Motorcycle Sport & Leisure November 2014

Classified

BMW R1200RT Aug 2007, Titan silver, 28k, one owner, full BMW s/h, good condition, engine bars, BMW tank bag, pannier lingers, £6500. Tel. 01403 268778. W Sussex

BENELLI TRE 899K 2011, 11 mths’ MoT, 7,522 miles and rising, £4000. Tel. 07719 509001.

Denbighshire.

BMW 1200RT SE reg Jul 12, 21k miles, exc cond, all service by BMW dealer, last serviced Jun 14, met blue, ABS, £8999. Tel. 07788 593463. Berks.

CAGIVA RAPTOR 650cc, 2006, red/white wheels, very good condition, 21,800, MoT Jul 15, lots of s/h, v reliable, easy to ride, low seat, tail tidy, £1900 ono. Tel. 07849 171853; 01405 837877.

DERBI CROSS CITY 125cc Trail bike, 2009 model, 5600km, just like new, full s/h, 12 months’ MoT, new chain and sprocket, £1295.

Tel. 01422 342128. W Yorks

DUCATI MULTI-STRADA 1100cc, 39k miles, 2007, full s/h, exc cond, two owners, tank cover, Scottoiler, rear cowling, £2950. Tel. 01547 550658 for details. Powys

HARLEY DAVIDSON 2009 Road King Classic, 11,025 miles, Stage 1 Power Commander Screaming Eagle, Vance & Hines power duals, beautiful, £12,000 ono. Tel. 07817 257971. Cumbria.

HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSTDI Softail Deuce, 1450cc, 2004, MoT, full s/h, 15,600 miles, black/ chrome, lots of extras, Screaming Eagle pipes, exc cond, £7500.

Tel. 07762 613955. Kent.

HONDA CB500S 2001, original condition, no mods, 9k miles, removable top box, tested, pensioner owned, take small bike exchange, £1750. Tel. 01905 21667 anytime. Worcs

HONDA CBF 1000 A9 1000cc, 22/12/2009, 7k miles, red, mint condition, top box, taxed/MoT, £4300. Tel. 01792 895678; 07584 375526. S Glam

HONDA CBR 1200XX Super Blackbird Anni Ltd Edit, 1999, 1,180 miles, only 25 built by V&M for Honda, 183bhp, immac, full history file inc Ride Mag road test, £9995. Tel. 07984 999216. Lancs.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT650 2006, only 12k miles, full Honda service, MoT 2015, heated grips, tall screen, Garmin Zumo 400, £2900 ono. Tel. 07582 250007.

Glos

HONDA DEAUVILLE 700cc, 2010, red, 17k miles, full s/h, two keys, h/grips, taxed end Jul 15, MoT’d March 2015, exc cond, garaged, first to see will buy, £3950. 0790 4039066. Somerset.

HONDA DEAUVILLE NT 650V 2002, MoT 07/15, 23,687 miles, new Motad, full s/s exhaust fitted, new f&r Michelin tyres, good cond for age, much loved reliable bike. Tel. 07742 684700. Glam.

HONDA HORNET 2003, 600cc, exc cond, dry miles only, MoT and taxed, Bridgestones, 7k miles, kept in garage 12 months, must be seen, £2150 ono. Tel. 01582 604891. Beds.

HONDA REBEL 250cc, 2000, 8k miles, t&t, vgc, many extras inc second Honda Rebel, spares/ repair, elderly owner retiring, may split, job lot, £2250 ono. 01706 57821; 07583 374449. Lancs.

HONDA SUPER BLACKBIRD CBR 1130XX blue, 02, 4700 miles only, immac, new Bridgestone 020’s, owned 11 years, MoT, illness forces sale, £5250 ovno. Tel. 01384 371835. W Mids.

HONDA VARADERO 125 VTwin, 2004, MoT, ideal work or commuter, nice cond, 17k, good runner, 70mpg, Honda s/h, recent tyres, £1499 ono. Tel. 01302 534135 for details. S Yorks.

KAWASAKI ER650F 07, vgc, 15,965 miles, all docs and two keys, h/grips, taller screen, hugger, s/s downpipes, full s/h, MoT, £2200 ono. Tel. 07837 211857. W Yorks.

KAWASAKI ER6N immac, 2013 (62), full s/h, green/black, datatag, 900 miles, garaged and ACF 50 treated, too many extras to list, £3850 ono. Tel. Phil on 07919 917590. Glam.

KTM 990 SM 2008, mint bike, never seen winter, only 5k miles, all documented with service stamps in book x 3, MoT, all keys and books in KTM folder, £6000.

