MoreBikes August 2024 issue **FREE TO READ!**

Bringing YOU the BEST of biking

LIGHTWEIGHT CHALLENGER

August 2024 # 217

SNOWDON LOOP

A blast round some of the best roads in Wales

BEAT THE TRAFFIC

Could CFMOTO’s 450MT be the perfect round- the-world adventurer?

How to master overtaking and filtering

YOUR 24-PAGE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BEGIN YOUR BIKING JOURNEY GUIDE

LEARN TO RIDE

CONTENTS 3

INSIDE THIS MONTH ST 2024 AUGU

LOCK ’EM UP

28

BIG MILES

The best kit to keep your pride and joy safe

The lowdown on our long-term test fleet

14

26

TANGERINE DREAM Hunting apexes with the KTM 1390 Super Duke

GET INTO BIKING

20

24 pages of learner legal brilliance

DOING BATTLE

36

Honda’s CB750 Hornet and Suzuki’s GSX-8S go head-to-head.

Which would you choose?

A nod from the Editor

I

t doesn’t seem all that long ago that I was a young, carefree, and floppy-fringed learner, blasting about on my Yamaha XT 125. Now look at me. The greys are peeking through, the wrinkles are coming, and I’ve spent the last few years getting paid to ride and review bikes for you lovely lot.

It actually took me a few more years than I’d have liked to get my hands on my licence. I’m lucky – I come from motorcycling stock and was fortunate enough to spend a few of my formative years belting around the garden on a little scrambler, so the seed was planted long before I actually pulled the trigger. It was always going to happen.

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

Editorial design Fran Lovely Publishing Director Dan Savage Email editorial@morebikes.co.uk Production Editor Mike Cowton Group Advertising Manager Sue Keily

rmowbray@mortons.co.uk

Back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, it seems like everyone rode. Bikes were the affordable way to get around, and it was comparatively easy to pass your test and get out on a ‘proper’ bike. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the people I grew up with, though. A couple of guys I went to school with, and one guy I met at university are into bikes – and that’s it.

Pretty much everyone else I meet the same age as me is either terrified at the prospect or wholly indifferent, despite me waxing lyrical about the magic of riding at every opportunity.

There’s hope, though. I’ve been out and about a lot in the last month – at shows, festivals, and bike nights, and I’ve been heartened to see loads of L-plated young ’uns belting around.

Advertising Simon Meyer 01507 529310 Advertising deadline for September issue August 1, 2024 Sales and Distribution Manager Carl Smith Marketing Manager Charlotte Park Commercial Director Nigel Hole Customer services number 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm

Maybe the tides finally are turning…

That’s why we’ve focused our attention on the learner legal side of things this month – squeezing a whopping 24 pages of good stuff in amongst all the usual general biking brilliance. If you’re just starting out, it should equip you with all the knowledge to take your test, sort some kit and buy a bike. And if you’ve been riding for years, maybe you could do a good turn and pass this copy on to an impressionable youth and tell them how bloody brilliant bikes are. The more the merrier, right?

Ride safe, Editor

Call 01507 529529 or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/MB10 or email subscriptions@mortons.co.uk MoreBikes is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd and printed by Mortons Print.

Subscribe to MB and just pay the postage!

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4 NEWS

THE KING IS DEAD Long Live The King BMW’s just launched the latest version of its ever-popular adventure-specked GS – and this time you can add a semi-automatic gearbox from the extensive parts catalogue Ever since BMW launched its new R1300GS, we’ve been quietly waiting for the big reveal of its latest fully loaded off-road-ready beast. And it’s finally happened, with the Bavarian brand whipping the covers off the R1300GS Adventure at this year’s Motorrad Days festival over in the motherland.

Just like the standard GS, the new Adventure is a big departure from the old model. It looks like an entirely different motorcycle – and although there’s a good chance it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, the GS was definitely due a visual update.

And as you’d expect, it’s all for good reason. The Head of BMW Motorrad Development, Christof Lischka, said: “Never before have seating comfort, ergonomics and wind and weather protection been so harmoniously combined with precise handling, exceptional suspension comfort and smooth running.” Sounds good to us.

It shares plenty with the standard GS. The beating heart of the bike is its 1300cc boxer motor, which’ll come in largely the same state of tune. But there’re plenty of differences, too. For one thing, the fuel tank’s a whopping 30 litres, which means it’s heavier (tipping the scales at a claimed 296kg) and wider. A nice touch on the tank are the three mounting points, which’ll make it easy to fix BMW’s aftermarket tank bag into position.

There’s some luggage as standard though, in the form of a solid aluminium 37-litre topbox, and a pair of panniers with 73.5 litres of storage space between them (and the left one even has a built-in USB charger).

The suspension’s different, too. It uses a more rigid EVO Telelever and Paralever system and the front and rear respectively, but it’s also kitted out with Dynamic Suspension Adjustment. It’s essentially a semi-active system which adjusts damping and spring rate on the

fly to keep things smooth. It’ll also adjust the spring rate based on how much you’ve got loaded up on the bike. Clever stuff.

There are bags of electronic goodies to play with and benefit from. It gets self-lowering suspension; four riding modes (with Enduro costing a little bit extra); hill hold control; cornering ABS; heated grips; and keyless ignition. As always, there’re plenty of extras to choose from, too. One of them is particularly interesting. It’s an Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) function, which, like Honda’s DCT system, removes the need for a clutch.

It doesn’t come cheap though and will up the price of the GSA to £21,300.

Without it, the base model GSA is priced at £18,870.

While it’s a good chunk of change and more expensive than the outgoing R1250GS Adventure, which you could get your hands on for a not insignificant £16,360, there’re bags of changes that take the flagship GS even further.

NEWS 5

CLOSING THE GAP Voge look about ready to take on the established competition with their new DS900X middleweight adventure bike

Chinese firm Voge Motorcycles are flying.

They’re knocking bikes together left, right and centre – and they continue to surprise all who give them a proper look, with their value-for-money focus and eye for the important things.

We’ve ridden a few in relatively quick succession this year, and they’ve impressed – offering plenty of poise and performance for a fraction of the price of the equivalent rides from the ‘big-name’ competition.

They’ve shown they can build and sell bikes to a budget, but how’re they going to do when the price creeps up a bit?

Well, we’re about to find out. That’s because Voge’ve just released a new middleweight adventure that’s not a million miles away from the cost of the likes of Honda’s XL750 Transalp and Yamaha’s standard Ténéré 700.

It does hold its own in terms of specification though, and there’s some nice stuff as standard, with a 895cc BMW F900-derived parallel twin motor providing the power; KYB springs front and rear; Brembo brakes; Pirelli Scorpion Trail rubber; and proper off-road-ready 21-inch front and 17-inch rear spoked wheels. It gets ABS and traction control; four rider modes; a heated seat and heated bars; a big 7-inch TFT dash which offers a basic sat-nav system; a built-in HD camera; and a pair of USB sockets, too.

Priced at £8999 + OTR, there’s no doubt you’re getting a lot of gear for your money – but as with any new brand, it’s difficult to be sure how well it’s going to stand the test of time.

The good news is that the dealer network’s growing swiftly, so at least you’ll be looked after is something did go wrong.

6 NEWS

BIG MILE READY Ducati’s just revealed a new fully loaded travel-ready version of its DesertX adventurer

Following in the footsteps of the Desert X and the recently released Rally, Ducati’s added another bike to its adventure stable: the Desert X Discovery.

Kitted out with bags of goodies to make it ‘the ideal travel companion’, the Italian firm is looking to take it to Husqvarna’s Norden 901 Expedition and Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 Explore in the increasingly busy adventure travel motorcycle market.

It’s exactly the same base bike as the existing Desert X, with the same 937cc 110bhp and 68lb-ft motor, KYB springs, Brembo brakes and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR rubber. But there’s still plenty of good stuff to get excited about.

For protection, it gets some sturdy reinforced hand guards, engine bars and a proper aluminium bash plate, and for

ACCESSIBLE Yamaha’s the latest firm to confirm it’s bringing a semi-automatic transmission to its next generation rides

Semi-automatic transmissions are nothing new. Honda’s had one on the go for years; BMW’s just announced its own as an aftermarket option on its new GS Adventure; and KTM’s just trialled one at the gruelling Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo.

And that’s without mentioning that Yamaha itself actually had a go at something sort of similar nearly 20 years ago. The Japanese firm developed the YCC-S system for its FJR1300 sports tourer.

It wasn’t quite a semi-auto transmission like we know it today, but it did a similar job, employing hydraulics to allow riders to manually change gear using a finger-operated gear lever. Clever stuff.

Like the others on the market today, the new Y-AMT system is all electronic, but the biggest difference between

Yamaha’s latest technology and that of the competition is that the Japanese firm’s interested in performance rather than simply practicality.

It reckons that it’ll actually allow for faster shifting than a traditional manual gearbox, even when it’s kitted out with a quickshifter.

It utilises two electronic actuators, eliminating the need for both the clutch and gear lever in its fullyautomatic guise – though there will be a manual mode which allows riders to toggle up and down using the two switchgear-mounted paddles.

Yamaha’s been smart with that, too, designing the switchgear to be operated using an index finger rather than thumb, meaning riders can always keep a solid grip on the bars.

comfort it gets heated grips and a taller screen. There’s more, including an all-important centre stand to make it easy to look after the chain and fix any rear wheel punctures by the side of the road or trails, and there’s a pair of chunky aluminium panniers, too, which offer a whopping 76 litres of storage space. It gets a new paint job, too: a sharp black and red scheme that’s very, very Ducati. It looks great.

Priced at £17,295, it is two-anda-bit grand more expensive than the standard model – but when you consider all the good stuff you’re getting for your money (and then look at how much it’d cost to spec-up the Desert X), it starts to look like pretty good value indeed.

If you want to know more, visit: www.ducati.com

AUTOS

While there’s been no official word on what it’s going to be fitted to, and when we’re actually going to see it in the flesh, Yamaha has released a statement saying that it’ll ‘begin introducing Y-AMT to a range of models in the near future, bringing this innovation to sport riding, touring and commuting’.

Chances are we won’t

have to wait all that long, then. Yamaha’s got quite a bit of work to do to bring a host of its models in line with the impending Euro5+ emissions regulations by next year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few of this year’s releases come kitted out with the new performance-focused technology.

8 NEWS

ON THE BIG

SCREEN

It’s not very often you get to see motorcycles in the mainstream, but a new film with some seriously big names is out in cinemas right now

The Bikeriders tells the story of The Vandals, a fictional 60s motorcycle club which descends into chaos as its members become involved in gambling, drugs, murder, and gang warfare.

Sounds like fun, right?

It's got a cracking cast, too, with some top acting talent on hand to tell the story right, including Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Norman Reedus and Austin Butler.

Written and directed by experienced hand Jeff Nichols, who’s been biding his time after reading Danny Lyon’s cult book

of the same name over 20 years ago, the film’s been a proper labour of love – and it’s even had Lyon’s approval.

Speaking about the book, Nichols said: “It was, quite simply, the coolest book I’d ever come across. My hope was to make a film that captured this feeling, and more importantly, transferred it to a larger filmgoing audience.”

The film was released in UK cinemas on June 21. If you missed it, don’t worry as you’ll be able to bag yourself a copy or stream it online.

RECORD BREAKERS Two bikers have just become the youngest pair to circumnavigate the world

If you’ve got a keen interest in adventure, and you like to know what sort of brilliant stuff cool folks are getting up to, then you’ll likely already be familiar with Suzuki V-Strom-riding explorers Lavi Scholl and Ollie Gamblin.

Over the past couple of years on the road Lavi and Ollie have been documenting the trials and tribulations of their adventure and sharing it with an ever-growing following on YouTube and social media.

Setting off from the iconic Ace Cafe on a Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT, the pair visited 39 countries and racked up a whopping 46,705 miles in just 589 days – and made it back with an average age of just 33 years and 247 days, which made them the youngest pair to ever circumnavigate

the world. Fair play.

Leaving London and quickly passing through France and Spain, they hopped on the ferry to Africa and got stuck into two months of exploring Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal. Then it was into the Sahara with the sat-nav set for Dakar in Senegal where they shipped the bikes over to South America.

Reunited with their bike in Rio de Janeiro, they went south to Ushuaia in Argentina before turning round to head through Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Then they packed the bike on to a plane again to avoid the Darien Gap and rode right through the USA and up into Canada.

They needed another flight to get over to Seoul in South Korea, before jumping on a boat to get to

Vladivostok with an open expanse of land waiting for them out west. A ‘short’ hop, skip, and a jump across Mongolia, the ’Stans, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey and the pair were back in Europe with their sights set on home 20 months after departure

and with their passports thoroughly filled.

Inspiring stuff, right?

Now they’re looking for some adventure a little closer to home – having just bought a couple of Suzuki Van Van’s to get stuck into the UK stretch of the Trans European Trail.

PRODUCTS 9

OUR TOP

FIVE PRODUCTS

3

£199.99 / www.tcxboots.com

It’s a common complaint: bike boots which have zero grip on the soles, making them useless for any serious walking when off the bike. These TCX Climatreks address that head-on with a design that covers both biking and hiking. They’re short, with a tough textile outer shell, impact protection built into the ankle, toe, and heel, and thermal and GoreTex breathable waterproof lining.

The chunky sole helps grip when walking, and they look decent off the bike, too.

THIS MONTH Arai Tour-X Helmet 1 £699.99 / www.whyarai.co.uk

The Arai Tour-X (or Tour Cross) lid is a stalwart in the adventure touring sector, with flagship-level build quality and protection, plus strong styling. This is the latest fifth-generation version, which has been hitting the shops this season with a full revamp. There’s a larger visor system and a removable peak so you can have the helmet in ADV style with peak and visor, off-road with peak and your own goggles, or on-road with no peak and visor in place. You also get a new ventilation system and the usual high-end removable inner lining. It comes in a wide range of graphics, including this tasty Discovery Red.

2

TCX Climatrek Boots

SW-Motech Drybag 80

£62.99 / www.sw-motech.co.uk

Four shell sizes; lightweight carbon aramid construction; wider eye port to improve view; cheek pads with the emergency access design; 5-year warranty from date of purchase (or 7-year from date of manufacture, whichever comes first); comes with clear and tinted visors; Pinlock; chin curtain; and breath deflector. Four intakes, and three exhausts, removable and washable cheek, and crown pads. Gold anodised aluminium double-D ring.

4

Oxford Products RP-4S Gloves

RRP: £49.99 www.oxfordproducts.com A no-fuss short summer riding glove from Oxford Products. The RP-4S has a leather base construction, with perforations and mesh panels in low-impact areas for optimal cooling airfl ow. There are PU impact airflow. absorbers in the palm with tough abrasionresistant layers, and twin wrist and cuff straps. Touchscreen fi ngers are present and fingers correct, and they come in three colourways: black, red, or yellow.

5

LS2 Alba Mesh Jacket

£119.99 / www.ls2helmets.com

Summer seems to get hotter (I wonder why), so mesh jackets are getting more popular. This LS2 Alba has extra-large Diamond Mesh Fabric panels covering the entire front and back of the torso and on each arm, for maximum airflow. The Alba is abrasion-resistant and comes with removable CE Level 1 ‘Soft Bounce’ shoulder and elbow armour protectors as standard; the elbow protectors are adjustable to two positions. There’s also the option to fit an LS2 CE Level 2 back protector which costs £29.99. The jacket itself has plenty of adjustment at the waist, on each arm, and zipped cuffs, too. They can be attached to suitable trousers, and you’ve got three zipped pockets on the outside and two internal ones, too, one of which is a dry pocket, designed to hold a smartphone. Available in black or dark grey, sizes S-5XL.

10 EVENTS

DIARY DATES

The riding season’s now in full swing, and to help you get the most out of your time on two wheels, we’ve handpicked a few events that are well worth a closer look.

BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP July 19-2 1 / www.britishsuperbike.com It’s time for round six. This time the circus descends on Brands Hatch for three days of incredible race action.

KEMPTON PARK AUTOJUMBLE July 20 / www.kemptonparkautojumble.co.uk On the hunt for that elusive part to complete your latest project? This is the place for you.

VJMC & 70S BIKE DAY July 21 / london.acecafe.com We like the sound of this retro bike meet at the iconic Ace Cafe. If nothing else, the breakfasts are mega.

CHESHIRE CLASSIC CAR & MOTORCYCLE SHOW July 21 / www.classicshows.org If you’re into two wheels as much as you are four, this might be the one for you.

Proper chilled family-friendly event in the grounds of Capesthorne House in Cheshire. Sounds lovely.

THE ADVENTURE BIKE SHOW July 26-28 / www.theadventurebikeshow.co.uk After a bit more of a low-key affair to the ever-growing ABR festival? This could be just the ticket. There’s all the same good stuff – just on a smaller scale.

ARMOY ROAD RACES July 26-27 / www.amrrc.com Road racing is basically the national sport of Northern Ireland – and The Race of Legends in Armoy is one of the best. You need to see it to believe it.

FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP August 2-4 / www.fim-live.com Off-road gods and goddesses will be in Wales for three days of seriously special off-road action at the brilliant Cwmythig Hill in Rhayader.

SQUIRES CAFÉ AUTOJUMBLE July 27 / www.squires-cafe.co.uk There’s a monthly autojumble at the infamous biker haunt just outside Leeds.

Pitches are a fiver, but it’s free to get in.

Perfect way to spend a Saturday.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING RALLY August 2-4 / www.mapevents.co.uk Into custom bikes, rock music and great beer? This is one for you.

NATIONAL BMW AIRHEAD DAY July 28 / www.sammymiller.co.uk Ever been to Sammy Miller’s place down in the New Forest? His museum’s brilliant – and he also has a packed calendar of events to help bring together like-minded riders. Worth the trip.

RUN WHAT YA BRUNG @ MELBOURNE RACEWAY July 28 / www.straightliners.events Fancy blasting your bike down a runway as quickly as possible? This is the event for you.

MOTOGP August 2-4 / www.motogp.com The biggest motorcycle race series on the planet finally makes the journey to British shores – taking over Silverstone for three days of top-flight action.

ABERDARE PARK ROAD RACES August 3-4 / www.aberdare-park-road-races.co.uk We love this event. It’s a pretty special thing, which sees bikes blasting around in beautiful Victorian Parkland. Marvellous.

FESTIVAL OF WHEELS August 3-4 / www.motorshowevents.com Love all things automotive? Head down to Trinity Park in Ipswich for a hearty mix of bikes, cars, and trucks.

TRACK TRAINING WITH JAMES WHITHAM August 7 / www.malloryparkcircuit.com Want to hone your riding skills? Get yourself booked in with James Whitham at Mallory Park.

YORKSHIRE ROCK AND BIKE SHOW August 8-10 / www.yorkshirerocknbikeshow.co.uk Three days of cool bikes and big tunes.

What more do you need?

BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP August 9-11 / www.britishsuperbike.com The best racers in Britain are heading to Thruxton for three days of fast-paced race action.

BMF DAMBUSTER RALLY August 16-18 / www.bmf.co.uk This is a lovely little event which has been going for years. Taking place at Thorpe Camp Visitors Centre in Lincolnshire, there’s music, beers, a museum to explore, and bags of great riding on your doorstep.

MANX GRAND PRIX August 18-26 / www.manxgrandprix.org We love the Manx. It’s a special event that has all the same great stuff going for it as the TT proper, but it’s just a bit quieter. Perfect.

12 WHITE DALTON

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

Q

I live out in the sticks so it’s currently like Wacky Races with the tractor boys and girls whizzing about getting their crops in, etc. Right off the bat, I want to stress that unlike certain members of the village who love to moan about them on the local Facebook group, I get it’s a hard job and the farmers must go like the clappers to beat the weather and try and earn a living. However, I’m also a firm believer in health and safety as my old man got killed in a building site accident when I was a kid. With that in mind, as I was riding towards my village after work on my virtually new Triumph Speed 400, three tractors and trailers came whizzing towards me, filling their side of the road and some of mine, bouncing on their huge tyres. As I was on a bike, I moved to the left so we could pass. However, at that very moment a hay bale fell off a tractor trailer straight in front of me (thankfully not on top of me). I tried my best to go around it and nearly made it. However, my handlebar caught it, and I went down hard on the road, breaking my arm. After I caught my breath, I got up to find I was on my own.

