Fromtrials bikesto performance bikes, we delveinto the world ofe-power Bringing YOU the BEST of biking MAY2025 #226
Gettingtogripswith Ducati’sall-new Panigale V2
Lifebehind thebarsof aHarley StreetGlide
Is
sports-tourer we’ve been waiting for?
We take acloser look at how e-power is shaping motorcycling across the sectors
The last month has been both manic and marvellous, wrapping up the end of the 2025 launch season while getting testing underway in the UK. From road bikes to track machines, trailriding to the desert, I’ve had aright mixed bag of riding on thecards and I’ve loved it all. While some people know what they like and stick to it, I’ve always been afan of riding abit of everything, experiencing all the joys that motorcycling has to offer.Admittedly,my background wouldsuggest that sports bikes aremygo-tostyleofmotorcycle, but adventurebikes seem to float my boat in anequally as fulfilling manner. I’m just
back from testing Yamaha’snew Ténéré 700 in the Agafay desert, which I’ll be reporting on shortly, and I’m still buzzing from the experience. Therewereplaces on that test that yousimply couldn’t have experienced without amotorcycle to get you there, which hammers home the brilliance of bikes. Anddon’t even get me started on the kicks that come from blasting across the remote desert, with abike making crazy shapes as you do your best to keep calm and crack on. I’m already desperate to get back out into that kind of environment and do abit more.I’m also super-keen to get some UK track riding underway,and thereseems to
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What you need to know before buying aused BMW RnineT
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be alarger pick than ever for new sports bikes and supernakeds to try out. The Ducati Panigale V2 really impressed me on its launch and hammered home the point that sometimes less can genuinely give you more, at least in terms of how pleasurable aridingexperience can be. Yep, there’sayear of such antics I’m hoping to make happen, and Ihope your diary is brimmed with two-wheeled endeavours. Don’tforget to write in and let us know what you’ve been up to. Until then, enjoy the read.
It mightlook like atool from the 1980s –but that’spurely intentional. This is the 2025 BMW R12 G/S, andit’sdesigned to evokethe spirit of the firstBavarian production enduro machine –the R80 G/S –while incorporating thebestofthe firm’s moderntech.
Now,let’snot rewrite history: the boxer GS is alegendary piece of kit now,but back in 1980 an off-road GS was the choice of BMW obsessives, weirdos, freaks, and factory racers (sometimes all at the same time). Normal folk wanting some muddy fun generally plumpedfor something far less chonkyand slow than
the 50bhp/186kg shaft-drive (SHAFT DRIVE!) flat-twinBeemer.Nevertheless, it beganploughing out its nowmassive aniche (or rut) in the market, which has taken us to the current sales behemoth that is the BMW GS range. Well done all. This latest offering isa retroscrambler, somewhat in the mouldofthe Ducati DesertXand Triumph Scrambler 1200, and based on the Munich firm’slatest R12 retrofoundations. That means aEuro5+compliant rejig of the oldoil-/air-cooled 1200 Boxer motor (instead of the latest water-cooled lump) with DOHCfour-valve heads, ride-by-wirefuel injection and a
109bhp peak power output. Thechassis is based around asteel frame with long travel suspension:proper 45mm USD front forks instead of afunny front end and the de rigueur Paralever rear monoshock shaft-drive swingarm. Both ends arefully adjustable, which hintsata moreserious off-road package than the firm’slast retroscrambler design,the R nineT Urban G/S.
Further underlining the dirty ambition arethe wheels: aproper 21”front rim, with 17” rear,and an optional 18” fitment for the true hardcore. Wirecross-spoked rims areagivenand while it comes with broadlyroad-biased rubber,you’ll not struggle to spoon proper knobblies on thereshould ye fancy it. Havingsaid all that, it does have the same weight problems as in 1980: the R12G/S weighs 229kg ready-to-ride.
It’s2025, so we must have more electronic stuffthan the skip outside a Tesla dealership: therefore,the R12 ECU contains three riding modes (Rain,Road and Enduro) as standardand Dynamic TractionControl (DTC), which can be switched offfor off-road use, with the optional EnduroPro package adding an extra dirt mode. Youalso get engine brake control (MSR), as well as BMW Motorrad ABS Pro; keyless ignition;, a new round speedo/display unit with the optionofa microTFT colour LCD dash;, up/down quickshifter; and tyrepressure monitorsystem. BMW’s usual spendybut-tempting accessories list includes an emergency calltelematics function, Headlight Proadaptive lights and more.
Aslick package then –but as with Ducati’sDesertX, the styling is what makes thisbike: we think it looks pretty smart,withthe right mix of old and new.The black base colour is okay,the
Triumph’smotocross range is well underway now, with some success, and theHinckley outfit is flat-out expanding its off-road lineup like agood ‘un. The Endurosector is the obvious next step: detune the single-cylinder motorsonthe 250 and 450 MX bikes abit, add asilencer,lightsand basic road gear, andsellthemtothe hardcoreenduro andtrail ridingbrigade.
And herethey are: the Triumph TF250-E and TF450-E. The250 makesa decent 41.5bhp with the rorty 450 putting out asolid 58bhp, with lightweight spine-type aluminium frames and anew
Enduro-spec packageofrunning gear.Suspension is by KYB, with Brembo brakes, DID rims and Michelin tyres, while asolid electronics packageincludes dual engine maps traction control,launch control, and quickshifter
Both bikes areindealers about nowcosting from £9795 forthe 250 and from £10,395 forthe 450.
white/red/blue retroMotorsport scheme much better,but it’sthe sand-brown colours that really rock, with redhighlights and scarlet frame. The stainless high-level pipe is nicely proportioned,while the round LED headlight and trim headlight nacelle round the perky stance up atreat. We’rekeen to have aspin on oneassoon as we can –expect it to hit the UK in the summer,priced from £14,420.
Remember Morbidelli? It started out as ageneral manufacturing company beforemoving into Grand Prix bike racing in thelate 1960s. The Italian firmhad some impressive results, winning three 125GP andone 250GP titles in the 1970s, but hadlittle impact on the roadbike sector, apart from an abortive attempt at aV8sport-tourer in themid 1990s
Thebrand has sincebeen resurrected by Chinese firm Qianjiang, and is producing some interesting machines –like this new T100 adventure tourer.It’sabudget bike, priced around £8k, built around aunique V-twin engine. The 997cc unit has a weird80° V-angle with SOHC four-valve heads and puts out aslightly underwhelming 88.5bhp @7500rpm.It lives
in asteel tubecradleframe, with decent running gear: KYB fully-adjustable suspension, J.Juan brakeswith Bosch ABS Pro, and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR rubberin120/70 19 front and 170/60 17 rear sizes. The wetweightisa bit of a disappointment though: 265kg wetisgoing to hold it back on theperformance frontyou’d imagine
Thereare two versions of the T100: the2Vwith cast aluminium road wheels and the 2VX, with wire-spoked off-road-stylerims (though they both have the same 19” front wheel and identical tyre sizes).
We’releavingthe best till last though: the T100s arepriced to sell, at just £7999 forthe 2V or £8199 for the 2VX. More info from UK importer MotoGB at www.motogb.co.uk
They do like a‘limited-edition special’atthe Ducati factory –and we like ‘em,too. This is the Panigale V4 STricolore Italia, unveiled at the Italian ‘Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy’ by Ducati bossClaudioDomenicali and Ducati racing guru Gigi Dall’Igna alongside the government minister,Adolfo Urso.
And it’sacracker: limited to just163 bikes, the paint scheme is areplica ofthe factory bike raced at Mugello last season, with the ‘Azzuri’ blue scheme celebrating theItalian national sports teams. The team scoreda one-two on the podium at that race, andthe 163 number refers to Pecco Bagnaia’s‘1’ position and ’63’race number.Alittle clumsy we say,but thereyego. They’reessentially all sold outnow anyway,apparently
The spec is dominated by afew key chassis mods. The bike isbased on the 2025 Panigale V4 Swith the 216bhp1103cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine (though it’sequipped with adry clutch kit here), revamped frame and dual-sided swingarm. The Tricoloresticks with the stock bike’s semi-active Öhlins electronic Smart EC3 0 suspension front and rear,but the rest of the running gear is uprated with some proper saucy parts. That starts with abrace of fivespoke carbon-fibrewheels, homologated fortwo-up road use, and saving nearlya kilogram of unsprung, rotating mass (the very worst kind of mass!). Ducati says these speed up the steering nicely and will give an overall performance boost all round.
Bolted to the front carbonhoopisa pair of ginormous Brembo T-Drive finned discs: 338.5mmwide and6.2mm thick, which are just about the biggest youcan practically fit on to a17” rim. These monster discs are clamped by Brembo’sposhestnew road calipers: the GP4 Sport Production billet monobloc designs, with titanium-finish nickel plating, cooling fins and sweet carbonair cooling ducts. Add an MCS19.21 master cylinder with remote adjuster and you havea superbike-spec stopping package that’salso road-homologated.
The wheels and brakes arethe big story but, of course, the TricoloreItalia is also festooned with cool cosmeticadd-ons. There’sasilk-screen graphicofthe Mugello track alongsidethe limited-edition numbering on the top yoke in case you getlosthalfway round.
The key is aspecial design with the serial number added on an aluminium plate.
The 17-litrealuminium fueltank is signed by Francesco Pecco Bagnaia (with a permanent marker we imagine). The seat is aspecial Alcantarapart, you getthe optional GPSsensor pre-fitted, and there’sarace windscreenfitted, plus lashings of carbon fibre: front and rear mudguard;,chain guard; heel guards;, swingarm cover; exhaust heat shield; venteddry clutchcover; and alternatorcover.
Finally,the trappings of specialness continue with aone-offstart-up animation on the LCD dash, special wooden transport crate, bespoke bike cover anda nice certificate for the downstairstoilet wall.
The price for allthis lovely stuff? Anice round £75,000.
We don’tgenerally focus on pure off-road kit like the mental modern motocross machines –but we’ll make an exception for this: the new Ducati Desmo450 MX. It’s been racing in the various MXGP series for awhile now in prototype form, but is now available to buy
It’sahandsome beast, though the natureofanMXrace bike meansit looks fairly similar to the rest of the sector: single-cylinder lump; twin spar aluminium frame; long-travel fullyadjustableShowa suspension with 49mm USD front forks; rear monoshock; and around afoot of wheel travel.
Most of the special Ducati features areinside the engine and electronics.
The new 449.6cc single-cylinder engine features desmodromicvalves, as the name suggests, and it makes aheady 63.5bhp @9400rpm, matchingthe legendary 500 two-stroke motors of old.
The price for that (and the 11,900rpm redline) is abusy maintenance schedule: oil and filter at 15 hours, new piston at 45 hours, with avalve clearance check while you’reinthere, and afull engine rebuild at 90 hours. That sounds madto aroadrider,but it isn’treally unusual on an MX racebike. Boreand stroke is 96x62.1mm, 40mm intake valves aretitanium with 33mm steel sodium-cooled exhaust valves, compression ratio is 13.5:1, there’s a44mm Mikuni throttle body with Keihin injector, and afive-speed gearbox.
Ducati says it’sgiven the
Desmo450 MX aunique electronics package with an IMU-assisted traction control set up, easily bypassed by dipping the clutch when you wantto freely spin it up, andtwo power modes. There’salso adjustable enginebrake control, launch control and an up-only quickshifter as stock. Brembo brakes, Galfer discs, Pirelli Scorpion MX32 tyres, Takasago Excel wheels and a DID chain round offthe spec list, and it weighs 104.8kg wet without fuel in the 7.2 litretank.
Priced at £11,245, theDesmo450 MX is on sale now
Ducati’sback in the northernhome counties, with anew Ducati North London dealership in Watford. Opened last monthbyatop double act: BSB star Leon Haslam and brilliant TV presenter Grace Webb, the new dealership replaces theold Lind Harley-Davidson storeinWatford’s
Trade City estate, and carries the full range of Ducati and Scrambler models, as well as kit, accessories and parts. It’salso got afull factory service department which, since it’s anew location, should have plenty of bookings available at the moment. Moreinfo: www.lind.co.uk/ducati
TopBritish leathers firm RST Moto is ramping up its presence at the Isle of Man TT for 2025.
The company is taking the full race department to the middle of the Irish Sea for the first time, giving more racers the chance to sample its fullfactory custom race suit fitting and design service, right in the TT Paddock.
For the duration of the 2025 TT
(Monday,May 26 to Saturday,June 7), the RST RaceDepartmenttruck willbelocated nearthe main grandstand, next tothe RST shop, and riderscan book atwo-hour fitting appointment with RST’sin-house race teamand designers. Thereare two exclusive fully custom suit options: alimited-edition 2025 RST xIOM TT suit with TT branding andapersonalised name badge, or afull-custom bespoke suit, complete with integrated In&Motion airbag.
Prices range from £1499 to£2199. More info at the online booking page:https:// rstmoto.as.me
Norton Motorcycles has anew dealerinLondon. KrazyHorse in Kensingtonwillbe stocking the Solihull firm’smachinery,with afull servicing, spares and accessories service in the heart of the metropolis. The showroom is in theold Bristol Cars HQ on Kensington High Street: www.krazyhorse.co.uk
BMW’ssigned up to run its F900 RCup BSB support series for another two years
Thenaked roadster onemake championship willrun till the end of 2027, withthe German firm continuing to support it with subsidised bikes and parts, including alow-interest 9.9 per cent finance deal up to60 months on an F900 Rrace bike.
ScottGrimsdall, BMW UK’shead of marketing &PR, said: “The series continues to gain momentum as we enter the thirdseason in theUK. We arevery pleased to committothe futurerunning of this championship until theend of the 2027 season, so riders can prepareand compete accordingly
“Alongside the updated bike for 2025, the introduction of aBMW Motorrad Financial Services financepackagenow offers potential riders the opportunity to securetheir bike and spread the cost over atime period thatsuitsthem.”
Legendary engine tuner Stan Stephens has released anew book, so we asked him allabout it. Here’swhat he told us
“When Iwas alad my two favourite books were The Motorcyclist’s Workshop by Torrens and Tuning for Speed by Phil Irving,and Istill have them. They formed the basis for my knowledgeasa mechanic and engine tuner,knowledge to which Ihave been adding for the last 60 years.
“For many years Ihave wanted to write asimilar type of book. Iwrote my autobiography The Mechanic who got Lucky which Ienjoyed writing and alot of peopleenjoyed reading, but Iwanted to write abook that would help the reader gain knowledge from. I have recently retired andIthought that at 80 years old it was the righttime to write that bookbeforeitwas too late!
“From2010 to 2017 Iwrote monthly articles in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics magazine, based on the
two-stroke engines that Ihappened to be working on at that time. Ipassed on my knowledge andexperience and took photos of theengines and parts. Iwentthrough the detective work and fault diagnosis, the stripping and rebuilding, theenginetuningand advice andtips.
“This book will be gold dust for twostroke enthusiasts andmechanics. Ihave put them in groups of firstly thetuning articles, then the engine rebuilds, then some interesting articles, and lastly some general workshop jobs. Thereare 250 A4 pages with 85 separate articles and hundreds of photos.
“Thanks to Dandy Booksfor its help with the set up and printing of this book. It also publishes my autobiography and sells them both on itswebsite –Ihope you buy it and enjoy it!”
Moreinfo: www.dandybooksellers. com
If you’re looking for an excuse to getout and about on your bike, take alook at these upcoming events…
26 April: 2022’sFor the LoveofBikes 125-Friendly Run from The Angel Inn, HighSt, Andover,Hants (SP101ND) at 10am. Tickets £10. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
26 April: St George’sDay Bike Show at The Bell, Main Rd, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk (IP5 1AA). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
26 April: HampshireAriel OC’sAutojumble at The Four Horseshoes, Haygate,LordWandsworth College,Hook, Hamps (RG29 1TA). More info’ from 07810 111222 or rs.armstrong@talktalk.net
26 April: Newmarket Harley-Davidson’sBirthday Party at Newmarket Harley-Davidson, Oaks Drive, Newmarket,Suffolk (CB87SX). More info’from www.lind.co.uk
26 April: West London Harley Riders’ St Georges Day Bike Show at Hayes Cricket Club,Wood End, Hayes, Middlesex (UB3 2RJ). Moreinfo’from07747 005199 or Facebook
26 April: Dusty Customs’Dusty’sCharity Rock Night atthe Longmor Hall, BanffRd, Keith, Moray, Scotland (AB55 5HA). Tickets £15. Moreinfo’from 07724 136822 or Facebook.