Tel. 01492 870333. Anglesey.

MOTO MORINI GRAN PASSO 2009, 8,500 miles, s/h, just had major service inc valves, new coil packs, fork seals, always been garaged, MoT May 2015, £4900.

Tel. 07847 065438. Dorset

SINNIS STRADA 2014, 125cc, exc cond, 140 miles only, remaining warranty, 4 stroke engine, ideal commuter, met blue, u/seat storage, r/carrier, £699 ovno Tel. 01492 585461. Conwy.

SUZUKI BANDIT GSF 650SA 2007, 24,400 miles, blue, exc orig cond, full MoT Jan, s/h, mature owner, medical retirement forces sale, must be seen, £2595 ono.

Tel. Glen 01502 567027. Suffolk.

SUZUKI GSX 1400 K3 2003, blue/black, 22,950 miles, t&t, good condition, extras, £2700 ono. Tel. 07733 618418 for details. Cheshire.

SUZUKI SV1000S 2004, exc cond, loads of extras, Art twin cans, carbon fibre pegs, Power Commander 3 fitted, c/w all orig parts, exc cond for age, £1650.

Tel. 0777 2017543. E Sussex.

TRIUMPH AMERICA 2011, great cond, loaded with extras, c/w Triumph leather panniers, sissy bar, luggage rack, low ride, v comfortable, f/controls, low miles. Tel. 07931 167780. Essex.

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100 790cc, 2002, with Velorex/Jawa s/car, matching green and silver, exc cond, 22k only, 3 owners, t&t, recent service, £3400 ono. Tel. 01573 420520. Roxburghshire.

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1050 2008, full s/h, 12k miles, 11 months’ MoT, good tyres, heated grips, beauty, £4500. Tel. 07800 867053. Gtr London.

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 955I 2003, 12 mths’ MoT, new battery, decent tyres, 24,400 miles, great condition. Tel. 07503 623906.

Merseyside.

110 mslmagazine.co.uk

“Hello, Ethel? Can you hear (or see) me?”

Tony Carter

Y

eah, Bluetooth is a lifesaver.

You see, over the past 10 days I’ve very nearly been taken out three times (and when I say very nearly I mean it – three times I’ve thought I was about to bite the big one). Only the right road position, speed and watching-the-cars-nearby-with-hawk-like observation stopped me becoming a reddish-mush under their wheels. All the instructors on all those IAM and police instructor-style courses over the years would surely have been proud. But it’s true, Bluetooth is great and it could save us all.

What’s led me to this realisation about Bluetooth then? Well, not to put too fine a point on this but all three of the near-misses recently have been at the hands of ladies over 65, driving older small cars. And each one has been happily on their phone, either texting or speaking into the handset held up to their ear.

I kid you not.

Now, this strikes me as something we should be aware of. In the older cars there’s likely to not be modern Bluetooth tech like the systems in most cars now and these ladies-of-a-certain age aren’t likely to adopt Bluetooth bolt-on systems like Parrot or something similar for their cheap runarounds. But, like the majority of people, the old dears still want to stay in touch and because of the lack of police on the roads and the almost negligent amount of prosecution threat actually in place for people who use a phone while driving, the biddies feel okay about taking and making calls and texts while they’re driving.

So, how about this? How about insurance companies offering a discount if biddies fit a Parrot to their car? Or a discount in the price of the Parrot system for over 60s?

I don’t know if there’s any traction to any of these ideas

MSL: Meet the Team Bruce Wilson

MSL’s deputy editor started riding aged 10. He’s 27 now.

Bruce has written for Motorcycle Racer, MCM, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and others, before joining MSL three years ago. He has since tested almost every new bike launched.

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.

Here’s a thing, Bluetooth saves motorcyclists’ lives. And we need more of it. but it’s worth a go, surely. I’m not even going to suggest better training or profiling the issue to them because you know what, that’s not helped for any sector of car users so far. Only more coppers on the road will force people to behave better on the road. Fact.

What’s clear is that this ‘Granny with an attitude’ is now a more pungent threat to us than might have appeared at first glance. She might be listening to the Archers on Radio 4 and cooing about her grandson’s school report, but she’s bloody well doing it to her friend Ethel while chopping lanes at 60mph without looking in her mirror or even being aware of what she’s done.

And from my point of view (the back of a bike, most days of the week) it’s a bloody scary proposition.

