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STUNG BY THE HORNET

Why we’re raving about Honda’s new, naughty naked

MARCH 2025 # 224

STROKER OF GENIUS

Are we in store for a modernday 2-stroke for the masses?

A DATE IN THE DESERT: PART 1

Searching for adventure in the Sahara

USED ICON: SUZUKI TL1000R

Essential buying guide knowledge

CONTENTS 3

INSIDE THIS MONTH MARCH 2025

28

STUNG BY THE HORNET Riding and rating Honda’s new naughty naked Hornet SP

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14

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SUPERSPORT SAVIOUR

Exploring the virtues of the revitalised, smarter and sharper CBR600RR

MODERN-DAY STROKER?

Wishful thinking or are we about to clap eyes on a new and exciting twostoke for the masses? V3 motor… and where it’s likely to end up

20

38

A date in the desert: Part 1

Seeking sand and scars, join us for part one of this off-road adventure to the Sahara

Welcome to the issue…

M

y local track, Cadwell Park, had its first trackday of the year this weekend. For context, I’m writing this in mid-February and the temp’s around 5-10 degrees. It’s fresh, you could say, but it didn’t stop a solid number of people turning up and going full throttle for their first fix of the year. While some look to the snowdrops and daffodils for the early signs of spring, hearing bikes is all the cue I need to start getting excited about the season ahead.

One big goal of mine is to ride more miles

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

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

on a few bikes I own, starting off with getting them serviced and MOT’d. It’s the same process every year but that kind of task somehow manages to sneak up and catch me out… meaning it’s often mid-year before I’m on top of the chores.

Why? Well, there are so many other bikes to test at this point in time, meaning my own stuff gets pushed back, whether I like it or not. We are now in the thick of launch season, getting to grips with the latest and greatest offerings that 2025 has on offer. One bike that seems to have

Advertising Simon Meyer 01507 529310 Advertising deadline for April issue 12th March 2025 Sales and Distribution Manager Carl Smith Marketing Manager Charlotte Park Commercial Director Nigel Hole Customer services number 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm

bwilson@mortons.co.uk really caught people by surprise is the Honda Hornet, which has impressed from a riding perspective, as well as its pricing.

Perhaps Honda’s pulled a real blinder with that one, but I’ll let you be the judge.

Make sure to check out this issue’s review of it, and if you’re off to test ride one, let us know what you make of it. Or any of the new 2025 models, for that matter.

BRUCE Editor

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

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4 NEWS

Triumph’s continued need for Speed…

Words: Alan Dowds

The Speed Triple first appeared in 1991, and just a few years later the reborn Triumph brand sold its first Speed Triple – a three-cylinder naked roadster with bulldog breed spirit and punchy performance, first produced in 750 and 900 formats. It took its name from the old Speed Twin models of the pre-war period and took its engine and chassis from the ‘modular’ range of bikes that the Hinckley factory launched with.

The three- and four-cylinder engines in that initial model range borrowed engineering cues from 1980s Kawasaki powerplants, and were designed so that common rods, 76mm pistons, valves, cranks and cases could be mixed and matched to make a range of capacities in short 55mm and long 65mm stroke formats, from the 750 triple to a 1200 four, with 900s and 1000s in between.

The modular range worked well overall, but the 900 Speed Triple was one of the best of the bunch, and the 750 Triple soon was dropped. The 885cc 12-valve DOHC motor was strong and grunty, the streetfighter design was on-trend for the times, and it actually handled well, too. It swept aside the competition – tame nonsense like the Kawasaki Zephyr 750 and Honda CB750 – and arguably created the class that saw the likes of the Suzuki Bandit 1200 – the factory performance supernaked bike.

Over the three decades since, the Speed Triple has been transformed from a parts-bin naked, built from cast-off sportsbike parts, into one of the firm’s highest performance machines. It gained an aluminium frame, single-sided swingarm and modern fuel-injected engine parts from the Daytona 955i superbike at the end of the 1990s, when the first bug-eyed twin headlamps also appeared. Through the 2000s power, capacity and capability soared, before a full redesign with a new chassis and powerplant for the 2010s.

And now, for 2025, it’s a full-on 1200 super-naked design, with the most powerful engine ever built by the Triumph factory – a solid 180.5bhp, with semi-active suspension and track-ready rider aids. But it’s still recognisably a

Speed Triple with that single-sided swingarm, a pair of insectoid headlamps and the trademark three-cylinder motor hanging from the aluminium tubular-style frame.

What’s the big news for this latest Triple then? Well, the mods on the 1160cc 12-valve DOHC triple engine are fairly minimal – intake and exhaust tweaks, giving it a few more peak ponies than last year and enough to lift it to 180.5bhp @ 10,750rpm with 128Nm of torque at 8750rpm. Those are good numbers – but are some way off the ultimate loony supernakeds, the 210bhp BMW M1000 R and 214bhp Ducati Streetfighter V4S. Still, a 180bhp naked bike is far from a dull thing, even in 2025, and Triumph’s given it a chassis and electronics package to help get the most out of it. The big chassis update is the suspension, which now has the Öhlins Smart EC3.0 ECU, with an ‘objective-based’ interface.

That means instead of just a matrix of numbers to adjust, you get parameters like ‘firmness’, ‘brake support’ or ‘acceleration support’ to tweak instead, making a more user-friendly set up. The new semi-active control set up looks after the fully adjustable 43mm USD front fork and rear monoshock with compression/rebound adjustment, and there’s also a new steering damper fitment to calm down the front end.

Triumph’s extended the rider aids package for 2025, too, so you now get four-level adjustable wheelie control, independent of the cornering traction, plus a new brake slide control function for use on track, which gives more rear wheel lift and a degree of front end slip to push that bit harder on circuit. Cornering ABS, engine brake control, five power modes and keyless ignition/fuel cap/steering lock, plus Bluetooth phone link, cruise control and an up/down quickshifter all round off the technology nicely.

New, lighter wheels come shod with the finest Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 supersport tyres, the wet weight is now 199kg, and there’s a load of new accessories, including an Akrapovic titanium silencer. Price is a solid £17,495 and it’ll be in dealers in April.

NEWS 5

Cruiser corner 2025 sees a slew of updates to some cool cruising kit…

Harley-Davidson 2025 Pan America ST and Road Glide ST CVO Harley-Davidson released some new model updates for 2025, with a couple of eye-catching machines in there.

First up is the Pan America 1250 ST, a road-focused version of its giant adventure tourer, with a lower stance, less suspension travel, cast wheels and 17-inch sporttouring tyres in place of the on/off road kit fitted to the standard bike.

The engine remains the same 1252cc 60° V-twin DOHC Revolution Max unit, making a solid 149bhp, and it now comes with a 47mm USD front fork and rear monoshock with electronic preload adjustment, both by Showa. It comes with a quickshifter as standard, weighs in at a chunky-but-notoutlandish 246kg wet, and is priced to sell at £16,995.

At the other end of the scale is this, the 2025 HarleyDavidson Road Glide ST CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) factory special. It’s based around the bike used by Harley in the King of the Baggers AMA race series, so has the most powerful factory H-D engine ever: a tuned 1980cc Milwaukee Eight 121 H.O. engine making 127bhp.

It’s also loaded with carbon fibre bodywork – though still somehow weighs in at 380kg. A front end with twin Brembo monobloc radial calipers, fully adjustable Showa USD 47mm front forks, and Showa remote reservoir twin rear shocks round off the mad spec list. What’s even crazier is the price though: £41,495.

BMW R18 refreshed – but no R20 S, yet BMW’s enormous R18 mega-boxers have had some very minor tweaks, aimed at meeting the tighter Euro 5+ emissions rules. So, the 1802cc air-cooled flat twin motor has a new ECU, which keeps power the same at 91bhp, but adds an extra 5Nm of torque. The new engine is shared amongst the range: the R18 Classic

Indian releases new engine for 2025 big twin range The other American big V-twin bike maker, Indian, also has been working on the upgrades. For 2025, it’s got a new engine, the liquid-cooled 112CI (1834cc) PowerPlus, which puts out a decent 126bhp and 181.4Nm of torque and is based on the King of the Baggers race bike motor. It’s fitted to the new Chieftain and Roadmaster models, both of which are upgraded for 2025 with more performance riding aids and touring kit.

The air-cooled range also gets some tweaks, with the 1890 Thunderstroke engine powering the new Sport Chief RT and Super Chief Dark Horse. The RT comes with locking hard luggage, comfort dual seat and PowerBand Audio Bluetooth speaker accessory, while the Dark Horse comes with a super-black finish using premium gloss paint.

More info on the Indian website.

cruiser, Transcontinental mega-tourer, B bagger and Roctane chopper. There’s also a load of small chassis and equipment changes, aiming at improving handling and comfort. No sign as yet, though, of the R20 S sporty roadster behemoth we’re desperate to see from them, which appeared as a concept last year.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Royal Enfield’s small-bore 350 singles have been selling like hot chapatis since they launched a few years back. But with competition from Triumph’s 400 singles and the new Honda GB350 S, the Indian firm may have to up its game. It’s started here, with an updated Classic 350, that gets LED lights, disc rear brake, dual ABS, gear indicator and USB-C socket. It’s still quite slow with 20bhp, and still quite cheap, at £4459 new.

6 NEWS

Garmin radar On-board radar equipment has been available on some of the fancier bikes for a few years now. And now aftermarket electronics specialist Garmin has developed an aftermarket add-on rearfacing radar set up to add the safety tech to older bikes.

The new Zumo-R1 radar unit provides warning lights on your dash covering your rear blindspot areas, warning if another vehicle is getting too close. You can even link it to a smartphone app, or suitable

Suzuki zero per cent offer Garmin Zumo sat-nav unit for a heads-up radar display showing vehicles behind you. You also get audio warnings through a linked Bluetooth headset, and optional rear and side-facing lights make you more visible to other vehicles, too.

The discreet R1 radar unit mounts unobtrusively on the rear mudguard, and comes with the handlebar-mounted warning lights, and phone link app.

It costs £519.99. More info at www. garmin.com

The season is only just kicking off, and the bike firms are pushing hard for sales already. It’s a buyer’s market out there, as evidenced by deals like this from Suzuki GB. The brand’s offering 0% finance for four years across a number of models, on either PCP or HP, with a minimum deposit

of £1000, and runs until the end of March 2025.

The deal covers the GSX-S1000 family, including the GX and GSXS1000GT, as well as the naked GSX-S1000 roadster and the Katana.

It’s also available on the V-Strom 1050 and 1050DE and Tour versions, as well as the GSX1300 R Hayabusa.

NEWS 7

Planet Orange KTM 125s Down in the smaller eighth-litre class, KTM’s been hard at work with two new hardcore learner-legal variants. The 125 SMC R and Enduro R are similar to the 390 models, with the same basic set up: 17-inch rims, sticky tyres and stronger brakes on the supermoto SMC, and serious dirt wheels and rubber for the Enduro. They also share the 125cc version of the LC4c engine, making the maximum 15bhp/11kW allowed, which has similar Euro5+ updates as the 390 motor for this year. Both models cost £4899 and are on sale now.

KTM 790 Duke

Finally – the orange brand has given the 790 Duke a bit of a spruce-up for 2025. The mental middleweight hoonigan machine gets a new five-inch TFT dashboard with access to KTM’s Demo Mode, a telemetry screen and six-setting Anti-wheelie Mode.

There’s also all-new backlit switchgear, and the firm’s added a four-year manufacturer’s warranty. It will cost £7999 and is in the shops now.

KTM 390 Adventure The trend for ever-bigger adventure bikes has us scratching our heads sometimes. Okay, if you’re going on a month-long jaunt across Europe two-up with luggage for four strapped on, a 150-200bhp, 250kg tourer-on-stilts makes a lot of sense. But if you actually want to do any off-road antics, smaller and lighter is almost always the way to go. Hence the success of frankly tiny machinery like the Honda CRF300 Rally or Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 – both very slow, but much easier to handle in mud or sand than the 1200cc giants.

KTM’s been in on this action, too, though it took a while to catch on. Its 390 Adventure first appeared in 2020 and was a big hit, with solid performance, up towards the limits of the A2 licence limits with 43bhp and 158kg dry. Nimble handling, decent equipment levels and sharp styling lifted it above less-accomplished competition, and it’s carved out a neat little niche for itself in the market.

Five years on then, the Austrian firm has expanded and updated the 390 Adventure offering, with two models in the range: a more dirt-focused Adventure R, and a cheaper, more basic roadbiased Adventure X. The X has cast aluminium wheels, with a 19inch front and 17-inch rear rim, and either Apollo Tramplr XR or MRF Meteor road-focused tyres.

The WP APEX suspension has less travel, with unadjustable 43mm USD front forks and a preloadonly adjustable rear shock. Add in a fixed front brake disc instead of a floating unit, and that’s the main chassis differences between the X and R. The R, as you’d expect, gets proper wire-spoked rims with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear and dirt-capable Mitas Enduro Trail E07+ rubber, plus longer travel suspension. The WP APEX kit has solid spec: a 43mm open cartridge USD forks with 230mm of travel, adjustable for compression and rebound in 30 click steps, and a Separate Piston rear shock, also with 230mm of travel plus both preload and rebound adjustment. The front disc is a floating design and uses the same twin-piston floating caliper as the X model.

The two variants use the same engine: a mildly tweaked version of the excellent 399cc DOHC 4v l/c LC4c unit, now Euro 5+ emissions compliant.

The cylinder head has been redesigned, with revised cooling system and a thermostat housed directly into the head, while intake and exhaust mods, plus a new double catalyst, clean things up while keeping power about the same as last year: 44bhp claimed. All-up weight is 165kg, without fuel, but otherwise ready to ride, so a little heavier than the old bike.

The other main difference between the X and R is the dash: the R has a fancy colour LCD TFT, the X gets a cheaper mono display. Both work with new switchgear to operate the respective rider aids package, and again the R has fancier kit, with an IMU-assisted ECU for cornering traction control and ABS functions. Both bikes have rider power modes: Off-road, Street and Rain, and the traction control can be turned off completely for use on the dirt. There’s new LED lighting all round, Bluetooth phone link for calls, music, messaging and navigation, and there’re also options for cruise control, and an up/down quickshifter unit.

The new 2025 KTM 390 Adventure range will arrive in showrooms throughout the year - the R variant hitting dealers in late March, with the X variant following in the autumn. UK pricing is £5,399 for the X and £6,699 for the R. • KTM’s also released a brace of more serious 390 machinery using the same LC4c engine as the Adventure. The 390 SMC R is a full-on supermoto with 17-inch wheels, sticky rubber, and a 320mm front brake disc, priced at £5699. And the 390 Enduro R gives a serious enduro option with 21-inch front wheel, minimalist dirtbike kit and the same £5699 rrp.

