THE

RACING ISS
AUG 2021
-81(ǫ
20 JULY
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B r i t a i n ’ s b e s t - s e l l i n g b i k e m a g a z i n e

WORLD SUP(P)ERBIKES
HEROISM

FROM RACE Marquez,

TRACK TO Hutchinson,
CHIP SHOP
Why BMW’s S1000RR
Dunlop,
is Britain’s favourite sportsbike & Doohan Racing’s greatest ever
SCOOPS!
comebacks by Mat Oxley
Aerodynamics, MUST SEE
holeshot devices, REASONS
last year’s chassis
2021 GP tech trends by Neil Spalding
MOTOGP

Rossi's
10 WHY BSB
WILL ROCK
THIS YEAR
by James Haydon
FLAT TRACK

star pupil
Franco Morbidelli on racism,
ÄÝßçåêãåðåêëêÝ
ÔëõÝèÇêğáèà
New slide school shows you how
racing and beating his teacher ìÝãáïëâ

GROUP TEST £ IT’S GOOD... REALLY GOOD!

New Yamaha ÎåòåêãóåðäÝÆñßÝðå%!Õ
Sporty 750 used bargains
New Harley
Tracer 9 GT v Triumph ÄáïðèáÝðäáîæÝßçáðï Pan America
Tiger 900 GT v BMW F900XR Buy a Sportster
ğîïð×Íîåàá
PLUS Sidecars on rafts in Siberia O Aprilia RS660 1000 mile test on road and track
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4
 Hello
W
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my experience of flat-track (p106) I’m keen to watch
some of that, maybe Redcar on 14-15 August.
Enjoy the issue and join us again next month when
Bike will be celebrating our 50th birthday. How the heck
did that happen?

Hugo Wilson
Editor

Bikes in this issue

Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory 78 / BMW S1000RR
M Package 48 / BMW F900XR TE 68
Captain America 16 / Electric boardtracker
10 / Harley Pan America 38 / MV Agusta
Rush 13 / Triumph Speed Twin 14 / Triumph
Tiger 900 GT Pro 68 / Suzuki GSX-S 1000 86
Ural sidecars 80 / Yamaha R7 08 / Yamaha
MT-09 26 / Yamaha Tracer 9 GT 68

Cadwell Park: if you are

Issue 581 August 2021
able support your local Contact us: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk or 01733 468099
race track, it’s been facebook.com/bikemagazineUK
PIC: JAMIE MORRIS

tough times for them too twitter.com/BikeMagazine

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48
BMW S1000RR
M Package: living
that WSB dream

6
 Contents
Front end
08 THE FIVE BIKES THAT MATTER THIS MONTH
New Yamaha R7, Captain America plus electric boardtracker.
19 BRAKING NEWS
More strife for Norton owners and a shortage of bikes – new and used.
28 TECH
Three ways MotoGP is getting faster in 2021.
33 LETTERS
In praise of Stoner, cats, houses, and fridges v motorcycles.
36 SUBSCRIBE
Get Bike delivered to letterbox or inbox, and save money.

Features and Tests

38 ×ÍÎÃ×ÐÅÊÊÃÔÎÇÛ«ÆÃØËÆÕÑÐÒÃÐÃÏÇÔËÅÃ
Is the Pan really as good as first reports would have it? Actually yes.
44 TEN REASONS WHY BSB WILL ROCK IN 2021
We’ve been a long time sat on the couch, time to get out there.
48 ÙÑÔÎÆÕ×ÒÒÇÔÄËÍÇÕ
BMW’s S1000RR M Package – destination, the chip shop.

THEIN G 54 COMEBACK KINGS

C
RA I SSUE If you’re a pro racer you are going to come a cropper.
60 ÖÊÇÑÚÎÇÛËÐÖÇÔØËÇÙÈÔÃÐÅÑÏÑÔÄËÆÇÎÎË
‘The story of my life is trying to overcome difficult times.’
‘He sewed the 68 ÉÔÑ×ÒÖÇÕÖÕÒÑÔÖÕÖÑ×ÔÇÔÕ
dying leg to the Tracer 9 GT v Tiger 900 GT Pro v F900 XR TE.
80 ÃÆØÇÐÖ×ÔÇ
good leg…’ What happens when the road runs out…
88 ÄËÉÖÇÕÖÃÒÔËÎËÃĊÕÔÕ""
54 Italy’s high flying middleweight tackles 1000 miles of UK tarmac.

Know How
102 BUYING

38
ÊÝîèáõĊïêáó
Harley-Davidsons’ Sportster 1200.
104 LIVING WITH
ÒÝêÃéáîåßÝ The inside line on Ducati’s ever impressive Supersport 950.
on road and 106 SKILLS
ëââåð
Backing it in at Royal Enfield’s slide school.
108 ÖÇÏÒÖÃÖËÑÐ
750s: the greatest sportsbike all-round package. Yours for £3450.
116 TRY THIS
Oil and filter change. We can all do it.
118 RACING
Bike’s racing correspondent Pete Boast and protégé.
122 ÙÇËÔÆÃÐÆÙÑÐÆÇÔÈ×Î
Vespa Monthléry: definitely not a shopping trolley.

7
 Light on
electronics
but bags of
power where
you want it

BIKES
THAT
REALLY
MATTER
THIS
MONTH

Numbers:
R7 v RS660
Yamaha R7 Aprilia RS660
º Price £8000 (expected) £10,150
º Engine 689cc, 659cc,
270° twin 270° twin
º Power 72.4bhp 90.8bhp
@8750rpm @ 11,750rpm
º Torque 49.4 lb.ft 47.8 lb.ft
@6500rpm @ 8600rpm
º Frame Steel trellis Aluminium spar
º Forks 41mm USD, 41mm USD,
full adjustable reb adjustable
º Shock Reb adj Reb adj
º Wheelbase 1395mm 1370mm
º Rake/trail 23.7°/90.0mm 24.1°/104.6mm
º Weight 188kg 182kg
º Tank size 13 litres 15 litres
º Electronics Diddly squat Heaps

8

At around eight grand new
R7 is a market disrupter, just
like the MT-07 before it
²NEW BIKES ³
Magnificent
(R) Seven
New R7 uses brilliant MT-07 engine and frame to create
tempting new middleweight sportsbike
A prilia’s RS660 twin has
blown us away with its
real world performance,
practicality and precision. It’s a reminder
of the brilliance of light, middleweight
sportsbikes. Now Yamaha are getting in on
the act too, and their R7 will cost around
£8000 when it appears in October. That’s a
hefty two grand cheaper than the Aprilia.
So how’s it going to stack up? We answer the
key questions…
º Wasn’t the R7 a racer back in the day?
Yes. But although the R7 name is shared
with Yamaha’s 1999 World Superbike
homologation special, the similarity ends
there. Think of the 2021 R7 as an MT-07
with a full fairing, sporty riding position
and most of the budget bits upgraded. It’s a
proper road bike, not a track refugee.
º What are the upgrades from the MT-07?
The R7 gets upsidedown fully-adjustable
KYB forks instead of the MT-07’s basic
conventional ones, and the rear shock has
a new linkage. The MT-07’s competent
but unflashy brakes are replaced by
radial calipers and a Brembo master
cylinder, and the steel trellis frame
has an aluminium brace across
the middle to increase stiffness.
The R7’s steering geometry is
marginally feistier than the
MT-07’s, with a steeper head
angle and shorter wheelbase.
º What about power?
Yamaha have chosen not
to tune the MT-07 motor,
instead just adding a
slipper clutch, lowering
second gear a smidge and doing
what’s necessary to get the bike through
Euro5. That means at 72bhp, the Yamaha
makes a whopping 18bhp less peak power
than the Aprilia. However, revs are part
of the RS660 equation – the redline is
3000rpm more than the R7’s – and its peak
torque is 2100rpm higher up the rev range.
Yamaha have judged most road riders will
enjoy the R7’s torquey motor – but with 20%
more power the Aprilia will be faster.
º Does it have all the bells and whistles?
Nope. Zero bells, one small whistle: the R7
gets a better LCD screen. No rider modes, no
cruise control, no cornering ABS, no snazzy
TFT screen – all of which are standard on
the Aprilia. To hit £8000, Yamaha had to
save money somewhere.
º Is the riding position sensible?
Tricky to tell from the photos. The clip-on
bars don’t look painfully low, and Yamaha
say the ergonomics are ‘sporty yet adaptable’
but who knows what that means? Just pray
it’s not as wrist-crippling through town as
its big brother the R1.
º Will we see R7s racing?
Almost certainly. Regulations for next year’s
racing (short circuit and roads) have changed
to allow the Aprilia and Yamaha in. In
America, where MT-07s have been allowed
to race for years, tuners say getting 90bhp
from the Yamaha engine is easy, so expect to
see increasing numbers of R7s on track.
º Why isn’t it here until October?
Annoyingly, it’s in the USA now, but Europe
is second in the queue. The bikes are being
made in Japan, unlike some of the other
models that share the CP2 engine, and
Yamaha say they simply can’t make enough
to enter both markets at once.
9
Five bikes...
Saddle was one
of the biggest

Electri
challenges

TANK
You’d think some electrics would be tucked
away in the dummy tank, but it’s empty. All
the wiring goes through the frame.
SADDLE
Handmade by Giacomo (right) to
avoid paying extortionate money BATTERIES
for an original.
There are two, each hiding in
faux steel cylinders fabricated by
Giacomo.

WHEELS
These are 26in, just like the
original boardtrackers. Giacomo
laced up the wheels himself.

MOTOR
This is made by
Italian specialists
Bikee Bike, and
makes around
3.4bhp – controlled
by the throttle or by
pedalling. The crank
is by Mantova.

‘A faithful boardtracker but bringing

it to the present day with more
advanced technology and safety’
10
 ² ELECTRIC BOARDTRACKER ³
city board
B oardtrackers have always fascinated me,’
Giacomo Galbiati tells Bike from his workshop
in Como, Italy. ‘The composition of the
word motorcycle is motor and cycle and in the early 20th
century boardtrack racers were just that – bicycles with very
powerful engines for that era. Hence the idea of building a
faithful boardtracker but bringing it to the present day with
more advanced technology and safety.’
We’ll take Giacomo’s safety claim with a pinch of salt –
though there are modern hydraulic brakes, the Elettracker’s
fork damping system uses quite a lot of cork. However,
there’s no denying the tech – inside each of the handmade
dummy cylinders is a 72V 840kWh battery, both linking to
a cutting edge pedal-assist electric motor built specially for
the bike.
‘After a lot of research I found an electric motor that
satisfied me from an aesthetic point of view,’ says Giacomo,
who runs GDesign Custom Motorcycles. ‘In collaboration
with Bikee Bike [a high-tech Italian motor company
specialising in conversion kits for bicycles] we developed a
2.5kW motor which gives excellent performance.’
Though 2.5kW converts to just 3.4bhp, Giacomo says the
performance is sprightly because the bike only weighs
49kg. And for those of us of a certain age, it’s worth
remembering that the hilariously entertaining
Yamaha FS-1E moped only had a claimed 4.8bhp,
and weighed 70kg.
‘The first time I seriously tried the Elettracker I
was lucky enough to do it in a real velodrome and
I reached a top speed of 54mph,’ says Giacomo.
STEERING
The springer fork is a modified off-the-shelf item.
Because the bike can top out at 54mph, Giacomo
decided a steering damper was in order.
Italian customiser
connects the past
(boardtracking), with the
present (electrickery).
Ready, steady, charge…
‘Without pedalling, the range is over 25 miles. The original
boardtrackers that challenged each other on the great
wooden ovals could reach 100mph, but to find one of those
bikes you sometimes have to pay well into six figures.’
He’s not kidding – a Flying Merkel boardtracker sold for
£298,000 ($423,500) in 2015. By comparison, Giacomo’s
asking price of £8600 seems almost tempting.
The bike’s inverter – the device that controls the power
and converts the batteries’ direct current (DC) into the
alternating current (AC) the motor needs – is tucked away
behind the dummy V-twin. It’s linked by Bluetooth to your
phone, where you can monitor range, battery life and speed.
The rest of the bike is rather more low tech. ‘I obtained
the frame from a cruiser bicycle and modified the steering,
pedal hub, attachments for the hydraulic disc brake calipers
and the saddle attachment. I bought the forks separately
and modified them so they used a similar damping
adjustment system as the 1930s bikes – it’s a kind of clutch
using cork discs.’
Curiously, Giacomo says the trickiest part of the build
wasn’t the electronics needed to control the batteries, but
the saddle. ‘That was very difficult,’ he says. ‘You can only
find original saddles in the States at a prohibitive price, and
PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTIA NEGRINI
if you make your own, the leather is really hard to work
with. First you have to make a mold, then wet and beat
the leather until it takes on the desired shape, then sew it
by hand, making the holes one by one.’ He did farm out
the painting though, which was done by Arianna of Lake
Design near Como. ‘She also did the decorations in gold
leaf,’ says Giacomo.
On a real
velodrome,
at 54mph
11
 Yes it’s 34 grand and has the
subtlety of a water buffalo.
Five bikes...
But if you want attitude…

