Motorcycle Sport & Leisure January 2018

S PE C I A L

S HOW

E DI T ION

PLUS: RIDE FASTER

How to improve your skills in half a day

2018 BMW R 1200 GS The ultimate adventure bike tested

25 PAGES OF TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Scotland to Australia

January 2018 No.688

HOTTEST BIKES OF 2018

Quick adjustments Mikko Nieminen

I

love this time of year. It might be wet and dark outside, but it’s show season, and the fastest, lightest, prettiest and most technologically advanced new bikes are seeing the fluorescent lights of exhibition halls for the first time.

As always, there’s a delicious mix of touring machinery, adventure monsters, café racers and sporty speed demons to drool over. You’ll see all of them in this issue of MSL. This year, poring over the press releases and spec sheets of the new bikes, what struck me most was the level and extent of electronic trickery that’s bolted onto new bikes. ABS is now required by law, but in addition many bikes offer traction control, ride modes, electronic suspension and other rider aids, all working together in their attempt to keep us shiny side up. Most of that technology has been available for a while now, but the sophistication of today’s systems is rather astounding. Take Kawasaki’s new electronic suspension system for instance: it adjusts damping electronically to provide optimal suspension performance at all times. To do this the stroke sensors in the forks and rear shock send information about what’s happening in the suspension units to the bike’s brain, the ECU (Engine Control Unit), every single millisecond. Just to be clear – that’s one thousand times in a second! The ECU also gets information about acceleration and deceleration from the IMU (Inertial Measuring Unit) at a slightly more relaxed pace of once every 10 milliseconds. Information about speed also trickles in at the same intervals. The ECU then rolls up its electronic sleeves and calmly (but ruthlessly) tells the suspension how to react to all that cumulative information.

If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is.

The intricate level of adjustments and speed at

which they are actuated is such that a human rider, no matter how talented or skilled, can never compete.

We just run over a bump and go ‘ouch’. And we won’t do that a millisecond after we hit the bump, but much, much later after our brain has had the time to figure out what happened, whose fault it was, what they meant by it and how we should retaliate.

I’m not always sure about the real benefits of technological advances, as they often seem to bring more complications than solutions with them.

Remember how the rise of computing was supposed to lighten our load by taking care of the menial and mundane tasks so we could spend our time on happier pursuits, like riding around on motorcycles. Well... we all know how that worked out, as we live in a world where we spend more time staring – and often swearing – at computer screens than we ever thought possible. So much for technology making our lives easier and freeing us up to do other things.

But rider aids, such as Kawasaki’s new electronic suspension system are difficult to argue against. You may or may not want such tech on your bike, but I can’t see how it would make life more cumbersome for us riders since it just gets on with the job in the background while you’re riding. And since technology is getting so clever that it can make quick adjustments to our bikes on the fly, we are also getting close to moving away from the frighteningly confusing clusters of buttons that are still often needed to control these systems.

Could it be that soon all the tech will be there, doing its job without us having to read a manual before jumping on a bike? Just like the old days, only better.

Mikko Nieminen, 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, the veteran journo 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...

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 3

Contents

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7 NEWS & OPINION: 7

Show news

42

The hottest bikes of 2018

36

Subscription offer

Our readers have their say

50

Save £££s by subscribing

38

Latest kit In other news

Leon Mannings Bad air bubble

60

The coolest gear around

40

128

Your letters

Maynard Hershon Hailwoods, Spencers and us

66

It’s not all about the shows, there’s a lot more going on besides

The High Sider International playboy bike racers?

No thanks

TOURING & ADVENTURE 81

Touring news MSL Tours is back

82

Day ride Secret escape to Scotland

85

Richard Millington Slow down please

86

Mid ride The grand ride to Aida

54 4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

90

Long ride From Australia to Amsterdam

102 Adventure advice Planning and paperwork

January 2018

TEST FLEET 108 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Time to say goodbye

110 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT Tony takes a trip down south

111 Suzuki GSX-S1000F Bertie’s hands ain’t warm

112 Aprilia Shiver 900

76 70

Missed opportunities

113 Honda NC750S DCT Winter is coming, but Peter’s prepared

114 Suzuki V-Strom 250 It’s track time for Mossy

KNOWLEDGE 52

Keeping it clean Make your bike shine

68

Christmas gift guide Looking for a biking present?