Honestly, I can cope with the bored rep in his 5 Series BMW and poor levels of car control. e stressed mum in the people carrier wiping houmous from Cressida’s mouth instead of looking ahead of her vehicle while doing 80mph. I know these problems – even Jack-thelad in his slammed Micra – they are all easy to spot as potential death-bringers. But Biddy in her lime green Metro pootling along while jawing into her iPhone? at’s a new one on me.

You have been warned people. is threat is growing.

And it’s happy to take a call from Ethel any time Ethel wants to chat about the Great British Bake Off and how her shortbread recipe isn’t going quite right.

Have a safe ride,

Tony Carter Tony has been riding for nearly 30 years, in most countries and on most types of bikes.

A journalist for nearly 20 years, MSL’s editor has written for a host of newspapers including The Sun, The Mirror and The Observer.

Formerly head of news at Motor Cycle News, he has written for dozens of motorcycle magazines around the world.

Tony Carter Editor

Alan Cathcart

Alan Cathcart has been writing about bikes for over 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.

Chris Moss

Mossy has raced the Isle of Man TT, dispatched in London and ridden everything from CX500s to full-blown GP prototypes. A former chief motorcycle tester for Motor Cycle News, the 53-year-old admits he’s still loving two-wheeled life, and still learning.

Malc Wheeler

Malc Wheeler has been riding motorcycles for 50 years, starting before he legally could and no one has been able to stop him since.

He raced in the TT for 16 years, collecting three podiums along the way.

mslmagazine.co.uk 3

MSL November EDITOR: Tony Carter: PUBLISHER: Steve Rose: srose@mortons.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR: Bruce Wilson DESIGNER: Sarah Scrimshaw REPROGRAPHICS: Simon Duncan GROUP PRODUCTION EDITOR: Tim Hartley GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse: swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452 / 07786 334330 ADVERTISING TEAM LEADER: Richard Sinclair: rsinclair@mortons.co.uk 01507 529538 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 PRODUCTION MANAGER: Craig Lamb: clamb@mortons.co.uk PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage: asavage@mortons.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Malc Wheeler 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 28 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 28 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

30 50

SEE SEE PAGE 28 PAGE 40

SUBSCRIBE

Pay less, get MSL delivered to your door... and this month the Christmas promotions start. Nope, we can’t believe it either but ’tis the season and all that.

DISTRIBUTION: COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. 01895 433600 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

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Why not just ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month?

4 mslmagazine.co.uk

Member of the Professional Publishers Association

46

22 63 104

CONTENTS

16

NEW 007

SCOOP FIRST LOOK: SUZUKI’S NEW BANDIT 1000

The factory itself might not be calling this bike the Bandit, but we are. It comes with a mighty GSX-R-derived motor and an all-new chassis. It’s got WSB forks and brakes and looks really comfortable.

And Suzuki has decided to let MSL show you this bike first, that’s how important you MSL readers are to the factory people. Oh yes.

016

FIRST RIDE: 2015 HONDA VULTUS

The 745cc parallel twin might sound like just another middleweight, but this is a proper funky crossover between manga and a modern mega scoot. Type of thing. Kind of.

022

TIME TO TRADE? BMW R1200GSA

How much better is the GSA than, say the older GS? Do you REALLY need all the extra flim-flam and all that expense?

There’s only one way to find out…

028

046

050

SUBSCRIBE TO MSL

One, MSL doesn’t cost as much per issue. Two, you get it delivered to your address. Three, you get it earlier than it appears in the shops.

FIRST RIDE: 2015 INDIANS

063

040

FIRST RIDE: THE 2015 BUELL STREETFIGHTER

074

A bruising, big naked that marks the start of the European attack from the mind and spanners of Erik Buell. Cool looking and loads of power. We’ve ridden it, first.

FIRST RIDE: HESKETH 24

Maddening exotica aside, this is an example of the very top end. There are 24 bikes being built, at 24 grand a pop… but what’s it like to ride? Answer’s here, people.

TOURING

030

There’s three bikes from the firm for next year and we’ve been out on them in the States.

SCOOP: MIGUEL GALLUZZI

He’s the genius behind most of the best motorcycles in the world that you love (we can promise that you really do) and he sat down with MSL for a chat about his past, the present and the future…

THE GS DIARIES

It’s the final part of the story before our Bruce and the British team head off to Canada to compete against the rest of the world.

THE ONE DAY TOUR: THE TAFFY DAKAR

How to do the off-roading adventure bit with some on-road fun too, in Wales – boyo.

076

THE LONG WEEKEND TOUR: SWISS ALPS ON A BMW

Mountain skimming with the best of Bavaria.

