 733964.

Durham.

HONDA NSC 50 2WH-D white, full s/h, exc cond, learner legal, 2 owners from new, owners manual, 8 mths’ MoT, no offers. Tel. 07886 587733. ewls19991@talktalk.net .

HONDA CBF-N9 2009, 600cc, 4,500 miles, mint condition, never seen rain, many extras, on Sorn, metallic yellow, new battery and rear tyre, £2600 will consider ovno. Tel. 01582 601467 to view. Beds.

HONDA CBR250R 8352 miles, Remus exhaust, Ventura frame, Givi top box, charging point for Optimate lowing body kit, comfort seat, heated grips, £2000 firm. Tel. 01748 821217.

N Yorks.

HONDA CBR600 FK 1990, original jellymould model, red and black, bit tatty, needs some tlc, ideal restoration/Streetfighter/ custom project, £695. Tel. 07870 505716 for more info/pics call or text. Borders.

HONDA CJ 250T 1976, good condition, alloy rims, custom exhaust, running last year, tax and MoT exempt, becoming rare, £1500. Tel. 01269 822516.

Ammanford, Dyfed.

HONDA DEAUVILLE 2005, 21k miles, one previous owner, excellent condition, some extras pounds, £2000. Tel. 01924 823333.

HONDA XR650R Supermoto, 2003, currently on Sorn, vgc, Talon hubs, Scorpion s/s exhaust, off road wheels & tyres, spare seat, original pipe inc other bits/ bobs, owned 10 yrs, £3000. Tel. 07971 830123. E Yorks.

HONDA 400/4 408cc, 1976, tax, MoT exempt, Motad exhaust, seat recovered, new battery, chain sprockets, tidy Sorn, carbs require work, green paintwork, repainted frame, s/arm, health forces sale, V5C, £1200 ovno.

Tel. 07824 647202. W Mids.

HONDA C90 2002, 37k, red, fair condition, owned since 1,100 miles, must be clean, no time wasters, good investment, £800 ono. Tel. 07546 963739.

E London.

HONDA CBR600F 2000, 50k miles, MoT May 19, full s/h, black, runs well, £1200 ono. Tel. 07925 128612. Oxford.

HONDA DEAUVILLE 2005, 21k miles, one previous owner, excellent condition, some extras, £2000. Tel. 01924 823333.

Wakefield.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT700 ABS, black, 13,400 miles, just had MoT, c/w Honda top box, well cared for by mature owner, oil & filter changed regularly, new Bridgestone rear tyre and rear brake pad, £3000. Tel. 07716 497963. W Dunbartonshire.

HONDA MSX125 Grom, 2014, black/gold, lovely learner bike, cheap to tax, good mpg, less than 4,000 miles, careful mature owner, no damage, cash on collection please, £2150. Tel. 01872 572887. Cornwall.

HONDA MSX125 red/gold, 4,500 miles, Arrow silencer, new Michelin tyres, rebuilt seat, braided hoses, windscreen, full s/h, reluctant sale, £2250. Tel. 01293 518375. Crawley, Sussex.

HONDA SH3001 09, top box, good condition, Honda key, £50 ono plus post; will also fit Varadero, red met. Tel. 01670 813861. Northumberland.

JIANSHE JS125-6C Z6 Fully Moto serviced 3 weeks ago, 2016, engine Yamaha 125cc.

Reason for sale: moving to another country. Tel. 07380 552376.

SUZUKI DR125 1983, was runner, now a non-tuner, £600 ono. Tel. 078960 84797 for info.

Thetford, Norfolk.

SUZUKI SV1000S 2003, pair of rig crash bungs, brand new, still in wrappings, genuine reason for sale, £50 collect or pus postage.

Tel. 01525 633072. Beds.

SYM JOYMAX 300I mature owner, MoT, new drive belt, oil change, air filter, ideal commuter or tourer, 30k miles, starts first time, lovely bike, ready to go, few bumps and scrapes as per pics, £1075. Tel. 07838 111039.