² MV AGUSTA RUSH ³

Gold rush
MV Agusta’s new Rush gets more midrange, more
comfort… and a crate full of go-faster bits

he world’s most banzai production motorcycle has

T been upgraded for 2021. MV’s 208bhp Rush – the

company’s flagship model since the demise of
the F4 – has received multiple tweaks to get it through
Hazard
warning
tape chic

Euro5 and bolster what was previously a disappointing

midrange. You also get a crate full of racing bolt-ons
including a race ECU and exhaust for your £34,000.
There have been significant tweaks within the engine.
The new model gets revised cam phasing, which improves
efficiency and increases torque at low to medium revs – though
how much we don’t know. Hopefully it’s plenty, because the old Rush’s
midrange felt flimsy compared with bargain basement rivals such as
KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R and Ducati’s Streetfighter.
Other improvements include sintered valve guides for increased
reliability, valve buckets with a Diamond Like Coating (DLC) to reduce
friction and a stronger clutch.
How big are MV?
º Titchy. MV sold 3000 bikes last year and employ 250 staff.
By comparison, Triumph have over 2000 staff and sold
50,000 bikes. Triumph have more people working in their R&D
department than MV have in total. Yet the Rush and Brutale
1000RR it’s based on are civilised motorcycles – you can potter
on them, despite the 200+bhp peak outputs. No small feat for
a tiny manufacturer designing and building their own engines
and customising there own electronics inhouse.
Yet more
Rush, in a box
Electronically, the MV goes the non-Bosch route with a new
IMU from Continental Automotive, which has been honed to give
less intrusive wheelie control according to MV. There’s cornering ABS
for the first time too, and the TFT screen is now bigger at 5.5in.
Aside from the disappointing midrange, the other real-world
niggle with the old bike was its too-hard saddle. The new bike gets a
redesigned softer seat fashioned from leather and Alcantara.
The crate of racing kit you get with the bike is more than a marketing
gimmick. The new ECU and SC race exhaust lift power to 212bhp, plus
there’s a stack of carbon bolt-ons and CNC machined goodies.
MV will make 300 new Rushes, and as Bike went to press 140 had
already been ordered, just five days after being released. UK MV boss
David Wilson expects to sell 10-15 over here: ‘It’s not a massive seller for
us,’ he tells Bike, ‘but it’s not meant to be. It’s
a flagship. And I like the fact the design is
Marmite because it shows we’re doing
something bold. And anyway, it’s
not that left-field, it’s not a
Yamaha Niken is it?’

Definitely not
one for the
‘It’s not that
minimalists left-field, it’s
not a Niken’

13
Five bikes...

ENGINE
ELECTRONICS
There’s 3bhp more power at the top.
Torque is unchanged, but moves 500rpm Rain, Road and Sport modes
lower down. The crank inertia is 17% less, have been tickled to give sweeter
meaning a faster spin-up. throttle response.
FRONT END
New fatter Marzocchi
forks needed to cope
with new Brembo M50
calipers and 320mm
discs.

WHEELS
Now 12-spoke rather than the old bikes seven-spokers.
Tyres are racey Metzeler Racetec RRs.
²TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN³

Speedier Twin
Big-selling Triumph Speed Twin gets more power,
uprated electronics and completely new front end…
ince appearing in 2018 the Speed Twin has get the emissions right, but also to get more

S cemented itself as the leading performance

retro. It now gets its first update, primarily
to pass Euro5 emission regs, but also to make sure
the Kawasaki Z900RS and BMW R nineT don’t
get any ideas.
The new Speed Twin’s spec sheet highlights
– 3bhp more power, peak torque moved 500rpm
down the rev range, 17% less crank inertia –
suggest relatively minor engine changes. But
there’s actually been a lot going on.
‘There’s a higher compression ratio, from 11.1
to 12.1, higher lift and longer duration cams,
and modified intake ports,’ says Triumph’s
chief engineer Stuart Wood. ‘This is all to
Specs
º Price £11,000 (was £10,700)
º Power 99bhp @ 7250rpm
º Torque 82.5 lb.ft @ 4250rpm
º Wet weight 216kg
14
performance. There’s more power, a wider
spread of torque, an extra 500rpm at the top end,
and faster response. It feels sharp. We’re having
to run extra catalysts with secondary air systems
so we’ve had to work hard to give the extra –
there are a lot of changes.’ Update
The only downside to all this appears to mercifully
steers clear of
be that fuel consumption suffers, going
widescreen TFT
from a claimed 59mpg to 46. Given that
59 was actually more like 50 in real life,
46 could easily end up being below 40,
which would give a fuel range of around Better
125 miles, or 85 before the light comes on. brakes,
That could be annoying. better tyres,
better forks.
The other big changes happen at the front Better
end, where the brakes have been upgraded
to Brembo M50 radial monobloc calipers and
320mm Brembo discs (up 15mm on the old ones).
The increased braking potential meant Triumph
needed to increase the support from the forks,
‘We’ve worked
which are now 43mm Marzocchis. The standard
tyres go up a performance notch too – they’re
hard – there are
now Metzeler Racetec RRs. a lot of changes’
Five bikes...

Genuine Easy
Rider bike, but
which bits of it?

² EASY RIDER CHOPPER ³

Captain I s this the real Captain America bike from the 1969 film Easy
Rider? It’s just sold for $280,500 at auction on that premise, but
it probably isn’t. Bits of it are most likely genuine, but the whole
bike? No. Settle back and savour one of biking’s most enduring sagas…
The story revolves around Grizzly Adams, or rather the actor who

America played the bearded bear botherer in the 1980s TV series. Earlier in his
career Dan Haggerty was an extra and stuntman on Easy Rider and
after the film finished production he ended up with the remains of the

rides again?
Arguably the world’s most famous
motorcycle has been sold yet again. But is it
the real thing? Well, some of it certainly is…
Captain America bike used in the final crash scene – the one where it
catches fire.
Some years later Haggerty built two bikes from what was left of the
machine and – here’s the rub – provided written authentication that
each was genuine. The bike you see here is one of those two creations.
Naturally, the various owners of the two Captain Americas have
always claimed theirs is the genuine one, and because Haggerty never
revealed which bike got which parts, there was no way of proving

16
 Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and
Jack Nicholson pillion

The man
behind Captain
America
º Cliff Vaughs was the
extraordinary man who
built the bikes used in
Easy Rider. In fact, he did
a lot more than that, little
of which was credited by
Fonda or Hopper.
Research by historian
Paul d’Orleans has
proved that Vaughs – a
black civil rights activist
– came up with the name
of the film, the theme
for the Captain America
bike itself and Fonda’s
costume. Also, many
of the pivotal scenes
were based on elements
of Cliff’s life, mostly as
he was riding across
the southern states
of America on his
chopper.
º Read more
in Paul’s
book, The
Chopper.

‘Grizzly Adams ended up with

the Captain America bike’
which one has the strongest claim. Haggerty died in 2016, so the fog is
unlikely to clear.
Another factor is that the wrecked machine was a ‘B-bike’ used for
stunts and held in reserve in case the main bike conked out. The B-bike
wasn’t built to the same standard as the main one, so you could argue
that the two Haggerty machines aren’t descended from pure Easy Rider
stock in the first place.
‘There have been attempts to get Peter Fonda [the Easy Rider
star], and Cliff Vaughs [the builder of all the choppers in the film]
to authenticate the bikes,’ says Paul d’Orleans, a cultural historian
and author of The Chopper: The Real Story. ‘I flew Cliff to LA for a
photoshoot with this bike and he was happy to point out what was
wrong with it. He wouldn’t sign the authentication [that the then
owner wanted him to]. He told me, at best, it was the blown up B-bike.’
So where is the original screen bike? Here comes another twist:
‘Three of the bikes were stolen,’ says Paul, ‘and the only one left was the
Captain America
bike that was wrecked
in the final scene. There
are a lot of rumours about
who stole them, and where
they went. It was probably a patch
club [ie Hells Angels], because that’s who
stole motorcycles back then, and the bikes were
probably broken up. I’ve heard lots of rumours about
people knowing where one part or another is, and they might be true.
‘But let’s just say that this bike is as close to the original Captain
America as you’re going to get. It was in the Art of the Motorcycle
exhibition in Chicago and was displayed using the word replica, so it
has that word attached to it now. But that’s not quite right because it
has some of the DNA of the original – we just don’t know which bits.
There isn’t a word for what this bike is.’

17
 -—-
SHOP
NOW
N LI
O -—-NE P E R F O R M A N C E P A R T S F O R B IKE RS

F I X I N G P L AT E
W I T H ALLOY
S EL F -TAPPIN G
SC RE WS
FO R WH EN O N - R OAD B EC O M ES O FF - R OAD

Fuses hand to wrist • Impedes grip strength

NOTE: This is a restricted movement model

V I S I T U S AT B I K E R T E K S H O P.C O.U K

BIKES REPAIR EASIER THAN BIKERS

M A N Y A C C I D E N T S I N V O LV E S P E E D I N G. M A N A G E Y O U R S P E E D
 Brakıng News From the wonderful to the weird, Bike’s pick of this month’s
stories from the motorcycling world…

M otoE had the worst possible baptism of fire when it

started in 2019 – a short circuit in a charger caused
a blaze that destroyed every bike prepped
for the series. Since then it’s established itself as one of
the most entertaining classes, with identical bikes,
15-minute sprint races and ex-MotoGP stars. But the fire
highlighted that eco-friendly doesn’t mean safe.
‘With petrol, if you see it dripping or smell it, you
know you have to be careful. But with electricity
you don’t get that,’ says Giampiero Testoni, the chief
technical officer of Energica, the Italian company
that designs and builds all the bikes.
‘99% of the race mechanics are from petrol bikes, so
they know about bikes, but not electricity. During the first
year our team at Energica was so stressed because the mechanics
knew almost nothing. Every single crash and every single problem
provoked, “what’s happening, what should I do?”.
‘We’d given training, but it was difficult for them. This year is much,
much better – the guys who have been working on the bikes from
the beginning know what is safe, what to wear, and what
they can touch. But it’s been tough to get across all the
safety measures. Sometimes they were too cautious,
sometimes too brave…’
Energica is an electric road bike business, so aside
from the marketing benefits of MotoE, which runs
alongside MotoGP at certain rounds, there are
technological benefits of having a bunch of maniacs
Giampiero: at thrashing your motorcycles. ‘Yes, it’s a very good test
the heart of the
electro revolution
bench for our technologies,’ says Giampiero.
‘For example we introduced a new battery and we did
almost all the testing for road use with the racers because
the battery was stressed so much in MotoE. It was a big advantage
and the new battery was introduced a year ahead of schedule.’
º The next round of MotoE is on 27 June, at Assen.