KTM finance story The situation at KTM and parent firm Pierer Mobility is a fast-changing one, and by the time you read this things may look very different. As we went to press, though, there was some solid news, which seemed positive on the face of it for the future of the orange brand. The CEO, Stefan Pierer, left the firm in late January, seen as part of the necessary changes to restructure massive debts. At the same time, it was announced that the previous owners of MV Agusta, the Sardarov family, had taken back control, and now owns the 50.1 per cent shareholding which Pierer Mobility bought just last May. The Russian family now owns the entire Varese brand once again, through its Art of Mobility company.

8 ADVERTORIAL

SHARK

What does dualhomologated actually mean?!

Simply put, ‘dual homologation’ is the official way of saying that the helmet can legally - and has been tested and passed the necessary certifications - be worn in two different ways. Full face and open face - sometimes called ‘jet’ - are the most common styles chosen. The most recent ECE regulations - that stands for the Economic Commission for Europe - are ECE 22.06.

offers the best of both worlds

transitions between modes and locks the chin guard into the open position for peace of mind and security.

Constructed with high-impact Lexan polycarbonate, the OXO offers exceptional shock absorption - even under extreme temperatures ranging from -10°C to +50°C - so rest assured wherever you choose to ride, you’re covered. Talking of temperatures, there are two adjustable air intakes with full or partial opening options, even with gloves on.

CUSTOMISED FOR YOU

For 2025, SHARK has launched the brand-new OXO helmet, but what’s it all about?

The latest announcement to come from the SHARK stable is its first ECE 22.06 dual-homologated helmet, the OXO, delivering the ultimate versatility for those riders wanting all the benefits of a full and open-faced helmet while they’re out and about on their travels.

Known for its innovation, it’s no surprise that SHARK launched the firstever dual-homologated lid back in 2011 with its ‘Evo’ family so extra points to helmet aficionados for thinking it looks slightly familiar - but you’d be wrong for thinking it’s the same…

WHAT’S NEW?

The OXO benefits from a brand-new streamlined shape to reduce drag for peak performance and less neck fatigue. It also features SHARK’s ‘2 Digit Unlock’ mechanism specifically designed to enable quick and seamless

Interview with…Jean-Frédéric Long, project manager R&D at SHARK What are the biggest challenges of making a dual-homologated helmet?

Firstly - and most obviously - the helmet must fulfil certification requirements in both full-face and jet positions, which is no mean feat in itself. Not only must they pass the certification, but also the helmet must keep the same level of comfort, design and balance as much as possible in both positions, as it will be used most of

the time in open or closed positions depending on the rider’s use.

What changes have been made to the OXO since the ‘EVO’ series was launched?

There are a whole host of changes from the EVO platform to the OXO. Most noticeable is the helmet’s styling. By using current dynamic design codes visible on other Shark helmets - Skwal i3 and Spartan GT Pro - the EVO is unmistakably SHARK.

When you’re a company that has sold millions of helmets worldwide, you’ll know that fit is an extremely important factor, so SHARK is offering cheek pads in a variety of thicknesses as an option with the OXO - acknowledging the reality that we all have different shaped heads!

Following a campaign of anatomical 3D head shape scans by the brand, SHARK developed ‘Best Fit’ by SHARK to contribute towards a second-skin experience when it comes to fit comfort.

There’s a choice of two shell sizes and six liner options, too. Talking of liners, the interior is made from recycled fibres using SHARK’s ‘Eco Circle’ technology, and its posh AEGIS anti-bacterial treatment helps keep it fresh on every ride. It’s also washable for those who are so inclined.

CLEAR VISION

The anti-scratch visor comes with a Pinlock 70, offers a wide field

We’ve improved the chin-bar locking system. With bigger components and simplified rotation movement, the chinbar handling from jet to full-face position is even easier to use and there’s now an improved vision field thanks to the bigger visor.

We also intensified the work regarding the Intercom integration: the OXO helmet can be equipped with highperformance SENA devices specifically designed for Shark helmets.

of vision of the road ahead, and locks with a central tab which can be operated with one hand, even while gloved. There’s an inbuilt sun visor, too, which has been treated with both anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings for crystal-clear vision, even on those ‘low sun’ rides. There’s a variety of visor options to choose from, too, depending on your mood or style - including iridium and tinted options.

STAY CONNECTED

SHARK has replaced its old ‘SHARKTOOTH’ system and has partnered with Sena to deliver integrated comms systems called ‘Sena for SHARK’. Compatible with the entire 22.06 lineup from SHARK - aside from the all-out-race Aeron GP - the units have been designed to match the helmet’s contours. Available in both Mesh and Bluetooth connectivity options, the units have 40mm speakers, Advanced Noise Control, and up to 15 hours of battery life.

Who’s SHARK? Founded in 1989 by motorcycle enthusiasts, the Teston brothers, SHARK has since sold more than 11 million helmets in more than 82 countries around the globe.

Based in Marseille, France, the brand is synonymous with racing, safety and cutting-edge innovation. Working with riders in MotoGP such as Johann Zarco, knowledge and technology developed for the race track filter down the range, such as anti-fog visor coatings and ventilation systems.

10 PRODUCTS

OUR TOP

10 PRODUCTS

THIS MONTH

1

Words: Alan Dowds

BMW M Pro Race helmet RRP: £640 www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk

If you ride a BMW M1000 R or RR and want a matching lid, then the Munich massive has just the thing. BMW’s own M Pro Race helmet is a top-end, full-face sporty design, with adjustable inner padding for perfect fit, carbon-fibre/ aramid/fibreglass outer shell, aero spoiler, and quick-release visor.

It’s optimised for track use as you’d expect, with a specially shaped shell to avoid collarbone impacts, and it’s cut high to fit with race leathers at the back. The spoiler detaches easily in a crash to reduce twisting forces, while also reducing drag at speed. Loads of vents, and now available in this new red Sprint colourway for 2025.

2

Desert Fox Fuel cell

RRP: £46 (3l) £49 (6l) £55 (20l) www.nippynormans.com

For some reason bike makers are shrinking fuel tank sizes: 14 litres isn’t unusual now, and the days of 18- or 19-litre tanks on ‘normal’ bikes seem to have gone. Okay, modern engines are better on fuel, but if you’re hitting the gas hard, consumption goes up, and you’re hunting for unleaded after 100 miles or so. Meaning that on longer trips, in the Scottish Highlands or other rural spots it can be a pain. Carrying a standard fuel can is one answer, but these Desert Fox fuel cells from Nippy Norman are much more satisfying. They pack flat when not in use, and even when full are much easier to pack. They come in three-, six- or 20-litre sizes, have built-in webbing straps, securing loops, and an extending spout. They’re made with a tough nylon inner bladder inside a Cordura outer, so they’re built to last.

3

Shark OXO helmet

RRP: £319.99 www.nevis.uk.com

Shark has plenty of experience with flip-front lids – its EVO models are great daily or touring designs. And it’s put all that wisdom into the new OXO helmet. It’s a convertible lid, which is approved as an open-face and full-face helmet with the chin bar in place. The OXO switches easily between open and closed, with the chin bar locking securely at the back for open face use – ideal for riding in hotter weather.

Away from the chin bar, there’s an advanced visor system with large aperture, central visor locking tab, and a separate internal sun visor.

There’re two adjustable air intakes, a washable liner with emergency removable cheek pads, and an adjustable fit with alternative internal padding sizes available. Shark has also developed an integrated communication system for the OXO, in association with SENA, available as an optional extra.

4

Alpinestars Austral GTX boots

RRP: £209.99 www.alpinestars.com

The latest version of Alpinestars’ shorty riding boot, the Austral has a breathable, waterproof Gore-Tex membrane, Primaloft thermal insulation in the upper, and a grippy rubber sole which is designed for comfort when walking as well as on the bike.

There’s a lace and Velcro strap closure system, microfi bre outer microfibre material construction, and a comfortable fi t. There’s plenty fit. of protection, too: reinforced sole shank, dual-density ankle protectors, TPU heel counter, and strengthened toe box.

5

TCX Naibak boots RRP: £179 www.tcxboots.com

Another urban/touring short riding boot, this time from TCX. The Naibak is a waterproof design with a T-Dry membrane, and Britishdesigned D3O armour inserts in the ankle area. There’s also a reinforced ZPlate insert in the sole to reduce twisting in an impact, Ortholite insoles for extra comfort, and a Groundtrax outer sole for good grip on and off the bike. The CE-approved Naibak also comes in woman-specific fittings, with thinner toe and heel and a higher instep for increased comfort and protection.

6

Akrapovic titanium crash bars RRP: £1399 www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Akrapovic has plenty of experience with titanium and carbon fibre, of course: it’s been making sweet, sweet race pipes out of those materials for decades. And now it’s turned that experience to a new product: titanium crash bars, with carbon fibre impact sliders, designed to fit the new BMW R1300 GS/ Adventure. The bars are TIGwelded from sandblasted 25mm titanium tubing for super-lightweight (2.8kg, 40 per cent the weight of steel, with the same strength) and great corrosion resistance.

The carbon-fibre protection pads are 2.5mm thick to give extra structural strength and are easily swapped after a crash. Akrapovic says the bars don’t reduce the lean angle, and fits to engine and chassis via stock mounting points and machined 10mm fitting flanges.

8

Oxford Snapjack stand

RRP: £49.99 www.oxfordproducts.com

Handy little prop stand, designed to lift the back wheel off the deck for chain and wheel cleaning and maintenance without getting the big paddock stand out. Simple adjustable twopiece design with removable locking pins, and antislip foot, you just engage it with the swingarm and push straight, lifting the tyre off the deck.

7

PRODUCTS 11

Sena 60S helmet comms unit

RRP: £359.99 www.feridax.com

New high-end intercom unit from top brand SENA, the 60S has the latest communication tech including WAVE and Mesh3.0 connectivity, Harman-Kardon speakers, and a new AIbased noise cancelling algorithm.

There’s a handy builtin fl ashlight, a magnetic mounting flashlight, system, and customisable faceplates. It’s updateable over the air with new fi rmware to firmware improve features in future and is, of course, fully waterproof to IPX7 level.

9

GB Racing Speed Triple 1050 engine guards

RRP: £83.94 (alternator), £89.94 (clutch), £65.22 (starter), or £282.95 for the set. www.gbracing.eu Fair play to British crash protection firm GB Racing – it’s still developing products for older bikes, like the 2016-2020 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 models.

These engine guards are the same tech as the FIM-approved race guards used on BSB and WSBK machinery with tough nylon construction and easy fitting. They’re available as separate alternator, clutch and starter covers, or as a full set.

10

Louis Moto denim jacket RRP: £233.85 www.louis-moto.co.uk

The traditional denim jacket is a classic look, and you can now have one with some decent riding protection built in. German firm Louis Moto has released this smart (but appallingly named) DL-JM-13 jacket, with tough denim construction and CE-approved armour in the shoulders and

elbows. There’s a pocket for an optional back protector, it’s got secure zip and button fastening, and it’ll definitely pass as normal clothing off the bike. Love a bit of ‘double denim’? There’re matching CE-approved jeans available, too.

12 YOUR RIDE

Your Ride

WIN!

WINNING RIDE

You can win a pair of WEISE TEMPEST RAIN JACKET AND PANTS WORTH £129.98. Made from tear-resistant Ripstop fabric, the Tempest Jacket and Pants are waterproof and designed to be easy to put on and take off in a hurry. Zipped pockets and reflective strips add to the practicality. Find out more at www.weiseclothing.com

For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikes Facebook page and upload a pic of your bike, tell us where you’ve been on it and why you love it… and you could find yourself staring back at yourself from within these very pages. Oh, and we’ll also pick a winner at random each month for a well-earned prize, courtesy of our friends at the Key Collection. What are you waiting for?

WINNER - Tim Bell

Moto Morini

Tim’s lovely looking 81 Morini 3 1:2 Sport. NLM ignition, Valentini exhaust, Marzocchi shocks and LSL clip-ons. Restored by the previous and only UK owner.

Carl Stokes

Suzuki GP100

Lyn Davies Stuart Shaw

Yamaha YZF750

The almighty, five-valve per cylinder YZF750. An iconic sports bike.

Triumph Daytona T595

Snapped up for £500 in parts, Lyn rebuilt the Triumph over a long period.

James

BMW K1200S

Having fun in the Scottish Borders on his last generation 1200S.

Lloyd Hilldrup

Honda Africa Twin

Bought a year ago, Lloyd is a big fan of his 1999 adventure bike.

You can almost smell the two-stroke from here. The kind of bike that’s powered a lot of youthful memories, undoubtedly.

Mel Jenkins Gary Gray

Yamaha FZR1000

Gary’s cherished FZR. Still looks great, don’t you think?

Suzuki GS1000

Another super retro shot from Mel Jenkins and his hairy-chested Suzuki GS1000.

Phil Green

Yamaha TTR 250

Phil’s owned his TTR for 24 years and still makes use of it on special occasions.

Julian Kent

Yamaha RD350

Who doesn’t want an RD in their collection?

Diodoro Godinez

Suzuki Katana

There’s something so striking about Katanas.

Peter Callister

765

Triumph Daytona Moto2

Here’s something you don’t see every day… the limited-edition Moto2 Daytona. Stunning.

James McPake

Suzuki GSX-R750

James’ wife loves his 91 GSX-R almost as much as he does.

Darran Bowers

Yamaha FZ1N

Darran says the FZ ranks in the top five of the 98 bikes he’s owned so far.

Steve Askew

Aprilia Tuono V4

Steve Askew might have a Ducati helmet, but that’s definitely an Aprilia he’s on here.

Andrew Bickley

Suzuki GSX-S1000F

There’s a happy man right there… Andrew and his tasty new Suzuki GSX-S1000F, complete with Yoshimura can!

14 FIRST RIDE

Naked ambition: Honda Hornet

The naked bike sector is molten hot right now and to ensure Honda’s at the forefront of people’s minds, it’s just unleashed its latest iteration Hornet. With impressive tech, great performance and a price-tag to make its rivals weep, you can be sure a fair few of these are set to sell fast Words: John McAvoy Pics Honda

With the big ticket ‘Supernaked’ class well and truly occupied by 200bhp fully loaded KTMs, Ducatis, Kawasakis and Aprilias, the trend towards more affordable, simpler naked bikes with enough power to entertain is in full swing. Yamaha, Triumph, Ducati, BMW and Kawasaki have been right in the thick of the action, and while Honda have had the CB1000 in their range, it’s never really ticked the ‘Exciting’ box, but now they’ve only gone and given the CB1000 a ‘Hornet’ badge, which should mean a whole different proposition.

The 2025 CB1000 Hornet, just like the Hornet 900, gets its engine from a discontinued Fireblade, but this time not from one that’s already out of date.

This one comes from the 20172019 Fireblade which has been slightly detuned to 154bhp in the SP version, and 148bhp in the base version. Both figures are bang on the money for where Honda are pitching this bike at £9999 for the SP and £8999 for the base.

Industry rumours suggest that Honda originally wanted to use the 2008 Fireblade engine as per

the CB1000, but feedback from European dealers was lukewarm to say the least. Honda listened and turned to the next generation Fireblade engine from the 2017 bike, hence the big delay between when Honda first mooted the Hornet and it actually appearing.