Bexleyheath.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120R 1964, fully restored, completely rebuilt with Black Diamond valves, and the lowest compression pistons that could be found to deal with modern fuels, carburettors were bored and re-sleeved for reliability runs fine, starts first kick, idles like it should, 2,333 miles from rebuild, £1295. Tel. 07956 946625.

TRIUMPH T100 EFI rear Rentec carrier, no. REN7256 B/C plus fittings and instructions, all but new free choke, nob for above, bike included, £25. Tel. 07840 364013. Bucks.

KAWASAKI KH400 A4 1977, UK bike, exc cond, Royal Candy purple, 24k genuine miles, £7950 ono. Tel. 07889 815460.

Devon.

KAWASAKI KZ1100-A1 1981, 48k, MoT, no advisories rebuilt, frame and panels/tank resprayed, all parts either replaced with new or overhauled using new parts where necessary, brand new Hagon shocks, new Motad exhaust, lovely bike, Sorned, £2900 obo. Tel. 07917 062811.

Dorset.

KAWASAKI ZX10 997cc, 1990, H reg, ex-runner, exc condition, all bills, all MoTs, new battery, s/h, garaged, on Sorn, two former owners, Haynes manual, heated grips, new clutch, rear carrier rack, £1350. Tel. 07510 431379.

N East.

KAWASAKI ZXR 750H1 1989, low mileage, MoT, Street fighter, too many new parts to list, needs carbonation sorting, commitments force sale, £1600 ono. Tel. 07470 200136. Essex.

KAWASAKI ZZR1400 up to 2018, two sets clutch and brake levers, short, dark green, long, light green, fully adj CNC, top quality, £45 per set; can post at cost. Tel. 07903 380308. North London.

PIAGGIO ZIP scooter, 50cc, 2015, black. Tel. 07867 804593.

Herts. paulwash277@gmail.com ROYAL ENFIELD Classic, 500cc, 64 reg, only 17 miles, cream, dual seat and twin standard seats, standard and sports silencer, all as new, save yourself £2000, £3300. Tel. 01376 343559. Essex.

SUZUKI AN400 K9 400cc, Berman, 13k miles, good condition, new drive belt fitted, good tyres, Givi box, genuine sale heavy now for pensioner owner and now not riding any more, on Sorn, £1600 ono. Tel. 01302 844691. Yorks.

TRIUMPH 3TA 350cc, black/ivory, super condition, 1964, low mileage, some history, buff log book, £4500.

Tel. 07752 312211. Berks.

YAMAHA RD 350 LC superb bike in the unique and sought after RZ Japanese red, UK reg bike with matching 4LO numbers, Micron fork brace,numerous NOS parts fitted, £8200 ono. Tel. 07889 815460. Devon.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE America 800, 19,290 miles, 2003, much preferred carb model, fully loaded with extras, MoT till May 19, must be one of the smartest show models in country, £3950.

Tel. 01621 778184. Essex.

YAMAHA XJ 550 Special, 1981, 46,370 miles, good condition, runs well, ill health forces reluctant sale, import, £1195 ovno. Tel. 01508 528379; 07876 497888. Norfolk.

Choose one of the following methods:

1 2 3

ONLINE www.motorcyclemonthly.co.uk EMAIL freeads@motorcyclemonthly.co.uk POST MCM Reader Adverts, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR

YAMAHA RS200 200cc, 1981, one year’s MoT, very good condition inside and out, very original, eligible for classic insurance, selling due to age! mine not the bikes, £1850 bargain. Tel. 01227 740909; 01227 40909. Kent.

YAMAHA XJR1300 2005, excellent condition, MoT April 2019, 24k miles, £3500, no offers.

Blue also Yamaha FJ1200, 1991, 3XW, with Watsonian sidecar, 60,000 miles, MoT, £4250. Tel. 01202 518284. Bournemouth.

YAMAHA XS250 1980, MoT, 31k miles, lots of new parts, too many too list, ring for details, was advertised last month but with the wrong phone number. Tel. 07490 114629. Bognor Regis, W Sussex.