080

THE LIFE-CHANGER: HOW TO DO MOROCCO

Everything you need to know in order to do the exotic destination in style.

KNOWLEDGE 085

104

40

THE KNOWLEDGE

Want to know if you’re near any of the most dangerous roads in the UK? We only went and got us a map with the top 10 most nasty roads on it.

REFLECTIONS: KAWASAKI’S ZXR750

Never have two bits of corrugated tubing from a Hoover been made to look so sexy by a bike builder. When you see this bike and read its story you’ll understand why such things make men of a certain era weak at the knees. mslmagazine.co.uk 5

NEW

SCOOP!

News First Rides Products

SUZUKI’S NEW ‘BANDIT’!

This is the all-new 1000 big naked from Suzuki. They’re not calling it a Bandit officially, but we are because – well, look at it!

RIDING POSITION

HANDLEBARS AND OTHER POINTS

Comfortable but slightly pitched forward, upright riding position

One-piece Renthal aluminium fat bar.

Interesting thing: Suzuki says that the ‘Bandit’ has a ‘Finely tuned intake and exhaust sound’. Ooooh….

SWINGARM

FRAME

Lightweight, braced aluminium swingarm

O

All-new lightweight and compact aluminium frame

fficially, this bike is called the GSXS1000/A. Snappy name it most certainly isn’t… but that aside this is likely to be a belter of a seller for Suzuki. e big bike for 2015, the 999cc GSX-R motor that the firm is using has been housed in a new chassis which should mean that

ENGINE

RIDING AIDS

3-mode traction control system

999cc inline four GSX-R1000 K5 motor

this is a bike that will appeal to the more mature rider, who likes a wide spread of power in the mid-rev range but can do without the track-like head down, bum up riding position. Power is likely to be around the 140bhp mark.

Although MSL has been given the scoop on the bike weeks before it was shown to the world for the first time (in fact, as you’re

DASH

Full-LCD instruments

FORKS

KYB (Kayaba) upside down adjustable forks

reading this the world unveiling is taking place in Cologne, Germany), no price was available.

It’s going to be hard to estimate exactly what the price of this new ‘Bandit’ will be, but given Suzuki’s pricing policy recently that has given us a specced-up V-Strom 1000 for £9990 on the road you can bet that the new Bandit could be very affordable.

The rivals Bike: Price: Power: CB1000R £9399 130bhp Z1000 £9499 140bhp MT-09 £7699 115bhp Speed Triple £9599 135bhp S1000R £9990 162bhp KTM 1290 £13,499 183bhp

BRAKES

Radial-mounted Brembo front brake callipers with lightweight digital ABS

We’ll have full details of the price in the next issue of MSL. Full tech details, colours and how it lines up against the competition are over the page. Expect the first of these big new ‘Bandits’ to arrive in dealers by the end of the year and the first bikes to be available to customers in the couple of months aer that.

Top Stories SUZUKI’S NEW BIG ‘BANDIT’:

THE DETAILS

What it is, effectively, is a traction-control fitted, relaxed riding position, easy-to-ride GSX-R1000 K5 made to fit your needs. And THAT engine is widely regarded as Suzuki’s best-ever road-riding powerhouse. Time to be won over by the big Bandit all over again.

WORDS: Tony Carter PHOTOS: Suzuki

I

f we’re going to play around a bit with the calendar then we can say that it’s been 20 years since Suzuki launched the first Bandit. e original bike was launched in 1995 and this 2015 model feels, on paper at least, like the familiar grandson to that landmark original.

What Suzuki did back in the mid 1990s was make its own version of the Ducati M900

Monster, which had taken the world by storm at its launch in 1992 (and to find out more about that Italian icon turn to page 46). at first Bandit, a 600, was an instant sales success and underlined the Suzuki company mantra of lots of useable power and good handling. at Bandit consistently topped Suzuki’s sales charts all around the world. e easy riding position and comparatively

The other colours available

The GSX-S1000A (or… Bandit) will be available in the blue you see on these pages plus it will come in a black and red outfit and gunmetal grey scheme, too.

Bandit history

1995

The first Bandit, the GSF600N is launched.

1996 The first 1200 Bandit models are launched in January 1996 and use a retuned, slightly bigger version of the GSX-R1100 motor.

The 1200 is generally a higher spec than the 600 with the bigger bike getting a fuel

gauge, higher specification suspension, hydraulic clutch, larger diameter front brake discs and a 5-speed gearbox (6-speed of the 600).