That engine had quite modest power figures by superbike standards at the time, but at 189bhp it’s comfortably in the ballpark for an affordable naked bike in 2025, especially when getting it from its Euro 4 spec to today’s Euro 5+ spec would also conveniently just happen to take

it down to the 154bhp quoted for the Hornet, which is plenty.

This was done courtesy of narrower throttle bodies, lower cam lift and conservative cam timing with a tweak to the ignition timing, a new ride-by-wire set up, too, plus clipping 2000rpm off the revs has all helped the Fireblade engine make the jump in terms of emissions and therefore fit for modern-day purpose quite straightforward while also landing on just the right amount of power and torque. Other key changes to the engine include cast pistons instead of forged ones to keep

the cost down, shorter gear ratios from 1st to 4th, and an up-and-down quickshifter which, curiously, has adjustable cut time for both upshifts and down shifts separately, which I think might be a first on any production bike.

Both bikes get an all-new steel twin beam frame, which is bespoke for the Hornet and which has pretty aggressive geometry.

In case there was any doubt as to what the intention is with the Hornet’s chassis, it’s rake and trail is the same as a Triumph Street Triple 765RS and its wheelbase is 21mm shorter than the KTM 990

HONDA HORNET CB1000 15

Duke, and it has a 180-section rear tyre – the same as a Yamaha MT09. Key differences between the SP and the base model are as well as getting the extra power, the SP also gets Brembo Stylema brake calipers instead of Nissins, and an Ohlins TTX36 rear shock over the base spec which gets Showa

kit which only has adjustment for preload in the rear shock.

Then there’s the price, which at less than £10k for a bike with Ohlins suspension, Brembo Stylema brakes and over 150bhp is simply amazing for the SP, and just under £9000 for the base bike causes a real headache for

the competition. For reference, a Yamaha MT-10 comes in at £14,000, the Ohlins-shod version is £16,000 – granted it has a little bit more power, a lot more tech and the Ohlins is electronic. The 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V2S with Ohlins and Stylemas is £16,000, the Suzuki GSX-S1000 which has no bling whatsoever and about the same power and is therefore comparable to the base Hornet is £2,000-£3000 more! The 2025 Kawasaki Z900 has no price released at the time of writing, but the previous SE model – which has the bling but not quite as much power as the Hornet – is/ was just over £11,000.

This could be Honda’s finest hour, and on paper this could be the worthiest Honda since 1969 to wear the ‘CB’ badge, let alone the ‘Hornet’ badge. If there’s one thing that history tells us about Honda, it is that when they decide to go big and go hard, they have a habit of doing so with such success that they make everyone else look a bit daft. I’m thinking RC30, Fireblade, NR750, RCV213V-S, VFR750 and yes, the CB750 are just some examples of when Honda go big.

It’s been a while – to put it mildly – since Honda have produced a game-changer, and with the Hornet’s spec sheet promising

a colossal amount for the price, I spent a good deal of time on the journey to the press launch wondering what the catch was.

Then we arrived in Benidorm…

Who knew that Benidorm and Honda could deliver such unexpected surprises? In the case of Benidorm, if you head into the surrounding hills instead of the seafront, not only will you be rewarded with better views, but you will also find the most spectacular riding roads, the likes of which I can honestly say hand on heart are amongst the very best I’ve ever ridden on anywhere in the world. Billiard table smooth, virtually traffic free, mostly second and third gear corners linked by straight bits of Tarmac rarely more than a few hundred metres long for the whole 150Kkm we spent riding. It was motorcycling nirvana.

As for the Honda, the first thing, and I mean the very first thing,

16 FIRST RIDE The Hornet’s road to redemption…

For some people of a certain age, the name ‘Hornet’ conjures up memories and thoughts of a bike that when it came along was right in the thick of the 90s boom in motorcycle sales and can be credited with providing literally thousands of people their first tase of what a ‘proper’ bike was. Hornets were cool, fun and versatile, and were equally competent in the hands of a novice as they were an experienced rider. Using the engine from their spectacularly popular CBR600F brought supersport performance to a different package that was popular with headbangers and newbies alike.

For other people of an even older certain age, the ‘CB’ name represents something even more significant.

The Honda CB750 from 1969 is regarded by many to be THE original superbike by virtue of the fact that its fundamental architecture is still to this day the starting point for many, if not all, motorcycle designers.

It was the first mass-produced four-cylinder bike, the first with an electric starter, the first with disc brakes, and it killed off what was left of the British motorcycle industry at a stroke. It also caused Kawasaki to stop their own superbike project that they were working on and go back to their drawing board to start again on what would later be their Z1. In case you weren’t already aware, hopefully you see now that any bike which carries the ‘CB’ and/or ‘Hornet’ badges, has a lot to live up to.

The 600 Hornet debuted in 1998, got a hefty update in 2007 with a CBR 600RR engine replacing the old ‘Steelie’ CBR 600F engine. Then again in 2011 it got another update, but this one was much less exciting, with another new engine, again from the modern-day CBR600F, which, being blunt, was nothing like as good as the original CBR600F and not even in the same postcode as the CBR600RR. Some might say – me included – that when the final version of the Hornet 600 was discontinued in 2013, it was sweet mercy, because it just wasn’t cut from the same cloth as the previous two versions. The Hornet had lost its sting, and was trading only on its name, which you can only do for so long…

Obviously, in 2023 Honda reintroduced the Hornet name and CB derivative, this time on a bike with a 755cc parallel twin engine and Transalp frame, so while not at all following the same formula as the original Hornet, according to Bruce the Hornet 750 is a fun, versatile bike that can be made to go very fast if desired or is just as happy pootling around, and so very much worthy of the name. So, it was with a huge sigh of relief that when Honda announced the new CB1000 Hornet for 2025, they confirmed that it would have a Fireblade engine at its heart just like the original, bigger Hornet.

You see, while the Hornet 600 was being lapped up in the showrooms in the late 90s, by 2002 Honda figured that with the Fireblade also flying out showroom doors, surely they could apply the Hornet formula to it, too, and so the Hornet 900 was created. It used an older 919cc Fireblade engine which had been around between 1996 and 1999, so arguably they resurrected an engine from a Fireblade which by virtue of being discontinued for several years, was a mistake. The Hornet 900 never really lit up the sales charts like its 600cc stablemate did, and the Hornet 900 was discontinued just five years later, having never really bothered the sales charts.

Maybe the fact that the 600 Hornet used the same engine from a sportsbike at the same time while the bigger Hornet used an older, detuned version of the bigger sportsbike engine might be why the 900 never caught the imagination of the buying public like the 600 did. Maybe the market and buying habits had moved on by the time the 900 came out. After all, by 2007 when the Hornet 900 got the chop, the KTM SuperDuke 990 was already getting its first update. The Hornet 900 with its engine from 1996 was already outdated by the time it was launched.

you notice about the Hornet, before you even get out of the car park of the hotel, is just how light it feels at very low speed, far lighter than a 212kg bike has any right to feel. At 212kg fully fuelled, the Hornet is the same as the MT-10 but feels more like a Street Triple at low speed. In an instant, it becomes obvious that the Hornet is not like any Honda that’s been made for a long time.

When you put a Fireblade into gear and pull away, you know instantly that you’re on something very serious and very capable, and the message is clear – ‘You had better

have brought your A-Game’.

The message that the Hornet screams loud and clear is, ‘You and me are going to have a lot of fun today’, which, coming from a Honda, is a bit like a librarian egging you on to do shots of absinth with them – it’s just not the sort of messaging you’re used to getting from a Honda.

And boy oh boy, the Hornet absolutely delivers on its promise and first impression.

Once you get dialled into the Hornet’s outrageous agility, and instant playfulness, more good stuff keeps jumping out at you, with the next star of the show

being the engine. It’s simply brilliant. The combination of the delivery of power and torque with the shorter gears means that it punches hard at low rpm but doesn’t tail off as the revs climb.

The result is an engine that is incredibly flexible because you can hang on to lower gears between corners and rev it hard, or if you prefer to, you can short shift and cover the ground just as quick.

Leaving it in a lower gear and using the upper third of the rev range is not normally something I’d do for long periods on the road because typically the higher up the revs, the more sensitive the

throttle becomes, which can be tricky, but the way Honda have set up the fuel injection is so good that even at those high revs, the throttle feels really smooth and easy to control the off/on transition. It never even occurred to me to try any of the other rider modes – the Hornet comes with Rain, Standard and Sport modes, plus a couple of programable User modes – which is something usually you would do in search of a smoother throttle.

I did, however, use one of the ‘User’ modes to have the traction control switched off in, but alas unlike pretty much every other bike manufacturer, every time you switch the Hornet off, the traction control is reinstated even in the programable ‘User’ mode. This means that you have to access the settings for the mode and switch the traction control off every time you come back to the bike, which earns the Hornet one of very few small marks against it.

Switching the traction control off is something really worth doing for several reasons, not least because there’s plenty of grip from the Bridgestone S22s, but also in the event of a wheelie happening, the system doesn’t have an IMU to measure what’s going on with the actual position of the bike’s chassis. Instead, it uses the same basic set of the very early traction control systems by measuring front and rear wheel speeds, so you initially get lots of lift, then a sudden cut in power that only restores when the wheel is back on the ground, and you’ve completely shut the throttle. It’s really not great, and it’s far better to just have it switched off. With an IMU the process would be much smoother, and it would even

be possible to separate traction control from anti-wheelie.

On the one hand, I could say that the lack of IMU and/or the ability to permanently switch the traction control off via a programable ‘User’ mode is understandable when you look at the price of the Hornet, and it is.

However, on reflection it occurs to me that Honda could probably do those two things really easily and it would probably only add a few hundred quid to the price of each bike, given that they already have the technology on other models in their range. Anyway, it is what it is, a basic set of rider aids, which execute their tasks in a basic way, and it takes about five seconds to deactivate the traction control, so in the grand scheme of things it’s no big deal especially when the rest of the bike is so brilliant.

A BMW-style ‘fun’ button on the switchgear that you can press and hold to switch the traction control off without having to navigate through menus would be perfect.

One piece of tech on the Hornet that I really did like when I eventually found it – the interface with all the tech is not especially intuitive – is the ability to adjust the quickshifter’s cut time independently for up shifts and down shifts. It’s very clever, and as it turns out very useful, and it definitely falls under the heading of things you never knew would be handy until you actually had the chance to use it. There’s a selection of screen layouts that you can choose from for the new 5” colour TFT, all of which are very good – manufacturers usually offer just one or two decent ones and a load of options that are just there for the sake of it and so the manufacturer can claim a big

HONDA HORNET CB1000 17 Engine: The 2017 Fireblade engine gets dusted off and updated for Euro 5+ emissions by getting softer cams with lower lifts, narrower throttle bodies, and losing 2000rpm. It also gets cast pistons instead of forged ones, partially due to not needing forged ones with the power output down from the Fireblade’s 189bhp to the Hornet’s 155bhp, and partially to keep costs down in order to hit the aggressive price. It’s an engaging engine that’s got plenty going on in the midrange and gets very spicy at the top end, and it sounds properly angry, too.

Gearbox: First through to fourth gear are all shorter than the Fireblades, which only adds to the urgency and ease of use of the bike depending on how much you open the throttle. Small amounts for pootling and the shorter ratios make it easy to manoeuvre the bike without the need for loads of revs and clutch slipping.

Open the throttle wide, and the shorter ratios mean the Hornet accelerates pretty much as hard as you want or it will wheelie allday long to your heart’s content.

Chassis: Bespoke for the Hornet, narrow at the middle, wide where it needs to be, it plays a huge part in the Hornet’s trump card of agility and ease of use. It has the same steering geometry as a Triumph Street Triple 765, 20mm shorter wheelbase than a KTM Duke 990, and a 180-section rear tyre just like a Yamaha MT-09.

Its centre of gravity feels like it’s in exactly the right place, and the weight distribution is 51 per cent on the front to continue the aggressive layout.

Design/Style: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no denying that the Hornet’s design and style are bold by any standard, especially Honda’s.

Electronics: Basic selection and basic execution, difficult to navigate to and through, but the TFT screen is pure class. Really needs a BMW-style ‘Fun button’ on the switchgear to disable the traction control easily.

Suspension: Ohlins TTX36 shock in the rear was developed and spec’d bespoke for the Hornet. Front forks are Showa big piston jobs that are fully adjustable. I didn’t adjust anything all day.

Extra power: SP gets a 6bhp boost over the base model, courtesy of a flap in the exhaust which allows Honda to write different fuel and ignition maps. This is why bolting the exhaust of an SP on to the base model won’t make a blind bit of difference. You need the maps/ECU, too.

Brakes: Brembo Stylema calipers add a touch of bling to the SP and deliver big on power. We didn’t ride the base model, so can’t comment if it’s significantly more powerful than the Nissin calipers on the base model, but history tells us that they probably are.

The system does lack ultimate feel, but that could be due to a basic ABS plumbing and pumping system.

number of options. Not so on the Hornet, there’s just a handful, but they’re all spot on.

Back on the road, and the levels of composure that the Hornet delivers at the same time as its agility is another one of those traits that only comes from a combination of just the right amount of weight in just the right place, supported by suspension that’s set up just so, and geometry that holds it all together. It’s the hallmark of a bike that has been thoroughly tested and developed right down to component level.

The suspension has been developed bespoke for the Hornet, and the result of all of that is that the Hornet has a feel and level of composure in all scenarios whether it be loading up under high cornering forces and changes of direction or brushing off bumps with a level of control and damping that makes many bikes twice the Hornet’s price feel cheap and lacking in suspension control.

While the Hornet does ride and feel like something far more expensive, there are little clues around it that do suggest how Honda have managed to produce the bike for what they have. While the brake system does have Brembo Stylema calipers, there is a lack of feel at the lever which could be down to either a cheaper master cylinder, or more likely a basic ABS pumping system is

18 FIRST RIDE

what I’d put my money on. It’s okay, and I’m not mentioning it as a criticism of the bike or its braking system, it’s really just a point to note. Elsewhere, some of the components such as the levers, rearsets, and some of the welding on the exhaust are from the lower end of the quality scale, but by no means cheap.

As a rule of thumb, I try to avoid the subjective topic of looks, and whether a bike looks good or not – that’s up to you. However, what I do want to commit to print is that for a company that have been producing very safe/ conservative/boring looking bikes, the Hornet is a breath of fresh air.

It’s edgy, distinct, unashamedly Japanese, and even parked up on its sidestand it looks like it means business, which is very unlike

Honda to be so in your face.

There’ve been a few comments on the colour of the SP being a bit boring, but in the flesh it looks great, and the gold wheels really do work with the gunmetal grey paint. It’s also nice to see a total lack of wings or any effort whatsoever towards the subject of aerodynamics.

So, the Hornet is properly fast, handles like a dream, has a decent level of finish, looks the part, sounds the part, and costs a snip of what its competition does.