Parts for sale ARIEL NO PLATE £40; damper knob, £20; original Burgess silencer, £60; Triumph centre stand, £48; Vokes filter, £20; Bonnie wiring loom, £12.

Tel. 0208 8944704. Middx.

BMW R80RT 1985: Seat grab rail (2 parts), £15; d/discs (cast iron), £50; h/light rubber tunnel, £20; tool tray extends behind rear mudguard, £25; BMW original handlebar grips (pair), £5. Tel. 07856 284613. Essex.

BSA B25 250cc frame, forks, swinging arm and shocks, ideal off-road project, good cond, £250; BSA A10 r/h exhaust pipe, £5. Tel. 07899 890537. Surrey. bsageoff@live.co.uk

BSA SHOOTING STAR cyl head (bare), A10 barrels and pistons std, A65 Lightening cyl head c/w valves plus crankcases, grey face rev counter, 3.1 (needs glass) pair 32mm concentric carbs. Tel. 01772 783774. Lancs.

ERDE PM310/R single m/c trailer, will take up to 240kg, purchased 2 months ago at the cost of £480, plus £150 for h/duty ramp, immac cond, £425 ovno. Tel. 07816 872825.

GIVI BLADE mono lock top box, £40; Scorpion exhaust to fit Honda NC750, £50. Tel. 01904 644366. York.

HANDLEBAR RISERS approx 3”, polished alloy, actually used on Yamaha XJR1300 but maybe used on other bikes, £15 the pair.

Tel. 07504 327299. Torquay.

HARLEY GENUINE SILENCERS part no. 65682-40, vgc, were on my 2006 Softail Night Train, ideal for MoTs if not permanent fixture, cat marked, worth £400, sell for £175. Tel. 07840 364013. Bucks.

HONDA CBF600 2008 onwards, plastic chain guard, perfect as new, £15 ono plus post or collect.

Tel. 01582 601467. Beds.

HONDA DEAUVILLE SEAT 650 very good condition, £60; Honda CB250F, not Superdream seat, 1980, good condition, £70. Tel. 01299 210758. Worcs.

HONDA HORNET 600 exhaust 2003 removed from bike at 900 miles when complete Scorpion system was fitted to include downpipes and silencer, very nice condition, £120.

Tel. 01723 515546. N Yorks.

CLASSIFIEDS KAWASAKI PARTS top box, green inserts and back rest, takes full face and waterproofs with mounting plate off Versy, will fit others, new condition, £50. Tel. 07903 380308. North London.

KAWASAKI Z200 front mudguard, seat, carb and clutch basket also GPZ305 clutch basket with KZ305 clutch engine cover.

Tel. 07425 716876. West Yorks.

OXFORD HEATED GRIPS no longer needed, £20; Shark helmet, large, clean, £10. Tel. 07984 352539. Worcs.

PIAGGIO ZIP SCOOTER 50cc, 2015, black. Tel. 07867 804593.

Herts. paulwash277@gmail.com SCORPION HEXAGON carbon multi fit end can with connector pipe to fit Versys 1000, will fit many others, as new, £75 ono.

Tel. 07903 380308. N London.

SHOEI Multi-Tec crash helmet, size M, only used once, immac, no marks or scratches, complete with tinted visor plus clear visor on helmet and helmet bag, £170 ovno. Please call Sue on 07971 752854. Essex.

SUZUKI SV650 SX/Y 99-01 curvy std clear screen, £5; headlight fairing, yellow, £25; r/h fairing, yellow, scratched, £15; rear rack, £10. Tel. 07780 945601. Hants. bike2018cw@outlook.com

SUZUKI SV650 SX/Y 99-01 curvy, std silencer, vgc and cut down/cut off silencer, £35; starter solonoid and positive battery lead, £10. Tel. 07780 945601. Hants. bike2018cw@outlook.com THREE-BIKE TRAILER or it will take an outfit, new tyres etc, £215 ono. Tel. 0151 4240050.

Cheshire.

