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MIDWEIGHTMAESTRO

JUNE2025 #227

Ourfirstrideon Yamaha’s smarterandsharperMT-07 HOW YOURBIKEHANDLES

Ever wondered whatittakesto makeabikecut itinthecorners?

LOOKING FORADVENTURE

We getdown anddirtywith Triumph’s Tiger1200 off-road

MULTI-TALENTED

Gettingtogrips withDucati’snew MultistradaV2

INSIDETHISMONTH

MULTI-TALENTED

Clocking the miles on Ducati’s long-legged Multistrada V2

DAYRIDE: THEWOLDS

Looking for acracking destination to ride? Well, here’s aroute that should be on your radar.

How arewehalfway through the year already? Time really does fly,but as starts to the year go, I’d say we’ve been pretty jammy with the weather.I’m just back from a 1000-mileround triptoScotland on a Tiger660 and the weather throughout wasnothing short of brilliant, and as for the route, that was something else. It was amuch-needed reminder of the cracking roads we have all around us in the UK, that aretherefor the savouring,ifonlywe give ourselves the time and chance to

make such rides happen. Glencoe was a highlight, but so werethe Moors, Dales and the Wolds, for which we’ve got aDay Ride featured in this issue, should you be after abit of aroute for inspiration Where Ilive,the roads have been rife with bikes these last few months, which is always great to see. Thereare loads of bike nights on the calendar,which often provides the perfect excuse to get out for ablast– if only foracatch-up with mates. That said, it never fails to amaze me how sociablebikers are, even the

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KAWASAKI

COMFORTABLYFAST

If you like your sportsbikes big, comfy and ballistic, look no further than theZX-12R.

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

ones you’ve never met beforeinyour life. That’sgot to be oneofthe best aspects of motorcycling; theaccess it gives you to cracking people that you’d probably never otherwise meet or talk to. That virtue alone is worth wheelingthe bike out of the garage. Wherever you go, whatever you get up to, make sure to drop us aline and let us know

Heavy metal: BMWunleashes the full R1300 range

If you’reafan of BMW’sBoxer range, but don’tlike the GS, then you’ve probably been quietly fuming the last 18 months or so. Because it’snearly two years since the Munich massive unveiledthe latest 1300 flat twin, in the R1300 GS, and they’ve only now got round to releasing the R, RSand RT variants.

It makes sense, of course: the GS and GSAdventurehave been the top-selling big bikes from the firm’sBerlin factory for decades now (even without adding their sale totals together). Folkcan’t get enoughof’em,soobviously the Bavarian bean counters aregoing to prioritise the gangly adventuretourers in the production schedule. But now we have afullgamut of 1300 Boxers to choose from, with the Rroadster,RSsport-tourer and RT full-tourer allonsale inthe next couple of months.

And it’sfair to say they look to be worth the wait. All three sharethe same fundamental engine and chassis package, with acouple of differences on theRT tourer.That meansa145bhp water-cooled

flattwin with four-valve DOHCheads and ShiftCam variablevalve lift and timing; 13.3:1 compression ratio; 106.5x73mm boreand stroke; shaft drive; and sixspeedgearboxand ride-by-wire throttle. All the new R1300s also can be ordered with BMW‘snew ASA automatic gearshift setup, which has computer-controlled actuators for gear and clutch, and an ECU giving afull-auto transmission function, plus manual overrides. That peak power figureof145bhp, with the torquey delivery of abig flat twin, is probably just about enough for the Rnaked, albeitagood bit down on the latest inline-four super-and hyper-naked machinery.Itshould be spoton for the RS and RT tourers though, with their morerelaxed requirements.

The latest Boxer chassisisbased around BMW’smodernfabricated sheet steel main frame design, with alightweight cast aluminium rear subframe. TheRTis alittle different: its frame is designed to accommodate the Telelever front end rather than the upside-down forks used on the R and RS, and the rear subframe is amuch

design, saving 1.4kg of rotatingunsprung mass, and all three bikes have 120/70 17 front and 190/5517rear tyresizes –spot on for theR andRS, butmaybe alittle on the sporty side for thebig old RT.Speaking of big, theRTweighsinatachonky 281kg kerb mass, compared with the 245kg RS and 239kg R. Allthat kit, plusthe Boxer’s beefy shaft drive, obviously brings abit of aweight penalty compared with simpler machinery

sturdier unit, designed to cope with heavier pillion and luggageloads

BMW’suprated its suspension offerings, too,withnew optional semi-active suspension on the Rand RS, that also includes acunning variable springrate system on the fork. BMW brought this tech outonrear shocksyears ago with the ESA II system, which used amoveable polymer insert to change the stiffness ofthe springing rather than just altering spring preload. But the 2025 system is a first on aproduction bike’sfront fork. The Dynamic Suspension Adjustment(DSA) set up gives semi-active adjustmentofthe damping,spring rate and preload on the front fork and rear Paralever system, and is integrated with the ECU’sother electronic rider aid functions.

The RT needs adifferent suspension arrangement, thanks to its chunkier all-up mass, and comes with the BMW Telelever front end, which the firmuses on its larger machines, plus the usual Parelever shaft drive rear swingarm. Thefront and rear monoshocks have the new DSA set up as standard, but BMW’salso added anew Dynamic ChassisAdaptation function (DCA), which holds two pre-set springing and damping options. One of these sits the bike up and back, with softer damping and lazier steering geometry,for touring luxury and stability.The other,sportier,mode lifts the bike up for more ground clearance, but also tips moreweight on to thefront end, sharpening the steering,while also firming up the damping. So,you can change between two whollydifferent chassis geometries at the push of abutton,making it easier to swap from highway miles to twisty backroad blasts.

The wheels, brakes and tyres arealso commonacross the range: new fourpistonradial monobloc calipers have BMW branding and bite on 310mm discs, plus there’s also anew Sport performance braking option, with more powerful titanium-finished calipers which look pretty smart. Wheels area newlighter cast

Away from the powertrain and chassis fundamentals, it’sthe technology and the optional kit which arguably makes the BMW Motorrad experience so tempting. All the new Boxers haveaslick standard set of electronic riding aids to boost safety and comfort –cornering ABS and traction, power modes, quickshifter,cruise control and large LCD dash. Dig into the options list though, and the sky’sthe limit, with optional electronic suspension; Prorider modes; short seats; tall seats; seats with heating; touring windscreens; soft and hardluggage systems with lights, central keylesslocking and USB charge points all built into the hard cases (hardluggage comes as standardon the RT tourer,ofcourse)

There’salso theoption of the latest active radar-assist cruise control, which keeps a safe distance between you andthe vehicle in front in traffic, as well as giving forward and rear collision alerts. Pairthisset up with the ASAautomotive gearbox options, and you don’thave to do anythingexcept put out afoot when you come to ahalt in the M25 traffic jam. We’ve notyet really been sold on the active radar cruise thingy –itmakes sense in cars we guess, butona bike it seems like abit of afrippery

The RT,asthe mega-tourerofthe bunch, also has an optional audio system, with powerfulspeakers in the fairing, DAB+/ FM radio andBluetooth audio link. Go for the even fancier Audio Proset up and you get morespeakers, with separate premium tweeters and woofer units, and active crossovers, plus asmart audio adaptation function that optimises the audio volume and frequencies to suit the speed and wind noise. Youcan also routethe audio through the speakers, or directly into your helmet headset depending on just how anti-social your tunes are.

Finally,the RT comes with amuch larger 10.25” widescreen HD colourLCD TFT dashboard, that uses clever split-screen functions to access navigation,audio, bike controls and information displays.

•The new R1300 RT is available now,with pricing startingat£18,900, plus around £750 for the ASAautomatic transmission. The Rand RS models will be on sale in July,starting at £13,200 for theR,with the R1300 SE model costing£15,500 and the ASA SE £16,255. The R1300 RS starts at £13,700 in base form, rising to £15,990 for the SE version, andthe same £750-ish for the ASAbox.

Words: Alan Dowds

Limited Lambo… by Ducati

Honestly,wenever quite‘got’ previous Ducati/ Lamborghini tie-ins –the posh limited-editionDiavel 1260 and Streetfighter V4 done up in Lamborghini paint schemes. Althoughsince we’d struggleto afford any Lambo outside theHot Wheels rangewe’re probably not the targetaudienceanyway(again).

But this makes muchmoresense from the two Volkswagen-owned brands: an Italiansuperbike–the Panigale V4S –honouring anItalian supercar –the Lamborghini Revuelto. That’s the latest carfrom the firm, with ahybridpowertrain making 1015bhp from aV-12 petrol engine and three electric motors. It has acarbon-fibrechassis, tops220mph, hits0-60 in 2.5seconds and costs around £450k.Anicelittle runaround for popping to Tesco, no doubt

And the bike is pretty neat, too. Ducati’stakenthe base 2025 Panigale V4S –anincredible bit ofkit –and added sometrick paint from the Lamborghini spray can cupboard, adry clutch conversion, plus atitanium Akrapovic pipe. Youalso get forged aluminium wheels and carbon fibre bodywork, all saving acouple of kilos overstock, meaning 185kg wet with no fuel and 218.5bhp peak power. Just 630 of the ‘standard’ Lambor-galeswill be produced,with an extra 63 ‘special’variants reserved for genuine Lamborghini owners, which canbepainted to match their cars, or whatever otherLambo-hue they fancy. And, of course, buyers will get theusual certificates, bike covers, wooden crates, fancy ignition key and a one-offanimation on the LCD dash start-upscreen. So far so decent, but the price is pretty stiff, considering the spec. £75k isthe RRP,for which we’d probably liked to have seen some carbon wheels, perhaps the Brembo Brake Pro+ big-discs andGP4 caliper package andthe race Akrapovic system in thebox, too. Regardlessofour ‘little people’ moans though, the Bologna firmwillno doubt sell thefull allocation to the collectorsand

completistsout there,and good luck to themall. As ever,ifyou buy one and need ahand running it in round Cadwell Park to win Inters, we’ll be morethanhappy to help ye out…

Yamaha’shybridhustler

It’salways been in the forefront of new technology,ever since the days of Monocross suspension, YPVSpower valves, five-valve cylinderheadsuptothe first hub-centred bike GTS1000 andNiken leaning three-wheeler.And now Yamaha’sdropped some hintsabout anothernew piece of innovation–aprototype hybrid-poweredMT-09.

Avideo released in Japanese through the firm’sglobal YouTube channel shows astandard-looking MT-09, with an extra electric motor mountedbehind the cylinder block, operatingasa conventionalhybrid set up. The video shows the bike pulling awayatlow speeds with thebattery-powered motor, then switchingtothe petrol engine, and then accelerating withbothpowerunits operating. It’satavery early stage, withthe firmsayinga production machine still being some way off, but it does seem fairly advanced in the video footage shown.

We’ve seen this sort of thingbefore, of course: Kawasaki launched itsNinja7 hybrid in 2023, which hasa similar set up, albeit with a500 twin engine.And hybridcars have been around for acouple of decades now, using the technologytoreduce fuelconsumption.

The question on the MT-09 hybrid though,isaboutthe natureofthe setup. If it’sjustthere to tick an eco-box fora

government agency somewhere, and save afew miles per gallonaround town, then fairenough. As with the Kawasaki we tested last year,it’ssometimes nice to ride around town with no heat or noiseblasting outfromthe engine.

But what wouldbea lotmoreinteresting is if Yamaha uses the technology to give areal performance upgrade, withahigh-output electricmotor,and amoreaggressive approach to the softwaresettings. Thereare plenty of modernhybrid cars which do this –see the Lamborghini

Revuelto mentioned in ourDucati story,whichuses three electric motors on top of theV12 petrol enginetoboost its total power output to over 1000bhp. If the120-ish bhp MT-09 could turnonanextra 50-60bhpfromthe motor when you fancy it, like some sort of Greenpeace-approved nitrous button,itcould add awhole new level of attraction to the technology

We’d expect to hear moreonthe MT-09 Hybrid at the bike shows later this year

Voge DS625 Xreleased

The Chinese aredefinitelycoming, with moreand morevery decent, well-priced bikes appearing each year.And as anyoneusing an Apple iPhoneknows, theguysover there canmakevery high-qualitystuff when they want.

parallel twin Euro5+engineputting out 63bhp comes with slipper clutch, switchabletractioncontrol and rider power modes, all accessed via a 7” colour LCDdash and Bluetooth phone app.

This new Voge DS625 Xadventure machine has agreat price as its headline:£5999 on the road is tempting in the current climate.But it’sgot asolid spec aswell. A581cc

Meanwhile, on the chassisfront, there’sNissin brakes with wave discs and twin-piston sliding calipers, fully-adjustableKYB suspension with remote reservoir rear shock, and Metzeler Tourance tyres –little to

complain about there. Dry weightis abit lardy at 206kg, butitispacked with gear: acentrestand, engine bars, sump guard, hand protectors, rear rack and fog lamps. It’seven got abuilt-in forward-facing video camera with 1080p HD recording on to an SD card. Alot of bike for the cash then it seems –and well worth alook if you’reinthe market for this sort of thingwe’d imagine.

Trident 660 Slippery Sam special

Triumph’sreleased anotherspecial edition bike– this time it’sthe novice-friendly entry-levelTrident 660 getting the posh paint job and bolt-on trinkets. The Trident660 Triple Tribute Special Edition has slick

race-inspired graphics, based on the number 67 ‘Slipper Sam’ five-time TT-winning Trident racebike from the early 1970s. Youalso get acolourmatched belly pan andflyscreen, plus special Diablo Redwheels

Under the fancy paint is theace 660 Trident, with 81bhp (actually around the same as the 750 Trident racebike) and 190kg wet. There’ssome decent

rider aids, too: Sport riding mode, cornering ABSand traction plusa Triumph quickshifter.It’sall priced to sell at £8045and will be in the shops as you read this.

2026Honda CBF125

Many of us will havelearned our twowheeled skills on a125 Hondalearner bike–myown first road bike back in 1989was aproper Japanese CG125 Great days. So, this new Hondawill actually have abig impact in the real world of learner schools, student commuters and Just Eat delivery troops. It’sthe CBF125 basic commuting roadster –amodernCG125 really –and uses asuper-efficient fourstroke 2v SOHC air-cooled 124cc single cylinder motor ina basic street chassis. For the 2026 model year though, Honda’s given it some properly trick tech. It gets asweet

full-colour LCD TFT dashboardwith Bluetoothphone link for navigation, calls and media, as well as aUSB-C charging socket and LED lightsall round. And to cut fuel consumption and emissions even more, it has anew stop-start system that cutsthe engine when at astandstill. It’safirst on a manual transmission Honda bike, and uses aspecial AC starter/generator for fast, reliable starting. Angry people who hate thissort of thing can also turnitoff,sodon’tpanic!

No wordoncost or availability as yet, but expect it to be wellpriced forthe specwhen it does arrive.

Get on track with Michelin…

French rubber aces Michelin have just announced atrioofTrack Experiences inthe UK this summer.Sporting limited numbers and hosted at some of the very best circuits in the UK (Donington, Brands and Knockhill), customers will also get the chance to take on-boardexpert tuition from ex-WSBK racer and Le Mans winner, Sylvain Barrier,and the SB Coaching team, including Kyle Ryde, Storm Stacey,Danny Buchan and James Toseland. They’ll be on hand to point you in the best direction to enhance your riding and tyreoptimisation.With just 20 spots up forgrabs, riders will be split into anovice or medium+ group, based on experience and track confidence.

Both groups will have two instructors who’ll film them on track and give afull debrief between sessions, offering plenty of tips and advice to get the bestfromyour day They’ll also be plenty of talks on safety,airbags, bike maintenance, noiselimits, and Michelin’simpressive range of tyres.

What do youneed to do to take part? AccordingtoSylvain it couldn’tbeeasier “The client needs to buy aset of Michelin tyres (MICHELIN Power GP2, MICHELIN Power Cup 2, MICHELIN Power Slick 2, MICHELIN Power Performance Slick, MICHELIN Power Performance 24), then go to the Michelin website. We’ll send them outa code and they can choose the date they want.”

Moreinfo:https://www.michelin. co.uk/motorbike/trackday

• 3July–Donington Park

• 21 July –Knockhill

• 26 August –Brands Hatch

Clean, greenKawasaki at Le Mans

We saw this awhile back atthe Suzuka8-Hour endurance race last year,but Kawasaki brought its hydrogencombustion-powered bike to the Le Mans endurance round, showing the tech offinEurope for the first time,ina damp parade lap.

The bike looks, let’sbe honest,ridiculous, thankstothe enormous tanks needed to hold auseful amount of highpressurehydrogen gas, rounded offwitha Jetsons-esque sci-fidesign. Underthe wild blueplastic is avariant on the H2SX supercharged 999cc machine, re-engineered to burn hydrogen

The jury’sout on hydrogenasa fuel. On the one hand, it only produces water when burned, and in theory you can generate effectively limitless amountsofitbyelectrolysis of water using solar or nuclear power, meaning there’s virtually no carbon dioxide emittedinto the atmosphere It would let manufacturers use their extensive back catalogues of proven internal combustion engine technology in acarbon-free fashion.

