Twist & Go - March/April 2014 - Sample Edition

INCLUDING

330 BIKES & SCOOTERS RATED OR RIDDEN

March/April Issue 97

BIKE INSURANCE

HELMETS

Our handy guide to show you how to get the best deal

Kawasaki J300

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

TO GET THE RIGHT HELMET FOR YOU 5 launch Vespa Primaveraan12 d scooter tests PLUS 6 other motorcycle

COOL DRY CLOTHING It’s important to stay warm – but how do you achieve that?

Find our advice inside…

£70

WORTH IN OUR FREE-TO-ENTER COMPETITION *SEE PAGE 74 *Other conditions apply – see entry form

ALSO UP FOR GRABS A£75‘ROCKIN’RIDE’ ROCKOILPACKAGE

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KEEPING WARM

No. 97 March/April 2014

Full launch test inside

WELCOME

Themore themerrier

It’s an exciting time of the year for us in the bike world and things seem to be kicking off on a positive note. The main buzz of the moment is the fact that Kawasaki has finally entered – or should I say re-entered – the scooter market (yes, it has produced a scooter before, believe it or not). And it’s not too soon I say, as it was the only major Japanese manufacturer not to have already done so.

Another welcome newcomer to the UK is the Honley brand which has kicked-off its model range with two 125cc motorcycles and a scooter. It’s a brave move by the West Yorkshire based importer, Earnshaws, with its attempt to bring something new to an already well catered for area of the market.

That said, I truly believe that it can only be a good thing – the more competition the merrier, I say. More competition should, in theory, mean more choice and a better deal for Joe Public at the end of the day.

Although these two importers are venturing into new areas, they aren’t alone in starting off 2014 on a high; they are joined in this respect by Piaggio, which has chosen this point in time to replace its Vespa LX scooters with its new Primavera range. Of course, avid Vespa fans will know that the Primavera was originally launched in the 1960s at a time when people were demanding more freedom. The model was a success then and I’ve no doubt that it will be so again.

Of course, all of this could just be the tip of the iceberg for an exciting 2014; we’ll have to wait to see what the rest of the year will bring…

WHO’SWHO? MAU SPENCER

Heading up the T&G team, editor Mau has been riding bikes since he was 16. He’s been beavering away catching up on his admin since the festive break, but just found enough time to pop along to the Motorcycle Trade Expo show to find out what’s new to the UK. HARRIET RIDLEY

Harriet began riding as a teenager; she got a job as a motorcycle journalist and did everything she could on two wheels including touring and racing. She recently covered the Vespa Primavera launch for us – read all about it on page 22.

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50 CARLI ANN SMITH

Staff writer on the T&G team, Carli has been riding bikes for over a decade. She loves all things two-wheeled and started her riding career on a DT125. She’s just got back from Portugal where she tested Kawasaki’s new J300 – just in time for this issue.

PETE HENSHAW

Pete doesn’t own a car and is happy to rely on two wheels to get around. His specialism is riding small, slow bikes for long distances.

One of his recent trips (three countries, three capitals, 850 miles in two days) features inside.

IAN‘IGGY’GRAINGER

‘The Ig’has been a regular contributor to T&G and other bike and scooter magazines since 2003. He started riding scooters at the age of 15 and has never stopped. He’s just tested the Honley HD1, which is a new brand for the UK market. See his verdict inside.

JOHN MILBANK

John Milbank is the editor on T&G ’s sibling newspaper title, Motor Cycle Monthly. He’s pitched in to give us his opinion and advice on a few product tests that he helped us out with for this issue.

IN DETAIL

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GOSSIP ’N’ GADGETS

Up-to-date news and product information

MOTORCYCLE EXPO

The UK’s trade bike show

TRIED & TESTED

The latest products under scrutiny

PRIMAVERA 125

Vespa’s replacement for the LX range

ECO CITY

One of the best value e-scooters around

HMC CLASSIC 125

A budget-priced retro roadster-style motorcycle

DART 125

Lexmoto’s new14in wheeled scooter

PEOPLE 125i

KYMCO’s answer to commuting

HONLEY HD1 125

Who is Honley? Our first road test on its new UK range

SH MODE 125

The new addition to Honda’s scooter range

J300

The first bike from Kawasaki’s futuristic ‘J Concept’ range

INSURANCE

The inside story

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HELMET BUYING GUIDE

Choosing the right helmet can be a challenge

COUNTRY COMMUTING

How to stay safe off the beaten track

KEEPING WARM

Riding doesn’t mean that Jack Frost has to take a nip at you

WHEELS TO WORK SCHEME

Getting thousands of under 25s onto scooters and bikes

FIRST AID FOR BIKERS

Would you know what to do in an emergency?

