Motorcycle Sport & Leisure August 2017

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MUD, SWEAT

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TESTED: A FULL LITRE OF ADVENTURE FOR UNDER £10K

August 2017 No.683

SUZUKI V-STROM 1000

PLUS: BMW S 1000 R SPORT, R NINET RACER, R NINET PURE ◆ HONDA REBEL ◆ YAMAHA X-MAX ◆ FB MONDIAL HPS125 ◆ BUYER’S GUIDE: DUCATI PANIGALE 899 ◆ CLASSIC TEST: HONDA CB750F2 PHIL READ REPLICA

Technically speaking...

Mikko Nieminen

I

’ve never been able to really put my finger on what it is that makes me love motorcycles. And the more I think about it, the more I think it’s probably not any one single thing – and if it is, it keeps on changing.

Sometimes feeling the bike beneath you at full gallop, almost alive, frothing at the mouth for the sheer thrill of speed can be the most intoxicating sensation. Moments later, a slow bimble on a scenic route, simply appreciating the moment, can be just as invigorating. At times the sense of rebelliousness you get from riding a bike puts a smile on my face, but just as often I’m inspired by the mere convenience of it.

It’s not a question of appreciating a particular type of bike either. I’ve had as much fun on lazy old Harleys as I have on high-revving sportsbikes. Each bike has its place and its merits. Re-calibrating your brain to appreciate the different experiences may take a little while, but when you ride the bike as it was intended, it all clicks into place.

The reason I’m giving this more thought right now is that I’ve ridden some very different bikes recently: some dripping with technology (such as my current long-term test bike, the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S) and others with no rider aids at all (like my old Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer). The curious thing is that I’ve enjoyed both immensely.

The Ducati is the most versatile bike I have come across: selecting different ride modes gives you very different experiences on the bike, and further tinkering with the adjustments fine-tunes it even more. And all these changes happen at the touch of a button.

The Fazer on the other hand takes a lot more manual effort to set up, and once you hit the sweet

spot, that’s it, you keep it that way – because otherwise you spend a good chunk of time tinkering with the bike when you could be out riding. But there’s a different kind of satisfaction in that, the sense of achievement in finding the perfect relationship with a bike that makes you work a bit harder for it.

I’m well aware of the arguments against some of the technology used in modern bikes: Does multilevel adjustable ABS control take away from the riding experience or add safety to it? Possibly both.

What about traction control? Is it helping riders remain shiny side up or dumbing them down?

Again, you could argue either ways. And who’s right?

Well, only you can decide what you want to get from your riding experience.

As long as I feel that technology adds to my riding experience, I’m happy with it. A bit of extra help to stop locking my brakes or to keep the front wheel down is very welcome. But there’s a limit to how much I’m willing to allow technology and gadgetry to control my ride. The thing that scares me about the advance of technology is not whether the technology is available or not, but the potential of the tech being forced upon us. Driverless cars are a reality, and major motorcycle manufacturers have showcased their robot bikes, riding around independently, with only a man in a white lab coat keeping an eye on them.

As long as I’m in charge of the bike, be it an old Yamaha or a tech-stuffed Ducati, I’m happy. The moment someone else – robotic or not – tries to take over, I’m ready for a fight.

Mikko Nieminen, Acting Editor

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors...

Alan Cathcart

Alan Cathcart has been writing about bikes for more than 30 years, and riding them for even longer. He’s regularly given the keys to factory prototypes and being on first name terms with the bosses of bike companies around the world allows him to bag many scoops.

Roland Brown

Has ridden for 37 years and been a bike journalist for more than 30. At Bike he ended up as deputy editor before going freelance. An author of 11 books, as a racer he was Bemsee 1300 champion 1984 and raced UK F1, Superstock and Superbike, plus World F1 races.

Chris Moss

Mossy has raced the Isle of Man TT, dispatched in London and ridden everything from CX500s to fullblown GP prototypes.

A former chief motorcycle tester for Motorcycle News, he admits he’s still loving two-wheeled life, and still learning.

Peter Henshaw

Peter knows his stuff – he’s a former editor of this very magazine. Now a freelance journalist, he’s got the same enthusiasm for anything with wheels that he’s had since a child. An all-year-round biker who doesn’t own a car, he has more than 40 books to his name.

Leon Mannings

Doc Leon is a man on a mission to promote the rights and interests of motorcyclists in the corridors of power where policy is shaped.