What’s the catch? Well, if there is one, I can’t find it, and I really, really looked. It is an undeniable fact that I laughed my head off more in 150kms on the Hornet than I have done on any Honda, probably any motorbike, for a very long time. At its core is a bike that

is fun, and it’s fun because it’s so easy to get on with. A total novice could easily enjoy the Hornet every bit as much as a seasoned hack like me, and all these things are qualities which have nothing to do with the price whatsoever, but we must talk about the price, almost reluctantly because there’s a risk that the Hornet becomes defined by its price tag, which, while it absolutely deserves to be, seems a little unfair, because it is a properly brilliant bike regardless of its price-tag.

Thanks to its ludicrous price, whichever corner of the motorcycling world you look at for a comparison to the Hornet 1000, the answer always seems to be the same: there isn’t one. There really isn’t a bike, naked or otherwise, that offers so much for so little, and

that puts me into uncomfortable territory when it comes to committing profound words to print for fear of overstating just how significant a bike the Hornet 1000 is. I’ve wracked my brains to think of any bike that comes even close to the same postcode as the Hornet for value AND ability, and I’ve got nothing.

I really do think the Hornet 1000 is going to provide a complete reset to certainly the whole naked bike sector in the same way that the Fireblade did to the superbike sector back in 1992. Every other manufacturer of naked bikes now has a serious headache to deal with, because unless you really don’t like the looks or colour scheme, there is literally no reason to not buy the Hornet 1000… apart from the fact that

Honda UK may well sell out of them; they’re only bringing 1000 into the UK in 2025, and my guess is they’ll all be sold before they even arrive. The Hornet not only has the potential to reset the new naked bike sector, but because it represents such astonishing value for money, I think it also has potential to cause a problem in the used bike market, too. Dealers are going to have to re-evaluate the value of a lot of their used bike stock, too, or sit tight until the Hornet sells out.

So, there it is, I really didn’t see that coming. By pure chance, this was my first-ever Honda press launch after 17 years of writing for magazines, and I’ll be perfectly honest, never in my wildest dreams did I expect my first Honda launch to be such a significant one. I will confess to expecting another decent, useable naked bike, and we would all be able to celebrate the expansion of the sector. I did not expect to be writing about a generational game-changer, but that is exactly what I’ve ended up doing.

Just wow!

SPECS: Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Engine: Type: Bore x Stroke: Compression: Fuelling: Claimed Power: Claimed Torque:

1000cc, liquid-cooled, 4-cyl 76mm x 55.1mm 11.7:1 PGM FI 155bhp @11,000rpm 107Nm @ 9000rpm

Chassis: Frame: Twin spar steel Front Suspension: Showa 41mm SFF-BPP upside-down forks, fully adjustable Rear Suspension: Ohlins TTX36 Monoshock, fully adjustable Front Brakes: Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers Rear Brake: Single-piston caliper, 245mm disc Electronics.

Riding Modes: Traction Control: ABS: Quickshifter/ Autoblipper: Wheelie Control: Launch Control:

Yes No No

Dimensions: Wheelbase: Seat Height: Wet Weight: Fuel Capacity:

1455mm 809mm 212kg 17 litres

Info: Price: From:

Yes Yes Yes

£9999 www.honda.co.uk

20 TESTED

Supersport saviour?

HONDA’S CBR600RR Last year Honda reintroduced its CBR600RR to the world and kitted it out with a raft of new features and tech. On a track test it shone, but what does it have to offer for sports-inclined road riders? There was only one way to find out…

Words: Bruce Photos: Jamie Morris

Without getting too philosophical and putting you in a coma from my musings, I can’t help but kick off my take on the Honda without mentioning that this is a bike for those who are prepared to work a little harder to reap its plentiful rewards.

We live in a world where everything’s instant, from the food we eat to the news hitting our phones… and the same goes for the zest of a contemporary litre bike that’s dripping in performance and ready to rip your arms out of their sockets at any given moment. For that reason, I was understandably underwhelmed when I hopped on the CBR600RR and realised all too quickly that the Honda’s revhungry motor took an absolute eternity to get its act together and deliver the kind of speed I was hoping for.

Those first few miles on this thing had me questioning my inaugural ravings for the

machine, having sampled it on its launch at Portimao at the start of last year. On track, even in the wet, this thing felt capable of putting the biggest smile on my face, screaming its way through the revs with a soundtrack that could make even the most hardcore of bike haters happy.

Honestly, one of these on song is a sound to behold, and the same has to be said about chucking one around a racetrack – life doesn’t get much better.

Out on the road, however, I was cursing its lack of life, that only began to warm up over 7000rpm, with the real zest kicking in above 900 0revs. That’s where the party started, and that’s where I had to keep things for the sake of my sanity. It was hard work, but with time, miles and an ever-growing understanding of how important gear selections were, the bike was beginning to win me over.

For context, it’d probably been a few years since I had last ridden

a 600 on the roads and in that time I’d clearly forgotten how to pedal one, but with every apex and twist of the throttle, the fun and challenge of nailing such a bike seemed to lure me in rather than push me a way. Making around 120bhp, the Honda’s not exactly lacking in ponies but it’s when you consider the peak power hits home at 14,000 revs you realise the writing on the wall, backed up by peak torque at over 11,000rpm.

Ask yourself, when was the last time you saw 11k on your rev-counter, let alone 14k – a figure that some bikes don’t’ even offer? On the roads, hitting those kinds of revs felt ludicrous and sounded pretty mental, too.

At times it felt like I was having to risk an ASBO on the RR as it screamed its way through the sleepy villages I was traversing. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cringe, but the one thing I wasn’t prepared to do was let off.

Life on a 600RR is not only loud, but full-on, and the same can be said of the riding position that demands you fold yourself up life a piece of origami to fit its condensed ergonomics. At 5’ 9” I’m hardly a giant, but I found the CBR to be appreciably small, with relatively swept-back bars, a low seat and pegs that test the arthritis in your knees – if you’re as flexible as a brick, this definitely isn’t the bike for you.

Just like the low-down lacklustre performance of the engine, the riding position on the Honda took a little getting used to and, like the engine, it seemed to get better with speed.

I am a hanger-offer by nature, so when chucking this bike around a few bends I actually enjoyed the compactness of the machine, which was easy to move around on thanks to its small profile and large seat. It feels very much like a race bike, albeit without a crazy ‘on your wrists’ demeanour.

The bike’s actually quite flat in its profile and the bars, although sportily angled, are relatively high up, sitting just above the yokes.

In short, if there was a bit more leg room on tap, this bike could be pretty comfy… for a sports bike. But do you buy a bike like this to tackle a round-the-world tour? Probably not. For me, the hook to this Honda was a combination of the motor being screamed and the way it handled in the corners.

The machine I was riding featured the stock Showa units and, as far as I’m aware, the settings were as standard – I hadn’t touched a thing. What impressed me was firstly how much front-end feel there was through the forks, but also how stable the bike was. A bit of bounce in a straight line is one thing, but the lumps and bumps through some of the bends I rode on the CBR were harsh to say the least. And

HONDA CBR600RR 21

Back to life Words: John McAvoy It feels like only yesterday when Honda announced that they wouldn’t be making the 600RR anymore, citing a lack of interest in hardcore 600cc supersport bikes, and evertighter emission rules which were suffocating the smallcapacity engine. It was a far cry from the heady days only another seven or so years before that when supersport bikes mattered just as much as superbikes, updates came thick and fast, and they flew out the showrooms by the container load. It was a sad day when not just Honda, but also Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph and finally Yamaha all withdrew their supersport bikes from the market.

For me, it was especially hard to watch the likes of the 600RR disappear, because I feared that future generations of motorcyclists would never experience the joy and thrill of grabbing hold of a supersport bike by the scruff of its neck and thrashing the living shit out of it. Having that affordable alternative to the full-on superbikes was, and remains, something that I firmly believe is crucial to the industry and potential motorcyclists.

Losing the 600RR and later the rest of the class made the bike industry a much poorer place, but when all is said and done, money talks, and as well as people becoming obsessed with superbikes, there wasn’t/isn’t enough new blood coming into bikes to justify the continued investment in supersport bikes to make them kitten friendly.

Fast-forward to the end of 2023, and when Honda (and Kawasaki) announced the return of their supersport bikes, I was doing cartwheels. This was excellent news, and that was before Honda confirmed the price would be a fraction over £10k, which you have to assume is very deliberate, as it immediately puts the 600RR on the table as an alternative to the increasingly popular – and not dissimilarly priced – raft of paralleltwin sportsbikes which have come on to the market in the absence of any supersport bikes.

It’s a stroke of genius by Honda because the 2024 600RR is about 90 per cent the same as the 2007 one, so putting it back into production and offering the market an alternative for £10k is possible because all the R&D costs have already been recovered. Some tweaking to the fuelling, and an extra catalytic

convertor keeps Greta happy, and plugging in the electronics from the Fireblade keeps the gadget lovers happy, too – a supersport bike really doesn’t need traction control, engine braking control or anti-wheelie – and hey presto, you’ve got a fully loaded, fully-adjustable, 110bhpish, alloy-framed sportsbike for not much more money than a steel-framed, 70bhp-ish paralleltwin sportsbike with basic unadjustable suspension. No contest.

The vast majority of changes to the 2024 600RR are bigger throttle bodies and a different exhaust than the last version, both of which are almost certainly there to clean up the emissions by giving greater control over the fuel supply upstream, and then clean it up downstream. There’s also mention of different valve timing,

which presumably will mean there’s greater valve overlap – keeping the exhaust valve open a bit longer while the inlet valve opens to help empty the combustion chamber of exhaust gasses more efficiently, thus leaving a purer fuel/air charge behind for the next cycle.

The other changes are purely to appeal to the modern market and offer very little, if any, performance benefit. The aforementioned electronic rider aids with a 6-axis IMU are completely over the top, as are the wings, although the new full-colour TFT dash is very nice and very welcome.

Whatever about the changes to the 600RR, by far the most important thing is that it is back, and pouting its Fireblade/ RCV looks, making all the other sportsbike options at that price point look very ordinary.

22 TESTED

they’d have been a hell of a lot harsher had the Honda’s pogos not have done such a cracking job of mopping up the terrain the wheels were coming into contact with. On the faster, sweeping bends the CBR felt on rails and in and out of the tighter stuff I was in awe of how easily the bike could be made to flop on its side. The RR proved to be a proper point-and-shoot machine, being as eager to corner as it was to exit a bend.

In 2024, the reintroduced model got kitted with a whole load of rider aids, including power modes and traction control, which I’d indulged in for a while before realising that, on dry roads, the tech was only holding the Honda back – I

switched it all off and everything made so much more sense.

With high corner speeds and a committed twist of the wrist when gunning out of bends the CBR felt nothing short of awesome, made all the sweeter by the decent fuelling on offer. As already mentioned, the power from the motor is far from overwhelming, but when you hit the right revs it’s hardly slow either.

Keeping the bike in that sweet spot became something of a game that hooked me line and sinker, demanding an evergrowing level of concentration to extract the bike’s potential. It was, to put it simply, a whole lot of fun.

But, as I’m a law-abiding citizen and acknowledge the laws of the land, I concluded a visit to the

local airfield was in order to really milk what was on offer.

With the best part of a mile-long runway at my fingertips, the time had come to see this bike for all it was worth. Needless to say, a good time was had and many wheelies were pulled – some more sketchy than others. To get this bike on its back wheel demands yet more concentration, a whole lot of revs and cat-like reactions for when the front wheel pings, else it will have you off the back. First gear seemed the best point of entry, revving the bike out before hooking second and seeing how long and how fast the front could be kept hovering.

Eventually, the motor would run out of puff and the process would

need to start again, but I never got bored of such antics. As with on the road, the Honda’s stunting credentials only made me like it more and appreciate the brilliance of the shifter that was seamless during upshifts and super-slick on the way down, too.

Another thing I’ve yet to mention is the braking, which was reasonable when decelerating from fifth gear, pinned. The lever doesn’t lack in feel, but I’d have preferred a bit more bite from the front anchors, while the rear did next to nothing regardless of how hard I stamped on it. Of course, better brakes can be bought, more horsepower can be, too, but I’m yet to think of a more worthy protagonist of £10k.

As if seeing this bike back on the market wasn’t a gift enough, having it in showrooms at the CBR’s fantastic price point is nothing short of a present from Honda. During that day’s ride, and several rides since, my appreciation for this machine has only got greater, to the extent I’ve been weighing up what I can sell to get one of these in my grasp. It really is that fantastic and, with a bit of luck, it also holds the scope to revitalise the much-missed supersport 600 sector.

The only thing I ask is that you guys get out there and try one for size, because this thing’s got so much to like about it – most of all that price tag.

HONDA CBR600RR 23 SPECS: Honda CBR600RR Engine: Type:

599cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four Bore x Stroke: 67mm x 42.5mm Compression: 12.2:1 Fuelling: EFI Claimed Power: 119bhp @ 14,250rpm Claimed Torque: 63Nm @ 11,500rpm

Chassis: Frame:

Aluminium twin tube construction Showa 41mm USD forks with full adjustability Showa monoshock with 128mm of travel and full adjustment Four-pot calipers, 310mm discs Single piston caliper, 210mm disc

F Suspension: R suspension: Front brakes: Rear brake: Electronics.

Riding Modes: Traction Control: ABS: Quickshifter: Autoblipper: Wheelie Control: Launch Control:

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Dimensions: Wheelbase: Seat Height: Wet Weight: Fuel Capacity:

1370mm 820mm 193kg 18 litres

Info: Price: From:

£10,529 www.honda.co.uk

24 READERS’ RIDES

Day Ride: In search of the Rarebit Words & Pics: Mikko Nieminen

Wales is a much-loved destination for lots of riders, but it’s only when you get a little off-piste that you find the hidden gems it has to offer Wales doesn’t always get the credit it deserves as a biking destination. Many of us bikers regularly head up to the Lakes or Scotland in search of biking Nirvana, but there are plenty of good roads and natural beauty to be found in Wales.

The National Parks of Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons are the best-known areas to visit but scratch a bit deeper beneath the surface and you’ll find miles of roads and tracks just waiting to be discovered. The best way to get to know the ideal places to ride is to follow someone who knows their way around the area. This time it just so happened that this person was the record-smashing round-the-world rider Nick Sanders, who runs his Expedition Centre on the outskirts of Snowdonia National Park.

The centre is a place for bikers to meet fellow adventurers and plan their next trip.

Nick offers food and accommodation, and as you might expect from a man who has ridden around the world seven times and up and down the Americas eight times, it’s not your average Premier Inn that you find nestled in the hillside.

Nick has had his hand in organising motorcycle tours for years, and in addition to travelling around the world, he knows the Welsh countryside like the back of his hand.

Who better to follow on the roads then?

Riding with Nick

We start our tour from the shores of Lake Vyrnwy, with Yamaha Tracer 700s. The reason we’re on these bikes is that Nick’s Expedition Centre is part of the Destination Yamaha programme (www.destination-yamaha-motor. com) and frankly it would be rude not to jump on these ‘MT-07-turned-into-tourer’ bikes for a gentle spin to the coast. The little Tracer is a delightful bike to ride, and perfect for the relatively slow roads that we take. There’s loads of torque in the twin engine, and if you so wished, you could wheelie all the way to the coast – we didn’t, honest.