27 April: Yamaha Day atthe AceCafe, London. More info from www.london.acecafe.com
27 April: Royal Enfield Day atSammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley CrossRoad, near NewMilton, Hamps (BH25 5SZ). Moreinfo’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk
27 April: FirefightersCustomBikeShow at a site on Manston Rd,Manston, Ramsgate, Kent (CT12 5DF).Tickets£5. Moreinfo’ from www firefighters66.com or Facebook.
27 April: SalisburyFive Valleys Charity Run from The BarfordInn, BarfordStMartin,Salisbury,Wilts (SP34AB)at9am. Moreinfo’ from Facebook
27 April: Motorcycle Meet atThe Ambience Café, Riverside Park, Eaton Ford, St.Neots, Cambs (PE19 7SA).Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
MAY
1May-5 May: Stan &Co’sOver the Edge Rally at asite on the Isle of Wight.Tickets £40 prebook or £45 on gate.Moreinfo’ from 07815 692349 or stannjanebaker@gmail.com
2-4 May: YorkshireMAG’s Into The ValleyRally Moreinfo’ from www.mapevents.co.uk
2-4 May: PendragonMCC’sDragonfireRally at The Chequers Inn, Pertenhall Road, Keysoe, Beds (MK44 2HR). Tickets£20 before31March, £25 after.Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
2-4 May: Patriots MC’sAnniversary Party at The Patriot, Main St, Crumlin, Newport, Gwent (NP11 4PT). Moreinfo’ from www.patriotsmc.co.uk or Facebook.
2-5 May: The Despatch Rally atMappercombe Farm, Nettlecombe, Bridport,Dorset (DT6 3SS). Moreinfo’ from www.despatchrally.co.uk
3May: Revved Up Classics’ Car,Bike &Scooter Show at Vintage Metals Ltd, Unit1G1, Mushet Business Centre,CrucibleCl, Coleford, Gloucs (GL16 8RE). Moreinfo’ from www.vintagemetals. co.uk or Facebook
4May: Italian Bike Day at the AceCafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london.acecafe.com
4May: Beer,Bikes &Bands at TheBanham Barrel, The Appleyard,Kenninghall Rd, Banham,
Norfolk (NR16 2HE). Free entry.Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
4May:Spring Autojumble at Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley CrossRoad, near New Milton, Hamps (BH25 5SZ). More info’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk
4May:Normous Newark Autojumble at The Showground, Drove Lane, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts (NG24 2NY). More info’ from www newarkautojumble.co.uk
5May: 2-Stroke&SmokeSC’sMods &Rockers Invasion at Gt Yarmouth seafront, Collingwood Rd, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk(NR30 4LR). Moreinfo’ from www.scooterrally.co.uk
5May:Stone Circle BikeShow at Supermarine Sports Club, Supermarine Rd, Swindon, Wilts (SN3 4BZ). More info’ from Facebook
9-11 May: Leyland Eagles’ 40th Anniversary Rally at the Canberra Club, Samlesbury Aerodrome, MyerscoughRoad, Blackburn, Lancs (BB2 7LF). Tickets £20. More info’fromFacebook. 9-11 May: HDRCGB Region 14’sWessex WobblerRally at asite in Chippenham, Wilts (SN14 0YZ). Tickets £20 members or £25 non. Moreinfo’fromrusticmonster@hotmail.com or Facebook.
10 May: Hemsby Wheels Fest at Long Beach Tent &Touring Site, Long Beach Estate, Hemsby,Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (NR29 4JD). More info’ from Facebook.
10 May: The Early Hook Up at Mutt Motorcycles, LiffordLn, King’sNorton, Birmingham (B30 3NU). Moreinfo’fromwww.the-hook-up.co.uk
10 May: WolfpackMC’sRun with the Wolves from the HCafé, Deacon’sGarage, OxfordRd, Dorchester,Wallingford, Oxon (OX10 7LY) at 11.30am. Moreinfo’fromFacebook
10 May:Savages MC’sCharity Pub Golf from The Swallow, Pilgrims Way, Andover,Hamps (SP10 5HY) at 10am. More info’fromFacebook.
10 May: Kempton Classic BikeShow at Kempton Park, Staines Road East, SunburyonThames, Middlesex (TW16 5AQ). More info’fromwww kemptonautojumble.co.uk
10 May: GuildfordH-D Autojumble at Guildford H-D, WeyvernPlace, WeyvernPark, Old Portsmouth Rd, Peasmarsh, Surrey (GU31NA). Moreinfo’fromwww.lind.co.uk
11 May: BMW Day at the Ace Cafe, London.More info from www.london.acecafe.com
11 May: SunbeamMCC’sIxion Cavalcade from Bexhill-on-Sea, E. Sussex. More info’ from DanMoto@mail.comorwww.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk
11 May: Pinewood Café Custom Bike Show at the Pinewood Bar &Café, Pinewood Leisure Centre, OldWokingham Rd, Wokingham, Berks (RG40 3AQ). More info’fromwww pinewoodbarandcafe.co.uk or Facebook.
11 May: RickmanDay at Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley CrossRoad, near New Milton, Hamps (BH25 5SZ). More info’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk
11 May: StratfordAutojumble at Stratford-uponAvon Racecourse, LuddingtonRoad, Stratfordupon- Avon, Warks (CV37 9SE). More info’ from www.stratfordautojumble co.uk
17 May: Feltwell Anglo-American Car &Bike Show at The Playing Fields, Paynes Lane, Feltwell, Norfolk (IP26 4BA). Moreinfo’ from www feltwellcarshow.uk
17-18 May: Sunbeam MCC’sConyboroRun from The Six Bells, The St, Chiddingly,Lewes, E. Sussex (BN8 6HT). Moreinfo’ from andy.belenkin@ virginmedia.com or www.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk
17-18 May: Flying Quarter Sprint Meet at Manston Airfield, Manston Rd, Manston, Ramsgate, Kent (CT12 5BQ). Moreinfo’ from www flyingquarter.co.uk or Facebook.
18 May: Distinguished Gentleman’sRide at sites worldwide. Moreinfo’ from www.gentlemansride. com
18 May: Two-Stroke Day &Fizzy Frenzy at the AceCafe, London. Moreinfo from www.london acecafe.com
18 May: Wildlife Wiscombe Hill-Climb at Wiscombe Park, Southleigh,Devon (EX24 6JE). Moreinfo’ from www.wiscombepark.co.uk
18 May:NCC Lincs’ Custom Show at asite TBC. Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
18 May: AirAmbulance Bike &Car Show at Joyland,Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth,Norfolk (NR30 2EH). Moreinfo’ from Facebook
18 May:Musos at The Shelley at TheShelley Arms, Old GuildfordRoad,Broadbridge Heath W. Sussex (RH12 3JU). Moreinfo’ from Facebook. 22-25 May: Taunton MAG’sTone Vale TeaRally at asite on theSomerset Levels (TA9 3RH). Tickets £20 prebook or £25ongate. Moreinfo’ from 07780 960869 or sarahrallytvtr@gmail.com
23-25 May: The Smoking DogRock &Custom Show at Bishops Auckland Rugby Club, West Mills PlayingFields, Bridge Rd,Bishop Auckland, Co Durham (DL147PA). Tickets £15prebook or £20 on gate. Moreinfo’ from 07931 177448 or countydurham34@yahoo.com
23-25 May: Sentinels’ Piston Pendle Rally at Pendle Forest Sports Club, Old Laund Booth Playing Fields, BarrowfordRd, Fence, Burnley (BB12 9QQ). Tickets £20. Moreinfo’ from sentinels@gmx.co.ukorsection9@secretary.net 23-25 May: Bike Shed MotoShow at Tobacco Dock, WappingLn, London (E1W 2SF). Moreinfo’ from www.bikeshedlondonshow.com
24 May: Big Chris’ Big Bash at Keynsham Funduro, Durley Ln,Keynsham, Bristol (BS31 2AJ). Tickets £3,autojumble pitches £5. Moreinfo’ from 07841 338741 or Facebook.
24 May: Bultaco Owners’ Club Meet at Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, near New Milton,Hamps (BH255SZ). Moreinfo’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk
25 May: Gold WingGathering at Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, near New Milton, Hamps (BH255SZ). Moreinfo’ from www.sammymiller.co.uk
24-26 May: Sanzaru’sBreach of the Peace Bike Show at Fort Purbrook, Peter AshleyLn, Portsmouth, Hants (PO6 1BJ). Tickets £20. More info’ from www.sanzaru.co.uk or Facebook.
12-15 May: SunbeamMCC’sShropshireMidWeek Break at The Valley Hotel,Buildwas Rd, Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, Telford,Shrops (TF8 7DW). Moreinfo’ from pauldawnmorley@talktalk. net or www.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk
15-18 May: BikerFestItaly at Lignano Sabbiadoro,Udine, Italy.Moreinfo’fromwww bikerfest.it
16-18 May: MT HeadsMCC’sIt’sGoing Down in the LakesAgain at Chester Lakes Campsite, Church Rd, Chester (CH4 9LQ). Moreinfo’ from Facebook.
16-18 May: Double Trouble Rally at Court Farm CountryPark, WolvershillRd, Banwell, Somerset (BS29 6DL). Tickets £30. More info’ from www doubletroublerally.com
25 May: BidefordBike Show at The Big Sheep, AbbotshamRd, Abbotsham,Bideford, Devon (EX39 5AP). Moreinfo’ from www bidefordbikeshow.org
Words: Alan Dowds
Orion boots
RRP: £299 www.sidiselect.co.uk
Sometimes you just wantareallygood pair of sturdy black bike boots that will take anything you can throw at them. Like these new Sidi Orions –afull-on touring boot with apremium Gore-TexXT3Lwaterproof membrane, race-developed protection and superbcomfort. The tough microfibre upper is reinforced withTPU protectorsand has HypertexSuperfabric sections for extra flexibility.A Concrectosole gives greatgrip off the bike whenwalking, andextra cosiness on the bike. YKKzips, adjustable calf fastening and reflective insertsround offthe top spec.
2
Alpinestars Supertech R10 lid –Jake Miller and Pedro Acosta replicas
3
RRP: £99.99 (£169.99 for 1.5mm chain) www.oxfordproducts.com
Asolid disclock is the first lineofsecurity defence, and the Oxford Beast definitely fits the bill. It’sano-nonsense 1.3kg chunk of steel, with acunning round design which is difficult forangle grinders andbolt cutters to geta holdof. Seriousthieves mightcut the disc, but even that’stricky with the sheer size of the lock. It fitsdiscs up to 8mm, has a16mm hardened steel lockingpin, and there’sa replacement key service from Oxford,too.Add a22mm Beast Chain andit doubles up as apadlock to secureyourbike to an anchororsolid point.
RRP: £81.30 (alternator), £91.14 (clutch), £75.42 (timing cover), £65.94 (water pump), or £298.12 for full set www.gbracing.eu
The new 2025 Yamaha R9 has the same engine as theMT-09 range. Butthe different bodywork and chassis set up means British crash protection firmGB Racing has redesigned its enginecase covers to suit. There’sthe same clutch, alternator, timing and waterpump fitments, andthey’reall FIM approved, with super-tough nylon and metal construction.
www.weiseclothing.com RRP: £1149.99 www.alpinestars.com
The AlpinestarsSupertech R10 helmet is fastbecoming afavourite of trackridersand racers, and theItalian firm has just releasedtwo new limited-edition race replicas.The 2025 PedroAcosta and Jack Miller designs combine the topspec of the ECE 22.06/ FIM-approved helmetwith the factory KTMriders’ MotoGP paint schemes. The outer shellisfullcarbon with four-layer 3K high density fibrelayup, and amulti-density EPS liner.The A-Head fitment system gives the ideal fit, there’sa metal visor lock, and the road spoiler gives great aerodynamic performance.
A25-litredaily carry rucksack, the Tempest is fully waterproof with tough ripstop tarpaulin outermaterial and roll-top fastening. Thereare internalcompartments to keep damp kit separated, and afront pocket with waterproof zip. Youget the usual shoulder straps, with asurvival whistlebuilt into the buckles, and aremovable MOLLE section letsyou add extra fittings and accessories. Finally,italso comes with straps to convert into atail pack on the bike
RRP: £134.99
www.pyramidmoto.co.uk
The British bodywork firmhas designed and produced this hugger for the 2020-25 CRF1100 Honda Africa Twin. It does the usual job of keeping mud and water away from the rear shock and back end, and has an integrated chain guard. It fitstostock mountpoints, so no mods necessary
www.louis-moto.com
Smart, all-season base layer kit from German bike firmLouis Moto, the Vanucci VXU-10 shirts and leggings come in both men’sand women’ssizes. Smart windproof materials wick away sweat in summer and keep alayer of warm, dry air next to the skin in cooler conditions.
RRP: From around £280/pair www.pirelli.com
The popularity of modernhot-rod cruisers and baggers has encouraged Pirelli to produce anew performance tyretosuit. And hereitis–the new Diablo Powercruiser,launchedatDaytona Bike Week. Itaimstogive the sporty ability of the firm’sDiablo sportstyres in cruiser fitments, providingbetter wet gripand improved performance whenbraking and accelerating. Cornering is generally limited by ground clearance, but the Powercruiserhas adual-compound rear anyway, with softer sides and aharderinnertread. Available in aload of sizes –16-21”front and 16-18” rears, up to abeefy 260section, later this year
Smart textile adventuretouring jacket from French firmFurygan, the Apalaches has D3O armour in the elbows and shoulders, with pockets for chest and back protectors. The outer shellhas a waterproof, breathable Humax membrane liner, as well as closablevents and removablethermal liner.Goodspec from a big brand for the cash and comes in achoice of four colours in men’sand three colours in ladies’ fitments.
One-piece leathers arethe gold standardfor track riding,but on the road atwo-piece set up is often much comfier and morepractical. Add apairofsimple leather jeans like these RST TracTech Evo 5 trousers to aleather jacket, and you’re sorted. The 5th generation of the TracTech jeans has aunique universal joining zip to pair with any TracTech jacket, andare also Level AAA CE-Certified, with Level 2long kneeand hiparmour
Premium endurogloves from BMW, made with atough kangaroo leather and elasticated fabricouter,the Rallye gloves areideal for hot, dusty days in the saddle. There’splenty of armour on the knuckles, with protective comfort paddingonthe palm, and they come in sand, black or blue colourways. Notcheap, butaquality item.
For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikesFacebook page andupload apic of your bike, tell us whereyou’ve beenonitand why you love it… and youcould findyourself staring back at yourself from within these verypages. Oh, and we’llalso pick a winner at random each monthfor awell-earned prize,courtesy of our friendsatthe Key Collection. What areyou waiting for?
In abid to conquer themiddleweight sportsbikesector, Ducati’s rewritten the rule book on its Panigale V2,starting afreshwitha lither, smarter and more focused protagonist
Words: Bruce Wilson Pics: Ducati
Whilesome people might question how less can be more, it’sanethos that Ducati’splayed out wholesale with the brand’s new Panigale V2. The headlinegrabbing news with the model is the drop in performance,not amereone or two ponies, but a whopping 30-plus-bhp. Could less really be more? Well, that question buzzed around my head relentlessly ahead of the launch of the new 890cc v-twin-powered protagonist at the recently opened Sevilla race trackinthe south of Spain.
To cut to it, power is everything, right? There’snodenying it, but if Iknew little else about Ducati than its uncompromising passion for performance first and everything else second, Iwas obliged to have faith in its new direction and the
entirety of the package,which not only saw the introduction of the aforementioned, wholly new –desmodromic deprived –motor, but alsoa new monocoque frame, double-sided swingarm, araft of new tech –including anextgen 5” TFT dash–and, perhaps most significantofall, aweight drop of 17 kilos
Yep, you read that right. Imagine how much faster,lighter and fitter you’d feel having piedoff that much mass. Or in motorcycle parlance, how much quickeryou’d accelerate; how much easier you’dcorner; how much sharper you’d stop. I’ll admit, as excited as Iwas about the V2’snew look,which follows suit of the V4 Panigale’s sleeker and slipperier stance, or the introduction of new Y-spoke
wheels, or the fancy őhlins suspension that adorned the V2S spec machines we were to ride –itwould have meant little from apureperformance point of view without that hefty weight loss. Power-to-weight is everything and while the slimming world approach hasn’t quite rendered the drop in output equal, it has meant that theold bike and the new bikeare much closer when the pin is pulled than you might think That was apoint that got properly hammered into us ahead of this launch, with Ducati claiming that in testing, the new,lesser-powered V2 nearly matched its predecessor’s lap time at Vallelunga race track, near Rome, being just0.2 seconds alap steadier.How so?Well, in Ducati’sopinion, the added virtues
of better tech, improved handling and far less weight outweighed the power that’d gone walkies. Turning up at atropical (18˚C), shiny and new Sevilla race track, the excitement to get stuck in and kick offthe first of six 15-minute stints felt palpable. But before such antics could get underway, we werefirst given achance to see the V2 unclothed and stripped down, highlighting the bits of the build that you wouldn’ttypically see, such as the minuscule monocoque chassis,that looked about as wide as ashoe box and probably weighed the same, too. Okay,that last figuremight be abit of an exaggeration, but hitting the scales at justfour kilos, it also brought about arefined level of flextothe V2 name… and doubled up as the bike’sairbox
while it was at it –talk about getting your money’sworth. Below it slotted the featurepiece v-twin which was said to have been built from ablank piece of paper with two clear goals: to achieve a120hp output and lose ashed load of weight. To be more precise, nine kilos was the target figureover the previous version’s motor,and 9.4kg was the final result. Youmight be wondering whether they’d forgotten to put pistons in it or something, considering such asubstantial drop in mass, but the engineer behind the motor mentioned that most of the weight came from the use of thinner metals and the dropping of the Desmodromic valvetrain system. To hardcore Ducatista out there, the loss of the Desmo tech might be considered
sacrilege, but the reasons for doing so arequite simple: it wasn’tneeded, it saved weight, and it saved cost.