He advises various groups including MAG, and reveals what’s really going on behind the scenes...

Get MSL extra at www.mslmagazine.co.uk 3

Contents

PAY LESS MSL August ACTING EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen: mnieminen:@mortons.co.uk ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Tony Carter: tcarter@mortons.co.uk SENIOR DESIGNER: Justin Blackamore DESIGNERS: Charlotte Turnbull, Holly Furness PRODUCTION EDITOR: Dan Sharp PICTURE DESK: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield and Angie Sisestean PUBLISHER: Dan Savage: asavage@mortons.co.uk GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse: swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452 / 07786 334330 ADVERTISING MANAGER: Martin Freeman: mfreeman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529538 ADVERTISING SALES: Zoe Thurling: zthurling@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER: Paul Deacon: pdeacon@mortons.co.uk CIRCULATION MANAGER: Steve O’Hara: sohara@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 22 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £50.40. Export rates are also available – see page 22 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-7PM SATURDAY 8.30AM-12.30PM DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. 0203 787 9001.

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NEW News Test ride: Honda Rebel News extra Tyre test: Avon Spirit ST Latest products Competition: Win Shark helmets Subscription offer Your letters Test ride: Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory Leon Mannings: Road to nowhere result for riders?

Test ride: Suzuki V-Strom 1000 Test ride: FB Mondial HPS125 Test ride: Ducati Scrambler Café Racer Maynard Hershon: Can’t do it Test ride: Yamaha X-Max 300 Test ride: BMW S 1000 R with the R nineT Racer and R nineT Pure

TOURING The Ice Run Long way round Anglesey In the shadow of El Cid

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74 78 80

56 60 66 88 94 96 97 98 100 102 108

111 112 122

The road to Polecat Bench Richard Millington: Alaska calls Joshua Tree National Park

KNOWLEDGE Automatics for the people 100 years of Pikes Peak The High Sider: Racing?

It’s a serious business. Sometimes.

Getting into green laning Test fleet: KTM 1290 Super Duke GT Test fleet: Honda NC750S DCT Test fleet: Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Test fleet: Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Suzuki GSX-S1000F Buyer’s guide: 2014 Ducati 899 Panigale Tried & tested: Schuberth E1 helmet, Nuviz heads-up display, Solar charger, STS self-cancelling indicators, Ladies’ Polette jacket Kevin Cameron: The law of economic disarmament Classic test: 1978 Honda CB750F2 Phil Read replica Tony Carter: Little shop of horrors

26

NEW Need to know ◆ Your letters ◆ First rides

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO PRO REVEALED The new go-anywhere adventurer retains existing frame and engine, and gains off-road biased accessories.

D

ucati has revealed a new version of its Multistrada 1200 Enduro.

According to the Bologna based brand, the new Multistrada 1200 Enduro Pro gets all the goodness of the current twin-cylinder Testastretta DVT engine, Riding Modes and other electronic rider aids, combined with a new ‘Sand’ colour scheme, tyres developed for both road and off-road use, and accessories for the lessbeaten track. The colour scheme includes rough surface finish, two-tone seat, black sub-frame, clutch and alternator covers.

Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres are fitted as standard: 120/70 R19 at the front, 170/60 R17 at the rear, designed to work both on and off-road.

Other Pro features include Ducati Performance tank bars

by Touratech with LED lights, a low screen and a Termignoni exhaust too.

It’s not all change though.

The new bike features the tough Multistrada 1200 Enduro frame, and it’s powered by the tried and tested 160bhp Ducati Testastretta DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) engine. Riding Modes (Enduro, Touring, Sport and Urban), and various electronic riding aids, such as cornering ABS, cornering lights, traction control, wheelie control, semi-active suspension, electronic speed control, Bluetooth module and Vehicle Hold Control (for hill starts) all come as standard.

Prices start from £18,995 and the bikes should be available in July 2017.

Two-tone seat is new for the Pro.

Engine bars are by Touratech.

Termignoni exhaust is standard.

Suspension setup is unchanged.

Top Stories TomTom will update weekly

• TomTom has revealed that new updates of its global base of maps will now be made weekly – allowing users to access maps four times faster than ever before.

Available for all TomTom customers, the update of the MultiNet-R maps is the largest update so far on TomTom maps – and helps the Dutch brand further cement its place as an industry leader in the sat-nav market.

Generally maps are updated quarterly, but TomTom has gone even further, first with its monthly update and now with weekly updates.