Not a tractor in sight! I called my husband to come and pick me up and take me to hospital and a neighbour kindly picked up my trashed

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

bike in his van. We called the Police who kindly came round but have said there is nothing they can do as they do not know what tractor the hay bale came from. I suggested doing some investigation and using forensics, looking for video footage from ring doorbells, etc. The Police were polite but said it wasn’t going to happen. Can you ‘bale’ me out? (I apologise in advance for the bad pun!) I don’t know what to do next about claiming for my injuries.

A

At least you haven’t lost your sense of humour! I can indeed look to ‘bale’ you out of this situation. First things first and to state the blindingly obvious, it appears clear that the tractor driver was driving with an ‘unsecure load’ because a hay bale fell off into the road.

Therefore, if you could find the tractor, you could bring a claim against him/her and their insurer.

However, it sounds like you would be looking for a ‘needle in a haystack’ (my turn to apologise for a pun!). On the basis you cannot identify the tractor, then you will have to direct your claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). As the hay bale came from a vehicle that should have had insurance, you can make a claim against the MIB under the ‘Untraced Driver’s’ Agreement’.

As an untraced driver, i.e. the tractor driver caused this accident, the MIB will step in and pay out for your personal injury and uninsured losses.

Q

Last month I went to trial at Court. Briefly, I was filtering through traffic past a bus when a car pulled out from my left and I hit the side of the car. Liability was denied throughout and after two days at trial the judge found we were both to blame and ordered there be a 50/50 split regarding liability. Whilst I would have rather won 100%, I could follow why the Judge ordered a split liability outcome. With regards to the money side of things, the Judge ordered I get £150,000, subject to the 50/50 split, i.e. I got a net sum of £75,000. As for the car driver, it was just a ‘bent metal’ case and he got a net sum of £1,700 after the 50/50 split for his car repairs.

To be fair, his insurer paid out super-quick and within 14 days as ordered by the Judge. However, my road traffic insurer (who should be picking up the tab for me) has not paid within the 14 days as ordered. Further, my solicitor has just told me that my insurer says I was not insured to ride other bikes when the accident happened (I was on my mate’s bike at the time). He also

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

The firm deals with personal injury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences. White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law, and they have full bike licences, too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution.

White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer

told me that if I do not pay the £1,700 personally, the car driver could come after me through the Courts. I couldn’t believe it and told my solicitor I’m not going to pay and I’m going to sue him and my insurer for cocking things up. Thoughts?

A

First things first, as liability split and you got a Court Order against you, if you do not pay the sum, then yes, the other side could pursue you through the Courts for this. My advice is that as you have the funds, i.e. the £75,000, you pay the £1,700 as soon as possible. If you do not do that, you could end up having to pay more with regards to costs and interest, etc., if the car driver takes you back to Court to enforce the Order. Thereafter, you need to check the terms of your road traffic insurance policy that was in force at the time of the accident. If you have complied with that and you were insured to ride other bikes third party, then you should get the £1,700 back from them. If your insurer will not pay, you can sue them. However, if you were not actually insured, then I am afraid the £1,700 rests with you, and only you to pay. Lastly, I would ease back on your solicitor because they have not actually done anything wrong, and you may need him to help you moving forward.

to your question, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insurance-appointed 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.

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

COMPETITION 13

THE S E K I B E R O M QUIZ

WIN!

It’s time to get out your pens and pencils and put your grey matter to the test

We love a bit of trivia here at MoreBikes.

No matter whether we’re at a pub quiz with a beer in one hand and a pencil in the other or being questioned by our mates when we’re stood around at a bike night, there’s something about knowing the answer to an unexpected question that gives us a nice fuzzy feeling inside. And if we don’t know, then there’s a good chance we might learn something. That’s why we’ve decided to introduce a regular quiz section sponsored by our good pals at Fowlers (who’ll be supplying the prizes).

We’ll be asking you questions about all

1

manner of two-wheeled stuff, pushing your memories to the limit and asking you to dig deep to try and remember all kinds of strange stuff from right across the biking spectrum. It’s a chance for you to show off your infinite wisdom and be in with a shot of bagging some cool prizes.

All you’ve got to do is jot down the answers on the entry form below and send it in using the details provided. We’ll then pick the winner from an upturned helmet crammed with correct answers, and that person will be sent a brand-new bit of kit that’ll help them stay safe out on the road.

How much power does KTM’s Super Duke 1390 make?

6

There’s something brilliant about bike gear that’s comfortable and cool enough to wear both on and off the bike. This Stealth Hoodie from Weise is the perfect example.

Proper stylish but still offering plenty of AA-rated protection, it’s essentially a big, thick, heavy-duty cotton fleece (with a removable hood) that comes kitted out with CE armour and an abrasionresistant lining.

Lovely.

If you want to know more, visit: www. weiseclothing.com

Worth £119.99

What’s the name of the iconic pass that takes you up to Mount Snowdon?

7 2 When was Honda’s Hornet first How tall is the seat on Ducati’s off8 introduced?

3 road-ready Desert X Rally Which Japanese firm’s just revealed What town does Vespa call home? a new semi-automatic transmission 9 4 system?

Which Yamaha motor did Kel Carruthers What does CFMoto’s MT acronym 10 work wonders with in 1981?

5 stand for?

At what age can you ride a 125cc motorcycle or scooter?

Which bike shares the same motor and chassis platform as the Suzuki GSX-8S?

Diamond Races, CCM, Ninja 500, TVS Eurogrip, Harris LAST MONTH: 1921, Performance, 1987, GSX-R1000 K5, 1973, Bajaj Auto

Here’s the legal bit that you need to know

Fill in your details on the form or enter online and return to: MoreBikes, August 2024 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Competition closes: August 14, 2024

ANSWERS: 1.......................................................................... 2. .................................................................................. 3. .............................................................................

4. ........................................................................ 5. .................................................................................. 6. .............................................................................

7. ........................................................................ 8. .................................................................................. 9. .............................................................................

10. ......................................................................

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14 LONG-TERMERS

BMW R12 nineT Adam Child / 300 miles / One month Welcome to my long-term R12 nineT. Forget about the unusual name, this is the first serious revision of the decade-old R nineT boxer twin, and perhaps the most gratifyingly blended retro yet to come from BMW for some time. Some regular readers who know my road racing past might be surprised by my choice of bike. However, I thought I’d try something different…

For 2024, BMW’s taste of nostalgia has been significantly updated. There’s a new, lighter chassis and thoroughly updated electronics, a smoother look, and, via a comprehensive model configurator, generous scope for customisation, too. The price is £14,420 – a fraction more than the older bike’s – although we have ticked a few accessories. Option 719 Aluminium – £2100; Comfort Pack (gearshift assist pro, heated grips, cruise control, hill start control) – £980; Option 719 Classic Wheel Spoked – £550; Connected Ride Cradle – £280; Digital Display – £120; all pushing the total to £18,450.

An 1170cc air-cooled boxer engine remains. On start-up, there’s still that enduring boxer rocking movement at idle as the esteemed shaft-driven twin warms its cooling fins, followed by a trademark bark when the throttle is blipped. It makes you realise how refined and smooth modern, liquid-cooled BMW boxers have become and appreciate the character and mechanical feel of this German bike.

Peak power remains at the R nineT’s 109bhp/80kw but arrives 250rpm sooner, with peak torque now at 115Nm at 6500rpm (84.8lb-ft), which is 1Nm less and 500rpm higher in the rev range. Changes to the fourvalves per cylinder, DOHC unit are minimal, although a new airbox is positioned under the seat to eliminate the air intake duct that ran down the right-hand side of the R nineT’s tank, and the standard exhaust is also redesigned.

I rode the bike on its world launch in Spain and

was impressed. Admittedly, some potential customers are not going to enjoy the R12 nineT. The rocking movement of the motor, the pull of the shaft drive, and a gearbox that isn’t the quickest won’t impress everyone. But, for me, a little personality, just like we had in the old days, will only be a good thing. I like this character every time I press the starter button.

Once you adapt to its quirks it’s an easy bike to ride.

Beautifully fuelled, it’s enriched with torque from the very bottom of the rev range and can give much ‘faster’ bikes a scare when let off its ultra-cool retro leash.

Meanwhile, the revised chassis makes shorter riders welcome, can hustle like all the best boxers, and do so

without dragging its pegs or pipe on the road.

But would the Beemer deliver on the road, in damp, cold East Yorkshire? Initially we are off to a good start; the dramatic looks of the bold ‘hipster’ styling are just as appealing in damp Yorkshire as it was in sunny Spain. Every time I open the garage door, I still get that wow factor.

We’ve only done a handful of miles, but I’m loving the ease of use, and the heated gips have become invaluable. However, I have discovered keeping the chrome exhausts clean is going to be hard work. But now summer has arrived, I can’t wait for evening rideouts and blasts to the East Yorkshire coast.

Suzuki V-Strom 800RE Chris Moss / 2000 miles / 3 months On paper, the differences between the DE and RE versions of the V-Strom 800 shouldn’t amount to as much as they do. The fact is, changes to the chassis geometry and dimensions of some key components give the bike a distinctly different personality, triggering an alternative side of my own!

Feeling distinctly sportier, the quicker steering RE has brought out the racier side of its rider. Eager to get more of a move on, I’ve really enjoyed riding the Suzuki more briskly at times. Though before any of you feel the need to berate me for my speedier rate of progress, let me quickly add it’s all been done within the rules and without increase in risk.

If I was asked to point out a single reason for the RE’s power to entertain me more, it’s the smaller 19” front wheel. From a personal point of view, the way a bike turns affects its overall appeal and personality just as much as the way its engine delivers its power. The keener way it changes direction gives the 800 a notably more agile feel. Better still, the improved feedback from the front tyre really boosts confidence, allowing me to push on and even happily trail brake deeper into bends. There’s no doubt my decision to change the tyres before I even took ‘ownership’ has helped me to feel more at home when riding more swiftly. With appreciably more grip and feedback, the Dunlop Mutant rubber allows me to explore the handling abilities of the V-Strom quite a bit further. The OE Dunlops just can’t match the aftermarket Mutant

alternatives, especially in poor weather conditions. And with virtually every longer ride I’ve done on the Suzuki involving rain of varying levels at some point, that advantage has made me a lot happier and more able to deal with the adversity.

That bonus was more evident on a 300mile round trip to the Peak District. It’s a journey I’ve made countless times, and as it includes such a wide variety of road types, it’s a great test of the V-Strom’s versatility.

As expected, it gave a great account of itself, never really drawing any sort of significant complaint from me.

With all the key boxes ticked, the 800’s the sort of bike you can enjoy virtually all the time. I particularly like the bike’s comfort, its plush seat and roomy riding position influencing its ability to venture far with ease.

I need to keep my feet tucked in a bit to keep the worst of the weather tarnishing the appearance of my boots, but the protection above that point is excellent. The tall screen shelters me well, even if it would be better if its adjustment didn’t require too much time with tools.

I’m constantly praising the accessory handguards I’ve had fitted, which not only keep my hands drier, but also allow me to wear a lighter type of gloves. Suzuki’s heated grips make sure my fingers don’t suffer too much either. The big tank range is very useful and though filling it can cost nearly £30 these days, I like the extra convenience of not needing to interrupt journeys too often.

16 QUICK SPIN

ON THE MONEY There’s more appetite than ever for ‘lightweight’ adventurers – and the Chinese-made CFMoto 450MT ticks a lot of boxes

CFMoto 450MT WORDS: Adam Child / PHOTOS: CFMoto CFMoto has come a long way in the 35 years since its formation. The Chinese bike manufacturer, which now has 3000 dealers globally and employs over 5500 staff, is emerging as a serious contender as we move into 2024 – so serious it even has entries in this season’s Moto2 and Moto3 series.

The all-new CFMoto 450MT (for Multi-Function Touring) is the company’s latest offering: a 449.5cc adventure bike that is aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the A2 licence market and sits alongside the well-regarded 650MT, 700MT and 800MT. Featuring purposeful, big-bike rally styling and a slim, 270-degree crank parallel twin, the 450MT boasts an appetite-whetting spec that includes long-travel multi-adjustable KYB suspension, 220mm of ground clearance, and a dirt-focused 21-inch/18-inch front/rear wheel combination. There’s also a 5-inch fullcolour dash along with Bosch traction control, dual-channel ABS, and an adjustable seat and rally-style screen. Price? A seriously impressive £5699.

The 449.5cc parallel twin features twin balance shafts and a 270-degree crankshaft and is designed and produced by CFMoto in China.

The base motor is already deployed in the 450SR and 450NK models, but CFMoto has introduced key updates to the camshaft, intake system, fuelling and exhaust to make it more adventure focused.

As expected for the price, the MT has a simple set up with no riding modes to alter the torque mapping along with a straightforward mechanical

throttle without ride-by-wire. This old-school simplicity means there’s little technological wizardry to go wrong in the middle of nowhere, but also results in a snappy throttle response, especially off the bottom of the rev range. Once the throttle is open and any slack in the cable is taken up, the power delivery is relatively smooth, and the bike feels eager to get on with the ride.

Yes, there’s only 41.57bhp available but I was surprised by the liveliness of the twin – and the exhaust sounds pleasingly fruity, too.

You’ll have to use more revs and gears to stay with the faster traffic – and you soon realise that revving the 450MT to the redline results in plenty of vibration and noise, but little else. On one rare occasion I saw an indicated 80mph on the dash, but not for long, and I suspect that, 75mphor-above cruising might be a seriously vibey experience, and anything above 90mph will be hard going indeed.

On dirt, that sharp throttle gives the 450MT’s Chinese-made CST Ambro rubber a tough time, but equally it’s fun having enough grunt to slide the rear. The MT’s low and mid-range torque gave the MT real purpose and drive (relatively speaking) on the dusty trails encountered on test and allowed the rear to break free easily and predictably (once the traction control had been switched off).

The chassis components are all new and bespoke to the 450MT, and feature a tubular steel frame that has a removable underslung section and subframe which can both be replaced easily should they get damaged. KYB

QUICK SPIN 17

suspension has 200mm of travel at both ends and is supposedly fully adjustable (although I could only find adjusters for the rebound damping and spring preload on the rear shock) and gives an impressive 220mm of ground clearance.

The wheels are spoked and have a 21-inch diameter front and an 18-inch diameter rear, while the MT’s dry weight is a claimed175kg.

Stopping power is provided by a single 320mm disc and four-piston caliper, with two-channel ABS provided by Bosch. The ABS can be switched off on the move, but at the rear only. On the road, there’s enough stopping power to make the front tyre squeal and skip on straight-line braking but, once again,

there’s a lack of bite and feel (though our test bike had almost zero miles showing, meaning the discs and pads were brand-new, so the braking performance may improve over time). The ABS works to the same parameters whether offroad or on-road so kicks in predictably early when you hit the loose stuff, but for new riders this will add extra safety.

The 450MT coped well off-road. Some 90 per cent of our route was on trails comprising of dusty tracks, so nothing too serious, but when we did push on a bit the CF soaked up the terrain superbly, that long-travel suspension quite unfazed. Presented with steep inclines, the twin’s torque pulled us fuss-free to the top (but only after I’d

switched off the TC). Faced with mud, sand, deep water, the bike just drove forwards, completely unflustered, and showed itself to be a solid and robust off-road bike – particularly for the price.

Push hard, and those tyres struggle for grip, while the suspension lacks the control it has during normal trail riding.

But this isn’t a bike for off-road experts, it’s for everyday riders looking for a little weekend adventure – and for them the CFMoto 450MT undeniably does a job.

It’s drop-it-in-the-mud, bounce-it-offa-rock solid as well as a doddle to ride off-road. Most customers are going to appreciate that it’s built to a price, and just enjoy its uncomplicated qualities as a decent trail bike.

BUYING USED

Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 2016-2023 / £2000-£4500 The back-to-basics and easy-to manage single from the Indian factory has won legions of fans the world over.

It may not be blessed with the same off-road credentials as the MT450, but it’s proven itself a seriously capable mud plugger that will pull through pretty much anything in its own charming, tractor-like, fashion.

Suzuki DR350

1992-1999 / £1500-£2600 This bike’s earned itself an enviable reputation among those in the know, who value its rugged, go-anywhere, do-anything abilities and its remarkable ability to keep going when many other rides would have given up the ghost long ago. You can still find them cheap, too, which is always a bonus. And they are super-simple to work on, even when you’re out on the trails.

Honda XL500S

1979-1984 / £2500-£4000 These are pretty much classic bikes now. Prices have shot up in recent years – and if you want to get your hands on one, you’re going to end up paying a bit of a premium.

They are brilliant bits of kit though, with a lovely, tractable motor, easy-going handling, and Honda’s famed bulletproof build quality.

18 QUICK SPIN

JUST DESERTS We hit the deep, sandy stuff to see whether Ducati’s latest adventure bike should be on your wish list.

WORDS: Bruce Wilson / PHOTOS: Dangerous / AlexPhoto/Ducati

Ducati Desert X Rally It’s not every day I wipe blood from my lips, dirt from my eyes, and arch my back in agony. Then again, it’s not every day I return from hitting the desert on a 211 kilo, 110bhp pukka adventure bike, having had two days of utter off-roading extravagance. When the invite for Ducati’s DesertX Rally landed in my inbox, I was expecting good things but couldn’t have imagined the dirt-fuelled delights I’d indulge in crossing the Atlas Mountains and camping out among the camels.

It’s time admit that I’d never so much as sat on the road-inclined DesertX that was to form the core for the more ‘go anywhere, do anything’ Rally-spec machine that saw a solid handful of enhancements over its base model brethren. New forks, a new shock, and a whopping 910mm seat height weren’t the only features to join the party, made all the more utilitarian with an added skid pan, enhanced off-road electronic algorithms, and tubed tyres on lighter Excel rims. You’re probably starting to get the picture, but to hammer its off-road focus home, Ducati took things that bit further with a tall mounted front fender, MX-style graphics, and a cockpit mount above the vertically-placed 5in TFT dash to mimic the style and purposefulness of the kind of bike you see hitting the Dakar. Of course, with a 937cc V-twin motor and more torque than a small car, this thing promised to be nothing like the featherweight singles you see bounding through the desert, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t have the minerals to tackle 400km of unforgiving, unruly, and unrelenting trails in a place so arid not even weeds want to grow there.

But before any such antics could get underway, first we had to leave the hospitable shelter of our five-star hotel, dodging tractors, trucks, and the maddest of scooter riders, swarming the

streets of Marrakesh and the surrounding suburbs. The Ducati, with its lofty riding position and punchy motor, made light work of that first stretch, winning me over quickly with its comfy riding position and impressive agility, despite being kitted out with off-road inclined Pirelli Scorpion Rally rubber.

Out of the traffic and on to the trails, the fun level cranked up - highlighted by the ever-growing dust clouds that only became thicker and higher as our confidence grew and the pace upped.

My first impressions were that of a bike well-suited to the lighter-going kind of track we were tackling, interspersed with the odd pothole and drainage channel that doubled up as a plinth to get the Ducati airborne.

Big rocks, sheer drops and unpredictable gulleys kept me on my toes, bouncing the living daylights out of my bones as I stood tall on the pegs, gripping the sturdy, broad bars for all they were worth. As much as I tried to read the ever-winding trail ahead, the dust was so thick it was often too late to change line or react before my bike’s 21in front wheel was taking the terrain on the chin, giving a workout to my heart rate and the plushfeeling KYB closed cartridge forks.

The going was tough, the pace was quick, and the sound of the Ducati’s booming exhaust note was making me feel all funny inside. There was a lot to like about the V-twin, especially with the bike set in rally mode, the traction on level one, and the delivery in dynamic. The thing was a beast, pumping out ponies like the consummate powerhouse. But what else was I to expect from a motor that boasts a tasty 92Nm of torque?

In rally mode, the rear ABS was completely disconnected, and the front’s tech intrusion was all but void. The bike’s powerful Brembo monoblocs did an

ace job of hauling the bike up, offering good feel when doing so, but the finesse required when weaning down the pace on the loose stuff was something an algorithm could not predict.