Skirting Lake Vyrnwy, we dip in and out of early-morning shade, trying to adjust our eyes to the light. The roads are wonderfully curvy, and settling into a rhythm of riding happens before you know it. Turning away from the lake we climb through a forest to reach a narrow road, just wide enough for a car, winding round a hillside. As the valley opens up, we are treated to vistas almost reminiscent of Lakeland; we take a quick stop for photos. “Isn’t this wonderful,” says Nick as he’s taking in the scenery. “These are my backroads. Absolutely fantastic!”

Our tour continues on even smaller roads (they’re more like Tarmac tracks really)

towards Dolgellau. We pass farms, fields, hills, waterfalls, and oh-so-many sheep. In fact, the only thing you really need to watch out for on Welsh roads is sheep. They are everywhere, and they have no road sense whatsoever.

Dodging sheep soon becomes second nature and keeping the speed sensible helps.

Over and out

Nick makes his way back to his centre from Dolgellau. I pick the coastal road to Llwyngwril because I want to see the sea before I return to the base at Lake Vyrnwy.

On these roads you can pick up the pace a bit between the villages as the road is wide, and there seems to be a curious lack of sheep. The Tracer loves the smooth Tarmac and fast corners that I find here. If you really push it fast on bumpy roads the suspension struggles to keep up, but on flowing bends like these it’s an absolute joy to ride.

Admittedly, we haven’t done mega miles here, but some of the going has been pretty bumpy and I still feel as fresh as a daisy.

The Welsh coast is about as tranquil as it can ever be. Having seen the sea, and discovered the nature of the Tracer, I head

back to the hotel on bigger roads, the A470 and A458. Again, I’m treated to some lovely riding – although very different from this morning. There’s very little traffic and I make great time. Time for a beer in the sun before dinner then!

As I sit on the hotel balcony watching the setting sun, I feel invigorated not just by the local ale, but also a thoroughly pleasant ride. It was short and mainly quite slow, but the range of scenery from rolling hills to windswept coastline, and bustling towns to sheer emptiness, was astounding. I make a mental note to ride like this more often, then order another beer and watch the red sun sink into Lake Vyrnwy.

Wales offers some fantastic riding even if you just turn up and tell the sat-nav to show you the way, but for a properly unforgettable experience local knowledge is key.

The ride in brief: A round route from Lake Vyrnwy to the coast, taking in some of the lesser known, but best to explore, small roads in Mid-Wales

MID-WALES 25

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With adventure and ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisure is the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on a global scale. Treat yourself to a copy by scanning this link.

WHITE DALTON 27

Q&A

Each issue our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials and troubles

Q

. I have always wanted to live in Spain so after the dreaded Covid-19 malarkey, I decided to take the plunge. I got all my worldly possessions shipped down to near Malaga in 2022, including my KTM 1190 Adventure. My plan was to get my bike registered in Spain. However, after a lot of faffing about and false leads, I discovered it was going to cost a small fortune so decided against it. Instead, I rode the bike around on UK plates with no issues at all (I never got stopped or had an accident, etc.). All was well until I needed to come back to the UK after my Dad passed away.

He has a massive bungalow and as I have now retired, I had the time to ride back on the bike, up through France and into the UK. I must confess that as I had been out of the UK for nearly three years, the bike didn’t have an MOT and hadn’t been taxed or insured for about two years. However, I risked it and got back to my Dad’s place with no issues. I parked the bike outside. However, my Dad’s neighbours are very nosey, and I believe they took umbrage at the bike being parked there, checked online and grassed me up to the DVLA, as they came and clamped it. I paid to get the clamp taken

SOLICITORS

www.whitedalton.co.uk

off and thought that would be the end of the matter. However, I have now received an ‘out of court settlement’ of around £500 from the DVLA for having an untaxed bike, but it seems way too much as the bike was only back in the UK for a week or so. I am thinking of going to court to defend this. What do you think? . You state that the ‘…the bike was only back in the UK for a week or so’. However, I suspect you are overlooking (or conveniently forgetting?!) the fact your bike was in Spain for three years and had no tax, MOT or insurance for around two years. So you are aware, if the matter were to go to court and you pleaded guilty or were found guilty there would be a fine to pay. This would be £1000 or five times the amount of the vehicle excise duty chargeable, whichever is the greater; plus back duty; plus legal costs. Further, for offences where a fine forms part of the punishment, you would usually be required by the Court to pay a Victim’s Surcharge in the region of £85. My concern is that if you do not accept the ‘out of court settlement’ offer, the DVLA will likely take you to court. In that scenario, I advise you should plead guilty, because you are guilty. In that scenario the fine and costs, etc., you will have to pay will likely

A

be much higher than what is currently on offer.

Further, because you rode the bike back into the UK from Spain without an MOT, insurance or road tax, I am concerned you could end up being prosecuted for other offences. In short, my advice is pay it and move forward with your life. . I was aiming to blast up the motorway for two hours, then turn left and get lost in Wales for the day, and then head home for tea and biscuits. Nom nom nom. I duly wheeled out (manhandled) my trusty Gold Wing and set off.

I had the radio on, the heated grips were set to medium, and I was flying on the giant leather sofa of a bike. All was well in the world. After about an hour I was following a builder’s van. I was in no rush and just sat in lane one minding my own business when I saw a hand come out of the driver’s window and flick what I thought was a cigarette (it turned out to be a cigarillo!!!). I saw it fly through the air and come straight towards me. I tried to dodge it, but it hit me in the neck, burning through my neck warmer before falling inside my jacket. What are the chances?! I must have looked a right sight as I had to slam on my brakes, pull up on the hard shoulder and strip off looking for the damn thing. So, whilst it may

Q

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

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

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

sound comical, I now have serious burns on my neck and chest. Thankfully, I had my headcam running and got the registration number and company details of the van. However, the owner (who was the employer of the driver) has told me it’s just a “freak accident” and an “act of God” as the wind blew the butt and told me to go away. Is he right? . No, he is completely wrong, and it is important to set out the legal test. In England and Wales, you as the Claimant biker have to prove on the ‘balance of probabilities’ that the Defendant or Defendants have been negligent; and because of that negligence, you have suffered a loss, or will suffer a loss. With that in mind, it is fair to say that if you throw a hot, burning cigarillo out of a window and hit and burn someone, you are negligent. In this particular claim, you could bring a claim against the driver and/or his employer and the van’s road traffic insurer will have to pay out for the claim. My advice is get yourself a clued-up personal injury specialist solicitor and crack on with your case. I would be surprised if liability is not admitted. However, if it isn’t I would bet next month’s pay packet that a Judge will find it for you.

A

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

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

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

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

28 ADVENTURE

Part 1

HONDA ADVENTURE ROADS 29

Day 1 – Agadir to Tafraoute (360km)

In the search for adventure and sand in places you wouldn’t think possible, Bruce set off on a ride like no other to the Sahara on Honda’s Adventure Roads Words: Bruce Pics Honda/Greg Jongerlynck

It turns out that being miles from anywhere, deep into a desert and slowly roasting like a prune isn’t the most fun way to pass the day. To put it frankly, in that moment, feeling sick as a dog and scared as a child, the thoughts of being lost to the dunes and chewed on by the occasional passing camel consumed my brain – all I wanted to do was tap out, but the only thing I could do was go on.

Of course, I never imagined I’d find myself in such a place when I’d rocked up at a posh golf resort hotel on the outskirts of Agadir several days earlier, with its manicured grass, abundance of fresh food and the happy, smiling faces of 30 like-minded folk who’d signed up for Honda’s Adventure Roads. Akin to the first day at a new school, I didn’t know who any of them were, but I knew what they were about because each and every one of them had wanted a place on the fourth running of Honda’s off-road adventure… a trek of a lifetime across Morocco, heading down to the Sahara before looping north around the Atlas Mountains.

If the inaugural night’s presentation was anything to go by, it promised to be pretty damn special, seeing some of the best scenery and toughest trails the north African nation had to offer; a natural playground for the brand’s third iteration Africa Twin which was to carry us every step of the way.

With new kit, fresh-smelling pants and a level of enthusiasm that would mirror a fat kid in a cake shop, I found my allotted bike, emblazoned with my name, blood type and nationality.

Stuff like that always makes you feel a bit special, but surely it was all for show? Well, let’s just say I had a lot to learn, and those lessons started hitting hard and fast having acquainted myself with the Honda, got my head around its tech and had my first engagement with the Tripy2 nav system that was to be our best friend throughout the course of the challenge. The bikes were also kitted with an Owaka tracker system; press one button for vehicle support and another for SOS. The stock tyres had been switched for Metzeler Karoo 4s and added engine and frame protectors were also in the mix. As I was to learn, perhaps one of the best fixtures of all was the Enduristan tank bag, which I rammed full of anything and everything. Earphones, a rain jacket and other such tripe that I’d soon learn added no value to me in the tasks that lay ahead.

Line astern, we headed out on to the road, immediately being hit by the realities of the land we were travelling. The marble floors, airconditioned rooms and fine art of the hotel quickly morphed into scenes of stoney structures or bricked buildings without windows, render, or any kind of contemporary luxury.

The air smelt different, the scenes were upsetting, but the smiles on the locals’ faces told a different story; they weren’t after pity… they just wanted us to wave back.

Before long we’d made it to a bit of a training ground. The theme of this playpen was deep sand and all too quickly it began catching people out. One of the roaming marshals fell

from their bike in front of me. I got off and helped her pick it up. That’s when it hit home just how much these adventure bikes weighed. Twohundred-and-thirty kilos might sound impressive down the gym but to us, lifting that mass wasn’t optional or a bragging point, it was a necessity and having felt how hard it was to get the Honda back on two wheels, I decided there and then I’d play it safe through the assault course ahead of us.

We gathered in a group and listened up as MX legend Dave Thorpe talked us through the task ahead, throwing in a few tips and techniques to guide us across the terrain. A smooth throttle, momentum and not fighting the bike seemed the gist of it, which was easier said than done. One by one, the riders set off into the distance, by this point being left to their own devices as the journey got underway in earnest.

Deciding to sit and watch a little, a few of the more eager guys pulled the pin and almost instantly, one of them had the most epic of crashes. There was sand everywhere, bits of bike, too, and pinned underneath their own machine was an unlucky rider who’d snapped his leg so bad it stuck proudly through his skin. For him, it was game over, there and then, a mere hour into this trip. I was gutted for him, but also grateful for the lesson he’d just taught me… play with fire and you’re going to get burnt.

This wasn’t my first adventure bike rodeo and I’d seen similar instances before on trips of this magnitude.

Adrenaline gets the better of you as you unleash months, even years’ worth of excitement in the opening miles of a much-anticipated adventure. Whatever you know, whatever you’ve been taught, it all too easily goes out of the window, and the punishment for even the smallest of mistakes are often nothing less than brutal.

My eyes had been opened, and I thought it would’ve done the same to the 10 or so riders who’d lagged behind long enough to witness the event’s first victim, but just 10 minutes later, I was hopping off my own bike to help another fallen rider who’d just had the mother of all highsides. His Honda was making the kind of shapes you’d think were limited to a freshly-greased dance floor before throwing him unceremoniously hard at the ground.

The result, a fractured sternum. his particular rider I knew, having arrived at the airport with him the night before and chatted for a few hours before catching a transfer to our hotel. His name was Mark and he was a great bloke, experienced, too, but the soft sand was taking no prisoners and he was its next victim. I could see he was hurting, but he was also adamant on cracking on, so we got back on our bikes and I decided to ride with him and help if needed.

At this stage, I should probably point out that while there were a number of super-experienced and skilled guides in our mix, it was largely down to the individual to manage their ride, their pace and navigation.

Amongst 30 customers were five guide riders, scattered throughout.

Some people decided to stick with them, while others went their own

30 ADVENTURE

way, chasing the waypoints on the Tripy device, which largely featured an arrow for direction, aimed at a feature, like a bridge or bush, plus a distance reference. Get to that waypoint and the next goal would appear like magic. We were being eased into using the system on trails that lacked any confusion, which suited me.

There was enough going on to occupy my little mind, not least of all the clutchless system on my Honda. The last time I’d ridden an Africa Twin was back on the original model’s launch in 2015. This latest version felt big, potent and heavy, like an overgrown enduro bike. It was comfy and fully loaded with tech, with the flagship feature being the bike’s DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) motor. Put simply, it meant my bike was essentially a twist-and-go motorcycle, with no clutch lever and no chance of stalling.

Did I like it? The jury was still out, as it’d felt so alien in the deep sand not having a clutch to slip to power me through and keep the revs exactly where I’d wanted them. Simply

cutting a path through the tricky terrain was hard enough, so having to get my head around its lack of convention definitely taxed my brain a chunk harder than I’d imagined. The more I rode it, the more it made sense, and with 360km on the cards that day, it wasn’t as if I was lacking the chance to get acquainted with it.

Having ticked off a good chunk of sandy trails, it came as a bit of a surprise when we joined a rough section of road. It was strewn with potholes and the edges were covered by sand drifts, in some areas branching across at least half of the road. Hit one of them and you’d be on your arse in a jiffy. How do I know?

Well, I watched exactly that happen.

One of the riders was approaching a sandy section when an oncoming truck decided to squeeze him into the drift. He took one hell of a whack and joined the fast-growing gaggle of injured adventurers. It wasn’t his fault, but he paid the price anyway.

The drivers over there certainly keep you on your toes, to the extent

I was happy when we got back on some trails on the outskirts of a town.

Wild dogs and mopeds roamed the streets incessantly, with equal levels of unpredictability. It was all one big game, trying to work out which side of the track the rider would veer to, or whether the dog would chill by the side of the road or chase you like a postman.

To add to the challenge, the intricate town streets often meant for loads of direction changes, flashing up last minute on the Tripy. Unlike a normal sat-nav, there was no rerouting on the device. Go wrong and it was on you to figure your way back, following a rotating arrow as a guide. The other thing to look out for were wheel tracks, which were tell-tell signs of the hoard ahead. While the aim was to never get lost in the first place, there was satisfaction when you stumbled back on to the right route, often confirmed by a riding plume of dirt on the horizon of a Honda rider up ahead. Of course, they, too, could be lost, but that was the gamble you took.

Several hours into that first day, there was little context for the route we’d been riding. We’d started at Agadir and we were heading to Tafraoute, but what lay in between was a mystery to me. Yes, there was a detailed road book that told the full story of the day’s ride, but I’ll admit to having never looked at it once so you can imagine my surprise when after a good few hours of dirt, dust and downed riders, we stumble across the majestic Atlantic Ocean. Boiling hot and already feeling the blisters on my hands, the temptation to jump in for a dip was massive, but I settled for a selfie instead amongst a few other riders who’d had the same thought.