On the downside, it wastes alot of energy to produce the hydrogen, compress it, distributeitand thenburnit; it’s easier and much moreefficient touse the solarpowerto send electricity over existing wires and charge abattery

OURTOP THIS MONTH PRODUCTS 11

Words: Alan Dowds

1Alpinestars Faster V3 Airflow jacket

£399.99 www.alpinestars.com

As we go to pressit’slooking like we mightget anice summer –time to breakout thevented kit. This is the ‘Airflow’ version of the Faster V3 leather jacket so abit moresolid than afull mesh jacket. Usual Astars protection: hard outer elbow and shouldersliders, with Nucleon inner armour, and ready foryour back and chest protectorsor Tech-Air airbag fitting. Loadsofstretch panels for comfort, zipped extra air vents on theside, anda waterproof inner pocket for your wallet. Asmart leather sport jacket, available in black,white, yellow and redcolour combos.

2Pyramid Motobody panels for BMW R1300 GS

£34.99 (O2 sensor), £59.99 (rear infill panels) www.pyramidmoto.co.uk

Some smart little protective extras for the BMW R1300 GS, from British parts maker Pyramid: rear infill panels and oxygen sensor protectors. The rear aluminium panels fit behind the pillion pegs and divert moredirt and mud from the backwheel to protect you, yourpillion and yourluggage. The stainless-steel oxygen sensor platesbolt on to the engine and shield the expensive exhaust gas sniffers from impact and dirt.

3Ilmberger carbon partsfor 2025 Ducati Panigale V4

£335-394 dependingonpartand finish www.performanceparts-ltd.com

The German firmisbestknown for its BMW carbon bits, but Ilmberger is nowexpanding its remit, producing high-quality ‘proper’ carbon parts for Ducati’s2025 Panigale V4 in matt or gloss finish. There areswingarm protectors, replacement front winglets, front fender andrear hugger,and exhaust heat shields all available. Lovely stuff

4Oxford Products Nomad luggage

£19.99-34.99 /www.oxfordproducts.com

Anew range of super-modular luggage from OxfordProducts, with amilitary feel thanks to the MOLLE nylon strap attachment system used. Youstart withabase harness foryourbike, then pick and choose the add-on carriers you need,froma bottle holder,small-large pouches and full-sized bags. There’seven acool bag to keep your cans cold on hotdays –nice. Thesmart part is you can easily add or remove the components –soasmall pouch andbottle holder for acommute or sunny Sunday blast, or all thebig bags for afull tour

5GB Racing Protectors –BMW M1000 range

£86.38 (alternator) £67.42 (water outlet) /www.gbracing.eu

New tough engine case savers from British manufacturer GB Racing, this time for the 2024-25 BMWM1000 range. Specially-adapted cylinder block water outletand alternator cover aredesignedtosuit the subtly-different shapes on thesemodels:the 2024-25 M1000 RR, Rand XR (clutchand pulser covers arethe same as on the 2019 S1000 models).

6

Furygan Chattan boots

£269.99 /www furygan.com

Aproperlysturdy-lookingset of adventuretouring bootsfrom French firm Furygan, with chunky moonboot-stylng and loads of protection. They’repacked with British D3O armour in the ankle, plus reinforced shin, heel and toe sections. Super-quick release system on the back makes them easy to getonand off, and they have agrippy sole supplied by Michelin. Available in subtle black with Furygan logos, and atrendy light grey

7

RSTPro Series Adventure X ladies textile suit

£299.99 (jacket) £259.99 (trousers) www.moto-direct.com

Ahigh-spec textile adventure riding suit, in ladies’ fitments, the AdventureXfeatures MaxTex outer shell with aremovable thermal/waterproof breathable membrane liner,extensive venting and full CE armour in elbows, shoulders and asupplied back protector.The trousers and jacket zip together with 360° fastening, and thereare loads of adjusters, pockets and airflow sections. Available in black or silver/red/ blue in sizes 8-20.

8Akrapovic R9exhaust

£1799(road system)£1052 (race) £437 (trackday pre-silencer linkpipe) www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Thenew Yamaha R9 is abit of acracker as amodernsupersports bike, andthe bolt-onbitsare already appearing for it. This Akrapovic three-into-one fullsystemis available as afull road legal system with catalyst, or arace set up, with an optional race link pipe that has no catalyst,but helpscut the sound abit for quietertrack days (97.5dB at 5000rpm). Akrapovic recommends an ECU remap with the race pipe, and claims gains of 4.1bhp for the racepipe with the pre-silencer.The road system gives an extra 3bhp. All the systems have stainless headers and link pipes, with atitanium silencer. 9

£379.99 /www.hjchelmets.eu

helmet

Transformers fans willlike this one: aBumblebee Transformer design on the HJC F71 sport-touring lid. The F71 has afull fibreglass ECE 22.06 outer construction, withthree shellsizes for optimal fittingand light weightand aD-ringfastening. There’sahandyinner sun shield, quick-release HJ-38 visor that’sPinlock-ready (supplied), extensive vents, and it’sprepared for the SMARTHJC Bluetooth comms systems. 10Shark Aeron

From £679.99 /www.nevisuk.com

Newtop-end sport lid from French firmShark, the Aeron is based on theAeron GP track helmet,withmoreroad comfort. Acarbon/aramid outer shell gives maximum protection, there’salarge visor port with optical-grade quick-release lockingvisor, and loads of vents to keep yourhead cool. Fasteningisbydouble-D ring with magnetic clasp, and it’spre-prepared for the Shark SENABluetooth intercom kit. 11

£89.99 /www.nevisuk.com

Richasaysthese are a‘midseason’ glove, meaning they have alaminated waterproof membrane and fleece lining, so will be adecent touring fitment outside the very depths of winter. There’sCEapproved armour from British firmD3O, polyester outer shell, Velcrocuffs and the essential touchscreen fingers.

Youcan win apair of Weise Outlast

For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikesFacebook page andupload apic of your bike, tell us whereyou’ve beenonitand why you love it… and youcould findyourself staring back at yourself from within these verypages. Oh, and we’llalso pick a winner at random each monthfor awell-earned prize,courtesy of our friendsatthe Key Collection. What areyou waiting for?

Your Ride

Ben Miller KTM 690 SMC Great supermoto trackstyle from Ben Miller onhis angry KTM!

Midweight maestro

Words: Bruce Wilson Pics: Yamaha/ANTProductions/JonathanGodin

For over adecade Yamaha’s MT-07 has proven astaple choice for those in search of anaughty,middleweight naked at real-worldprices. To keep that casethe same, the brand’scranked up the spec and tech of this muchloved protagonist.

Thereare times in life when you find things you never knew you needed, which is perhaps afair way to relate to Yamaha’sMT-07. Affordable, flexibleand as much funasafreebar,it’sprovena massive hit for Yamaha,who’ve flogged just under 200,000 of them in Europe over the last decade. From acommercial point of view it’sbeen amassive hit, and the accolades its achieved areimpressive, not only being the brand’sbest seller over 125cc, but also Europe’s mostsold naked for 10 years in arow They’refeats the Japanese brand is undoubtedly keenonkeeping, so they’ve gone all-outinupping the ante of this fourth-generation protagonist. From an aesthetic point of view,it’seasy to spot how the image has matured, looking moresubstantial than ever,

mimicking styling cues from its big brother,the MT-09. Keeping it in the family,the bike’sface has been given agood seeing to, while also adopting asimilar style projector main beam and aggressively styled twin riding lights. The rear seat is smarter, too, while the bike’s14-litretank is narrower near the saddle, for added rider comfort and control. The MT’sergonomics become that bit moreaffable thanksto 10mm lower pegs and bars that sit lower,closer to the rider and arealittle wider

Another dead giveaway of the bike’sevolution is the fitment of 41mm USD forks that sport twin, radialfour-pot calipers for added braking performance. Some people might not clock the new, lighter triple clamps but they’re very muchinthe mix, and mount the forks to the stiffer,heavily

revised chassis. At the back of the bike, there’sa new,stronger swingarm, too,while Yamaha’s spinforged wheels helptolower the bike’sunsprung mass.

During the model’s presentation in the hills above Benidorm, the flow of tech and spec seemed pretty relentless, with abig talking point being the MT’s transition to aride-by-wire throttle. The impact of which didn’tjust help the engineers to refine and improve the bike’smid-range, but it opened the door to tech. Rider modes, power modes and switchable tractioncontrol now find themselves at home on the Yamaha, plus that aforementioned 5” dash.

One area of the bike that’s stayed pretty much unchanged in the lastdecade is the CP2, parallel twin motor.Okay,they’ve tweaked the gears for slicker

transitions but as for added oomph, there’snothing to write home about. It does, however, gain anew airbox and intake funnel, and the exhaust hasbeen remastered to help make the grade for the fun police governing Euro5+ legislation

I’ll be honest, Ihadn’tquite grasped just how much graft had gone into theMTahead of the model launch, but seeing the bike in the flesh got me that much more excited to get stuck in and put it through its paces. Wrongly or rightly,the 07’salways been one of my favourite bikes to clock miles on, proving unintimidatingly brilliant and as much of alaugh going through bends as it is wheelieing out of them.

While Yamaha heldnopunches about wanting to evolve the bike and open the door to agreater audience, Ionly hoped it hadn’t

come at the price of its irresistible character.Ofcourse, the coreof that has always come from the unexpectedly potent, cross-plane motor that makes 72bhpand, perhaps moreimportantly,boasts 68Nm of torque. The latter sum might not sound agreat deal, but the punch on tap from the CP2 has never failed to amaze me… and I’d have been gutted if that trait had been lost for the sake of any other advancement.

Hitting the roads, therewasn’t really the scope to get theengine bouncing offits limiter for agood half-hour,instead beingforced to appreciate its manners at slow speeds as we negotiated traffic, roundabouts and rambling folk on aday-sesh.Like apremediated obstacle course, the route demanded us to relentlessly roll on and offthe throttle, and I’d be aliar if Isaid Iwasn’t genuinely

impressed by the bike’ssmooth pickup. While still feeling instantly powerful and playful, it was missing the harshness of every otherMT-07 that’scome before it. It also failed to feel labouredin the lower revs, even when riding agear or two higher than Imaybe should have been. The reason for doing so was Iwanted to avoid changinggears at all costs, having picked up almostinstantly that the shifter/blipperless ‘box was alittle harsh… to put it nicely Sometimes, new bikes do take a bit of time to bed gearboxes in, but, nonetheless, Iwasn’tafan of what Ifound and onlywished Yamaha had kitted our bikes with their optional extra, third generation shift assist system–as found on the MT-09. The more miles clocked, the less of ashock the box became, and oncethe

roads finally allowed forabit of pace,the fun of the bike started to shine and my issues with it took abackseat.

Benidorm might seem a random place to go and test bikes,but the mountains that tower above the area play hostto some epic twisties that aretypically emptyand seem never ending.Without needing any encouragement, we were soon takingadvantage of their offerings, which gave me asolid chance to learnsomuch more about the bike. Being relatively lightweight, the Yamaha’salways been pretty lithe, but it’s not always had the best suspension, with afirm memory of the last model beingthatthe rear shock was massivelyunderdamped.

While that encouraged some characterfulriding, it wasa limiting factor thattook the shine offthe MT

Thankfully,that’sascar that’s long gone, because not only is the new unit so much more supportive and better suited to the role of slaying apexes, but also the whole bike, front to rear, feels that much more refined, capable andplush. Sure, the odd big bump in the road would still get the MT making thekindof shapes you could expect to find in aBenidormnightclub, but it was largely composed, stable and able to take so much more abuse in abend.

The moreI rode it, the more I liked it, egged on by the bike’s talkative natureand consistent form. While the suspension on the bike is arguably still pretty basic, the capabilityofitbats wellabove the units’ pricetags, that’s for sure. Even if Icouldhave changed the damping characteristics of the non-adjustable forks, Iprobably wouldn’thave –the thing was as obliging asaLabrador. Whether or not the slightly wider bars made any notable difference to thehandling

SPECIFICATION:

Yamaha MT-07

Engine:

Type: 689cc, twin-cylinder,liquid-cooled

Bore xStroke: 80mm x68.6mm

Compression: 11.5:1

Fuelling: EFI

Claimed Power: 72bhp @8750rpm

Claimed Torque: 68Nm @6500rpm

Chassis Frame: Steel diamond

FSuspension: Upside down, 41mm forks, non-adjustable

Rsuspension: Monoshock withpreload adjustability

Front brakes: Four-piston monobloc calipers, 298mm discs

Rear brake: single-piston caliper,245mm disc

Electronics.

Riding Modes: Yes

Traction Control: Yes

ABS: Yes

Quickshifter/Autoblipper: No

Wheelie Control: Yes

Launch Control: No

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1395mm

Seat Height: 805mm

WetWeight: 183kg

Fuel Capacity: 14 litres

Info: Price: £7700

From: www.yamaha-motor.eu

prowess, Icouldn’tsay,but what Idoknow is they made light work of hustling thebikearound, and the riding positionthrough acorner felt pretty natural when gripping them. As forthe lowered pegs, they never onceground out, which ispossibly owing to the fact I’m not theheaviest of riders, and Idotend to hang off like amonkey,inabid to move my weight offthe bike–aiding ground clearance. That said, even some of the chunkier,less animated riders never flagged any issues with clearance, despite their 10mm lowering Yep, Yamaha had done adecent job in the handling department and that’salso how Ifelt about the motor.Asalready mentioned, the fuelling on this latest iteration is so much silkier than it’sever been before and that really aided life when cracking on through the corners, as Iwas constantly rolling on and offthe gas.The refinedCP2 was areal treat to

exploit, never lacking in zest despite its humble numbers.

If you’reabig bike owner and reading this, you’ll probably be wondering why I’m so hung up on the little twin, but there’sjust so muchtolike about it, not least of all its willingness to pop wheelies up to fourthwith aside-order of clutch. It’sareal goer,and it made light work of the route we were riding, while sounding pretty decent at the same time. The crossplane motor pops and barksina way lots of kitten-friendly contemporary bikes simply don’t, and it would undoubtedly sound even better with the optional Akrapovic system we were teased withduring the model’spresentation.

At the risk of puttingyou to sleep, I’ll stop waxinglyrical about it and perhaps shine alight on one of the motor’sless good traits. As already mentioned, Ifound at slow speed the back-torque on the bike was pretty harsh, and that only got exaggerated when cracking on and making down changes. On too manyoccasions, ashift from thirdtosecond, from high in the revs, would cause the rear to lock and squeal at apoint in time Iwas ready to pitch into a bend. In duecourse, that would

unsettle the bike… andme, too.

Ironically, Yamaha werekeen to tell us the ’07 had just gained a new slip-and-assist clutch, but if Iowned thisbike, that would probably be one of the first areas of it I’d be looking to upgrade. For moreexperienced riders, you can adapt and do things to lessen the sensation, but considering there arealot of peoplebuying this bike as their first big motorcycle, it’sthe kind of thing that could easily catch you out on adamp or frosty morning.

Then there’sthe aforementioned lack of theshifter and blipper Throughout theentirety of the ride Iwas cursingtherenot being one. From amonetary pointofview, the system is only afew hundred pounds more, but Iguess its fitmentasstandardwould have edged the price of the bike too high in asector that is red-hot on costings right now.Ifully understand whythe tech’snot thereasstandard, butitwould’ve made theride awhole lot sweeter While I’m on the topic of tech, that 5-inch dash deserves abit of love, for being so easy on the eye and simple to operate, thanks to the fitment of Yamaha’slatest generation of switchgears. It’sa very intuitive display to navigate and Iwas impressed by how easily it could be connected to aphone, showingthe day’s route via Garmin maps, while still delivering theessential riding info needed, such as gear position, revs and speed. Ialso liked how easy it was to go into thebike’s settings and change mode or customise the tech to suit… which inevitably involved turning the traction control (wheelie system) offentirely

Nope, therewas no cruise control or heated grips to be found, butthat’sagain areflection of what this bike is and who it’s aimed at. It delivers in so many areas to alevel Iwas truthfully unexpecting of, andtodosofor £7700 is genuinely impressive. As Yamaha stated right at the start of our test of the MT,they’d intended to maturethe model while keeping hold of its corevalues, which is exactly what they done, with perhaps the biggest hook being that this thing’s even more fun and capable thanever before. It was hardnot be impressed.

Multi-talented

Words: Dave Manning Pics: Alex Photo

While the name’sthe same as its predecessor,pretty much everything else aboutthe Mutlistrada V2 is box fresh… andthat’snot abad thing.

The Multi’sstyle and family attributes may have remained, but for the 2025 model yearthe twin cylinder Multistrada hashad acomprehensive redesign, so while still remaining cosmetically as the popular adventurebike, with afew sharper lines on the design, under the skin all is new

The heart of the refreshed and reinvigorated Multi’ twin is the new 890cc engine which is, in something of aquirky fashion, asmaller capacity thanthe previous iteration. Invariably, anew version of abikegetsa larger,morepowerfulengine,but

timesare a-changin’,and the smaller lump in the Ducati aligns it with various other models that are assigned thenew engine, namely the Streetfighter V2 and Panigale V2. The new engine is, according to the briefing, the lightest Ducatihas ever built (weighingin at amere54.9kg), althoughI’m alittle doubtful of that claim with the memory of the air-cooled 400cc engine fitted intoa 400SS (and Monster as well,I think) used for the Japanese market. But my overflowing memory banks arealso thinking the 400

was asleeved-down 600cc engine, so maybe I’m wrong? However,wecan definitely say the new powerplant is the firm’s lightest water-cooled vee twin so far…

It’snot just light, but commendably narrow,too, helping to give the bike a slim waist, and the reduced dimensions –not just of the actual engine itself, aided by cylinder liners that arecast as part of the crankcases, but of the combined engine/ fuelling/cooling package–have allowed the bike to be subtly

but noticeably reduced in size. It’snot massively different, but just enough to make it noticeable when you throw aleg over the seat.It feels moremanageable, and less cumbersome. More centralised in terms of volume and mass, yet still roomy enough for long days in the saddle.