By this point in the ride, I’d not messed around overly with the bike’s electronics, feeling relatively content with the rally mode’s potency and the security of the TC that came with it. Talking to one of the other journos, who was the fastest in our group, he suggested I switched to enduro mode, keeping the power up at full but changing the throttle map from ‘dynamic’ to ‘smooth’. That kind of figured, but his suggestion to completely disengage the traction did make me question whether he was just wanting to see me crash. At that point, the trails had never felt more treacherous, so the idea of losing that bit of safety net made me think long and hard… for all of two seconds. In for a penny, in for a pound. It was mind-blowing to grasp how different this bike now felt, and I only wish I’d gone down this route sooner. For the next few hours, I found a new level of adoration for the big Ducati. I’m all for big power and big throttle, but on this kind of ride the smoother you were, the faster you went.

It’s clear that Ducati’s tried to do its own thing with this steed, building on the firm foundations of a wannabe dirt devil (DesertX) and spec’ing it so well that it has become an actual fiend in this field. That feat alone is impressive – but it’s at a price. If it floats your boat, you’ll probably have to look long and hard down the back of a few sofas for a figure so high it makes the seat seem low. At £18,995 it ain’t cheap, but if you want to see the world, and be able to tackle pretty much whatever comes your way, there are much worse travel companions out there.

QUICK SPIN 19

BUYING USED Yamaha Ténéré 700

BUYER’S GUIDE B

NAKED BIKE SPECIAL

ED EED EE E NE ALL YOU NEE W TO KNOW EM… HEM… HE H ABOUT TH

JU NE ISS 2024 UE 416

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GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE NEW Z500 AND NINJA 500

THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH

FOUR BIKES, 200 MILES, ONE WINNER

12 0 KTM 1290 DU R DU SUPER DUKE

RETRO RELISH

METZELER ROADTEC 02

KAW WASAKI ZX-10R

LIFE BEHIND THE BARS OF THIS RETRO-STYLED REPROBATE

MV’S BACK WITH IITS GOWHERE ANYWH RO ENDUR OCE VELO

TRIUMPH765RS TRIPLE STREET

ALL YO OU NEED TO KNOW W BEFORE BUYING G ONE

FAST ROAD RUBBER RATED

PROJECT 37:

A TEST OFF TIME PART P ONE OF F OUR BID T TAKE A TO M MINI-TWIN LAP RECORD ON A SUZUKI GSX-8R

KTM 990 DUKE

JOYS OF SIX!

HONDAR RR CBR600

USED B BUYING GUIDE

YAMAHA XSR900 GP

AU GU ISSU ST E 41 2024 8

KAWASAKI’S A2 ASSASSINS

2019-Now / £4000-£10,116 The Ténéré needs no introduction. The muchanticipated ‘new’ version of Yamaha’s Dakar-inspired middleweight adventure bike has dominated since its release back in 2019. At the time of its launch, the keenly priced, stripped-back, and relatively simple twin offered something different (and more manageable) to the increasingly bloated adventure bikes that had been topping the sales charts for years; and it was such a success that other manufacturers have followed suit.

WE TRY OUT A TRIO OF SAUCY FOR NEW SIXES WE GO IN HUNT OF THE BEST T 2024…

NAUGHTY NAKED FOR THE ROA AD MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800RR

SCRATCHING ON ROAD AND TRACK WITH BMW’S AWESOME M1000XR

KAWASAKI ZX-6R

PH TRIUM 660 DAYTONA

SUB-LLITRE NAKEDS:

TRACCCK K ATTACK

DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V2

TT RACER

PLUS...

THE RULES, THE REASONS OR ORIN EXPLORING S NEXT-GENERATION SUPERSPORT: CING CI BIKE RACING TSBIKE ORTSBI SPORTS SPOR HT SPORTSBIKE AND BRILLIANCE BEHIND MIDDLEWEIGHT

LIFE OF A PRIVATEER

SCRAPPING IT OUT TO FIND THE BEST T NAKED ON A HOT T LAP

MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800RR

GREAT REAT BUT GONE...

GON

While Fast Bikes’ bread and butter is spinning laps on the latest and greatest sportbikes, they’ve a proper penchant for the rough stuff, too. They’re seriously handy on the dirt – and if they say a bike’s good, you’d do well to listen. For more good stuff just like this, scan the code and bag yourself the latest copy.

What are you waiting for?

KTM 990 DUKE TRIUMPH LE STREET TRIP 765RS

THE EJ JOY OYS OY SO OF F RELIVING TH JOYS GS R600 SUZUKI’S LAST GSXGSX-R600

DUCAT STREETFIGHTI ER V2

Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin 2016-2019 / £5500 -10,000 The first generation of big H’s modern Africa Twin was a winner. Excellent value, ruggedly handsome good looks, real off-road credentials and a flexible and rewarding parallel twin motor. Sure, it’s a big old lump - but it’s surprisingly agile on the rough stuff in the hands of the right rider. It sold very well, so there are plenty of bikes in good shape up for grabs that won’t break the bank.

KTM 990 Adventure 2003-2012 / £3500-£7000 This is by far the closest of the bunch to the Desert X Rally.

With rally-raid styling and a reputation for being just as good on the road as off it, the 990 Adventure remains a great buy if you’re after a properly capable do-it-all ride. It was a big deal at the time of its launch, making waves and nabbing sales from BMW’s ever-dominant GS range, and has since earned an almost cult-like status among riders who like their fuel tanks big and their tyres knobbly.

20 QUICK SPIN

LONG-LEGGED LUNATIC Bigger is better as far as KTM’s new Super Duke goes. Johnny gets stuck in with the massive twin on track and gives us his take.

WORDS: John McAvoy / PHOTOS: KTM

QUICK SPIN 21

KTM 1390 Super Duke for the new bore size, and different gear ratios for fifth and sixth gears to make them shorter (they were very tall on the 1290), a bigger airbox, bigger fuel tank, and bigger radiator to cope with the extra power, that’s pretty much the 60 per cent KTM is referring to. The rest of the bike is more or less the same as the 1290.

The analogue suspension on the R is updated to the latest WP Apex kit and the electronic suspension on the Evo gets new forks and a whole new set of electronic maps and parameters that can be accessed, including high and low speed damping via the ‘Pro’ screen, which brings me neatly to my ongoing – and only real – bone of contention with the Super Duke…

In order to get all the rider modes, rider aids, the quickshifter/blipper, adjustable engine braking and traction control unlocked – all of which you get as standard on the KTM’s competition – you need to hand over another £1086 if you’re buying the Evo or £850 for the R, which takes the price to £18,849 for the R and £20,685 for the Evo. These are big numbers, and actually cancel out the KTM’s price advantage over its rivals. Without those features all unlocked, the Super Duke actually has a pretty ordinary spec in the tech department, and actually many of those features really add to the overall positive experience of riding it, so you would be mad not to get them ‘unlocked’.

BUYER’S GUIDE B

NAKED BIKE SPECIAL

E EED EE E NE ALL YOU NEE W TO KNOW EM… HE H HEM… ABOUT TH

JU NE ISS 2024 UE 416

JU LY ISS 2024 UE 417

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE NEW Z500 AND NINJA 500

THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH

FOUR BIKES, 200 MILES, ONE WINNER

12 0 KTM 1290 DU R DU SUPER DUKE

RETRO RELISH

KAW WASAKI ZX-10R

LIFE BEHIND THE BARS OF THIS RETRO-STYLED REPROBATE

MV’S BACK GOI WITH ITS WHERE ANYWH RO ENDUR OCE VELO

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We only got to test the Super Duke on track, so in terms of electronic rider aids it was the best place to play around with a lot of them in the time available. I ended up using the smoother, softer ‘street’ throttle map, adding a load of preload to the rear shock to help the bike grip at full lean (more on that in a bit). I didn’t touch the engine braking, ABS, or damping settings because I really liked the ones that came with the bike in track mode, and I turned down the traction control to its lowest level (again, to help with a lack of rear grip), and anti-wheelie was off just coz wheelies are cool.

On track, it’s instantly familiar and so easy to get along with. The riding position is still spacious and for an upright naked bike, you really feel connected to the front tyre in a way that gives the KTM a sportsbike feel during the turn-in and mid-corner phases of cornering. The brakes are still the same Brembo Stylema caliper and MCS master cylinder set up, which is pretty much the best brake set up that money can buy these days for a production bike. The Michelin front tyre deserves a mention at this point for being stable and passing on really clear feedback while under a lot of stress, and no doubt contributing to the Super Duke’s rate of turn and stability.

We didn’t get to ride the 1390 on the road, which, in fairness, is its natural habitat, but given the fact that the only weakness we’ve ever noted for the Super Duke was on METZELER ROADTEC 02 A TEST OFF TIME track, it’s great to have had the opportunity to spin a lot of laps on it and come away satisfied.

FAST ROAD RUBBER RATED

PART P ONE OF F OUR BID T TAKE A TO M MINI-TWIN LAP RECORD ON A SUZUKI GSX-8R

WE TRY OUT A TRIO OF SAUCY FOR NEW SIXES WE GO IN HUNT OF THE BEST T 2024…

NAUGHTY NAKED FOR THE ROA AD MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800RR

SCRATCHING ON ROAD AND TRACK WITH BMW’S AWESOME M1000XR

KAWASAKI ZX-6R

PH TRIUM 660 DAYTONA

SUB-LLITRE NAKEDS:

TRACCCK K ATTACK

DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V2

TT RACER

PLUS...

OR ORIN THE RULES, THE REASONS SUPERSPORT: EXPLORING NEXT-GENERATION S CI CING BIKE RACING TSBIKE ORTSBI SPORTS SPOR HT SPORTSBIKE AND BRILLIANCE BEHIND MIDDLEWEIGHT

LIFE OF A PRIVATEER

SCRAPPING IT OUT TO FIND THE BEST T NAKED ON A HOT T LAP

MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800RR

REAT BUT GONE...

GON GREAT

This is just a small taste of the full, in-depth track review from serious, experienced tester Johnny Mac in Fast Bikes magazine. If you want to know more about the latest Super Duke, you need to get yourself a copy. It’s proper.

KTM 990 DUKE TRIUMPH LE STREET TRIP 765RS

THE EJ JOY OYS OY SO OF F RELIVING TH JOYS GS R600 SUZUKI’S LAST GSXGSX-R600

DUCAT STREETFIGHTI ER V2

Ducati Multistrada 1200 2010-2015 / £4000-£9000 While it’s ‘technically’ an adventure bike, the ’strada’s probably better described as a sportsbike on stilts, offering sharp handling, bags of power and a near-perfect balance of long-legged poise and bigmile comfort. It’s a remarkable bike – but they hold their value well, so you’ll have to do a bit of searching to find one for reasonable money.

PROJECT 37:

ALL YO OU NEED TO KNOW W BEFORE BUYING G ONE

KTM 990 DUKE

JOYS OF SIX!

HONDAR RR CBR600

USED B BUYING GUIDE

YAMAHA XSR900 GP

AU GU ISSU ST E 41 2024 8

For all it’s available performance and technical features, the Super Duke absolutely nails the one thing any motorbike must deliver on above all else – fun. In the company of bikes with more power, greater tech features and, in some cases, smaller price tags, the 1290 Super Duke R has been able to rise to the top of the pile every time by pulling off one of motorcycling’s hardest tricks – to be a riot to ride and all kinds of naughty, but not at all intimidating or difficult to get along with.

On paper, the 1290’s engine, which is actually 1301cc, should be lumpy and a bit of a handful thanks to the two massive 108mm diameter pistons that thrash around inside it, but the reality is the total opposite. The motor delivers huge torque numbers in all the right places while being as mechanically smooth as a V4.

The 1390 gets a capacity increase to 1350cc, which, by virtue of the fact that the actual capacity of the 1290 is bigger than its name and the actual capacity of the 1390 is smaller than its name, means that it gets a 49cc capacity increase. The result of the larger capacity and variable valve timing is a new peak power figure of 187bhp and new peak torque figure of 107lb-ft; for context, a Ducati Streetfighter V4 makes 90lb-ft and the BMW M1000R produces 83lb-ft of torque. The engine is beyond epic, it’s a total masterpiece of engineering, but crucially it’s been developed with the rider in mind instead of a spec sheet.

KTM says that the 1390 KAWASAKI’S A2 Super Duke is 60 per cent ASSASSINS different to the 1290, so once you factor in the new cylinder head, new pistons

BUYING USED

BMW R1200R 2006-2014 / £2500-£6250 BMW’s famed big boxer engine offers something a bit different in the increasingly crowded big naked market.

Everyone knows it’s a cracking motor – but it’s probably not the most obvious choice for someone who’s in the market for something sporty.

They’re missing out though; the first R1200R is seriously underrated and a well-puttogether all-rounder that will satisfy all but the most aggressive rider.

KTM 1290 Super Duke 2013-2016 / £5000-£9000 It’d be rude not to also have a look at the bike that the 1390 replaces. This one’s the first generation big one (which replaced the 990) – and while it’s been nipped and tucked, tweaked, and improved over the intervening years, its armwrenching power, bags of midrange punch and lightweight handling have aged very well.

ROUTE FINDER 23

SNOWDONIA Ride a network of wide, sweeping roads through an area of intrigue encapsulated in haunting landscapes. It’s time to turn the myths into reality in North Wales.

There is little wonder that Snowdonia remains so popular with bikers, particularly around the favoured spots of Bala and Betwys-y-Coed. The latter village lies in the Conwy Valley, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. It is favoured by many for an overnight stay with its abundance of B&B establishments, cosy pubs and eateries in the main street, Holyhead Road. Little wonder, then, that Betws-y-Coed is North Wales’ most popular inland resort and accommodation provider. Incorporate some fabulous mountain roads such as that which runs from Betwys-y-Coed to Blaenau Ffestiniog and you will have found Nirvana.

And what could be better than enjoying a ride around the enormous bulk of Mount Snowdon?

Starting from Caernarfon, join the A4085, which will take you into the foothills. As you crest the hill having past Rhyd-Ddu, make sure you glance up left over the mountain’s flanks and you should be able to spot the summit café if it’s a clear day. Having arrived in Beddgelert, head left along the A498 and left again for a different perspective of the summit, this time being more jagged and triangular, and set amongst a horseshoe of cliffs. Once at Pen y Gwryd turn left, and you will ride through Llanberis Pass. It is here, at Pen-y-Pass, which marks the start of Mount Snowdon’s most popular hiking routes. From here it’s a pleasant ride downhill to

WHAT’S YOURS?

There’s nothing quite like a bit of local knowledge when it comes to finding the best roads an area has to offer. If you’ve got a top blast on your doorstep (and you don’t mind sharing), we’d love to hear from you.

Llanberis and back to Caernarfon. A lap of Snowdon is just a little taster of what this area has to offer.

You can easily extend the ride by heading to Betws-yCoed on the A4086 and the A5. From this beautiful, but busy town, you have a couple of great options if you want to return to Caernarfon. You can take the A470 to Blaenau Ffestiniog over the Crimea Pass and enjoy the faster road with the dramatic slate-stone scenery. Or you can carry on a little further east on the A5, then take a right towards Ysbyty Ifan on the B4407. This is a much smaller road, with lovely mountain views. At the end of the road turn right towards Ffestiniog and Beddgelert if you want to return to Caernarfon, but don’t miss the Cwm Cynfal viewpoint soon after you have joined the B4391.

24 ADVANCED RIDER SKILLS

SAY NO TO QUEUES

Don’t follow that car

– overtake it!

Overtaking and filtering are part of what makes motorcycling great. But they are also littered with potential hazards. We spoke to Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS) trainer Ian Burchell from Phoenix Motorcycle Training to find out how to overtake and filter, but still keep it safe…

The big advantage of riding a motorcycle is that overtaking slower vehicles can be completed quicker and safer on two wheels. Overtakes are a part of what makes your ride flow and set motorcycles apart from cars because of their size and manoeuvrability. Get it right and it’s safe and effective, but as you may have suspected, it’s not as simple as it sounds, nor without its hazards.

There are some key rules to remember about overtakes. The first one is ‘Do I need to overtake’?

While you could argue that it’s rare to absolutely ‘have to’ overtake, in some situations the benefits of overtakes are greater than in others.

For example, if you are following a slow tractor with hay bales on a trailer, and it’s safe to assume that it will not be turning off the road any time soon, a safe and skilled overtake will let you get on with your ride without having to sit behind the tractor in the dust from the hay or any debris falling from the trailer.

With so many different variables involved in overtaking, from the speeds to road conditions, and the weather to vehicles to name but a few, it is always a case of assessing the benefits of the overtake on an individual basis.

Another question to ask yourself before overtaking is whether the overtake is appropriate in the circumstance you are in at the time.

Again, there are several varied factors at play, but for instance, you might want to stay behind a slower vehicle if you are planning on turning off the road soon. Overtaking in that situation would only offer a marginal gain, and potentially mean that you then need to slow down right in front of the vehicle you just overtook. Not cool.

As with any other area of riding, you should also be careful not to execute an overtake near a hazard. Even something that wouldn’t require any action from you at normal speed can be a problem if you are accelerating on the other side of the road during an overtake. Good observations

and reading the road and your surroundings will help with this.

There is also the question of whether your bike is capable of doing the overtake safely. You should be familiar enough with the bike you are riding to know how quickly and strongly it overtakes, but this can also depend on the load you are carrying (especially if you have a pillion passenger) and external factors such as altitude and wind.

A good rule to follow is that your overtake should not have an impact on any other road users. This means that as you are doing your overtake, the vehicle you are overtaking and any road users near them should be able to continue their journey as if you weren’t even there.

As you can gather from all of this, planning is essential to execute a nice, safe overtake. But a plan for an overtake should also allow for an option to abandon the overtake at any point if a new hazard comes into view.

In fact, neither overtaking nor filtering (which is slow overtaking, really) should even be started unless you know where you are going to finish back on your side of the road. Before you start the overtake, you should check that if you move out to overtake, and then want to abandon the overtake, you can return to where you started from without a problem. You should then identify enough places to pull into during the overtake so that you have your options open for the whole duration of the manoeuvre. And finally, there should be a nice, safe place to finish the overtake.

Overtaking is always done on the offside of the vehicle you are overtaking (in the UK that’s on the right). The only time when a nearside overtake is acceptable is when you are on a multi-lane carriageway in a slow-moving queue of traffic.

Slow-moving traffic brings us neatly to another way of getting past slower vehicles: filtering...

Many riders regularly filter through when faced with long, stationary, or slow-moving queues of vehicles. It can

Part Four :

How to o ver and filte take r safely and effe ctively

be a great way to save time by using your bike’s size and find a way past other agility to find traffic. Just as with overtakes, filtering comes with its challenges and hazards, so it’s not always simple.

Filtering requires great care and can expose you to additional hazards.

Don’t forget that you are very vulnerable on your bike in between all the vehicles you are filtering through. It only takes one of them to switch lanes in front of you to create a potentially dangerous situation.

Many people get frustrated in their vehicles when in queuing traffic, and it’s not uncommon for people to change lanes without indicating or checking if it’s definitely clear. This is difficult to anticipate, but good observation, planning and anticipation will help minimise the risks.

There may also be a physical reason for the queuing traffic, such as road conditions, debris or other hazard. And if the traffic is very slow, there may be pedestrians and cyclists moving between the vehicles. Being ready to negotiate all these potential hazards is part of your filtering plan.

Making yourself as easily noticeable as possible is important when filtering. Using lights is recommended, as well as using your horn if that helps to make your presence known to others.

You should take extreme care and move slow enough to be able to react to any hazards when filtering.

Even if it seems tempting to zip through lines of traffic, you should only move at a speed where you are able to stop or negotiate hazards that may come into view very rapidly.

Be ready, and make sure you constantly identify spots where to join traffic if the queue starts moving at normal speed again.

There’s a lot to think about with overtaking and filtering, but a good place to start is asking yourself if it’s necessary, safe, and legal. If it’s all those things, then just use your skill and go ahead.

ADVANCED RIDER SKILLS 25

Where to get the skills?

Phoenix Motorcycle Training are the UK’s largest motorcycle training organisation, with ERS courses available at several locations. To find your nearest location, visit phoenixmotorcycletraining. co.uk or call 0330 223 4000.

How to get better quick?

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to becoming an advanced rider, it will take time and practice.

However, you can make the process much quicker and easier by signing up to do a training day like the one-day Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS) with a qualified and DVSA approved trainer.

26 BUYER’S GUIDE

SAFETY FIRST

It’s easy to get complacent and leave your pride and joy unprotected, but with bike theft rampant, you’d be a fool not to have at least one security device in your arsenal.

IS THERE A RATING SYSTEM?

For physical security, the Sold Secure sticker is a must. Sold Secure is owned by the Master Locksmiths Association, working with the Police, major insurance companies and using former criminals’ knowledge.