1997 An ABS Bandit joins the range but other than that there are no other changes to the bike.

1998 No changes.

1999

previous big Bandits that used re-tuned (you could say, detuned) GSX-R1100 motors, the new bike gets a GSX-R1000 engine too – and it’s arguably the best motor of recent times.

Regarded by many as the GSX-R engine because of its wide midrange and useable nature, the new Bandit gets the legendary GSXR1000 K5 engine. Suzuki using this motor clearly underlines what message the company wants to send with this bike, because the K5 engine is widely regarded as the ideal motor for road use. at motor is a dohc, 999cc, inline-four that’s now getting the updated fuel-injection system that features dual throttle valves and two injectors per cylinder. In the original 2005 GSX-R it made 165bhp

2001

2005

The 1200 Bandit follows the same revamp lines as its 600 sibling did in 2000. This includes: new seat unit, new dash, new carbs, new fuel injection. Tokico six piston brake calipers up front, 20 litre fuel tank which is bigger than the previous 19 litre model, revised frame and steering geometry and a lower seat height. The S model also gets a freshly-styled fairing with twin headlights.

The K5 and SK5 models are the last of the second generation 1200 Bandits.

No changes.

2004

2000

Suzuki adds a 2-way catalytic converter (for some markets) to the exhaust.

No changes.

8 mslmagazine.co.uk

decent brakes without the trackinspired gloss and ego-boosting pose hit a rich vein with certain riders.

And with modern motorcycling now being dominated by older riders who, as a whole, have grown up on sportier machines but have now ditched their extreme riding position for something easier to use while still wanting poise, handling and big, useable power from the bike.

Suzuki are clearly looking to make the bike that appeals to them, too.

Without adding yet another Adventure motorcycle to an already over-populated marketplace.

To that end the new ‘Bandit’ gets an iconic motor to use. As with the

2006 GSF1200SK6 non-ABS version in red with aftermarket screen.

2006 (K6 and SK6) models receive a revamp with a new shape tank, side panels, a height adjustable seat and a longer hexagonal-section swinging arm.

The faired ‘S’ versions also have a new shape fairing and mirrors along with a redesigned headlight system with over and under beams rather than the previous side by side system. These new

Top Stories

Bedford ‘Turbo’ roundabout:

MAG WADES IN

The BMF’s Mr Hay explained his take on the controversial system in the last issue of MSL, this month MAG’s (and MSL columnist) Doctor Leon Mannings takes his moment for rebuttal.

I

n an ideal world, MAG and the BMF would work together in complete harmony, especially when new threats to bikers are posed by highly controversial schemes. at was not the case in Bedford, and here is Dr Leon Mannings’ account of what happened, who did what – and when. In addition to being MSL’s biking policy expert, Leon is the campaigns and policy adviser for MAG and a former BMF chairman: “My involvement with this controversial scheme began in February 2013, when I saw an official announcement that the original scheme would be built in March that year. But to accurately clarify what happened between then and now, the best place to start is at the end of the story according to Mr Hay. “In MSL and other publications, including the BMF members’ magazine, he implies that he was responsible for having the lane dividers, aka ‘killer kerbs’ removed from the final plan. However, and possibly unbeknown to Mr Hay and Bedford’s officers for that matter, that simply isn’t true. Many bikers disagree with his

conclusion that the BMF should support a precedent-setting scheme to cut road space on a busy roundabout – because he ‘can see no problem’ with pinchpoints and spurs to funnel traffic into them.

“In fact, all three proposals with lane dividers were dropped purely as a result of action by MAG since February 2013. is culminated in MAG’s concerns and objections being raised in the House of Commons and considered at ministerial level.

Before any involvement by Mr Hay or the BMF, the DfT accepted MAG’s advice that ministerial approval could not be recommended for funding any scheme with such a potentially dangerous feature in it. “at decision was reached on Wednesday, June 4, 2014, during a meeting I was in at the DfT alongside MAG’s director of communications and public affairs, Lembit Opik. It was between MAG and the officer responsible for advising the minister on whether to approve funding for either of the two final proposals for the scheme (Plans 2A and 2B). Both plans included new constraints in the form of pinch-points and spurs of kerbing to funnel

Existing layout

traffic into them – which prompted our concerns.

“Two of the traffic islands on feeder roads would have their kerbing extended into what became known as ‘spurs’ – as they crossed the natural riding line for bikers to exit the roundabout – and would have bollards mounted on them. Plan 2A, also included two standalone raised kerb lane dividers instead of four as in the earlier

designs. BUT, by halfway through MAG’s meeting, the DfT officer agreed that Plan 2A would NOT be recommended for approval.

