Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine - December preview

FINDING THE IDEAL ADVENTURE BIKE: Moto Guzzi V85TT, Suzuki V-Strom 1050 XT, Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro

BMW R 18 Just when you thought that Bavarian boxers couldn’t get any bigger…

þ Massive capacity of 1800cc ight) þ 345kg (and that’s just dry we r ever þ The most torquey BMW boxe

GET INTO TRIALS

(and electric bikes too)

TRIUMPH STORY

30 years at Hinckley

YAMAHA TRACER 700

From hooligan to tourer

December 2020 Issue 273

Contents

PAY LESS

Get the original & best bike magazine every month

P30

22 NEWS & OPINION: 7

12

18

20

30

Subscription offer

32

Maynard Hershon

48

Kit guide

News

Lots of new bikes for 2021. Some pretty cool ones, too.

Legal Eagle

Our resident lawyer on two wheels takes questions.

Products

Your chance to save £££ and get the magazine before it's in the shops.

There have been many bikes in Maynard’s life. This one got away....

This time our guide is all about leather gloves.

Ten products that are definitely worth having a closer look at.

TOURING & ADVENTURE

Your letters

51

Touring news

52

Day ride

56

Mid ride

This is where you can have your say about anything motorcycle related.

60

66

78

68

4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

14

International Motorcyclists Touring Club emerges from lockdown.

Isle of Wight makes for a great riding holiday

Maja took her Ducati Supersport S all the way to Slovenia and back.

Long ride

What goes up, must come down – even in Australia.

Richard Millington

It’s been a strange year. What about the next one?

Making progress in Nepal

IAM RoadSmart has been spending time in an unusual place to train riders.

ROAD TESTS 10

Benelli TNT 125

14

Yamaha Tracer 700

22

BMW R 18

36

Little-big adventurers

This lean, mean, green machine is an urban hit.

Built on the naked MT-07, this is a tourer with a difference.

This is the Bavarians’ big, bold opening move in the cruiser game.

Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT, Moto Guzzi V85TT, Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro.

TEST FLEET 90

December 2020

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Mikko is defending the Interceptor against doubters.

91

Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Tourer

Stu has been very kind about the Kawasaki, so we try to intervene.

76 KNOWLEDGE 75

76

78

86

92

How do you know if you have found the one? This is how.

93

Knowledge

Euro 5 emissions regs are coming. Are you ready?

Yamaha TMAX

85

BMW F900XR

Triumph history

Ups and downs of 30 years in Hinckley.

96

Inch Perfect Trials

If you have not tried trials you are missing out.

100 Tried & tested

We have tested jackets, trousers, helmets, and the rest....

106 Kevin Cameron

How crankshaft design has changed over time.

Honda Africa Twin

It doesn’t matter how big the bike is – you can always over-pack.

94

Ana Carrasco

Quick chat with the fastest woman in road racing.

Triumph Street Scrambler

Scarecrows don’t frighten Roger and the TMAX.

Mike is going all out with gizmos on the BMW.

Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT

The big Suzuki has never been this clean.

97

98

Moto Guzzi V85TT

It’s time to say goodbye to the Guzzi.

Yamaha Ténéré 700

We have a new rider on the Ténéré, and it’s getting dirty already.

36

EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen mnieminen@mortons.co.uk DESIGNER: Charlotte Turnbull PRODUCTION EDITOR: Mike Cowton PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sue Keily DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER: Tom Lee: tlee@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Emma Buxton-Rockley: EBuxton-Rockley@Mortons.co.uk 01507 529410 SALES AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Carl Smith: CMSmith@Mortons.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER: Charlotte Park: cpark@mortons.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole EDITORIAL ADDRESS: MSL Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR WEBSITE: www.mslmagazine.co.uk GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES: 01507 529529 24-hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 SUBSCRIPTION: Full subscription rates (but see page 30 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £52.80. Export rates are also available – see page 30 for more details.

UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS: Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR CUSTOMER SERVICES NUMBER: 01507 529529 TELEPHONE LINES ARE OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY 8.30AM-5PM DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP Tel 0330 390 6555 PRINTED: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If you are sending material to us for publication, you are strongly advised to make copies and to include a stamped addressed envelope. Original material must be submitted and will be accepted solely on the basis that the author accepts the assessment of the publisher as to its commercial value. © Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN: 1478-8390 MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE (USPS:001-522) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $66 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft WI and additional entries.

Postmaster: Send address changes to MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@ classicbikebooks.com

Independent publisher since 1885 The Professional Publishers Association Member

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month?

Test Ride

ENDOFPREVI EW

I fy oul i k ewhaty ou’ v e r eads of ar ,whynot s ubs c r i be,ort r ya s i ngl ei s s uef r om:

www. c l as s i c magaz i nes . c o. uk