THE QUIET REVOLUTION

Sharing our road space with cyclists

READERS’ LETTERS

Have your say on the topics you choose

INTERCITY STAR

Are three countries, three capitals, 850 miles in two days too much for a 125cc Peugeot?

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Our new and expanded guide to new scooters and motorcycles

102

Find what you’re looking for in our classified section

READERS’ RIDES

Share your two-wheel world with us

WHICH BIKE?

SALES AND WANTS

ARE YOU A SUBSCRIBER? Get a copy of your favourite magazine before others!

See page 20 for details

Editor: Mau Spencer mspencer@mortons.co.uk Publisher: Steve Rose Contributors:Joe Dick, Pete Henshaw, Iggy, Mau, John Milbank, Harriet Ridley, Carli Ann Smith.

Apologies to anyone we’ve forgotten.

Design: Charlotte Turnbull, Sarah Scrimshaw Reprographics: Simon Duncan Group production editor: Tim Hartley Divisional advertising manager: Sandra Fisher sfisher@mortons.co.uk Advertising: Jo Scarbro jscarbro@mortons.co.uk 01507 524004 Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Production manager: Craig Lamb Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Associate director: Malc Wheeler Twist & Go magazine PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ www.twistngo.com www.whatscooter.com Editorial call: 01507 529408 General queries and back issues: 01507 529529 (24hr answerphone) Email: help@classicmagazines.co.uk Web: www.classicmagazines.co.uk UK: 6 issues £20 Europe: 6 issues £24 ROW: 6 issues £30 Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 20 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £23.10.

Export rates are also available – see page 20 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Distribution: COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middx UB7 7QE. Tel 01895 433600 © 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 No 1471–0501 USA SUBSCRIPTIONS Twist & Go magazine TWIST & GO (ISSN:1471-0501) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd., PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $36 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Postmaster: Send address changes to TAG, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-5724595 chris@classicbikebooks.com Printed by William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton.

Some articles within these pages express the opinions of the contributors and are not necessarily those of Twist & Go. E&OE: While we do our best to ensure our information is accurate, all mention of special offers or other deals are subject to alteration by the companies mentioned.

NEXT ISSUE (98): Published on April 16, 2014 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: March 14, 2014

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PRODUCTS

Ape WorldChampionship VE (UK), sole UK distributor for Malossi performance products, was the main event sponsor for the first ever Malossi Piaggio Ape World Championship recently held at Rye House Raceway, Hertfordshire, over a total of four hotly contested rounds.

With all of the Piaggio Ape machines fitted with exactly the same Malossi 102cc cylinder kit, 19mm reed valve carb kit, and ‘power exhaust’ the racing was close (as is to be expected of a one-make series) and with the races being of a two-hour endurance format, consistency, reliability and driver prowess was the key to doing well.

Over and above the performance parts supplied from Malossi, VE (UK) also made available its full range of replacement parts including clutches, crankshafts, cylinder

Malossi cranks £ various

spares, bearings and tools through the race organisers should teams have had a need for standard replacement spares.

Over the four races, machine reliability was excellent, with the only problems being clutch cables and tyres – a testament to the Malossi products which were chosen especially for the race series to power the Ape.

The final results were close, with drivers Greg Owens and Max Wakefield of Team Piaggio just pipping the Ape Bee team to the championship win by a single point. VE congratulates all the championship contenders.

VE has been appointed as main sponsor for the 2014 season. More news on this in the new year.