“So, and although neither Mr Hay or Bedford’s officers knew it then, that was actually the day when lane dividers were finally dropped. e only plan le for consideration was Plan 2B, which had no ‘kerbs’ but it did have two pinch-points and ‘spurs’, so MAG firmly opposed that plan too.

NEW PINCH POINT NEW PINCH POINT RAISED KERB SPUR BOLLARDS ON SPUR EXTENDED ISLAND

LANES CUT TO 4M EXISTING ISLAND EXTENDED HUB

LANE WIDTHS 12M

The diagram left shows the existing layout of the roundabout. The diagram above shows the new roundabout with the pinch points and extended islands and extensions to the centre hub. Want to ride this?

On Friday, June 6, 2014, and unbeknown to MAG, Mr Hay visited Bedford. He saw the roundabout and met the officers who were proposing Bedford’s third version of a radical ‘cycling safety’ scheme to cut traffic flow speed with hard engineering. “en, to the surprise of many bikers including me, his meeting led to a conclusion that the BMF should support Plan 2B – rather than remaining neutral about

proposals that the BMF had not engaged with before, or join forces with MAG in opposing it.

To be clear, MAG opposed the latest 2B scheme as it cut lane width from 12 metre to 4, with two pinch-points – and spurs of kerbing to funnel bikers into them – along with 25,000 vehicles per day – including many vans and HGVs. “Mr Hay is of course entitled to his opinion that

The red areas denote what will be added to the new layout

there is ‘no problem’ with a scheme to force bikers into a third of the lane width of the existing roundabout alongside 25,000 vehicles per day. BUT. ere are problems that I and other motorcyclists and highway engineers have seen – and still see as good reasons to oppose the expenditure of more than £420,000 of tax payers’ money to build the scheme at all.”

First Rides STORAGE:

The larger right compartment has three litres of storage and opens with a push of a recessed, triangular button to reveal just enough space to stash a light rainsuit.

Optional rear panniers are available for even more carrying capacity, together with a higher screen, heated grips, and alarm. The rear pillion seat pad flips upright when not in use, locking in place to provide the rider with a secure backrest.

CHASSIS:

Beneath the brooding menace lies the same essential tubular steel diamond frame as on the CTX700, with the parallel-twin motor’s cylinders canted forward. A conventional non-adjustable 43mm Showa fork with a 125mm stroke is carried at a raked out 33º angle, with its 110mm of trail augmenting the long 1645mm wheelbase.

USEFUL BITS:

Storage spaces abound, concealed in the front bodywork. The lockable compartment beneath the handlebar’s left grip opens with the ignition key, and features one litre of storage space plus a 12v DC adaptor.

DCT:

The NM4 comes with Honda’s dual clutch transmission (DCT).

This deletes the clutch lever and gives the rider a choice of selecting either the fully-automatic twistand-go D-for-Drive or S-for-Sport modes, or the manual MT mode allowing plus or minus sequential gear selections out of the six speeds available.

SWINGARM:

FUEL CONSUMPTION:

THE BODYWORK:

The variable-rate ProLink monoshock rear end’s aluminium swingarm operates a similarly non-adjustable Showa shock allowing 100mm of wheel travel, as an inevitable downside of that lowslung build and a seat just 650mm high.

Claimed fuel consumption of 79.8mpg from the Vultus motor is pretty impressive, delivering a 190 mile (300km) range from the 11.6 litre fuel tank.

The Batman bodywork makes the Vultus voluptuously wide in an edgy way – 810mm up front, 933mm measured across the mirrors.

Lighting is full LED and the small headlamp is very effective, with the front indicators and mirrors integrated into the bodywork, while the shaped headlight is framed with a blue definition line.

ENGINE:

CUTTING VIBES:

WHEELS, BRAKES ETC:

The Vultus gets the compact liquid-cooled 670cc eight-valve, 54bhp, parallel-twin engine, with chain drive to the single overhead cam, that powered the groundbreaking NC700 as well as the CTX700 neo-cruiser launched last year. It’s been bored out 4mm to 745cc, just as it did for this year’s NC750.

Twin counterbalancers are fitted to eliminate vibration from the parallel-twin motor, whose 270° crankshaft follows Yamaha’s lead two decades ago (since followed by Norton) in delivering 90° V-twin character and torque from a more compact parallel-twin motor, such as originated on the dualpurpose Super Ténéré and TRX sportbike.