What became very clear,very quickly,was that Ducati hadn’t gone about trying to build an improved version of what’d come before, but something entirely different, morepurposeful and morerelevant to what the market actually wants right now,as opposed to the continuation of amodel that was neither alitre bike or amiddleweight –and for that reason, didn’treally fit in anywhere. In other words, the message became clear that despite the obvious comparisons, the only thing the newV2had in common with its predecessor was its name… and eventhat’s probably in aslightly different font.
You’d be forgiven for thinkingthat for abike that’d just won two world supersport titles –back-to-back –Ducati would be rewarding its class-dominating proposition with newshiny bits andmorepower –not knocking over 30bhpfromits arsenal. So why have they done it? Well, the answer’sabroad one with afew different aspects to it.
Firstly,you have to take alook at therivals the V2’s up against: the likes of Yamaha’sR9and Triumph’s 765… plusthe moretraditional 600cc in-line-fours. Now,Iskipped alot of school buteven I know that taking anigh-on-litrebike to battle against conventional supersport machines is up therewith fishing with dynamite… which is just alittle frowned upon. The solution? To heavily chastise the V2 and level theplaying field.
By culling power,addingweight and electronically governingthe V2, it brought thepackage moreinlinewith its rivals, but it would’ve also had Ducati questioningits need for ahigher output, fancier desmodromic enginewhenamoretraditional and cheaper valve train system would morethan cutittomatch its rivals’ rough output of around 120bhp. So, from aracingpointofview,there’sagood reason for thenew engine–the last one was overkill. The other reason, which ticks thecommercial box, is the need for acommon motor across different platforms.
Ducati’sabig player in the sub-litre, v-twin market and up until the introofthis new engineitsported the fancier Desmo-driven Superquadroengine (Panigale) at one endofthe spectrum andthe moretraditional, road application inclined Testastretta Evoluzione lump used in the likes of theV2Multistrada, Monster,DesertX and Hyermotard.
So, why build two engines when you could have one, not only meeting thecriteria for all applications, buttickingthe box for new tree-hugging legislation, etc., in onefoul swoop? While it might notbejustifiable to those that want a150bhp v-twin of old, an alternative mighthave been no newv-twin motor at all –which could have meant the death knell for thePanigale V2.Surely,that’sareality that no one would have wanted…least of all Ducati.
Armed with morefacts than my tiny brain could hold,our track debut eventually commenced and so did thesurprises. Chief of allwas the sensation of acceleration this thing offered Heading out of pitlane, with no idea which way the track went, Icouldn’tresist ahandful of throttle, to which the Pani obligingly romped forwards at a truthfully unexpected rate. From that momenton, the enginedidn’t stop impressing me.
I’ll spareyou the melodrama of getting my head around the circuit and fast-forwardtoafew sessions in when Iwas setting adecent pace, having gained a good grasp of what the v-twin had to offer.Top amongst all its good traits was avery linear doseof oomph, made so consistent owing to the new engine’suse of variable valve timing on the inlet cam. From just 4000rpm, 80 per cent of the Ducati’storque was on tap and that figure stayed consistent up to 11,000rpm. On paper,that sounds impressive, and on adyno map, that kind of plot is the stuff
of dreams, but from apureriding experience, what it meant was the V2 never felt lacking, regardless of gear choice or engine speed. Isoon learned that even if I’d messed up, the v-twin could quickly and easily pull me out of apickle with an unintimidating supply of drive, that seemed to rise through the revs at afair rate of knots, beforepetering off around 10,000rpm. At that point, I’d snick another gear,using Ducati’ssecond-generation shifter system, and plough on merrily into the distance… until it was time for some morepanicked braking. Honestly,the motor not only felt exhilarating, but also it made me feel like Iwas the boss of it, because despite the bark from the stylish-looking twin silencers, the engine was so pliable and userfriendly.Therewerenopeaks or troughs, no sign of aharsh pickup, and even the back-torque on offer failed to cause too much drama when banging down several gears in quick succession.
However,that kind of abuse did cause the motor to throw a
few redwarning lights my way, lighting up the dash in ashow of frustration, asking me to stop taking the mick and calm things down beforevalve-met-piston. The more methodical Iwas with the engine, the moregiving it proved, which is quite typical of most v-twins, in my experience. They need to be ridden differently,leaning less on higher revs and moreonthe bountiful amounts of torque on offer.Tothat extent, Ilearned to almost always hook agear higher when tackling some of the faster,flowing sections, not only to smooth the gig out, but also to avoid running outofrevs.As great as the limiter sounded, hitting it definitely hurt my lap time. Another thing that’d hurt my lap time was missing apexes, which was easier said than doneonthe relentless blind and twisting circuit. It really did take abit of gettingused to,but by earlyafternoon Iwas on asolid pace and leaning heavily on the attributes of the V2’shandling prowess. This is one of thosetimes that Ihave to rein myself back from getting all giddyand claiming this to be the best handling bike ever, becauseit’snot, but what it is,is surprisingly agile, super-easyto hold aline on and impressively stable under hardacceleration or when braking all-out into oneofthe track’smany hairpins.
The Öhlins on our machines had been givenasolid base set up, with my only issue being aslight lackofsupport at the rear –prompting 2mm of preload being added. Doing this not only minimisedthe sensationthatthe rear shock waspumping, butalso it made the Pani even sharper handling… to the extent thaton afew occasions Ihad to pick the bike up for fear of cuttingthe grass on the inside of an apex. Honestly, the way this thing handles is a treat and as hung up as Iamabout the engine, I’d actuallysay that the way the Ducati corners is equally –if not more– impressive For me, the very bestthing about it is the front-end feel, which gave
me the confidence to dick around and scratch an elbow at will. Not once did Ifeel the Pirelli slicks beneath complain, or the support from the Ohlins begin to lack. How much of this sensation can be attributed to the new frame and swingarm is anyone’sguess, but what Iwill say is that as apackage, it all works so well, andfelt great regardless of whether Iwas tackling asecond gear corner,or when pinned over ablind cresting bend in fifth. Can Isay truthfully that the last V2 felt anywherenear as capable or obliging in acorner? No, it didn’t. As decent as it was in bends, it was so much more physical, less stable or confidenceinspiring. What it did have was good brakes, but notquite as good as the M50 Brembos found on the new bike which, despite the inability to fullyswitch offABS, still meant greedy handfuls on the front lever often resulted in the rear of the bike lofting into the air.I’ll admit, that was something Iwasn’t expecting, but it was so refreshing to ride abikethat offered such potent stopping power,without some do-gooder of an algorithm getting in the way While I’m on the topic of tech,
Ishould say that forthe majority of the time my preferences were the same, with level onetraction control (most minimal) employed, engine braking on level one also (meaning it was at its strongest), and wheelie control either offor on the least intrusive of options. The new 5” dash is definitely amuch better option than the one found on the old bike, but it’snot quite as large or fancy as the PanigaleV4’s. Ialso found it super-intuitive to navigate, thanks to new switchgears, and the info on screen was always easy on the eye. Thereare three different display options (Road, Road Pro, Race) and mine was constantly in the latter,focusing purely on revs, gear selection,while the accessory track timing function not only showed me live sectors on the go, but also told me mercilessly that despite riding to my limits, Iwas still four seconds alap slower than Ducati’stest rider.Still, what didthat matter? I was having an absolute blast and beginning to appreciate that on very rareoccasions, less truly can be more
With the riding done, the sun setting and acold beer calling my name, Icouldn’thelp but
reflect on the simple brilliance of the V2. Ihonestly hadn’t expected it to be half as decent as it was, perhaps because I, too, had got caught up in the hype surrounding the model’s drop in output, and all that, but it is refreshing to think thatDucati had the balls to know whatit wanted, stick to its guns, and turnout the kind of bike that can put Cheshirecat sized smiles on many asports bike rider’s face. Even those with bad backs and achy knees, because while mulling over the experience,it hit me that my body wasn’tin tatters, as is often the casethese days after aday on track. High bars, relaxed pegs and ascreen that’sdeceivingly protective all undoubtedly did their bit formy aging bones… andfor that I’m thankful, as Idaresay many riders that plan on smashing out big miles on the road (or track) will be, too.
The real question is, has Ducati gone too far in making this bike so usable, comfortable and awhole lot morepractical? Well, by the time you read this we’ll have had the first round of WSBK. If the Panigale V2 isn’tonthe supersport podium, there’syour answer
If you want abike that’ll gothe distancebut canalso bring the fireworks when youwant them, Kawasaki’snew Ninja 1100SX couldbea perfectpick
Iambynomeans old, but despite my love for sports bikes, the thought of traveling head down for along-distance ride on asports-focused machine can have me looking for somewhere nice for aphoto opportunity so I can hop offand stretch out any aches.
Iamnot yet ready to give up on these machines and do find myself covering moremiles and planning trips further afield, so asports tourer is agreat compromise. Enter Kawasaki’s Ninja 1100SX. Now in its fifth year,the Ninja has proved to be an attractive option for likeminded individuals looking for abike that can provide sports handling while having the practicability required for daily riding and also with atouring capacity
This popular sports tourer option could haveprobably been released again with just agraphics change for 2025 as the previous one was already agreat package, so werethere improvements to be had? Well, forget the old ‘If it isn’tbroke’ saying. Kawasaki has carried out enough changes worthy to draw attention.
Ihad afull day of riding lined up with the Ninja in northernSpain and was keen to get going to see how it faired. The model Ihad for the test was the SE which, for an extra £1750, givesyou premium features like the Öhlins S46 rear shock, Brembo brake calipers with Brembo master cylinder and braided lines,and heated grips. On anote here,Kawasaki expects the sales split to be 70/30 in favour of the SE over the standard.
If you have akeen eye, you may already have seen the 2025 model is now an 1100. This jump from 1043cc to 1099cc obviously demands the newname, but what does that mean in terms of power? Well, bear with the next part as the bhp hasbeenlowered (yes,lowered!)from140bhp to 136bhp. Ihave seen many negative comments regarding this, but Ifeel the need to step in on the defensive here.
What you do get is moretorque all the way from low through to mid-range which, if we areall honest, is wherewewould spend most of our time in the real world on one of these. Youalso get improved fuel economy(claimed 50mpg) with the combination of longer fifth and sixth gears, meaning the engine is not as high in the revrange for agiven speed.
When first jumping on you do get that hint of asports bike feeling but with amorerelaxed riding position. Ihavetriedafew other sports tourers recently and some aremorebiased towards the sporty side, meaning the bars arestill that bit too low for me when considering longer rides. On the Ninja, however,the slightly higher bars already gave me asense Icould spend afull day riding while having the option to push on with morespirit if the opportunity arose.
The 4.3” TFT colour screen was awelcome sight -ifyou area Kawasaki rider you may already
have seen this and know how easy it is to navigate through the options as this is found on other models.
Despite the fact Iwas in Spain, the timeofyear for the test meant the mornings could be cooler so it was agood opportunity to make the most of what comforts the Ninja hadto offer.Adjusting the screen to a moreupright position of its four settings, while being easy enough at astandstill, isn’tsomething you could do while moving as it is atwo-handed affair. On the go though, the higher screen setting did morethan expected to deflect the air up andover,while also not creating too much extra noise like Ihave experiencedwith some others.
Another great bonus for the morning was the heatedgrips on the SE, which areanoptional extra for the standardmodel. Activating them was just apush button next to the leftgrip which, for afew seconds, Iwasn’tsure Ihad pressed correctly due to the flashing lights to start with, but it wasn’tlong beforethe toasty feeling of confirmation was present, and these canget pretty hot when on the highest setting!
The four-into-two-into-one exhaust has asporty and premium look, but alsokeeps the sound quite tame unless you areout in the open and taking full advantage of the extra torque through the gears. Isuppose this would benefit the rider who wouldn’twant to offend the neighbours just beforethey go for ablast in the countryside. If, however,the neighbour likes to park outside your gate or lets the dog foul on the path by your front door,then maybe adifferent mufflerisfor you…
Out of the four rider modes (Sport, Road, Rain and Rider) most of the day was spent in Road as this still delivers full power with medium traction control. Each of the first three modes areactivated simply by a‘one button’ press while on a neutral throttle, while delving into the personalised Rider mode is done within the menu. This was a great setting for the riding Iwas getting up to and the traction control was activated afew times when pushing hardout of some damp hairpins under tree cover after ashower the day before. The traction control was by no means aharsh sensation, it felt quite smooth by just lowering the power and at times the flashing light on the dash was the only cue to it being in action.
Ilike in-line four engines, and this new 1100 did agood job of ticking the box for fun factor The delivery of powerwhen hardonthe gas comes with the sense of urgency that Icrave and the sound from the intake and exhaust also adds to the rush. For the most part, this was going well, but when cracking on the throttle coming out of the slower corners the delivery did feel abit snatchy; nothing too dramatic but worth amention.
This minor issuecan soon be overshadowed by the amazing quickshifter used for both up and down shifts. Theoperating
function for this has been lowered dramatically for the 2025model from 2500rpm to amuchlower 1500rpm and when combined with the slipper clutch the window for either lazy shiftswhile cruising around, or harder spirited downshifts, is greatly increased
The SE modelhas an attractive Brembo combination up front with apair of M4.32 monobloc calipers squeezing on to Brembo discs complemented with aBrembo master cylinder and steel-braidedbrakelines. Without riding the standardSX back-to-back with the SX SE, it could be argued that you may not feel amassive difference as the standardoption is morethan up to the jobbut for the bling factor alone I`ll take them. For
Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX SE
Price: £12,249, SE model £13,999
Engine: 1099cc, liquid-cooled, inIine-four,DOHC, 16 valves, 77x59mm bore/stroke
Power: 136bhp (100.0kW) @9000rpm
Torque: 113Nm @7600rpm
Frame: Twin-tube, aluminium
Wheelbase: 1440mm
Rider aids: ABS, 4rider modes, Quick Shifter,Traction Control, Cruise Control
Brakes: (F) Dual semi-floating 300mm Brembo discs with radial-mount opposed 4-piston Brembo M4.32 monobloc caliper.(R) 260mm single disc with Monopiston caliper
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: (F) 41mm USD forks, adjustable preload and rebound damping. (R) Öhlins S46 shock, adjustable preload and rebound damping
Wheels/Tyres: (F) 120/70/17 (R) 190/50/17 Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23
Seat height: 835mm
Fuel capacity: 19 litres
Weight: 235kg (kerb)
Warranty: 2years
Contact: www.kawasaki.co.uk
all-day riding, the lever feltlight to apply,yet didn’tremove any performance from the braking when you wanttoslowfrom high speed to makeatight turn, offering great feedback from first bite progressively all the way through the motionuntil letting go of the lever again.
As mentioned earlier,the SE comes with an Öhlins S46 rear shock and, as well as building on the premium look and feel, it comes with the practicality of having adjustability for rebound and preload, with the latter being aremote unit in the usual golden colourand not requiring tools to adjust.
The suspension both front and rear weredoing an amazing job as expected, soaking up the
bumps and providing asmooth ride on longer stretches while also providing just about all the support needed when Icame to some bends and wanted to push on through them. Isay ‘Just about’, as Iwouldhave liked to have stiffened the set up abit when accelerating hard out of some of the corners and, while Ihad the chance to do so and could have stopped to play around with the settings, I didn’treally want tostopasIwas having ablast.
If riding with extra weightinthe panniers or with apillion, then this softness wouldbehighlighted further,and Iwouldfeel the need to stiffen up the ride alittle. It is ashame this still felt alittle like a middle ground as the technology is therefor electronic suspension, but then this wouldadd to the cost -itwouldbenice to have as an optional extra maybe?