Ergonomically,it’sclose to ideal for my 5’ 11” frame, although the bars were atouch lowerthan expected and look as though they’ve beenturned backwards and down. It’snot anegative point, just alittle quirky,and while these bikeswillprobably be unlikely to be used off-road and thus not need barsthat give good ergonomicswhenstanding on the pegs, it still has the ‘flip-over’ brake lever tip for use when riding standing up

Handlebars aside, quirkiness is otherwise something that’s been bred out of Ducati vee twins of late, and this new V2 engine epitomises that statement. It wasn’tverylong agothat the vee twin powerplants from Bologna were abit grumpy low down in the revrange.They’d deliver apunch, but if you were in toohigh agear, or making the engine labour,it’d complain, with ashaking and athudding thatcried outfor a down-change.The design of the new powerplant, despitebeing of asmaller capacity and remaining as atraditional90° ‘L’twin, has focussed on giving better lowdown driveability,withthe inlet camnow having variablevalve timing tohelpachieve this–although there’sanunderthought thatsuggeststhe application of variable valve timing is to help emissions and thus pass Euro5+.

So, in directcontrast to the glut of paralleltwinengines that have hadrephasedcranks to attain a morevee twin styledelivery,the development of the Ducati engine has gone the other way,and it’s become morelike aparallel twin. This convergence has resulted in abike thatfeels and sounds much like parallel twincompetitors,and while thatsounds like it’sa bad thing, thatwould be unfair,asthe engine is great–reallytractable, punchy,yet witha spirited top end thatwill please those folk who like to chase the redline. The designers’ briefwas to focus on low revsmoothness and provide aflat (er) torque curve. With a max of 69.7lb-ft (which is decent enough for atwin of thiscapacity), it delivers 70 percent of that at 3000rpm.

While it is the same 890cc engine as fittedtothe new Panigale and Streetfighter vee twins –which, incidentally,hasn’t been givena name like previous engines, but is simply referred to as‘V2’–ithas ashorter first gear,and ataller sixth (higher luggage/pillion capacity and improved fuel consumptionwhile touring being both the aim and the result), while the crank’s flywheel is heavier than in the sportier variants, bringinga20 percent increase in inertia to give asmoother powerdelivery and reduceany snatchiness at low rpm. Oh, and with long service intervals (9000 miles or two years for anoil change,18,000 miles for valve clearancechecks), it’sclear

SPECIFICATION:

Ducati Multistrada V2S

Engine: 890cc, vee twin, water-cooling, 4 valves per cylinder,variable inlet valve timing, 96x61.5mm bore/stroke

Power: 113bhp (85kW) @10,750rpm

Torque: 67.9lb-ft (92.1Nm) @8250rpm

Frame: Aluminium monocoque, steel trellis subframe

Wheelbase: 1573mm

Rider aids: Adjustable corneringABS, 5rider modes,4 suspension modes, 3dash displays, quickshifter,wheelie control, traction control, engine brake control

Brakes: (F) 320mm discs, 4piston radial Brembo calipers, (R) 245mm disc, 2piston Brembocaliper Transmission: 6gears, chain final drive

Suspension: Skyhook electronic control,(F) Marzocchi 45mm forks, semi-active, ful y adjustable, 170mm travel. (R) Marzocchi shock, semi-active, fully adjustable, 170mm travel Wheels/Tyres: Cast aluminium wheels. (F)120/70x19”. (R) 170/60x17”, PirelliScorpion Trail II tyres Seat height: 830mm Fuel capacity:19 litres

MPG: 47mpg

Weight: 217kg (wet)

Warranty: 48 months unlimited mileage

Service intervals: 9000 miles/24 months oil change, 18,000 miles valve check

Price: £16,390 (base model £13,995)

Contact: www.ducati.com

the factory has set this as being along-lived powerplant,backed up by the unlimited mileage, 48-month warranty

The reduced bulk of the engine has the side effect of the combined engine/frame/rear subframe package being morecompact, although it is ashame thebeautiful trellis subframe (despite being painted bright red) is hidden from view by the plasticsofthe tail unit, although to call it a‘rear subframe’ is perhaps abit misleading as it extends forward right to the top of the rear cylinderhead.

The frame itself is no longera steel trellis unit, but an aluminium

monocoque of asimilar styleto that embellishing the V4, using the engine as astressed member.The trimming of weight offsomany components brings the 2025 V2S to 202kg, afull 18kg lighter than the outgoing 2024 model, although it’salso worth noting the basic V2 model,without the Sversion’s Skyhook suspension, etc., is 199kg.

Given that the models we rode were the Sversion, with the spanglepantsSkyhook suspension, it has the neat ‘Minimum preload’function activated by holding the Skyhook button (operated by your righthandindexfinger), which reduces ride height by 8mm. It might not sound much, but it does make the difference between tippy-toes and feetflat on the floor

The suspension modes are Dynamic, Comfort, LowGrip and Off-Road, and while the V2S is aimed at road riding, with very light off-road capability,itis worth noting that Ducati offers spokedwheels (in the same 19-inch front, 17-inch rear sizes) as an accessory for those who might want to indulge in muddier pastimes, at just over £1300. Otheraccessories include aTyre PressureMonitoring system, satnav,engine bars, heated grips, etc. Yes, the gripsare an accessory

Despite the launch being in Spain, the hills northofValencia weresurprisingly fresh, and heated grips would’ve been almost as welcome as they would be back home (as it happens, my ride home from Gatwick was at the same temperatures as the

morning of the launch ride, albeit Ihad winter gloves, thermals and heated seat and grips on the Voge, rather than summer gloves, riding jeans and jacket and no electrically-derived warmth on the Duke…).

In asimilar vein, the fairing lowers aredesigned to deliver cooling air from the frontofthe bike to the rider’slower legs. Oh, and if you want to warm your pinkies while you’re sat at aset of lights, it’sareal stretch to get to the only accessibleparts of the engine (that being the crankcase covers).

The 5-inch TFT screen offers three dash layouts–Road, Road Proand Rally –which display anumber of different variables, and while the Rally version is perhaps the most aestheticallypleasing arrangement, it probably has too much info on display and makes it hard toread at aglance. But, given the number of options (asa clue, the press pack contained an astounding 48 images of the dash, in abid to show the variety) you can set up the dash exactly how you choose to your preferences.

The adjustable screen is a doddle to operate, and pretty efficient, too –not toonoisy below 60mph-ish, and little in the way of buffeting in either low or high position, while in the high position it has theeffect of forcing rain on your visor in a downwards directionwhich, in my experience, suggests that it’ll be good in truly horrid rain. And, yes, we did have some rain on the Spanish launch event.

Other things to know…

Frame –Reduced in size and mass, the all-new frame is, in reality,apair of subframes mounted to frontand rear of the engine.

The reduction in width of the combined engine/frame means the minor niggle Ihad with the oldbike, that of my rightheel being pushed outwards, has disappeared, although Idid get to feel the swingarm moving around with my left heel –but, of course, both of these could be indicative of howI position my feet while riding,and may not be an issue for anyone else.

Aside from the suspension options and the screen options thereare,ofcourse, various riding mode options, too. Fivein fact. Wetmode is morespritely than that on other bikes,and it seems that rather than just program in atardy throttle response that requires greater action from the right hand, Ducati has spent some time ensuring there’sa feeling of direct connectivity between right hand and throttle bodies, while still softening the delivery of power

The irony of that is that even in direweather conditions, you’ll perhaps not actually need the Rain mode, and can stay in the super-flexible Touring, thanks to the encouraginglevel of feedback and feel. Sport is abit feistier, mind. The remainingtwo, Urban and Enduro, didn’t get tried on our ride around the hills north-west of Valencia.

Staying in the realm of smoothness, aside from the throttle action, the way that power is delivered at low rpm is really rather impressive for a vee twin of this capacity.Okay, it’snot ahonking great twin of American standards, but it’s not that far short of alitre, and

Engine –The all-new V2 engine, with areduced capacity of 890cc and variable valve timingonthe inlet side, hasonly minimal changes between the Multistrada, the newPanigale, and the newV2Streetfighter Suspension –The Sversion has the Skyhook suspension, electronically adjusted to suit any of the four modes, withthe neat preload reduction button bringing aride height reduction of 8mm for afirm footing. Electronics –Lots of variety here, from the Skyhook suspension to the fiverider modes andmultitudinous variety of TFT dash displays. Therider modes arethemselves individually adjustable, with traction control, torque control, peak power,throttle response, antiwheelie, enginebraking and ABS all available to alter Luggage – We didn’tget to ride with the luggage package on the Smodels that we had, but they come with the Touring packthat also includes heated grips and acentrestand, priced at £1116.

you’d not expect it to happily bimble around in town and village and smoothly pull away from 1500rpm in thirdgear Impressively,inabetter fashion than some parallel twins.Ifyou’re afan of traditional vee twins (and especially old school air-cooled Ducati ‘L’twins) you may not like it, but it is infinitely betterintown and traffic

Afurther bonus is the ‘anti-stall’ function when lettingout the clutch lever,raising rpm from the usual tick-over of about1100rpm right up to 2000rpm, meaning that it’sperfectly feasible to ride around at (very) slow speed without even touchingthe throttle! Out of town, it spinsupto 10,000rpm with some verve, and anot-unpleasantsoundtrack, with the occasional ‘pop’ on the upshift courtesy of the quickshifter,which is now mounted to the gear selector drum rather than the shifter linkage. This should notonly improve the action of the shifter (which only showed little niggles when used at what were, to be fair,inappropriate times), butalso aid in longevity of the gearbox. The rear brake wasn’tquite as effective as I’d expected, but then Idouse the rear alot in town and traffic, andfor most folk this would probably not be something they’d even thinkabout.

When you’redonefor the day,there’sthe ‘coming home functionality’ which holds the headlightonfor afurther 30 seconds after you’ve switched the ignition off, so you can see the way from the bike to your front door.What’snot to like?

New-age naked

It’sbeen awhile since Kawasaki showed their Z900 some much needed love, but it’sbeen given asolid makeover for2025. The question is,have they gone far enough?

Words: John McAvoy Pics: Kawasaki

The£10k and below sector is arguably whereall the exciting stuffinmotorcycling can be found these days. Whether it’s the reintroduction of Kawasaki and Honda’ssupersport bikes last year,orthe increasing amount of rider-friendly parallel twin cylinder bikes, or the crashing ball introduction of the Honda Hornet 1000, or indeed the contentiously heavily discounted KTMs in the wake of their financial woes -the £10k andbelow sector is rammed full of variety,and clearly an area wheremanufacturers areputting a lot of their efforts into.

Thereare old bikes with new technology; there’reall-new bikes; there’rebikes made with old formulas and new technology; and there’rebikes that just get the bareminimumincremental updates in order to keepthem kitten-friendly,and that’sthe category that the 2025 Kawasaki Z900 falls into. Thepriority for Kawasaki when updatingthe Z900 was to make it cleaner, and while they wereatit, to add afew moderntouches.

“What’sthis?” Ihear you cry,a 2025 updated motorbikewithout any extra horsepower,without any extra weapons grade tech, and, heaven forbid, no wings added? What areKawasaki thinking? The answer is very simple if you’re Kawasaki because they didtheir

homeworkwhen they started approaching the windowwhen the Z900 neededits emissions cleaning up.

Aftersurveying awhole loadof Z900 owners, Kawasaki obviously drew comfort from the fact that by acountry mile, the number one reason people bought aZ900 was for its style/looks. In fact, top-endpoweronly ranked as theseventhmostpopular reason people bought aZ900, and tech wastwelfth.

So, if you’redisappointed or wondering why Kawasaki have been so conservative with the 2025 Z900, thenyou have your reason –they have satisfied themselves thatthe Z900 doesn’t needa load morepower,tech, wings or even to go on adiet,it just needs bringingup-to-date for the modern era, whichiswhy the differences between it and the2024 Z900 appear either fairly unspectacularorthe sort of tweaks an anorak like me like. On the outside, there’snow some Nissin radial brake calipers and sharperstyling, and that’s about it. Out of sight, there’re slightly different fork settings as well as the forks now being pushed through the yokes by 3mm to alter the weight distribution, and the dashboard is slightly bigger.The exposed tubular frame is still thereand still

looks the part on the green/black version; the headlight, tank and seat unit areall alittle bitslimmer but still instantly recognisableas aZ900, and still very much ticks the ‘Sugomi’-stylebox,which Kawasaki aim to give their bikes. Sugomi means ‘Theintenseaura orenergygivenoffbyapersonor objectofgreatnessandfeltbythe viewer.Someone,orsomething, possessingSugomiinspiresawe, leavesanindelibleimpression,is imposinginstatureorability,and commandsrespect’in case you’re wondering

Inside the engine, thereare new cams which have alower lift and longer duration to increase efficiency,and all six gear ratios areshorter to boost acceleration at the expense of top speed, which is actually avery sensible idea given that the idea of needing ahigh top speed on such abike is abit like buying an H2 for its comfort. First and foremost, naked bikes need to be punchy andplayful, and I’d happily give up 10mph of top speed that I’m nevergoing to use if it gets me moreacceleration moreofthe time.

Elsewhere, the bulk of the changes that separate the 2025 Z900 from the 2024 bikeare electronic, and aremotivated by producing cleaner emissions, which while unspectacular are essential, but does mean that

some useful extras canbe deployed. The boring bit is that by switching the Z900 to afull ride-by-wireset up, Kawasaki can use throttle bodies controlled by the ECU, which means afar greater control can be taken over the fuel/air ratios for all throttle position and RPM scenarios, which translated means the fuel injection can be run without compromise and therefore cleaner if as in the caseofthe Z900, that’syour agenda. The spin- offbenefit of using throttle bodies which arecontrolled by the ECU and not directly by acable is that you can up your

game when it comes to rider aids, especially if you add asix-axis IMU to the mix to measurethe physical movement of the bike. So, now the Z900 hasa quickshifter/blipper andcruise control as well as adjustable engine braking, traction control and power/rider modes. There’s also afunky voice-activated interface which lets you connect your phone to add sat-nav to the list of toys, as well as the phone itself and music. Youcan say stuff like: “How much fuel have Igot left?” and“Whereisthe nearest fuel station?” andthe bike does the necessary to take you there.

On the subject of rider modes, one very small detail that Iwas very happy to discover is when you go into the ‘Rider’ mode in which you can set up with your preferred electronic settings, and one of them is to have no traction control –thus making wheelies possible –you can switchthe bike completely off, and when you returntoit, it will still be in ‘Rider’ mode and the traction controlwill still be disabled.

Usually,bikes will default back to having the traction controlon if you’ve switched it offand back on, which becomes arealsource of irritation, especially as in the case of many bikes; to switchit back offinvolves scrolling through several screens to get to the bit you want. It’savery nice touch by Kawasaki which on the surface might only seem like asmall thing, but in the real world of day-to-day living with thebike, it would be a genuinely useful thing.

CB750, and hereweare again morethan half-a-century later, with aZ900 coming straight after agame-changing Honda bearing the CB name. Except this time the Kawasakidoesn’t snuffout the competitionlikeit did in the 70s withacapacity advantage, this timethe Z900 is the one with the smaller capacity, not to mention an engine that can probably have adirect line drawn between it today and its ancestors back in the80s.

In contrast, the Honda obviously has acapacity advantageand its engine was brand-new in 2017; the Triumph makes similar power from alot less capacity by virtue of being far moremodernand benefitingfrombeing used in Moto2; and likewise the Yamaha engine is smaller in capacity but makes similar numbers, which may all sound like abit of adowner on the Kawasaki for relying on avery oldformula. However…

For allthe brilliance and innovation of especially the three-cylinder engines offered by Triumph and Yamaha, just because the thought of abasic

There will be an SE versionof the Z900 whichwillhave Ohlins suspension and Brembo Stylema brake calipers over and above the base version, which is the oneI rode at the launch.

The SE is acurious proposition because at £11,349, it’sagood bit morethan many of its rivals with similar spec, and often more power –I’m especially looking at the Honda Hornet SP –but the base model Z900 at £9199 is at least in the same ballparkasthe likes of the Triumph Street Triple and Yamaha MT-09 which is where you’ve really got to look if you’re comparing bikes basedonspec rather than price. Next to those bikes, the Z900 is rightonthe money in terms of power,weight, spec and price, whereas the SE kind of falls between two stools.

Back in 1972 when Kawasaki gave the world the first Z900, it was in response to Honda launchingthe game-changing

four-cylinder,relatively low revving engine –max power is at 9500rpm –mightseem too old school for some andnot very appealing, thereality is that much likemyself, just because it does date back to the70s,itdoesn’t mean it’spast it’ssell-by date or obsolete today.Infact, the passage of time can often mean that words like refinementand class can be applied to theZ900’s engine, again much like myself.