Motorcycles have a general ‘Gold’ rating (scooters get a two-tier system). To earn this, the product must resist five minutes of attack from a combination of tools like screwdrivers, hacksaws and drills with various blades, pry/wrecking bars, bolt croppers and freezing agents.

There is a higher ‘Diamond’ rating. To earn this the product must resist attack with an angle grinder!

BUY SOMETHING ‘SOLD SECURE’ AND I’M FINE…?

Sadly, no. It’s sad to say, but what you’re trying to do is move scumbag on from your bike on to an easier target. Security is like an onion; it works in layers. If you have a disc lock (maybe also front brake lever lock), plus a chain and anchor, then Scumbag will go and look at another bike with less in place.

WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE?

Physical? We’re looking at Ground Anchors.

Many bikes are stolen at home; a ground anchor is an immovable object to attach your bike on to. It works with a Chain and Padlock.

Also useful away from home, a chain and

padlock should be fitted through the rear wheel/through the frame and kept OFF the ground (it’s harder to cut a chain if it’s in the air). Away from home, use in conjunction with a Disc Lock. They’re the most portable and easiest to use, simply slide on to the front disc and lock. The key here is space; there shouldn’t be a gap that allows Thieving Filth to get at the bar running through the disc.

WHAT ABOUT IMMOBILISERS AND TRACKER?

Not obvious, but worthwhile. Immobilisers stop Filth from starting the bike and riding away. Trackers? Seen for myself how useful these can be. One of the dealers I work with

had a demo bike stolen by Scum. Fitted with a tracker, they had the company activate, then tracked it to a specific garage, and contacted the Police who attended with them to retrieve.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO?

If you have a garage, you can fit a Garage Door Defender. It’s an additional layer of security at home, working by stopping the door from opening unless it is unlocked. If your bike has to be stored outside, do your best to make it invisible. Use a bike cover – if you can’t see it, then at a glance it could be a Winter Rat Bike or a Hyperbike. Use as many layers of security as possible, and if you can it should be secured to something immovable.

READERS’ RIDES 27

MILENCO DUNDROD U-LOCK AND 12MM CHAIN

PÉGASE FLASHBIRD MOTO TRACKER

Bob Pickett / £119.99 / www.milencomoto.com

Dom Humby / £270 (with no subscription fees) / www.smtperformances.com

Dundrod U-Locks utilise double-walled lock chambers, and double-locking shackles with a corrosion-resistant coating. They are pick-proof and highly resistant to all common forms of attack, including sawing, freezing, drilling, torque, wedge, cutting, and cropping.

Milenco chains are constructed from the highest quality chrome-moly steel, offering outstanding resistance to bolt cutter and saw attacks. Not bad, right?

With both lock and chain carrying the Sold Secure Gold rating, I’m confident both items will keep my bike safe from physical attack – so the testing concentrated on ease of use, transport, and effectiveness as a visual deterrent.

The key turns easily in the lock every time, and it is easy to slip the shackle through the chain. At 1.4 metres, the chain is long enough to slip round a post but short enough to – with careful mounting – keep it from dangling on the

One of the best options to keep an eye on your ride is a tracker. There are a few different options out there, but recently we’ve been giving the Pégase Flashbird Moto Tracker a go.

The subscription-free system offers a high chance in the real world of finding your ride should it be taken, plus it’ll tell you when issues arise with its suspicious activity notifications in the form of texts, emails, and app notifications.

Installation is simple and straightforward. Simply attach the tracker to your battery (follow the instructions please but it’s only two clearly marked cables) and fix the tracker somewhere suitable on your bike. Then download the app and follow the set up procedure. Ten minutes later and you’re done! You now have full tracking capability in the palm of your hands.

Using the Pégase App is easy. You can lock and disable the tracker, track, and share your rides, track your speed (lowest, highest, and average) – and for you track day riders you can even track your lean angle, too. If your bike is a victim of abduction, you’re able to follow directions

floor (makes it harder to try to cut).

If you are intending to use the chain and lock away from home, at 5kg I’d suggest it’s not a good idea to stash in your backpack. If the worst happens, you don’t want this banging against your spine. Milenco make a carry bag (£22.99). It secures to your bike by two lengths of bungee – and it is exactly the right size to take the lock and chain combo. Nice.

SHAD SERIES 3 HANDLEBAR LOCK

CROC LOCK HANDLEBAR LOCK

Jonathan Schofield / £61.98 / www.shad.co.uk

This is a proper natty little solution that’s arguably even easier to carry than the aforementioned disc lock. The Croclock’s been around for years – and has earned itself a solid reputation for being an easy-touse and highly visible theft deterrent for scooters and bikes.

It’s a simple thing, which locks the brake lever to the handlebar to prevent your pride and joy being pushed or ridden away. It’s probably not the sturdiest of solutions, but it is made from reinforced plastic, which is impact and saw resistant, which’ll stop potential thieves thinking your ride’s easy pickings. The Croclock’s more visible and easier to fit than a disc lock – and it’s also impossible to forget. I’ve seen more than one rider set off with their disc lock still in place – and they were lucky to get away with very minimal damage. No such problems with this super-affordable and simple solution.

Well, let’s think about what would turn a bike thief off instantly. Firstly, that the bike or scooter next to yours has no anti-theft devices on it. You are locked to an immoveable object, or there is a brilliantly visual deterrent straight there in plain sight!

The SHAD Series 3 handlebar lock is the latter; a simple, practical, and visually strong deterrent that’s convenient and easy to live with. It consists of a mounting plate that goes under your scooter’s seat unit and a length of security cable (three lengths currently available – 38cm, 44cm and 49cm), which connects to one end of the handlebar creating a secure and visible theft deterrent. With this system you are not connected to the wheels or brake discs so the likelihood of setting off while still locked up is expunged. When not in use the cable/lock sits snuggly under the front of the seat unit completely out of the way. A wonderful piece of simplistic design.

It’s a clean and practical security solution, with a bonus of making a very handy and secure helmet lock, should you be wearing a full face.

Ross Mowbray / £25.95 / www.croclock.co.uk

to the location of your bike; handy if you’re in pursuit and can guide the emergency services. If you have multiple machines, then you can have multiple trackers all synced to one account and manage them all from one place individually.

Pégase are on to something remarkable for motorcycle safety in terms of keeping your pride and joy safe for a one-off cost.

I’ve been impressed.

OXFORD NEMESIS 16MM DISC LOCK Nicholas Ellis / £89.99 / www.oxfordproducts.com For simplicity and ease of use, there’s little that can beat a good old-fashioned disc lock. Light enough to chuck in the bottom of a rucksack or tuck under your bike’s seat and whip out easily when you get to your destination – but sturdy enough to make it tricky for light-fingered louts to simply snap the steering lock and wheel away your bike.

The Oxford Nemesis is a cracking example, featuring a 16mm hardened shackle and an anti-pick double locking mechanism – and it can also be used as a padlock (if you have a compatible chain that you’re happy to lug around).

I’ve been using this for several years, and despite taking a bit of a bruising – from being thrown into the bottom of panniers to sitting outside in the worst weathers – it’s still holding up remarkably well. Even better is that it’s approved and awarded Sold Secure GOLD, which means you can get an insurance discount when you use one. How good is that?

28 HEAD-TO-HEAD

TWIN PEAKS Suzuki GSX-8S, Honda Hornet 750

Parallel twin four strokes with a crank configuration of 270° are en vogue right now. Are they the 21st Century’s answer to the ubiquitous UJM of 40 years ago?

Words: Dave Manning Photography: Gary Chapman Of course, the Universal Japanese Motorcycle of the late Seventies and Eighties was an air-cooled inline four-cylinder machine of fairly conventional architecture: double overhead cams; camchain running in a central tunnel; alternator on the left-hand end of the crank; four carburettors; and a double downtube frame in steel tubing. Fairly unadventurous stuff.

But then, given that pretty much every motorcycle manufacturer that sells a machine of between 600 and 800cc right now is making a bike that conforms to the parameters of water-cooled four stroke, parallel twin, fuel injection and perimeter frame, it could be argued that that is pretty unadventurous, too.

However, in parity with the bikes being built to the UJM idiom of 40 years ago, if a mid-capacity 270° parallel twin still gives affordable and exciting motorcycling, what’s not to like?

HEAD-TO-HEAD 29

30 HEAD-TO-HEAD

SUZUKI GSX-8S I’d been waiting patiently to have a ride on the Hammamatsu company’s new parallel twin for far too long. And the glowing reports that I heard from everyone who rode one weren’t really helping. So, it was with great delight that I slung my leg over the GSX-8’s seat, fingers crossed with the thought that, after all that apprehension, I may be disappointed in the end result… I wasn’t.

In comparison to most of the other twins on the market (or, for that matter, just about any bike built in the last five or so years) there’s not much in the way of airbox roar, and while it spins up quite nicely, the 776cc twin does seem to run out of oomph in the higher ranges, so it’s perhaps best to slightly shortshift (despite that actually being a little less fun) rather than chase the 9750rpm redline.

There are some slight vibes through the pegs at around 5500rpm, and this does tend to tie in with a speed that you’re likely to sit at while covering miles on the motorway. My response to that little quibble would be to either change your speed, or choose a more interesting route…

The way that it carries the revs higher up the rev range does give a little indication as to the direction that Suzuki went in their development of this engine. The cam lobes have a reduction in width around the base circle, to reduce drag, and while there shouldn’t be any contact between cam

and follower at this point on the cam, reducing the potential contact patch reduces drag that can result from the oil film between the two and, of course, it reduces weight, too.

Any reduction in weight is countered by the twin balance shafts – one for each piston, one in front of the crankshaft, one below – whereas most modern twins have a single balance shaft.

Unusually for a modern engine, rather than have downdraught inlets the throttle bodies are sited in a flatter plane, and they’re actually smaller throttle bodies than you’d expect, maybe to induce torque a little lower down the rev range, which is allied to the undersquare format (84mm stroke by 70mm bore) to give a specification that would seem to be focused on torque and bottom-end grunt.

My initial thoughts to this are that Suzuki have a long-term plan (not unusual, given their form with the vee twin 650 and 1000/1050cc engines, the longevity of the GSX-R 1000K5 engine and, previously, the air-/oil-cooled GSX-R/Bandit powerplants), and that the parallel twin will be developed into larger-capacity/sportier formats.

I wonder how much meat there is in the barrels for larger pistons?... and it feels like it is a solid, undertuned powerplant that will last forever.

The quickshifter is typical Suzuki fare, albeit with the occasional glitch in which it would stutter after a shift, almost as though the shifter thought that it needed

a second go, but this was rare and, while the five-inch TFT dash is really easy to read, it is a little too bright at night, although I’ll admit to not looking at the settings to see if this can be changed.

There are three rider modes, A, B and C, which from my perspective are pretty much irrelevant. Why? Well, as there’s a great level of feedback from the throttle, with no snatchiness or hesitation even in the sportiest of settings, then it’s easy enough to trickle around in dubious conditions, even with the traction control switched off (which, once it is switched off, stays off, unlike other systems that reset it when the ignition is turned off). I just left it in the sportiest, most powerful, and direct mode. No problem.

It looks superb, and while the slim and pointy tail section isn’t going to be of benefit to pillions or luggage capacity, it does help the style, and emphasises the fact that it’s got a big, manly 180 section rear tyre compared to the Honda’s wimpy 160…

For luggage there are only hooks at the back of the pillion peg hangers and the number plate bracketry, although I found that a cargo net did hold a gallon fuel can on the pillion seat quite effectively. This wasn’t down to any fuel consumption paranoia with the GSX, but because I was commuting between home and Cadwell Park for the last round of the Bandit Challenge, and needed to pick up an extra gallon of fuel for the race bike at some point.

That said, when the fuel warning light started flashing, only a smidge over 10 litres went into a tank claimed as being 14 litres in volume, so it means that you’ve got the best part of a gallon (probably 35 miles worth) before you run dry.

That wider rear tyre may slow down the steering a tad, but the Suzuki is no supertanker – it handles really well.

With the proviso that the road on which you’re travelling is of good quality. The suspension damping is, to be frank, of a budget level and while it is easy to assume that this is an issue, the reality is that it isn’t! Much like various Suzuki models that have come before, the fact that the GSX-8 doesn’t have great fork and shock damping is actually quite endearing.

Both the 600 and 1200 Bandit had very basic suspension, as did the SV650, and they were all fantastic bikes, and the same can be said for the GSX-8. It seems that Suzuki have an ability to make a brilliant bike while keeping the suspension R&D costs to a minimum. Or maybe this is philanthropy on their part, opening the doors to aftermarket suspension suppliers?...

The initial competitive price has gone up by a couple of hundred quid since it was launched, so it’s now over eight grand, so more than £500 more than the Honda and Yamaha equivalents, and a couple of hundred quid more than the (built in China) KTM Duke 790.

HEAD-TO-HEAD 31

TECH SPEC Suzuki GSX-8S

Price: £8199 Engine: 776cc, water-cooled parallel twin, 270° crank, DOHC, 8 valve Power: 81.8bhp (61kW) Torque: 60.2lb-ft (78Nm) Frame: Steel tube, bolt-on subframe Wheelbase: 1465mm Brakes: (F) Twin 310mm discs, 4 piston radial mount Nissin calipers, (R) 240mm disc, single piston Nissin sliding caliper Transmission: 6 speed, chain final drive Suspension: (F) KYB inverted fork, nonadjustable, 130mm travel (R) KYB monoshock, adjustable preload Wheels/Tyres: (F) Cast aluminium wheel, 120/70x17”, (R) Cast aluminium wheel, 180/55 x 17” Seat height: 810mm Fuel capacity: 14 litres MPG: 59mpg (tested), 67.2mpg (claimed) Weight: 202kg (dry/wet) Warranty: 3 years (plus 7-year/70,000 service activated warranty) Service intervals: 3750 miles/6000km Contact: www.suzuki.co.uk

32 HEAD-TO-HEAD

HONDA HORNET 750 When the Big H announced a new Hornet a couple of years ago, many of us were expecting a bike similar to that of the original 600cc version, or even the very first, radically styled 250cc Japanese-market only inline four-cylinder screamer. So, discovering that the new machine was to be a parallel twin was something of a disappointment.

A disappointment that was totally blown out of the water upon the first ride… and, while the aesthetics are yet to truly make an impression on me, the riding experience has remained consistently good fun.

Perhaps the first surprise was the nice, fruity bellow from the airbox,

with a vee twin-alike soundtrack right the way through to the redline (at which point the rev counter outer edge turns yellow), before the limiter clicks in. Although there’s no real need to actually rev it right the way to the limiter, despite the joy of the aural accompaniment, but if you’re holding on to above 9000rpm before shifting, then the Hornet really does boogie.

Much like a KTM parallel twin, there seems to be no let up or drop off of power throughout the rev range, and a willingness to rev that lends itself to clicking up and down the box and keeping it spinning regardless of the fact that there’s not really any need to do all that cog shifting. But it is fun…

The power output of 91bhp doesn’t sound too impressive nowadays, but it is nearly 10bhp more than the (larger capacity) Suzuki, and the argument of not needing any more than 100bp on the roads of the UK is probably more valid now than it ever has been. Being able to use each one of those horses does make for a more enjoyable riding experience, and it’s more than enough to keep ahead of pretty much any four-wheeled traffic that you’ll encounter on a regular basis.

Judging from public consensus, aesthetics is a little on the bland side. Perhaps ‘bland’ is too harsh a word, as it certainly ain’t ugly, but it has a bit of a middle-of-the-road

HEAD-TO-HEAD 33

‘Honda-ness’ that reminds one of the utilitarian models in the range.

It just doesn’t look as exciting as the Suzuki. Maybe the grey livery doesn’t help, and the yellow decals (that look decidedly sun-bleached) probably contribute. The narrow rear tyre perhaps ages the look of the bike as well, although it does make for quicker steering (which is the exact reason it was chosen), and the Hornet is a breeze to throw from side-to-side in the twisties.

Honda list a couple of upgrades for the Hornet: the Sport Pack is £555 (excluding fitment), and includes the (essential) quickshifter; the fly screen that is seen in these pictures;

a rear seat cowl; and different rider footpegs. But if you just want the shifter (to spec it to the same as the Suzuki, which comes with a shifter as standard), it’d be just £250, putting the Hornet an impressive £650 cheaper than the GSX. Given the fuel consumption, that’d work out about 5800 miles for free when compared to the Suzuki…

Chiming in at £410 (plus fitting), the Style Pack contains billet bar end weights; a neatly styled handlebar upper clamp holder; a tank pad; wheel stripes; and skid bungs. As you can see from the pics, the Hornet that we had on test had a mix of Sport and Style parts, although only the

quickshifter made any difference to how the bike rides. Having said that, the pillion pad cover was noticeable, in that I found myself sat back against it quite a lot. I tend to sit quite forward on a bike, nestled up against the tank, but even so, I found that the pillion seat cover was pressing, ever so gently, against my back. It wasn’t uncomfortable, quite the opposite actually, in that the pressure in the small of my back was comforting, although it did make me wonder if it would become intrusive on a long journey. I did clock up a fair few miles while we had the Hornet, including a day down to That London and back (about 300 miles, all in) and it wasn’t

an issue, but maybe if you had a full, long day clocking up some serious miles? Mind you, how many people looking at buying this type of machine will be spending full mile-crunching days in the saddle?

The front mudguard shakes and shimmies around when sat at motorway speeds, which probably isn’t any real problem provided that the material it is made from doesn’t get brittle with age, and in that regard only time will tell. And, as far as long-term ownership and reliability is concerned, you could argue that a Honda is perhaps the best choice (BMW owners, now is the time to stand up and be heard!).

TECH SPEC Honda Hornet 750

Price: £7299 (+£755 Sport pack, + £410 Styling pack) Engine: 755cc, parallel twin, 270° crank, single overhead cam, water-cooling, 8 valves Power: 91bhp (67.5kW) @ 9500rpm Torque: 55lb-ft (75Nm) @ 7250rpm Frame: Steel diamond Wheelbase: 1420mm Brakes: 296mm discs, 4 piston radial mount Nissin calipers (F), 240mm disc, single piston caliper (R) Transmission: 6 speed, chain final drive.

Suspension: Showa 41mm SFF-BP forks, 130mm travel (F), Pro-Link monoshock, 150mm travel (R) Wheels/Tyres: Cast aluminium wheel, 120/70ZR17” tyre (F), Cast aluminium wheel 160/60ZR17” tyre (R) Seat height: 795mm (31.8in) Fuel capacity: 15.2 litres MPG: 64.7mpg / 4.3l/100km (claimed) Weight: 190kg (fully wet) Warranty: Two years Contact: www.honda.co.uk

34 HEAD-TO-HEAD

Issue 765

THE VERDICT MSL June 2024

MSL August 2024

R12 RnineT ◆ Moto Guzzi Stelvio

BMW M1000XR ◆ Husqvarna Svartpilen

Ducati Multistrada V4S ◆ BMW

DECADE OF THE

TOURING WITH

is making waves

KTM 990 DUKE Marching to the top of the hill

Parallel twin Arrow

www.mslmagazine.co.uk

MIDDLEWEIGHT TRIPLETS

July 2024 Issue766

HEAD FOR THE PASS! Moto Guzzi’s new Stelvio

on Salisbury Plain

DUSKY HUSKY

First Aid◆ Phoenix Trail Riding

e-clutch ◆ Moto Guzzi V85TT

owered XR BMW’s emp

August 2024 Issue 767

V4S

Street Glide & Road Glide ◆ Motorcycle

Ténéré Extreme ◆ Honda CB650 & CBR650

◆ Kawasaki Eliminator 500 ◆ Harley-Davidson

801 ◆ Behind the scenes at Fantic ◆ Yamaha

the Yamaha refreshes MT-09 for 2024

DUCATI’S

MULTISTRADA

ATTENTION GRABBER

Norton Commando 961SP

ethren et brethren bret 85 br Guzzi’s V85

June 2024 Issue 765

RETRO BEEMER the new R12 RnineT

001 cover_JUN.indd 1

With the same engine configurations, similar chassis and the same level of tech, it may be harder than ever to work out which is the right ride for you. That’s why these head-to-head tests from Motorcycle Sport and Leisure are so valuable.