Picture done, I hopped back on my bike, hit the starter and fired off into the distance… and that’s when chaos kicked off. In pursuit of my travel buddy, I didn’t give too much thought to the fact that a fellow Honda rider was beeping their horn and revving their engine. What was their problem?

I wasn’t the fastest of riders, but I wasn’t exactly a roadblock either. I was cracking on across another deep section of sand, adamant on not crashing, while ignoring this nutter who began gesturing alongside me, waving hands and pinging up and down like a Jack-in-the-Box. After a mile or so, I’d had enough.

I stopped, got off my bike and was ready to unleash a Chinese burn on my pursuer if needed… but before I had chance to, the penny dropped. I looked down at my bike and realised it wasn’t my bike, it was my pursuer’s.

None other than pro-enduro racer Kirian Mirabet. I was pissing myself as I hopped back on to my own Honda, which was identical in every way aside from a few small details… such as my name, big and bold on the screen.

Yep, I felt pretty stupid.

Having caught back up with Mark, it hit me that his pace was lessening, and I didn’t blame him. He’d had such a knock and didn’t know the extent of his injury by this point. But I’d committed to being his wingman and that’s how the day went on, eventually reaching the lunch stop at the back of the pack.

Over some boiled carrots, dates and a chunk of bread, I decided to make the organisers aware of his crash and the fact he was putting a very brave face on

his suffering. Of course, in the middle of nowhere, there wasn’t much they could do about it, other than keep me by his side for the foreseeable, which is what I agreed to.

By the sounds of it, there was a good chunk of road riding in the afternoon, so life was set to get a little easier for us all, being far less physical for starters, but there was no escaping the incessant heat. The farther south we went, the warmer things got, with the temperature now up in the high 30s. The only reprieve was the cooling wind when riding, so after a short stop, we were on our way once more.

As quickly as the group had rebunched, it was once again straggled across the rocky, dusty wastelands we were travelling. Gone were the trails, replaced by broader expanses of nothingness that necessitated an even keener eye on the Tripy. The problem was, regular glances at the device meant you were not looking at the rock-strewn ground; hit even a tiddler at 30mph and you’d have the Africa Twin’s seat smacking you on the backside as it bucked in utter protest.

Of course, the logical thing to do would be to slow down and check the screen, but where was the fun in that? The daft thing was there was no pressure to be at any place at any particular time, knowing that our bikes were being tracked by the event’s support crew with a number of 4x4s and trailers, ready to scoop us up if needed. I’ve done trips before without such a luxury and they’re not much fun. When you’re out on a true adventure, the reality is that things go wrong quickly and if you’re not prepared for them, you pay the price tenfold. Of course, it was my aim to never see the guys in the support vehicles but even on that first day, the team was being kept plenty busy.

Our bikes were kitted with solid, dual-purpose rubber but even the Karoos were no match for the kind of abuse they were being put through.

Some riders lacked a bit of foresight, meaning there were a number of folk puncturing their tyres as they ploughed front wheels into squarefaced rocks, wondering why in due course their rims looked more square than round. They, in turn, paid the price because they had no option

HONDA ADVENTURE ROADS 31

other than to wait for help that could be up to a few hours in arriving.

As far as mornings go, it’d been a full-on start to the trip and as much as I wanted the whole ride to be off-road, I welcomed the early afternoon switch to Tarmac. Physically, I was just fine but mentally I was feeling a little taxed.

I dare say that was a common reality for most of us, having to concentrate so hard on the constantly changing terrain and all it brought with it.

We’d been in at the deep end, which meant there was plenty to talk about when we stopped for fuel, high up on a stunning mountain pass. Again, I had no idea where we were, or who half the people were that I now found myself amongst, sipping on a superstrong coffee that I’d ordered in my schoolboy French. It was at this point in time I met two great blokes, a chap called Ally who hailed from Scotland, and his mate Frankie from Canada.

You’ve never met a more chalk-andcheese duet, with Frankie being larger than life, while Ally played the role of the quieter, unassuming peer. They

were friends of old, having met on the last Honda Adventure Roads event in Iceland a few years back, staying in touch and signing up for this much warmer onslaught together.

To cut a long story short, they said I could tag along with them for the latter part of that day, leaving Mark in good hands with another walking wounded who wanted to take a more chilled approach to the remainder of the ride. And with that, we were on our way… fast. I learned quickly Ally and Frankie weren’t the kind to dither, pulling the pin and clocking miles hastily. That suited me, especially on the road ride where I felt I had all the time in the world to stare at the vistas without the risk of deep sand or rocks attacking my front wheel. I should also say that sitting down on the bike also felt alien; having spent the majority of my time stood up on the pegs, it was weird to see through the screen rather than looking atop of it.

The whole riding experience on tap morphed again and I was able to see the brilliance of the DCT system in

this context. That said, this stint of luxury only lasted so long as more trails soon came our way, and I was keen to impress. I was also quick to realise that the chances of keeping up with Ally were slim to none – he was gone in a cloud of dust and debris, fired my way. Ally and I were that bit closer in pace, which suited me. It wasn’t like we were hanging around, but neither were we keen to become further victims of day one.

That afternoon became a litany of fast trails and bumpy roads, switching between the two types of riding relentlessly. For me, I was just happy to be amongst good riders who I knew, even by this point, would have my back if anything happened. Also I made the most of watching the others’ lines to pick the best paths at all points; you’d see when they got it right, but also when they’d got it wrong, with enough warning to change line quickly.

As bikes go, the Africa Twin was proving an agile, all-terrain hustler.

On the road it was faultless; off-road, the bigger front wheel did a good

job of cutting through the loose and tackling the big lumps and bumps that came our way. Sometimes you simply had to plough through the rough to get to better sections of terrain, and the Honda always seemed up for the challenge. That said, I never took for granted how quickly it could’ve sent me for a roll around in the dirt. It proved a planted, but weighty, machine and, on the occasions the front went walkies, I soon learned that you’d have to be quick with a dab to save the bike from unwanted road-trip scars.

The final stint of the day was on Tarmac, traversing a stunning route that climbed high up into the breathtaking mountains on the kind of switchbacks that make the Stelvio Pass look like a warm-up act. Every now and again you’d see habitats of primitive, square-sided houses carved into the rock faces, painted a variety of vibrant colours; I hadn’t expected that, or the beauty we were undertaking.

Another thing that surprised me was that warmth of the locals. Being a parent, I couldn’t help but feel

saddened to see the state of some of the kids’ clothes, or lack of footwear, hammering home how good we’ve got it. The men all looked to be hard at work in the fields, and the women had their hands full, riding donkeys side-saddle with bundles of lavender strapped to their asses. Whoever they were, whatever they were doing, they all seemed so excited to see us, waving and cheering. In truth, I felt so humbled, I’d of preferred it had they of thrown rocks at us. That thought stuck with me as we arrived at that night’s camp.

Nestled deep in the Ameln Valley, I swore I was seeing things when blue, yellow and pink rocks started to litter the horizon. A controversial bi-product of a Belgian artist, it’s said that he’d roped in the local fire department to help him brush around 18 tonnes of paint on to this vast area of granite. Why? Well, I never quite got to the bottom of things because having found my tent, told a few tales and stocked up on some muchneeded tagine, I hit the sack and that was that.

32 ADVENTURE

Day 2 – Tafraoute to Foum Zguid (314km) I’m don’t sleep well at the best of times so despite a good start in my scorching, traditional Moroccan tent with a winter duvet, I was soon awakened by the sounds of those around me. Some people were prolific snorers, one bloke was being sick and others just chatted their way through the night in a mildly hushed tone.

It was all part of it and I just had to laugh. Stuff like that helps build an experience, in my opinion, and that’s exactly what I was there for – to come back with a story to tell.

I’ll save you the details of being the last man to leave camp that morning, but let’s just say I had a sweat on packing my kit and transitioning to a manual Africa Twin before trying to catch the group that’d set off 10 minutes earlier, headed for fuel roughly 10 miles away. Kicking off the day on hard pack with a playfully loose surface, I soon learned it was the perfect terrain to get the rear out on the big Honda.

Before every ride, the first thing that had to be done was disable the traction control and select the off-road appropriate suspension and ABS settings; fail to do that and the ride wouldn’t be half as much fun.

Luckily, I’d done so and was in my element, which is more than I can say for the bloke stood by his Africa Twin just a few miles from camp. I put my thumb up, so did he, so I just cracked on, thinking little more of it while I navigated a village and stumbled across a dual carriageway – where the hell had that come from?

As remote as I thought we were, it turns out we weren’t, literally stumbling across a sprawling town with cafés, schools and houses aplenty.

The place was called Tafraout and that’s where I found the other guys, exactly where my Tripy said they’d be, in one massive queue waiting to fill up their tanks. “Have you seen Nick?” asked one of the guys, “he should have been here by now.” And that’s

when the penny dropped. The bloke I’d passed was my friend, Nick, some five miles back. Not only did I not recognise him, but I just assumed he’d stopped to take a picture.

There was only one thing to do, and that was to go back looking for him, which was easier said than done because the Tripy only told you which direction to head, not where you’d come from. Over the next 20 minutes I took a tourist trip around every street in Tafraout, eventually finding the right trail that headed back out into the mountains. I got to the corner, only to find no one was there, so once more I set off for the garage, arriving in time to see the last of the group heading off. Thankfully, Nick was okay and, better still, Ally and Frankie had waited for me. Not the best start of the day, but lessons were learned.

A few miles in and I was having a blast with the other two, having forgotten about the earlier melodrama. The only thing I was thinking about was the stunning views all around us. I could only guess at how high we were as we swopped one mountainous pass for another, sticking largely on narrow, rutted roads. There was little-to-no traffic, with the occasional moped being the only vehicle we’d come across. Even when travelling through settlements, you’d rarely see a car, parked or otherwise.

A few hours into the ride, we arrived at something of an Oasis. Built into a canyon, our road took us through a small town that lined the road on one side, which shouldered a turquoise blue river on the other. It was a picture-perfect place, made all the more stunning with its palm trees and abundance of greenery.

Having spent so long chasing trails of dirt, it was a reminder that as harsh and arid as the terrain around us was, a bit of water could offer something truly different to the mix. We didn’t know it at the time but that was the last bit of greenery that we’d see for quite some time.

As we left the town, the Tripy soon had us aimed at a whole lot of offroad. It’d tell you that you were at the start of such a section, but seldom how long you were on it for. As already mentioned, despite lugging it around,

alongside my Celine Dion Greatest Hits CD, I never actually looked at the provided road book that stored that kind of information. To be honest, it didn’t really matter – I just put my faith in the Tripy and enjoyed the ride.

And so, too, did Ally, who pulled the pin the second we got on to the day’s first real chunk of dust and dirt.

I don’t actually know if such trails have speed limits but let’s just say I’m pleased there were no speed cameras.

For a big bike, the Africa Twin can move like the best of them, and it proved an absolute beast on hardpacked surfaces. The power delivery felt easy to manage and the grip from the tyres was always plentiful. For point-and-shoot proceedings, it was a cracking machine, as was hammered home that morning.

For well over an hour we had our motors singing, with the only causes for concern being the occasional earthwork truck that’d bound along

on the wrong side of the track; hit one of those and you’d know about it.

Another thing to watch out for were the sheer drops off the side of the hellishly high route we were blasting along. In the moment, I never tend to think too much about that kind of stuff, else I’d talk myself out of doing things, but on reflection, it wouldn’t have taken much for things to go pear-shaped. One set of switchbacks was so rough that the temptation was there to ride off the edge just to avoid the man-sized craters that littered the tricky route – that took a good chunk of concentration, and even more willpower to keep my eyes on the route than to look into the stunning vistas of the valleys below.

It was crazy to think that only 24 hours previously we’d been in the lush, green scenes of Agadir, and now we were axle deep in the world’s biggest sandpit. It’d all changed so quickly, with such a stark

HONDA ADVENTURE ROADS 33

difference to the surroundings, that it somehow didn’t seem real. Another thing that didn’t seem real was the temperature; by 10am it was already in the 40s and as we stumbled into lunch that day, the bikes were showing 45°C on the dashes.

As important as food was, fluids meant so much more. We all had Camelbaks and by midday I’d consumed all but the dregs of mine’s two-litre capacity – the Honda guys never stopped hammering home the importance of drinking, even when that was the last thing you wanted to do because the water had got so hot, it would’ve made sense to chuck a tea bag in it.

Back on the trails, Ally and I somehow got split from Frankie. In such a sprawling mass it was easily

done, especially if someone stopped for one reason or another and the other riders didn’t clock it. As hard as we worked to stick together, I’d learn myself a little later on the trip the same reality. But for now, Ally and I cracked on, leaving the mountains behind and hitting really rocky, hardgoing ground.

Once more, we were seeing yet a different side to Morocco, even more sparse than before, with the only company being the odd camel that crossed our paths. Seeing them out in the wild, doing whatever they do, was pretty surreal. Supposedly, they’re all owned, they know where their home is and, after so many days kicking up rocks, they head back to where they came from.

The loose, jagged rocks proved pretty tricky at times, demanding enough momentum to keep the Africa Twin powering along, but if you hit any too hard, you were almost guaranteed to win a wait for a support vehicle. Pretty soon after lunch we saw the day’s first puncture victim, nestled under an Italian flag that

doubled up as a bit of shade. I felt for the guy, but he seemed pretty content and didn’t want for anything when we stopped to ask.

The same couldn’t be said for a support vehicle we came across an hour later. Ally’s a good bloke; better still, he’s an engineer so when we learned the crew didn’t know how to access the vehicle’s spare wheel, Ally sprang into action and changed it for them. We lost an hour to the good deed, with the biggest hit being the torture of standing around in full textiles, heavy boots and full body armour.

The temperature was relentless, and I couldn’t wait to get back moving again. We’d made it all of four miles before finding yet another puncture victim, called Tim, who was sat under his bike with his trousers down; the rationale was to keep him a little cooler, but the sight had me in stitches. Little did he know that we’d just helped the vehicle that was on its way to help him.

We’d been on the go since 8am and it was now four in the afternoon. I pride myself on my fitness, but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t starting to feel it physically as well as mentally.

My hands were cramped, my legs ached, and my back felt like it’d been attacked by a sadistic masseuse. Still, others were in a much worse way, including one of the ladies who was been looked after by Dave Thorpe and a few others. Heat exhaustion had got the better of her, so her day of riding had ended there and then, just an hour from that night’s accommodation.

Having dreaded another night in a tent, you can probably imagine my joy when we arrived at a hotel-esque location. Bikes parked, bags dumped, I jumped straight in the pool and basked in its coolness. It’d been one hell of a day and over dinner all kinds of tales and trauma were doing the rounds. As for the mechanics, the line of battered Hondas ensured they’d get no rest that evening.

Eating done, fluids replaced, the night ended with a talk from the organisers. If their faces looked worried, I dare say ours were even more so. The gist was that the next day’s riding was set to be nothing short of gruelling, heading deep into the desert and the dunes, traversing an old, dried salt lake on route to a French Foreign Legion outpost. It would be all off-road. There would be little support on offer and, if you started the ride, you’d have to finish it – there was no exit point, no plan B. Worse still, the temp was going to be up in the 50s. It was time to make a decision.