19
Braking News
ǮBIKE SHORTAGES AND PRICE RISES ǰ
Bike drought hits UK
Bike shortages, new and used, are driving up prices across the
board. If you want a new bike and they have it in stock don’t dither…
B ritain’s motorcycle market has turned into a feeding frenzy,
with demand oustripping supply of both new and used bikes
according to research by Bike. Prices for secondhand bikes have risen by
as much as 20 percent in the last year according to dealers.
‘We’ve got about 30 percent of the used stock we would normally
carry,’ says Mick Godfrey from Alfs Motorcycles in Worthing. ‘Partly
that’s because of problems getting stock, but also because as soon as it
comes in, it goes out. Prices are going up. If you want a decent used bike,
there are no longer hundreds and hundreds to choose from, and dealers
are thinking, “if I can’t replace it when it’s sold, I might as well try and
make the best money from it”.’
Used prices up
Used prices have actually been rising since last June according to Alan
Elsworth of industry price experts CAP. ‘The first big auction [of used
bikes] after the first lockdown last year saw a ten percent average
increase over the previous sale. That carried on and didn’t really drop
off over winter as you’d expect. Trade buying has gone mad recently,
particularly at auctions.’ From the six dealers Bike interviewed, used
prices have risen by around 20 percent in a year. ‘I spoke to two dealers
who bought at auction yesterday who said if it wasn’t for the fact they
didn’t have any stock, they would never pay the money being asked at
the moment,’ says Alan.
‘Stocks will be very, very
low by the end of the
year…’
20
Foreign buyers
The shortage of used bikes is partly because of the pent-up demand
created during lockdown, but also because of the pound’s weakness.
‘Dealers as far away as Poland, Croatia and Cyprus are increasingly
looking to UK shores,’ says Alan. ‘Some analysts estimate 250,000
used bikes have been taken out of the UK market since 2008 and
the increased competition, coupled with lower used stock levels, has
resulted in increasing used values.’
New bike shortage
With used prices rising, several dealers reported buyers coming in for
a used bike and leaving with a new one. ‘Because of used prices, we’re
switching used buyers into new bikes,’ says Michael Hammon of Colin
Appleyard Motorcycles. ‘My advice is to buy new because you’ll spend
too much money on a used one.’
That’s easier said than done, because new bikes are also in short
supply. ‘Who could have predicted that a microchip factory in Japan
would burn down, freezing weather in Texas would create a shortage
of resin they need to finish the plastics, and that a stupid boat would
get stuck in the Suez canal?’ says Mick from Alfs. ‘Plus there’s Euro5
and bloody Brexit. If you want a new bike, buy it now. Don’t hesitate,
because chances are it won’t be there tomorrow. I think stocks will be
very, very low by the end of the year.’
Remember
days like these?
Burning microchip
factories, stranded
cargo ships and
a resin shortage
have emptied
showrooms
ǮGHERKINSǰ

Cops in
lorries
º If a weaving driver
has ever put the wind
up you on a motorway,
good news: the police
are on it. Highways England But where’s the jam
officers have been patrolling sandwich livery?
motorways in HGVs so they can
more easily see into cars, vans and lorries
to take pictures of idiot drivers. Among the 26,000 people they’ve
charged (yes, 26,000) was a driver steering a lorry with his knees
while eating lunch on his lap, one eating lasagne with a knife and
fork and another eating gherkins from a jar with his elbows on the
steering wheel. Banning food from lorries seems a good idea.

Ǯ'(9,770&1)(67,9$/ǰ

Moped Mayhem
returns…
º7KLV\HDUoV'HYLWW0&1)HVWLYDOZLOORQFHDJDLQIHDWXUH
WKHDVWRQLVKLQJVSHFWDFOHWKDWLV0RSHG0D\KHP
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GR]HQVRIPLGGOHDJHGJHQWVVRPHRIZKRPPD\KDYH
TXHQFKHGWKHLUWKLUVWUDWKHUWRRHIILFLHQWO\DWWKHEDU
WKUDVKLQJPRSHGVURXQGDGLUWRYDO,I\RXVRPHWLPHV
ZRUU\WKDW+HDOWKDQG6DIHW\FXOWXUHLVH[WUDFWLQJDOOWKH
IXQIURP%ULWLVKOLIHLWoVDWRQLF7KHUHoVDOOWKHRWKHUXVXDO
0&16KRZJRRGQHVVWRRWHVWULGHVRQELNHVORDGV
RIXVHGELNHVIRUVDOHVWXQWVKRZVDXWRMXPEOHVDQG
DFFHVVRULHVJDORUH7KHVKRZLVRQ6HSWHPEHU(DVW
RI(QJODQG$UHQD3HWHUERURXJKºmcnfestival.com

The white heat of competition

returns to Peterborough

Next month
ºEstablished 1971 º Next month Bike is 50
years old º Special big capacity issue º plus
Pan America v rivals in adventure bike giant test
September issue on sale 21 July
Braking News
If it were
my money...
Mike Armitage, Bike deputy
editor and all-weather big-mile
road rider, on his pick of Retros
For authenticity…
Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
ºMy choice for simple feel-good.
Yes, Enfield’s best-selling Interceptor
does the same job for less, Triumph’s
Street Twin is punchier. But the V7’s
spot-on mix of classic charm, modern
usability and genuine heritage gives an
authentic air the others can’t match.
For style with performance…
Triumph Speed Twin
º6W\OLQJWRPDNHROGER\VJRPLVW\
H\HGWKHQRLVHRIDSURSHUELNHEXW
WKHSHUIRUPDQFHRIDPRGHUQVSRUW\
QDNHGsQRZRQGHUZHERXJKWPRUH
6SHHG7ZLQVODVW\HDUWKDQDQ\SXNND
VXSHUQDNHG0\SLFNIRUEULVNEODVWV
DQGXSVHWWLQJ6SHHG7ULSOHULGHUV
For true classic feel...
Kawasaki W800
ºPop on a black and white plate and
the period details would fool many into
thinking it’s a classic. The 47bhp parallel
We fit, we service, we
bike. Maybe…
ǮSHOPPINGǰ
Halfords back bikes
º+DOIRUGVKDYHDOZD\VKDGDIHZELNLQJVSHFLILFELWVDQG
EREVsRLOEDWWHULHVDQGEXOEVsEXWQRZWKH\oUHJHWWLQJ
VHULRXV1H[WWLPH\RXSRSLQ\RXoOOVHHKHOPHWVVHFXULW\NLW
ELNHFRYHUVDQGFORWKLQJIURP2[IRUG6KDUNDQG5LFKD
n0RVWRIRXUWZRZKHHOHGFXVWRPHUVZHUH$WR%HUVZKR
SXUHO\XVHGWKHLUELNHIRUWUDQVSRUWoVD\V+DOIRUGVo'DQLHO
7RPVRQn:HZHUHQoWDWWUDFWLQJPRWRUF\FOLQJHQWKXVLDVWV
0\XQFOHoVDELNHUDQGKHVDLGWRPHpLI+DOIRUGVWDNH
PRWRUF\FOLQJVHULRXVO\WKHQPRWRUF\FOLVWVZLOOWDNH+DOIRUGV
VHULRXVO\q6RWKDWoVZKDWZHoUHWU\LQJWRGRo
6RZLOOZHVHHKLJKHUHQGEUDQGVLQ+DOIRUGV"n:HoYHJRW
WROHDUQWRZDONILUVWoVD\V'DQLHOn%XW\HVZHZRXOGORYHWR
LQFOXGHFRPSDQLHVVXFKDV$OSLQH6WDUVDQGWKHKLJKHQG
KHOPHWEUDQGV7KHUHoVDUHDORSSRUWXQLW\KHUHo
Ǯ(175</(9(/ǰ
New MV 800
º7KLVLVWKHQHZnHQWU\OHYHOo09)5RVVRWKRXJKDW
~WKHOHYHORIHQWU\LVQRWH[DFWO\RQWKHJURXQGIORRU7KH
QHZELNHJHWVSOHQW\RIXSGDWHVLQFOXGLQJORZIULFWLRQSDUWV
LQVLGHWKHWKUHHF\OLQGHUHQJLQHKLJKSUHVVXUHLQMHFWRUVDQGD
QHZH[KDXVWZKLFKDOOKHOSWRJHWLWWKURXJK(XURHPLVVLRQV
ZLWKRXWORVLQJDQ\RILWVEKS,WDOVRJHWVDQLQHUWLDO
twin feels how bikes used to as well: the PHDVXUHPHQWXQLW,08ZKLFKPHDQVLWJDLQVFRUQHULQJ$%6DQG
ťFUDQNJLYHVWKHWKXPSDQGVRXQG WUDFWLRQFRQWURO7KHUHoVDIDQF\QHZLQ7)7GLVSOD\WRR
of an old Bonneville or Commando, and
its thin-tyred handling is oh-so-Sixties.