The point that I’m building up to is that while the Z900 is the most old-school bike in the class in terms of tech andengineering, it doesn’tmean that it isn’t any good, quite the opposite in fact. All the little tweaks andchanges to the Z900’sfuel injection and chassis in particular have given it amuch moremodernfeel, and acloser feelingofconnection between you the rider,the bike and the road.

The Z900 does feel sharper and does feel smoother and does feel fizzier than the previous model. The chassis in particular has asubtle but definitefeeling of being more playful than before. The small

change in fork position in the yokes and extra bracing the 2025 frame gets, plusthe new setting in the forks all surely contributing to this sensation. It’sworth noting that initially Idid find the damping in the forks to be too softfor me. The initial part of the stroke when braking hardwas too fastfor my taste, and the front felt just abit too lazy on the initial turn in of acorner.Acouple of turns of the damping adjusterfound on the left fork –preload is on the right fork –and the front end was bob-on. Therewas much morecontrol and support on the brakes and the steering was far moreaccurate which as well as making the Z900 amuch more potent proposition, does also give credence to Kawasaki’s claim that the suspension is top-quality Showa.Low quality kit would need far morethan just three clicks to make anoticeable difference.

Ifound the brakes to be abit lacking in feel and initial bite, which couldbepad material or the ABSpump system. I’d start with some aftermarket brake

pads to see if Icould sharpen up the brakes. It could, of course, also be the master cylinder which is acommon component on lower-priced bikes to be of basic quality.Either way, I’m reluctant to hold acheap master cylinder or pad material against abike which otherwise

has fantastic build qualityand decent spec for alittle over £9000. Iam, however,less impressed by the£300 premium for the same bike but witha green frame –that’s really hard to justify in my book,but hey-ho.

Our ride on the bike was very spirited to put it mildly, with

the Z900 in its natural habitat of mostlysecond and third gear corners and very,very few straights to disrupt the flowor need to visit the top third of the revrange. So, in short, we had a LOT of time to samplethe Z900’s new gearboxwithshorter ratios and there’snoquestion that the punch out of corners was very acceptable, and with awhiffof clutch exiting slower second gear corners, some monowheel action was adoddle.

That said, while the Z900 is a piece of cake to throw into and punch out of slow and medium speed corners, so areits rivals, and if youinclude the new Hornet 1000 because of its price, it has several extra levels of naughtiness over all of them.

And herein lies the Z900’s problem –and the other sub-litre bikes in the class. If it wasn’tfor the Hornet, the conclusion here would be that Kawasaki have re-engaged with the class, and by sprinkling the Z900 with some boring, but modern,tech, have brought the Zed bang up-to-date, and produced agenuine contender in the class, except because of Honda’saggressive pricing of the Hornet, in particular the SP,you’ve really got to want the Z900, which brings us full circle to Kawasaki’s research that tells us that outright performance and tech aren’ta priority for Z900 customers. Kawasaki have sold 300,000 Zbikes since 2003, so by any measureit’sahugely successful bike for Kawasaki, andaswe all know,the naked bike sector is expanding rapidly.Therefore,

it’snosurprise that Kawasaki haven’tdrifted away from their proven formula of building an uncomplicated, good-looking bike with enough performance to tick all the necessaryboxes and not be temptedbythe obvious option of plugging in a detuned ZX-10 engine to give the Z900 a30bhp boost and still save the planet. Instead, they’ve stuck to their guns and kept the Zed on safe, familiar ground, andbydoing so have made the 900agenuine alternative to the likes of the Triumph and Yamaha, which if we’rebeing completely honest, it hasn’tbeen in recent times. Therewas something genuinely enjoyable about riding abike with agood ‘ol fashioned, arrow-straight in-line four power delivery.Inrecent times, so many new bikes, especially naked ones, come with somesort of unique engine layout, be it v-twin, three cylinder,three cylinder crossplane or parallel twin, that actually aregular firing order inline four is actually something of anovelty to ride, anda reminder that there’sa reason that such alayout has stood the test of time so well –because it works so damn well.

I’m pleased that Kawasaki have rejoined theparty that they kind of without anyone noticingweren’t really at anymore. They’ve done all the right things to modernise the Z900 but without really changing it. It’sgot sharper handling, asmoother engine, moreacceleration, some really nice rider aids, andsome toys

Engine:

Type: 948cc, liquid-cooled, in-line 4-cylinder

Bore xStroke: 73.4mm x56mm

Compression: 11.8:1

Fuelling: EFI

Claimed Power: 124bhp @9500rpm

Claimed Torque: 97.4Nm @7700rpm

Chassis Frame: Steel Trellis

FSuspension: Showa 41mm upside-down forks, adjustable rebound damping& preload

Rsuspension: Monoshock, adjustable rebound damping &preload

Front brakes: Nissin monobloc calipers

Rear brake: Single-piston caliper, 250mm disc

Electronics.

Riding Modes: Yes

Traction Control: Yes

ABS: Yes

Quickshifter/Autoblipper: Yes

Wheelie Control: No

Launch Control: No

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1450mm

Seat Height: 830mm

WetWeight: 213kg Fuel Capacity: 17 litres Info: Price: £9199 (£9399 with Green or Redframe) From: www.kawasaki.co.uk

that will please some but not all. On top of that, it’shad anip and tuck in thelooks department which, while very subtle, do make it look the part in aclass where looks really do matter

This is the right bike at the right time for Kawasaki, and if you really do want aZwith morepower,then there’sthe 200bhp supercharged ZH2 for you, but as far as the Z900 goes, there’snogetting away from the fact that after acouple of hundred kilometres of hooning around on it, Ihad abrilliant time and could easily haveput more petrol in it and kept going, which after all the talk about upgrades and improvements, is all that really matters.

Welcome back, Z900.

Rasen Shine

Words &Pics: Dave Manning

If you’re after rolling roads, stunning sceneryand adecent brew or two, the Lincolnshire Wolds canmakefor acracking escape on two wheels.

While normally Iwould start this route from the company offices in Horncastle, instead we start from the middle of Market Rasen,although you may consider starting from thevery popularWillingham Woods tea hut just acouple of milestothe east of Market Rasenonthe A631. The B1202 departing southwards from Market Rasenand towardsWragby is ajoy,and prime evidence that Lincolnshireis not flat, andcertainly notboring! Keepan open eye for corners that aretighter than you may expect,asthere areafew that follow theFen tradition of thesouthernend of the county of adie-straight stretch followed by atight 90-degree corner

Rather thanjust ride straight across the traffic lights at thejunction with the A158 in Wragby,itcould be worthwhile stopping for acuppa in the Corn Dolly or the Granary (look for the old windmill);an adult beverage in the Ivy or the (highly recommended) Adamand Eve; or evenjust apie or sausage roll from Wisby Butchers(also highly recommended!).

From hereonwards, the

road is much more open, and somehow seems more remote and quiet, although the villageofBardney often has moretraffic thanyou’d expect,and be awareto bear left towards Horncastle on the B1190 rather than continuing on the B1202.

Running along the B1190 from Bardney,you’ll come across many corners that you’ll have seen in this publicationand others, as they provide an excellent locationfor photoshoots for road tests and the like, and the location is conveniently within spitting distance of HQ. And, if youstop at the layby that is the most popular for those photoshoots, you’ll also be abletotake atwo-minute strolltosee the remains of Tupholme Abbey,asfounded by an abbotand 12 canons of the Premonstratensian Order, back in the 12th Century.

The name of the Abbey (Tup =sheep, holme =raised ground,orisland) shows the importance of sheep farming in the area nigh on amillennium ago, and it is just oneofmany abbeys that lay along the valley (if you can callsuch aflat area as being avalley!) of the River

Witham, whichwas the liquid link betweenLincoln and the North Sea, thus providing transport for the wool trade. History lesson over,the road continues on through Bucknall, Horsingtonand the very pretty Thimbleby,before dropping down to traffic lights on the westernedge of Horncastle. Normally,we’d turnright heretohead back to the Mortons office, butturn left on to the A158 towards Lincolnfor acoupleofquick milesbefore forking right on to the B1225, the well-known Caistor HighStreet. If time is on your side, youcould carry onthe A158 alittle further,and take aright into Baumber Walled Gardens, with itsquirky tea rooms and excellent cake…

The B1225 is afast, sweeping glideacross the top of the Lincolnshire Wolds, known as Caistor HighStreet not because it’sthe main road through that town, but because it heads to Caistor,and (in Lincolnshireterms) it is high up! Thereare three junctions, each of them aGive Way, with the middleone having an optiontoturnleft and head to WillinghamWoodsif you’redesperate foranother

brew,orturnright if you want to head over to Cadwell Park. Otherwise continue northwards to Caistor,with the road becoming faster as you go, but keep an eye on your speed as, while it is undoubtedly avery quick road, thanks to some overenthusiastic road users it can be heavily policed, especially at weekends, andthere have been reports of aerial police recording speeding vehicles. When you see adisused windmill on the left, it is possible to take alittle shortcut to avoid the large junction on to the A46 Caistor Bypass, dropping you intoNettleton instead, and thenleft on to the A46 for Market Rasen. This last stretch is a50mph limit, and try to ignoreall the cars that will overtake you if you’restickingtothe limit –they’ll be the ones getting caught for speeding, not you! Some may argue that the speed limit is low for this stretch of road, but take your time and enjoy thewooded scenery,takingnote that you can easily see to your left that the terrain is higher, rising up to the ‘High Street’ that you have just used. And then you’ll be back in Market Rasen!

With adventureand ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopy by scanning this link.

Shark Aeron: Heads-up

Words: Grace Webb Pics: Shark

If you’re in the market fora premium-quality, feature-laden and road-inclined sportshelmet,SHARK’S newAeron could be just theticket.

Since 1989, SHARK have been known to consistently push theboundaries of innovation and helmet performance,with the support of top-level riders influencing their developments. For example, the SHARKEvoline that was broughttothe market in 2011 was amodel that was unarguably ahead of its time. This was the one whereyou could change your look from an open to aclosed faced helmet on the same ride, as it was the first flipstyle helmet to be homologatedin both positions. SHARK werealso the first helmet brand to introduce integrated LED lights, with the SKWAL back in 2015, and remember when they took thatto the next level with those flashing brakelightsonthe i3 model?

Most recently,SHARK created the first helmet in the world with an Adaptive AeroSystem, which uses mobile flaps on theside of thehelmetspoiler to canalisethe airflowand adapt to the rider’s

position. The techfeatures on the AERON GP helmet, which is the one that’swornbytheir MotoGP riders, Johann Zarco and Raúl Fernández, and is also the inspiration behind this new 2025 AERON helmet, which featuresthe same effort in safety, aerodynamics and comfort, but with road riders in mind.

So, for someonelike me who’s asports bike loverbut predominantly rides on the road, when asked if I’d like to try out the newAERON helmet, Iimmediately got my full leathers on,the keys to aBMW S1000R, and was raring to see what exactlymade this helmetmoresuited to road riding, whilst still making me feel like a GP rider

Opening any new piece of biking gear gives you that Christmas Day feeling, and thiswas exactlythe same as Ipopped the lid offthe AERON helmet box and slipped the drawstring bag offthe EDGY design I’d chosen. This is one of their more

colourful looks that Ichose from arange of about eight different options online, in sizes XS to 2XL, and Ihave to say,it’sevenbetter looking in real life. The colours are so vibrant, as is the glitterdetailing around the chin and forehead that really makes this design pop; paired with the blue iridium visor, it just screams attention. The first boxfor feeling like aGPrider has already been ticked.

Although every one of the Shark AERON helmets come equipped with aclear visor but with no tear-offs included like the GP version does, I’m already getting asense of how SHARK arewanting to keep asportyfeel to this new model but remove the features that would be somewhat unnecessary for the road

The quality remains extremely high though, as the AERON benefits from the same Optical Class 1 visors with anti-scratch andantifog coating as the AERONGP, so there’snoneed to insert apinlock, and it still uses Shark’sQuick Release Visor System, meaninga tear-offcan be added if youwant, but what’smost impressiveishow quick and easy it is to pull offand push on areplacement visor in a matter of seconds.

As Ipicked up speed on my ride, the wind noisewas low and the clarity remained phenomenal thankstothat wide, highdefinition visor smoothing out any distortion and doing agreat job of keeping me shaded from the dazzling sun that day.

But what it’slost in not providing tear-offs, it’sgained in practical features that undoubtedly make it morecomfortable to useonthe road. Aspects such as the lining have become morerefinedasit benefitsfromfurtherinsulation over the AERON GP,soyou’ll feel alot cosier on those cooler days. However,itstill retains the same high-performance ventilation as seen on the AERON GP,withfive air intakes and seven extractors that create acontinuous flow and regulate the internal temperature, which Iwas certainly taking advantage of on this surprisingly warm,spring-time ride. On those sweatier summer rides though, the lining remains fresh thanks to the Alvéotech antimicrobial fabric on the removable lining that’salso seen on theAERON GP

An undeniable road-focussed featurefound on the AERON is the fact that it’sintercom ready for aSENA system. For 2025, SHARK have teamed up with

SENA communicationsystems to bring aspeciallydesigned integrated package for arangeof theirhelmets, theAERON being oneofthem.The intercom has been specifically designed to fit within thestructure of the helmet atthe rear,meaningitwill be both comfortable and discreet when chatting to your ride-out mates or your pillion on the back.

Something else that your pillion will probably appreciate is the smaller spoilerthat’sfound on the AERON. Ihad thechance to catch up with SHARKambassador, AERON GPwearerand 2014 World Superbike champion Sylvain Guintoli ahead of this ride and he was saying howmuch his wife complained as apillion every time his larger AERON GP spoiler gave her awhack in the face! Groundbreaking technology for the track, but notsomething you want tobe arguing about at the petrol station stop. So, Sylvain said thathe’scertainlygoing to be making the swop to the AERON helmet for his road rides.

Despite the AERON featuring a smaller spoiler to its GP big sister, the aerodynamic design has still beenmeticulously engineered to reduce dragand turbulence on the road. What’smore, the double-density expanded polyurethane chin guardlowers the AERON’sposition to give better stability andair penetration, optimised for prolonged and intensive use.

The AERON weighs in at 1410g, awafer heavierthan the GP,but whenyou think that something like the ARAI RX-7 GP weighs around the 1600g mark, Icould noticeably tell how light the AERON felt to wear.Myride was around six hoursand Ifelt no aches or neck pressurethanks to thatshape and weight. But whilst the architectureisslightly different to the GP,the AERON still sportsthe same advanced Carbon On Viewand Aramid (COVA) shell, adding to that ultra-lightweight construction as well as still delivering the highest performanceinshock absorption On first use,this lid didfeel snug and the only place Ifelt pressure wasa slight pushinto my cheeks. However, Iwas assured by Export Sales Manager at SHARK, Mathieu Mauperin,that SHARK’s ‘Best Fit’technologyand their headscan research will give a tailored fit, and Nevis Marketing CustomerService &Aftersales Manager, AharonSouthern,

checked that the fit was correct on the helmet I’d ordered and reassured me that like aset of leathers, it wouldfeel just right over time. Since that first ride and initial concerninmyEDGY AERON, Ihave wornitseveral times nowand it actually is feeling more like asecond skin. Since SHARK’screation, they have sold more than 11 million helmets… that’sone helmet every two minutes. And it’sno surprise when they keep making helmets this good. They’retrusted by acollectionofthe world’s elite riders, taking on boardtheir findings to influence helmet designaswellaslistening to the everyday rider who wants to enhance theirexperience on the road without scraping on some of the most advanced safety features found in MotoGP

The AERON is now their flagship road-going helmet and is adirect heir to the AERON GP, which to me feels like aperfect balance between practicality and performance forthe road.

Want to know more…

The AERON is availablenow and retails from £679.99.

For moreinfo, head to www shark-helmets.comorvisit www.nevis.uk.com

Howyour bike

handles…

Words: AlanDowds Pics: Mortons Archive

The basic geometryofa bike’schassisisvital to how it feels and performs. But it can seem likeabit of ablackart sometimes. Here’sour guide to what it allmeans–plus the verylatestintrack bikeset up thinking

What do you look at when you first see the specs for a new bike? If you’reanything like me then that’sabit of a daft question –it’sall about the brake horsepower and the dry weight, isn’tit? Then we’ll maybe enquireabout how fancy the brake calipers and suspension are. Finally, we’ll skim-read the electronic aids package –thenall that remains is to see if it comes in colours to match arainbow

The question is, do you ever look to thelower reaches of the chassis specification, though? The rake and trail figures, and thewheelbase? Those arethe headline figures on achassis layout, but there’sahost of other details which the engineers and test riders have been sweating over for years. Fork offset, wheel sizes, swingarm length, engine mount position, rear ride height, chain run, weight bias –all have subtle effects on how abike chassis will work… or not work.

Grasping the fundamentals…

Let’sstart with thebasics then –those figures we put in the specs. Rake is pretty simple:it’s theangle of the steeringhead, measured from an imaginary vertical line through the steering head. Morerake means the front wheel is pushed farther out away from the engine, like acruiser Less rake means the wheelis pulled back, closer into themotor, like aMoto3 race bike.

Trail is alittle bit morecomplex. Here, we imagine avertical line drawn down through the front wheel axle to the ground, and another line drawn through the steeringhead to the ground. The trail is the difference between wherethose two lines touchthe deck. Moretrail means more stability and slower steering –so,

again, our cruiser bike would have ahigher trail figurethan asupersportymachine. That ‘usually’ comeswith morerake, but there areother factors which affect the trail figure.Fork offset: the distance between the steering head angle and the line of the forks. And thenthere’rewheel sizesand tyreprofiles; they willall affecttrail.