Alain de Taeye, a member of TomTom’s board of directors, said: “By offering weekly map updates, TomTom enables customers to improve the quality of their applications by having the most up-to-date map data. It is also an important step to continue providing the quality required to support autonomous driving in the future.”

Yamaha’s new one-stop-shop for bike tours New website gives access to Yamaha-approved tours, training and bike hire.

Yamaha has launched a new website designed to give customers access to the full range of tours, bike hire opportunities and riding experiences associated with the brand. The Destination Yamaha website and its offering will grow in time, but there are already eight Yamaha-recognised tour operators on board. In the UK, your options are the Nick Sanders Experience and the Yamaha Offroad Experience.

Most of the other activities are in Europe, with a few adventures available across the world.

The website gives customers two options: to explore, or to customise their experience.

The first will let you explore the opportunities across the world, be inspired by what you see, and hopefully entice you with a new experience. The second is a filtered search where you set the parameters and the website will find you a matching experience.

Whichever approach you choose, there are travel options around the world, from Russia to Australia, and Alaska to Colombia. If you prefer to have some training before your adventure, Yamaha approved

training schools are also included in the search.

For those who already ride the Japanese manufacturer’s bikes, Destination Yamaha gives a chance to take part in a Yamaha experience with the guarantee of the brand’s quality and safety. Those new to the marque have an opportunity to test Yamaha products and ‘feel’ the brand.

For further information, visit: destination-yamaha.eu

Surf Racer – Royal Enfield style Royal Enfield showcased this custom creation at the Wheels and Waves event in Biarritz.

The Continental GT Surf Racer,

by Sinroja Motorcycles, is a stock Conti with changes to key bits such as suspension and engine, and a full cosmetic overhaul.

The Surf Racer’s forks differ from the original machine’s units by changing to an upside down unit and the original’s twin rear shocks have been swapped for an under-engine monoshock.

17in mag wheels replace the original spoked wheels and the

8 The original and the best – established 1962

bike gets lovely Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. The brakes (note the petal discs) and clutch lever are Brembo upgrades, too.

Engine-wise the stock 535cc single-cylinder motor gets a higher lift cam, machined piston barrels for higher compression

and a new inlet manifold. There’s a Dell’Orto carb conversion and a super-sexy under-set ‘jet style’ exhaust.

The bike is a one-off concept, but could easily be turned into a production bike. We hope it will be in showrooms soon!

NEW Heavyweight Himalayan on the way If you like the look of the current Royal Enfield Himalayan, you’re going to love this: the company’s CEO and managing director Siddhartha Lal has confirmed that a bigger-cc version of the Himalayan is on its way from the Indian company.

In an interview with Indian publication Motorcycle Magazine, Lal admitted that the company has already picked out which models will get a larger engine and that the motorcycles that are on their way are being built first and foremost with the Indian market in mind.

Lal said: “So, about higher capacity, we have selected which models we will be making biggger and more powerful versions of than we have to oday, and the Himalayan is one of those – but becau use our Indian customer says so, not anyone oversseas.

However, I recognise of course that this is a beenefit for export sales, and as we get close to meetingg demand in India for our products, then we mu ust start to lift our sales overseas.

“In the next five-year horizon, we intend Royal Enfield should be No.1 in global sales in n the middleweight segment.

“I’d say that in the order of 10% of our motorcycles in India are now 500cc, and 10% is now 60,000 bikes a year, so it’s not a small num mber anymore – and learning from that, you realise there is a case from the Indian perspective for a bigggerengined Himalayan, not just for export marketts.

I always come back to India because any produ uct that we do manufacture with an eye on other parts of the world has to have its roots in Indiaa,

where we have 96% of Royal Enfield customers.”

Currently, the Royal Enfield Himalayan’s 411cc single cylinder mill produces 24.5bhp of power and 32Nm of torque.

It’s most likely that the company is going to use the 750cc twin that has been popping up in news recently. Lal also said in the interview that Royal Enfield “won’t go beyond that (750cc), and we won’t go below 250cc either”.

The mechanical details about the new twincylinder 750cc are scarce but according to Indian media the new engine is likely to deliver over 50bhp and kick-out around 60Nm of torque.

The current Himalayan is powered by a 411cc single-c cylinder engine.

THE THIEVES BECOME THE TARGETS A leaflet is doing the rounds in London calling for motorcyclists to join what amounts to a vigilante group to ‘sort out’ bike thieves and scumbags carrying out crimes on scooters.