For daily grins…

Lambretta V125
º,WoVDGUHVVHGXS6\PDQG\RXSD\
PRUHWKDQIRURWKHU)DU(DVWPDGH
VFRRWVIRUPHWDOSDQHOVSRVKSDLQW
DQGWKHQDPH%XWWKH9ZRQoW
JRZURQJFRVWVQRZWWRUXQDQGLWV
FRQYLQFLQJVW\OHPDNHVHYHU\RQH
VPLOHRQWKHFRPPXWH<RXLQFOXGHG

ºNext month: Bike’s founding editor Mark

IMU and fancy TFT
Williamschooses his top four bikes from 1971. screen obvs

22

ǮMORE TROUBLE FOR NORTON OWNERS ǰ
Garner’s
poisoned legacy
Norton V4SS owners have just received a letter telling
them their bike is a potential deathtrap
O wners of Norton V4SS superbikes made
under the Garner regime have received a
letter advising them to stop riding the bikes. The
letter from the new Norton team lists 35 faults
that were found during tests to assess the V4SS.
‘It was essential for us to get an accurate
understanding of the current situation,’ said
interim CEO John Russell to an Indian
magazine (Norton’s new owners TVS
are Indian). ‘Unfortunately, our review
delivered mixed results, which meant
that we had to recall V4SS bikes
delivered to customers in 2019 and
early-2020, even though they were not
manufactured and engineered by the “new”
Norton management.’
Over 20 of the faults on the long list are
potentially lethal. A sample of these includes:
throttle jamming open; brake line melting; ABS
module calibration; cracks in swingarm; oil hose
failure and faulty indicators.
‘To earn the trust of our customers going
forward, we have to be honest with them, and
their safety is our priority,’ says John Russell.
‘There can be absolutely no compromise on this as
far as we are concerned.’
Unfortunately, the owners have no
power to make the new Norton fix the
bikes because that’s the responsibility
of old Norton (or rather, the
liquidator). The new Norton team say
they will provide information to assist
Skinner the liquidator resolve the problems.
Someone else also likely to be unnerved
by the list is Simon Skinner. He was Norton’s head
of engineering and design during Garner’s reign
and oversaw production of the fault-riddled V4SSs.
He currently has a similar role at new Norton.
ǮPARTSǰ
RC30
Forever
ºHonda have bowed to
pressure from RC30 owners
around the world and started
a new line of spares for the
gorgeous V4 that went out of
production in 1993.
When Honda first
investigated the idea of
remaking hard-to-find spares,
they discovered none of the
original moulds had been kept.
Fortunately there were
blueprints, but of course
these were all hand drawn and
needed to be painstakingly
translated into computerese.
One hundred and fifty parts
in the RC30 Forever scheme
are now available to buy from
main Honda dealers.
ǮREA ON EBAYǰ
£39,260 for a
used ZX-10R?
º You can buy ZX-10R Winter Test
Edition bikes new for under £16,000,
but this five year old model with a
few exotic bolt-ons sold on eBay
for €45,601 (£39,260 ). The reason?
The person who chose the bolt-ons
was Jonathan Rea, and he used the
207bhp road bike as a trackday tool
to keep sharp between WSB winter
tests. Judging by six WSB titles,
and another one on the way, he no
longer needs it as further sharpness
is not required.
23
Braking News

Deals on wheels
Too hard, too fast, too small, yeah yeah – but nothing else has the thrill, potential or
steering precision of a sportsbike. Save a bundle and streak into summer...

£2650 saving £4404 saving £8000 saving £2407 saving

Honda
Fireblade
º There’s definitely something
about the current CBR1000RR-SP
Fireblade. I know that it’s too firm
for the road, the riding position is
torturous anywhere other than
Donington Park, and the short-
stroke engine is a revvy bugger
with none of an older version’s
tractability. And yet I don’t care,
because the elegance, class and
sheer HRC-ness of the SP gives
goosebumps when the garage
creaks open. It feels special. Pop to
Thunder Road (01633 868888) and
new 2020 models are £20,849.
Aprilia
RSV4 Factory
º Want to feel like a MotoGP star?
Buy an RSV4. Though their race
bike might not be a front runner
(yet), the road bike’s gargling,
soaring V4 and standard-setting
front end give the closest to
a race bike feel of all the large
sportsbikes. Compact and exotic
too, especially in electronic-
suspender Factory form. This
one at Wheels (01733 358555)
is a 2020 bike without the latest
swingarm or electronic tweaks,
but you won’t tell on the B676.
And it’s £17,995, not over £22k.
Ducati
1299 Final Ed’
º To give their big V-twin a suitable
wave goodbye, Ducati made a
1299 Panigale R Final Edition. It had
the chassis of the homologation
R model, with a Superleggera-
derived 1285cc 209 horsepower
motor, full electronics, Akra’ pipe,
one-off paint, the whole nine yards.
This celebratory showstopper
was £35,995 when released in
2017 but Potteries (01782 969730)
have a brand spanker, pre-reg on
a 20-plate, for £27,995. And as a
limited-run Ducati its value is likely
to only go one way in the future.
i
Yamaha
R1
º If craving fast trackday laps is
your thing then fix your sights
on the Yamaha. It’s not the most
powerful 1000cc sportsbike,
nor the most up-to-date, but its
circuit prowess is staggering.
I reckon most people will go
quicker on the R1, with less effort
and more safely, than any other
hairy superbike. Yamaha ask an
entirely reasonable £17,402, but
Chorley Yamaha (01257 444706)
have a zero-mile pre-reg 70-plate
bike (2020, but identical to this
year) for an attractive £14,995.

Deal
of the
month
Save £3204
Suzuki
GSX-R1000R
» Sure, it’s a 2020 model rather than the
2021, and yes, it’s pre-registered with
a couple of delivery miles. Who cares?
7KHRQO\GLƬHUHQFHZLWKWKHELNHDW
Millenium Motorcycles (01744 413138)
is the colour – which is better than this
year’s dreary matt black anyway. And
the 70-plate is close enough to still
impress beaky neighbours. And you’ll
have got the ballistic GSX-R with its
supple suspension, cunning variable
valves and top-notch electronics for
just £13,795.

24
What’ll
it do,
Mister?
New bikes versus
our dyno, scales
and datalogger
Yamaha
MT-09
Already powered by one of the standout internal combustion engines of the last
20 years, this year’s substantial redesign means a larger and freer-revving inline
three engine for the evergreen MT. Does it really live up to the claims?
Photography: Yamaha

New frame,
suspension,
engine, looks...
but glad bright
wheels remain

26
 Triple goes from 847 It’s like one of those
to 889cc – it’s lighter, brain-scrambling
quicker revving and puzzles... how many
has more low-rev clout circles can you see?

THEY SAY WE SAY

117.4bhp
6LJQLƮFDQWHQJLQHƮGGOLQJLVWRLQFUHDVHERWWRPHQGRRPSKEXW
32:(5
111.5bhp
7KRXJKWKH\ZHUHQoWFKDVLQJDGGLWLRQDOKLJKUHYSL]]D]]<DPoV
WKHH[WUDFXEHVRIWKHLQOLQHWULSOHEULQJDFODLPHGWZRKRUVHKLNH PRWRUPHGGOLQJPHDQVEKSPRUHWKDQWKHSUHYLRXV07<RXoOOGR

68.6 lb.ft 72548(

)RXUPRUHOXPSVRIJUXQWVD\<DPDKDJLYLQJWKHUHZRUNHGWULSOHD
66.2 lb.ft
6OLJKWO\ORZHUWKDQFODLPHGEXWJLYHVDERRVWLQJUXQWRYHUWKH
WLQ\WRUTXHHGJHsMXVWsRYHU.70oVLGHQWLFDOFDSDFLW\'XNH ROGPRGHO7KHUHDOQHZVLVWKHH[WUDPLGUDQJHsVHHJUDSKEHORZ

189.0kg :(,*+7
190kg
:HLJKWLVVFUDSHGRƬHYHU\ZKHUHDQGZLWKLWVOLWUHWDQNVORVKLQJ :KHQ<DPODXQFKHGWKH5VFDOSHOLWVHWDUHFRUGDWNJ,WoVQRZ
DURXQGWKHEULP<DPUHFNRQWKH07LVIRXUNLORVOLJKWHUWKDQEHIRUH PDWFKHGE\DQFFELNHIXOORIHPLVVLRQVDQGHOHFWURQLFVJXƬ

56.4mpg
&ODLPHGHFRQRP\XVHVRGGXQLWVFDOOHGnNLORPHWUHVoDQGnOLWUHVoWKLV
03*
54.3mpg
:HWROG/DQJ\WRJHWIXHOƮJXUHVEXWKHFDQoWFRXQW6RWKLVLVZKDW
LVZKDWWKHRƱFHFDOFXODWRUUHFNRQVLWPHDQVLQVROLG,PSHULDO WKHGDVKVD\VEXWFRUUHODWHVZLWKPHDVXUHG7UDFHUƮJXUHV

143mph
/LNHPRVWPDQXIDFWXUHUV<DPDKDGRQoWFODLPDWRSVSHHGIRUWKH
72363(('
132.5mph
7KRXJKWLWoGJRIDVWHU"7KH07LVUHVWULFWHGDQGZRQoWUHYRXWLQ
07EXWWKLVLVZKDWWKHVSHHGRFODLPVZKHQưDWRRW WRSJHDU1RPDWWHUWKRXJKsZKHQDUH\RXJRLQJWRSDVVPSK"

£9002
:KDWDUDQGRPQXPEHU<RXoGWKLQNWKH\oGVZDOORZVHYHQTXLGDQG
35,&(
£9002
<DPDKDVWDUWHGLQFOXGLQJRQWKHURDGIHHVLQWKHLUOLVWSULFHODVW
PDNHLW~IRUWKHLPSUHVVLRQLWoVHYHQEHWWHUYDOXHWKDQLWLV \HDUVRZKDW\RXVHHLVZKDW\RXSD\QRKLGGHQWKLVRUWKDW

ON THE DYNO AT THE PROVING GROUND

120 3HDNƮJXUHV
might not be
ǫ03+

100
Power
111.5bhp @
10,000rpm
up much, but
the previous
847cc motor
didn’t have
3.21s New electronics allow small wheelies in
ƮUVWDQGVHFRQGJHDUIRURSWLPXPGULYH
This is a superbike-matching 0-60 time.

80 Torque that bulge in Ǭ0,/(

the middle.

11.07s
66.2 lb.ft @ This is about the same as the previous
7100rpm The new MT bike. Nowt wrong with that, as hitting
makes more 126.5mph in 11s dead is respectable.
60
grunt from
5000 right ǫ03+
to 8000rpm,

55.9m
40 giving the The brakes have feel and power, but the
already ABS is too eager. It jumps in way too
perky triple much, extending the stopping distance.
20 even more
glorious roll- ǫ52//ǫ21

5.47s
on thrust. Crack the gas in top gear and the Yam’s
Builds revs torque and snappy gearing mean it’s
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000 12,000 quicker too. only 0.2s slower to 80 than a new Busa.

27
Tech
How stuff
works, and
why it’s made
this way
That’s the duct
that maybe
fixing Ducati’s
understeer
issues
3 ways MotoGP
is getting
faster in 2021
Excluded from pitlane by Covid, MotoGP technical analyst
Neil Spalding has been watching a lot of telly. These are three
things that he’s spotted. Photography: Ducati and Redbull Content Pool
1 Ducts for Ducati
Historically, Ducati’s problem has
always been understeer, with the bikes
pushing wide and not holding a line as
well as their rivals. Yet, finally, this now
seems to have been cured. How?
The problem used to be caused
by weight distribution, but since the
new physically smaller engine has
been moved forward in the chassis,
that’s not the culprit. The new issue
is wings. In a straight line these hold
the front down under acceleration
remarkably effectively, but of course
the aerodynamics also work when the
bike is leaned over, with the forces
travelling in the direction of the forks
and pushing the front wide. Ducati have
fixed one problem and created another.
Most of the downforce is generated
by wings high up on the front cowling,
with secondary wings on the front edge
28
of the lower fairing adding a little more.
Ducati’s major new additions are the
two ducts right at the bottom of the
fairing. All the other aero is designed
to push the front of the bike down but
these two ducts are clearly trying to
do something else. It looks like a pure
aero device (rather than a cooling duct)
that takes air from the front and fires it
down, which will create lift.
So what is the game? At full lean, the
new duct on the side nearest the ground
will, if it is shaped like a wing inside
and is parallel with the ground, work
extremely efficiently. The lesson from
F1 is that wings increase their efficiency
exponentially the closer they get to the
ground so at full lean the Ducati could
generate significant down force, but
this time in the right direction, straight
towards the ground rather than down
the fork legs. And now the bike holds its
line mid-corner. Until someone takes
a photo into the duct’s snout we can’t
know for sure, but the evidence seems
to point that way.
Neil Spalding
For 20 years Neil
Spalding has been
2Can we have our
chassis back?
Marc Marquez has pulled rank and
the foremost
swapped his chassis with an old one
technical writer
on MotoGP. With from an LCR. Why? My guess is it’s
pitlane access a side-effect of his injury. Because
restricted in 2021, he was out for so long, by the time
he’s conducting
his analysis via the he returned, his Honda had a new
TV coverage and chassis and he quickly learned that
concentrating on re-acclimatising to MotoGP on a
his slipper clutch
business, Sigma
bike that performed differently to
Performance. the one he had stepped off last year
wasn’t ideal. He wanted an old chassis.
And where do you go for last year’s
kit? The satellite team of course. It’s
not uncommon for a works team that
wants to re-test a bit of old equipment