The 10 spoke cast aluminium wheels carry Dunlop Sportmax D423 rubber, the 18in front on a 3.50in rim gets a 120/70, while the 200/50-17 rear is mounted on a wide 6.25in wheel. There’s a single 320mm wave disc brake up front gripped by a two-piston Nissin caliper, with a 240mm rear. Two-channel ABS is fitted as standard.

Why could THIS work? A futurologist speaks…

“The 21st century is sometimes referred to as the Asian century,” says Australian commentator Mike Hanlon, one of the world’s leading industrial design experts whose website www.gizmag.com is a global leader about tech and the future of tech.

“The rise of Asia’s wealth is changing the world, and has profound implications for people everywhere, including in the shape of personal transport.

18 mslmagazine.co.uk

Two-thirds of the world’s population lives in Asia, and has been raised in an environment where scooters ARE the family car. So the first and potentially largest new marketplace for the Vultus is in young styleconscious Asian countries where edgy futuristic manga design is a desirable attribute, scooters are the most common form of personal transport, average height is considerably less, and

riding motorcycles is not almost exclusively gender-specific, as it is in Western society.

“But the NM4 can also be expected to cultivate new customers in Western markets, as it will undoubtedly be the first large capacity motorcycle to appeal to non-enthusiasts, with its futuristic Japanese cult styling and ease of use.

Honda is keen to attract car drivers onto motorcycles,

and it recognizes that the current state of the world’s increasingly congested roads is driving change in the global personal transportation marketplace.

“My take is that the NM4 is designed by Honda to emancipate motorcycling one further step, to make a motorcycle as easy to ride as a scooter, and the Japanimation styling is just a sugar coating.”

NEW That wacky old group of thinkers at Honda!

In an apocalyptic future dystopia... he rode in to right the wrongs...

e dash is well laid out and pretty informative, with a large central digital speedo, plus mileage, twin trips, fuel mileage, engine speed, a fuel gauge, ambient temp and – yes, a gear selected reading. Seems like Honda is finally coming to the party on this one. en each of the two side pods adjacent to the main instrument has an array of warning lights, so there’s lots going on to keep your attention, as befits any motorcycle aimed at the PlayStation lot. at seat is well upholstered enough that you don’t have to contend with numb bum syndrome aer a long ride – I did a 150 mile stretch one day before stopping to refuel, and couldn’t believe how comfortable it was, probably because of my legs being stretched out, not bent at the knee, as well as the extra support from the backrest. Acceleration is pretty impressive from rest, even – especially – in full-auto mode, where the seamless gearshis give a sense of liquid performance, though you can also rev it out in the gears by switching to MT and working your finger and thumb. Unless you do that, you do run the risk of having the autoshier change to a higher gear oen before you’re ready to do so, if you leave it in Auto-D mode – Sport is much better, although here too it sometimes insists on changing up a gear unwantedly, especially climbing a twisting hilly road. But in general you can let the engine run as low as 2000rpm, and it’ll

Charge your iPhone while riding.

still pull flawlessly away with the single carb’s butterfly wide open.

Its two full-auto operating modes see Automatic D mode better for city and highway riding, which also achieves optimum fuel efficiency, while Automatic S mode is quite a bit sportier, and lets the engine rev a little higher before shiing up, for greater performance.

It also shis down sooner when decelerating for extra engine braking.

But in either D or S mode, the DCT offers immediate manual intervention if required – you just select the required gear using the plus and minus shi triggers on the le handlebar. And exiting a corner at low rpm, you have only to crack the throttle wide open for the kickdown to happen completely automatically, and deliver extra performance on call.

Aer that, at an appropriate time, the DCT reverts back to automatic mode seamlessly, depending on throttle angle, vehicle speed and gear position. Furthermore, in D mode, the DCT system detects variations in rider input that’s

Maybe it’s because it’s the biggest, Honda can afford to push the frontiers of what might just work as opposed to what ultimately won’t, in which case it has deep enough pockets to write off the development budget and start over.

The company has a history of thinking outside the box – not only technically (oval pistons, V5 race engine, monocoque frame, DCT transmission, etc.), but

also in terms of creating entire motorcycles like the DN-01, the Rune, the Pacific Coast PC800, or indeed the very first Super Cub C50 stepthru, through to the late-model CTX700/1300 duo.

Honda doesn’t just do showbikes, it puts them into production, then waits to see if it’s judged correctly what the marketplace needs, wants – or can be inspired to adopt. Which often, it has.

TOP: The DN-01 (top) and the Rune (the red one) both came from the ‘left field’ Honda kids.