When it comes to comfort, this Ninja 1100 is ranking high when compared to other sports tourers, with Kawasakigetting the balance right forthat sporty feel while offering abikeyou could take on along trip.
Öhlins rear suspension
An Öhlins S46 shock absorber at the rear not only providesa premier look, but alsoallows for ample adjustability for rebound and preload settings.
QuickShifter
The dual-direction Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS)has alower operating revfunction from 2500rpm to 1500rpm to allow shifting up from slower speeds andalso smoother downshifts when decelerating.
Engine
Based on theproven andwell-liked 1000SX, thein-line 4gets a capacity boost from 1043cc to 1099cc. Although thereisaloss in overall bhpfrom140bhpto134bhp, the increase in torqueisthere from low to midrange, boostingits real-world usage.
Brakes
The SE has an attractive Brembo package with apair of Brembo M4.32 calipers squeezing Brembo discs, complemented by a Brembo master cylinder andsteel-braided lines.
Luggage
The 28-litrepanniers arenot only functional, but also integrate well with the Ninja. They arevery sturdyand some of the easiest to operate andremove while also notlooking like an afterthought. Cruise control -The Ninja has acruise control that is so intuitive to get to grips with,needing only apress of abutton to activate, speed up or slow down
Cruise control
The Ninja has acruise control that is so intuitive to get to grips with, needing only apress of abutton to activate, speed up or slow down
After some previous owners mentioned they felttoo much vibration in the bars and pegs, the engineers listened and have added extra weight inside the bars and the end weights are also heavier to combat this. With the pegs, rubber-backed weights have been addedbehind the heel plates and also underneath the pegs themselves,and Inever noticed any excess vibration so that area is ticked off.
The rider’sseat is both wide and long, so you have extra room to move around if you feel the need, but one point Idid find after the fullday was the side edge of the seat being alittle too aggressively angled. The pillion also benefits from alarge seat, unlike the postage-stamp sized ones offered on afull-blown sportsbike, although they do sit much higher than the rider and would lean forwards more, potentially limiting comfort on longer trips.
The pair of 28-litrepanniers aresuper-sturdy and weresome
of the easiest to operate over many of the onesI haveused recently while not looking out of place, seamlessly integrating with the styling of the Ninja, and not looking like an afterthought.
Cruise control on this bike was afamiliar set up for me after riding other Kawasakis -itis both intuitive and easytouse. A button to activate and anotherto either speed up or slow down on the left handlebar means you can spend time relaxing your right arm, but with the relaxed higher bars Inever felt the need to.
The Ninja 1100SXSEwas brilliant for me to spend awhole day with and would genuinely be an option if Iwas lookingfor a bike that could be an all-rounder for sporty rides and for getting away to get afew days’ riding in.
Had Ibeen asked to ride it back from the test in Spain then Iwould have packed my stuff into the panniers, filled thetank andbeon my way without question, butone thing is for sure, Iwouldn’tjust be sticking to the motorways.
Love ’em or loathe them,the electric bikemarket seems well and truly heretostay Wayback in 2011after afirst taste of this evolving scene, tryingout aprototype BMW C-Evolution on the outskirts of Munch, we’ve seen products get morecapable, affordable and common across awhole raft of sectors. From scooters to superbikes, push bikes to commuters, E-power has erupted in away that perhaps many people never saw possible. To celebrate their existence and shinea light on some of the two-wheeled optionsthat arenow on the cards, we’ve put together this section dedicated to them…
The good, the bad and thelook of thefuturefor electric motorcycles… here’s ourtakeonthe scene.
If performance is your thing, Zero’s shockingly fruity SR/F shouldberight up your street. But what’sone like to live with? Here’sour take on it
With ever tougheninglaws on noise and emissions, electric trials bikes areproviding asolution like few could have predicted. Better still, they’re an absolute blast, as we learned first-hand.
If fitness is yourthing, you’ll have probably clocked the wave of e-bikes being released from anumber of motorcycle brands. We check out Yamaha’sWabash.
Words: Alan Dowds Pics: Triumph
It’snot been astraightforwardchange,but electric powerhas become essentially mainstreaminthe car world. WhereIlive,inSWLondon, battery-powered four-wheelersare everywhere, witheven the recentlycursed Tesla brand acommon sight.Add in hybrid designs, with both electric motors and internal combustionengines,and you’ve got abig chunkof the cars sittinginthe traffic jams inside the M25, and beyond
Youprobably don’tneed me to tell you that the bike worldissome way behind the curvewhenit comestothis changeover.Ifyou exclude 125cc and below urban mobilityscootersand bikes, the batterypowered market is moribund in theUK.
In February 2025– admittedly aquiet month at the
best of times– the MotorcycleIndustry Association (MCIA) reported zeroregistrations ofelectric bikes with power outputs over 11kW (15bhp). Absolutely no ‘big’bikes sold in the entirefourweeks, in other words, with just 123 electric125cc/mopedequivalent bikes plated. And that’snot an outlier: annual sales figures forelectricbikes have slumped in the past two years.
The reasons behind this aremany and complex, but they break down into acouple of main categories. First, the technology doesn’tpresently exist to produce an equivalent electricversionofa BMW R1300 GS, aKawasaki ZX-10R, or aTriumph Speed Triple. Theweight, size and cost of even the best battery packs in 2025 just can’tmatch petrol power
If you want abike to make 150-200bhp, weigh in around 200-250kg, cost less than £20,000, and have arange of 150-200 miles, it’ssimply notpossible. It’srelatively easy for acar manufacturer to ‘hide’ a300kg lithium battery packwhichcosts £10k and is the size of afew large suitcases inside an 1800kg, £60k SUV,especially whenyou’rereplacinga big multi-cylinder petrol or diesel engine,with gearbox, with much smaller and lighter electric motors. But the engineering justdoesn’tadd up on bikes. Indeed, Steve Sargent, chief product officer at Triumph, told the recent MCIA conference about the lessons learned from the firm’sprototype electric TE-1 bike. Sargent said that abattery-powered Speed Triple is impossible with currenttechnology
and budgets. And without one of those big, heavy,pricey batteries, you simply can’thave the 200-mile highway range which most bike owners seem to regardasessential (despite most of their journeys being much shorter thanthat).
Another big technical problem is fast charging: electric motorbikes can’tuse the new high-powered superchargers used by the latest Tesla and other cars, which deliver hundreds of kilowatts of electrical power.Charging at those rates needs special battery management circuitry, as well as powerful battery pack cooling systems to avoid damage –which adds even morecost, size and complexity to the units. There’salso ascaling problem –ifyour battery is smaller to start with, you can’tsimply use the massive charging rates used on giant car batteries.
As an example, anew Polestar4 car has a100kW/h battery pack, which is nearly six times the size of the 17kW/hour battery on aZero bike. The Polestar battery canbe charged at arate of up to 200kW, fillingitupfrom10-80 per cent in half-an-hour –acceptable for most folk who arehappy to stop for a coffee when on alonger journey
A200kW charger would fillupthe much smaller Zerobattery in less than 10 minutes, but current tech isn’table to manage that firehoselevel of charge surging into the cells As it is, the maximum charge rate of the top-end ZeroSR/F is 12.6kW (with the £2.5k optional fastcharger kit), meaning morethan an hour for a0-95 per cent charge.
The other problem –perhaps an even bigger one –isinthe minds of us, the great British biker.Most of us, it seems, arewedded to the noise, heat, vibes andcharacter of petrol-powered machinery,for good or ill. That’spartly because they work very well –amodern bike engine is amarvel of power production, compactness, light weight and efficiency.Asanaside, it’sironic that the bikes which are closest to being replaced by battery power –small petrol motorbikes and scooters made to Euro 5+ standards –have amicroscopic impact on the environment, with huge 100+mpg fuel economy and super-clean emissions from the exhaust. The difference made by forcing all of these to convert to battery power is frankly minimal. Indeed, the environmental impact of converting every petrol motorcycle in the UK to
abattery-powered unit would be a tiny fraction of the overall transport emissions picture.
It’sarguable that the Government should ignorebikes in terms of ‘decarbonisation’legislation as a vanishingly small problem, which can be ‘fixed’ (inasmuch as it needs to be) over amuch longer term. By all means, keep legislating for new petrol-powered bikes to be cleaner and moreefficient, butallow them to be sold beyond theplanned cut-off dates for new internal combustion powered cars (currently 2030/35but under review as we speak).
The other part of that mental challenge to battery power is less rational and morepsychological, and it’stied to the demographics of motorcycling. Take alook around any bike meet, from Box Hill to Knockhill BSB, the NW200 to Hunstanton seafront, and you’ll see, broadly,a load of old men. Which is the group least likely to believeinman-made climate change, and the associated need to reduce fossil fuel use. Ask 100 of these typical bikers if they feel the need to move from petrol to battery power,and you’ll get awide range of responses, from unkind jokes about Greta Thunberg, to memes of burning cars and wind turbines, ending up with something about private jets at Davos.
Finally,there’s areal cultural heft to bike engines, weirdthough that sounds when you type it out. There’s meaning, nostalgia, heritage and passion all tied up in these lumps of steel andaluminiumwhich we grew up lusting after,fixing, tuning, servicing and blowingup. Post a pictureofaSuzuki RG500 twostroke engineinamotorcycle social media channel, andwatch the reaction. Ditto theHonda NR750, Yamaha RD350LC,Kawasaki Z1, Ducati 916 –even the Honda C90 single will bring outthe love. Replacing that entireculture with the loreofACpermanent magnet motors, three-phase AC controllers, performance battery management systems, high-power semiconductors and the like is going to be ahardsell.
We look at the potential solutions for the electric bike world. How can we bridge the gap between now and apossible petrol-free riding future?
I’ve ridden some veryrare bikes over the years. MV Agusta Serie Oroand Ducati ‘R’ superbikes; MotoGP and WSBKrace bikes;high-end custom Harley-Davidsons; one-off turbochargedspecials.But Ican’t think of another machine as unusual as theone I’m currently thraping up and down my local photo corner.I’ve never seen one on the road,orparkedupatBox Hill, or in aBSB bikepark –not even on Douglas Prom during the TT.
Because the bike I’m on is aZero Motorcycles SR/F,which is the American electric bike maker’s flagshipperformance naked bike. It’sabattery-powered take on something like aKTM Super Duke or BMW S1000 R; an unfaired machine with big power,premium chassiskit, and sharp styling.
It’sthe type of bike Ilike most thesedays, especially for ridingaround the south-east of England and London where Ilive. Comfortable,easyto control, nimble through traffic, no muss, no fuss. The very nice man from ZeroMotorcycles has just dropped it off, and I’ve got aweek to sample full-powered electric life.
The first thing Idowhenit’s parked in my back yardisplug it in. We’ve got aplug-in hybrid car in my house, so I’mwell versed in keeping EVscharged.
An hour orso has the battery level at 100per cent,and we’re ready to rock.
My firstrideout is alocal photoshoot (it always makes sensetoget the picsinthe bag in caseofmishap…) so abit of a non-standard ride.I head to one of our favourite photo corners and meet John the snapper forthe usual blast backand forth. Inotice one immediate advantage:the essentially-silent Zero means I’m not worried about the residents in the houses nearby calling the cops, as can happen whenyou’reriding aloud-piped superbike backand forth… I’m also getting afeel for howthe SR/F rides. It’saheavy machine, no doubt about it, tipping the scales at 227kg, and that mass feels like it’sheld quitehigh up. Youfeel it, too,when braking,and turning intoa bend.
Isoon adapt though, and start to enjoy the epicdrive from the electric powertrain. It’sthe trademark of battery power: electric motors can make maximum torque from a standstill, so the drive needs to be measured out carefully by asmart controller circuit. But the result is instant: sharp acceleration, perfectly matched to your wrist movement.
The SR/F has ABS, traction controland excellent Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres, plus we’reonwarm, dry Tarmac today,soI’m not worried about losing grip offthe throttle or on the brakes. It’s got aload of ground clearance as well: with no engine, sump, frame rails or exhaust to worry about, the SR/F is narrow at the bottom, so you can lean to your heart’s content
Zero SR/F
Powertrain: Z-Force 75-10 air-cooled, interiorpermanentmagnetACmotor,900 amp, 3-phase AC controller with regenerative deceleration, Z-ForceLi-Ionintelligent integrated battery, 17.3kW/h maxcapacity.6.6kWintegratedcharger
Power: 113bhp
Torque: 140lb-ft
Frame: Steel tube trellis
Wheelbase: 1,450mm
Brakes: (F) Twin 320mm discs, four-piston J.Juan calipers. (R) 240mm disc, single-piston caliper, Bosch ABS
Transmission: Single speed, belt final drive
Suspension: F) Showa 43mm fully adjustable USD Big Piston forks. (R) Showafully-adjustable monoshock, 40mm piston, piggyback reservoir
Wheels/Tyres: (F) 3.5x17” cast aluminium wheel, Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70x17 tyre.(R) 5.5x17” cast aluminiumwheel, 180/55x17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyre
Seat height: 787mm (770 and 810mm options)
Charge time: Standard 2.7 hours (100% charged)/2.2 hours(95% charged), with optional 6kW rapid charger 1.6 hours (100% charged) /1.1 hours(95% charged)
Range: 176 miles (city), 117 miles(highway)
Weight: 227kg
Price: from £20,200
Contact: www.zeromotorcycles.com
Once John gives me athumbs up that we’redone, Igohome, put the bike back on charge to 100 per cent, then pop out again and spend the rest of the dayhooningabout.Idoaquick experimental run down theA3 to Guildford, which is justover 20 miles. Isat at 80-85mph, and did some hardaccelerationruns from 40-80 just to sample the frankly nuts performance.
In Sport mode, it really does accelerate like aturbo Hayabusa hitting peak boost –instantly, at any speed. If you’ve been on oneofthose high-performance
roller coasters at theme parks, you’ll have felt something similar: just relentless, turbinesmooth drive which makes you giggle in yourlid like aloon. The dense, concentrated mass of the battery pack between your knees helps keep the front end down,and theZero’srider aids look after traction control and throttle response beautifully.The five power modes letyou select moreorless performance,so you can use the Eco mode when you need to save charge, or Sport when you’regoing flat-out.
The Sport mode’sstraight-line performance is unlike anything else I’ve ridden –but thereisa downside, which we all know about, of course. My hilarious 45mile blast to Guildford and back had knocked the hellout of the battery range, and Ihad just 25 miles’ range left on the dash. Iplugged it in again when Iwent home, and it took three hours to get back to 100 per cent. Shell out the extra cash for a6kW fast charging unit in the bike (which takes up the cubby hole space under the ‘tank’), and you’ll get double-speed charging,froma car-type fast charger –meaning just over an hour to getto95per cent charged.
So –the SR/F is an absolute hoottoride, with uniquely strong acceleration, and enough chassis to deal with the power If youcan deal with the range characteristics, have afast charger at home and work, and enjoy amedium commute, it’ll work just fineday-to-day.But if youhave expectationsoflongdistance touring or regular 250mile blasts with petrol-powered pals then you’regoing to struggle. Finally,the £20k price tag is stiff, even by today’sstandards. All of which makes me worry that this hilarious electricrocket shipwill perhaps remain araresight on UK roads for now.
Words: TimNeave Pics: Inch Perfect
Electric bikes mightnot be everyone’supoftea,but in the world of trials there’sgood reason why people are starting to switch on to e-powered products.
There’snothingwrong with a bit of friendly competition, and especially so when there’sa chance to get one over your mates on amotorbike. With that thinking in mind, Bruce andI headed to Inch Perfect’svenue over in Lancashire. With trials riding being much slower paced than most forms of motorcycling, Ifigured this would probably give Bruce his best chance to date of keeping up. But slow as it maybe, trials riding is incredibly technical, especially when you’represented with the kind of playground they have at Inch Perfect, set amongst over one hundred acres, surrounded by hills so highyou’ll strain your neck, plus rivers, rocks and even acustom-made trials arena that looks like aRed Bull boot camp.
Neither Bruce norIhave bundles of experience in trials riding so it was somewhat of alevel playing field between us, although he did like to keep reminding me of my visit to Inch Perfect two years prior (I’m still useless). The other thing we both hadincommon was the spankingnew Epure
Race Electric Motion (EM) trials bikes the venue graced us with Yes, you heardcorrectly… electric trials bikes. Unlike trials as we know it, it meant we weretospend the dayblasting around on next-generation electric-powered machines that sounded impressive, butIwas just alittle skeptical about how they’d actually perform –call me old school but Iknow what Ilike and combustion engines area proven quantity As apetrol head, it’sreally hard to come to terms with the idea of an electric-powered future, so the thought of experiencing it for the very first time was equally as exciting as it was slightly disturbing. It prompted alot of thoughts and raised alot of questions, not just focused on the performance of the bikes, but whether electric-powered trials bikes would lack so much in character they weresoulless? Then there’sthe lack of noise to factor in and,mad as it might seem to some, Iquite like the smell of atypical two-stroke trials bike.