This is the 2021 chassis
Marquez used at the start
of the season. He’s since to pop next door and ‘promote’ one of
been using an older, all their customer team riders to the latest
aluminium version kit and borrow the previous year’s
stuff. And that’s what’s happened here:
Marquez suddenly has two chassis that
look like 2019/2020 units and each
LCR rider has one of this year’s ‘carbon
reinforced beam’ units. Limitless
money and supplies in MotoGP? Er, no.
3 Holeshot devices
Motorcycles have conflicting
design requirements. A high centre of
gravity is needed for cornering and a
low one for quick acceleration, so how
to get the best of both worlds? Ducati
started to lower the back of their bike
with a hydraulic device in the rear
suspension link two years ago. Now
they are holding both ends down for the
start and also using the rear unit while
the race is underway.
THE IN G
RAC ISSUE
Jack Miller practising
starts on the ‘slammed’
Ducati
MotoGP bikes have always had way
too much power to keep the front wheel
down but thanks to start devices they
are now limited by rear tyre grip and
clutch strength rather than wheelies.
All the factories now lock down the
front during starts and it looks like
Suzuki are the only ones without a
rear unit. The rules require all the
systems to be ‘rider operated’ rather
than automatic, which is relatively
easy at the start but difficult during
the race. A typical sign of the rider
getting the timing wrong is someone
riding a bit erratically on a corner exit
– watch Morbidelli carefully and you
might catch him messing up as he tries
everything to bully his old Yamaha
nearer the front. The Ducatis don’t
seem afflicted by this so it’s possible
they are doing something slightly
differently.
29
Braking News

30
The
Road
A celebration
of UK tarmac

ÒËÅÅÊËÒÒÛÙÑÑÆ°ÄÃ×ÇÔ

31
 Glynstell Park, Glynstell Close, Cardiff, CF11 8EY
t. 02921 921 177 | bikesales@mandp.com
NO CONTACT, FREE DELIVERY* TO YOUR DOOR
CARDIFF FINANCE AVAILABLE ON ALL MODELS#

0 3'LUHFW/WGLVUHJLVWHUHGLQ(QJODQG :DOHV5HJLVWHUHGRIFH3KRHQL[:D\*DUQJRFK*RUVHLQRQ6ZDQVHD6$+1

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 Wr te Off
Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA
Telephone 01733 468099 Email: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine

²ÄÇÇÐÖÊÇÔÇÉÑÖÖÊÇÖ«ÕÊËÔÖ ³

‘18 guys and two girls squashed into a van’

ssen,1999: I went as a ‘mechanic’ helping my friend girls squashed into a small van! Poor Andy couldn’t drink any

A Andy Reynolds, who was racing a Seeley in the classic

event. The races were held on Saturday, and on the
Friday evening TT Night takes place in the nearby town – bars,
live bands, food stalls, plus 30,000 very happy lager loaded
bikers. Andy and I travelled there with 18 other guys and two
beer. I helped him with his racing at six Manx Grand Prix, and
also road circuits in Ireland and Europe, all of which are related
in his excellent book Racing Classic Motorcycles - First You
Have to Finish.
John Walker, email

ËÈÛÑ×ĊØÇÉÑÖÃÐÑÎÆÖ«ÕÊËÔÖ LIKE JOHN’S AND FANCY SEEING IT IN BIKE, TAKE A PIC OF THE WHOLE SHIRT, ARMS
,1&/8'('$1'(0$,/,7727+($''5(66$77+(7232)7+(3$*(,):(38%/,6+,7:(o//6(1'<28$1(:7ǫ6+,57

33
Write off

²STAR LETTER³ BMW M1000RR:

‘Only twice the

the pension might
not quite be
enough

price of my house’
s my current bike approaches its first MoT, thoughts of a change

A came into my head. This took me to the 100 Bikes, 100 Deals
article (Bike, June). As someone who is unconvinced by PCP deals
I looked at the cash price you gave for each bike. And in so doing I was
struck by the costs involved…
I acquired my first bike in 1962 (not, I hasten to add, a new one) and
have been in the market virtually ever since. Your 100 bikes came
up with an overall total value of just over £1.3 million. The average
price being £13,326. The range began at £4399 for the Royal Enfield
Himalayan and rose to an incredible £30,935 for BMW’s M1000RR. So,
if I’m Mr Average I should be looking at the BMW R nineT – fairly good
choice I would have thought. But £13k! I bought my first house in 1969
for £3600 on a 25-year mortgage. I would now need an extra £10k for an
‘average’ motorbike. What does that tell us about decades of inflation,
and bike costs?
My pension and savings will have to lower their sights to a below-
average machine if I’m to avoid the fears of the MoT. Perhaps an MT-07,
Interceptor or maybe a Trident? They’re only twice the price of my
original house.
Dave Johnson, email

EACH MONTH WE GIVE AWAY A CABERG DUKE II HELMET AND A YEAR’S

SUBSCRIPTION TO BIKE FOR THE MONTH’S STAR LETTER. ON YOUR MARKS

Stoner respect quality time with his family that he so

I was saddened and moved by Mat
Oxley’s interview with Casey Stoner
(Bike, June). I didn’t particularly like
Stoner because as modern spectators
we’ve come to expect brilliant racers
to be entertainers on and off the
track. But you couldn’t help but
admire his outrageous skill and utter
determination to win, even ‘bending’
the recalcitrant Ducati Desmosedici
to his will and ultimately making the
bike a success – something a long line
of other illustrious talents failed to do.
And not many racers have a corner at
the ‘hard-as-nails’ Phillip Island track
named after them.
I’d suggest when he was racing you
couldn’t help but be drawn into hoping
you were about to witness another epic
battle – just like the duel with Rossi at
Laguna Seca in 2008. Surely one of the
greatest races of the modern era.
It was shocking and tragic to read
about him suffering such a debilitating
Above: Stoner and illness. After all his years of racing,
wife Adriana hard work and sacrifice it doesn’t
matter what you thought of him, he’s
earned his right to enjoy his retirement.
I, for one, wish him all the best for
a full recovery from Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and hope he gets to enjoy
not only his retirement but also the
richly deserves.
Dan Wilson, email
Naked and unimpressed
I’m starting to investigate a suitable
replacement for my ageing GSX-R1000
and the new Speed Triple (Bike, July)
seems a good place to start. The other
bikes of interest are the BMW S1000R,
Aprilia Tuono V4 etc.
All these bikes are super nakeds with
the latest electronics but less extreme
riding positions than the latest crop of
superbikes. But now I’ve looked at the
Speed in the showroom and photos of
the others I’ve come to the conclusion
these bikes are just as impractical as
the current superbikes.
I don’t carry a pillion these days but I
want a seat that I can strap my gear to
for a weekend away, or the occasional
track day. The Tuono V4 seems to
make some attempt at accommodating
a pillion or luggage, but the others

34

Telephone 01733 468099 Email: bike@bikemagazine.co.uk
ignore function in order to replicate
superbike rears.
Why do the manufacturers do this?
On a track day I ride to the track. On
the pillion seat I carry tyre warmers,
front and rear stands, some tools
and spares, a change of clothes (to
use between sessions), lunch and wet
weather gear if rain is predicted. The
only modification necessary to carry
the gear is an aluminium angle under
the tail-tidy to hook an ockie strap to.
It seems that with a new naked I
will get a quickshifter and the security
of 6-axis IMU. I might gain a couple
of seconds a lap at the track but I
would also lose a couple of hours in
transporting the bike and gear to and
from the track on a trailer.
I like the thought of riding the latest
supernakeds, but it seems they are
limited to day trips or commuting.
That means maintaining two bikes –
one with the bling and a practical one.
Dan Dempsey, email
ËðĊïÝîåìëĞ
I’ve just taken delivery of a Ténéré
700 Rally, love the bike but if you
look through the accessory list, guess
what? Yamaha do a tail tidy. I know I’m
stating the obvious but a dual sport/off-
road bike should come ready equipped.
Manufacturers should be held
more accountable even though it
goes against the million £ accessories
market they so like to encourage.
Ken Dagless, email
So simple
I’d like to heap more praise on John
Westlake’s review of his 1050 Sprint
Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA
facebook.com/bikemagazineUK
Above: ST (Bike, June). His conclusion that the
Devil’s Bridge, only things he missed that he’d find on
not a fridge or
dishwasher a current bike was an easy to set trip
to be seen meter, ABS and maybe cruise control
hit the nail on the head.
Being a grumpy old git I thought I
was in a league of one living without all
the current whiz bang tech.
I swapped my Sprint for a 650 Versys
and the only tech I still have is an easy
to operate trip and ABS. Can’t help
with the cruise control though (but
there again I don’t miss it). Starts first
time too…
Chris Sheridan, email
Fridge v motorcycle
Walking along a line of parked bikes
at Devils Bridge I can’t help but
have a debate: which is the best, the
MV, Ducati, Aprilia, or an off the
scale Rocket 3? What is the USP of
a conventional motorbike? Is it the
brand, design, looks, engine size/
configuration, purpose of use?
Below: a modern
The USP of a fridge/washing
cat will have this machine/spin dryer is the cost of the
cleaned up in a jiffy appliance, not the type or make of
electric motor that is in the housing.
Which leads us to the inescapable
fact that fossil fuel engines are to be
phased out. Electric bikes (and cars),
will be just another type of electrical
appliance. No engine noise, no
character, they will be tools. And you
won’t turn round to look back, unless
you can’t remember whether or not
you’ve plugged in.
John Howard, email
Clean air
There was an article in Bike June where
Jamie Turner made a comment about
modern engines actually cleaning
the air in cities. I found this fact
fascinating. I wonder how many other
people are aware of this?
Peter Grieves, email
twitter.com/BikeMagazine
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37
 40 CRUCIAL
MILES…
The name of the new Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 S suggests
epic, continent crossing adventures, but the first UK ride was a brief,
wet and wiggly excursion in Wales. That can’t answer every question,
but the signs are very encouraging…
By Hugo Wilson Photography Harley-Davidson/Gareth Harford

It’s very good ÆÝîåêãðëÞáàåĞáîáêð

º Even on a very short, very wet and very, very wiggly ride in º Given the competition in this sector Harley needed to do
Wales (we barely got beyond fourth gear, or the 9500rpm at something very different to stand out. And they have – the
which H-D claim the bike produces 150bhp) it’s obvious that Pan America looks like nothing else (make up your own
Harley-Davidson’s all-new Pan America 1250 Special is a very mind, I’m just delighted that they’ve gone their own way) and
good bike. But it needs to be. The adventure bike market the optional adaptive ride height, that lowers the bike by two
is already crowded, with seven manufacturers offering inches approaching standstill, is a super innovative solution
brilliant bikes in the 1000cc+ area, and the benchmark and to the tip-toe wobble that shorter riders need to suffer for
best-selling BMW1250GS has had 40 years of evolutionary their adventure bike aspiration. It’s a major talking point
development by brutally logical, planet brained Bavarians. about the new bike.
An all-new machine from a traditionally cruiser company The engine is a compact 60° V-twin, but with off-set
needs to be something remarkable if it’s going to cut it. crankpins to provide 90° vee characteristics, with variable
valve timing and a 13:1 compression ratio. The chassis is
So why an adventure bike?
º H-D have invested massively in the new bike because
they reckon the American adventure bike market can grow
significantly. For them it’s a variation on the American
touring sector in which they are traditionally strong.
With a good dealer network and a powerful
brand they should be able to exploit this
potential, but the European market
will be harder. In the UK the goal
is a modest 4-500 sales. With
an aggressive pricing
policy that seems
feasible.