ROAD TESTS 44

Ducati Diavel Carbon

70

Ron Haslam gives you wings

74

Can you tour on it?

54

BMW R1200GS The ultimate adventurer tested

62

Yamaha X-MAX 400 We ride it to France and back

98

Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Two-up touring test

128 Classic test 1982 Laverda Montjuic Mk2

Ride faster in half a day Winter gloves Quick buyer’s guide

76

Desert Island bikes Nick Sanders picks his favourites

122 Kevin Cameron Petrol becomes irrelevant

124 Tried & tested Biking essentials tested

138 Tony Carter Throw us a ball!

EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen: mnieminen@mortons.co.uk ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Tony Carter: tcarter@mortons.co.uk SENIOR DESIGNER: Justin Blackamore DESIGNERS: Fran Lovely, Charlotte Turnbull, Tracey Barton PRODUCTION EDITOR: Dan Sharp PICTURE DESK: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield, Angie Sisestean PUBLISHER: Dan Savage: asavage@mortons.co.uk GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse: swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452 / 07786 334330 DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING TEAM LEADER: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Sam Lawson: slawson@mortons.co.uk 01507 529468 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 36 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £50.40. Export rates are also available – see page 36 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.

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.

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NEW Need to know ◆ Your letters ◆ First rides

HOTTEST BIKES OF 2018

UNVE U N V E IILED LED

F

rom adventure tourers to retro nakeds, the recent international bike shows have treated us to a veritable feast of new metal.

For 2018 Honda has stripped its Fireblade to create a new CB1000R, Suzuki has turned its SV650 into a café racer, and

Kawasaki's Z900RS nods to the legendary Z1. Ducati has revealed a new 1100cc Scrambler, and Husqvarna has released the Vitpilen 701.

In the adventure sector, Triumph has updated its Tigers, Honda has upgraded the Africa Twin, and BMW has launched the

F750GS and the F850GS. Kawasaki’s mind-boggling, supercharged Ninja H2 SX brings intergalactic performance to touring, and the new Gold Wing from Honda is sure to have a few heads nodding in appreciation.

At the sporty end of the spectrum, Ducati’s Panigale V4

has been turning heads.

Meanwhile, Kawasaki has treated the ZX-10R to a clever new suspension system.

In this issue of MSL we have gathered the most interesting bikes of 2018 to give you a sneak peek into what will be available for the coming riding season.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 7

2018 Bikes

The best Panigale yet?

The Panigale V4, which replaces the 1299, is the first massproduced Ducati bike to mount a four-cylinder engine, derived directly from the MotoGP Desmosedici. The 1103cc 90° V4 engine pumps out 211bhp and 91.5lb-ft.

The new Ducati supersports family consists of the Panigale V4, the Panigale V4 S (upgraded Öhlins suspension and top-drawer components such as forged aluminium wheels and lithium ion battery) and the exclusive Panigale V4 Speciale, a numbered, limited-edition bike with a dedicated livery, titanium exhaust and machinedfrom-solid components.

The new bike packs in MotoGP-derived technology and the development has involved Ducati Corse technicians and riders – encouraging Ducati to say that the Panigale V4 is a production sports bike

WHEELS

The Panigale V4 is fitted with three-spoke cast aluminium wheels.

The Panigale V4 S and Speciale feature three-spoke forged aluminium alloy wheels.

“The biggest challenge with creating the Panigale V4 was to industrialise the MotoGP engine for mass production.

Our goal was to offer customers a MotoGP experience on a road bike they can use every day with long service intervals.”

The Panigale V4 features Ducati Slide Control.

LUCA BANDIERA Engine project manager that comes close to being a MotoGP prototype.

Ducati has developed an all-new frame, which is more compact and lighter than a perimeter frame and uses the engine as a stressed chassis element. It helps keep the kerb

V4 ENGINE

The brand new 1103cc 90º V4 engine delivers 211bhp and 91.5lb-ft.

It’s a huge deal for Ducati that has been renowned for its V-twin sports bikes.

8 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

weight of the S and Special versions down to 195kg.

The electronics package is also impressive: the Panigale V4 introduces controls such as controlled drift during braking, ABS cornering on the front wheel only and Quickshift

FRONT FRAME

Weighing only 4kg the new ‘front frame’ uses the engine as a structural element of the frame.