Aesthetically,the bikes certainly looked the part, mirroring the style and size of any othertrials machine on the market, and the weight of the thing felt no different either.The lack of atraditional engine was so blatant evenStevie Wonder could haveseen it,but the look andpackaging of the EV motor and battery were nicely done. But as the saying goes, you can’tjudge abook by itscover, and image aside, Iwas keen to get into theguts of the thing and really grasp what it was all about Beforewecould do so, wegot to know the package and the day’s endeavours alittle better
Fresh offthe chargers and brimmed with battery power, the EpureRace machines were sat on standby,but completely
silent. During the briefing with MatthewAlpe(protrials rider and owner of Inch Perfect), we got an overview of the fundamentals: to always wearthe safetylanyardfor obvious reasons; how the three optionsofenginemap (125cc white/250ccblue /350cc red) were selected; and how the battery regenand engine braking worked. It wasthe kind of stuffyou just wouldn’tthink about when riding atraditional trials bike, which only built up the hype
As already mentioned, the lack of engine noise,and exhaust for that matter, was aproper headwobbler, anditwas understandable why Matthewwas really keen to hammer home that the bike should always be left in its neutral setting when static,
so you, or anyone else forthat matter,didn’t go fora casual twist of the grip… and send the bike to the moon. Silent as they were, these things werearmed and dangerous in an instant.
Key areas covered, the time had finally come to taste the future. We had atop bloke called Reevsey as ourinstructor for the day,and to keep things spicy,hehad set us up alittle five-stage trials course dotted across the extensive grounds, primed and ready for me to batter Bruce over Before Icould getstuck in and humiliate him, however,wewere first guided to abig grassy field,
with acouple of mild hills to climb, and afew bumps and dips to prompt afew playfulwheelies. Not that the bike needed much encouragementtolift thefront wheel as the torqueontap was impressive… even when ridingin the Blue (250cc) power mode. The torque on the EMs was awesome and thefeel from the throttle was soon quite natural. Because the Blueand Red modes meant the bike ran with atickover (White mode needed throttle to get themotor moving), it also meant the bikes hada form of clutch lever to disengage the drive… operatingevery bit like a conventional clutch lever would.
This meant theEPure was a doddle to get on with andafter very little time Iwas feelingquite at home on the bikeand ready for the games to commence.
Ashort ride later we’d arrived at our first challenge, in the shape of adry,rocky stream bed. To pick up afew tips andmake sure we knew the rules, Reevsey said that he’d give us awalk-through of each section, followed by ariding demo with arunning commentary so we knew exactly wheretobe and what to do… then it was just acase of executing it.
Easy,right? Well, that’snot the case when you have to ride the section alone with prying eyes
Inch Perfect is an experience, and although tuition is an option, it doesn’thave to be aschool; you can pay and play,bring your own trials bike, or hireone from their all-new electricorpetrol bike range. This place has something for everyone; whether you’re abeginner or an expert there’s always achallenge. Youdon’tneed yourown kit, they’ve got everythingtohire, and to top it off they offer an incredible lunch, coffee machinein the spares and repairs shop, andjet washes to clean offafter your session
To check it out for yourself, see what bikes they’ve got in storeortobook aride, take alook at their website: www.inchperfecttrials.co.uk
from no other than Charley ‘ride around the world’ Boorman, who didn’thold back from picking us apart. We weretobescored
properly,and much to our relief, Bruce and Iboth flewthrough the first stage, which went about 30 metres upstream, tracking a
was cranked up significantly.We also decided thatwe’d do each section twice, which meant there was twice the chance of messing up… not that Iwas going to give Bruce the satisfaction of adab, of course.
Egged on by Reevsey’s encouragement and tips,and with my concentration face fully engaged, Ifelt relieved to nail the second section, and I reckon Bruce felt the samewhen he passed through clean on both occasions. We werelevel pegging on points and quickly adapting to the performance of the electric bikes whichfelt mint, powerful and responsive. The only thing missing was abarky exhaust note, instead being replaced by ahigh-pitch whine when you asked for moregas… or battery,rather.Therewas little not to like about them. By this pointinthe experience I’d really started to relax and gain confidence in my skills on the bike, butconfidence doesn’t mask experience or talentand it soonbecome obviousthat Ididn’t have enough of either.Bystage three, legs started to fly and both Bruce and Istarted to rack up some points.
time exploitingthe motor that seemed to find grip so easily compared to aconventional combustion bike. Bruce argued that he picked up athree on his first run and five on his second, but it still didn’t threaten my lead having got through thesection with afive on the first runand a one the second time round. He was abroken man…hejust didn’t know it yet.
Competition aside, Iwas just having agreat time on the bike and making the most of my time to ride over every obstacle that came our way as we journeyed to the fourth task of the day.Wewereback in a riverbed, starting from up high on a bank beforedropping into agulley that was brimming with painfullooking boulders
Halfway along was amassive slab of stone that needed a wheelie to get the front wheel lifted, else you’d just ram it and go over the bars. It looked pretty nasty from the sidelines, but Reevsey’sdemo mademe think otherwise. He just flewup the thing, beforehitting another massive boulder,turning afew metres later and completing the challenge.
pretty easy path among loose rocks and stones.
To spice things up, the section got lengthened and thechallenge
Reevsey had us riding up streams, over huge rocks and around extremely tight corners, but in the name of healthy rivalry,Iwas faring better than old Brucey and that was the main thing. He was getting more nervous by this stage, and his tongue was getting longer,I swear.Ithought Ihad astrong concentration face, but this man takes it to awhole new level! Admittedly,the river section was tough, butIwas able to slow things down andget thebest out of the bike’scredentials, all the
Iwent first and got through with athree. It wasn’tabad result all things considered, but unfortunately for me, Bruce ploughed through with athree as well. Second time round, because Iwent backwards, at the turning point, Iscored afive,but Bruce got another three. It meant we werelevel on points, andI knew Iwas going to havetonail the finalchallenge to put him in his place.
As wet and muddy as we were, the huge hillside we werenow set to climb was in amuch wetter and muddier state. Grip was goingto be everythingonthe 100-metre ascent. It was abig ask andI could see Bruce doubtinghimself beforewegot going, questioning what on earth he was doing there and whether he’d ever see his kids again.
To pile thepressureon, I showed him how to do it acouple of times, reachingthe top with the bike just aboutsideways as the rear wheel struggled for grip every step of theway.Itwas not easy,but it was doable, anditwas another chance to appreciate the competence of the Epure. Bruce often found himself looking up at me, and this occasion was no different, eventually plucking up the courage to pin the throttle, with his balance antennae stuck out, gunning straight to the top… almost. He made it over halfway,but that was wherethe competition ended for him, marooned with amotorcycle on ahillside that youcouldn’treally walk up and he clearly couldn’t ride up.
To put asmile back on his face, we ended the day with a play in thenew purpose-build, man-made trials park that was accessed up astream, through a huge tunnel. Thepark is packed with goodies andyou could spend theday in thereand you wouldn’tget bored; as much as Iliked the natural challenges of the venue, the artificial sections really got you focused and you
could ride from one challenge to the next without delay.It was epic. In fact, the whole experience put on by the guys and gals who have created Inch Perfectwas really something quite special; I can safely say I’d never get bored riding around the place.
As for the Electric Motion Epure Race, that turned out to be an absolute weapon. Ididn’texpect it to be half the bike it wasand, if you’reunsureabout whether electric trials bikesare the future, Ichallenge you to aride on one… Ipromise you’ll not be disappointed.
Riding the EM has changed the wayIlook at petroltrials bikes forever,and to be brutallyhonest, if Ihad seven grand to blow on anew trials bike right now, my money wouldbefirmlywith the electric option, there’s no two ways about it. Youdon’thave to buy petrol and mess about mixing it with oil; you don’thave to refuel every hour; you don’t have to worry about upsetting your neighbours; and you don’thave to buy acompletely new bike if you move up aclass or outgrow a125.
The battery life was fascinating, and after amorning’sworthof thrashing, Istill had 54 per cent battery life remaining on our ride down the hillside to the canteen. Call me lazy,but having abike that’sready for action withjust a tap of abutton is so muchbetter thanhaving to faffaround finding neutral and then having tokickstart abike into action, and when you’reconstantly laid on your
arse in the middle of asection or stalling your bike,itmakes life so much easier
As already mentioned, the Epure Race hasthreeperformance maps, which perfectly mirrors a 125cc, 250ccand 350cc 2-stroke trials bike. Youcan flick between maps on the fly,which is ideal for changeable conditions. With its diaphragm clutch, power, acceleration, traction and lightness, this bike has all the features riders wouldexpect.
The chassis, brakes and toplevel suspension live up to any well-established trials machine and the EpureRace model goes even further,now with TKO(tickover) as standard,which is the
EM Epure Race
Max speed: 70km/h
Range: 43km
Weight: 75kg
Torque: :600nm
Homologation: 125cm3
Chassis:
If you’ve notbeen to Inch Perfect before, preparetohave yourmind blown. It is literally trials bike heaven, spread over 100acres and it’salmost impossible to soak it all up in oneday.The ridingground seems endless, and theland just keeps giving; Ican only compare the feelingtobeing akid in asweet shop whereyou can have whatever you want, andnew sweets keep appearing. It’sabeautiful, scenic venue in the Ribble Valley in the heart of Lancashire, which caters for everyonefromcomplete beginners to professional experts, and when it comes to the terrain,you name it, it’sgot it: hillsides, rocks, roots, steams, waterfalls, tunnels and theall-new manmade trials park.
latest performance innovation from EM, andalso thePRB ‘R’ as an option, which is the small single finger lever above the clutch lever for progressive added engine braking and battery regen (perfect for hill descents). In truth, Ithought thelack of engine sound and character would be my biggest gripe, but the silence and gentle wurr of the
motor was actually quite niceand helped me to concentrate on the job in hand, andwhen we had a group of petrol bikes ride past us, they just sounded old-fashioned… Ican’tbelieve what I’m writing.
Aday with inch Perfect has definitely got me the trials bug again and Idaresay it would do the same for you. This place needs to be on your ‘To-do’ list, trust me.
When youlivealife of wheelies, burnouts and fastlapsonracetracks, it’s hard to spot amidlife crisis…but after a year on the saddle of Yamaha’s Wabash e-bike, Idaresay that’s exactlywhere I’mat.
Continuing with the electric theme, here’s abit of an insight into life behind bars of apedal-assisted protagonist. If you’re consideringinvesting in an e-bike, Yamaha’s Wabash is up there with the verybestof them. Here’swhy…
Words: Bruce Wilson Pics: GaryChapman
I’ll be honest, cyclingisn’t for everyone and quitefrankly, Lycrais even morepolarising, butfor me,life on twowheels,beitpowered or pedalled, hasformedmystaple dietfor as long as Ican remember. Iamthatblokewho clocks thousands of miles ayearona pushbikeand competesinIronman triathlons.But up until gettingthe Wabash,Iwas completelynaive to the wondersofe-bikes
Ifirstsaw one at Motorcycle Live show on the Yamaha stand and wasdrawn to it for the simple fact it blurredthe lines betweena road bikeand amountain bike–being best described as agravel bike. Albeit agravelbikewith ahefty electric motor at its heart, cranking out70Nm of torque,whichisnearly as much as some middleweighttwins. Crazy, eh!But that’s what the spec sheet claimedand having taken deliveryof one,Isoonlearned it wasn’t fibbing Ialsolearnedhow heavythis bikeis. Hittingthe scales at 21.4kg, it’s roughly two-and-a-half times as heavyasmy carbon fibre road bike, butit’salsotwice as versatile
The truth is that come the time of the Wabash’s arrival, I’dtuckedaway my summer steed,with acup of cocoa and blanket to keep it warm until the roads resembledsomethingalittle less Somme-like. Livinginthe Lincolnshire Wolds,weknowa thingortwo about mud, and for that reason,Iknoweven moreabout crashing. Skinnyroad tyresonslipperyroadsurfaces arenot awinningformula,but the Yamaha’s broader,grippier Maxxis hoops proved morethana match for the roughestof roads and afair few trails,too. With ahundred miles under my belt, Iwas reallybeginningtotaketothe bike, whichinitiallyfelt quitequirky and totallydifferenttoanythingI’d ever ridden before. The bars resemble thoseofa road bike, butthey’reafair bit broader and sturdier,while the seat post has60mm of activetravelonit–like suspension –plus adropper post system if you reallywanttoget stuckinand ride the bikeoffthe side of Everest.
Typicallyridingfor 20-30 miles,I neverreallygot near to exhaustingthe bike’simpressivebattery life,which could be engagedbetween four different levels of powermode, or turnedoff completely. Beinghonest, ridingthe bikewith no assistance,and especially uphill, will soon giveyourarteries somethingtoworry about. Thatbeing the case,curiosity gotthe better of me on one occasion when Idecidedtogo for agood and proper ramble on this thing, to seefirsthandhow longthe batterylasted.
Capped at 16.5mph (moreonthat later), Imanaged 94 miles on asingle charge,with afew hillyclimbs along the way. Notbad,when youconsider mostofmymates would look at 20-40 miles as asoliddistance in aday.Better still, within afew hours, usingthe quick andeasychargesystem, the batterywas good to go again… even though Iwasn’t However, wheneverI wasina fit state, the Yamaha was, too. No matterhow wetitwas,how cold or howmuddiedthe roads were,the Wabash seemedfit to tackleanything and everythingthe winter months
threw at it,meaning, unlikefor my friends,Iwas able to keep riding throughout the worstofthe months, workinghardonmybasefitness while improvingmylow heartrate. Of course,for higher heartrate training, there’splenty of scope. On my road bike, on the flat, I’ve seen speedsofupto30mph when I’m
How long doesthe battery last?
It all comes down to how heavily youlean on the bike’s power assistance, but with Eco mode in use, youshould get around 100 miles from asingle charge.
Is it an awkward bike to ride?
It’sa bike that gets better with time. It’salot more stable and agile than youmight think, which makes it so useable offroad. On road, it’shardtofault. It’salsoreally comfy over long distances.
Can you get it to go faster?
The bike’ssold with a16.5mph limiter in place. This ensures the durability of the bike’smotor and meets e-bike regulations. It can be pedalledfaster than that if you’refeeling fit… but otherwise I’d look to alocal bike shoptohelp youderestrict the Wabash’sperformance. With a
goingall-out,and 50mph downhill. On the Yamaha, youhavetoaccept that its assistance tops outat16.5mph and if youwanttocrank things up anyfurther than that,its heavyweight and sizeable profile soon curbsyour enthusiasm
The fitteryou are, the faster you’ll make it go,with lowtomid 20s being
possible,but goingdownhill is where this thingreallycomes to life.Because it is so heavy, the mass means you rocket downhill to the extent I’ve alsoseen50mph on adescenton the Wabash.Atthatkind ofspeed, the bikedoesfeela bit twitchy, butit doesn’t half giveyou arush. To calm things down,the bike’swell kitted
fruity 500Wh motor in store, I daresay there’sacheat code out theresomewhere.
What arethe best mods to make?
Ionly made three changes to the bike. Ifitted abottle cage, changed the seat to onewhich better suited me, andmade the tyres tubeless. Without adoubt, themost important of all the changes was going tubeless. Ridingoff-road, or even on roughroadsduring winter,there’s so much scope for punctures–sothatmod eradicated those issues. As for the saddle, making abike comfy is just logical. And if it weren’tfor thecage, I’d of had nowheretoput my beer
What’sthe best thing about the bike?
How easy it makes riding. Even up the steepest of hills,this thing is adream. On the flat,if felt like Iput little to no effort in. You’ve not got to be an Olympian to have agreat ride
with decentdiscbrakesthatyou can depend on no matter howdirty they are, and I’dalsoheappraiseonthe cable-operated Shimano GRXshifters, whichmakelight work of the 11-speed rear cassette
Beingrealistic,Inever changedout of toponthis thing, becausewith assistance from the motor,itdidn’t
on this thing. Ialso loved how versatile it proved, givingyou the chance to ride anywhere, within reason.
What’sthe worst thing?
It’sheavy.The weight is something that is hardtoargue against, because you hardly feel it once you’removing andthe battery is doingits thing, but moving it around agarage can be abit of amission –soeat your spinach.
Good value for money?