Finally,wheelbase is simply the distance between the points wherethe frontand rear tyres touch the ground. Sportsbikes have ashorter wheelbase, touring andcruiser bikes havelongerwheelbases. Drag racing bikes have wheelbases so long it takesatleast two tape measurestoidentify the distance… or so I’m told. Okay, maybe abit melodramatic, but

Howtomake your bike handle…

When it comes to altering the geometry and characteristics of your bike, there’s quite abit that can be done. Of course, just how much adjusting you do exaggerates the differences you’ll experience,but here’sa rough guide to what you could change to make your bike ride differently:

Faster steering

Thereare acouple of ways to make abike steer faster, but perhaps the simplestway to alter the speed at which your bike turns is to put more weight over the front of it. If you weretolower the nose of your bike, via preload or by dropping the forks through the yokes, you would be increasing the weight bias of the bike towards the front, and consequentially altering the ride height. At the same time, you’d also be shortening the wheelbase of the bike, which is aproven way to increase the nimbleness of your package. Of course, the simplest way to do so, without upsetting your ride height, is to shorten your wheelbaseby changing your gearing.

watch it go straight the instant you push the trolley forward.

Morestability

If you’restrugglingwith stability on astraightorthrough a corner,you can try acouple of changes. By lengtheningthe wheelbase, you will reduce the bike’ssusceptibility to become unstable. Quite often nervous motorcyclists have either very short wheelbases or have a lot of pressure over thefront wheel. If you weretolengthen the wheelbase or raise the nose of the bike, on preload or via the liftingthe height of the yokes, you should findyour motorcycle is morestable.

Morerear grip

It goes without saying that if you’reweight bias is too far towards the front of your bike, there’snot enough weight or pressureonthe rear tyretocope with the power going through your rear wheel –especially on big litre sportsbikes. Youcan counter this by increasing the preload at the front of the bike –sending moreweight to the rear –or by lowering the rear.The only problem with lowering the rear is that you can compromise ground clearance and alter the damping characteristics of the rear shock if you reduce the height too much.

patch is from the fronttyre, the stronger theurgefor thebike to keep moving in astraightline. A shorter wheelbase meansthe rear tyrehas less self-centringeffect, so you have moreinstability,and faster turning.

Very stable layouts –lots of rake and trail and along wheelbase areobviously usefulwhen you’re hitting 200mph+down the main straight at Mugello. Butwhen you want to turnquickly through a chicane, then you want the bike to be less stable –soshorter wheelbases, less rake andshorter trail is the answer,right?

when you consider the defining rule in classes like Super Street Bike sees drag bikes with a wheelbase of up to 1780mm, you get the point that they’re prettydamn lengthy

Back to the point. These three measurements we’ve just covered definemuch of what makes abike more, or less, stable. That’sdown to the self-centring or ‘castoring’ effect (hence ‘castor’wheels on sofas and shopping trolleys).

The contact point of the front tyreisbehind the steeringaxis, so when you turnthe steering while moving forward,there’sa self-centring force created which tries to returnthe wheel back to the straight-ahead position again. Youcan check it next time you’re schlepping round Asda –stop the trolley,turnawheel sideways, then

The longer the distance between contact pointand axis, the more leverage this self-centringforce has, and the stronger the effect.

In the ultimate case of avertical steering axis, with zerorake and trail, there’snoself-centringforce at all, andthe steering would never returntothe middle –zero stability in other words.

At the other end of the scale, imagine the wackiestofwacky Bike EXIF concept cruisers with the forks arranged parallel to the ground –giving infinite trail and 90 degrees of rake. Now, the steering doesn’tchange the direction of the front wheel at all –turning the bars would justtilt it from side to side, andyou’d have zerosteering effect, but you’d have infinite stability

There’sasimilar effect with a longer wheelbase –the further back the rear wheel contact

Well, yes, and no. As ever with an engineering problem, there’sa compromise here. Shorter wheelbases make abike morelikely to wheelie under acceleration, and stoppie when braking. And the reduced stability means tank slappers and speed wobbles, too –soyou haveto add on asteering damper,which can slow the steering down again. Like air bubbles under a cheap iPhone screen protector, as you push some down, more pop up elsewhere.

Go back 20 years though, and you had to do exactly this –sharpening up the steering by lifting up the rear end and dropping the front of the bike. This effectively steepens the head angle, gives faster steering and means the rider can change direction faster.Getting leant over into acorner faster,and changing direction in achicane would gain vital seconds, and on bikes like aKawasaki ZX7R, Honda CBR600F,orSuzuki TL1000R, would make abig improvement in agility

In recent years, however,this has become less effective. Standardbike chassis are

sharper than 15-20 years ago, and superbikes now comewith superb agility as stock –soif you start to tip them on to their nose even more, you can make a right mess of the handling.They also now make nearly200bhp without too much effort, so taking weight offthe back end and putting it on to the front can mean there’snot enough grip under acceleration.

So, for many racers nowadays, dropping the back end andlifting the front canactually give better handling.Having aslightly more relaxed geometry improves stability –AGoodThing with a 210bhp, 180kg track bike –and also gives bettergrip when on the gas. Those benefits can outweigh the downsides of increased wheelie-tendency,and slightly slower steering. Indeed, our very own fastguv’nor,Mr. Bruce Wilson, has discovered exactly this on his GSX-R1000 race bike. He’slifted thefront end by 24mm, by moving the forks in the yokes,and has transformed the handling as aresult (…even thoughhis lap times suggest otherwise).

As with all chassis set up techniques though, there’sno ‘ideal’ prescription. We’renot saying that you should go out and fit apehangers and extralong Multistrada forks to your Panigale V4 (though we’d love to see the pics and video if you

do). Rather,the notion of adding stability to your geometry mix in this way is another option, which could improvethe handling of a modernhigh-power superbike on track in certain circumstances. The basic geometry is only part of the story,ofcourse; thereare loads of other factors which go into the overall handling story

The bike’scentre of gravity affects stability –higherCoG is less stable, lower moreso. The length of aswingarm reduces the effect of high-powered engines on weight transfer.And now, cunning electronics cancontrol wheelies offthe gas andstoppies on the brakes –soyou can make your chassis more‘edgy’ and unstable, then smooth offthe handling edgeswith an IMUassisted stability package.

Whatever your handling needs though, we hope you’ll paymore attention to those chassis specs on all the new bikes when they appear…

Howdobrands build the best chassis?

Cristian Barelli is Aprilia’ssenior product marketing specialist, and he spoke to us about the RSV41100 Factory.While this isn’tan all-new bike for 2025, it is amodel well known for its class-leading cornering credentials, and the only production superbike with afully adjustablechassis: the steering head, swingarm pivot and engine mount points can all be fettled for the ultimate set up. We asked him:

Do Apriliaengineers have ageometryin mind whenthey start adesign?

“Beforestarting anew design,there is astage of analysis of the existing motorcycles from Aprilia and the best competitorsonthe market. We arenot self-referential and we try to approach any problemand design target without prejudice.So, we pick the reference bikes from the market, we test them using our evaluation grids, and we try to establish agood correlation between road or track behaviour and the most important measurable physical dimensionsfor a selection of bikes, notfor oneonly.”

Arethere‘good’ geometryfigures whichyou can start with? Has that changedoverthe years?

“Unfortunately, it is more complicated than this: the steering geometry dimensions do not stand alone. Theyshall matchmass and stiffness distribution and finally also forces and torques exchanged with the road and

with the power unit as well. Of course, we try our best to define a‘first tentative’ set of geometrical dimensions, but due to the high number of independent variables involved we do not know deterministic methods to define it, nor cannot evaluate how much stable this setofvalues will be during the development.”

Do you use‘development’ frames at the early stages of design, with adjustability,ordoyou makedifferent frames with different geometrytotest?

“Inthe first prototype fortest, in the early stage of design, we tend to introduce as much adjustment as possible, but this often has the side effect of introducing clearances and/ordifferences in weight and stiffness that mightbemisleading. So, when possible, it is better to have aset of prepared parts with different geometry.”

With the RSV4’sadjustable frame, howwouldyou recommend an owner experiments with the adjustments?

“Webelieve the setting of the RSV4 frame, as it is downloaded from the assembly line, is the best compromise for that configuration of motorcycle ridden by a rider of average size. If acustomer has avery personal riding style, or he wants to use the motorcycle on the track and he’sable to makeitlighter and/or more powerful, then he can subsequently alter the chassis in order to meet the new mass distribution. In this case the

elements of adjustments available from our accessories catalogue canallow the achievement of anew balance according to the new massand power levels

“Unfortunately,somany variables can affect the finalperformance of the motorcycle dynamics (including wheels and tyres, electronics, aerodynamics, suspension setting, riding position, power level, rider attitude, etc.) so thatinthe past we have seen somemodifications executed according to the most commonsense ‘rules of thumb’, giving back responses not exactly as expected even if managed by professional teams. Any different set up of the motorcycle has astory apart, and general simple rulescan hardly findapplication.

Is the final steering geometrytotally down to what the test riders feel is best?

“Yes, taking into account that the final set up, according to Superbike Regulation, should be the same homologated and registered for SBK World Championship For this reason it was approved and shared with our Racing Department. Anyway,wehave developed our methods in order to procuresome objective feedback (data logging and lap time) in order to make surethat any single modification, beyond the good feelings of our testers, allows an actual advantage in terms of performance target achievement.”

Each issue our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guidesreaders through their legal trials andtroubles.

Q.On1March Iboughtabrand-new (orso Ithought) KTM125 Duke formydaughter from ourlocal dealer.Itwas twoweeks afterher 17th birthday,and she couldn’t wait to move up from thebattered50cc mopedshe hadtoddled around on for thelastyear. If youwantedto see the definitionofexcitement, youonlyhad to look at her face that day. Anyway,Icalledthe dealer afew days agoqueryingwhy we hadnot received the logbook. Iwas assureditwas on its waybut then theycalled me back to tell me the bikehad thewrong number plateonit. Then, unannounced, amechanic turnedupat our housetochangethe number plate. It wasat that pointIfound outmydaughterwas notthe first registeredkeeper, butthe KTMwas,infact, pre-registered’ to the dealer on1September last year.Idid my biscuit,but the mechanicsaid it wasabove his paygrade to sort it,and he was just doingwhathewas told. He said Iwould have to talk to the owner.What do Ido?

A.Under the Consumer Rights Act2015 all products must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purposeand as described.Inyourcase, it appearsprettyclear the bikewas not‘as described’, i.e.itwas not abrand-new, 1of Marchbike. The lawstatesthe bikesupplied

musthavematched anydescription given to you and if it did not,thereisaproblem,tostate the obvious. It is not entirelyclear what ‘solution’ you arelooking for from youremail. However, it could be:

1. That you maybelooking to ‘reject’ the bike entirelyand getyourmoneyback, plus any applicable loses,or

2. That you want to keep the bike,but want somethingand/or asum of money to compensateyou/yourdaughterfor the applicable losses. Forexample,you maybe happytokeepthe bike butwant, say, twofree services and the moneytosortyourdaughter’s insurance,whichisnow wrong. On that point, she should not ride the bikeuntil the insurance is corrected.

Once youestablish what ‘solution’ youare lookingfor,Iadviseyou to writetothe dealer to layout what youwantand why. Whilst annoying, Isuspect someone hasmade a simple mistakeand youcan resolvethis without involvingexpensivesolicitorsand/or the Court.

Q.Ioriginallypassedmymotorbiketestwhen Godwas aboy,but aftermysprogsarrived, Ihad to giveupthe bikes forfinancial reasons (the ‘crotch Gremlins’suredochew up your

funds!). Anyway,once theyhit their teenage years, and Ihad abetterjob,Ihad morecash anddecideditwas time,soIboughtanold Fazer600. It reallywas the perfect‘bigbike’ to getbackintothe swingofthings.Irodethat for ayearand then decideditwas time to step up into the ‘bigleague’ and boughtmyfirst ever new bike… aBMW R1250 GS Adventure Triple Black. Ican sayitwas easily the happiest dayofmylife (don’t tell my husbandormy children!). Iput down a£5000 deposit andthen financedthe rest.All waswell until autumn time when Ipulledupbehind an HGV on a narrow countrylane.Unbelievably,the HGV then startedreversing (he hadmissedhis turn apparently,although he hassincechanged his tune –see below).Itried beeping my horn, whilstdesperately paddlingbackwards,but it wastonoavail, and he kept comingand knockedmeoff. Luckily, Imanaged to scramble away up the grassverge,but he reversed over my bikeseeminglynot hearing/seeingathing. Unbelievably,hehas nowtold his employerand insurer that Imusthavebeenspeedingand fell off,wedgingmyself under the back of his HGV. It nowseems inevitable that we’reheadingto court, and my insurer hasappointed solicitors who have just writtentome. Leavingthat stress

aside,mymotorbikefinance company hasnow threatenedtotakemetocourt for not paying my monthlyinstalments.Ihavetold them they areout of order and should chasethe HGV driver.Idon’t think anyJudge will blame me for not payingfor abikeIcannot use. What do you think?

A.Firstly,Iamgladyou areheretotell the tale.Wecurrently have acaseverysimilar to this,and unfortunatelythe poor rider never made it home again. In relationtothe finance company,you arenot the first andwill not be the last who hastaken this approach,i.e.why should youpay for somethingyou cannot use, through no fault of yourown?However,whilst Ican understand your frustration, legallyyou arewrong Iamafraid. If youhaveanagreement to paythem,you need to,evenifthe bikeis damaged. If youdonot,the finance company will winiftheytakeyou to court. Thiswill result in you having to paycosts andinterest, etc. My advice is contact them,pay anyoutstanding sums and reinstate your monthlypayments. Thereafter,you maywanttopursuethe HGV driver for a‘lossofuse’claim if youhavebeen unable to ride your damagedbike. Speaktoyour insurer-appointedsolicitorsabout this

Torquing Point:

BI

ELECTRIC BIKES –THE (POSSIBLE) SOLUTIONS (PARTTWO)

Words: Alan Dowds Pics: Zero

Last month we looked at the problems with electric power for bikes –how batterieswork well for small utility machines, but have serious limitations for full power bikes at the moment Current battery technology is too big, heavy and expensive towork on a150-200bhpbike witha150mile range weighing around 200kg and costing £10-15k. Whether you want an electric equivalent to aBMW R1300 GS, aYamaha MT-09, aHonda CBR1000RRor

aTriumphRocket 3, it’sjust not possible right now

The other problems we looked at werethe psychological ones, or the human factorswhich mean the market isn’tkeen on the electric bikes that areavailable. Bikers aregenerally older males: agroup which isn’tparticularly interested in moving away from fossil fuel use. And it’salso easy to argue that motorcycles make up atiny proportion of the emissions generated by society as awhole.

But with petrol (and diesel) power on the way outonfour wheels, something seems like it will have to give. It’spossible, thoughseems unlikely, that the European Unionand the UK will ease offonthe requirements for big bikes to switch away from petrol by 2030 or 2035, the current mootedcut-off dates. But when it comes to small bikes –sub-125cc machinery –the die seems cast: all new products will have to be battery-powered in the

next decade or so. An interesting side question is howpeople will learntoride full-power manual petrol bikes when learner-legal machinery is all automatic electric –but there’sprobably afudge around that. What arethe potential solutions then? Well, when it comes to the practical problems with big battery bikes, thereare no quick fixes, short of someone discovering aradical new electrical storage technology

Rather therewill be incremental improvements that will slowly eat away at the issuesofrange and charging time. Once you havea bike with a150-mile range that can be charged with acar-type fast charger in under half-anhour,you could sell that as a usable proposition to alot more riders. Therehave been moves towards swappable battery technologies –indeed in Taiwan, firms like Kymco already use such ascheme, whereyou pull

up on your scooter to apetrol station or corner shop, and swap your empty battery for acharged one in a‘charging wall’

Moreradical redesignsofbikes would also assist with the range and power issue. One engineer we’ve spoken to suggestsa twowheeldrive electric powertrain, with amotor in thefront wheel, would make abig difference, because you can use it asa regenerative brake,charging the battery when you hit the anchors

If you only have drivetothe rear wheel, then there’salimit to how hardyou can brake without locking the back end –but with a motor/generatorinside the front wheel hub, you can getmuch moreofthatbraking energy back. High performancecars like the Porsche Taycanalready use this strategy,with massive electric braking forcesfeeding up to 400kW of powerback into the battery.Abike won’tget near these levels,but alongside other

Green meansgo…

Three firms which have firmly nailed their colours to the electric mast areVmoto, Zero and Can-Am. Chinese firm Vmoto specialises in urban mobility machines like the Super Soco CPx, beloved by fleet riders andcommuters alike.

Earlier this year,the firm’s CEO Charles Chen presented a new fast-charging infrastructure for its bikes anda new swappable battery design that charges in 30 minutes. He said: “Next year we areputting all of these projects on the ground: ourbikes, our charging solutions, fast charging, and softwaremanagement system.

In Europe, thereisalready a stronger customer base, butin others they need morehelp.”