This helps to increase both its torsional and lateral rigidity.

TFT DISPLAY

Up & Down with a strategy that takes lean angles into account. All these controls are incorporated in the three new Riding Modes (Race, Sport and Street) and can be adjusted via the advanced TFT panel.

Second generation 5in full-TFT, high-res and high-brightness colour display features a ‘virtual’ rev counter as well as all the usual dials you’d expect to see.

BREMBO BRAKES

The new Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers are smaller and lighter than the old M50 calipers. They grip 330mm discs at the front. Cornering ABS also comes as standard.

NEW Multistrada gets bigger Ducati’s big adventure tourer gets even bigger with the new Ducati Testastretta DVT 1262cc L-twin engine (156bhp/95.5lbft), new chassis (longer swingarm and wheelbase), more advanced electronics, and an aesthetic update.

There will be four versions of the new bike: the standard Multistrada 1260, 1260 S, 1260 S D-Air (connects to Dainese D-Air system) and 1260 Pikes Peak. The Enduro model will stay on the current 1200 platform.

All of the revised models share the new bigger 1262cc engine and the updated chassis,

as well as the Bosch IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which controls cornering ABS, wheelie and traction control. On the S, S D-Air and Pikes Peak models, the IMU also links with cornering lights incorporated into the full LED headlight. Those models also benefit from clutchless up and down shifts, and they have higher spec Brembo brakes and bigger discs.

The S and S D-Air feature electronic semi-active Sachs suspension system, while the Pikes Peak and the standard Multistrada 1260 rely on manual systems (Öhlins and Sachs respectively).

Multistrada 1260.

Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak.

Ducati Monster 821 The new Monster 821 features a fully redesigned tank and tail, as well as an all-new silencer and a headlight. It also boasts a colour TFT display with selected gear and fuel indicators, while available accessories include an up/down quickshifter system.

The 821cc liquid-cooled Testastretta 11° engine delivers a maximum power of 107bhp (80kW) at 9250rpm and 63lb-ft The Monster 821 brings back the classic Ducati yellow.

(86 Nm) of torque at 7750rpm.

The Monster 821 also features ABS and traction control (both adjustable) and Ride Modes that allow easy adjustment of ABS, traction control and Power Modes.

A refined suspension system includes a 43mm fork at the front and an adjustable shock absorber at the rear.

Colour options are red, black and yellow.

Meanwhile... …elsewhere in Italy

BLACK DOUGLAS STERLING 250 £10,908 | 14bhp | from 98kg “We believe that steel is more beautiful than plastic.” That’s the philosophy of Black Douglas, the Italian company which puts together the faux-vintage Sterling.

All right, it won’t fool the cognoscenti, but it still looks a lot of fun, with the tiller bars, authentic flat tank look and even girder forks instead of telescopics.

Power comes from a Taiwanese-made 125 or 230cc single, the latter with 14bhp.

The lights, you’ll be relieved to hear, are electric rather than acetylene, and we’re told the Sterling has ABS and is Euro 4 compatible. Yes, it’s pure affectation, but we love it. www.theblackdouglas.com

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 9

2018 Bikes

The Scrambller gro ows up

Bike security

The Scrambler 1100 brings a bigger L-twin engine and better standard equipment to the Ducati Scrambler family. The new 1079cc air-cooled engine delivers 84bhp and generous torque right from the bottom of the rev range, with the peak torque figure of 65lb-ft achieved at 4750rpm.

The big Scrambler comes in three different versions: the Scrambler 1100, Scrambler 1100 Special, which draws its inspiration from the custom world, and the Scrambler 1100 Sport equipped with Öhlins suspension.

Bosch cornering ABS and traction control are standard equipment, as are ride-by-wire, ride and power modes, LED light-guide, LED rear light, LCD instruments, steel tank with interchangeable aluminium side panels, machine-

RRP: £89.95 BikeTrac’s new ground anchor is also Thatcham Cat 3 approved, with its drop forged stainless steel construction, 20mm case hardened shackle and included fixing kit making it the perfect accompaniment to the BikeTrac chain and disc lock kit. Plus, for the colour conscious bikers among us, the shackle is available in orange, red or green, ready for garage/bike coordination. www.biketrac.co.uk

Ducati Scram mbler 1100 brings s big bg performance to the range.

finished aluminium belt covers, and under-seat storage compartment with USB socket.