You’d struggle to findbetter for the same cash. Yes, there arecheaper options outthere but they’renowherenear as highly spec’d or reliable as the Yamaha. The PW motor is a proven product and utilised by other brands in their e-bikes. The Shimanobrakes, shifters and gears hammer home how premium this thingis. There’sa lot to like aboutit.
PRICE: £3100
WEB: www.yamaha-motor.eu
need me to flickthrough the gears –evenfromstandstill -likeIwould have on anynon-assisted bike. That’s the real beauty of the PW Series motor and its 500Whmotor –itmakes light work of cycling. So much so that I’d argueabikelikethis canredefine anyone’s relationship with pedal power. It hasmine
Each issue our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guidesreaders through their legal trials andtroubles
Q:IhavebeenridingbikessinceGod wasa lad and have hadall sortsfromRD350stoBandit 1200s,right up to the latest all singing, alldancing GS1300. Abouttwo yearsago Iendedupgetting bittenbythe greenlaning bugand bought KTM’s 890 AdventureR.(There aretoo many bikesin the garage!I have aproblem.) To make it more suitable (as Iknew Iwould fall off,whichI have done…alot) Ifitted engine bars and have taken the mirrors off to stop them breaking thebrackets on thehandlebars(whichwould be superexpensive). Over the weekendImet my mates in Buckingham anddid aloopofsome green lanes around Silverstone.As we were parked up looking for apub for lunch, apoliceofficer pulled up to checkthe bikes.Hewas friendlyenough butdecidedtowarn me that if he sawmewithno mirrors again, he would nick me.Ikept it polite (because Iamnot an idiot), butIamprettysure he is wrongand so did my twomates.So… legally, do bikes need mirrors?
A:Thepolice officer is…completely… wrong. Youand yourmates are right. The
answerlies in The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. If youare struggling to sleep,haveareadoftheseastheyare not exactlyriveting. However, what theydosay at s.33 paragraph5isthereis‘No requirement’ for ‘A two-wheeledmotor cyclewithorwithout asidecarattached’ to have mirrors. If you are regularly doingthe same greenlanes and are likelytosee the police officer again, Iwould printthatoffand have in yourbag to show him.Hopefully, that will be an end to the matter. However, if youdoeverget nickedfor this,defend it.Iwill happilyrepresentyou. The onlything Iwould add is that wherea motorcycledoeshavemirrors theyneedtobe attachedand in good order,etc Lastly, you’renot the onlyone who falls off whilstgreen laning…
Q:I am currentlyatcollege studyingtobe an engineer.Asweliveout inthe sticks and to help me getaround and to college,etc., my sister kindlygavemeher battered,but indestructible and utterlyreliable Kawaski
Z300 after she boughtacar.Topay my way through college and help paytowards the billsathome with mum, Ihavefound a jobdeliveringtakeaways from the Turkish restaurant in the nextvillage. However, I’m not sure whether Iaminsured or not.My sister helped me getthe insurance sorted out(she reallyisawesome) and gotmefully comprehensive. Does that mean I’mcovered for work as well? Ithink it does,but I’mnot 100 percentsure.
A:Hatsofftoyoursisterfor beingawesome and hats off to you for tryingtoget some funds in whilststudyingatthe same time.In answertoyourquestion, the devil is in the detail, as theysay,soyou need to checkyour insurance policyand call yourinsurer,ifneed be,tosee what you’recovered for.However, beingalittle bit(to saythe least) older than you,Isuspect you areprobablynot coveredat the momentfor delivery work
Deliveryworkisusuallyviewed by insurers as beingahigher risk and this in turn dictates
ahigher premium.Whilstitmay be tempting, don’t risk doingthe deliveryjob without insurance for acouple of reasons. Firstly, if you getcaughtyou could getpenaltypoints or lose yourlicence,etc.A criminal recordisnever a good thing.
Secondly, if youhaveanaccidentwhilst deliveringand your insurer finds out, theywill likelypullcover and maywellcome after you for the moneytheyhavetopay out.
Forexample,a few yearsago Ihad aman call me wherehis insurer hadcome after him personally for over £100,000 after he was involved in acollision with twopedestrians whilstridingnot in accordance with his insurance policy. Unsurprising, he did not have £100,000 so theywentafter his only real asset, his house. It did not end well for that poor chap and family, all becausehe triedtosaveafew pounds with his insurance policy. As such,pleasedodouble-checkand getthe correct coverbecause the alternatives arenot good if somethinggoeswrong or the Police stop you,etc
Amotorcycle is the perfect tool forexploring lesser-known roads, andborder areas between countriesare often the place to findthose rarer routes. Dave explores the Salop/Powys interface.
Words &Pics: Dave Manning
Manyfolk who findthemselves heading in the general direction of Waleswill tend to focus on getting toSnowdonia,ortothe coast of Cardigan Bay,ortothe Brecon Beacons –all areas that we’ve suggested asbeing ideal destinations for motorcyclists in the past,and withgood reason. But heading to the morecommonly known areas can often mean that you miss out on othertreats. The areasthat lie between countries areoften amongst the most interesting, for borderlands can have an atmosphereentirely of their own. Notonly because of thedistinctionsbetween countries, andchange in language, dialectand custom, but also because it is oftenthe case that there’sa geographical reason whythe border lies whereit does. It’soften wherethe topography changes, or whererivers run, and those kindsofareas will inevitably result in some rathergood roads to ride. Having already done one dayrideinWales recently,Iheaded from the endpoint on the coast across countrytostayovernight with an oldfriend who lives in the border town of Knighton. This characterful little town, lying on the Welsh side of the border,also liesdirectly on Offa’sDyke, the long-distance pathrunning from the Severn Estuary,177 miles northwards, toLiverpoolBay
Essentially,Offa’sDyke is now along-distance path running along the border, althoughhistory tells us that it was originally an earthworks that involved aditch (the ‘dyke’) dug on the Welsh side to createaneight-feethigh earth‘wall’, that ran alongthe boundary between Mercia and Powys. Initially,it was thought tohave been created under the orders of Offa, the Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia betweenthe years 757 and 796 AD. But recent researchtechniqueshave shownthat at least some of the barrier was builtasearly as the fifth century,significantly earlierthan Offa’s time. While this ride wasn’tgoing todirectly follow Offa’sDyke, it was due torun parallel fora certain amount of time, straddling the border and running
between Wales and Herefordshireand Shropshire on the English side.
To be honest, it matters notwhich road you choose to leave Knighton, as thereare no bad roads around here. Some aresmaller,others a little nadgery and gravel-strewn, but all aregreat to exploreontwo wheels. Your choice is simply down to whether youwant to spend time getting lost around the lanes, or if youneed to cover ground in amoreefficient way.
Ichose the A488, heading in aroughly northern directionthroughClun and towards Bishop’s Castle, which is in itselfapopular destinationfor motorcyclists through the summer,soon passing throughthe interestingly-named hamlet of New Invention, which would make foravital stop and photo opportunity if you’re either on anew bike or,for the sake of irony, if youhappen to be riding something particularly old…
Althoughit’snot far from our start point, the village of Clun is worth astop. Notjust to have alook at the castle, or forthe fact that it’sa good place to have alook at the ditch and wall construction of Offa’sDyke, as it can be clearly seen here. One of the reasons why Ifind Clun so attractive is that the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England suggests that Clun is one of the most tranquil locations in England, and they’renot wrong! It’snot always been that way though, as Clun Castle had aviolenthistory,right up to the point whereitwas declared as ‘ruinous’ in 1539, after the area had been devastated by the selftitled Prince of Wales, Owain Glyn Dwr The road onwardsisaroller-coaster joy through typically Shropshirecountryside, mainly agricultural and never boring. Reaching Bishop’s Castle is agood excuse to stop for abrew– of either caffeine-fuelled hot beverageoroflocallybrewed beer.There area couple of great cafés hereand, of course, the acclaimed Three Tuns Brewery at the topofthe town. Having been first
With adventureand ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopy by scanning this link.
established in 1642, it’sremained on the same site and,assuch,isthe oldest licensed brewery site in Britain. Anda bloody good pint, too. Butnot if you’reridingonwards, as Iwas. Although as a base to explorethe area, it is nigh-on perfect.
Leaving Bishop’sCastle on the B4385and heading north, away from thetraffic usingthe A488, and cuttingthrough some quietand narrow lanes, Icrossed the border into Wales once more and then headed through Pentre, beforetakinga right on to an unclassifiedroad that cuts through to Church Stoke. With afollowing right-then-left over the A489tocarry on along Hall Bank and then Green Lane (and there’sanapt name!), Irode through Old ChurchStoke andpast Roundton Hill, the MontgomeryshireWildlife Trust site known for Peregrine falcons andWheatear (motorcyclists can be ornithologists, too, you know).
Roundton Hill provides some excellent views across the borderlands, and Ifollowedthe road onwards to the A488 beforeturning left after White Grit (another unusual place name,but probably quite descriptive of the local stone?) along some furtherunclassifiedlanes past Mitchell’sFold stone circle, spotting anotherleft turn, taking it and then finding myself heading on to the A490 at Chirbury
Aright turn northwards heads past Kingswood and further on to Coed-y-Dinas, with themix of patently Welsh and English place names showing how the border lies, andhow it hasmoved back and forth over time.
Now on the A483, theroad is moreopen, faster, and not as interesting, although the scenery remains distinctly border-like, anditisa far quicker way to cover ground than usingthe unclassified lanes that Isolike to explore. But time was pressing on,and Iheaded through FourCrosses, Llanymynech, Pant andLlynclys beforejoiningthe A5 west of Oswestry andthus back into England for the foreseeable future.
Everynow and again it pays to step outside of your comfortzone and trynew things… including 1923cc, 368-kilo baggers
Words& Pics Andy Bell
Iused to say,“I’ll only ever have sports bikes,” but as I get older,Ifind myself wanting to experience every aspect that two wheels has to offer So, with that in mind, when an opportunity popped up to immerse myself in livingwith aHarley-Davidson for along weekend-incorporating aroad trip to an owner’sevent with plenty of bikes, bands andbeer thrown in -Ihad to snap it up The plan was fairlysimple: to borrow aHarley-Davidson Street Glide, pack enough clothes for aweekend and head 450miles north from Lincolnshiretoattend Thunder in the Glens, organised by the Dunedin Chapterof the Harley Owners Group in Aviemore, Scotland.
This takes place over the August Bank Holiday,when many other
of my typicalbikinghighlights occur,soitwas set tomake fora completely different experience to my status quo.And likewise for my very understanding and supportive wife (who,atthat point, I’d beenmarried to forless than two weeks!)who’dagreed to jump aboard for the ride with the promise of anadventure.
The Street Glide is from Harley’s Grand American Touring range,yet didn’tlook too intimidating for my first time on a‘bagger’. Any initial concerns regardinggettingtogrips with amachine of this naturewere soon squashed afterthe wheels wereinmotion. Alarge andlow comfy seat with loads of room to movehelped with the feeling of being ‘in’ the bike, andwith the seat heightatonly715mm, it meant both ofmyfeet could be easily planted on the floor,whichhelped
with confidence whensetting offor coming to ahalt with this heavier machine thanI’m used to.
Firing up the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine while sat on the bike produced the characteristic shaking into life that comesfrom alarge V-twin motor (117 cubic inch engine equates to 1923cc, and delivers 107bhp), only adding to my initial thoughts that the next few days would be remembered as an experience. Iwas pleased to get just afew miles under my belt after collecting the bike on my own to get to grips with the different riding stance, in particular the floorboards instead of pegs with arelaxed feet forwardposition, beforesetting offfully laden and with the missus as pillion. Possibly the biggest difference Ifound while riding was actually during the lower speed manoeuvres.
Instead of trying to muscle the bike whereIwanted it to be, Ifound clutch controlplayed abigger part and using the powertoturnhelped so much in preventing the front from falling in too much. Pullingup to aparking spot or an approach to aGive Waysign, Idid findmyself planning ahead even morethan I usually do with positioning the bike so Icould pull away in the direction Iwas intending to go with less effort. With parking,I’d look for a spot whereI knew Icould pull away again or somewhereI could back it into -these bikes arenot the same to just throw around in atight spot due to the increase in weight and, at 368kg, it’salittle overwhat Iam accustomed to.
Having said that, it might sound like abit of apain to live with if you’renot used to it, but Idid find this became second nature quite quickly.Atspeed Iwas really surprisedhow nimble the Street Glide was. While this bike is not even trying to pretend that it is a sports bike, changing direction was actually arewarding affair and cracking the power on to lift the bike out of the bends contributed to the pleasure. With
the long and low stance combined with longer handlebars Idid expecttofeelexcessive flex, but never felt anything to really note here;for whatweweregetting up to it was behavingquite well. It was the suspension where Ihad mixed feelings. Most of the time everything was okay,fromcruising along onthe motorway or powering through twisty back roads. However,therewas no escaping the fact that every so often the rear would bottom out with quite ajolt. We werebynomeans overloaded or evennecessarilyonparticularly bumpy roads, but if Iweretobuy this with the intention of riding with apillionthen the first thing I’d have to do was focus on making the ride abit firmer.Despite thatlittle moan Iwas really enjoying covering distance onthe SG.
Soon after leaving home, we had afew hours on the motorway just to push on and get some miles ticked off,which gavememoretime to have afiddlewithwhatwas on offer on the screen whilesat behind the wide batwing fairing. The cruise controlwas so easy to learnand usewithnothing complicated to work out, not that Ifelt Ineeded
I’ve been apillion formany years, but mainly on sports bikes. I’m nowa little more matureinyears and when Isee aHarley go past, I’m envious of the pillion riding position so Ijumped at the chance when Andy mentioned the trip. Iknew Aviemore was in Scotland, but Ididn’t know it was 427 miles and an almost eight-hour journey away So, the adventurebegins, starting with packing the panniers forathree-nightstay,knowingwe could experience all weathers. We left ourhome mid-morning and headed on our way for what was to be an epic journey
I’m sureI’m not on my own in being useless with directions, but as apassenger Iwas able to simply enjoy the ride and scenery. Andy said we’d be going the scenic route ratherthanthe motorway,and with the Harley having alarge display Icould peak over his shoulder andkeep an eye on the route with it having the most amazing sat-nav.I was finding the ride quite comfortable and as Harley hadaddeda back rest, the pillion position wasmade even more comfortable.
The next day we made our way to the HarleyDavidson stand, wherethey had aselection of various bikes. Ihad my eye on the Ultra Limited with its rather large passenger seat. We tookit out for ademo ride, and Iknew instantly that as apillion this wasthe next step up from the Street Glide. After alittle chatwith the staff, they suggested thatwecould returnhome on the Ultra, and it wasaninstant “Yes please” from me!
Homewardbound and Iwas truly sad to be leaving, butwas excited to nowtry theUltra. Comfortable, smooth andwith the larger panniers offering extra storage, we even managed to get afew gifts in! Both the Dunedin Chapter and Harley-Davidson welcomed us, and we both enjoyed the whole weekend, from the bike to the entertainment. We shall be back!
Thunder in the Glens is an annual rally,organised by the DunedinChapter in partnership with Edinburgh Harley-Davidson. Theevent has grown since its inception in 1997 and attracts over 10,000 visitors to Aviemore.There arethe usual attractions that youwould expect, but hereitdid feel beefed up. Therewereover 50 trade stands; awell-supported customshow; mass ride-out; officialHarley presence withdemo bikes to try; and aplethora of music throughout the weekend from many of the different venues.
The aspect that did stand out from first arriving was how well organised everything seemed to be, from the ride-through wristband collection gazebos to how well the rally integrated with the local area.
With having the whole weekend at our disposal therewas plenty of time to get outand aboutto see the various bikes and speak to several of the riders. With all the options to customise the bikes Idon’t believe Isaw any two bikes the same, but this did helpdistinguish some and helped us to recogniseafew that we had seen on the way up either at services or just in passing on the road.
Iwas very honest each time Iwas asked what bike Iowned or what Irode, with my standard response of informing whoever was asking that the very first time Iswung my legover aHarley was when Iset offtohead there. Everyone we spoke
to was keen to hear what we thought about our experience and, despite my limited knowledge on previous models, we still had that common interest of motorbikes that we felt was even morepresent herewith an overwhelming sense of inclusivity.No egos, no dramas, just apurelove for thebikes. Am Iready to turnmyback on sports bikes? Maybe not. However,since our returnIhave spent far too long looking on internet auction sites at Harleys for sale, narrowly escaping spending the money Idon’tcurrently have on several occasions…
Leaving our rural corner of Lincolnshireisn’tthe swiftest of thingstodo, with the nearest motorway being an hour away in any direction from wherewe live. This is compensated, however,withhaving some lovelyroads to ride, so Idid get agood feeling for the way the bike was going to handle, carrying us both fairly swiftly.Heading north we picked up the motorways, ultimately aiming for the A1 just to get some of the miles under our belt as we had quite adistance to cover after setting offa little later than planned.