Meanwhile, American firm Zerohas kept the faith for full-sized high-powered bikes like the SR and DS ranges, but has also launched anew ‘X-Line’ range of smaller urban

machines to tap into themarket there.

UK country manager Dale Robinson told us about thenew ZeroXbikes. “Werefer to the new X-line bikes as ‘electric Fizzies’ [named after the1970s Yamaha FS1E ‘Fizzy’ moped]. Because if you look at the £3700 RRP today compared to aFizzy back in 1976, it was two-and-a-half months’ salary back then andthat’sabout the same now.It’sabike for the masses to get people out there.”

Meanwhile, Can-Amhas also relaunched its two-wheeled division with afocuson electric power.Its newOrigin off-roader and Pulse roadster have a47bhp power output with 90–100-mile ranges and a50-minute charge time from 20-80 per cent. They’regoodlooking machines, with light weight (around180kg), smart design, and quality chassis parts.

efficiency,design, battery and powertrain improvements, those gains all add up. Perhaps the mostobvious interim shiftisahybridmodel though. Having asmaller petrol engine alongsidethe battery powertrain gives ultimate flexibility,and was agreat stopgap for the car world before full-electric drivebecamemore practical. Kawasaki has already launched aproduction hybrid –the Ninja7 and Z7 Hybrids,

which use a58bhp 500cc twin petrol engine and asmall 12bhp electric motor in series. It can use either power supply, or both together,through an automatic transmission to give clean, silent, slow-speed running on electric, powerful acceleration with both, and long-range high-speed journeys using petrol. Ahybrid BMW R1300 GS is well within the current bounds of technical possibility,and advances likethe recent ASA auto gearbox could help with the switch. Yamaha’s also shown offaprototype MT-09 hybrid bike this month, againwith

its Y-AMT auto box technology likely part of the design. Perhaps the mostpowerful agent for change though, may be in the minds of the buying public The obvious corollary of having alot of old men as your market is that they probably won’tbe riding bikes in the medium to long term. In 15 or 20 years from now,the electric bike makers will be selling to an audience that grew up with adifferent mindset on climate change and electric vehicles. And also, perhaps, one that’sless wedded to petrol combustion power.

TIGERS Taming

In abid to broaden his horizons and learnwhat trench-foot feels like, Timheaded to the Welsh hillsfor ablast on aTiger 1200 in itsnatural habitat…

Ever wondered what it’s like to wrestle a 245kg Triumph Tiger 1200 around the Welsh countryside? Yeah… me too. That is, until I got the chance to follow expert rider Matt Reed through his backyard at the Triumph Adventure Experience venue in Ystradgynlais (don’t even ask me to pronounce it), South Wales, the other week. Spoiler alert: It didn’t disappoint. Since I’m based in Lincolnshire, a mere 240 miles northeast of Triumph’s Adventure Experience base, I figured it made sense to head down the night before. That way, I’d get a decent night’s kip and could sample a pint or three of Guinness at the local pub just down the road from where I was staying. At four quid a pint, it went down a treat. We were scheduled to arrive at the centre bright and early at 8am to get signed on, briefed, kitted up, and most importantly, loaded with caffeine before the big

day of riding. Thankfully, I’d fuelled up with a proper full English breakfast at the pub before we left, so I was more than ready for a day of wrestling bikes through the mud, ruts and sheep shit.

I was convinced I’d be fine rocking up in my lightweight Alpinestars motocross kit and Belstaff adventure jacket, but after a bit of arm twisting from the instructors, who promised I’d be ‘bloody freezing’ and soaked within the hour, I gave in and threw on their waterproof over-gear. Turns out they were spot on; waterproofs were a game-changer once we got going.

If you’re new to off-road or adventure riding, don’t worry. These guys have a full collection of riding gear available to use. That said, I’d definitely recommend bringing your own helmet and boots if you’ve got them. Sharing gear is all well and good, but I’d rather avoid

taking home a bonus gift like verrucas or lice from the last rider who borrowed them.

Once we’d been assigned our bikes, we got a quick rundown of the controls and buttons. For a Tiger rookie like me, this was time well spent, and I made sure I memorised exactly where the button was for the heated grips. Priorities sorted. Despite the Tiger being an absolute beast of a bike (it took some effort just to throw my leg over), I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively low saddle height. For a top-heavy adventure bike, that was a godsend, making it feel far more manageable once I was on.

We had hit the road by 9am, heading towards our first off-road location which was a good 20-minute commute through winding country roads. This was my first proper chance to get up close and personal with

Words: TimNeave Pics: Triumph

Matt Reed’stop fivetipsfor adventurebikeriding:

1. Choose the right tyres and pressures

Invest in adecent set of tyres suitablefor the terrain and lowerthe tyrepressureslightly to improve off-roadgrip. Many riders show up with 80/20 road tyres, but they’re simply notuptothe task. Here we run Michelin Anakee Wilds-they perform exceptionally welloff-road and their grip on dry roads is particularly impressive.

cold, especially at this time of year.Instead, opt for adventure-specific kit. Waterproof boots are essential, andit’swell worth carrying lightweight, packable waterproof over-gear to stay dry if needed. Comfortable clothinglets you focus on the ride instead of distractionslike shiveringor overheating.

4. Knowthe route and terrain

2. Get some off-road training

If you’re new to off-road riding,invest in some training beforehitting the trails. It makes a huge difference. For example, when thismedia groupattempted to ride on the Roman Road, the lack of preparation led to chaos-several riders ended up submerged in water because they weren’tready for the terrain. Abit of skill building upfront can save youfromcostly bike repairs or injuries. Youdon’t have to train with us; thereare excellent off-road adventure schoolsacross the UK to helpyou get started. Remember,off-road riding is very different from road riding.

3. Wear the right gear

Dress forthe conditions, but don’toverdo it. Avoid leathers as they’retoo rigid and often too hot. Similarly,motocrossgear can leave you too

Understandingyourroute is critical, especially for adventure riding. Sticking to legal byways is advised, buteven so, be prepared for surprises. For instance, atrack like the Roman Road might seem easy untilyou hit the blind, rocky descent at the end. Many trails in Wales areadream, but often end in unexpected obstacles, so always choose routes suited to your skill level to avoid getting stuck or lost.

5. Don’t ride alone

Solo off-road riding can be risky and leave you vulnerable. One time, we came across arider on a350 KTM adventure bike with road tyres stuck in abog. Luckily,wewereable to help. If you must ride alone, invest in GPSsafety gear like Garmin InReach systems. These devices let you call for help at thepress of abutton, gettingyou assistance if you fall or get stranded.

TRIUMPH ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE

Wanna give it ago?

The Triumph Adventure Experience offersoffroad training and riding experiences for all skill levels, from beginnerstoadvanced riders.

AdventureTraining Courses

These hands-on sessions areall aboutlearning essential off-road ridingskills like balance, throttle control, and handlingtricky terrains.With amix of practice, prep, and asolid debrief, they’re designed to ensureyou leave with confidence and clarity.Sessions aresplit by skill level, sowhether you’rejust starting or already haveexperience, you’ll receive instruction tailored to you

Immersive Riding Experiences

If you’reafter amix of skill-building and adventure, these experiences arewhereit’sat. You’ll hit avariety of trailsand terrains, putting what you’ve learned intoaction in real-world conditions. It’s all about getting out there, enjoying theride, and applying your skills in a natural environment.

Beginner Training

Perfect for those new to off-road riding,these sessions coverthe basics and build your confidencewith step-by-stepguidance.The pace and terrain arecarefully chosen to keep things safe and manageable while you getthe hang ofit.

the Tiger,and it didn’tdisappoint. It also didn’ttake me long to appreciate whyheated grips wereinvented; sevendegrees in Wales somehow feels even colder,though I’venoidea why

The advanced tech on theTiger worked seamlessly,letting me switch between rider modes with a

Advanced Training

For the more experienced riders, these courses focus on sharpening advanced techniques, tackling toughterrains, and pushing your control and agility to the next level.

Group and Custom Experiences

Whether youare part of agroup or want something tailored just foryou,these custom sessions arebuilt to match your goals. From team building to working on specificskills, everything is adapted to suit your needs, with expert guidance all the way through

simple flick of the mapping switch. This came in seriously handy as we moved between different terrains. For most of the day,I stuck with just two modes: Road, with ABS and traction control on, and Off-Road Pro, which switched offall the electronic aids and let me really open up the motor

Sliding it around in the dirt with no interference was an absolute must. With Off-Road Proselected, we rolled into the assessment arena for afew laps around obstacles. The instructors werewatching closelytoassess ourriding abilities and split us into groups: those that could ride the bike, and

those that would have the bike ride them.

After aquick coffee break we hit the woods, diving into the trails aboardthe mind-blowingly capable Tiger Twelves. Of course, we hit every puddle in sight,whether we meant to or not, but Iguess that’s all part of the adventureexperience, isn’tit? Having only ever ridden the Yamaha Ténéré700 in an adventure capacity before, this was still avery newexperience for me, and Iwas bloody loving it.Imight have felt like aflea on adog’sback at times, but the Tiger held steady,proving itself agile beyond expectations and taking on the big ruts, rocksand roots with ease.

It’samazing how after an hour or so in the saddle of abike you wereinitially unsureabout, you can relax, adapt, and start riding the way the bike wants youto. And, of course, having agreat instructor like Matt makes all the difference. His demonstrations wereagamechanger,and the information he

shared was worth its weight in gold. Riding in alarge group also has its advantages -itpushes you to step up and give things a go because you know that if you don’t, someone else will.

With aquick flick of the maps we wereback on the roads, this time venturing through some of the most stunning Welsh countrysideI’ve ever laid eyes on. The roads werenarrow and barely wider than agarden path in places, and if we passed a car,Imust have blinked and missed it because we had the roads to ourselves.

The transition between dirt and Tarmac was seamless with the Tiger,and the Michelin Anakee tyres really impressed me. They offered solid grip and stability no matter thesurface. Whether we wereglidingalong smooth Tarmac or tackling unpredictable off-road tracks, those tyres felt like they could handle anythingwethrew at them.

10 mins with Matt…

Wheretostay when visiting?

We recommend The Swan,

Who arethe instructors?

Our team includes 15 skilled instructors with diverse offroad experience, ranging from motocross and trials to enduro and road racing. Many arestill active competitors, bringing realworld expertise to their teaching. We pride ourselves on maintaining excellent instructorto-student ratios. For training sessions, it’s25studentstosix

Is the kitincluded?

The kit is available forhireat£70 per day. This includes boots, body armour,kneearmour,an adventuresuit,and waterproofs Please bring your own helmet if you own one

located less than amile from our centre. Gareth, the owner, is sound asa pound, bike-mad, and great with our clients.

instructors, andonadventure days or graveltours, it’s10 students tothreeinstructors.

These ratios arethe best in the game,ensuring personalised attention and high-quality learning. This also means we have aspare bike on hand if a customer’sbike gets damaged -one of our instructors can sacrifice their bike to keep them on the go.

COSTS AND COURSES

Adventure Experiences (oneither theTiger or Scrambler):

One-Day Experience: £350

Abeginner-friendly introduction to adventureriding(WhatIdid!)

Two-Day Gravel Tour: £699

Three-Day Gravel Tour: £1050

Five-Day Gravel Tour: £1995

Designed for intermediate riders, these multi-daytoursexplorethe Brecon Beacons’diverse terrain, building confidence and skills along the way

Training Courses

One Day Training 1-2-1 (Level 1, 2or 3): £599

Two-Day Training (Level 1, 2or3): £590 (Level 1: Beginners, Level2: Intermediate r ders, Level 3: Advanced riders) These sessions focus on off-roadfundamentals, confidence-building, and applying techniques to suityour experience. Bespoketraining options are also available.

Ossett Course£125 per day

Beginner Friendly,for ages four yearsold andupwards. This course uses electric trials bikes and is ideal for beginners, non-licensed r ders, or anyonenew to off-roadriding.

Special Offers

Mention Fast Bikes when booking to receive 10 per cent off your exper enceortraining course. UK Adventure Season: End of Marchthrough to October Winter

The bike’smapping made a noticeable difference, especially with the traction control system. With 148hp on tap from the triple powerhouse, TC was aperfect safety blanket for the roads. That said, therewas amoment when Icaved to temptationand had to switch it off. Ashort, slippery stretch of Tarmac was calling for abit of fun, so Ilit it up, sent the bike sideways, and couldn’t help but grin like aChesire cat with how easy it was.The power came on so smoothly and predictably,what more could you ask for?

Ireactivated the TC and pressed on, withthe bike adjusting seamlesslytothe changing conditions. From the tight, twisty back lanes to the more open stretches of Tarmac, the ride was silky-smooth, comfortable, and confidence inspiring.Itseemed the more Ipushed, the moreI realised just howversatile this bike really was.

After aspot of lunch in a blustery hillside layby,wewere back out on top of ascenic Welsh valley,about to head down the infamous Roman Road. Unbeknownst to me, the waterproofs wereabout to prove to be the most important decision of the day.Matt led the way at asteady pace over the first part of the track,which appeared to be arocky,but relatively tame 4x4 path. That was until we crested the brow and saw the water.The advice was simple: “Stick to either the left or the right, and don’tstopin the puddles.” Simple, right? Well, these weren’tyour usual puddles, Ican assureyou. The moment my front wheel touched the water, the splash was up and over the top of my head, narrowly avoiding going behind my goggles or down my neck. Unfortunately, the same couldn’tbesaidfor my gloves, as they werewetterthan

anotter’spocket in an instant,but whenIlooked back and saw the chaos unfolding behind me, it was obvious I’d gotten away very lightly

The next four riders didn’tfare so well at the deepest, most unsighted part of the puddle, cross-ruttingthemselves and ending up fully submerged, bike and all. Iprobably shouldn’t admit this, but it was absolutely hilarious. Thankfully,nobones or bikes werebroken in the crossing, and we carried on to finish the offroad section with asmile, some wetter than others.

The Roman Road wrapped up with asteep and slippery descent down arocky face. Without Matt demonstrating how to tackle it, and another bloke ridingstraight down in front of me, Imight’ve been seriously questioning my exit strategy Thankfully,the whole group survived this one, and we set off on the 45-minute commute back tothe adventurecentreasthe day began to wind down.

This, however,wasn’tjust any old ride back. Our instructors led us through amilitary training ground, and we stumbled upon alive training activity complete with shooting drills and smoke flares. Not your typicalsheep crossing holdup you’d expect in the Welsh countryside, but definitely an interesting way to wrap things up. We rolled back into the centre just as daylight faded, greeted by two staffmembers armed with pressure washers, ready to tackle our mud-caked bikes and waterproofs. The set up at thecentreis nothing short of brilliantwith excellent changingrooms and tidy showers which made it easy to clean up after theday’sride. Every detail seemed thoughtfully covered, which is exactly why I can’trecommendcomingdown and having arip with these guys enough. If you’ve been sittingon the fence about booking, this is your sign to get it done.

Track Rider Clinic: Getting the most from your trackday: Part 1

To get the best from your trackday, the prep startswellbefore you gettothe circuit

I’ve seen alot of mistakes being made on trackdays from alack of knowledge, which is quite surprising when most of thecore information is typically in your confirmation email and online briefing. Hopefullythis article will help afew regulars and new trackday riders alike, butthose 7x 20-minute sessions arelike gold to me and Idon’tlike wasting asingle lap, so get yourself better prepared next time. Here’show to make the most of every minute, starting off with the stuffyou needtothink about before getting on track.

Choosing the Right Group

Iwas asked recently how you choose which group to ride in if you’ve never done atrackday before, which Ithought was an obvious answer of lower group, but then if you think you’rethe fastest rider up thelocal section of A6 or hit 150mph in astraight line down the German Autobahns, then you may have other ideas. But picking the correct group is aserious matter; those riders too slow for agroup will cause frustrations for other riders in that group and anyone who is standout-too-fast for the group would likely get frustrated with everyone else in the group. Both situationscan be dangerous, so you must select agroup that you’recomfortable riding in and not the group your friends areall in.

• If it’syour first-ever trackday then book in the lowergroup, regardless of your fastest top speed on the motorway

• If you’ve now done afew trackdays thenmonitor your overtaking:overtaken ratio. Trackday grouping isn’tset by arange of lap times,it’sdown to you as acustomer initiallyto select the group and you geta feel for how you sit in the group, don’twait to getfeedbackfrom other riders, marshals,trackday organiser or instructors. If you’re doing all the overtaking, then move up, and if you’refrustrated with getting overtaken all the time then move down agroup

• If you want advice about potentially moving groups, then

Words: Dean Ellison

speaktowhoever is running the event and they can arrangefor an instructor to come and ride with you and confirm whether you should move or not.

Online Registration

MSVand NoLimitshave done abrilliant job with their online registration. Thiswas brought in a few years ago,around the time of the first Covid lockdown, to help maintain socialdistancing at each event,but it’s turned out to be a keeper and definitely speeds up the signing-onprocess when atthe track. FYI, it’salways the same URL forthe No Limits online checkin. Iget asked by alot of regular trackday riders ifI can send the link for signing on at aparticular event. Maybe they don’thave the email, bought the space through Trackday Trader,orjust forgot, but remember signon.nolimitstrackdays.com and the next seven days’ worth of UK events will be theretosee.