Revolution Max:
typical H-D
understatement

38
 Harley-Davidson Pan America
Despite being
very late to the
adventure party
Harley have taken
this radical move
super seriously

‘Given the
competition in the
adventure sector Harley
needed to do something
very different to stand
out. And they have’
39
 Harley-Davidson Pan America

‘It’s clear
that the PA
doesn’t have
the magical
low speed
agility of
a BMW
R1250GS’

clever too with front and rear subframes bolted to the

engine, and the swingarm pivoting from the back of
the crankcases. As you’d expect there are sophisticated
electronics with multiple rider modes (five on the base
model, seven on the Special), high specification levels and
loads of options and accessories.
And while it may be like no previous H-D, there are subtle
hints of the established brand in the styling. Things like the
horizontal headlight which has a hint of Fat Bob and the
fairing adding a touch of Road King.

ÊåãäïìáßåğßÝðåëê
º Keyless ignition (though not for fuel cap or steering lock),
cruise control, a big TFT screen with connectivity, LED
lights, rider modes, cornering ABS and traction control,
plus hill hold starting are standard on both versions of the
bike. Additionally the ‘Special’ comes with semi-active
suspension, centre stand, quick adjust brake pedal height,
tyre pressure monitoring, hand guards, crash bars, bash
plate, heated grips, cornering lighting, steering damper and
hand guards. All as standard. The Special can also be fitted
with wire spoked wheels and adaptive ride height, both of
which were fitted to our test bikes. The easy way to tell them
apart is that the premium version features the big ‘bar and
shield’ logo on the fuel tank.
Ñêðäáéëòá
º Immediately it’s clear that the PA doesn’t have the magical
low speed agility of a BMW R1250GS, though adaptive ride
height definitely adds to carpark manoeuvring confidence.
Once you’re on the road the handling is neutral, with
positive inputs required to turn, and the Special, with semi-
active Showa suspension front and rear, feels well balanced.
Given the nature of our ride, stability and suspension quality
at speed remain questions, but its great on a bumpy B-road,
niftily hiding its 258 kilo wet weight.
Just over there to From the off, the engine’s low rev performance is docile.
the right: there are Variable valve timing gives 150bhp potential, but it rolls from
26 buttons split
small throttle openings with all the menace of a fat, tail
between two ‘fist’
size clusters. 26 wagging Labrador. This makes it a great ride on dripping
is a lot wet Welsh roads and easily manageable off-road too. From
4500rpm induction noise rises and there’s a few vibes too,
though these seem to decline higher up the scale. Ultimate
potential? Honestly, based on this ride I’ve no idea about
high speed performance or stability.
×ïÝÞèááèáßðîëêåßï
º Given the tractability and smoothness of the power
delivery provided by variable valve timing, rain mode is
almost pointlessly strangled, even for a very wet Wales. Road
allows easy cruising and in Sport she picks up her coat tails
and, on the S, get’s stiffer damping too. The difference in feel
between those three basic modes is more obvious than on
most bikes. There are two off-road modes too, with much
reduced levels of ABS and Traction Control interference,
and also a button to turn off the TC. The S version has two
further modes that can be customised to rider preference.
Controlling all this requires two huge switch clusters with
more buttons that my TV remote – 12 buttons on the right

41
Harley-Davidson Pan America

SPECIFICATIONS than when parked. What you may notice is the bike sinking
slightly when, while sat on the bike, you turn on the ignition.
Pricex!#!ÄÝïá That’s because it has re-pumped slightly when you put it
éëàáèx  onto the sidestand, but when the ignition is turned on the
Engine!ßß$ suspension’s valves re-open and it loses that ‘extra’ height.
òÝèòá"
Øðóåê
The speed at which the suspension drops can be adjusted.
Òëóáî!Þäì
ßèÝåéáà
Torque% !èÞâð ÑĞîëÝà
ßèÝåéáà º You’d be nuts to try, so we did anyway. On tight tracks and
Rake/trail firetrails the PA is decently agile for a big unit, the off-road
$
"éé mode delivers easily controllable power with minimum
Wheelbase!$éé electronic intervention.
Kerb weight
!$çãßèÝåéáàSeat
height$! $#!éé
ÒîÝßðåßÝèåðõ
cluster, 14 on the left. Despite the potential for confusion it’s º The hydraulic tappets never need adjustment, though
Tank sizeèåðîáï
all relatively intuitive and despite the fiddly looks this luddite oil changes are specified at 5000 miles. With a 21 litre (4.5
managed to make it all work, even wearing wet gloves. gallon) tank the PA should deliver 200-mile range.
The dash is a substantial 6.8-inch TFT item that’s angle
adjustable and, at least on a cloudy, wet day, very clear. It also ØÝèñá
features touch screen usability. º At £15,750 on the road for the Special and £14,000 for the
more basic model prices are really competitive. Adaptive
Comfort suspension is a £600 extra.
º Realistically, we don’t know. Our ride was short,
with multiple stops and no high speed riding to test the
Below: H-D claim
they spent half
Next
effectiveness of the screen – it can be adjusted between four a million miles º On the basis of this brief ride, we’re really impressed. If
positions on the move, but feels flimsy – and how noisy it on off-road you want to break from BMW’s adventure default this is
development, but
is. The seat has two positions 850/975mm, but I suspect the a refreshing alternative worthy of consideration. We’ll
only 10% of riders
pegs are slightly too high and too far back to allow decent will venture off ride again, and for longer, next month.
peg pressure to be applied. The adaptive ride height offers a tarmac
further two inches of seat height drop at standstill.

The big question…

º You don’t notice the Pan Am lifting itself up as you move
away from standstill and the self-pumping suspension
raises itself to full height, but trailing your feet on
the move proves that it’s taller on the go

‘If you want to

break from BMW’s
adventure default
this is a refreshing
alternative’

42
 WEIGHT 3.6Kg WEIGHT 12 - 15.5Kg WEIGHT 4Kg
DIMENSIONS 87 x 124mm Length 1.5 - 2.0m DIMENSIONS 212 x 100 x 64mm
LOCKING PIN 30mm Links 22mm Ø

Serious about security oxfordLOCKS.co.UK

THEIN G
RAC ISSUE

10 REASONS
WHY BSB WILL
ROCK IN 2021
Ex-WSB and BSB star James Haydon explains why you need to get a weekend of
racing in the diary. Round 1 is 26-27 June at Oulton Park. Be there. Photos: Jamie Morris

T he British Superbike championship is starting late this

year because of you know what, but once it kicks off at
Oulton Park on 27 June the schedule is relentless – there
are 11 rounds going through until October, and each one is a triple
header. Here’s why you need to get along to at least one round
The riders
1 º BSB is known around the world as a stepping stone to WSB
so it’s stuffed full of classy riders. For 2021 Josh Brookes (Ducati),
Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha) and Christian Iddon (Ducati) are my
favourites because of their speed and consistency but BSB is famous
for new names bursting through. Kyle Ryde (BMW) has impressed
me in preseason testing on the new M1000RR, as has Ryan Vickers
(Kawasaki).
Some big names join the 2021 party. Head of the list is recent Moto3
World Champion Danny Kent (Suzuki) who has earned his ride after
a few difficult years [he got a suspended prison sentence in 2019]. He’s
incredibly talented and has gone brilliantly in preseason after a year of
Superstock 1000.
There are big changes at Honda who have kept Glen Irwin (fourth
last year) and will run 22-year-old Ryo Mizuno alongside him. Ryo was
Japan’s GP3 champ in 2015 and all Japan GP2 champ in 2017. They’re
also running highly regarded 31-year-old Honda test rider Takumi
Takahashi – a three time Suzuka winner. But UK tracks can be tricky…
There’s a gaggle of other fast guys too – Tommy Bridewell (Ducati),
Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha), Bradley Ray (BMW), Pete Hickman
(BMW), Danny Buchan (BMW) and Andrew Irwin (BMW) will all be in
the mix at some point.

44
 James Haydon
Eurosport
commentator
and ex-BSB, WSB
and MotoGP
racer who’s still
devastatingly fast
on a bike.

There will be fire.

Peter Hickman sparks
up the FHO BMW

Lastly, keep an eye on the exciting young Scot, Rory Skinner

(Kawasaki). He’s the current Supersport 600 Champion and it’s great
that he’s moved straight to British Superbikes without any ingrained
bad habits from the 600s. If he stays injury free, expect a podium or two
later in the season.

The tracks
2 º Foreign riders often can’t quite believe our tracks. If you haven’t
been, go and watch at Cadwell Park – there’s nowhere quite like it in the
world, especially on a sunny weekend in August. Watching the bikes
launch off the Mountain and flying past before a sketchy landing is
Take off at Cadwell’s mesmerising. Afterwards take the short walk into the trees above Hall
Mountain, one of bends and grab a view from there too – it’s rare to be above and yet so
biking’s best sights bloody close. Awesome.

45
Why BSB rocks
Will Blades cut
The bikes
3 º The new BMW M1000RR makes its debut, as does the new
Kawasaki ZX-10RR that Rea is using to dominate WSB. They’re up
it this year?

against the awesome Ducati V4R Panigale, the revised Yamaha YZF-
R1M, plus Honda’s evolving Fireblade and Suzuki’s GSX-R1000R. All
are making 220bhp+.

The starts
4 º There’s nothing like the buzz of a BSB start. The pressure and
energy build slowly at first with mechanics and organisers scurrying
about, then the bikes roll up and it’s suddenly frantic, with tools, tyre
warmers, wheels flying about all over the place. Then the grid empties
for the warm-up lap and it’s oddly calm until they roll back for the start.
The hairs on your neck will rise as a grid full of superbikes pin their
throttles, then boom! You’ve got to see it. At some tracks you can watch
the start and the first corner from one spot – the grandstand at Brands
Hatch for example.
Discover talent
5 Innovative rules
º Another area where British
6 º Want to see future champs? Watch
BSB. Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss, Neil Hodgson,
Superbikes leads the world. Perhaps the James Toseland, Tom Sykes, Jonathan Rea, Sam
most entertaining rule change was the Lowes and Cal Crutchlow all spent time in BSB.
introduction of a control ECU. Overnight,
Elite teams
traction control, launch control and anti-
wheelie were gone. Not only does this provide
a better spectacle, but it allows more teams
7 º BSB has an incredible number of top
teams. Some are manufacturer supported and
to be competitive. Control tyres by Pirelli run BSB factory bikes, but there are dozens of
It’s professional, but
take the levelling effect even further. One high-end privateer squads plus all the support
BSB riders still talk
new 2021 rule is that eight bikes not six go to one another race teams too. And you’re allowed to wander
through to the Showdown title fight. round the paddock.