After acouple of hours, eight miles north of Scotch Cornerweturned offtojointhe A68 heading for Northumberland and the Scottish border.This is astretch of road Ihave covered acouple of timesbefore and found it to be my preferred optionfor crossing the Anglo-Scottish border
The A68 stretches from Darlington to Edinburgh, passing through some pretty towns and villages, and provides amorescenic route than the main road alternatives. Thecouple of hours or so that we spent on this road also gaveusthe chance to
move around and keep us alert with some twisty sections andseveral consecutive blind summits (if you have been here you`ll know the section). Iwas tempted to cross the Forth Road Bridge but opted to go alittle further around, passing The Kelpies at Falkirk and alittle detouratStirling to see the National Wallace Monument. After a quick photo we weresoon on the A9 all theway to Aviemore.
The A9 is alovely,flowingroad with afew dual carriageway sections which helped to get by any slower traffic.However,while on the A9 you have to focus on yourspeed as it could be so easy to get carried away on the wide stretches with long, flowing bends, what with the number of speed cameras duetoahigh statistic of accidents. This is thepart of the trip whereweknewwe weredefinitely heading the rightway due to the ever-increasing number of Harley riders abouton the road, as the miles to thedestination seemed to decrease with less effort duetothe lovely change in scenery and feelingofcamaraderie that came from each nodorwave we received.
to use it much as with the riding position being so comfortableitdid not generate any of the usual aches and sorespots thatIoften expect whenriding anydistance.
The fairing houses awhopping 312mm TFT touchscreen colour display.Iwas quite impressed by this and the Infotainment on offer. The dash hadthreedisplay options, but Ifavoured the analogue-style clocks with sat-navinbetween the speedo andrev counter.The sat-nav wasveryintuitive andcould be adjusted on the move, with the touchscreen being usable with agloved hand. Despite the large screen andwealth of information to show,atnotime was Ilooking aroundfor whatIneeded, and the display was clear to seeeven when the sun did shine. Thereisanextensive amount of electronics built in for safety and with options to changethe bike’scharacter,withfourride modes including Road, Sport, Rain and Custom, whereyou can adjust notonly the power delivery, but also the engine braking, Cornering ABS and Cornering
TractionControl. To be fair,for our trip we stayed in Road mode, occasionally switchingtoRain just for the extra confidence as and when we encountered ashower
The pair of 4-piston brake calipers up front did agood job of pulling the bike up smoothly, but didrequirealittle bit of extra thinking ahead as you areasking them to do alot with theweight of the bike. The ABSnever flickered that Inoticed, despite pushingon into the twisty back roads, though abig part of this could be down to the fact that the bike always felt quite planted on the Tarmac. Iwas content covering distance on the Street Glide, so much so that Iset the sat-nav for our first big pitstop according to the fuel range. As we wereapproaching the Scottish border at Carter Bar on the A68 my plan nearly came unstuck. With 20 miles to go to the next petrol station at Jedburgh and the range indicating 50 miles left in the tank, alittle panic set in when the range started to drop faster than the miles we werecovering. As we stopped for the obligatory
photo at the border,the range dropped to atotal of zeromiles left, not going unnoticed by the missus as she was watching the display over my shoulder
After taking said photos -and reminding her Ipromised an
Harley-Davidson Street Glide
Price: From £26,795 (Black trim + £1800, Whiskey Fire paint + £500)
Engine: 1923cc, 8v,V-twin, air/liquid cooled Power: 107bhp (80kW) @5020rpm
Torque: 175Nm @3500rpm
Frame: Steel cradle
Wheelbase: 1625mm
Brakes: (F) 2x 300mm discs, radially mounted, 4-piston calipers. (R) 240mm disc, floating single piston caliper
Suspension: (F) 49mm forks, non-adjustable. (R) Dual shocks, preloadadjustable Wheels/Tyres: (F) Cast aluminium wheel, Dunlop 130/60B19 61H tyre. (R) Cast aluminium wheel, Dunlop 180/55B18 80H tyre
Warranty: 2years
Contact: www.harley-davidson.com
We tookadvantageofthe chance to try afew of the demo bikes on offer from the Harley range while we wereatthe event, and both agreed that the Ultra Limited would most likely make abetter optionfor the returntrip. The amazing stafffrom HD learned of our thoughts (I might not have been too subtle with the hints!) and theswap for our returnjourney Withmoreweight (416kg) and (87bhp), Iwas wondering ifwew be left wanting in performance after leaving the Street Glide behind, but for what we needed therewasn’t anything to worry about during our journeyhome.
just about all of the wind offme, so much so that when lifting my visor to scratch an itch at 70mph it was hardly noticeable.
The extra storage space made packing for the returntrip so much easier,and the ‘armchair’-style pillion seat was the biggest draw forthe missus. Another trick the Ultra has is the ReflexLinkedBrembo brakes with standardABS whenusing the rear brake pedal. Ifound this option was areallyuseful toolasit helped to provide asmoother ride, keeping the front from diving through the forks as using the front alone woulddo.
We managed the eight-hour ride home on this bike easily,helped by the vented screen that took
As with the Street Glide, the screenand Infotainment helped to make being behind the batwing fairing alovely place to be, although the sat-navwasn’tas and easy to use and, I’m being picky,the display goesblank while the clutch is pulledin. Something small maybe, and Iknow these items have not been around forever,but Iwas left stamping on the gear lever at traffic lights just to make sureIwas in first before setting off. Ihave heardthat these areareas thatmight be addressed for the future.
If Iwas riding on my own, or if we were going for shorter ride-outs,then I’d prefer the Street Glide, but the Ultra Limitedwas by farthe better choice for us both for what we weredoing, and we wereleft thinking without adoubt thatifwe weregoing to be covering long distances on a moreregular basis thenwewould go forthis mile-muncher
adventure-and with no help around, we made the joint decision to push on steadily to Jedburgh in the hope of making it on the little fuel that we could hear sloshing around in the tank. Two-hundredand-forty miles from home, we weresopleased to see the big yellow scallop with anear-empty forecourt waiting for us to roll into. We had made it, butnow Iwas wonderinghow much of atoll the 240 miles we hadalready covered would take on my bankaccount as Inow had to fillthe long and wide tank. Amazinglythough, at just over 20 litres it was full, meaning that we’d had about halfa-gallon left to go. Theonboard computer was saying that we had averaged 56mpg, which really did surprise me considering the mix of motorway miles and the quite quick, but legal spell on A-roads we had covered.
Overall, Ican honestly say that I enjoyed the journey up on the Street Glide and found it great for covering the distance. The large batwing fairing which incorporates avent to prevent head buffeting did an amazing job and was agreat place to be for distance. The floorboards and largeseat give options for positioning that allow you to push back into when you like, preventing any of the usual legcramp.
After arriving at the event, it was amixed feeling of ‘Right, we’re herenow’ and ‘I’d like afew moremiles, please’. As it was, the missus was ready to get off, and so it was time to get aquick shower and grab thatfirstbeer
If you’re keentotick the overseas trackdaybox, here’sa bit of advicetomake your experience as slick and enjoyable as possible.
Words: Dean Ellison
Alot of things have changed in recent years, what with the impact of Covid and leaving the EU. Quite simply,trackdays abroad arenot as straightforwardastheyused to be, but that’snot to say they’re impossible or not worth the added effort. Without going into too much detail, Iwant to coverthe key points and confirm what is and isn’tnecessary for you todo when trackday riding abroad.
I’ve had to drive afew times this year but that was because Ihad two-three back-to-backevents. It was very expensive (£300+) for the EuroTunnel andthen fuel, toll charges on topand a lack of sleep to get thedistance covered in as short atimeframe as possible. Youget to see some amazing sights along the way but it’sachallenge.My advice is to use the No Limits transport company to take your bike and kit, then catcha2.5hour flight to the other side.
Passport must have aminimum of three months beforeexpiry.
For Spain and Portugal, you need to fill out apassenger locator form beforeyou can fly; youwill need to do anotherUK passenger locator form for the returnjourney
If double jabbed then you need acopy of the certificatewhich is generated through the NHS app (make sureyou update this regularly because it does expireafter about one month). For re-entry you need to book a two-day test (approx. £50) and provide the reference number on your passenger locator form; you must do this test within two days of returning.
If not jabbed then you will need to confirm each country’s specific requirements.Currently you need aPCR test before you go and proof of anegative result, either printed or a screenshot. Youwill also need to do areturntest withintwo days
Repatriation insurance is essential, and you can’tride withoutit. There’reanumberof
different policies availablebut Irecommenddoingyourown research. Pricevaries massively and that’sbecause the level of cover also varies massively. Having the cover means you canride, but if something bad did happen then youwould need to check that your chosen policy would cover all aspects following aserious accident.
Bike transport from a designated UK collection point is included in the event cost and it makes life so much easier for you… just streamline what you want to takeand then strap it on toyour stillage. Consider sharing astillagewithone of your friends and then youcan whittle down what youneed to take. One tyregauge, onefuel jug, one roll of duct tape, etc. No Limits offercollection points in Swindon, DoningtonPark and Bedale (North East).
Stillage spacelooks tight once your bike is securely strapped down, but you can still get lots of kit and tools on if youjust planalittle. Limit the number of tools and sparesyou take and whatevertool kit youwant to go with, try andpack it into soft luggage ratherthan atoolbox it’smuch easiertosqueeze something soft in-between bikesorunderneath the bellypan; it’salmost impossible to fit adecent-sized toolbox on to astillage
Pre-order your tyres fromNo Limits because it saves space on your own stillageand includes fitting costs when you’reout there
Carnet isthe new mandate form and providesa bitmoredetail whichthe transport company keepa recordof. Using the spreadsheet supplied by No Limits, list all the items, their weight, value and country of origin.
Hire Car
Hirecar costs have goneup since Brexit so shoparound.
There seems to be acar shortage and astaffshortageat some airports… maybe contact the hirecompanybefore you
travel to ensurethe desk will be attended when youarrive.
Always take out the full insurance when youhireacar
Choosing aCircuit
This is just my opinionand should notstopyou from booking a particular track. However,these points may helpwhen choosing which track will be your firstEuro experience:
Experienced 1000cc Rider and Racers
Portimao
Catalunya
Brno
Jerez
Le Mans
Mugello
Slovakia Ring
Spa
Estoril
Assen
Imola
Valencia
Motorland Aragon
Middle Group Riders and Smaller Capacity Bikes (normally slightly cheaper events)
Cartagena
Parcmotor
Monteblanco
Andalucia
CircuitduVal de Vienne
I’ve seen some easily avoidable situations on theoverseas trackdays, from both experienced and inexperienced riders. If you only ride ahandful of times a year,then consider how often you would normally work on your bike in between UK trackdays? Maybe you give it aspanner check or oil change after each trackday,maybe you just throwa cover over it and kick thetyres at your next trackday,but whatever your approach, your bike will go through morepain over three consecutive days in Europe than ever before. Remember that the tracks arefaster and hotter than you areused to and expect to see some wear and tear
Don’ttry and budget to just get through on yourtyrewear,preorder enough tyres to cover a set per day and you should start with new as well. Tyreswear out faster in Europe andespecially on the bigger circuits. Portimao is abrasive; Jerez is just one fast corner after another; Cartagena has oneofthe best corners for drifting; andbased on what Isaid earlier aboutgetting moretrack time, you will burnmorerubber than at anormal UK event. If not, whatever tyres you have left over you can use on the next event. No Limits can only take alimited amount of tyres for stock and if you run outonday two then you may have to settle for atyreyou don’tknow or amismatch just to get you through.
Day one at anew circuit will see alot of riders doingtwo things wrong:that’sover-brakingand aggressive acceleration, just gassing it too hard.Portimao is aperfect example. Day one and riders arehaving trouble with tyre wear and brake fade. By day three they have perfect tyrewear and no brake problems. It’sbecause they don’tknow the track well enough; thehigh-speed straights and series of blind, fast corners need some practice to get the flow.Personally,Iwould run some fresh brake fluid throughthe system beforeIgoout and start the trip with some brand-new pads, or at least pack anew set of pads just in case.
Anoticeable difference when riding in Europe is howmuch moreyou hit full throttle. It’snot very often we hold full throttle
at max revs when ridingherein the UK, but when you start riding like that, it puts thebike under morestrain. Youalso carry lean angle for longer and you could do some enginedamage if theoil level is too low.Doanoil and filter change beforeyou go and take some top-up oil with you to keep it in the window.Extra vibration and extreme heat will cause nuts, bolts and fasteners to come loose, so do agood spanner check beforeyou go and clean your bike each eveningwhen you’rethereand you may spot the odd loose fastener
If you have atrack-specific bike or race bike then you should always carry some optional gearing. Why? Catalunya main straight is over 1000 metres longand you come on to it at over 100mph, Portimao is almost as long and agood rider will be doing over 120mph beforethey even get on to the straight.
If you’reona road bike then you will be limited to what can be done, but racers should consider throwing some specialist tools in, along with some optional springs and fork oil.
Get on track with Dean… If you wanttoupyour game on track, Dean’sthe man you want in yourpitbox. An exWorld and BSB spec racer, he’salso honed his craft in endurance racing andhas since goneontoestablish,, arguably,the best track riding tuition on offer here in the UK. Check out his page on Facebook and drop him a line if you’reafter some next level rider coaching- www facebook.com/deanellison42
How much fun can aretro-styled,air-cooled BMW boxer be? As it turns out –lots!
Words: Jon Urry Photos: Mortons
Afew years ago the motorcycle world was going hipster crazy with all manner of fairly hideous ‘customised’ bikes appearing as manufacturers paid chaps with beards and tattoos to basically ruin aperfectly good machine in the name of fashion and PR Frames werechopped, inappropriate wheels and tyres fitted, brown seats added, you name it, it happened, andwas then followed up by aphotoshoot in some backstreet workshop to make the bike look allmoody and cool. However,afew good things did spring out of this fairly annoying subculture(although it’snot really asubculturewhen it
is mainstream...) and the best is probably BMW’sR nineT Launched in 2014, theRnineT had all thehallmarksofbeing afashion-led disappointment. BMW’spre-unveiling waffle centred about how it could be easily customised as demonstrated by,yep, chaps with beards, and it was acafé racer powered by the firm’s aging, air-cooled boxer motor. In truth, no one was really expecting the RnineT to be much more than achilled-outretro that would sell in small numbers to afew fashion victims and then disappear from the model range. How wrong we were...
When youapproach the RnineT, the first thing that strikes youis just howbeautifully it is made. We aretalking areal attention todetail herewith lovely touches such as the old-schoolVIN plate on the headstock, twin clocks, inch-deep paint, spoke wheels and chunky bars. It certainly commands your attention and then your eye is drawn to its running gear
Rather than sacrifice performance for style, BMW armed their retrowith ‘proper’ chassis components, and youget radial Brembo brakes, inverted forks (which lack adjustment) and ABS with the option of traction control if you want. There is also a
fairly non-retroshaft drive, butwe will brush over this and instead focus on the star of theRnineT’s package –its air-cooled boxer engine.
Yes, the boxer motor (which is the twin-cam four valve-head version) is fairly old, butwhen you fireupthis café racer it sounds raw and aggressive with avery fruity standardexhaust note (it is even better with the Akrapovic aftermarket silencer fitted).Sit astride the BMW and when you blip the throttle the whole bike shakes and judders as the torque reaction makes it lurch to the side. Far from some identikit retro, the RnineT feels
alive in avery surprising and pleasing way.And when you get out on the open road it gets even better
It is easy to forget just how good the air-cooled boxer engine actually is. Remember,this motor powered everything from the GS to the RT and when you stick it in astripped-backretrowith a wet weight of just 220kg it rocks. Get on the gas and the boxer thumps forwardwith lots of lovely character vibrations that really suit its styling. It’sa properly quick road engine with ahuge stack of mid-range torque that makes you giggle as it feelsreally naughty to thrash.
The RnineT Purearrived in 2017 and is thebase model in the range. Youget conventional forks andnon-radial brake calipers, but theengineand chassis arethe same as the higher-spec version. Prices start at £9000.
The boxer engine’sexposed naturemeans it is very easy and thereforerelatively cheap toservice. It requires asmall service every 6000 miles and valve clearances checked at the 12,000 service mark. Theaircooled boxer enginecan burn abit of oil, so agood service history is recommended.
The RnineT is abike that is designed to be customised and astack of BMW accessories add to its value. Themost sought after in terms of styling is the ‘bullet’ aluminiumseat unit, which can go for over £200 used and is £480 new, but that’sjust the tip of the iceberg. Billet levers and footrests, head covers, seats, reservoir covers, etc., etc. Themoreaccessories, the higher the price tag.