For first timers, your information will be saved for an even faster check-in next time. Your compulsory online briefingwill be available to view 24 hours before the trackday and you just follow the same link; my advice is to watch this at home or in the hotel the night beforeand listen to it properly.It’sbeen quite clear that some riders haven’tbeen watching these online briefings, but we’ve recently seen awelcome returnof the trusty morning briefingatall No Limits trackday events andthat’s going to help ongoing.

BikePreparation

Youdon’tneed to be aqualified mechanic to prepare your bike for track use andthere aren’tmany requirements for your bike to be

trackday ready,but there’reafew simple checks that might just save afew quid in crash damage.

• Having afront brake lever guardfittedtoyour bikeisnow compulsory and I’ve seen stacks of them fall offontrack. Istill see people rushing around in the morning trying to fit one and I’ve even seen arider fit oneto the left-hand side only,claiming it was a‘lever guard’ and it was ‘fitted’… what can you say to that?Anyway,all road bikes have very different handlebars and bar-end fitments, so finding a universal one on theday can’tbe guaranteed, especially if you’re on your road bike and don’t really want to drill out the internal thread. Ijust went online and bought aGBRacing lever guard to fit to my standardYamaha R1. It went straight on within seconds and Ihaven’ttouched it since. I can now remove the lever guard and put the original bar ends back in for when out on the road again. If fitting one yourself, then please make sureit’sproperly installed; the universal type withexpanding internal dowl is themost common found trackside and it’sbecause they weren’tfittedorchecked properly,ifyou put the spliced dowlinthe wrongway then it doesn’texpand and grip the inside of the handlebar tube.

• Make sureyou have good tyres, not necessarily the best gripping race slick, but areasonably new tyrewith plenty of life left in it. Some road tyres have aflat spot in the middle of the tread and this makes the bike verydifficult to turninand at risk of blowout due to the limited amount of rubber left in the middle. If you run scrub race tyres then the same goes for the side wall; the profile of the rubber flattens because racers drive hard when exiting the corner and this eats away at the rubber.Again, this flat spot affects the handling of the bike and that lackofrubber reduces your level of grip; you might not even get afull day from ascrub. If unsure, take your bike to the tyresupport service on the day of the event and they will advise, and you can alsoget some advice on tyrepressures.

• Brakes aresoimportant and you shouldn’tcut corners or ignoresigns that your brakes need some attention. Thisyear I’ve seen anumber of riders run offtrack and crash in the kitty litter because they ‘lost their brakes’, which means they overheated due to not having

enough brake pad material and eventually cooked the fluidto alevel wherenothing works and the lever travels all the way back to the handlebars. Another rider went straight over the front of their bikebecause their brakes seized on. The bike hadn’tbeen used for awhile and after checking it out, it seems the caliper pistons had been sticking and as the rider’s pace increased, heat expanded all the brake components and eventually got so hot that the front brake came on at around 80mph in astraight line and brought the bike into astoppie. The rider went over the front and into the tyrewall, sustaining abroken leg… not anice crash. So do some visual checks, make sureyou have plenty of meat left on the brake pads, and don’t over-fill the brake fluid reservoir (this can also cause overheating) and seek advice if unsureabout how your brakes feel. When it comes to track riding, if something doesn’tfeel right, it’sprobably not.

• Also:

o Tape up or fold in your mirrors, focus on what’sin front.

o Tape over your speedo. You can cover afair distance in that momentyou glance at your top speed andcould missyour braking point.

o Tyre pressuresneed to be set much lower than on the road. Seek advice by thetyre support service on the day

Kit Preparation

If it’syour first trackday or first in a long time, thenplease try on your gear in advance, don’t just rock up with yourkit back from preCovid and expect everythingtobe okay.Leathers shrink over winter just like your normal clothes, or you may have forgotten about the zip that burst on yourboots, or

that your knee sliders areworn out, or that yourhelmet is now10 years old and not fit for purpose.

• Leathers should be 1pc or 2pc that zip all the way together at the waist. Thezip must encircle your torso and thereshould be no gap between the jacket and trousers when the zip is done up.

• Helmet must be an ACU Gold Sticker certified safety helmet.

• Gloves must be leather gauntlet type.

• Boots must be full leather and cover the shin area as well.

• Always wear aLevel 2back protector

• Always wear earplugs.

• Iwould highly recommend wearing atechnical base layer top andpants, it’smuch morecomfortable when riding and easier to get your kit off afterwards.

Get on track with Dean… If you wanttoupyour game on track, Dean’sthe man you want in yourpitbox. An exWorld and BSB spec racer, he’salso honed his craft in endurance racing andhas since goneontoestablish,, arguably,the best track riding tuition on offer here in the UK. Check out his page on Facebook and drop him a line if you’reafter some next level rider coaching- www facebook.com/deanellison42

Buyingaused…

KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-12R

Why Kawasaki’sultra-rapid, but oftenoverlooked, ZX-12R is worth asecond glance.

Words: Jon Urry Photos: Mortons

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R is a beautiful reminder of atime when afar morecarefree attitudewas prevalent in motorcycling. And when we say carefree, we meana time when you could show atotal disregardfor speed limitsand moreoften than not get away with it.Well, in Europe anyway…

Head hunting

Launched in 2000, the ZX-12R was atypical Kawasaki attempt to break anut with asledgehammer Inthis case, however,the nut was encased in concrete and made

of hardened steel. Yep, in 2000 this Ninja only hadone thing in its sights: the SuzukiHayabusa. In a wonderful display of corporate willywaving, Kawasaki basically only developed and released the ZX-12R to get backits purely honorary title of ‘world’sfastest production motorcycle’ from Suzuki. They must have predicted, or at the very least felt, the rise in the anti-speeding brigade’svoices andstrength, but Kawasakichose to ignorethis and instead went all outfor the Busa’s jugular.And good on them forthat! But did they succeed?

Identity crisis Time for afact check.InFast Bikes back in summer 2004 we tested the latest ZX-12R (radial brakemodel) against a Hayabusa and the Kawasaki set afaster top speed of 184.54mph against the Suzuki’s181.93mph. It also made 165bhp compared tothe Busa’s156bhp, although it lost out on torque with 4Nm less than the Suzuki. So, by a gnat’s wanger the Kawasaki was thetop dog of thepub bragging fight. However,and hereisthe only point that really matters,

the Hayabusa sold in strong numbers and is still in Suzuki’s model line-up while the ZX12R’slife spanned just six short years beforeitwas discontinued. By the end of 2006, the king of speed was dead –replaced by the moretouring orientated (but still blisteringly fast) ZZR1400. So, what went wrong? In many ways Kawasaki got it wrong from the very beginning with the ZX12R. The first mass production motorcycle to use amonocoque style of chassis that combined theairbox and frame into one

unit, it fell into aweirdnoman’s land between being asportsbike and asports tourer and, as such, failed to gain the kind of cult following that was securing showroom sales success for the Hayabusa. It was never abad bike, it just didn’t really know what it was or who it was being aimed at, and that feeling is reflected in its ride.

If you areinto big engines, you will absolutely love the ZX12R because its 1199cc inline four is amonster of amotor Kawasaki has builtits reputation

Other things to know…

Updates

The ZX-12R A1/2 was updated in 2002 to the B1/2/3/4 with over 140 changes that included aheavier flywheel and anew fuel map to make it morerefined at lower speeds as well as improved suspension. Visually it is identified thanks to its frontal air scoop that looks like a protruding bottom lip. where the earlier model was flatter In 2004 the ZX-12R B6 gained radial brakes and new 43mm forks, as well as afew engine and styling tweaks in its final update beforeitwas discontinued at the end of 2006.

Recalls

The original ZX-12R A1/2 was subject to aseries of recalls, but it is very unlikely you will buy one that hasn’thad the work completed.The recalls involved an overflowpipe inside the tank, tyrevalve nuts and oil leaking through the stator on to the rear wheel. If you are worried, contact Kawasaki UK with the bike’sframe number to check the recalls have been completed.

Derestriction

Servicing woes

The ZX-12R needs its valve clearances checked every 8000 miles, which is afairly major job due to the monocoque chassis getting in the way.Whereaminor service will set you back £150£200, the major valve clearance check service is closer to £450 as it is very involved. If you are looking at covering big miles, this is worth bearing in mind.

Gearing

Some owners start to play around with their ZX-12R’s gearing, with larger rear sprockets providing even more acceleration at the expense of outright speed. This will affect the speedo’sreading, so you will need acorrection device such as aSpeedoHealer

Fuel economy and mapping

SPECS:

Engine: Type: 1199cc, liquid-cooled, 16v,inline four Bore xStroke: 83mm x55.4mm

Compression: 12.2:1

Fuelling: Electronic Fuel Injection

Tested Power: 165bhp @9800rpm

Tested Torque: 130Nm @7800rpm

Chassis:

Frame: Aluminium monocoque

FSuspension: 43mmconventional forks, fully adjustable

Rsuspension: Monoshock, fully adjustable

Front brakes: Six-piston calipers, 320mm discs (post-2004 four-piston radial) Rear brake: Two-piston caliper,220mmdisc

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1440mm

Seat Height: 810mm

DryWeight: 210kg Fuel Capacity: 20 litres

Getting hold of aTRE (Timing RetardEliminator) for the ZX-12R is no longer possible. However,you can still remove the speed restriction by fitting aSpeedoHealer V4, which costs £84.95 and reduces the speedo’sreading to fool the bike’sECU. Another option is to get the ECU reflashed, which is around £250 including dyno work, but there are some free DIY options out thereonforums if you are brave. Rumour has it that the original A1 modelwas never restricted…

KLEEN

KLEEN is Kawasaki’s emissions-helping system that injects clean air into the exhaust to help burnoff unburnt fuel.Some owners reckon it robs the bike of abit of power and remove it, others argue this is awaste of time and effort. Generally,itisbest to get an unmolestedbike, just to be safe. If you want to remove KLEEN, thereare hundreds of how-to guides on the internet.

on producing fast bikes and giving the ZX-12R abig handful is something else. The sheer ferocity of drive that the Ninja churns out is staggering yet, unlike the Busa, which seems to surf an endless wave of meaty torque, the Kawasaki’s power delivery is moresportsbike in its attitude with aferocious topend surge. It’snot as smooth as the Suzuki and while thisgives it aunique character,doyou really want to go searching out a top-end thrill on abikecapable of 184mph? And then thereis the handling.

The standardfuelling map is pretty poor on all models of ZX-12R and is amajor contributor to their poor fuel economy figures. Getting the ECU reflashed or fitting a Power Commander and then having the bike properly set up (with afree-flowing exhaust can) will transform not only the throttle’sfeeling but also add a few welcome miles to the MPG figures.

Brakes

The six-piston calipers on the two early generations of ZX-12R areabsolutely terrible and go downhill very fast with seized pistons being avery common issue. Youcan get them rebuilt fairly easily but watch out for warped discs caused by asticking piston overheating the disc. Forums suggest various options to swap them for alternative calipers if you arebothered, but it is easily controlled by careful maintenance.

Aftermarket extras

Thereare quite afew modified ZX-12Rs out there, so be a little choosey.Avoid anywith engine tuningaside from an end can and air filter,asmore than 165bhpisn’t really that necessary on the road. Ataller screen is abonus, as is any crash protection,but watch out for badly fitted electrical items such as heated grips or tail tidies as they can screw up the wiring loom.

Not quite good enough

ALSO CONSIDER THESE:

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa

Private: £4600 Dealer:£5100

The updated Hayabusa is the best model to go for withits updated engine andchassis and is worth the premium over the original generation.

Engine: 1340cc, l/c, 16v,inline four

Power: 178bhp @9600rpm

Torque: 143Nm @7000rpm

2007 BMW K1200S

Private: £3900 Dealer:£4400

The telelever front end feels abit odd, butthis is one very rapid Beemer thatwhile lacking street credibility, is decent value with good extras.

Engine: 1157cc, l/c, 16v inline four

Power: 153bhp @9700rpm

Torque: 125Nm @8000rpm

2007 Honda Blackbird

Private: £3500 Dealer:£3999

The Honda is the choice of the morerefined speed junky Atruly great bike that is solid, reliable and asimply brilliant sports tourer.

Engine: 1137cc, l/c, 16v inline four

Power: 139bhp @9300rpm

Torque: 115Nm @7100rpm

excusing itsodd looks and lazy steering, but Kawasaki’s ZX-12R wasalways promoted as asporty hyperbike and it simplydoesn’t live up to this billing.Tipping the scalesata chunky 210kgdry (realistically that’s250kg wet) this is no lightweight Ninja, and this fact showed up in the bends. The ZX-12R may have been able to out-handle the Busa, but in a time whenthe likes of the ZX-10R wasmaking just 6bhp shy of the ZX-12R’s power,that wasn’t good enough. Riders didn’tenjoy the ZX-12R’s sluggish handling, tendency to scrape its pegsand overall feeling of bulk, and it couldn’tevenbeexcused on the grounds it was more of atourer asthe seating position was also pretty sporty and uncomfortable. And the brakes weren’tmuch to write home about either…

From its very outset in life terrible brakeshave plagued the ZX-12R. Thesix-pistonTokicos the original models came with were shocking and the four-piston radials that wereintroduced in 2004 were only marginally better. To be fair to Kawasaki,the Hayabusa’s brakes werejust as

terrible, but again, the ZX-12R was meant to be the sporty one of the pair.Sadly,inthe cold light of day,the ZX-12R simply missed the mark and it slipped away unloved and unnoticed from Kawasaki showrooms. Or didit?

Rise in popularity

Nowadays, riders have started to cottonontothe fact that you can get abloody fast bike for nota lot of money and the NinjaZX-12R is going through arevival infortune. Prices for the early model areon the up and dealers report that used examples of allgenerations fly out of showroom floors.Why has this happened? Everyone loves the biggest, fastest, and maddest bike thereisand the ZX12R is atruly staggeringmachine to ride. Theengine’spower delivery will never dull and if you aren’tinto chasing asportsbike down atwisty road, the handling is actually pretty good on fast sweepers. Abit of cash spent on the brakes, atweak to the fuel map and anew set of tyres, and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R remains an impressive machine in anyone’sbook.

What’sgoingon?

If you’relooking for anexcuse to getout andabout on your bike, take alookatthese upcoming events…

JUNE

1June: Sunbeam MCC’s Roseof the ShiresRun from Great Brington, Northants. More info’ from 07850 870094 or robertbayman@btinternet.com or www.sunbeam-mcc. co.uk

1June: VJMC&JapaneseBike Bonanza at theSammy MillerMotorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, near New Milton, Hamps(BH25 5SZ). More info’ from www. sammymiller.co.uk

2June: MAD Sunday &MAG London atthe Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

5-8 June: Unwanted MCC’sBike, Trike& Custom Show at The Rockbar,Shobnall Sports&SocialClub, Shobnall Road, Burton upon Trent, Staffs (DE14 2BB). Moreinfo from www.unwantedmcc.co.uk

6-8 June: Chopper FreakersBand’s Chopperfest at Blénod-lès-Pont-à-Mousson, 54700,France.Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

7June: Chopper Club S. Ireland’s DayShow at The Welcome Inn, Rockfield,Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Eire (X35 TX36). Moreinfo’ from Facebook

7June: Brothers in Arms MCC’sD-Day Rally at Loch Lomond Rugby Club, Beechwood Dr,Alexandria,West Dunbartonshire (G83 9LY). Moreinfo’ from Facebook. 7June: Bikes, Beer &Big Hearts at The Stepping Stones, Westhumble Street,Westhumble,Dorking, Surrey (RH5 6BS). Moreinfo’ from 01306 889832 or www. steppingstonesdorking.co.uk

7June: NCC Somerset’sShootin’the BreezeCustom Show at Cheddar Valley RFC, Sharpham Rd, Cheddar, Somerset (BS27 3DR). Tickets£5. More info from 07939 486063 or Facebook.

8June: Triumph Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com

8June: Ride of the Ruperts from Moto Girl, Unit 17, OrchardBusiness Centre,Sanderson Way, Tonbridge,Kent (TN9 1QF). Moreinfo’ from www.rideoftheruperts co uk 8June: BSA Owners’ ClubDay at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, nearNew Milton,Hamps (BH25 5SZ).Moreinfo’ from www sammymiller.co.uk

8Jun: Normous Newark Autojumble at The Showground, Drove Lane,Winthorpe, Newark, Notts (NG24 2NY). Moreinfo’ from www.newarkautojumble.co.uk

12-15 June: European H.O.G.Rally at Medulin, Croatia. Moreinfo’ from www.harley-davidson.com

12-15 June: Race the Waves at Bridlington Seafront, Bridlington, Yorks. Moreinfo’ from www.backfireinfo. weebly.com

13-15 June: Bildt Not Bought Chopperfest atSt. Annaparochie, Holland. More info’ from Instagram. 13-15June: Dutch Hardly-Rideables’Rat meeting at MVC Rattlesnakes, Sportlaan 9a, 4571 CA Axel, Netherlands. Moreinfo’ from www.rataplan-ratbikeclub.nl 13-15 June: Little Kev’sScruffy Puppy Rally at Bourne Rugby Club, Milking Nook Drove, Bourne,Lincs (PE10 0AX). Moreinfo’ from 07804 087403 or Little Kevon Facebook.