There’s something of the sort across its pages just about every month – so if you want to get under the skin of the latest bikes to break cover and understand where they sit in an ever-crowded market, snag yourself a copy and settle in for a top read.

In short, they’re both ace.

Okay, so you want us to make a decision and tell you which one is the best? Well, the best way for you to be able to decide for yourself is to have a test ride on each one, and make your own decision because, simply, they are both really good bikes that have their own characters and their own plus points. And, yes, they do have a couple of very minor negatives, but they are so minor as to be only relative as being the points on

which you can make a decision of which one to buy.

And as regards the other models in the same market segment, Yamaha’s MT-07 is priced between the Honda and Suzuki, while the Duke 790 is the same price as the Suzuki, albeit without the ’shifter. The Yamaha has been around a while, and folk often suggest that the KTM may not have the same reliability as the Japanese offerings although, from our perspective, which has yet to be proven either way.

36 LEARNER LEGAL

GET INVOLVED Always fancied learning how to ride, but don’t know where to start?

We’ve got your back, with 24 jam-packed pages of learner-oriented inspiration.

STAY SAFE

Top tips on buying your first set of kit

MOVE ON UP

The inside line on how to pass your test

ON THE HUNT

Finding the right ride to suit you

LEARNER LEGAL 37

WELCOME

Want to learn to ride a motorbike but don’t know where to start?

H

aving a go at anything new can be daunting, and that’s especially true of motorcycling.

From the outside looking in, there’s a lot to learn.

You’ll need to know how to navigate the multi-stage licence process, take some training, pass various tests, find the right bike

(and insure it), and then sort yourself out with some quality kit to help keep you safe.

Thankfully, it’s not as complicated as it sounds – but to help see you on your way, we’ve rustled up a 24-page learner legal special which brings together all the key stuff you’ll need to know to kickstart your motorcycling journey. Enjoy.

THE LAW CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) At age 16 you can take your CBT, which allows you to ride 50cc mopeds, and if you’re 17 you can take your CBT on a 125cc geared motorcycle, and then ride on roads. The CBT certificate is valid for two years. After that you must retake your CBT.

A1 LICENCE

You need to be 17 years old or over to get your hands on an A1 licence.

Before taking the practical test for the A1 licence you’ll need a valid CBT certificate and have passed your theory test.

The practical test consists of Modules 1 (at a training facility) and 2 (on the road). The A1 licence allows you to ride motorcycles up to 11Kw (14.8bhp) with a power-toweight ratio that does not exceed 0.1kW (0.13bhp) per kg — these are usually 125cc motorcycles.

A2 LICENCE

At age 19 you’re able to get your A2 licence. You need a valid CBT certificate and theory test in place, then after completing the practical test Modules 1 and 2 (same as for A1 licence but on a bigger bike). You’ll be legally allowed to ride motorcycles up to 35kW (46.9bhp) with a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.2kW (0.27bhp) per kg. This can include restricted motorcycles — i.e. bigger bikes that have been fitted with restrictor kits — but the bike must not be derived from a vehicle more than twice its power.

A LICENCE

Once you’re 21 you’ll be able to get a full unrestricted licence if you’ve held your A2 licence for two years or more. Alternatively, if you’re 24 you can take the ‘Direct Access’ route, which gives you a full licence straightaway. You’ll need to pass your CBT, theory test, Module 1 and Module 2 test first though

LEARN TO RIDE 39

Ditching The TRAINING WHEELS It’s not as easy as it once was to get your hands on a full motorcycle licence – but with a bit of guidance and some top training, you’ll be blasting about on a ‘big’ bike in no time.

WORDS: Chris Bailey / PHOTOS: Gary Chapman I’m Chris! You may have seen me in these pages over the last year-anda-half as I tackled my CBT, walked my fellow motorcyclists in training through what to look out for in your kit, and got lucky enough to try out a wide range of different learner legal machines to help you discover which 125cc ride was right for you.

I’ve just passed my various tests to earn the highly coveted ‘A’ licence,

and wanted to share with you all the steps you need to take to get out on two wheels, with no L plates.

YOU’VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE

The first step to becoming a fullyfledged motorcyclist is Compulsory Basic Training. It’s essentially a day-long training course which drills into you all the basic skills you need

and information you’ll want to know, to safely get out on the road on two wheels.

While technically you can’t fail a CBT and they’ll keep drilling you on any aspect you struggle with, there are only so many hours in the day, so if you’re not up to scratch you’ll have to go back another day to continue where you left off.

REVISION WORKS WONDERS

The next step to getting your hands on a ‘full’ licence is your Theory Test.

It can be done at any of the many, many test centres scattered across the country, for a grand old total of £23.

It’s broken down into a multiplechoice section and a hazard perception test. For the multiple

choice, you’ll be given 57 minutes to answer 50 questions, and you need to score at least 43 to pass. A lot of the questions are common sense. However, there is a good number which require more specific knowledge. If you’ve never read the Highway Code, make sure you familiarise yourself.

Once the multiple choice is out the way, you get to move on to a hazard perception test. You’ll be shown 14 video clips of a vast range of everyday road scenes. The concept is simple.

Watch the video and as soon as you see something that looks like it’s about to turn into a hazard (a van driving rapidly up the layby with its indicators on; flashing lights coming towards you on a busy street; people

ambling about near a crossing), click the mouse. The earlier you catch each hazard the more points you’ll get, starting at five points for noticing the hazard as soon as it starts to develop, all the way down to one point, or even zero, if you only notice at the last second. Out of 75 possible points you only need to earn 44 to pass this section, and as long as you keep your concentration focused its pretty easy.

After you’ve finished the hazard perception, you’ll make your way out to the desk where you’ll receive a piece of paper, which will either let you know if you’ve passed or failed (and how you scored). Make sure you keep it safe; it’s your Theory Certificate. Just like the CBT, it’ll last for two years.

40 LEARN TO RIDE TECHNICAL PROWESS

Now it’s time for Module One. This is all about your technical prowess, and for me, it was the part I was dreading the most. To pass I’d need to prove I was confident enough to perform eight key skills.

But first I needed to brush up. I decided to spend the day before my test with the good folks at Phoenix Motorcycle Training, who were fantastic. My instructor took me through each step that would come up in the test and shared a bunch of hints and tips to help avoid any unnecessary minors. They also took me on a ride to the DVSA centre so we could see how it was laid out and walk us through what would be expected of us on the day.

Throughout the course our instructor was constantly offering improvements ranging from the larger points which could make the difference between a pass and fail, down to the tiniest nudges that simply helped tighten up our riding skills that touch more.

The test day rolled round, and I

met an instructor at the Phoenix training centre to pick up the bike I would be using and get warmed up for the trials ahead. A top tip passed on to me from the people at Phoenix Motorcycle Training: the test doesn’t start when you ride up to the first test scenario, it starts the moment you get ready to get on your bike before you’ve even ridden in to the paddock, so make sure to park facing out of the bay you choose, and that you don’t choose a parking bay which is going to give you an awkward angle for riding into the paddock. It’s this kind of advice which makes booking in for training prior to your tests such a crucial step on your journey.

After riding in through the gates I was asked to stop in a marked bay before dismounting, and walking the bike backwards and turning it round, until I came to a stop in a different bay, facing outwards. The key with this manual handling exercise, and in fact every single one of the scenarios, is to treat it all as if you’re doing it out on the roads: look both

ways before moving off every single time, perform your lifesaver overthe-shoulder checks without fail, and always make sure the bike is in neutral in between exercises.

The slalom and figure-of-eight came next, something I had been dreading beforehand, but which I now felt comfortable tackling, thanks to all the training and advice I had received the day before. The manoeuvres themselves are simple: a slow, smooth ride between a line of cones before diving straight into the figure-of-eight, where you’ll loop round a set of cones two to three times (potentially more; you need to keep going until the examiner calls you to move on to the next area).

A slow ride and the U-Turn came next. I know a lot of people worry about the U-Turn, but as long as you keep the speed down, a healthy amount of revs on the engine, and remember to fully look at where you want to turn to, you’ll nail it. I found it a lot easier on the multi-millionpound Tarmac than I had before in the training centre.

With those slow-speed skills demonstrate your hazard avoidance, demonstrated and out the way, it before stopping in a marked area. becomes time to move on to the For these last three scenarios, the three ‘high-speed’ manoeuvres. All most important thing is to get your three of these exercises start the speed up. You must do a minimum same way. You ride along a line of of 31mph on a motorcycle or 19mph cones before going round a large on a scooter, so as soon as you come sloping corner, coming out of the out of the bend, you’ll find you need bend into a long straight where you to pin the throttle back in order to need to get your speed up before you get enough speed to pass the test. get to a speed tracking pad on the If you come through just under the floor. Once you’ve passed the pad required speed, you’ll get a minor you’ll have to perform a controlled and move on, but if you come in a stop in a marked section, then you’ll few mph too slow, you’ll be asked to repeat the exercise, but instead repeat the exercise, earning a minor you’ll perform but getting the an emergency opportunity to stop when your try again to get examiner raises your speed up to Your Module One pass their hand, avoid a serious certificate only lasts until before repeating fault. Once these your current CBT expires, so the ride round last tasks are depending on how long you the bend a third completed you’ll have left on your CBT, you time, and once ride up to the you’ve passed the could have almost two years gate, wait for it to complete your Module speed pad you’ll to be opened, Two test, or you could have a need to navigate and then ride matter of weeks. your way past to a parking some cones to bay before

Important:

LEARN TO RIDE 41 dismounting to go and find out your result.

Remember, you’re still in test conditions at this point so make sure you’re still riding as if your licence depends on it. It does. You’re not safe until the moment you’ve pulled up in a bay, put your bike in neutral, switched off the engine, and put down the kickstand.

The entire test will only take around 20 minutes and you’ll pass as long as you’ve earned zero serious or dangerous faults (you might know them as majors) or no more than five riding faults (or minors). When you go in to get your result, the examiner will let you know where you got any minors you might have picked up, as well as handing over your certificate.

THE FINAL HURDLE

The last step: Module Two. You’re on the home stretch. This bit’s all about your road riding ability, and again, I cannot recommend enough that you seek out a training course in preparation for your test. I spent another invaluable day with Phoenix Motorcycle Training the day before my test.

Pretty much the entire day was spent out riding the roads and routes that might come up in my test, to help you familiarise yourself with those dodgy streets which can trip up the unaware. A huge part of the training is also focused on tightening up those real-world riding skills, from roundabouts to carriageways and everything in between, to make sure you’re not just riding the way you need to in order to get that allimportant pass from your examiner, but also embedding those lifelong skills which will help keep you safe on the streets. The day passed all too quickly, but by the end of my training I felt more than ready to take on my test.

The big day rolled round, and after meeting up with my instructor back at the Phoenix training centre it was time to head out to the DVSA test centre. As with the Module One, I made sure to pick a good parking spot and backed in, so I was in a perfect position to hit the road without any faff. I made myself known to the examiner to sign in and get the necessary paperwork sorted (you’ll need to bring your licence, CBT certificate, Theory certificate, and Module One certificate).

First up is the age-old eyesight test, reading a number plate from 20 metres away. Once that first step is taken care of, you and the examiner will stand around your bike while they ask you three ‘Show Me Tell Me’ questions. These are all easy enough and there are only about 13 potential questions they can ask you. Phoenix Motorcycle Training took care of

all the prep for this for me, and not only did we walk through all the potential questions the day before, but they also sent over a list to help prepare. Don’t worry too much if you get the questions wrong though, the maximum number of minors you can earn from this exercise is still just one.

Questions out the way, it was time to fit the one-way intercom and hit the road. And the rest of the test is entirely on the road. For the most part you’ll be given instructions over the intercom of which signs to follow or where to turn, but also there will be around 10 minutes of independent riding, where your examiner will tell you to follow signs for a certain location and then will ride behind you observing your ride.

An important note is to not worry if you make a wrong turn. Do not panic and stop, just keep riding safely along the new route, as your instructor will quickly give you new instructions; just try not to go wrong too many times. On top of the regular riding, you’ll also be asked to pull up on the side of the road multiple times, and then demonstrate your ability to pull out normally, from an angled start or from a hill start, and they will likely ask you to do all these things multiple times.

The best advice I received is to simply try and enjoy the ride. The test will take about 40 minutes in total and providing you’re riding safely and confidently, taking care to watch out for traffic conditions and pedestrians, and performing your lifesavers every time you turn and perform any kind of manoeuvre, then you’ll find you’ll settle into the swing of it and you’ll be heading back to the test centre before you know it.

Following my examiner into the office, I was thrilled to discover I had passed with only two minors, one being for riding too close to parked cars down a narrow road, and the other because I had checked my mirrors, then started moving off from a stop before fully completing my lifesaver check (I was very lucky here as I was told that if I hadn’t checked my mirrors it would have been a serious fault and automatic fail).

Delirious with excitement, I strutted out of the office to engage in a brief round of self-congratulations before heading back to the Phoenix training centre.

I’m fully aware that with the formality of training over, my real learning has just begun, so keep your eyes out for future issues as I’ll be taking on various courses to improve myself as a rider and take on a whole bunch of new experiences. I hope this helps some of you get through your tests, best of luck, and enjoy those roads!

AFTER SOME TOP TRAINING? It’s no surprise that Phoenix Motorcycle Training are the UK’s largest motorcycle training organisation. They’ll keep you on the right track right through the process, from CBT to Module Two – and they’ve even got advanced rider training and off-road courses to help you ride better once you’ve passed.

The centres are mostly based

down south, but it’s well worth travelling for the right people and the right school. Have a look on their website and find your closest location and then give them a shout to chat specifics. They’re a great bunch of people who’ll be more than happy to help.

VISIT: www. phoenixmotorcycletraining. co.uk / CALL: 0330 223 4000.

42 GEAR UP

W HEAD TO TOE

for less than a grand WORDS: Chris Bailey / PHOTOS: Gary Chapman

hen it comes to sorting out your equipment for riding, there are so many different options you need to consider, but when you’re first starting out, money can be a key factor in what

kit you go for. Thankfully, setting yourself up with stylish and safe gear doesn’t need to break the bank.

Ahead of my full bike test I looked around and managed to pick up a full set of brand-new gear to cover myself from top to toe for less than £1000.

HELMET

TROUSERS

Scorpion Exo 491 Spin £139.99

Bering Dusty Trousers £199.99

Ask any biker and they’ll tell you that your lid is the single most important bit of kit you can own and is not where you should be scrimping and saving (and you should absolutely never pick one up second hand), but just because it needs to be robust enough to keep your noggin’ protected, it doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. The Exo 491 is the third helmet I’ve picked up since starting riding, and already it has become my favourite by a large margin.

Despite the low cost, it looks incredible, it’s incredibly comfy and it is so, so much quieter than either of my other lids had given me any reason to believe a helmet could be.

I always struggle with what to say about trousers. I mean, they have CE hip and knee protection, they have pockets, and they prevent me from getting frostbite of the ‘nethers’ while I’m out and about. Yet with these trousers I have compliments aplenty. They’re comfortable to be sat around in all day; they’re very easy to tailor to the perfect fit for you, thanks to suspenders, inner adjustable waist fasteners, and ankle zips. They’ve got a removable liner for the warmer months and, as many a downpour has proven for me, they offer a brilliant level of waterproofing.

JACKET

GLOVES

Bering Calgary £299.99

Bering Whip Gloves £89.99

You might be thinking that £300 is a bit much to spend on your jacket, especially since I’ve just said the helmet is the most important kit you can pick up. But I have a few jackets, some for winter and others for summer, and I was on the lookout for something that’d do the job at all times of the year. The Bering Calgary is comfy - and I mean favourite hoody comfy. It has an easily removable inner lining for the hotter months and keeps me warm on those chilly early morning rides. It’s windproof and has reflective lining for night riding, and many, many pockets. The only drawback for me is that the internal pocket isn’t quite large enough to stash my chunky Google Pixel 7 Pro phone. Not a big issue really, but worth noting.

These are by far the most expensive set of gloves I own, but they are certainly worth it. They have a pad for wiping wet visors; they’re luxuriously comfortable; and they offer great levels of protection. I thought they were going to be a great all-rounder for all weathers, and whilst they fit the bill, unfortunately I think these will be going into hibernation through the summer. The ‘Micro Polar Lining’ should, in fact, read as ‘super-thick, hand-melting lining’ – but for anyone looking ahead to pick up some winter gloves, I can’t recommend these enough, and I will look forward to breaking them out again in about a monthand-a-half when the weather turns bad again.

It’s a great feeling when you find a pair of boots that keep you warm when you’re out riding on a chilly day, and at the same Falco Marshall Brown time you can comfortably wear £229.99 out for hours on end without your feet turning into a sweaty mess. They’re CE Approved, waterproof, and the adjustable buckle closure system means you can be guaranteed of a great fit. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of brown clothing, but these look stunning, and despite not coming up quite high enough to cover your whole shin, they feel like they offer a reliable and robust level of protection.

BOOTS

POWERED BY

44 BIKE BUYING GUIDE

THE RIGHT CHOICE Moped or Maxi? Crosser or Cruiser? Finding the right machine to suit your needs

You’ve made the decision to purchase your own wheels. The next step is to figure out which type is best for you. Start by thinking about where and when you will ride. Are you looking for a daily commuter, a weekend cruiser, or something in between?

■ Will you be riding on motorways, A-roads and B-roads, or around town? Or will you be riding across a combination?

■ Does the bike need to have sufficient power and seating for a passenger?

■ Do you need storage room for gear or groceries?

■ Is fuel efficiency a priority?

Next, give some thought to features that might make for a more enjoyable, and safer, ride.

Y

ou’ve just passed your test and are ready to get your hands on a new ride.

There’s an abundance of options out there, so it’s

■ Saddlebags or racks?

Thanks to their enclosed designs, most scooters have at least a small built-in storage compartment, and many have a lidded and lockable space large enough to stow a helmet or small bag safely. In contrast, on a motorcycle, you might want to consider saddlebags, panniers, a top-box, or even a tail rack, which typically are mounted over the rear wheel behind the seat.

■ Antilock brakes?

ABS is now standard on all new motorcycles (except 125s, which often have linked systems). However, if you’re buying used, you’re probably going to go without.

Nevertheless, ABS is money well spent –

key that you’ve got an idea of the sort of machine you want before mooching around a dealer with a pocketful of cash. Don’t worry if you’re not sure to start though… We’re here to help. statistics prove that motorcycles equipped with antilock brakes are 37 per cent less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than models without.

■ Windscreen or Fairing?

These can help protect you from the wind and rain, and they can make long miles at high speeds less fatiguing.

■ Crash bars?

Hoop-shaped bars mounted on the frame can help protect riders in a spill by keeping the weight of the bike off the rider’s body.

If you’re new to two wheels, it’s fairly likely you’ll drop your bike at some point, so crash bars could help keep you and your pride and joy safe.

Don’t pick a bike that’s larger than you can handle. If you’re a learner, we’d recommend selecting a model that allows both your feet to be planted firmly on the ground when at a standstill. Beginners also should be careful not to choose a bike that’s too powerful for their ability; it’s better to start with a smalldisplacement model in the 250-500cc range and work your way up.

Complete beginners may find scooters more learner-friendly than motorcycles, thanks to their relative light weight and automatic transmissions. Scooters also tend to have some on-board storage, something that can’t typically be said for motorcycles.

BIKE BUYING GUIDE 45

THE OPTIONS

Touring/Adventure Motorcycles Designed for long-distance travel, touring bikes are generally powerful enough and comfortable enough for two people to spend a full day in the saddle, racking up the miles.

Models range from the very basic, right through to kitted-out behemoths with saddlebags, fairings, windshields, stereos, and even cruise control and heated handgrips.

Cruisers

With a relaxed riding position, cruisers combine the look of a traditional motorcycle with a more image-conscious, custom appearance, a longer wheelbase, and forward foot pegs. For the shorter riders out there, a cruiser’s low seating position pretty much guarantees you’ll be able to get your feet flat on the floor.

Kawasaki Eliminator 500

Rieju Aventura 500 £7499 / www.rieju.co.uk

New to the market for 2024, Rieju’s mammoth-tanked adventurer looks like a great option for riders wanting to cover big miles on both the Tarmac and trails.

£5999 / www.kawasaki.co.uk

Naked/Street Motorcycles

the Japanese firm’s revived its much-loved cruiser platform; and it’s perfectly poised to take it to Honda’s CMX500 Rebel.