It shouldn’tbeanissue as most RnineTshave covered minimal mileages. However,always be wary of any clutch slip as changing this in aboxer engine basically involves splitting the bike in half and is roughly £1000 in workshop bills as aresult!
Thereare various official BMW options when it comes to exhausts and most owners stick to the factory-supplied Akrapovic rather than buy other brands. The HP Sports Silencer costs £1110, while the High Rise HP one looks amazing butcosts £1290. A used full Akra system will set you back roughly £1000 from online auction sites, while other brands charge about £600 for aslip-on silencer to replace the twin-stacked OE units.
Although initially only ABS came as standard, you can add traction control (£250), heated grips (£255), andanalarm (£220). Later bikes come with traction control as standard, but all models can have it retrofitted.
The finish is generally very high on theR nineT,but as it is anaked bike inspect it well for stone chips andany rust forming as aresult of missing paint. In general, owners save their bikes for sunny runs, but a few arealittle hardier
The RnineT family consists of the Scrambler,Pure, Racer, Urban G/S and the top-spec Roadster (which is just called the RnineT). Thehigh-bar scrambler and G/S aregreat options if you wantamore relaxed ride, butthe Racer’s low clip-ons areexcruciatingly uncomfortable, meaningitis best avoided.
Engine: Type: 1170cc, air-cooled, 8v, boxer twin
The throttle is quite aggressive, which is actually all part of the fun, and it is brimmingwith spirit and soul. Yes, the gearbox is clunky.However,it’saretroso what do you expect? But the biggest surprise comes when you attack the bends. Rather than itsTelelever front end, BMW armed the RnineT with invertedforks and thatmeans not only does it feel natural to all riders, it is also brilliant in corners. The low centreofgravityofthe boxer engine helps the bike tip into a bend and once thereitisrock-solid and great fun. Youcan happily take this retroona trackday and not embarrass yourself (until the heads touch down), which isn’tsomething you cansay about some of its rivals. The Brembo brakes also are morethan up to the job, delivering lots of power and agood amount of feel atthe lever
Rsuspension: Monoshock, adjustable spring preload and rebound Front brakes: Four-piston radial calipers, 320mm discs.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 1470mm
Private: £4800 Dealer:£5300
An absolute hooligan of a naked retro, the XSR’striple engine is ablast and the chassis not too bad in the bends. Looks abit of adog’s dinner but is hystericaltoride.
Engine: 847cc, l/c, 12v,inline triple
Power: 113bhp @10,000rpm
Torque: 87.5Nm @8500rpm
Private: £6900 Dealer:£7600
Astomping engine, toprate chassiscomponents andthat iconic name make this avery cool retro(-ish) bike. Agreat retro-looking, super naked, but pricey
Engine: 1198cc, l/c, 8v desmo V-twin
Power: 129bhp @8800rpm
Torque: 114Nm @7300rpm
Private: £6500 Dealer:£7700
The Brutale has alwaysmade thecut in terms of its chassis and handling, but the price tag is always achallenge to overcome, and it never rides like afinished package
Engine: 1078cc, l/c, 16v,inline four
Tested Power: 132bhp @ 10,750rpm
Tested Torque: 102Nm @ 7750rpm
WhileIdohave textiles, and find them near perfect for riding in inclement weather,Istill like to pull on aleather jacket and jeans when the mercury is highenough and we’renot inundated with precipitation. And they do favour the look that matches the sort of bike that Ireally like riding.
Of late, my leather jacket of choice has beenthis Weise Detroit jacket. Initially I’d chosen the Detroit as Ilikedthe style,the retrolookand the ‘distressed’ look of the leather which appealed to me, as I’ve always been the sort of person who gets alittle embarrassed at being
seen with new things (I’d always purposely scuffed my new shoes as akid, and got any bright white trainers into the first muddy puddle Icould find).
The Detroit was, initially, something of asnug fit, especially if I’d put on ahoodiefirstbut, as is the case with pretty much any leather garment, it didgive alittle to become asuperblycomfortable pieceofkit.The cowhide leather is between 1.1mm and 1.3mm throughout, while safety is supplemented by armour in the elbows, shoulders and –ararity for anew jacketnowadays –a supplied back protector.
It’snot the warmest, although the removable innerlining does help (it’sonly agilet though, so no sleeves), but then the style dictates that it hasn’tgot aflap over the front zip,and it’snot perhaps as long at the rear as might be neededonfresh spring or autumn mornings. But that wasexactly when Iwas wearing ahoodie, so allwas good. The armsare slim, meaning longergloveseasily fit overthe top, while Ifavour shorter gloves for most of the time anyway
The zips aremetal,soI was a little paranoid that the back edge of any petrol tank on abikeI was riding would get scratched, but
the only zip-related trauma was when apocket zip got sticky and Iended up pullingoff thetag in rushed frustration. Naturally,the zip has worked perfectly ever since, albeit atad moredifficult to operate without thetoggle. Whatlook like chest pockets areinfact zipped vents, which do actually seem to work when the weather is toasty,but perhaps the very best bit about this jacket, from my perspective, is the number of folk who’ve suggested that I‘retirethat battered old leather for anew one…’ and who retract their suggestion when Itell them to take acloser look and see that it’sanear-new jacket and as tough as they come. Perfect! My favoured look also leans towards aggressively styled headwear.Two decades ago, Iworenothingonmynapper aside from aSimpson RX8 helmet, and Icontinue to prefer a helmet that has adeep chin bar, albeit now desiringalittle larger aperturethrough which to view the world. Old age has resulted in less flexibilityand alid with an aperturesmaller than aletter box means you’ll not see everything that you need to when ridinga bike. Consequently,I’ve started wearing moreconventional helmets than the Simpsons(that were, in all fairness, designed for race car use), butwhen Ifirst saw the Ruroc range, Iwas intrigued and keen to try
Notbeing afan of lurid or overthe-top livery,I’d no interest in the vast and varied variety of superheroand ‘monster’ themed schemes that thebrandproduces and wanted somethingalittle moreunderstated. After initially trying out agunmetal-hued standardAtlas 4, Ireally didn’tget on with the magnetic chin strap catch (like really,really didn’tget on with it), and had thought that maybe thebrand wasn’t for me.
But then Ruroc announced a version that’d be ACUapproved, meaning it had adouble d-ring chin strap, which I’ve always favoured as being the best type of securement, and realising that the ‘Inferno Red’ version of the AT4.0 Track would match the colours on my race Bandit, Igrabbed myselfone.
And Ireally like it. There’s something of asnobbishness amongst helmet ‘aficionados’
(we’ll not say what brands they wear,but you can guess), and they’renot especially favourable towards Ruroc for some reason. Okay,sothey may notbethe quietest, andthe style may not appeal to you (those themed versions especially,but the Track is much moreon-point with the colourways), butthey’re relatively light(the carbon fibre shell helps here,the Track is 10 per cent lighter than the standard AT4.0); thereisn’tthe bleeding past the visor that Simpsons werenotoriousfor,thanks to the new upper visor seal; stability is excellent on anaked bike (again, the polar opposite of a Simpson!) helped in no small part by the rear spoiler; thelining is soft and comfortable; andit features an innovative Rheon headliner which supplements the usual impact-absorbing liner for additional protection. Oh, and it’scompatible with Ruroc’s Shockwave Bluetooth audio system, too.
I’ll accept that not everyone wants alid of this kind of style, and it’sperhaps not the sort of thing you’d see being used by someone on an adventurebike, tourer or sports bike. But that’shalf the fun –it’sdifferent, and Ilike it.
TESTED BY:Dave Manning TIME: 2years
PRICE: £289.99(jacket) / £579.00 (helmet)
WEB: www.weiseclothing.com /www.ruroc.com
For Sale
BMW Rnine TPure C, 2017, 15,000 miles, BMW service history, vgc, heated grips,traction control, ABS, alarm, spoked wheels, avery reliable machine, running well, £6200 Tel. 07419 778865. North Wiltshire.
BMW G310R 2022 (72) plate, showroom condition, 3230miles only used in fine dry conditions, BMW Warranty till September 2025, full BMW service history, 2keys, Service &Owners manual, datatag, Assist/Slipper clutch, electronic throttle control, USD forks, ABS, rear hugger, Powerbronzeflyscreen,£2500 Tel. 01513 345927.Wirral.
BMW GT800, 2018, one owner from new, fully serviced and MoT, 14,000 miles, excellent condition, includes BMW top box and heated grips, £4750 ono Tel. 01476 568249.
CAGIVA Canyon, 1996, 500cc, selling as spares, total rebuild, but no spark, lost interest, tyres good, owned 10 years, V5, open to offers, few bits missing, buyer collects Tel. 07758515696. Lincolnshire
BRIDGESTONE BS Sport 100, 1968, over £1100 spent on new parts ie new wheels and tyres, new seat and wiring loom, parts catalogue plusalot of smallparts foroil pumpand carps and engine, needs anew piston and barrel plating unable to complete, V5 in my name non run for nearly 50 years,will make anice bike when finished, £1200. Tel. 07929 747650.
BSA B33, 500cc, 1953, excellent condition, stored last 3years, have V5C, contact forfull details, £3500 Tel. Chris 07593 438795. East Surrey.
DUCATI Panigale V4 2019, owned from new, kept in heated garage, extras personal reg, power bronze radiatorcovers, Evotec tail tidy, Ducati fork protectors, superb condition with servicehistory and only 6000 miles, Email. leachalan704@ gmail.com
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Heritage Softail 1450cc, 2003, FLSTCi, stage one tuned, black 100th anniversary modelwithmany extras including custom topbox, Harley Davidson service history Tel. 07464 747819. West Lothian. Email. donjharwood@ gmail.com
HONDA CB125F, vgc, ideal for new riders or daily commuting, reliable and fuel-efficient motorbike has been wellmaintained and features a smooth-running 125cc engine, delivering both performance and economy, £1300 Email. aveturuta1@gmail.com
HONDA XBR500,1986, lovely bike serviced, new chain & battery,service history, handbook, workshop manual, MoT, goes & rides like aXBR should, delivery no problem, historic next June, electric start, £1900. Tel. Pete 01959 577788. Kent.
KAWASAKI Vulcan650,201, low miles 4945, black with green trim, Sissy bar, screen, radiator cover and Delkevic exhaust fitted, needs MoTand good clean, tyre good, £4199 Tel. 07919 312321. Maidstone. Email. peter@cybokx.com
KAWASAKI W800, 2010, excellent condition for year, no modifications, new Rentec carrier, 17,500 miles, fsh & MoT, £3950 Tel. 07840 745240. BedfordshireEmail.steve cook1150@hotmail.co.uk
MOTO GUZZI CaliforniaStone 1100cc, 80th Anniversary, 2001, reg 18th January 2004 on 53 plate, a2001 80th Anniversary model, 26,040 miles, MoT, overall vgc, paintworkvgc, with no corrosion,upgradedYSS rear suspension, new rear tyre and front/rear brake pads fitted September 2024 to get through an MoT, lots of extras and service history, £3695 Email. jason. harris14@icloud.com
MZ ETZ251,1993, full Burwins engine refurbishment including: rebore, new piston, recon crankshaft, crank seals, bearing replacement where needed, refurbed as akeeper, new tyres, tubes, vape electronic ignition, rev counter, brake line, disc, pads replacement reg, rectifier, daytime running light, indicator bleeper, manyspares, several manuals, £2000 ono Tel. Roger 07473 789550.
ROYAL ENFIELD 350 Military Bullet, 1983,Olive green, 1983, t&texempt, Royal Enfield Club dating certificate, frameG2, meteor gearbox, £1600 ono Tel. 07900 131360. Hampshire.
ROYAL ENFIELD Bullet500 trials, 2020 electric start, chrome silver with green frame, only 1750 miles, excellent condition, owned from new, £3895 Tel. 07770 441634. Stroud. Email. jaffs1@hotmail.co.uk
ROYAL ENFIELD Meteor 350 Fireball, red, 2023, 1100 miles, excellent bike, serviced, new battery, excellent condition, owned from new, £2795 Tel. 07770 441634. Stroud. Email. jaffs1@hotmail.co.uk
SUZUKI RMX 250, Classic Enduro, 1992, new MoT, new chainsprockets tyres,loads of spares, rebuilt rear end and new head gasket, fast and loud, I’ve owned for 10 years, £6500 Tel. 07538 528731. Oxford
SUZUKI Inazuma 1200GSX, 1999, very rare bike, good well looked after condition, only seen one other of these models in 25 years, goes like the true musclebike it is, contact for details, £2500 onoTel 01729 850234.
SWM Silver Vase 440, 445cc5 speed 30bhp single, very good condition, 2017 ‘66 plate with only 1350 miles, MoT to March 2025 but will do fresh MoT for new owner, £2750 Tel. 07910 285178. Milton Keynes Email. bland-family@sky.com
YAMAHA XJ900S Diversion Shaft Drive Tourer with full Givi panniers, all originalBlue in super condition, engine bars, heated grips, genuine mileage, service book, servicemaintenance CD, touring screen, good tyres, lowered seat is also available, rides as it should, strong engine, smooth, £2250 Tel. 07976 806016. Walsall. Email. marshyjm@gmail.com
YAMAHA RS100, 1978, t&t exempt,had some work done on engine and gearbox, owned for3 years, totally reliable, new seat, very good condition overall, newish tyres, garaged, all paintwork in excellent condition, £1995 Tel. 01489 602679. Southampton Email. p.ramswell@ntlworld.com
YAMAHA XSR125 Legacy 125cc, first owner, bought this bike in January 2023, has immobiliser fitted and crash bars, has brand new chain and battery and has been just serviced this January, all the papers and service history included, with 2keys, first MoT due next January, 7344 miles, £3100 Tel. 07873 669341. Northfleet. Email. anni.reguli@ gmail.com
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Sportster, rear chrome foot pegs, excellent condition,£30 Tel. 07741 490114. South Yorkshire. HONDA Fireblade 2006/2007 exhaust servo, brand new Honda part in box, never been used, £35 including postage Tel. 07779 783260. North Wales.
ROYAL ENFIELD 350classic DNA filter with plate, £40. Decat pipe, £20. Black short exhaust pipe, £40. Denali horn loud, £15. Punjabi large exhaust, £15 all plus p&p ono. RST classicbrown leather jacket 42 inch, £60. RST classic wax black TT jacket 42 inch, £70. Re short canvas boots, size 7, £20. Airoh full face helmet, size medium in white,
£70. Barchi heated gloves,
in original
all +p&p Tel. Bill 07713 160796. TRIUMPH Thunderbird,900 comfort seat, Pinlock type, excellent condition, £350 +£15p&p.Also fits Legend sport. Also chrome side panels with badges, superb for key release Pinlock seats, £300 +£7.50 p&pTel. 07434 513161. Lancashire.
PAIR of Oxford Sprint Lifetime panniers, expandable bases and waterproof covers, little usedand good condition, £30. Tel. 07726 462564. Email. philhomeport2@ gmail.com
Wanted
ROYAL ENFIELD Interceptor Series 2, 1968-70, any condition considered Tel. 07841 902933.
Miscellaneous PANNIERS black leather throw over, very good condition, hardly used, no marks or scratches, cost £85, will accept, £45 Tel. 07988 149448. Lancashire. RENAULT Master Van Motorhome conversion by Caledonian, it will take motorcycle in rear via 8ftx39” folding ramp, 18,000 miles, 2 owners, 12 months MoT, 2berth, f/f cupboards, hop, cooker, sink, unused, £22,000 Tel. 07899 750863. Scotland. VINCENT &MV: V.O.C. mags ‘m.p.h.’, badges inc. Triumph, Norton, Harley Davidson, I.O.M, etc, DVD’s H.R.D, races, GP’s, I.O.M. etc., £5 each. Hard books, large collection mag/club articles, MV rally ‘98 Italy, rare b/cap, £20. 750s Minichamp boxed, £140. Sheene T-shirt, book, posters, new £30. B.Lomas signed CB showguide ‘85+’81, £15. Mag articles Triumph, Norton, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Kawasaki, BSA etc. Race books I.O.M., GPS,etc. Leather jacket +tassels vgc, medium, £30. Want Belstaff Trailmaster and D. Lewis lightning jackets ‘60/80, size 38/42”, sell swap for Hifi items, vinyl tapes etc Tel. 01277 200530.
VINTAGE Triumph spanners 8 of, mix sizes and ages, can post £40. Vintage Indian motorcycle spanner, very old ideal for an old Indian owner can post if required at cost, £15 Tel. 07929 747650