Modenahitsthestreets

Born from years of racetrack experience and thousands of hours in Malossi’s R&D department, its crankshafts are available for a vast range of popular automatic scooter, Moto 50/125 and Quad models. These include Aprilia, Benelli, Beta, CPI, Derbi, Gilera, Honda, Italjet, Keeway, KYMCO, Malaguti, MBK, Peugeot, Piaggio, Suzuki, SYM, Vespa, and Yamaha.

There’s a wide range of different variations for both two-stroke and four-stroke machines.

Info: sales@ve-uk.com / www.ve-uk.com

Honda CBR cylinder kit £ ask

Malossi has launched a new 170cc cylinder kit for the Honda CBR 125R injection.

Manufactured from Nikasil plated aluminium alloy with a high content of hardened and tempered silicone. Included with the cylinder is Malossi’s‘Force Master 2’CDI unit that has four different preconfigured mappings to suit various tuning configurations.

In addition the CDI unit also raises the rev limiter by 1000rpm.

The kit is suitable for fitment to the Honda CBR 125R injection manufactured from 2007 onwards.

Info: sales@ve-uk.com / www.ve-uk.com

A new addition to the AJS range is the Modena (pronounced ‘Mod-enna’) scooter which will be available in both 50cc and 125cc variations.

It’s a retro-looking scooter in every sense of the word and it even comes with a load of chromework as standard.

The nostalgia ends there though, as both versions are powered by modern automatic engines and this is supplemented by other modern technology (brakes, suspension, etc.).

Prices are £1195 / £1226 respectively.

Hopefully we will have one to road test shortly.

In the meantime, visit www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk for more information.

Fancy riding to Holland for charity?

Regular readers of T&G will know of the exploits of MS sufferer, Steve Taylor and his charity rides.

Having already completed rides to the Arctic Circle (and more recently to the Sierra Nevada mountains), Steve is not resting on his laurels and is planning another charity ride to Holland – this time though, he is inviting other riders to join him for a four-day ride using only 50cc scooters (some of the ride will be on cycle routes so it will be for 50cc bikes only).

All you will need to supply is a tent and the scooter; the rest Steve will sort out.

The plan is for participants to meet up in Canterbury, Kent, on Monday, May 5, 2014. After camping overnight, the scooters will set off from the port of Dover on Tuesday morning, taking a ferry to Dunkirk. Then you will ride through France and Belgium to Holland along the 25km Atlantic Dam, eventually arriving back in England on the Friday evening.

Steve will be raising money

for ‘Jump’. Based in Warrington, the charity cares for terminally ill children and their families. Participants can elect to support either the same charity, or one of their own choice.

For his journey, Steve will be riding a Yamaha Neos, backed by PM Tuning Products. If you want to join him on his ride, or you require more details, he can be contacted via the following email address: denise.bottle@gmail.com

Croc Lock £29.95

The Croc Lock is a theft deterrent for scooters, motorcycles and ATVs. It works by locking the front brake lever to the handlebar, preventing the motorcycle or ATV from being pushed away.

Available in yellow, orange or black, Croc Lock is more visible than a standard disc lock, easier to install and impossible to forget!

Info: www.datatool.co.uk / 01257 249928

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MODEL LAUNCH

VespaPrimavera3v125ie Piaggio has launched a new Vespa, replacing its LX models with the Primavera.

There’s a two-stroke 50cc version, a four-stroke 50cc version, a four-stroke 125cc version and a four-stroke 150cc version. The UK will get the 50cc two-stroke and 125cc four-stroke – Harriet Ridley tested the latter in sunny Barcelona.

P

rimavera means spring in Italian and Vespa enthusiasts will know it’s not a brand-new model: the Primavera was first launched in 1968. Piaggio is keen to point out this was the year of major social unrest with young people demanding more rights and freedom – and freedom is exactly what the Vespa brings. Piaggio has a point: it really does open up the doors of a large city, whisking you from one end to the next quickly, in comfort and in pure Italian style.

ENGINE This new Vespa is powered by Piaggio’s latest aircooled three-valve engine, with single overhead cam and electronic fuel injection.

It makes a decent 10.59bhp and 7.7lb-ft of torque. It’s an engine I’d already tried out last year at the PX125 launch, and I love it: fast and smooth, economical and quiet.

It’s the best small scooter engine on the market.