Dual-Sport Motorcycles

Designed to be ridden both on- and off-road, dual-sport motorcycles are the perfect choice for riders who appreciate the light weight, high ground clearance, commanding riding position, all-purpose tyres, and extra suspension travel. Plus, they are truly versatile machines, as happy hitting the trails as carving the streets, offering their riders a huge amount of freedom. Dual-sport machines are completely road legal, fitted with lights, indicators, and other necessary road-going equipment. Due to the long travel suspension, shorter riders might struggle to clamber over an enduro machine.

Honda CRF300L Rally £6549 / www.honda.co.uk

This is a proper go anywhere, do anything round-the-world machine. Easy to ride and nigh on impossible to break, it’s easy to see why they’ve got such a following.

Electric Motorcycles

Electric motorcycles continue to grow in popularity, particularly within the commuter market which appreciates their economical operating costs and low maintenance but doesn’t necessarily mind their limited range. A rechargeable battery is included and can typically be charged using a conventional household set up.

Zero FXE

Quite a broad category, this covers more generic street-oriented motorcycles and more conventional-looking machines. Good for commuting, comfortable (enough) touring, and great for a weekend blast. Models range from economical, lightweight designs right through to powerful 1000cc-topping beasts.

Triumph Trident 660 £7895 / www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk

Hotly tipped at the time of its launch, the Trident’s seen plenty of success in the intervening years. It has more competition than ever, but it remains a great option for riders after something sporty yet versatile.

Small Scooters and Mopeds These are the smallest, lightest, and easiest models for a novice rider to handle – and they tend to return the most efficient fuel economy, too. Not ideal for touring, but perfect for hotfooting around town.

Piaggio Beverly 300 £5100 / www.piaggio.com

Big wheels help the Beverly make easy work of our pothole-strewn roads. It’s a cracking option if you want a city commuter with enough power to blast around on bigger roads.

Large and Maxi Scooters

£13685 / www. zeromotorcycles.com

Combining the seating position, shift-free driving, and on-board storage of a scooter with the highway capability and range of a cruising motorcycle, larger scooters are a great choice for two-wheeled travellers who prefer the look and feel of a scooter over a motorcycle. While larger, heavier, and less manoeuvrable than smaller scooters, they provide brisk acceleration and easily can carry two at highway speeds.

Because of a quirk in electric licensing laws, this is actually learner legal – but it’s got bags of power and is an absolute blast to ride. Not cheap though…

Sportbikes With aggressive bodywork, highperformance engines, lightweight frames, and a crouched riding position to improve aerodynamics, sportbikes are all about performance. In short, they are not going to be the most comfortable or practical models to live with, but if it’s speed and handling you desire, then look no further. Models span from affordable, and fun, little 125cc machines right through to monstrous performance bikes best suited to experienced riders.

Yamaha YZF-R3

£6505 / www.yamaha-motor.eu The YZF platform is iconic – and while the ‘little’ R3 might not match up to the range-topping R1, it’s a serious bit of kit that’s perfect for less-experienced riders looking for their sporty fix.

Kymco DTX 360 320 £5299 / www.kymco.co.uk

The Taiwanese firm has been going from strength to strength in recent times, and its ‘adventure scooter’ has plenty going for it. Comfortable, plenty quick enough and underseat storage. What more do you need?

46 AT A GLANCE

ADVENTURE POTENTIAL There’s not a load of choice if you’re a learner rider after your first taste of adventure, unless you want to compromise on comfort and road manners with a more focused trail bike. While the Zontes ZT125-U1 isn’t quite a full-on, continent-crossing, off-road-ready beast, it comes kitted out with some key stuff that’ll make light work of the UK’s chewed-up back roads, and even manage some easy trails, too. It looks cracking.

1. MOTOR

A punchy single cylinder motor is its centrepiece. It makes a healthy 14.5bhp, which puts it right at the top end of what you can legally ride on an A1 licence.

Capable of hitting 70mph, the ZT will have no problem holding its own on bigger and faster roads – and you won’t need to stop for fuel too often either, with the high compression set up and 12.5-litre fuel tank combining to return up to 220 miles from a tank full. It’s even got a slipper clutch and a six-speed box.

2. STOPPING

There’s no budget linked system here. Instead, the Zontes gets proper dual channel Bosch ABS, which helps keep things smooth and safe when you grab a handful and call into action its front and rear discs. Nice.

3. SPRINGS

The upside-down front forks and high-pressured nitrogen monoshock at the rear are set up soft, with a focus on comfort

in an effort to keep you content while you’re covering big miles.

Sounds sensible to us.

4. HOOPS

There’s lots to like here. Superstylish 17-inch spoked rims come fitted with a set of chunky knobbly tyres from CST. The tyre carcasses are reinforced, and the rims are tubeless, so if you do pick up a puncture as you’re blasting down the trails, a simple plug will see you right. It’s a nice touch for a learner legal ride.

5. ADVENTUREREADY?

It comes kitted out with some decent adventure-spec goodies, including some pretty serious-looking engine protection, a pair of sturdy handguards, and a proper adventure beak to keep the mud at bay. It’s maybe a shame it doesn’t go further with a bash-plate, but you can’t have it all (and many ‘big’ adventure bikes don’t come with them as standard either). The only

concern would be that lowslung exhaust – but it looks great and sounds fruity, too.

6. TECH

Zontes are big on technology.

We’ve ridden a few of their bikes and they’ve always come kitted out with cool future-focused stuff that puts many of the more established firms to shame.

This one’s got a keyless ignition system, a pair of USB charging sockets, and even features ECO and SPORT rider modes.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? www.zontes.co.uk

£3199.00 + OTR

48 LEARNER LEGAL

T he PERFECT TOOL A back-road run to the coast for a bag of chips might just be the perfect test to get under the skin of this fleet of learner legal nakeds

AJS Bilston 125

Benelli BN125

KTM Duke 125

LEARNER LEGAL 49

T

here’s bags of choice for riders on an A1 licence.

From commuter-friendly scooters to mud-plugging trailies, it’s difficult to know what to go for when you’re just starting

out. But if you’re into bikes and you want something versatile and practical on which to hone your riding skills, there’s not much better than a naked. That’s why we’ve pulled together this smorgasbord

of rides to put through their paces; three from the big-name firms and three from slightly less established names, to make sure you’re well informed about what your options are, no matter your budget.

WORDS: Andy Bell, Andy Catton, Mark Lancaster, Owen Hibbert, Richard Graham, Ross Mowbray

Voge R125 Yamaha MT125

Honda CB125R

50 LEARNER LEGAL

KTM DUKE 125 The one with the tech

Andy Bell / £4899 / www.ktm.com The ‘baby’ Duke’s a bit of me.

Aggressive styling that matches its bigger brothers, proper Michelin Road 5 rubber, and a fruity Remus aftermarket exhaust was enough for me to make sure I bagged the keys first.

Setting off and heading straight into the countryside, I found the Duke was giving me quite a lot of pleasure, and not just for a 125.

Power is courtesy of the latest iteration LC4c engine. It’s easy to spend time with. The motor pulls well and was very smooth with the delivery. I would have liked a bit more up top, as sixth gear was often relegated with a bit of an incline in the road or a headwind.

The front brake disc is an impressive 320mm, and with a 4-piston radial caliper, not only did it look the part but also did a great job of pulling bike and rider up when needed. After riding a couple of other bikes in the test and switching back to the Duke, I did find there was a bit too much movement in the brake lever before the initial bite, which I had just become accustomed to before.

The Duke does have a few other goodies that add to its appeal.

A quick-shifter for both up and

down shifts is present and this didn’t feel like a cheap add on either. First to second gear did go with a bit of a lurch at times, so I did use the clutch for this, but other that there was nothing to fault. WP Apex suspension front and rear also is a welcome presence. While the 43mm forks are not adjustable and the rear only has preload adjustment, they did a brilliant job of giving me confidence through each turn and had me looking forward to the next series of bends.

My only real gripe was the lack of room to move about between the tank and pillion seat. This did help to keep me feeling part of the bike, but I would have liked to move back a bit to stretch out my aging knees. For the day, hopping on and off it was okay but If I had a longer ride out this could possibly create a problem.

Overall, despite my few little moans I enjoyed my time riding around on the Duke the most and it also proved to be my favourite. It has a sporty feel that encourages you by giving confidence with the combination of smooth power delivery, decent suspension, tyre choice and stopping power.

ROSS’ OPINION

The KTM’s by far the most sophisticated of the bunch, with switchable ABS and a swanky TFT dash. It looks the part, too, with its sharp styling aping its bigger brothers. There’s a lot to like.

HONDA CB125R

The one with the famed build quality Richard Graham / £4699 / www.honda.co.uk

First impressions of the little Honda are that it looks like a larger machine; the sleek stripped-back styling aligned to its bigger ‘CB’ brothers works well. The tubular steel frame is striking with the angular tank following the sharp lines, but there is a nod to more classic styling with a circular headlight encompassing multiple LED lights with a distinct bezel but don’t be misled, this is a super modern motorcycle with large discs and low-slung exhaust. It’s a real head turner.

Being a Honda, however, it is not all about looks. The bike is a joy to ride, easy to handle, and it comes with all the latest technology making it a refined and precise bike perfect for any road riding conditions, around town or out on the open road.

Our test route took us through the Lincolnshire Wolds where the ups and downs gave the opportunity to work up and down the gears to find the sweet spots.

With my 100kg mass it was necessary to drop down a gear or two on the steeper climbs, but free running on the downhills in top gear was comfortable and relaxed.

Even for a larger rider like myself the ride is comfortable

and completely composed with no unexpected surprises from the suspension. The 41mm ShowaBP Forks offer a perfect feel at the front end and at the rear the large-sized piston gives similarly effective suspension at the rear.

As we approached the coast on the test ride the drainside country roads worsened and the Honda coped admirably with the uneven and unstable road surface and surprise rises and drops where the road edges dropped and merged into the verge.

The brakes are equally as capable as the engine; no fears about stopping. The Honda features a radial-mounted fourpiston front calliper; 296mm floating disc; single piston rear caliper; and 2 Channel ABS, all managed by an IMU. The balance of braking with the suspension is superb and in normal riding the ABS seems a bit unnecessary, but a surprise stop in town might just be where this would get you out of trouble.

The 5-inch TFT screen is perhaps the best I have seen with clear useful information provided in a visible layout. In addition to the essential speed and rpm, key features for a new rider are fuel level/consumption and gear indicator. The 10.1-litre

tank seems the ideal size; we consumed about half a tank on the display over our 75-mile test ride so a usable range of 150 miles is entirely realistic.

The Honda CBR 125 is undeniably a fantastic small motorcycle, thoughtfully engineered, beautifully designed, and constructed to deliver everything that a learner motorcyclist will require around town or on the open road.

Motorcycles of this quality and design were not available when I set out on my motorcycling adventure back in the 1980s.

It is difficult to argue that this is not a £4699 motorcycle and worth every penny. The question is whether a newcomer to motorcycling has a budget at this price point, but I would argue that this motorcycle offers more than more budget options. It offers longevity and would satisfy a rider

who has passed a test and still wants to gain more experience on a capable machine.

ANDY B’S OPINION While the CB may be a little less exciting to look at than the KTM, there’s no faulting how it rides. The motor seemed to have a little more go, and the brakes offered better feel.

LEARNER LEGAL 51

YAMAHA MT-125 The lairy-looking one

Andy Catton / £5103 / www.yamaha-motor.eu The MT is cool looking. In its midnight cyan colour scheme, black with turquoise wheels, it’ll turn heads wherever you go. And that’s just the start…

The engine feels strong for a geared 125. First and second gear are like any other four-stroke 125 - they happen quickly - and third and fourth are where all the fun is to be had. Fifth gear is your useful cruising gear with some power in reserve and is also where you will easily see a top speed of around 65mph (though downhill in sixth I saw 73mph).

I was impressed with the gear change, too. It was extremely slick and benefits from having a slipper clutch, although going up and down the gearbox on this watch-like gear change was incredible fun.

With around 300 miles racked up on the bike including this 125-group test, one thing that did stand out was the excellent fuel economy. Yamaha claim 2.1 litres/100 km, which translates

to 112mpg, and I would say depending on the way you use it, this figure is not so far-fetched and a definite highlight over other less expensive 125s I have ridden where according to the fuel figure quoted, you have to be riding like a very slow saint.

The MT shines on the twisties; subtle and useful brakes, sticky tyres (that grip well in both wet and dry conditions), and superb USD forks up front and an adjustable for preload rear shock, which give great feedback everywhere and work across a variety of road surfaces. Even the hard-looking seat is a surprisingly comfortable place to be.

The MT is a fun bike, make no mistake – and it’s a solid, easygoing, and safe place to learn how to operate a geared motorcycle.

There are many cheaper options on the market though, and if you were only planning to ride on a CBT for a short period of time, I reckon you’d be better picking up something more affordable.

BENELLI BN125 The quietly capable one

Owen Hibbert / £2499 + OTR / www.benelli.co.uk

ROSS’ OPINION

There’s a lot to like about the little Benelli despite it sitting at the budget end of the market.

Less aggressive than some of the other options, it still goes, stops, and handles rather well.

MARKS’ OPINION

I felt at home instantly on Yamaha’s punchy, learnerfriendly bike. A roll on the throttle produced a very satisfying growl, and it soon became evident that the MT is a fan of the revs and up for a bit of fun.

Unlike many of the fine folk who have taken part in these 125 tests, I happen to be unique... because I actually tested my own bike.

Benelli have been making bikes now for years… since the early 1900s. While there may not be the

same level of brand awareness as the likes of Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, they’re still a big name in the bike world with a legion of fans the world over.

When I was looking for something to buy my knowledge was somewhat limited. I knew I wanted something that would maintain 60mph while also providing me a comfortable upright position. With this in mind, and not being completely obsessed with achieving a certain specification, I chose the BN125.

It might not be the fastest, but in terms of 125s you can do a lot worse than a BN125. It’s lightweight, stylish, and capable of a smooth ride, both in and out of town. I continue to go all mushy over my lovely 125. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

Sporting a single-cylinder 4-stroke engine, there is just the amount of power needed to cruise with fellow 125 folk on a test like this, without a desperate need for speed.

Brakes offer a rapid response and the CST CM-NK01 tyres do a solid job of sticking to the road.

In the full year I have been riding I have not noticed any degradation in the tyres, despite covering my

near daily 40-mile commute.

It’s comfortable, too, thanks in no small part to its softly sprung suspension. I am over 6ft, so there was a worry that I might look a bit silly on such a compact bike, and while the bike could be bigger, I’m perfectly happy spending long days behind the bars.

So, are there any issues?

Occasionally gears will slip between first and second and go into a false neutral... not fun on a junction. But I’m told that’s a problem that a fair share of the competition also have. It’s all about perspective, right?

I am incredibly happy with my BN125, and I would happily buy another Benelli given the choice.

It has served me well and I expect it to continue to do so for at least another two years until I can get my full licence sorted.

52 LEARNER LEGAL

AJS BILSTON 125 The left field retro-styled option

Ross Mowbray / £2349 / www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk

AJS have been around a long time. Founded back in 1909, they established themselves as one of the big names in British motorcycling – aided by some serious racing success. The manufacturer changed hands a few times in the intervening years, but in 1974 competition manager Fluff Brown bought the name and all of the stuff he’d need to keep making the Stormer and went out on his own. It’s actually still in the family, with the firm now looked after by Fluff’s son, Nick. But things are a bit different. AJS are now best known for bringing in a host of funky, retro-styled imports which won’t break the bank.

We’ve ridden a load of them in the past few years and have always found plenty to like. AJS’s pair of Scramblers were probably our favourites. Great looking, solidly built and with a handful of neat touches to make them stand out from the other options on the market. That’s why we decided to squeeze the new AJS Bilston 125 into our learner legal mega test.

It might not be quite as focused in either styling or stance as the other rides we’ve had a chance to put through their paces, with a slightly more retro aesthetic and more relaxed ergonomics. But it’s still a naked – and it has a few tricks up its sleeve to help it stand out from the crowd.

It feels more compact than the others, with a 780mm seat

height that’s perfect for riders on the shorter end of the spectrum – and it’s light, too, tipping the scales at just 132kg (without fuel).

That means it’s super-easy to get on with, and I reckon freshfaced learners would feel right at home on the unintimidating little commuter.

Yes. I said commuter. That might be doing the AJS a little bit of a disservice, but there’s no doubt that it’s far more comfortable belting around town than being thrashed to get up to the national speed limit. The 11.4bhp aircooled single motor will do it, and 55mph is achieved relatively easily, but against the competition the AJS felt a tad underpowered, and it’s necessary to rattle your way through the five-speed gearbox to get the thing hustling in any kind of way. It handles well and will meander through the twisties without too much trouble, though the budget-focused suspension will have you feeling every lump and bump if (and when) you encounter some rougher surfaces.

It stops well, with the linked disc brakes offering smooth, predictable bite in an easy-tomanage way that’s just right for less experienced riders.

Its pièce de résistance is a whopping 19-litre fuel tank. That is a lot of fuel for a compact little learner bike – and with the bike easily capable of returning 100mpg even when being ridden

hard, you should be good for well over three hundred miles between trips to the petrol station. That’s great for commuters, and it’d be great for tourers, too. If you were happy to slow the pace down and simply potter, I think the Bilston would make a lovely little explorer. There’s a reason AJS are offering an aftermarket rear luggage rack… And

VOGE R125

The value-for-money belter

Mark Eastwood / £2799 + OTR / www.vogemotorcycles.com

The Voge R125 is a standout in the competitive world of learner-friendly motorcycles, combining sleek design, impressive performance, and a surprising level of comfort. As a bike aimed at beginners and urban commuters, it manages to strike a balance between userfriendliness and engaging, fun riding. Here’s what you need to know…

there’s a centre stand to make maintenance a doddle, too.

The Bilston is a nice little bike, offering bags of budget-friendly charm. It’s super-easy to get on with and it’ll do everything you need it to. It’s not quite as refined as some of the competition, and it doesn’t handle as well as them either, but if you’re in the market for a learner legal ride that’ll get you

from A-to-B in a relaxed and reliable manner, you’d not go far wrong.

First impressions of the Voge R125 are overwhelmingly positive.

The build quality is solid, with a robust steel trellis frame and a commendable overall finish, especially considering that at £2799, it’s over £2300 cheaper than Yamaha’s MT125.

At the heart of the Voge R125 is a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke 125cc engine which produces 14.7hp at 9500rpm and 12Nm of torque at 8000rpm.

It provides sufficient power for city commuting and will happily keep up with traffic flow on bigger roads. I’m 6ft tall and 13 (and a bit) stone, and it quite happily pulled me along at 60mph, and will break 65mph (indicated speed) as long as there’s no headwind or hills!

It’s no slouch getting there either.

Work the gears, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun to throw around.

That’s partly thanks to the bike’s low weight. At 136kg, it feels agile, nimble, and easy to manoeuvre.

The suspension set up, featuring upside-down telescopic forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear, strikes a good balance between comfort and handling. It absorbs bumps and ‘irregularities’ well, providing a smooth ride on various road surfaces, and the braking system on the Voge R125 is particularly good, too, with ABSfitted hydraulic discs front and rear providing strong and reliable stopping power.

The seating position is upright and comfortable, offering good visibility and control. The ergonomics are well suited for

a range of rider sizes, with a relatively low seat height of 795mm making it accessible for shorter riders. However, it’s still very comfortable for lankier riders like me. There’s a clean and concise dash with all the usual information, and the USB charging point is a nice touch.

It’s good on fuel, too.

Throughout the test, which included plenty of pinned throttle action, the Voge managed to return an impressive 100mpg, making it a seriously economical choice for daily commuting. That means the 10-litre fuel tank will provide a substantial range of close to two hundred miles.

The Voge R125 is a wellrounded motorcycle that offers a blend of style, performance, and practicality. For those in the market for an entry-level bike that doesn’t compromise on quality or features, the Voge R125 is a compelling choice. It stands out as a practical commuter and a bike that new riders can enjoy and grow with, making it a viable option in the 125cc category.

Would I have it in my shed? Even though I have a full licence, yes – you should have seen my grin during the full day of testing…

RICHARD’S OPINION

The AJS stands apart from the others. It feels much better suited to steady urban commutes, although its 19-litre tank offers plenty of scope for longer journeys.