34 QUICK SPIN

Quick Spin:

VOGE AC350 If you’re in the market for a lightweight, nippy and affordably priced naked, VOGE’s AC350 could be just the ticket Words: Andy Bell Pics: Gary Chapman

What is it?

Before starting, I am aware that not everyone is up to speed with the name VOGE. Briefly, VOGE was established in 2018 as a subsidiary brand to Loncin, which itself began producing motorcycles in 1983 in Chongquing (central-southern China). The VOGE range is aimed at producing a more premium-feeling motorcycle with a higher level of performance using the latest technology.

The AC350 here is a machine I can see appealing to a wide audience of potential buyers. To start with, its low price makes it more affordable to the majority of the market, whether you are looking for a lighter/smaller capacity bike to get started on or something to use as a daily workhorse to commute to work on whilst not wanting to forgo a decent level of quality.

Talking tech…

The powerplant of this model is a 322cc parallel-twin which is based on Yamaha’s YZF-R3 sport bike and produces a little over 40bhp. Regarding the style of the AC, it has some classic-looking features such as a blacked-out frame and exhaust, whilst also leaning towards a streetfighter presence.

On the suspension side of things there is a pair of chunky-looking USD forks up front with a monoshock at the rear which, despite not being branded, should be capable of offering enough of the right support to the lightweight bike at only 165kg. It has stylish LED lights with a classic round headlight up front and a tidy, yet modern-looking, rear taillight tucked neatly under the seat unit, with the compact indicators also doing their bit to not stand out until needed.

The 7-inch colour LED display panel is super-clear and laid out in a fashion that you would expect for a quick glance, with the vitals most prominent and like so many of the features of the bike, it doesn’t give off a ‘budget feel’.

Cracking on…

With two colour options (grey and yellow), I must admit I was questioning if I would go for the yellow that was supplied for the test should I buy one for myself. However, I feel it nods towards its playful side as I will come to mention, and as it happens the colour did actually grow on me.

VOGE AC350 35

36 QUICK SPIN

Climbing aboard would be the wrong term to use so much as swinging your leg over due to the low seat height of 780mm, meaning both feet can make good contact with the floor when stationary. Without knowing the figures ahead of the ride, it was clear from the start that this bike was light and the weight it did have felt quite low, which is always a bonus for handling and control, or even confidence if you are new to bikes.

The ergonomics were a little strange to start with. The bars felt slightly too narrow, and the pegs had my feet tucked a little further back and higher than I expected, whilst also putting my body weight further forwards than I had hoped for from a naked bike. The handlebar grips had a funky raised diamond pattern in the rubber that added a different level of grip that I never thought was necessary but I`ll take it.

There was nothing complicated or clumsy with the switchgear, with all the controls evenly spaced and super-easy to operate.

Within the first few miles it was obvious that the engine was going to be quite a strong point of the AC, pulling well through the gears whilst also able to sit happily in town traffic, not needing to be ridden flat out throwing gears at it all the time.

The motor gave off a bulletproof feeling and I felt that I would be happy with it knowing it has the ability to take the bike to a dual carriageway/motorway when needed, without feeling like you are in the way, as you sometimes feel when riding some smallercapacity bikes.

Something else I have experienced from bikes of a similar size and cost is excessive vibration through the ‘bars and pegs, but there was nothing to note here even when pushing towards the higher end of the rev range. When cruising at 60mph in 6th gear I often found myself looking to click up another gear as I felt 6th could warrant being a little taller because there was more pull to be had from the strong engine. The sweet spot for power occurred around the 8000rpm mark and if you keep it there through the gears then it is a rewarding experience, taking me back to the days of riding a lower capacity to its potential everywhere I went.

The single brake disc set up with dual channel at both ends was more than enough to pull the bike up when asking from them to do so, despite what my first concerns were of only having a single front disc, even from the higher speeds. While the suspension did do an amazing

job (not just considering the low cost overall), I felt a lack of support when breaking hard at times with the front diving more than I would have liked.

VOGE have a claimed 90mpg average for the AC and while I didn’t test this myself, I did top up the small 12.5-litre fuel tank at the start of my time with the bike, and then covered quite a few miles over a couple of hours, and could see the quoted figure being not far from the truth as I hardly noticed the level drop while out and about.

Going back to the start of this section, I mentioned the ‘playful’ nature of this bike. The more time I spent riding the AC, the more I got used to the narrow ‘bars and footpeg position that you don’t normally get from a more upright machine. When out in the open and riding through some of my favourite twisty roads they actually added to this sensation and encouraged me to push on to make the most from each corner, using all of its agility that it had to offer.

Worth a punt?

£4k for a brand-new bike? You would be forgiven for assuming that you wouldn’t be getting much for your money, but if you have any remote interest then

The stuff that matters…

Power: 40bhp @ 10,500rpm Weight 165kg Price: £3999 Contact: sales@motogb.co.uk

I’d say this is worth a look. This is one of those all-rounder bikes that can be used to navigate a busy city with its low centre of gravity and overall weight, or to commute on a flowing motorway with its strong motor and large seat for comfort. I could see a potential buyer wanting something affordable to get to work on that also lets them have a blast with on the way home.

Rivals…

If you are looking for a commuter then typically (in my corner of the country at least) many folks look towards the 125cc market, normally due to licence entitlement or costs, but with some of the more popular manufacturers pricing their new 125s nearer to the £5k mark, I know I would like to spend my money on a bike with the extra power.

You could look to the used market for something like a 2024 KTM Duke 390 which you may pick up for the same price, or looking slightly older, the 201723 model for between £3,000£4,000. Sticking to the price and cc, if you still wanted a new bike then Royal Enfield’s Hunter 350 comes in at £3979, with more colour options but with a drop in power at 20bhp.

38 TORQUING POINTS

TORQUING POINT A MODERN STROKER? Words: Alan Dowds

It feels like a lifetime since we last saw a two-stroke road bike taking pride of place in a dealership, but the wait for a resurrection might be closer than we think…

TWO-STROKE 39

If you want to get a big reaction from bikers on a social media post, there’re a few easy wins. Mentioning Valentino Rossi is a great start. Drop in a pic of a wild crash. Or if you want to cause apoplexy all round, post a positive story about an electric motorbike.

The real gold standard though, is to mention a bike with a two-stroke engine. Whether it’s a Honda MT-5 or a Yamaha RD500LC, the replies will go into meltdown quicker than a cheap cast piston in an old race-tuned Suzuki RG250 Gamma.

Because everyone loves a stroker.

It’s not hard to see the appeal: the engines are light, have great performance for the capacity, sound amazing – and have a whole extra dimension to their appeal: they actually SMELL good. Add in the particular power delivery of a tuned two-stroke – sudden increases in power over a narrow rev range, or the famous ‘power band’ – and you have a unique set of charms.

Which makes a recent Kawasaki post on its UK and USA social

channels very interesting indeed. The firm teased a return of the two-stroke, with the sound of a two-stroke engine revving and the catchphrase: ‘We heard you. #2stroke.’

There’s absolutely no other official info from the big K at the moment – but Japanese bike magazine Young Machine has speculated that there will be a new two-stroke bike from Kawasaki – and it will be a road bike rather than a dirt bike like the KTM 300 EXC two-stroke which has been on sale in recent years. Big if true, as the kids like to say.

Two-stroke road bikes essentially had disappeared by the mid-1990s.

Emissions rules meant they couldn’t be sold for road use, which makes sense from a health point of view: two-stroke exhaust fumes smell great but are, of course, properly poisonous.

Would you really want your kids or grandchildren to be breathing that stuff in when sat in their pram waiting to cross the road?

The problem is twofold: the totalloss lubrication system, and the amounts of unburnt fuel that are lost out of the exhaust from a conventional two-stroke. Those engines are almost laughably primitive when you look at them: the crankshaft, big-end, small-end, piston and cylinder are all lubricated by a few squirts of oil which then burns along with the fuel.

The fuel/air mix is sucked into the bottom of the engine by the action of the piston moving up, then squeezed through some transfer ports into the combustion chamber when the piston moves down. The new fuel/air pushes the exhaust gases out of a hole in the side of the cylinder, then there’s a quick spark as the piston gets to the top of the bore, you have a juicy power stroke and it all continues once again.

Unburnt oil, atomised fuel, soot, half-burned petrol, carbon monoxide – this mess of organic chemistry tumbles into the exhaust pipe and out into the atmosphere, making for that amazing scent – but with genuinely poisonous impacts to the local

environment. Catalysts and clever design can help, but once you add all that complexity in, a four-stroke engine begins to seem like an easier option. And none of that improves the poor fuel consumption of a twostroke, or the low service life of those imperfectly lubricated internal parts.

Is there a way to get the benefits of a stroker, without those downsides though? Well yes, and there are massive, powerful, economical twostroke engines all over the world – but they’re powered by diesel and live inside ships and factories. Two-stroke diesels use superchargers to blow fresh air into their cylinders, rather than crankcase/piston pumping, and some designs use camshafts and poppet exhaust valves. That allows them to use a conventional fourstroke style lubrication system for the cylinders and bottom end: oil is kept out of the combustion chamber by the piston rings. Direct injection of precise amounts of fuel straight into the combustion chamber gives more accurate burning, which improves fuel consumption and cuts emissions.

You can use intake ports in the cylinder wall, fed directly from the supercharger, and when the piston opens the ports up, fresh air blasts in, blowing out the exhaust gas through the poppet valves in the cylinder head. The piston moves back up, fuel is injected straight into the combustion chamber, the spark fires, the piston moves down and the cycle repeats, with a power stroke every revolution of the crankshaft.

Below the piston, you have a normal crank/conrod design with pressure lubrication.

So, a possible option for a clean petrol-powered two-stroke. But again, once you make a cylinder head with camshafts and valves, you’re halfway to a four-stroke, and it’s simpler to go with the flow and do that, rather than bother with the supercharger, the R&D, the direct injection and the faff. After all, fourstroke development hasn’t exactly

resulted in rubbish engines: specific power outputs of 215bhp/litre from the latest 999cc superbike motors isn’t far off the 248bhp/litre from something like a Suzuki RGV250 VJ22 in 1996 – and that’s with Euro 5+ exhaust emissions.

But what if you had some supercharger tech lying about the place – and also had a potential market with a strong affinity for a two-stroke engine? Can you think of a company like that? Hands up!

Of course, it’s Kawasaki, the firm making those saucy stroker social posts. Its H2 supercharged range has been out for a decade now, so the engineers have a lot of experience with blowers on bikes.

It has a massive two-stroke road bike heritage, going back to the H1 Mach III 500 triple in the 1960s up to the gorgeous KR-1S 250 parallel twin race-rep in the early 1990s. One complication is that the centrifugal supercharger design used on the H2 doesn’t work well at slow speeds, unlike ‘positive displacement’ blowers used on big two-strokes.

So, to allow start-up and slow speed running, they might need an electrically-driven supercharger – as seen on the new Honda V3 engine showed off at the Milan Show last year. But, if anyone could come out with a new 2025-friendly two-stroke technology for the road, it’s them.

Now, it’s fair to say that the audio on the social posts sounds like an oldschool KX250 single rather than some sort of new-fangled supercharged stroker. But the good folk at Young Machine magazine in Japan are guessing that the new bike might be a retro-style multi-cylinder roadster design, with echoes of the old twostroke triples that still resonate in moto-legend.

Whether they’re right, or if the social media stramash will end in the slight anti-climax of a neo-KX dirtbike with a conventional two-stroke single, remains to be seen. Fingers crossed though…

40 USED BIKE GUIDE

Buying a used…

SUZUKI TL1000R

In 1998 Suzuki attempted to take on Ducati head-to-head with Japan’s first V-twin superbike…

Words: Jon Urry Photos: Mortons

In the late 1990s World Superbikes’ popularity was at its height. Hundreds of thousands of fans flooded into race circuits all over the world to watch the action on track while millions more sat at home glued to their TV screens. But if you were a fan of Japanese bikes there was a problem as from 1994 until 2000 the series was dominated by Ducati’s V-twins. Honda grabbed a single victory in 1997 but that took an RC45, the genius of John Kocinski and an open cheque book for HRC’s racing budget.

A relatively small company like Suzuki, who were desperate to get in on the action, had no

chance and their GSX-R750 racer was simply outgunned and under-funded. So, thinking outside the box, Suzuki’s race department came up with a plan...

In 1997 the firm released the TL1000S, a brand-new naked bike powered by a litre V-twin, which was followed a year later by a superbike sibling – the TL1000R had arrived. Although, sadly for Suzuki, it landed right in the middle of a shitstorm!

We all know the issues that the TL-S had and how the repercussions blighted the TL1000R, so instead let’s focus on the good points about a bike

that, even nowadays, makes for a brilliant, and very characterful, road bike. So where should we start? Why not with that V-twin motor?

More advanced than the TL-S’s engine, the R gained forged pistons, bigger valves, lighter conrods and a higher compression ratio, something that, alongside a new twin injector system, boosted its claimed peak power from the TL-S’s 125bhp to 135bhp. Okay, the rear wheel reality is closer to 115bhp but that’s still pretty respectable and the way the TL-R makes its power is far more exciting than a Ducati.

Not wishing to be too cynical here, but it is hardly a coincidence that the TL-R has the same capacity, bore and stroke and V-twin angle as the Ducati 996 – as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But where the Bologna V-twin is quite lazy-feeling, Suzuki’s offering has a dollop of attitude within, making it appear faster revving and more thrilling to ride. Not to mention more reliable – you can merrily hammer a TL-R and even skip a few services without any fear of it all going very badly wrong. So, the engine ticks all the right boxes, what about the chassis? This is

where you need to know what you are buying...

Back in 1998, and egged on by Suzuki’s marketing department’s claims it has to be said, riders expected the TL-R to be a proper racing whippet. The fact of the matter was, however, nothing could have been been further from the truth. Although Suzuki claimed it was just 1kg heavier than the 996, in reality it was about 20kg more and it felt as much. Big, bulky and set decidedly for stability over agility (maybe as a result of the TL-S fiasco), when you ride a TL-R it feels far more akin to a sports tourer than the sportsbike.

1998-2001 SUZUKI TL1000R 41

ALSO CONSIDER THESE:

1999 Ducati 996

Private: £7200 Dealer: £8000 Slightly overlooked as riders want the 998 or 916, the 996’s prices tend to be a bit lower.

It’s still a great machine and well worth searching out a good one.

Engine: 996cc, l/c, 8v, desmo, V-twin Power: 115bhp @ 9500rpm Torque: 95Nm @ 7000rpm

2000 VTR1000 Honda SP-1

Private: £8000 Dealer: £9000 Sadly, the SP-1 has fallen foul of the collectable market and that means prices are sky-high. There are a few bargains out there, but most are overpriced.