Alongside the flyer being physically handed out to riders, one of the call-to-arms posters was posted on the public noticeboard at the Ace Café in north-west London.

The Ace Café said that although the notice did appear on the board briefly it was certainly “not something we support”. The notice was quickly removed from the board once staff spotted it in the iconic bikers’ meeting place.

The notice reads: “Had your bike stolen recently?? Want to catch these f*****s?? Sort ’em?

Come Tmax hunting with Jack Th’ Lad.”

According to reports on social media, similar calls have also gone out to bikers in Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Liverpool.

Superintendent Mark Payne of Operation Venice, a police team set-up specifically to target moped-assisted crime, told Huffpost UK that the Met “does not support activities by individuals or groups who target suspected criminals.

“Individuals or groups who target potentially violent criminals could be putting themselves at risk,” Payne advised anyone who witnesses a scooter or motorcycle being stolen to contact police.

He added: “This type of action could jeopardise or interfere with ongoing investigations, and our advice to anyone who has

information about a suspect or who witnesses a crime is to call police as soon as possible so that the incident can be investigated and, where possible, those responsible brought to justice.”

Payne also said revealing the identity of a potential suspect could “give them the opportunity to destroy evidence,” before police become involved.

Get MSL extra at www.mslmagazine.co.uk 9

Test Ride

2017 Honda CMX500 Rebel

REBEL YELL Honda’s CMX500 Rebel brings moody looks and bobber styling to the A2 licence-friendly class. It's a seriously competent motorcycle that will suit many different riders.

H

WORDS: Simon Hargreaves

PHOTOGRAPHY: Zep Gori and Ula Serra

onda’s CMX500 Rebel is a custom-styled alternative to the sporty CBR500R and naked CB500F. It uses the same 471cc parallel twin engine, with the same claimed A2-licence compatible performance: 45bhp and 32lb-ft peak torque, with the latter figure shifted 1000rpm lower in the rev range than the other two models.

The chassis is bespoke to the Rebel, with a steel tube double cradle frame continuing to loop round the back of the single seat, a steel tube swingarm,

41mm unadjustable Showa forks, Showa preload-adjustable rear shocks, and a 264mm single front brake disc with Nissin two-pot caliper and, of course, ABS. Wheels are 16in front and rear, the tank holds 11.2 litres, seat height is only 690mm and kerb weight is 190kg. This makes the Rebel extremely compact and highly manageable – a small child could ride it, so teenagers and petite ladies will have no trouble finding their feet – literally.

But, thanks in part to its low-slung bobber styling, the CMX500 manages to avoid looking like a toy. The blacked-out styling (engine, frame,

10 The original and the best – established 1962

The single clock looks the part, but lacks a tachometer.

NEW Specification 2017 HONDA CMX500 REBEL Price: £5399 Engine: 471cc 4v 180° parallel twin Power: 45bhp (33.5kW) @ 8500rpm Torque: 32lb-ft (43.4Nm) @ 6000rpm Transmission: 6-speed, chain final drive Frame: steel tube Kerb weight: 190kg Tank: 11.2 litres Seat: 690mm Contact: honda.co.uk

wheels, forks, bars, clocks, exhaust, rear hugger and shocks) and raised front end lend it an air of substance.

The Rebel has a generous riding position that belies its proportions, with a nicely canted-forward stance, mid-placed but not cow-horn bars, and mid-placed pegs. You obviously sit fairly deep in the bike, but there’s no sense of being cramped – legroom is decent, the seat is comfy and, crucially, you aren’t forced into a tiring, feet-forward, semireclined slump.

You don’t have to throw a leg over the low seat so much as raise your foot slightly – but, all aboard, the sole digital clock stares back (no tacho, but it’s got a fuel gauge so it’s one-up on Honda’s new Fireblade) and, once you locate the ignition barrel on the left side by the headstock and the start button beneath the hazard lights, the motor burps into fussy life, chattering away on tickover.

Initial riding impressions are a pleasant surprise. The engine’s 47bhp output limits the bike’s potential for arm-wrenching punch, but the power delivery’s emphasis is on smooth, user-friendly drive – and there’s plenty of that. The Rebel zips along and feels way more sprightly than it looks like it should, happy at 80mph without sounding like it’s on the

verge of exploding. Controls are great: gearbox is a bit clunky but all there, clutch is one-finger light, steering is direct and weightless, brakes are plentiful and grip from the Dunlop D404s is sufficient for some enthusiastic riding.