Ducati Scrambler 1100 Special.

There’s also a range of specially designed accessories and apparel including a leather jacket, a fabric jacket and an open-face helmet co-produced with Roland Sands.

Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport.

Ducati 959 Panigale Corse The 959 Panigale Corse shares the 955cc Superquadro engine (150bhp/75lb-ft) and the die-cast aluminium monocoque frame with the standard Panigale. Where the Corse differs from the stock bike is its suspension by Öhlins, Akrapovic titanium silencers, a lithium-ion battery and a dedicated colour

scheme inspired by the colours of the MotoGP. The Öhlins suspension consists of a multi-adjustable 43mm titanium-nitride treated NIX30 fork, and a multiadjustable TTX36 shockabsorber. There’s also an adjustable steering damper from Öhlins.

10 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

BIKETRAC HARD GROUND ANCHOR

The 959 Panigale Corse has a kerb weight of 197.5kg, 2.5kg less than the 959 Panigale, thanks to the lithium-ion battery and titanium silencer.

The electronics package includes ABS, traction control, quickshifter, engine brake control, ride-by-wire and riding modes.

BIKETRAC HARD CHAIN & DISC LOCK £149.95-£169.95 BikeTrac’s all-new bolt-cutter proof chain and disc lock is the industry’s first 10mm Thatcham Cat 3 approved security kit. Its 10mm reinforced chain is available in either 1.2m or 1.4m – and when used in combination with the included disc lock, offers the ability to secure your machine to an immovable object while effectively immobilising the machine at the same time.

Different to many other chain kits, the BikeTrac chain and disc lock kit has been designed to be portable with its own carrying bag, allowing it to sit on the pillion seat – plus it weighs 4.5kg, which is relatively light for such a resilient, high quality chain. www.biketrac.co.uk

2018 Bikes

Kawasaki supercharges the sport tourer class Three years after introducing the forced induction Ninja H2 and Ninja H2R speed monsters, Kawasaki has now revealed a new supercharged sport tourer featuring its second-generation balanced supercharged engine: the Ninja H2 SX. Balanced Supercharged technology has been developed entirely in-house by Kawasaki with a focus on real-world street use.

The eye-watering maximum power figure is 197bhp, or an even more astounding 207bhp with Ram Air. Maximum torque is 101lb-ft. This tourer certainly ticks the sporty box. But Kawasaki has designed this bike specifically for touring, so the power delivery is said to be linear and smooth, and the fuel economy excellent (although that figure is not yet available).

The new model’s wet weight is 256kg, which makes this a reasonably lightweight tool for serious touring.

In the tech department, the Ninja H2 SX features rider aids such as Kawasaki’s latest IMU-equipped electronics package, ABS, traction and cruise control, engine braking control, assist and slipper clutch, Kawasaki Cornering Management

Function and power modes.

To add to the touring capability of this bike, the revised Ninja H2-derived trellis frame can carry a formidable 190kg payload, and the longer wheelbase and an altered steering angle ensure

POWER

The figures are impressive. The new Ninja H2 SX attacks the sport tourer category with 197bhp at 11,000rpm (or 207bhp with Ram air) and 101lb-ft.

This is touring at warp speed.

12 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

stability at high speeds. The all new Ninja H2 SX comes in two model variants: the standard Ninja H2 SX and the Ninja H2 SX SE. The SE model comes equipped with an array of additional features such as Kawasaki’s first

SUSPENSION

Both front and rear suspension is fully adjustable. A remote rear preload adjuster allows refinements to be made for a passenger and/or luggage.

ENGINE

TFT LCD meter, lean angle sensitive LED cornering lights and a quick-shifter. It is also equipped as standard with a large windscreen, centrestand, heated grips and a 12V socket, which are accessories on the base model.

The impeller and intake system are redesigned while the pistons, cylinder head, cylinder, crankshaft, camshafts, throttle bodies and exhaust system are new.

CORNERING

Kawasaki Cornering Management Function (KCMF) monitors engine and chassis throughout the corner, modulating braking force and engine power.