ABOVE: Pillion seat flipped up.

mslmagazine.co.uk 19

First Rides Indian Scout

NEW

SCOUTING FOR BIKERS The all-new Indian Scout marks the start of the next wave of machines from the American bike-builder and it’s a liquidcooled landmark for the firm, too. It’s cracking good fun.

WORDS: Roland Brown PHOTOS: Victory motorcycles

I

t was quite an introduction. ere we were in Sturgis, leaning over the rail at the top of the Wall of Death’s vertical wooden sides, watching as a tall guy wearing riding breeches and with his dark hair in a plait, roared round the rickety, ancient looking structure.

He had both hands off the bars, veering up towards the top to snatch rolled-up dollar bills from spectators. e bike that veteran Wall of Death ace Charlie Ransom was riding was not one of his normal vintage Indian Scouts but the reborn Indian marque’s new Scout model. e 1133cc, liquid-cooled V-twin was painted in patriotic red, white and blue. It had low bars, a cut-down exhaust and no lights, front fender or front brake but was otherwise close to standard.

is was the world premier of the new generation Scout. Just a year aer stunning Sturgis by unveiling the debut trio of Chief models, the Polarisowned Indian brand is back with the first of a sportier, lighter breed of Vtwin. Hiring the charismatic Mr Ransom to ride it no-handed round the Wall of Death was a dramatic way to generate publicity, but reborn Indian doesn’t seem to do things by halves.

Slightly over a day later, I’m heading out of Sturgis on the new bike, reaching forward to its raised onepiece bar from the low single saddle. e Indian name and curly script on the tank are familiar, and at a gentle pace the wide-handlebar naked bike has the feel of a typical laid-back American V-twin. But a glance at the Scout had shown that this bike is very different from the Chief models with

big front fenders and air-cooled, pushrod-operated engines.

A twist of the throttle on the highway outside Sturgis confirms the impression, as the Scout’s 1133cc dohc, eight-valve engine gets to 5000rpm and keeps on going, the bike accelerating with more urgency. e wind tugs at my shoulders and there’s a touch of vibration through the seat and footrests as the speedometer needle passes 100mph and keeps on moving, and the small digital rev-counter flickers towards 8000rpm before I notch up through the six-speed gearbox… en, moments, later, I back off and return to the relatively gentle cruise at which the Scout, like my neck muscles, is most happy. ere’s a bit of vibration through the pegs and saddle once the revs get above around 5000rpm, and of course the exposed, fairly feet-forward mslmagazine.co.uk 31

Galluzzi: the truth

From what’s going on right now in bike design to what’s so crucial for the future of biking. Miguel Galluzzi is vice president of design for the Piaggio group. In short, he’s the man the massive companies making bikes listen to.

Here are his thoughts.

WORDS: Tony Carter PHOTOGRAPHY: Kevin Wing

Galluzzi is a man who creates real rider’s bikes. Each one of his motorcycles is a bike that delivers grin after grin and Moto Guzzi is currently benefiting...

GS TROPHY

N

BOOT CAMP “

In early September, Team GB headed for Canada hoping for glory in BMW’s GS Trophy. Here’s an insight into the training they went through in preparation.

WORDS: Bruce Wilson PHOTOGRAPHY: Gary Chapman

ow, I need you to forget everything I’ve just taught you about maintaining traction.

I’m aer a fistful of throttle and the dumping of the clutch,” said Simon Pavey in his typically relaxed manner.

In theory, it’s straightforward enough, but bracing a leaning GS and hoping to control its 125bhp output as you slide the back wheel around in a 180º action is a terrifying thought. Unless of course you do exactly what Simon says.

Big Ride

How to do Morocco Fancy riding to Morocco, but not sure where to start? Read on for Mike Waterman’s thoroughly practical guide on how to do it.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Mike Waterman

N

one of us – self (Triumph Explorer), Maurice (GTR1400) and Bryan (Multistrada) – had been to Morocco before, but we had a plan of sorts. Ferry to Santander, three days riding down through Spain and Portugal, ferry to Ceuta, eight days on a circuit of Morocco, then return.

Nothing was booked, apart from the Santander ferry and hotel for the first night in Spain. But it all worked out – the twisty roads we planned on the map lived up to their promise and Moroccan hotels were good and not too difficult to find. Here’s what we learnt.

JAMES CARGO MOTORCYCLE SHIPPING

LET US TRANSPORT YOUR BIKE TO A NEW ADVENTURE

www.jamescargobikes.com | tel: +44 (0)1753 687722