And it’s the Rebel’s chassis that really impresses.

Cruisery-cumbobber types often have severely limited ground clearance and sometimes appallingly cheap suspension. The CMX500 has neither – ground clearance is obviously limited, but you have to be riding it heartily to find the pegs on the deck and, if you do, you’ll not find the suspension giving up at around the same time. The CMX is a long way from plush, but its Showa springs have enough performance to hold the bike on the road and in control when you need them to.

ABOVE: Plenty of legroom, comfy seat and relaxed riding position make the Rebel a pleasant ride.

BELOW: Showa suspension is basic but it works well.

the sporty CBR500R and conventional naked CB500F, the Rebel makes a lot of sense. For a gnarly old biking cynic, the CMX has limited appeal. But for an urban newcomer to motorcycling, or for ladies looking to boost their riding confidence with a manageable and controllable machine, the Honda makes a great deal of sense. And, at only £5399, the emphasis is on a ‘great deal’.

VERDICT The CMX500 is no rebel in the traditional sense of the label – but in another sense it defies convention by bringing both handling and decent ergonomics to a style of bike that doesn’t always deliver them as a given. So, in that respect, the CMX is deeply rebellious – and in a good way.

And as an addition to an A2 licence line-up that already includes Get MSL extra at www.mslmagazine.co.uk 11

Top Stories Husqvarna’s new FS 450 Supermoto • Husqvarna Motorcycles has announced its new FS 450 supermoto machine for 2018.

The FS 450 is powered by a single-cylinder SOHC engine, and also receives an all-new slipper clutch and a nifty launch control feature – which works by limiting the amount of power to the rear wheel, improving traction and preventing loss of control under hard acceleration. It’s also equipped with a 44mm Keihin throttle body, an exhaust system with inbuilt resonance chamber and a precise 5-speed gearbox.

Naked 701 roadster spotted out and about during tests This modern-day café racer could be ready for launch later this year.

Husqvarna’s upcoming 701, the bigger version of the sweet 401 modern-twist café racer was spotted testing in Spain a few weeks ago, and the bike looks ready to launch later this year.

The bike bears a strong resemblance to the 401 concepts shown last year, but up close you get a lot more detail: there’s traction control with ABS on both the front and rear brakes, the bike gets Akront rims (the same as are used on the Husky 701 Supermoto) which are lightweight to make the steering feel more nimble. The spoked wheels are running 120 front and 160 rear Pirelli MT60 Scrambler tyres, which are

£30 cashback from Pirelli and Metzeler

• Pirelli and Metzeler are offering customers a special £30 pre-paid credit card offer on sets of selected tyres purchased and fitted by July 31.

For Pirelli, this includes the likes of its latest Diablo Rosso III and the award-winning Angel GT’s as well as Diablo Supercorsa SP V2, Diablo Rosso Corsa and Scorpion Trail II. While for Metzeler the offer includes the class-topping, Roadtec 01, Sportec M7 RR, Racetec RR K3 and Tourance Next.

Further information: www.pirelli. com and www.Metzeler.com

12 The original and the best – established 1962

likely to be OEM on the bike when it goes into production.

Handily, Husqvarna has also stamped a nice 701 into the footrest – just in case there was any doubt about the bike.

The bike seems to be getting the same 43mm WP forks as the KTM 690 Duke R. The units have 150mm of travel and are fully adjustable for compression and rebound with the adjusters mounted on top of each fork leg. The Husqvarna also uses the triple clamp from the 690 Duke R. Stopping the bike is a single 320mm disc gripped by a Brembo radial caliper. The aggressive look is played on with the cut-down front mudguard.

The single dial dash appears to be movable back and forth similar to how Triumph’s

clocks are able to be adjusted on the Bobber.

The exhaust exits on the right and looks pretty primitive.

A Euro 4-friendly collector box mounted directly under the motor looks unsightly but – on this bike at least – is part shrouded by a split belly pan.

The bike’s seat is very 401-esque with it retaining the short and stubby look but is capped off pretty neatly with a four LED light cluster rear brake light recessed under the pillion perch.

The 701 is a combination of various motorcycles undergoing development (and the odd bike still in production) and a touch of new. This could be a real looker when it hits the showrooms (most likely in the spring of 2018).