ANDY C’S OPINION

The Voge packs an impressive punch, particularly when you consider how much it costs.

It’s almost half the price of the Yamaha MT 125 – and it’s faster, too!

LEARNER LEGAL 53

WHICH ONE’S FOR ME? We’re all unique, with different wants and needs, so there’s no real point declaring an outright winner from this test. In many ways, that’d be far too simple.

It’s important to consider budgets, outright performance and, of course, comfort, too.

The most appealing to a 17-year-old? It’s a toss up between the Yamaha and the KTM. The Yamaha looks lean and mean in all the right ways, and those bright blue wheels may be a little Marmite, but chances are that they’re going to have

big appeal to a youngster of a sporty disposition. The KTM’s just as aggressive, and it looks and feels like a big bike – and it’s Supermoto ABS function allows you to lock up the back wheel and have a bit of fun. That’s certainly going to be a big plus for some. They’re both great bikes – but that quality does come at a price.

From a build quality perspective, it probably comes as little surprise that the Honda tops the pile. It’s proper refined, and with an extensive dealer

network up, down and across the UK, you’ll be looked after should anything go wrong. It’d be a solid bet that’d last you for years if you needed it to.

The AJS is a little different.

It’s much more of a chilledout ride, and with its low seat height, easy road manners and whopping great fuel tank, it’s a sensible option for those looking for a way to get about without spending a fortune. The Benelli’s probably somewhere in the middle. It’s sporty looking enough to appeal to the ‘yoof’ of

today, but it’s surprisingly easy to live with, thanks to its soft springs, tractable, but smooth, motor, and upright riding position.

From a purely value-for money-perspective, however, the Voge certainly seems like the ‘winner’. It’s a good chunk of cash cheaper than the bikes from the ‘big three’, and it held its own remarkably well on the road. There are all the obvious questions about Chinese build quality and residual value, but if you’re only after a bike to see

you right until you pass your full test, there’s no doubt it’s a cracking choice.

And this is just a handful (and a bit) of the naked bikes on offer. Kawasaki have the Z125; Lexmoto have been doing solid business and carved out a solid reputation over the past few years; and there’s a whole load more options to choose from whether you’ve got £5000 or £1500 to spend. Whatever you choose, you’ll not go far wrong – because bikes are bloody brilliant.

KNOWLEDGE 55

KEEP IT COVERED

Do you know whether you’ve got TPFT or fully comprehensive? Do you know what the difference is?

We’ve put together a handy guide to insurance to make getting cover for your pride and joy as easy as possible.

THE CHOICES

HOW TO SAVE MONEY

Insurance is a legal requirement. No argument.

If you ride without it, then you’re breaking the law, and you could even have your beloved machine taken away from you by the Police.

The industry can seem a bit of a minefield, with abbreviations being thrown at you from all angles – but don’t despair. Once you’ve got to grips with a few of the key terms, you’ll be able to make an informed and cost-effective choice for what you need.

There are a number of ways you can cut down the price of your insurance. Here’s a breakdown of some of the easiest ways to do it.

THIRD PARTY The most basic motorcycle insurance required by law. It’s important to note that this only covers your liability for death or injury to someone else and for damage to someone else’s property. It won’t cover you or your bike.

THIRD PARTY, FIRE & THEFT It is similar to simple third-party insurance – as seen above – but also covers your scooter or bike if it’s stolen or damaged by fire.

FULLY COMPREHENSIVE This kind of insurance not only covers you from the liability to other people and their property, but it will also cover the cost of fixing or replacing your ride. Understandably, the price of this will often be higher than the other two options.

ADDITIONAL COVER There are a number of additional coverage options that may be offered to you to cover other aspects of your ride. Gear; transport; breakdown cover; legal assistance; European coverage; no claims discount protection – the list is endless. Chat these through with an advisor and ask them to discuss what is covered so you can make an informed decision about whether you think you need it or not. Consider them carefully and don’t be afraid to say you don’t want them if you won’t use them!

PAY ALL IN ONE GO By setting up monthly payments, you’re entering a credit agreement and as a result interest gets added on to your premium By paying it all in one go, you bypass this. If it’s financially viable to pay it outright, you’ll make a saving.

KEEP YOUR BIKE SOMEWHERE SAFE Where you keep your bike has an implication on your insurance costs, too. Keeping it in a garage is obviously classed as being safer than at the side of the road. Fitting certain types of security devices/alarms can help bring the price down, too.

BUILD UP A NO CLAIMS DISCOUNT This proves that you haven’t claimed in a certain amount of time, therefore illustrating you are a ‘responsible’ rider and owner. The more years no claims bonus you have, the better you look on paper statistically.

SEARCH AROUND Don’t just rely on your existing insurance company coming back to you with the best renewal quote, ensure you search around with others and use this as bargaining power – and make sure you talk to specialist bike insurance firms, too.

INCREASE YOUR EXCESS Tempted to hike up the amount of voluntary excess you offer to pay?

Great idea in principle as it will bring the cost of your premium down, but should you have to claim on your insurance and pay out for a claim, can you really afford to find that £1000? …

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT Should the worst happen and you find yourself involved in an accident, there are a number of things to consider. Read our handy tips for what to do…

ASSESS YOUR INJURIES AND KEEP CALM First and foremost, make sure that you’re okay and not injured. If you are injured, then get someone to call for the emergency services and stay put while they’re on their way. If you’re not injured, then get yourself to a safe position out of danger and think about the next steps…

GATHER EVIDENCE AND SPEAK TO WITNESSES Get out your phone and take plenty of pictures of the scene including vehicles involved; the road surface; the surrounding area; and anyone else involved. If there are any witnesses, then ask them to stay until the Police arrive, or if the emergency services aren’t on their way, gather their details so that you can contact them if necessary. Exchange details with others involved and take down their personal and insurance details as well as information about the other vehicle.

Think about things such as make, model, registration number and colour.

As soon as you are safely able, note down your recollection of the incident: the time and location; direction of travel of all vehicles involved and their estimated speed; weather; and road conditions. Be as detailed as possible.

CONTACT YOUR INSURERS At the first opportunity, contact your insurers and let them know what has happened. This will start the ball rolling at their end and may ultimately mean you get your bike sorted quicker.

KEEP DAMAGED PROPERTY Whilst you might be in a rush to get new leathers and get your bike fixed, hold your horses. It might be that the insurance company want to have a look at the damage caused. Keep your riding gear as it can sometimes hold answers about how you came off.

TAKE TO THE TRAILS 57

THE FUTURE OF DIRT BIKES? The electric revolution is happening – and although there’s still work to be done to make bikes viable for the road, a raft of newly-released off-roaders are winning admirers among those who love hitting the dirt With the rolling out of ULEZ restrictions and theunpredictability of public transport, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny the value of electric bikes or scooters for city commuting. But what if you’re partial to a bit of off-road action, too?

There’s a whole new generation of bikes that are clean, green, and capable of tackling trails in a serious way. While they might

have been adopted by some of society’s more unsavoury characters, if you’ve got a bike licence and you’re after a new ride that’s nearly silent at full throttle, doesn’t blow out any horrible fumes, and has enough power, performance and poise to keep even the most experienced of racers entertained, then here are some rides that could be well worth a closer look.

SUR-RON LIGHT BEE

RFN RS ENDURANCE

CAOFEN F80 ADVENTURE

Sur-Ron is probably the best-known brand in this world. They’ve been about for a few years and have built up an enviable reputation for their well-built, lightweight, and rapid-accelerating rides. While they’ve since released a couple more ‘serious’ models, the Light Bee’s the best choice if you want a ride that’ll tackle Tarmac and trails.

The RFN’s a great option. It might be a good whack heavier than the Sur-Ron, but that extra weight translates to more miles from its more powerful 43Ah battery pack. There’s a cool ‘Rocket mode’ which’ll up the power output to 12.5kw for a quick hit of speed, and it’s also the cheapest of the bunch by quite some distance, which has got to count for something.

This has had a slightly more recent introduction into the UK. It’s a few hundred quid more expensive than the established Sur-Ron, but with 8kW of power, 260Nm of torque at the rear wheel, and a battery it reckons is ‘one of the most technologically advanced’ on the market, it’s easy to see where your cash is going. We reckon it looks great, too.

£4600 / www.sur-ron.co.uk

£4095 / www.rfnbikes.co.uk

£5295 / www.caofen.co.uk

58 RIDE BETTER

ALWAYS LEARNING It’s my second session on the track and I’ve forgotten which bend is coming up next. Ah. The chicane. Too late – I’m over the kerb, momentarily in the air and on to the grass. I slow down, red-faced, and sweaty-palmed but still upright, while the rest of my group thunders by. I’m quietly relieved when the chequered flag drops and I can check back in with my coach, sit down and recompose myself!

RIDE BETTER 59 WORDS: Hannah Godden, PHOTOS: IMG Photography I passed my test eighteen months ago and decided to try some further training to see how I was doing, and where I could improve. I booked on to the Enhanced Rider Scheme, followed by a track day at Blyton Park. Both were organised by Mike Abott who runs the British Superbike School, and I was on my new-to-me Honda CB500F. I met Mike on a blustery but sunny morning to begin the ERS. We went through some info on the course then set off, first making our way through town centre traffic. It’s always a bit daunting to be followed, but aside from a couple of roundabout exit indicators which Mike picked me up on, the ride got underway smoothly.

Out of town, we joined the A1 for a few junctions before coming off on to some country roads. I started to relax a bit (in between gusts of wind at least) and felt like I was making good progress.

That was until a scenario which may be familiar to many of you – an unexpectedly tight left-hand bend.

Rather than looking ahead and pushing the bike round, I braked sharply mid-corner. Mike checked in over the radio – I gave him an embarrassed thumbs up – and we pulled over shortly afterwards for the first feedback session. This was positive overall for my road positioning and hazard awareness, and Mike emphasised looking ahead for the limit point to read corners more accurately.

The next part of the ride took us through Lincoln city centre: lunchtime traffic, extensive roadworks, and a one-way system I’d only ever walked through. I was relieved when we were out in the countryside again.

Our route led us to the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds where we stopped for lunch at Willingham Woods, a popular spot for bikers.

For the first time this season, I took off my jacket and rolled up my sleeves while we chatted.

Mike recommended straight-lining roundabouts where possible and safe, and increasing my speed slightly on some roads.

I focused on putting these tips into practice when we got back on the road, and my reading of corners improved as the afternoon went on.

Once we’d reached the end of the ride, Mike gave me a debrief and a congratulations. I was exhausted but had thoroughly enjoyed the day and found it helpful. We agreed that the time I’d spend at the track would also help with my cornering.

A couple of days later, I signed on promptly at 07.45 at Blyton Park.

The atmosphere was welcoming and cheerful, with plenty of bikes to admire and an excellent café for breakfast. First up was the introduction and safety briefing – with no distracted drivers, potholes or drain covers, the biggest dangers to us here would be cold tyres, and each other.

Despite knowing the track is safer than the road, my stomach did a few summersaults while I waited for the first session. My coach Rob gave me a couple of tips on body position in corners and told me to follow him and try to relax. Then we were off! I was surprised how tight some of the bends were, and it was a weird feeling to have no speed limit. After a couple of warm-up laps, Rob encouraged me to increase my speed gradually. It was thrilling, and a bit terrifying.

The first classroom session focused not on entering corners but exiting them – turning in later for a smoother line and less time leaning. I was looking forward to putting this into practice, but unfortunately it was at this point that I forgot about the chicane, and briefly turned the CB500 into an off-road bike. I spent the rest of that session with stiff arms, wobbly lines, and a sigh of relief when it was time to head back in. Rob reassured me that the skills

I needed were there – my bike was going where I wanted it to, when I knew where I was going.

The next classroom session looked at braking and weight transfer for front vs rear brakes – at Level 1 (beginners/road riders), we were encouraged to use the rear brake in corners if needed. Then it was time to get back on track. Gulp!

Halfway through this session, something clicked – I relaxed more and realised I could follow Rob’s speed and still get my bike around the corners. I also started looking further ahead, which helped trick my brain into thinking I wasn’t going at speeds which would be unthinkable on a road. This time, I stopped in the paddock with a smile on my face.

Rob pulled up next to me and gave me a fist bump. I was delighted, and starving – it was time for lunch.

In the afternoon’s classroom sessions, we looked at bike stability and the effects of cornering – and putting everything together. Out on the track, my speed on the corners had picked up, but not on the straights.

Rob’s observations and feedback were spot-on: I wasn’t afraid of going fast, I was afraid of not being able to slow down. He encouraged me to follow him and pick up the pace, using engine braking before the corners. He echoed Mike’s advice from the ERS – you’re often safer on the road if you’re going a bit faster (within reason). He recommended finding somewhere quiet and practicing braking from speed, to learn how quickly I could slow down when I needed to.

I slept very well that night. And the ride back home the next morning was one of the most enjoyable I’ve had so far. I felt more ‘at one’ with my bike after spending a day with it on the track, and my riding and cornering were noticeably smoother.

Many thanks to both Mike and Rob for sharing their time and expertise – the experience was fantastic, and I’m already looking forward to going again.

ICONIC METAL 61

BIKES FOR THE MASSES In production continuously since 1948, the Bullet’s quite possibly one of the best-known motorcycles in existence.

Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Words: Dave Manning Photography: Gary Chapman It probably comes as something of a surprise to many people – given that the Bullet has been the backbone of Enfield’s production for, essentially, the greater part of the company’s existence (especially so with regard to machines built since the move to production in India) – but the new 350cc Bullet isn’t a new machine in entirety. It’s based on the Meteor, which was launched into the UK market back in 2021 with the new air-/oil-cooled overhead cam J-series engine. The Meteor itself replaced the Meteor version of the previous pushrod-engined Bullet, which was incredibly popular in the Indian home market, and that was probably the root reason behind the new Meteor being launched ahead of the new Bullet, rather than the other way round.

While not chasing outright power with the J-series, Royal Enfield has developed an engine that is incredibly flexible in its delivery. Impressively for

an engine of this capacity, top gear (only five speeds in this ’box) is capable of pulling from as low as 30mph, with no complaints (albeit not at a particularly rapid rate of knots), thus making for a very relaxing ride on twisting country lanes or, for that matter, in busy urban traffic. Although it’s in the former rural environment that the bike excels, exploring tight and twisting byways, luxuriating in the slow speed manoeuvrability, leisurely power delivery and relaxing soundtrack.

For that ‘Dof-dof-dof’ of the engine ticking over really is ‘the sound of India’. While on a tour of the Himalayas, nigh on a decade ago, I was introduced to the fact that Indians hold the Bullet very defining dear, with the exhaust note defining the soundtrack to both the Indian countryside and also towns and cities. The new Bullet hasn’t lost any of that cache – not only does it look right, but it also sounds right. To the point that, when photographer Gary Chapman joined me on an icy Lincolnshire

lane for the pics, with the Bullet minding its own business, parked on its centre-stand, and ticking over in the background, Gary commented: “That sounds nice, really relaxing ain’t it?”

A comment that brought to mind the young Indian gent who mentioned to me that he often sits and reads a book while his Bullet ticks away next to him, like a two-wheeled metronome…

62 ICONIC METAL

Eulogising the acoustic properties of a 349cc four-stroke single, however, doesn’t inform you of the bike’s riding properties, so it’s time to sling a leg over the 805mm high seat and get the wheels rolling. While it was a fresh and frosty morning, the sun was trying to burn through the mist, albeit with little hope of drying the Tarmac. The Ceat tyres were a little sketchy on the cold and wet roads, albeit not quite as bad as I thought they might be, and if the roads were warm and dry I would’ve had no issues whatsoever, but did feel that, if it were mine and I were riding through the winter, I could easily be persuaded to fit some potentially grippier tyres.

The riding position seems, initially, to be a little cramped thanks to the bike’s dimensions being smaller than so many other bikes. But the relationship between the seat, pegs and bars actually works very well, and really helps with the incredibly tight turning circle that the Bullet enjoys, given that there is never a stretch to the bars, even when on full lock. That, and the light clutch action, meant that turning around in the road, feet up, for another pass in front of the camera was a cinch, a good indicator as to how competent the bike would be in the urban chaos of the commuter run.

The suspension may be basic, and follows form with regards to what the bike’s style and spec reflects in that there is only adjustability in the form of preload on the rear shocks, but it copes with the vagaries of British Tarmac admirably and it’s clear that the knowledge brought to the Indian firm when they invested in Hertfordshire chassis experts Harris Performance has ensured that all of the recent Royal Enfield models have exhibited beautifully neutral yet responsive handling and steering.

The rear brake is very effective, and not so harsh as to cause incident, and the front is also rather more impressive than I’d expected given it’s somewhat dated nature and, while the brakes aren’t the stop-on-asixpence, rubber-howling stoppers that’ll have the rear wheel waving in the air and rubber smeared across the road, they are significantly better than the old bikes that the most recent iteration of the Bullet

so faithfully replicates. After all, there’s absolutely no requirement for four-piston, radially-mounted calipers biting on a pair of 320mm diameter discs when you’re only hauling 195kg to a halt from no more than 70mph. When used together, the new Bullet stops far quicker than any classic bike.

Given that the national speed limit is, pretty much, all you’ll be getting from the 20hp engine, one does wonder about longer trips on the Enfield – will it cope? Bearing in mind that it does buzz along quite happily at the national limit (well, it did on the longer stretches of single carriageway I rode on – there’s not a lot of dual carriageway in Lincolnshire, and no motorways), I’d say that longer journeys will bring no issues, with a side statement being that it might feel a little overwhelmed if you’re riding the length of the M1, or encountering the faster stretches of the M69 or M40 that seem to attract a higher average than the legal limit. Any thoughts of trying out German Autobahns should be dismissed swiftly. But then, if you’re thinking of covering large distances in minimal time, the chances are that you’d not be looking at the Enfield anyway.

But, that said, don’t dismiss it entirely from touring. If you look towards exploring lesser-populated routes, smaller A roads, B roads and unclassified byways, then might I suggest that the Bullet is close to being ideal. All-day-long comfort and brilliant fuel consumption mean that you can just keep covering the miles, whilst not getting caught up in the rush to arrive at your destination – surely the most relaxing way to travel? After all, the phrase, ‘It’s not about the destination, it’s all about the journey’ was surely invented for motorcycle use? The factory claims that the little single will sip fuel at a rate of 107mpg and, while I didn’t record the consumption when the Enfield was in my care, I’d guess at it being a little less frugal. But with almost three gallons in the tank, you’ll certainly be able to cover well over 200 miles without even thinking about a petrol station.

And joy of joys – there are no rider modes!

Nothing to fettle with, nothing to change, nothing to confuse. Only plain and simple motorcycling. The easy-to-read dash has

the big speedo, and a digital trip (odometer and two trips), with the clock and fuel gauge.

Consequently, with little in the way of buttons and dials, the switchgear is easy to use, on both sides. The horn button doesn’t interfere with the indicator switch (can you hear me Honda?), and the trip button is easy to operate, too. There’s a lot to be said for keeping things simple, and it’s not just ensuring that there is less to go wrong. With less electronics, fewer accessories, and not as much to distract you from the actual riding itself, the Bullet brings a certain level of purity, of focus, of being very much ‘in the moment’. Recent times have brought a greater awareness of mental health, and the importance of ‘mindfulness’. And I found that with the Bullet.

And there’s also a point that really impressed me and is something that just about every other manufacturer on the planet could do with making note of. The Bullet is incredibly practical. Not just in terms of its initial cost and the efficient use of fuel, but day-to-day practical in the way that so few bikes are. It has a centre-stand, and one that is easy to use,

thanks in part to the grab handle on the left-hand side. So easy to use, in fact, that the bike doesn’t really need the side-stand (which, also, is really easy to use). The front mudguard, which really suits the style, has the convenient side effect of being brilliant at reducing the level of spray, mud and detritus that gets flung on to the front of so many engines. Compare this to, say, the front muddie on a Ducati Scrambler… The aforementioned steering lock is superb, not simply perfect for feet-up U-turns in narrow roads, but also threading through traffic and manoeuvring in parking spaces and garages. The electrics box, behind the side panel on the right-hand side, is not only easy to access, but also contains an impressively varied tool kit. Yes, a complete toolkit that includes more than just a pair of Allen keys (please take note, Yamaha and Ducati). The pillion seat grab rail and the bars that run from the rear mudguard and wrap around the rear shocks are not only great for keeping fabric panniers in place and away from the back wheel, but also ideal for retaining bungee cords. The mirrors aren’t the best

ICONIC METAL 63

around, but nor are they the worst – they do what is required.