It’s a party
8 º It’s not just BSB. There are eight other races on Sunday, and if
anyone in the family gets bored, there are fairground rides, stalls and
paddock shows.

9 Amazing live TV coverage

º Clearly I am in no way biased [James is one of Eurosport’s
experts]. But the coverage really is excellent – the live show on Saturday
and Sunday includes qualifying, all the big races and most of the
support races.

It’s LIVE!
Brands Hatch and
BSB on a summer
day. Perfect
10 º We’ve all been locked up at home, watching repeats
for far, far too long. It’s time to get out there and see
something exciting happening in the real world.

‘It’s time to get out there and see

something exciting happening’

46
 Disc
Rotor
Sump Bolts
Socket
Plugs
Cap Bolts

Banjo
Bleed Bolts
Nipples

Sprocket
Nuts

Quick
Release
Fasteners Race Drilled
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THEIN G
RAC ISSUE

TOM SYKES
35 years old, 5ft 7in, winner
of the 2013 World Superbike On the left is Tom Sykes, top-class racer
championship. Quite speedy
chasing another World Superbike title, along
with the rest of his team, on a factory BMW.
And on the right Mike Armitage, a road rider
revelling in an evening ride to the chip shop…
By Mike ‘mushy peas’ Armitage
Photography Adam ‘battered sausage’
Shorrock and BMW

48
 MIKE ARMITAGE
46 years old, 6ft 2in, watched quite
a bit of racing and good at shouting
at the telly. Not quite as speedy

49
World Supperbikes
Now do I go
large cod or fish
cake? And what
about the chips/
potato scallop
conundrum?
WSB Blighty feast
º Your one chance to see WSB in
Britain this year is at Donington
Park, Friday 2 to Sunday 4 July.
The championship is a true food
processor of machinery and
characters, with variable-valve BMW
versus mighty Ducati and shrieking
Hondas and Yamahas, and Tom
Sykes, Scott Redding, Jonathan
Rea, Chaz Davies, Alex Lowes and
Leon Haslam all with every chance of
home victory. Add hungry new talent
ZLWKWKHOLNHVRI7RSUDN5D]JDWOLRüOX
Garrett Gerloff and Michael Ruben
Rinaldi, and great racing is assured.
Sunday race day tickets start at
£35, three-day weekend at £55, with
under 13s free. See doningtonpark.
msv.com for more.
50
any other Beemer, with 30% more examples sold than of
the adventure-sport S1000XR. The UK’s sixth bestselling
big bike overall, the RR is the country’s favourite device for
Poor little
sausage, all playing at being a racer with around four times more bought
on his own than Ducati Panigale V4s or Yamaha R1s.
And this evening I’m playing at being factory BMW star
Tom Sykes. Destination is Donington Park, home to the
British round of World Superbike and the perfect place from
which to mount a low-level assault in the direction of sliced,
deep fried potato with far too much salt and vinegar.
One of the standout features with BMW’s monumentally
powerful sportsbike is its tractability. The 999cc engine
shrieks to a giddy 14,000rpm and 204bhp, but thanks to its
cunning ShiftCam system giving variable intake camshaft
timing the inline four has a gutsy bottom end and thrusting
midrange. We’re not quite talking the surreal whoosh of
a Suzuki Hayabusa, but the RR’s roll-on clout is immense.
Any occasional vehicles are tossed into its blurry mirrors
with the tiniest sniff of gas. Fabulous manners too: fuelling
is smooth and glitch-free, and the two-way quickshifter
is light and precise regardless of revs or load. With a firm

yet unexpectedly compliant ride from the semi-active
teammate Michael
Marzocchi suspension progress is pleasingly breezy.
There’s an almost eerie still approaching Donington.
Making the pilgrimage here for BSB, WSB and GP races
some 25 years ago, I have vivid memories of the A453 being
temporarily one-way to cope with the quantity of sporty
bikes streaming to the circuit – the feeling of being part of
something special amid the kerb-to-kerb throng. Perched
‘RR’s roll-on clout is immense…
Vehicles are tossed into its mirrors
with the tiniest sniff of gas’
Pro or not so pro,
S1000RR is the
go-to chip pursuit
device (CPD)
Above: Sykes’ outside the entrance, I can’t help misty-eyed recollections
about the good ol’ days.
van der Mark
leaves his pit; our Maudlin thoughts vanish as a CBR600RR zings past,
Mike’s crew look followed by a couple of ZX-6Rs, a GSX-R1000 and a
more cheerful Fireblade. Their riding kit is more flip-up and textiles than
race lid and one-piece, but it’s a timely and very welcome
reminder that many of us still relish the pin-point steering,
crisp response and vivid sensations of sportsbikes.
And by buggery does the S1000RR M Package deliver
vivid sensations. Slicing out of Derbyshire and across
Leicestershire, these jumbled B-roads used to be my
stomping ground, the quiet ever-flicking tarmac where my
mates and I would explore our sleek 600s and fit 750s. At
a flyweight 193.5kg ready to race (sorry, ride) the BMW has
twice the power-to-weight ratio of my old Suzuki GSX-R600
51
World Supperbikes
SRAD and its ridiculous performance makes the hedge-
lined routes feel like overgrown garden paths. There’s
such brain-scrambling response and urgency even on half
throttle in Road mode that I can rarely fully rotate my right
hand anywhere near full gas, and don’t even contemplate
sharper Dynamic mode. And there’s a Race setting as well?
Madness. I’m sure the myriad electronic controls (traction,
slip, wheelie, engine braking and more) are doing their thing,
but other than feeling the electronics reining in wheelies the
techy gubbins all goes about its business subtly.
Yet despite the overwhelming motor and intoxicating
snarl of its accessory ‘M Titan’ Akrapovic exhaust (£2400…
eek), it’s the RR’s amazing chassis that has me jibbering. Last
updated in 2019 the Beemer is trimmer than ever before and
it’d be easy to describe it as 600-like, but it’s way better than
that. The way it turns is sensational – not just the micron-
precise steering and easy-access agility, but how the RR hugs
‘It’d be easy to describe it as 600-
like, but it’s way better than that.
The way it turns is sensational’
52
ever-tighter lines. Drive through a corner at proper lean
and the chassis is so eager to change direction I’m forever
turning tighter then expected. I can’t ever remember another
superbike carving like this.
Or giving such reassurance while doing it, either. BMW
talk about the bike having a ‘Flex Frame’ to generate more
traction and give greater feedback and confidence than
the older RR’s super-rigid beams. It’s the sort of stuff all
too easily dismissed as marketing guff, but the sensation
through the controls while in full I-really-am-Sykes mode is
amazingly reassuring.
Part of the S1000RR’s popularity is the way it makes you
It’s never feel most like a World Superbike hero. From paint scheme
been easier to and hidden taillight to the works-style swingarm, aggressive
experience racer- engine racket and bewildering 204bhp rush, there’s
like thrills on the
road. While we edginess to the RR. And this 20-grand M Package version
can folks… adds an extra layer of specialness, taking the full-trinkets
Sport model and adding carbon wheels and an adjustable
swingarm pivot. It’s the most convincing race replica.
Yes, of course, I know. Tom’s WSB bike is the M1000RR.
But his new version of the RR is effectively a homologation
special, designed for race teams to pull apart and fettle.
For the road you still want this posh S1000RR, with just as
much performance (the M has an insignificant 5bhp more
right up top, but the S has greater oomph lower down) and
 SPECIFICATION BMW S1000RR M PACKAGE
Contact bmw-motorrad.co.uk
Price (otr) £20,013 (£26,380 as tested)
Typical finance 4005.66 deposit, 35 months at £229,
£10,478.87 optional final payment
Capacity 999cc
Engine 16v DOHC variable-valve inline four
Bore x stroke 80 x 49.7mm
Transmission 6-speed, chain
Power (claimed) 204bhp @ 13,500rpm
Torque (claimed) 83.3 lb.ft @ 11,000rpm
Top speed 190mph (estimated)
Frame aluminium beam
Front suspension 45mm USD fork, electronic damping,
manually-adjustable preload
Rear suspension monoshock, electronic damping,
manually adjustable preload
Brakes (f/r) 2 x 320mm discs, four-pot calipers/
220mm disc, one-pot caliper
Tyres (f/r) 120/70 ZR17, 200/55 ZR17
just as many electronic aids, but with flattering electronic Paul’s Plaice (see Rake/trail ťPP
suspension… and a ten-grand saving. And let’s not forget this what they did?) is Wheelbase 1441mm
far more tempting
phenomenally potent tool comes with heated grips, cruise than energy drinks Wet weight 193.5kg (claimed)
control, hill hold control and a three-year warranty. on the WSB grid Seat height 824mm
The light is fading and there’s a crisp edge in the air by the Tank size 16.5 litres
time I indulge in my hot, salty, enjoyable supper. I’m as ready Economy 43mpg
to turn my nose up at sportsbikes as the next doubter, but Electronics TC, ABS, modes, quickshifter,
tonight has been a clear demonstration of why the S1000RR electronic suspension damping, hill
is so popular. I’m joined in ogling the BMW by an old boy hold, slide, wheelie, pitlane limiter,
launch, cruise, anti-theft, SOS button
whose head spins as I reel off the RR’s numbers, and he
Colours red/white/blue
wanders off saying, ‘it’s a proper bit of kit’. Five minutes later
Availability now
he’s back for another gawp. ‘Yeah, that’s a proper bit of kit.’
It’s an understatement and a half. Bike rating 9/10

53
THEIN G
RAC ISSUE

COMEBACK K As Marc Marquez has discovered, if you’re

a professional motorcycle racer you will
get hurt, probably badly. That’s just
the way it is. Indeed, the ability to
bounce back from injury is just
as important as the ability to
ride fast around corners.
Sometimes, however,
riders don’t so much
bounce back from
injury as crawl…
By Mat Oxley
Photography
Dave Collister,
Honda, Shutterstock
and Bauer Archives

Hutchy in his
happy place at
the 2017 TT

54
KINGS
‘Surely no other racer has been through so
much without giving in.’ Never a truer word…
º Some people know when to say, enough is enough. Ian
Hutchinson isn’t one of them. In 2010 Hutchy became
the first rider to win five TTs in a week. But since then
he’s lived through a nightmare of one serious injury after
another, followed by similarly agonising comebacks.
And he’s still going. Why? Because he doesn’t want to
even think about life without racing.
Three months after his mighty TT achievement he
crashed at Silverstone and got run over. His left tibia and
fibula were so badly smashed surgeons told him there
was no alternative but amputation. Hutchinson told
the surgeons to fuck off and found someone willing to
undertake the challenge of reconstructing his leg.
Twenty-four operations later –
including one 16-hour epic from
which he awoke convinced he was
no longer of this world – he was
ready to race again.
‘I presumed I had died
and been taken away on
a spaceship!’ he writes
in his autobiography
Miracle Man. ‘My
only thoughts
were about getting
back on a bike, racing as hard as I ever
had and taking the same chances that
had become such a crucial part of my
existence.’
And then he rebroke the leg, while
riding a minibike, because the fracture site
Bike’s Mat had been weakened by infection.
Oxley and
Hutchy In May 2012 he removed the external
fixator from the messed-up leg to score three
top tens at the TT, changing gear with his right
foot and operating the back brake with his left thumb.
Immediately afterwards he was back in hospital for
another six
operations.
Hutchy came
back from this
latest nightmare
in November 2013
at Macau – arguably
a more dangerous Hutchy’s Superbike
racetrack than the TT – TT win in 2017 was
where, incredibly, he took an awe inspiring
emotional victory.
Now he was really on the way back.
At the 2015 TT he won his first victories since 2010 and
another three the following year.
In 2017 he proved he was fully
back to his best by winning his
first Superbike TT – the most
demanding of them all – since 2010.
Five days later and competing in
the Senior he crashed at a missile-
fast corner on the Mountain Mile.
This time he fractured his left
femur and smashed his already
mangled ankle.
Back to the operating table,
where surgeons rebroke the tibia so they could lengthen
the bone and fuse it to the foot.
This comeback also had its setbacks. When
Hutchinson returned to action the leg was still weak,
so at the 2018 TT he couldn’t put enough load into the
footpeg to control the bike. His best finish was 11th in the
second Supersport race. The following year’s TT wasn’t
much better – one tenth place.
Due to Covid there hasn’t been a TT since, but
Hutchy is still at it, contesting the 2021 BSB Superstock
championship. Surely no other racer has been through so
much without giving in.
55
Comebacks
Mugello GP,
1996: Four years
after nearly
losing a leg,
Doohan is on his
way to winning
a third world
championship