Engine: 999cc, l/c, 8v, V-twin Power: 127bhp @ 9850rpm Torque: 99Nm @ 7850rpm

Heavy steering from the off, the TL-R’s sluggish handling isn’t anything to do with the controversial rotary damper, more Suzuki’s choice to over-engineer the bike and in doing so add a stack of unnecessary weight.

If you expect a nimble, trackfocused sportsbike you will be in for a disappointment. However, if you treat the TL-R as a road bike first and foremost it is an absolute delight to ride and the machine you would pick over a 996 for a

rideout on the UK’s bumpy roads any day of the week.

Your wrists, back and bum would be delighted at your smart thinking, too, as the TL-R has a pleasingly spacious riding position and remarkably deeply padded seat. Even pillions are fairly well catered for, although sticking on the flat pillion seat does mean you can’t have the classic ‘duck bill’ rear end, which is a huge part of the TL’s charm and an instant talking point...

Looking at the prices of used TL1000Rs it is hard not to assume they will very soon jump up in value. For around the £4000 area (which, it has to be noted, is half the cost of a Honda SP-1) you can get a reliable V-twin that with fairly minimal alterations (exhaust, suspension rebuild, brake caliper refresh) can be made even better and will be more than happy to be used every day, whatever the weather, with no complaints. And, better

still, it is actually a very rare motorcycle.

In the UK, Suzuki sold just 2291 TL-Rs between 1998 and 2001.

Yes, just 2291. If you are after an exclusive superbike that turns heads (especially in the classic blue and white paint scheme) but won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet, the TL1000R is a brilliant option. Yes, it bombed on track, but who doesn’t see a TL1000R and want to take a closer look at this truly unique machine?

1998 Aprilia RSV1000 Private: £3500 Dealer: £4000 The first generation of RSV was launched in 1998 and took the world by storm. Far less fickle than the Ducati, it’s a day-to-day Italian V-twin and sensibly priced.

Engine: 998cc, l/c, 8v, V-twin Power: 114bhp @ 9500rpm

42 USED BIKE GUIDE

Price guide: £2995-£5500 Cheapest private: £2995 32,000 miles, 1998 bike with Dream Machine paint job, loads spent on it Our choice private: £4095 27,145 miles, just serviced, blue and white bike with a good service history Cheapest dealer: £4388 15,663 miles, 1998 bike in yellow and good condition Our choice dealer: £4499 16,242 miles, lovely low mileage red bike with a long MoT Ex-demo:

n/a

Verdict: 7/10 Although much maligned in its day, the TL1000R has an iconic silhouette, a unique history, and still makes for a beautifully relaxed V-twin road bike to ride + The V-twin is a beauty, high comfort levels, good reliability - Aging brakes, she’s a lardy old girl, handling is sluggish

SPECS:

Things to looks out for…

Race kit...

The fabled TL-R race kit was pictured at the bike’s launch but according to the worldwide distributer of Suzuki race parts at the time, Harris Performance, none actually ever materialised!

They are a bit of a unicorn in the TL-R world...

Frame cracks!

Like the TL-S, the TL-R’s frame is prone to cracking around the mounting points for the suspension system.

Check this area very well for any damage or bodged repair welds and if its dirty, wipe away any grease with a cloth and bit of degreaser to be 100 per cent sure about what’s underneath.

Rotary damper We all know the issues with the damper unit and that means there are lots of replacement units out there. Maxton still build a conventional shock that does away completely with the damper unit and sits where the original spring was, while Öhlins have stopped producing their alternative.

Rocker The TL’s suspension spring rocker is very weak with owners reporting that cracks can develop on older examples.

Maxton include a replacement billet unit with their shock conversion.

Stator magnets A common issue on older bikes, but the TL-R’s stator magnets are now starting to come loose due to age and the

glue holding them degrading.

Replacement units aren’t that expensive (about £90) or you can just reglue them in with a very strong epoxy if you are a tight wad.

Fuelling The TL-R responds very well to a set of pipes, free-flowing air filter and fuelling remap.

From the stock 115bhp you can reasonably expect to see a 10bhp gain, which is not to be sniffed at!

Clutch and gearbox When the ramps on the TL’s back torque limiter (it’s not a slipper clutch) start to wear they cause the clutch to slip. Owners cure this by welding the clutch centre, which seems to work but is quite drastic. Always check the gearbox works as third gear often goes wayward...

Engine When on a test ride, listen for the engine making a knocking sound that indicates the crank bearing is on its way out, which is a common fault on high-mileage TL motors.

Also look for signs of oil in the airbox, which is caused by too much pressure building up in the crank cases. There are a few fixes if you go on forums and ask the question.

Brakes The Tokico brake calipers are pretty poor performing and have a habit of developing sticking pistons. They aren’t too hard to rebuild (a seal kit costs about £40 a side) and fitting stainless steel pistons helps ward off future issues. A full kit (stainless pistons and seals) can be had for around £150.

Engine: Type: 996cc, liquid-cooled, 8v, V-twin Bore x Stroke: 98mm x 66mm Compression: 11.7:1 Fuelling: Electronic fuel-injection Tested Power: 120bhp @ 9000rpm Tested Torque: 100Nm @ 7400rpm Chassis Frame: Aluminium twin spar F Suspension: 43mm inverted forks, fully adjustable R suspension: Monoshock, rotary damper, fully adjustable Front brakes: Six-piston calipers, 320mm discs Rear brake: Single-piston caliper, 220mm disc Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1395mm Seat Height: 825mm Dry Weight: 197kg Fuel Capacity: 17 litres Running costs: Service interval: Minor: 4000 Major: 8000 Valve clearances: 16,000 Service costs: Minor: £180 Major: £250 Valve clearances: £550 Right fairing: £803.42 RH Engine casing: £169.66 Brake lever: £50.82

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For Sale

ARIEL Square 4, Cammy, 1932, owned for 20 years, GY number plate, rebuilt engine, good runner, £20,000. Also 1927 Ariel 500cc, owned for 10 years, £8500 or ovno Tel. 07581 364691. Manchester.

BMW R1250 GS Rallye TE 2023, 4500 miles, Touratech engine bars, fender extenders etc, excellent condition, £13,250 Tel. 07531 019009.

DUCATI ST3 S, good condition, red, 21,000 miles, 2006, full luggage, new battery, it was my sons bike, and I have a bike, so best offer over £1500 will secure, can supply photos, £1500. Tel. Jerry 07391 612367. Teignmouth. Email.

4jerry2wheels@gmail.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1996, FXD Dyna Super Glide, only done 9072 miles, recent new tyres and battery, £5750 ono, might deal for British bike Tel. 07866 909192. Leeds.

CLASSIC Japanese bikes all in need of some work, Yamaha XS650SE; Kawasaki Z1000 Ltd, £2500; Honda CBR1000, 1995, £800, no offers, all V5Cs available Tel. 07474 128407. Email. sprudence1900@gmail.com

HONDA CBF1000, 33,000 miles, 2 previous owners, MoT October 2025, full luggage, touring screen, mudguard extender + hugger, hot grips, etc, new stator + reg/rectifier, recent tyres, brakes, battery, fork seals, Datatag and more may p/x for a good NC750, £2100 Tel. 07707 302176. Norfolk. Email. punwin@zoho.eu

DUCATI 916 single seat Strada registered 28/6/94, 13,248 miles, owned 20 years, spares included, will need recommissioning, dry stored many years, call for details £11,500. Tel. 07594 506435. Kent. Email. richardtunbridge49@gmail.com

HONDA CG125, 1996 Brazil, scruffy but reliable, 32,000 miles, owned since 2005, regularly serviced with history, new chain and sprockets 2000 miles ago, will have 12 months MoT, ride or renovate, £550.

Wolverhampton. Email. paul_ aesuk@yahoo.com

HONDA CBR400NC23, 1985, near complete engine plus numerous engine spares, gearbox, cylinders, case lower crankcase, starter switch for sale, £750. Tel. 07901 661770.

KTM Adventure 1190R, 2014, one owner from new, 57,700 miles, excellent condition with good service history, KTM panniers, Akrapovic, spots, heated grips, power parts, seat, radiator protector, full engine protection, all original fittings included, recent front tyre, chain and sprockets, battery, £3250 Tel. 07815 186070. North Yorkshire.

LAVERDA RGS1000, virtually as new, engine block rebored and new liners and head unit reconditioned carbs are Keihin from Laverda Scotia, new Jota thickened exhausts, tank has been extensively renovated and resprayed Speedo tacho unit new, lovely bike, £8000 Tel. 07899 985770. Exeter. Email. john998@icloud.com MOTO GUZZI V650 Special, 1992, my bike from new, 20,000 miles, rebuilt as Cafe Sport, new battery, tyres, alloy rims, stainless spokes + exhaust, single and dual seats Tel. 01313 332725. Edinburgh.

PIAGGIO Vespa, 2011, 124cc, two owners, full service history, blue, runs smooth and fast, ready to go, twist, and go ride, ready to collect, one bump on the side is covered by stickers, giving it a more colourful characteristic vibe, fun little Vespa, £1600 Tel. 07555 149178. Email.

Kayleypearman@gmail.com

ROYAL ENFIELD 1964, 250cc Olympic, no skirt, otherwise complete, roadworthy, used regularly, starts and runs well, decent tyres, ride or restore, contact for photos, £1600 ovno Email. Badger491@outlook.com

SUZUKI VL800Li Intruder trike, 2012, 12 reg, black, converted

by Eurotech Trikes, disc brakes, alloy wheels, large rack, footboards, shaft drive, heel/toe gearchange, heated grips, 12V/ USB sockets, LED daylights, chrome engine casings, 2 sets of keys, back/arm rests on Pillion seat, 11,900 miles, MoT mid October 2025, top box if required, £6400 ono, sale or exchange combination, Moto Guzzi California/V7 Tel. 07913 032864. Yorkshire Email. moorend4@hotmail.com

SYM Jet EVO 14, November 2024 made, used by a single owner and meticulously maintained, with just 447 miles on the odometer, excellent condition and ready for its next adventure, £1790 Tel. 07436 656278. London. Email. tonykurisunkal1994@gmail.com

TRIUMPH Bonneville, 1971, A1 condition, oil tight, matching numbers, electronic ignition, £6250 ono Tel. 07599 922707.

Cambridgeshire.

TRIUMPH Bonneville, 1958, 12 volt, matching numbers, show condition, £15,750 ono Tel. 07599 922707.

Cambridgeshire.

VELOCETTE Venom, A1 condition, 12 volt, £6450 ono Tel. 07599 922707.

Cambridgeshire.

YAMAHA MT-07 showroom condition, immaculate, this is genuinely a great bike, just had the 600 mile service done on 11/11/2024, only selling due to work commitments overseas and it will be in the garage for over 2 years, £5800 Tel. 07359 763857. Email. andrew86cory@ aol.co.uk REDUCING collection, Ariel Square Four 1950, BSA Blue Star 350 1934, Royal Enfield model J 500, 1938, Matchless 500 twin 1953, Royal Enfield 700 Vax Interceptor 1960, rare, Capriolo 125 1960, Bridgestone 350 GTO 1971, rare, Kawasaki W1 1966 rare, Norton Commando 750 1968, Ducati 916 Strada, 1994, only 17 left in UK, call for details Tel. 07594 506435. Kent. Email. richardtunbridge49@gmail.com SUZUKI Inazuma 1200GSX, 1999, very rare bike, good well looked after condition, any questions please contact me, only seen one other of these models in 25 years, goes like the true muscle bike it is, £2500 ono Tel. 01729 850234.

SUZUKI GSX750, 1998, super bike, goes all day two up and in very good condition, contact for details, £2500 ovno Tel. 07709 645307.

SUZUKI Burgman, 2021, 71 reg, Euro 5 Lez compliant showroom condition, 400cc, maxi scooter, garaged, no winter use, 4600 miles, box included, MoT July 2025, grey, blue wheels, big comfy reliable scooter, £3999.

Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire

Choose one of the following methods:

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

SUZUKI GS125, 1991, red, very good condition, miniature Katana, 10,800 miles, cruiser, £1250 possible p/x Tel. 07880 868316.

SYM Crui sym, 2024, 300cc, grey gloss paintwork, 400 miles, showroom condition, new Sym forces sale, 24 reg, great reliable maxi scooter, automatic Euro 5 100 mpg, garaged, FSH, big, storage, £3699. Tel. 07784 499299. Yorkshire.

TRIUMPH Tiger Cub, 200cc 1957, excellent condition with lots of spares, all original and running, £2500. Tel. 07930 012038. Warwickshire. Email. jenhibberd245@gmail.com TRIUMPH Rocket Roadster 2300cc, excellent condition, exceptional special paint job, owned for 10 years absolutely no issues ever, spare pipes and seat, £6000. Tel. 07930 012038. Warwickshire. Email. jenhibberd245@gmail.com TRIUMPH T120R Bonneville, 1970, 650cc, matching frame and engine numbers, four speed, no smoke, rattles or oil leaks, photo available by phone, loads old MoTs, £6195. Tel. 07887 674467. Hants.

Parts For Sale ROYAL ENFIELD classic 350 parts for sale, DNA filter inc plate, £40. Decathlon pipe, £20. Black short exhaust pipe, £40. Denali horn loud, £15. Punjabi large exhaust, £15 all plus postage and packaging Tel. Bill 07713 160796.

TRIUMPH 675 Daytona, brand new, exhaust system, never used Tel. 07787 525198.

TRIUMPH Speedmaster, rear section silencers OE long type with brackets off 1000 mile bike, superb condition, £650 + £30 postage or collect. Thunderbird instrument panel and wiring, £175 + £5 postage Tel. 07434 513161. Lancashire.

HONDA CB500R, 2014, original exhaust, as new, £85 buyer collects Tel. 01403 217403.

Sussex.

TRIUMPH Thunderbird OE Peashooter, rear section silencers, new in original boxes, superb for concours or museum restoration, £800 + £30 postage or collect in person, cash payment if collected Tel. 07434 513161. Lancashire.

Wanted WANTED 1968-70 Royal Enfield Interceptor, Series 2, must be roadworthy or needing minimal work to complete Tel. 07841 902933.

Miscellaneous HARLEY-DAVIDSON 100th Anniversary denim jacket, size XL suit 46” chest, genuine HarleyDavidson American Legend item, with unique 100th cloth logo and embroidery on back, only worn occasionally and then stored, £95. Tel. 07910 285178. Milton Keynes. Email. bland-family@ sky.com LUST lowering kit for Kawasaki Versy 1000, year 15 to 18, complete with side stand shims, as new, £50 + p&p Tel. 07983 715541.

RST classic brown leather jacket 42” £60. RST classic wax black TT jacket 42” £70. RE short canvas boots, size 7, £20. Airoh full face helmet size medium in white like new, £70. Barchi heated gloves large in original box, £40 all + p&p Tel. Bill 07713 160796.

SUZUKI leather jacket, brown soft leather leisure jacket, genuine Suzuki collection item, only worn occasionally, suit 4648” chest, lined with 2 external zipper pockets and 2 internal pockets, £75 ono Tel. 07910 285178. Milton Keynes. blandfamily@sky.com