TRIUMPH ADVENTURER 885cc, 1996 to 2001, rear fender rack inc all fittings plus single seat both items in exc cond, £175; 2 Ωx speedometers, both working, £35 & £55; chrome chain guard, £60; duel gunslinger saddles, x2, both excellent, orig Triumph accessories, £70 each; front brake caliper inc new brake pads plus master cylinder and lever, £35; rear brake master cyl, £20; orig Triumph early h/bars, as new, x2, both £30 each; Triumph single seat plus Triumph pillion pad, £65 both exc cond; original Triumph pillion chrome grab rail inc all fittings, £95; gold/ivory petrol tank inc chrome badges, cap and tap, all in excellent condition, £250; ivory rear fender, £40; plus Ivory front fender, £30; both in excellent condition; handlebar end weights x2, £7 each inc fixing screws. Rear brake caliper inc mounting bracket,

Subscribe to Motor Cycle Monthly: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/MCM or call 01507 529529

£10; all spares above for Triumph Adventurer though many will fit Thunderbird also. Tel. Phil 01242 696778 or 07933 726295. Glos.

TRIUMPH TIGER 1050cc fuel tank, colour Phantom black metallic, excellent condition, ideal replacement or project, £85 ono plus posting if necessary. Tel. 07984 999216. Lancs.

TRIUMPH AMERICA LT 2016, pair short slash exhausts, £125; also engine bar, £50; all as new condition. Tel. 01553 828034.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100 King/Queen seat, vgc, £75 after 5pm. Tel. 01797 320434. Kent.

TRIUMPH ROCKET lll dual seat, original Triumph one, will fit 2004 to 2009 models, seat is in as new condition complete fitting bracket, £75 plus single seat for same bike as dual seat. Original Triumph seat in excellent condition, £40.

Tel. Phil 01242 696778 or 07933 726295. Cheltenham.

YAMAHA XJR1300 2009, muffer genuine Yamaha, new in box, £125. Tel. Alan 01494 449701.

Bucks.

Parts Wanted HARLEY-DAVIDSON WANTED older model preferably but anything considered. Shovel-head,

early evolution model or Sportster.

Project, complete runner or basket case. Anything considered. Tel. 07866 464450 please leave a message and I’ll call you back.

Warks.

WANTED CZ175 Posi lube model preferred, runner, oily rag model so will be ridden, no show ponies.

Tel. 01744 35096. Merseyside.

WANTED BMW R90 Mottorad custom seat (lower seat height), please email with price. Tel. 01603 713045. Norfolk.

Wanted ANY MAKE OR SIZE classic motorcycle wanted, in any condition from basket case to one in nice condition, cash waiting.

Tel. 07811 189755. Staffs.

WANTED URGENTLY: 1983 Honda CB 650 SC-C Nighthawk, in good order, runner or spares or repair, if not whole bike then carbs, exhaust etc, can collect anywhere immediately or when required from Stoke-on-Trent.

Cash on collection. Tel. Paul or Wendy on 07400 119675. Staffs.

HONDA C90 WANTED with or without MoT, prefer low mileage, good condition but would consider any Velosolex or other old moped also wanted, will collect and pay

cash. Tel. Pete on 0785 2439728 anytime. Mids.

KAWASAKI ER5 03, Haynes manual wanted. Tel. 07753 247689. Whickham.

TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 flyscreen and fitting kit, front and rear dresser (crash) bars, must be in good condition, cash waiting, any distance collected or post paid, wanted urgent. Tel. 07775 680094. Essex.

WANTED YAMAHA RD400 engine and spares, will travel anywhere. Tel. 078960 84797.

Norfolk.

Miscellaneous ARMSTRONG BOMBARDIER 1987, Rotax 500cc, non-runner, purpose built single bike trailer, Indies Mini wheels, Krauser luggage racks, K1 type, Arrowbags soft sports bike, soft luggage, Norvil production racer, fairings rear sets etc. Tel. 01740 630033 for details. Stockton-on-Tees.

BACK STREET HEROES too many to list, offers. Tel. Kev 07710 949799. Wirral.