The classic, yet understated, good looks are only, in my mind, spoilt by the headlight peak, although I do understand that some folk will like the look. I prefer a naked headlight rim, although the headlight/ fork shroud is a lovely shape that incorporates the ‘bullseye’ running lights as well as being neatly shaped around the speedo bezel, and the shrouds that extend down to cover the top of the fork sliders will probably mean that the fork seals will never, ever, need to be changed.

There are some modernities applied though, with a USB port on the bars if you want to have a charging lead to phone/satnav, and, of course, it does have the compulsory anti-lock braking system required now.

In fact, as beguiled as I was by the Bullet, I would say that it is only the other J-series bikes in the company’s range that can detract

TECH SPEC Royal Enfield 350 Bullet Black Gold

Price: £4709 Engine: 349cc, single cylinder, single overhead cam, oil-/air-cooling, 2v Power: 20.2bhp (14.9kW) @ 6100rpm Torque: 20lb-ft (27Nm) @ 4000rpm Frame: Steel twin downtube spine frame Wheelbase: 1390mm Brakes: (F) 300mm disc, twin piston floating caliper, (R) 270mm disc, single piston floating caliper Transmission: 5 gears, chain final drive Suspension: (F) 41mm telescopic forks, 130mm travel, non-adjustable, (R) Dual twin tube emulsion shock absorbers, 6-step preload adjustment Wheels/Tyres: (F) Spoked wheel, 100/90x19” Ceat Zoon Plus tyre, (R) Spoked wheel, 120/80x18” Ceat Zoon Plus tyre Seat height: 805mm Fuel capacity: 13 litres MPG: 107mpg (claimed) Weight: 195kg Warranty: Two years Service intervals: 6000 miles Contact: www.royalenfield.com

from its desirability. While the Hunter, Meteor 350 and Classic don’t have the same comfortable ergonomics as the Bullet, each of them is cheaper (about £700, £600 and a tenner respectively, the Black Gold version of the Bullet you see here is £80 more than the plain black or maroon versions). And the sales success of the company’s parallel twins means that folk are getting used to seeing Enfields regularly, the result of which is that they are no longer viewed as being a hangover from the British bike industry. The Bullet is no longer just a second bike for someone who wants an easy classic, or a cheap bike to use as a commuter while the favourite machine is kept for Sunday best. The Bullet is now a refreshing antidote to 21st Century life. A way of escaping the nine to five, and of bringing a smile to cynical lips. And isn’t that exactly what motorcycling is all about?

64 THE INSIDE LINE

E FROM THE ARCHIV

RENAISSANCE MAN The Aussie supremo surprised Yamaha’s engineers with his magic touch

WORDS: Steve Cooper PHOTOS: Mortons Media Archive Kel Carruthers wasn’t just good with the big GP bikes and the TZ750 flat trackers - he was also a wiz with the smaller stuff. Faced with potentially embarrassing superiority of Kawasaki’s novel in-line twin KR250s at Daytona as Kenny Roberts’ mentor, he trimmed the expansion chambers and revised the exhaust ports of the 1976 Daytona 250cc race. It was a total success and the hugely intuitive engineer had ensured Yamaha won.

What the R&D guys in Japan knew and applied didn’t always translate into on-track success. When the expected triumphs didn’t happen with a new motor it was Kel who ripped them

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engines in ways that would have got most engineers a one-way plane ticket home. We’ve seen how there were often issues with motors that were supposed to be all-singing, all-dancing solutions to the previous season’s problems but often weren’t.

The 1981 150bhp 0W-54 squarefour was a perfect example and Roberts commented that the bike just felt flat. Carruthers remachined the bike’s cylinders at the track on a lathe and Roberts went out and won.

Even cutting the steering heads off the factory bikes and rewilding them back on at a different angle was everyday stuff for the guy and few but the Ozzie would have got away with it.

Yamaha and Kel Carruthers parted company in 1990 and the legendary

genius went on to freelance team management for another five years before retiring. Many might argue that motorcycle racing in general and Yamaha’s earlier results would be the poorer without the supreme talents of this racer-cum-engineer. Arguably it wouldn’t be until fellow Australian Jeremy Burgess’ career blossomed that the GP paddock would see another engineer with such keen insight and intuition.

The VJMC; run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists For membership enquiries only Tel: 01454 501310 website: www.vjmc.com Email: membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk Address: PO Box 1949, Yate, Bristol BS37 0BX Office hours: Office hours Mon-Thu 10am-4pm 01454 501310 (please leave a message)

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apart and worked his magic. Initially, the factory bosses and managers struggled with this apparent maverick approach but soon came to appreciate the Australian’s huge talent and expertise. It might have gone against everything the science, computers and R&D teams believed would or should happen but in the end they knew Kelsan was the ‘man that can’.

As Colin MacKellar summed up in one of his books, Kel Carruthers was a mentor to the factory riders, team manager, chief engineer, sage, and a vital conduit of technical solutions back to the factory delivering the results time after time. In total he’d help Yamaha gain six 500cc titles; three with Eddie Lawson and three with Kenny Roberts.

Such was the man’s knowledge that he stripped and modified

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66 READERS’ RIDES

IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE

In our busy modern lives, few of us can take several weeks, months or even longer off work to jump on a bike and go exploring – whether that be in our own country or on the continent, or even on a global expedition. Let alone actually be able to finance such a life-affirming experience. But, of course, you don’t have to jack in your daily job and abandon all friends and family to selfishly ride around the planet to have an adventure. That can be accomplished in just a few days, or even an afternoon if you’re feeling especially focused.

WORDS AND PHOTOS: Dave Manning With a Ducati DesertX sat in the starting blocks, I booked a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, with no hotels booked, no routes saved in any kind of satnav, and no real plan of which direction to head. Just a map book, a tent, and a yearning to see new places, and get some warm sun on my aging bones.

I’d strapped on my Kriega luggage which, refreshingly, was easy to do on the Ducati thanks to the flat pillion seat and the tubular subframe that isn’t hidden behind smooth bodywork, and with a cargo net over the top, plus a couple of extra bungees, I’d got a rucksack with my camera gear and my little two-man tent all held securely in place. So, without a thought of working out how to change rider modes, phone connectivity or any of the tech that

just about every new bike is spec’d with, I slung a leg over and headed south.

The schlep down to Portsmouth wasn’t as dull as I’d expected, being mostly dual carriageway at each end (A1 and A3) with some motorway in the middle (M1 and M25). Having carved my way through standing traffic around Heathrow – the tall riding position and narrow width making this oh-so easy – I found myself swooping along the A3 through the South Downs well ahead of time. A sarnie and brew stop at a services convinced me I had time for an explore, and I found a little trail through pine trees to a beautiful piece of heathland. Perfect for some pics and a piece to camera (yes, there’s a video, see the link) and a chill-out listening to birdsong and chirruping grasshoppers.

My ferry was an overnighter, planned as such so that I could

use days for riding and covering interesting miles, rather than be sat, wide awake and twiddling my thumbs for six hours while crossing the Channel. Consequently, I rolled on to French soil at around 6am, into the cool, grey dawn of Caen with a handy lack of traffic to spoil my trip westwards visiting the Normandy landing beaches of Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah. I was too early for any of the museums along the wonderfully twisting and picturesque route between the beaches, so with the five ticked off I headed further west, aiming for Mont Saint Michel and another photo opportunity, followed by a southerly blast on an autoroute, looking for warmth.

There followed five days of riding away from any kind of autoroute or peage, using the ‘non-motorway’ option on Google maps to plot a rough course to the kind of area I thought about heading to. Past La Rochelle; on

the ferry from Royan to Port Medoc; southwards past Montalivet; and through glorious pine forests alongside pristine sandy beaches (nigh devoid of people); a ride through Bordeaux to remind myself of what traffic was; and down to Cap Breton.

The weather took a turn for the worse and I headed away from the coast, through Bergerac and towards Limoges, paying a visit to Oradour (see boxout), then northwards, the rain on my tail, before being caught in the heaviest of monsoon-like downpours just 10 miles from the ferry terminal.

CAMPING OUT Campsites in France are, to cut to the point, brilliant. Much better than the average Brit campsite, and far more of them, thus relieving you of the need to book in advance. I also did a couple of nights of wild camping – just pottering down a little lane or fire road late in the day, finding a bit of quiet woodland, and pitching my tent. Then packing up early the next day and sneaking off, leaving no sign of my ever being there. Of course, if you

Throughout all of that, the DesertX was my faithful companion – taking autoroute; twisting forestry lanes; fire roads; sandy beach access roads; fraught city traffic in Bordeaux; die-straight single lane roads through mile upon mile of sweetcorn fields; and some of the quietest roads I have ever ridden on. And, while a lot of bike tests are undertaken over a short period of maybe a day or two, the long (very long) weekend that I’d planned allowed me and the Ducati to become rather well acquainted.

want some home comforts (like a shower, or toilet), then it makes more sense to find a proper camping site.

Apparently, the rest areas on the peage can also be used to camp, and then you’d have the advantage of a toilet block to use, but I was put off the idea simply because of passing traffic – camping in the proximity of a stretch of autoroute seemed a little too close to folk going about their normal life for me; I wanted a bit of distance, and to try and get that feeling of adventure.

YOUR RIDE 67

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

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

Left: You don’t see many of these!

Jessie Cavanaugh’s Moto Morini 500 Sport – with that famed v-twin motor front and centre.

In partnership with Forcefield Body Armour Left: Malcolm Cupis’ gorgeous Honda CB1100F is aging very well indeed. Almost looks as though it could be a modern retro rather than the classic it is.

Oooft. We’ve been dribbling over Dougie Mason’s gorgeous Honda Fireblade. We bet that Yoshimura exhaust sounds just peachy.

Rob O’Toole’s a lucky lad. We’ve got a serious soft spot for BMW’s early adventurers – and his R100GS is right up our street.

Allan Atkins is clearly a big Colin Edwards fan. We’re proper impressed with his Honda VFR400R done up in 2004-spec Telefonica Movistar colours. Nice.

Euan Priddy’s Suzuki GSX 750 bringing us a bit of early 80s class.

Left: Lynn Bee’s Honda CMX500 Rebel is a serious mile muncher.

“Just spent four days in Scotland.

Based in Moffat riding the roads around Dumfries and Galloway. The Delveen Pass is a great road. Over 700 miles of fun!”

We love a Cub here at MoreBikes – and Tony Barber’s little Honda looks resplendent while soaking up the scenery.

CLASSIFIEDS ACCESSORIES

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For Sale

ADLER MB250, 1954, 250cc, two stroke twin, most work done, full papers and history, on Sorn, must sell, can deliver, offers around £1850 Tel. 07885 459197. North Hampshire.

ARIEL Futura, 2001, full luggage, new tyres, average condition, good runner, everything works, blue, still rides great, £1000 ono Tel. 01707 870769.

BMW R1200GS, very well maintained and in good condition, 54 plate, 55k miles, 1170cc, new touring screen & matt black crash bars, new tyres, new battery and new heated grips, ULEZ compliant, full service history, £3200 Tel. 07973 713195. Surrey. Email. paul_lane@ic24.net Surrey.

BMW R1250GS TE Rallye, 2022, 4000 miles, BMW warranty, MoT until January 2025, few wear and tear marks but still in very good condition, second owner HPI clear, £11,750 Tel. 07832 485175. Email. marksmithzzr14@gmail.com Nottingham.

BMW C400GT, 2019, black gloss maxi scooter, superb condition, new MoT at sale, 7900 miles, new BMW scooter forces sale, garaged, £4499. Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire.

BSA Shooting Star, 1958, metallic green, 500cc twin, Akront alloy wheels, Avons, Craven topbox and panniers, new battery, well presented genuine bike, running well, ready to ride, free delivery arranged, £5950 Tel. 01723 372219. Yorkshire.

MOTO GUZZI V7 II Special 750cc, 2015, vgc, one owner, 17,000 miles, rides well, MoT August 2024, reliable bike, service history, rack, bar end mirrors, comfortable ride all day machine, touring, commuting or fun bike, genuine reason for sale, £3500 Wraysbury. Tel. 07947 566494.

Email. graemebyard@gmail.com

MOTO GUZZI TS250, 1976, blue/ gold, very clean bike, original condition, owned one year, just never used, needs no MoT or tax, handbook, £2650 ono Tel. 07710 467529. Lancashire.

HONDA CB250cc, year 2000, Sorn 10 years, runs fine new genuine Honda exhaust sprockets and chain and battery, 46,000 miles bought as back up bike but not used, £600 £600 Tel. 02380 821440.

Southampton. Email. teaset@ tiscali.co.uk

KAWASAKI KH125, 1996, good condition for year, as new, MoT, only 12,500 miles on it nice lightweight, open to offers £1495 Tel. 01275 830922; 07719 945399.

NORBSTAR 1960 Gold Star, featherbed frame, Roadholder forks, alloy top yoke, Akront rims, 2L/S brake, 3½G alloy tank, BSA Gold Star big-fin 500cc, through bolted center port head, Dellorto carb, Billet crank, Thorspark ignition, NEB clutch, e/start, 12 volt, 5 speed Nova gearbox, new Avon tyres, £10,500 Tel. 07976 526624. Lincolnshire. Email. mark.peatfield@hotmail.co.uk HERALD Classic 2015, 250cc, black, 1981 miles, MoT just run out, 2 keys, fsh, front forks slight corrosion, £750. Tel. 07779 692495. Cornwall.

HONDA CB500R, 2014, original exhaust silencer as new, £120 ono cash, buyer collects Tel. 01403 217403. West Sussex.

HONDA CBR900RR Fireblade, 1996, 36,150 miles, 10 months MoT, recent full service with some service history Ohlins rear shock recently completely overhauled starts & rides as it should, comes with Owners Handbook, 2 keys, workshop manual, A4 folder of receipts, MoTs and history, V5, £2550. Tel. 07552 627685. Bidford on Avon. Email. stevenplincoln@gmail.com

MUTT Hilts 250cc, grey 2022, very good condition, with only 41 miles on the clock, as good as new, collection only £3000 ono Tel. 07895 300805. Email. callum15geddes@gmail.com Kent.

SUZUKI TC185, very rare, 10 speed, V5, 185cc, t&t exempt, 1974 year, electric start, £4650 ono Tel. 07772 797112.

Derbyshire. Email. Squida225@ hotmail.com TRIUMPH Bonneville, 1970, T120R, 650cc, matching frame and engine numbers, runs very well, no smoke, rattles or oil leaks, can do pictures by phone, £6250. Tel. 07887 674467.

Hampshire.

TRIUMPH T21, 1963, blue sheen metallic paintwork, matching numbers, green logbook and V5C, new rear tyre, battery, Hagons, previous MoT’s, superb bike from my private collection, free delivery arranged, £3950 Tel. 01723 372219. Yorkshire.

YAMAHA Fazer 600, 2003, 9537 miles, new MoT, good condition, recent service, set up for touring with:- touring h/bars +60mm, lowered footrests -25mm, raised gearing 70mph at 4800rpm, heated grips & USB outlet, s/ less Delkevic exhaust, all original parts inc, £2300 Tel. 07828 920371. Stourbridge. Email. stollerton@yahoo.co.uk

YAMAHA TTR600 Belgarda, 1998, 9824 kilometers, Ohlins rear shock as standard, Renthall fatbars, new Mitas E-09 tyres front and rear, £2400 Tel. 07976 526624. Lincs. Email. mark. peatfield@hotmail.co.uk SUZUKI GSXR400, silver, 54,000 miles, very good condition, full MoT, rare bike, runs spot on, £3000. Tel. 07894 062585.

Chorley. Email. karenmark@ hotmail.com

YAMAHA FZ750, 1987, very nice condition, 41,000 miles, the Genesis was produced between 1985 - 1991, will come with new MoT, £1795 ono Tel. 01275 830922; 07719 945399. Bristol.

YAMAHA 125 NMAX, 2023 on a ‘22 plate, 120 mpg, as new, 150 miles on the clock, £3200 Tel. 07805 617964. West Midlands.

Email. susan.athersmith@sky. com

Parts For Sale BMW R1200GS adventure tank and parts to convert standard GS to a GSA including fuel pumps, panels, crash bars etc, the tank is unmarked, there are some scratches on the lower crash bars and the cylinder head protectors are scratched, one of the metal side panels is black and one silver, £500 Tel. 07976 526624. Lincs. Email. mark. peatfield@hotmail.co.uk BSA Bantam gear change lever, £15. Eversure car ramps, dry stored, no damage, pair £20 Tel. 01299 266565. Worcs.

HONDA CBF1000, 2006, front and rear seat OE, excellent, £120 + £7 postage. Also rear section silencers, small dent to narrow pipe, underneath otherwise excellent condition, £750 + £15 postage Tel. 07434 513161.

Lancashire.

Choose one of the following methods:

1 ONLINE www.morebikes.co.uk 2 EMAIL freeads@morebikes.co.uk 3 POST MB Reader Adverts, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR

HONDA K2/K3, side panels with badges, red, perfect, £45 pair.

Suzuki GN250, side panels with badges, new unused, red, £45 pair. Halcyon goggles leather with chrome fittings, unused boxed, £30 Tel. 07778 742954.

Staffs.

TOURATECH seat to fit 2008 to 2014 Yamaha XT660Z Tenere, I had this seat fitted to my bike for approx 2000 miles but looks unused, £190 Tel. 07976 526624. Lincolnshire Email. mark.peatfield@hotmail.co.uk TRIUMPH spares T140 & T120, swinging arm, £45. S/S coil tray, £10. Fork tubes, £40. One pair h/bar switch gear, £60. Custom oil tank, £40. Headlight, £30 + more, must collect Tel. 07823 693477. Nottinghamshire. Email. felix31@live.co.uk YAMAHA SZR660 both left and right rear side panels and tail light £20 Tel. 07976 526624.

Lincs. Email. mark.peatfield@ hotmail.co.uk

Wanted CLASSIC motorbike wanted in any condition, any make model genuine buyer, good price paid, can collect Tel. 01514 470147.

ROYAL ENFIELD Scrambler to restore, 1950/60s Tel. 01524 735039. Email. bobwoof41@ gmail.com WANTED late 343cc BSA B40G complete engine for an off roader project Tel. David 07536 002647.

Email. thehubbards1954@ hotmail.com

Miscellaneous MOTORCYCLE leather jackets: Dannisport, size 12, black and red. Richa, size 8, red, silver and black, outstanding quality, fully armoured, no scratches, scuffs or tears, first to see will buy, offers Tel. Rob 07748 490599.

Bath.

GIVI Maxia Top Box plus Kappa panniers, complete with rack and all fixings, suit Suzuki GSF 1250/650 2007/2016, £45.

Tel. 07977 991624. Cumbria.

BOOKS: new, Valentino Rossi/ Moto GP, 192 & 224 pages, £6 & £8 each or £10 pair. New Jet helmet c/w visor 7 3/8” suit learner, £25. New black leather jacket, 44/46”, £69. Used black leather jacket, very good condition, 44/46”, £40. Used black/red l/w cord jacket, £25.

Used Alpinestar boots, 10, £45.

Black top box, 40L, very good condition, £50. Leather racing suit, one piece, 5’ 10” 44”, new, £125 Tel. 07759 607498.

JACKETS Belstaff Trailmaster, D. Lewis Lightning 1960-1970s, 38-40, 806 zipper gloves, shirts: Heuer, Assen, TT, Agv helmets etc, 1960-70 logos Tel. 01277 200530.

OPEL Astra TT, 2011, convertible with genuine certified 35,000 on clock would consider p/x for Yamaha 535, Astra lovely condition, MoT until April 2025 and history, please ring for details or sell, £1800 Tel. 01743 860362. Shropshire.

OXFORD Bone dry motorcycle jacket, black/blue, XL, detachable thermal lining, elbow, shoulders, back protection, £25. Open face motorcycle helmet, visor, grey, large, £20. Motorcycle gloves, black, knuckle protection, £10, all as new condition Tel. 01299 266565.

SUZUKI SV650 99 to 08 Haynes Manual 3912, excellent condition, £10. Bikers Tours & Biker Britain book by Simon Weir, both excellent condition, £10 each will post at cost Tel. 07874 840347. Oldham.