13-15June: Reading MAG’sLion Rally at asite near Reading, Berks. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

14 June:Daventry Motorcycle Festival in Daventry, Northants.Moreinfo’ from www.daventrybikefest.co.uk

14-20 June:Dorothy’sSpeed Shop’sGarage Run from Dorothy’sSpeed Shop, Braunton, Devon. More info’from www.dorothysspeedshop.com

15 June:Polish BikeDay at the Ace Cafe, London. More info from www.london.acecafe.com

15 June:Bikefest24’sAutojumble Sunday at West Woodlands Showground, Bunns Ln, Frome,Somerset (BA11 5ES). Autojumble pitches £10. Moreinfo’ from www bikefest24.co.uk

15 June: Harley-Davidson Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley CrossRoad, near New Milton, Hamps (BH25 5SZ). More info’fromwww sammymiller.co.uk

18 June:Royston &DistrictMCC’sRoyston &District Motorcycle Show at the Eternit Sports &Social Club, Whaddon Rd, Meldreth, Royston(SG8 5RL). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

18 June:SolsticeEvening BikeShow at The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Rd, Piddington, Bucks(HP14 3BH) from 6pm. Moreinfo’fromFacebook

19-22 June: Estonians MCC’sBarnstormer Rally at the Rally Field.Runswick Lane, Runswick Bay,N.Yorks (TS13 5HR). Tickets £20 prebookor£25 on gate. Moreinfo’ from 07533 204101 or Estoniansmcc@outlook.co.uk

19-22 June: The Farmyard Party at Duncombe Park, Helmsley,Yorks (YO62 5EB). Moreinfo’ from www mapevents.co.uk

20-22 June: Sun of SolsticeBike&Music Festival at Southam RFC, Station Rd, Southam, Warks (CV47 2DH). Tickets £25. Moreinfo’fromFacebook

20-22 June:HDRCGB Region 19’sNew Forest Rally at Trojans Sports Club, Stoneham Ln, Eastleigh, Hants (SO50 9HT). Tickets £20 members or £25 non. Moreinfo’from 07887 746441 or region19@hdrcgb.org

20-22 June: Pissed&ConfusedMCC’sSummer Rally at LittleWaltham Sports&Social Club, Tufnell Hall, The St, Little Waltham, Essex (CM3 3NY). More info’ from Facebook.

20-22 June: SnatchMCC’sSnatchRally at Wirral Rugby Club,Thornton Common Rd, Birkenhead, Wirral (CH63 0LT). More info’ from Facebook

21-22 June: BornFreeChopperShow at Silverado, California. Moreinfo’fromwww.bornfreeshow.com

21-22 June:Havea Dave Day at Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. Moreinfo’fromwww.visitbarrow.org.uk

22 June: Custom &Classic Bike& Car Show at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey, Essex (EN9 1JY). Tickets £10. More info’fromwww customandclassicshow.co.uk or Facebook.

22 June: Honda Bike Day at the Ace Cafe, London. More info from www.london.acecafe.com

22 June:Ride Like aGirl Ladies’ Motorcycle Day at M&P Direct, Glynstell Park, Glynstell Cl, Cardiff, Wales (CF11 8EY). Moreinfo’fromFacebook.

22 June: Ton-Up DayReunion at Industry &Supply,The Depot, Royal,Ordnance Rd, Weedon, Northants (NN7 4PS. Moreinfo’ from www.industryandsupply.com

22 June:PrescottBike Festival at Prescott Speed Hill Climb,Gotherington, Cheltenham, Gloucs (GL52 9RD). Moreinfo’ from www.prescotthillclimb.co.uk

22 June:Seaford Motofest at The Martello Tower, Seafront, Seaford,East Sussex. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

22 June:Ladies’ Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley CrossRoad, near New Milton, Hamps (BH25 5SZ). Moreinfo’fromwww.sammymiller.co.uk

22 June:Wheels-Next-The Sea at WellsTown FC,Beach Rd, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk (NR23 1DR). Tickets £1 awheel. More info’ from 07470 386565 or stevefinch66@ gmail.com

27-29 June: Dragstagia at Santa Pod, AirfieldRd, Podington, Beds (NN29 7XA). More info’ from www santapod.co.uk

27-29 June: Inner CircleRRC’sGoosin’ the Fox Rally at TheFox &Goose, TheSt, Greywell, Hook,Hamps (RG29 1BY). Tickets £20, day tickets £10. More info’ from Facebook.

27-29 June: H.O.G. Rutland Chapter’sHorseshoe Rally at Greetham Community Centre, Greetham, Grantham, Lincs (LE15 7NG). Tickets £37.50. More info’from07989 859908 or rally@rutlandchapter.co.uk

27-29 June: Wolfpack MCC’sYeknod Rally at Mill Lane, Chalgrove, Oxon (OX44 7SL). Tickets £15prebook or £20 on gate, day tickets £10. Moreinfo’ from 07871 200140 or Facebook.

27-29 June: Bracan MCC’sPistons &Pints Rally at The Breighton Ferry,Breighton,Selby,Yorks (YO8 6DH). Tickets £20prebook or £25ongate. Moreinfo’ from www bracanmcc.co.ukorFacebook.

27-29 June: Greenman MCC’sChaos on the Isle of Guernsey, Channel Islands. Moreinfo’ from www chaosevents.com

27-29 June: Blackpool Area MAG Rally at Fleetwood Rugby Club, MelbourneAvenue, Fleetwood FY78AY Tickets £18.50 pre-book or £20ongate. Moreinfofrom 07943 254009 or Facebook.

27-29 June: Shoulder of Mutton MCC’sCowpat Rally at Amber Valley Rugby Club Somercotes, Derbys (DE55 4NQ). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

27-29 June: Monsters Inc MCC’sMonster Bash at Mary Jo’s, Barntown, Co. Wexford, Eire(Y35 H626)/ Tickets 15 Eruro. Moreinfo’ from 00353 872490461 or Facebook.

28 June: Sunbeam MCC’sFour Dales Tour from Arkengarthdale, N. Yorks. Moreinfo’ from www.sunbeammcc.co.uk

28 June: Walsham Wheels Motorcycle Fun Day at North Walsham Memorial Park, New Rd, North Walsham, Norfolk (NR28 9DF). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

28 June: Gotts Park Custom Show at Gotts Park, Armley Ridge Rd, Leeds (LS12 2QX). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

28 June: NorthWalsham Wheels Show at asite in North Walsham, Norfolk. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

28-29 June: Kyndred SpiritsMCC’sShot in the Dark Rally at Hexham Racecourse, High Yarridge, Hexham, Northumberland(NE46 2JP). Tickets £10. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

29 June: Triton/Cafe Racer Day &BSA GS &RGS OC at the Ace Cafe, London. Moreinfofromwww.london acecafe.com

29 June: Romney Marsh Ride-In Show &Bike Jumble at Hamstreet, Kent (TN262JD).Tickets £5.Moreinfo’ from www.elkpromotions.co.uk

29 June: Sunbeam MCC’sNorthernPioneer Road Test from Tennants Auctioneers, Auction Centre, Harmby Rd, Leyburn, N. Yorks (DL85SG). Moreinfo’ from bsmith648@ btinternet.com or www.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk

29 June: Motorcycles at the Manor at West Ashby Manor,West Ashby, near Horncastle, Lincs (LN9 5PY) Moreinfo’ from motorcyclesatthemanor@gmail.com or Facebook.

29 June: Ride to Remember from Winchester Auto Barn, Sutton Scotney,Winchester,Hants (SO21 3NS)at9.30am. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

29 June: Scooter Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, near New Milton,Hamps (BH25 5SZ). Moreinfo’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk

29 June: NCC Cambs’ Custom &Classic Bike Show at Foreman’s, March Rd, Ring’sEnd, Wisbech,Cambs (PE13 4DB). Tickets £3.Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

29 June: East Coast Harley Club’sCustom Show at The Thurton George &Dragon, TheSt, Thurton, Norfolk (NR14 6AL). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

30 June: Ride Out toCassington Bike Night at the Ace Cafe, London.Moreinfofromwww.london.acecafe.com

30 June: Cassington Bike Night at Cassington, Oxon Moreinfo’ from Facebook.

BIKER FRIENDLY

For Sale

BMW GT800, 2018, one owner from new, fully serviced and MoT, 14,000 miles, vgc, includes BMW top box and heated grips, £4750 ono Tel. 01476568249.

BSA B33, 500cc, 1953, excellent condition,stored last 3years, have V5C, £3500Tel. Chris 07593 438795. East Surrey.

BSA Golden Flash, 1960, black, 650cc, twin, very original, starts easily and running well, enclosed rear chaincase, new battery,offeredfrommyprivate collection, delivery arranged, £2950 Tel. 01723 372219. Yorkshire.

BRIDGESTONE BS Sport100, 1968, over £1100 spenton new parts ie new wheels and tyres, new seat and wiring loom, parts catalogue plus alot of smallparts foroil pumpand carps and engine, needs anew piston and barrel plating unable to complete, V5 in my name, non run for nearly 50 years, will make anice bike when finished, £1200. Tel. 07929747650.

DUCATI Panigale V4 2019, owned from new, kept in heated garage, extras personal reg, power bronze radiatorcovers, Evotec tail tidy, Ducati fork protectors, superb condition with servicehistory and only 6000 miles Email. leachalan704@ gmail.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Sportster 48 Custom Cruiser, 2018 1200XL,1200cc, immaculate condition, 12 months MoT, full service history,also comes with original peanut tankand filter as extras, 2keys, V5 present, £8500 Cambridgeshire. Email. jakesmum@live.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 2006, 13,000 miles, MoT Oct 2026, Screaming Eagle 110 cu inch 1803cc power Commander engine, oil tempgauge, cabless handler barconversion, Legend electric air suspension kit, diamondcut billet wheels stage 3conversion, dry clutch conversion VPC centrifugally clutch assist pack, £14,000 Tel. 07816 922364. Staffs. Email. andy.colman@lovell.co.uk

HONDA XBR500,1986,lovely bike serviced, new chain and battery, service history, handbook, workshop manual, MoT, goes and rides like aXBR should, delivery no problem, historic next June, electric start £1900. Tel. Pete 01959 577788. Kent.

HONDA NTV600K, 1993, Revere, 34,000miles only, sheets of old MoT’s, bike rides well, shaft drive, will come with new MoT, bike is regularly serviced, normal marks for age, £1500 Tel. 07415 458754. Kent. Email. tonytaylor12@btinternet.com

HONDA CB125F, very good condition, ideal for new riders or daily commuting, reliable and fuel-efficient motorbike has been well-maintained and features a smooth-running 125cc engine, delivering both performance and economy, £1300 Email. aveturuta1@gmail.com

HONDA CB500 twin, 1995, new Bridgestones,chain, battery, fork seals, flashers, Hel brakeline oil filter coolant spark plugs intermittent running needs attention, reasonable offers Tel. 01384 591007. West Midlands HARLEY-DAVISON Pan American, reg 2021, 1250cc, only4000miles, extras, beautiful bike in excellent condition, £11,950 ono. BMW 310GS, reg

2022, 315cc, only 3500 miles, extras in excellent condition, £3450 ono Tel. 01920 468490 evenings. Herts.

MOTO GUZZI Nevada 750IE, oillight dimlyilluminates when turned offsensor replaced told it’s adry connection doesn’t effect the bike, good service history, any inspection welcome, new MoT 01/04/2025 no advisories, £1995. Tel. 07514 979666. Email. shepped@ onetel.com

MZ ETZ251,1993, full Burwins engine refurbishment including: rebore, new piston, recon crankshaft, crank seals,bearing replacement where needed, refurbed as akeeper, new tyres, tubes, vape electronic ignition, rev counter, brake line, disc, pads replacement reg, rectifier, daytime running light, indicator bleeper, many spares, several manuals, £2000 ono Tel. Roger 07473 789550.

ROYAL ENFIELD 350 Military Bullet, 1983,Olive green, 1983, t&texempt, Royal Enfield Club dating certificate, frameG2, meteor gearbox, £1600 ono Tel. 07900 131360. Hampshire.

ROYAL ENFIELD Himalayan 411, 2024, 3000 miles over two years, warranty left, just had 3000 miles service, one owner, colour blue, £3100. Tel. 07980 536006. Doncaster.

SUZUKI Intruder, 1995, 805cc, VTwin, purple Dragon on tank, shaft drive, twin Harris, twin spots, Double damped shocks on rear, red dual seat, lovely polished alloy, lovely handler, comfortable ride,16,235miles £2500 ono Tel. 07766 119203.

TRIUMPH Trophy, 1991, good condition, needs work, 95% finished project, would like£1500 for it needs to be seen to judge Tel. 01522 820717. Lincs Email. metellus2797@outlook.com

TRIUMPH Trident T160, 1976, red, rebuilt wheels, Williams lightened balanced hydraulic clutch, belt primary, upgraded reg rectifier, rubber mount footpegs, new carbs, lots more done with receipts, cando more pics or video on WhatsApp upon request £7500 ovno Tel. Garry 07526 886305. Email. gcre350bullet@gmail.com

SUZUKI 850L, 1981, no tax or MoT required, good all round bike American import, this model wasonly available newinthe USA, £2400. Tel. 01392 279602. Devon.

TRIUMPH Trident T160, 1976, 44,000 miles, reconditioned cylinder head, wiring harness replaced,new battery,new discs, new tyres, vgc, £7500 Tel. 07906 502194. DerbyEmail. pdfutter@hotmail.co.uk

YAMAHA XSR125 Legacy 125cc, first owner, bought this bike in January 2023, has immobiliser fitted and crash bars, has brand new chain and battery and has been just serviced this January, all the papers and service history included, with 2keys, first MoT due next January, 7344 miles, £3100 Tel. 07873 669341. Northfleet. Email. anni.reguli@ gmail.com

YAMAHA Diversion 900, bike is thirty years old with 42,736 on the clock, still runs like adream, it needs some tlc, open to offers, there are leather saddlebags and atank bag, £2500. Hampshire. Email. vic.thorn@btinternet.com

Parts For Sale

ARROW exhaust end can for Honda Hornet 2007, like new, £80. Tel. 07876 297420.Email. pablopaul1@yahoo.co.uk

DUCATI 600SS, 1990. Cagiva Alazzurra 650cc. 1985 Honda NSR250 MC21 engine only, runner, £2000. Kawasaki ZXR400 forks, yokes,wheels, £1500. Yamaha FZR400 IWG spares,verygoodcondition Tel. Dave 07816 043480. Staffs.

HONDA Fireblade 2006/2007 exhaust servo, brand new Honda part in box, never been used, £35 including postage Tel. 07779 783260. North Wales.

HONDA CMX500 Rebel, 2023, Puig screen, new, £50. Heated grips, new, £25 +p&p Tel. 01539 725198.

HONDA CRF250L, 2017 Nitron rear shock upgrade, new cost £500, accept £295 +p&p Tel. 07857 348509.

PAIR of Oxford Sprint Lifetime panniers, expandable bases and waterproof covers, little usedand good condition, £30. Tel. 07726 462564. Email. philhomeport2@ gmail.com

ROYAL ENFIELD 350 classic DNA filter with plate, £40. Decat pipe, £20. Black short exhaust pipe, £40. Denali horn loud, £15. Punjabi large exhaust,£15 all plus p&p ono. RST classic brown leather jacket 42 inch, £60. RST classic wax black TT jacket 42 inch, £70. Re short canvas boots,

taken offa MT09 2022 plate like new,£100. Tel. 07876 297420. Cheltenham. Email. pablopaul1@yahoo.co.uk YAMAHA Fazer, 1000cc, stainless steel, very good condition, little scratches only, £120. Tel. 07901 661770.

Wanted

BSA wanted for my father who had one when he was young, consider anymodel,goodprice given Tel. Tom 07908 623649.

HONDA CBR600, wanted, open to age, looking really for aproject to occupy my time, please advise re condition, location and price, please text only 07790 512582. Shrewsbury.

ROYAL ENFIELD Interceptor Series 2, 1968-70, any condition considered Tel. 07841 902933.

Miscellaneous

HARLEY-DAVIDSON leather bike jacket black, zipper pockets as new worn once,£75 ono,buyer to collect Tel. 01513 345927. LADIES Ladies Frank Thomas Aqua Gortex touring suit, black/ grey, inner waist coat, body armour, as new,size small, £65. ono Tel. 07850 607141. Rutland. MOTORBIKE mover brand new, never used, cost £200 new, adjustable length to suit bike Tel. 07876 297420. Email. pablopaul1@yahoo.co.uk

OXFORD Airflow all weather bike jacket elbow and shoulder protectors, removable lining, size large, LS 2Rapid helmet, black, size large, original box and bag, Richa boots, size 9, original box. Spartan protective gloves, size medium, Oxford bike cover, Oxford disc lock, Oxford lever lock 2, keysbothasnew hardly worn,soldascomplete lot, buyer to collect, £150. Tel. 01513 345927. TCX TCX Infinityboots, size 8, good condition,£30.Wolfblack leather jacket, 38” chest size, no scuffs, £30 Tel. 07799 220513. VELOCETTE Always in the Picture, 1971, with jacket, £45. Tel. 01452 410622. Glos. WATSONIAN Squire motorcycle trailer, blue, fibreglass, new lights, new inner tubes, new tyres, £350 ono.Givi medium sized tinted screen with fittings, £30. Sissy barchrome, padand rack, £30, suit big cruiser. New Zodiac, HDF front disc, £45. Harley-Davidson 002 PFM disc new, £40 Tel.07704 343331. Stockport.