BELL OPEN-FACE HELMET Roland Sands design, “check it”, never worn, boxed, with helmet bag, size XS, £75. Tel. 01942 884775. Man.

BIKE LIFT ‘B2 SUPERLIFT’ 2 years old, as new, (new cost £300+), £125 ono; buyer collects.

Tel. 01604 831349. Northants.

BIKE REGISTRATION W80 XJR for sale, held on retention in my name, £425 ovgo was on Yamaha 1300. Tel. 07523 326472.

BMW two-in-one Gortex gloves, size 8-81/2, brand new still with tags attached & unused, RRP £160, accept £100 plus £5 p&p.

Tel. 07933 765192.

BOOTS Forma Adventure Low Style, size 44, UK 9, new, light brown, never worn, a bargain at £50 can post. Tel. 07919 158173.

Hants. geoffrey.downing@ ntlworld.com GIVI TOP BOX with fittings and key, £30. Tel. Pete on 01795 539878. Faversham, Kent.

HAYNES HONDA MANUALS three different. Hornet 98 to 02, Hornet 98 to 06, CBF600 04 to 06, also Hornet 07 to 12, CBF600 08 to 12, manual numbers 3915 5572, all perfect, unmarked, £10 each plus post or collect. Tel. 01582 601467. Beds.

HONDA CB750/4 KZ 1979, serviced, genuine 7k miles, new: tyres, battery, hoses, MoT 2/19, BMW K1200RS, 2001, serviced, 38k miles, h/panniers,

tool kit, vgc, £5650, £1950 resp. New: Buffalo l/r/suit, 5ft 10”, 44” chest, £165; used: Alpinestar l/boots, 10/44, £50; Used: fabric, lined jacket, 44” chest, £25. Tel. 07759 607498.

Berks.

FRANK THOMAS M/C JACKET FTW 220, size XXL, high performance tech fabric, Sabre water proof jacket, Ballistic hardwearing, worn about once, as new, bargain £50. Tel. 07504 327299. Torquay.

HONDA LEATHER PANNIERS 50cm long, 30cm high, 16cm deep, buckle closures from Honda Shadow VT750 C5, can be adapted, vgc, £40. Tel. 01244 810166. Flints.

LEATHER SUIT padded, onepiece, black with anthracite shoulder panel, 44” chest, 5ft 10”/6ft-ish, tried on twice, never been on a bike, £125. Tel. 01293 410976. Gatwick.

M/CYCLE CLOTHING men’s XL and ladies small, leathers and jeans, please call for sizes and photos; also Harley-Davidson clothing. Tel. 07759 811622; 01494 815604.

MOTORCYCLE MODELS:- Polstil small scale approx 3” long, Honda 750-4, Kawasaki H2/750,

Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta and Norton Commando, all vgc, £12 each p&p. Tel. 07504 327299.

Torquay.

OXFORD CRUISER BAG sissy bar fitting, 40cm high, 20cm deep, 40cm wide, vgc, £40. Tel. 01244 810166. Flints.

OXFORD SPORTS PANNIERS red, 50cm long, 20cm high, 2035cm deep, expandable handles, velcro fastening, expansion straps, external pockets, vgc, £40. Tel. 01244 810166. Flints.

REVERSE CONE SILENCERS mint, £100; lots GL1200 spares, Vetter fairing, vgc, £50; CBF 1000 front mudguard, £35; Goldwing handlebar mirrors £35; torque wrench, boxed, unused, £30; Hagon chrome shocks, boxed, mint, £100. Tel. 07434 513161.

Lancs.

ROUND THE TT COURSE with H.L. Daniell, that lap at 91mph, Castrol map 35” x 23” when opened, £20; two Steward pictorial maps, 70/77 illustrations off TT course vantage points, £20.

Tel. 01484 663007. West Yorks.

SELECTION OF LEATHER motorbike jackets, leather, £40 each; selection of motorbike helmets, £10 upward. Tel. Kev 07710 949799. Wirral.

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