Twist the grip and the Primavera takes off rapidly for a 125cc scooter (I counted just under six seconds from zero to 30mph), continuing to build speed until (if you keep it to the stop and crouch down) the needle creeps just past 70mph.

While this is perfect for faster roads,

the small chassis makes it more suitable for big cities where the Vespa excels: fast away from the traffic lights, quick through the twist and turns of inner city streets, the lightweight chassis ideal for squeezing through the narrow traffic gaps…

RIDE The chassis is completely new, although it stays true to Vespa tradition with its steel bodywork, in this case fitted over a central steel spine. It’s stiffer and larger in size than the LX’s chassis without adding weight.

Handling is quick and agile with a smooth ride.

The engine’s doublemounted with a rubber damper to kill any vibrations. And while it has the transmission of a conventional scooter (the engine, swingarm and rear wheel are one single, solid assembly), the new suspension soaks up surface imperfections and potholes beautifully. Although it still gets the traditional Vespa single sided front fork, the shock absorber is now fitted to its mount using a hinged pin to reduce friction rather than two Allen bolts. This means a much less pounded backside, contributing hugely to the high quality feel of the ride.

BRAKES

PROS

This all-new Vespa Primavera gets a 200mm hydraulic disc brake at the front for top-notch performance, and a 140mm drum brake at the rear (that’s larger than the 110mm drum brake of the LX). The rear drum brake is the only hint at cost-cutting on this Vespa. But you don’t need such potent stopping power at the back wheel, which is much easier to lock. And having written that, this drum brake works so well that the hooligans among us (including me of course!) can still enjoy back wheel skids if they grab a hard enough left handful. But it also means you won’t be unintentionally locking the rear too easily, a good thing for newer riders as the Primavera doesn’t have the added safety feature of ABS – yet.

Engineers say a version with ABS will come out soon. But it’ll cost more and I reckon it’s not needed on this type of scooter; the Primavera’s brakes are just right for its overall performance.

Great style Lovely engine Practical and economical CONS

A bit pricey Not suitable for regular motorway commutes Rear drum brake hints at cost cutting

A1

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THE INSIDE STORY

Image reproduced courtesy of Arthur Andrzej

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INSURANCE Do you know whether you’ve gotTPFT or fully comprehensive? Do you know what the difference is?

We’ve put together a handy guide to insurance to show you how to get the best deal and what to do if you’re in an accident.

R

iding along without a care in the world is one of the best feelings you can have. There’s just you, the open road and your bike heading off over the horizon.

But do you know what to do if the worse happened and you had an accident? Would you be covered? How much money are you going to have to find to fix the damage?

Insurance is a legal requirement.

No argument. If you ride without it then you’re breaking the law and you could even have your beloved machine taken away from you by the police.

The industry can seem a bit of a minefield, with abbreviations being thrown at you from all angles – but don’t despair. Once you’ve got to grips with a few of the key terms, you’ll be able to make an informed and cost effective choice for what you need.

There are three types of insurance available – let’s start with the most basic cover first:

THIRD PARTY The most basic motorcycle insurance required by law.

It’s important to note that this only covers your liability for death or injury to someone else and for damage to someone else’s property.

It won’t cover you or your bike.

THIRD PARTY, FIRE & THEFT (AKA TPFT) It is similar to simple third party insurance – as seen above – but also covers your scooter or bike if it’s stolen or damaged by fire.

FULLY COMPREHENSIVE This kind of insurance not only covers you from the liability to other people and their property, but it will also cover the cost of fixing or replacing your ride. Understandably, the price of this will often be higher than the other two options.

ADDITIONAL COVER On top of the standard insurance, there are a number of additional options that may be offered to cover other aspects of your ride, these include: gear, transport, breakdown cover, legal assistance, European coverage, no claims discount protection – the list is endless.

Chat these options through with an adviser and ask them to discuss what is covered so you can make an informed decision about whether you think you need it or not.

Sometimes there can be a temptation to have one (or even more) of the additional options on the ‘off-chance’ you might use them or because you don’t want to say no.

Consider them carefully and don’t be afraid to say you don’t want them if you won’t use them!

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With so many helmets to choose from it can often be a challenge where to start and understandably it’s not just a case of looking at which helmet looks the best and matches your ride anymore!

O

ften a helmet can be one of the most expensive things you purchase when looking to start on two wheels. It’s important that you spend your money wisely on something that will be comfortable, look good and keep you safe should the worst happen.

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until 1973 that it was made compulsory that motorcyclists had

to wear a helmet by law. Prior to this many riders used to just wear flat caps!

It may be that you have friends who ride already who can give you advice on which helmet they think you should pick, you may want the same brand as your favourite motorcycle racer or you may just want the cheapest one available.

We’ve put together a definitive buying guide to help you make the best decision.

TYPE: The first question you should ask yourself is what type of helmet am I looking for?This will depend on what type of bike you have, what you’re using it for and personal preference as to which type you feel most comfortable in. Each type of helmet has its good and bad points, so weigh them up and see which one suits you best.

Open face Also known as three-quarter helmets; these are regularly used by some scooter and cruiser riders. While they have the cool factor and look the part on certain kind of bikes, they’re not suitable for high speeds unless wearing goggles and something to stop the flies from going in your mouth.

They offer good levels of vision, however, in the event of an accident just bear in mind that they don’t offer the same level of protection as full face lids should you go face first.

Paul Mousell, product trainer and Shoei technician, has given some of his top tips throughout our guide so be sure to look out for the blue boxes!

Flip front

Flip front lids are often chosen by police and riding instructors as well as many road riders. They allow the front section to be flipped up, enabling people to see your face and hear you properly without the need to take your helmet off. Some manufacturers make them so that the front section pulls out completely – giving you two helmets in one. Flip fronts provide good protection and offer the advantage of not having to take your helmet off all the time.

Motocross

Used predominantly by off-road riders and people heading off on adventure tours, the motocross helmet is often used in conjunction with goggles as it often doesn’t have an inbuilt visor. The peak at the bottom of the helmet is functional in the sense that it protects the goggles should you fall. The peak at the top prevents glare from the sun and also acts as protection.

Full face

The most common choice for many riders, full face lids are widely available and as the name suggests, cover all of your face.

These offer high levels of protection as all of your face is looked after by padding and the helmet shell. They can be used on any bike and are used on everything from scooters to Harley-Davidsons.

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FIT: The way that the helmet fits your head is essential.You don’t want it too tight so that it’s uncomfortable and gives you a headache, but at the same time you don’t want it loose so that it slips off and offers little protection.The word that is bandied around a lot when it comes to the way a helmet fits is‘snug’. If you head to your local helmet stockist then the dealership staff will be able to assist you with your choice, but it’s handy to know what type of tests you can do to check the fit.

PAUL SAYS...

“It wants to be as tight as it can be, without it causing discomfort. It’s like a pair of shoes, the person assisting you can tell you it’s too big but only you can tell if it’s too tight.”

ONCE THE HELMET IS ON...

BEFORE Measure your head – this should be done with a soft tape or a piece of string and the measurement taken from just above the eyebrows round the crown of the head. This offers a good basis for what size you should be looking for.

1

Getting the helmet on should be a slight squeeze – the helmet should offer a little resistance to being put on but not be too much of a push

2

Place your hands on either side of the helmet and try and push it side to side and up and down – the helmet should feel as if it is moving the skin on your head, rather than moving independently

3

Feel around the padding where the helmet meets your forehead – there shouldn’t be a gap

4

Get hold of the front of the helmet by the chin bar and rock it backwards.

If it is the correct size it should stay in place and still feel secure

Fasten the chinstrap tightly, as you would when riding, and put your hands on the back of a helmet and try and push it off – it should remain firm and stay on

TOP TIP...

Walk around the shop for at least 5-10 minutes – you’re going to be wearing this helmet for prolonged amounts of time when riding your bike, so take some time to work out whether it will start digging in or putting pressure on certain parts after a short amount of time

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“As silly as you might feel, it’s a lot of money to potentially waste if it doesn’t fit properly, so make sure you’re 100% happy. If you’ve tried on a demo helmet at the shop, but want it in a different colour or pattern be sure to try on the helmet that you’re taking home as it might fit differently. Don’t make do as you’ll end up replacing it.”