Mick Doohan
‘He sewed the dying leg to the good leg, using that
leg’s blood supply to keep the injured leg alive…’

º Mick Doohan very nearly
became a one-legged former
motorcycle racer in July 1992.
Incredibly, six years later he had
Austria 1997: world won five 500cc world titles. There is
championship #4 is little doubt that his is the most successful
on the way
comeback in bike-racing history.
The teak-tough Aussie was leading the 1992 title
chase by a mile when he slid off his Honda NSR500 during practice
at Assen. The crash wasn’t big but it had huge consequences. A local
surgeon botched the operation to fix his broken right tibia and
fibula, so that within days the leg was dying.
‘It was starting to smell like bad meat,’ he recalls.
The surgeon’s solution? Amputation below the knee. The
operation would’ve gone ahead if MotoGP medic Dr Claudio Costa
hadn’t intervened. He kidnapped Doohan and flew him to his
Italian clinic in an air ambulance.
Doohan’s only thoughts were for returning to racing to protect his
points lead. Costa’s only thoughts were for saving the leg. Numerous
treatments didn’t work, so he sewed the dying leg to the good leg,
using that leg’s blood supply to keep the injured leg alive.
‘There were numerous operations – I lost count of
how many – and they were long operations,’ he adds.
‘This one was a success but it wasn’t pretty, they
never were.’
After 14 days the legs were separated.
Doohan could hardly walk, yet his target was
to race at the penultimate GP in Brazil, five
weeks later.
‘Brazil was a pretty rough weekend. It was
extremely tricky because I didn’t have any feeling from the knee
down, so my foot would come off the ’peg and I wouldn’t know until
it was floating in the breeze.
‘The night before the race I woke up and the leg had basically
exploded with all the infection. All this puss oozed out over the bed,
so Costa came in to flush it out with saline solution. He’d pour a
litre through this hole, like a big boil-type thing, then flush it back
out to get rid of all the crap.’
Doohan missed the title by just four points and then set about
preparing for 1993.
‘The problem was that the leg was infected so the bone was
pretty soft. I pushed it too hard in training and the bone started
to collapse. Also, I still had no feeling in the leg, so I ground half of
my little toe away during testing. There were times when I thought
what the hell am I doing? But I wanted to ride and I knew if I could
get strong again I should be able to win.’
Doohan struggled through 1993 with the wonky leg, which had
no movement at the ankle, so HRC made him a thumb-operated
rear brake. During the off-season surgeons attached an external
fixator to the leg, a rarely used technology at the time. Each day
he tightened the fixator screws to bend the bones straight,
millimetre by millimetre. During this phase of treatment
patients take morphine tablets. Doohan used aspirin.
‘Mick took so little pain medication, it was
During almost superhuman,’ said his surgeon Kevin
treatment
patients Louie. ‘It’s like he reset his pain thermostat.’
take Still limping, Doohan came out all guns
morphine. blazing in 1994. He won that year’s title and
Doohan
used the next four. Only another huge accident in
aspirin 1998 stopped him winning more.

56
 Robert Dunlop
Recovered from horrific TT injuries.
Lost his life as a result of those injuries
º There cannot be a bigger story of sporting triumph and
tragedy than that of the Dunlop family.
Three of the Dunlop roadracing greats are dead: Joey,
younger brother Robert and Robert’s eldest son William.
Only Robert’s younger son Michael continues to race at the
top of the sport.
Robert Dunlop didn’t win as many TTs as his big brother
but he made the mightiest of comebacks from a horrific
accident during the ’94 TT to win again on the Isle of Man.
The crash wasn’t his fault. His Marvic rear wheel had
collapsed, throwing him into a wall and nearly killing him.
His right arm and leg were so badly mangled that doctors
said he would never race again.
Two years later, after multiple
operations, he tried returning
to racing with a specially
modified Honda RS125 (he
knew he wasn’t strong
On the podium with
Foggy at the 1993
NW200
‘There can’t be a bigger
story of triumph and
tragedy…’
When the wheel
collapsed, Robert
stood no chance
enough to race anything bigger). Dunlop could operate the
throttle but not the front brake, so he moved the brake lever
to the left handlebar, alongside the clutch. But he was told
his right arm was still too weak to race.
In 1997 he was passed fit to race at the TT and took
third in the Ultra-Lightweight race. The next year he won
the class, a mind-boggling achievement, considering his
considerably weakened body and his unique brake/clutch
arrangement.
‘It’s brought me back from the brink of despair,’ he said.
‘It’s been a bridge over troubled water for me.’
In May 2006 Dunlop took his 16th victory at the North
West 200, once again on the 125.
Two years later he entered the 250 class at the event.
During practice his engine seized at 150mph. Dunlop
grabbed the front brake instead of the clutch, which flung
him over the handlebars. He died instantly when he was hit
by another machine.
1997, Ultra-
Lightweight TT.
Note absence of
brake lever on
right bar
57
Comebacks

Marc Marquez July 2020:

Back four
days after
surgery

This comeback trail is no history lesson,

it’s alive and suffering here in 2021…

º This isn’t Marc Marquez’s first comeback from serious injury.

A crash at the 2011 Malaysian GP banged his head so hard it
stretched the muscles in his right eye. He saw double for months ‘The
and doctors told him he might never race again. Finally, complex
surgery fixed the problem.
humerus is
At the end of the 2018 season he had his left shoulder
reconstructed and at the end of 2019 he had his right
a bad bone
shoulder rebuilt. Each time Marquez emerged from to break
hospital stronger.
Will it be the same this time? When Marquez and has
returned to racing at April’s Portuguese GP he hadn’t
raced for nine months. Even Doohan was never out ended many
of action for more than a couple of months.
Marquez broke his right humerus (upper arm)
careers’
bone last July. The humerus is a bad bone to
break and has ended many careers, including
Carl Fogarty’s. ‘I was one per cent of the
guy I had been,’ said Fogarty.
Marquez had the fracture pinned and
four days later was at the next race,
determined to win a seventh MotoGP
title. Big mistake – riding further
damaged the arm.
Marquez at
Two weeks later he went under Jerez in
the knife again, to replace the bent 2020, just
titanium plate. Four months later before that
crash
surgeons went in again because the
fracture had become infected, so it
wasn’t healing. A bone graft from his
pelvis did the trick.
Marquez returned at April’s Portuguese GP.
He finished first practice third fastest, tucking the
front and kicking out the rear like he’d never been
away. He finished the race in seventh, just a few seconds
behind the winner.
At May’s French GP he led the rain-lashed race, until he slid
off, proving he has lost none of his speed or willingness to take
risks. And at Barcelona he was in the lead group when he again
fell – Honda’s 2021 RC213V has some serious grip problems.
‘I enjoyed today, I was Marc!’ he grinned after that race.
‘Today it was time to take a risk, because burning fuel and tyres
for 12th isn’t me.’
However, some muscles in Marquez’s right arm are still at
less than 60% strength, so his best chances of a return to form
are anti-clockwise tracks such as Sachsenring in June, Aragon,
Phillip Island and Valencia. ‘In left corners I feel really good,
I feel normal,’ he says.

58
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THEIN G
RAC ISSUE

‘The story of my
life is trying
to overcome
difficult times’
Franco Morbidelli probably has the coolest head in the 220mph world
of MotoGP, but his calm demeanour conceals a difficult past
By: Mat Oxley Photos: Petronas SRT, Marc VDS, VR46 and Monster Energy

I owe one of the more embarrassing moments of the three

decades I’ve spent chasing MotoGP riders around the world to
Franco Morbidelli. It was all my fault, obviously, but the way he
dealt with my idiocy showed the mark of the man.
This happened during the post-qualifying media conference at
last year’s Teruel grand prix at Aragon, the 11th of the 14-race 2020
championship. Morbidelli’s team-mate Fabio Quartararo went into
the race four points behind championship leader Joan Mir, while
Morbidelli was sixth overall, a further 28 points down.
‘Franco,’ I asked. ‘If you get the chance to help Fabio, because he
needs every point he can get, while you’re not really in the battle for
the championship, will you help him?’
Morbidelli smiled and answered my question with another
question. ‘Why am I not in the battle for the championship?’
he asked.
I laughed nervously. ‘Um, erm, well, I’ve looked at the
numbers and… well, I suppose you’ve answered my question.’
Morbidelli calmly continued to make his point.
‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t help Fabio if he needs help to win the
championship and I’m out of the championship battle, but I’m
not out of it yet, so what’s the point of helping him?’
The next day Morbidelli went out and destroyed everyone
to take his second MotoGP victory, while Quartararo had
a nightmare and didn’t score a single point. A month later
Morbidelli completed the 2020 championship second
overall, only 13 points behind champion Mir.

60
 The
xley
interview
Mat is a TT winner, endurance racer, author
and MotoGP paddock insider

Watching
Morbidelli in his
garage is like
watching Buddha
go to work

61
 When Morbidelli
won the 2017 Moto2
title he became
VR46’s first world
champion

‘When he was 18 his father committed

suicide. It’s impossible for anyone to imagine
how such a thing might affect them…’
Three superb
race wins made
Morbidelli 2020
MotoGP runner-up

Morbidelli is even
more chilled at
home. He’s a big fan
of his couch and
the TV

62

Some riders might’ve taken my question as an insult, but Morbidelli
remained polite, reasonable and good-humoured throughout. Because
that’s what he’s like – cool, calm and collected.
‘The best way is to stay calm,’ says the 26-year-old Italian during
our interview. ‘It helps you to see more around you and to judge what’s
around you with more precision. Maybe I’d like to yell or smash up the
garage after a bad race, but I understood pretty early in my career that
this isn’t the right way to go forward.
‘Of course, it’s also my way of being. I’m not a crazy person at all, I’m
generally quite quiet. When I’m at races I try to stay even more calm
which helps me perform better and that’s the most important thing.’
Morbidelli’s placid, philosophical attitude to life may be part of his
nature, but events have also played a significant part in forging his
character, which is so unlike most adrenaline-charged youngsters
chasing MotoGP glory.
Morbidelli grew up in Rome, the son of a Brazilian mother and an
Italian father, a former racer who owned a motorcycle shop. At school
he suffered racist abuse because his skin wasn’t the same colour as the
other kids’.
When he was 18 his father Luigi committed suicide. It’s impossible
for anyone to even begin to imagine how such a thing might affect
them, but perhaps it destroys you unless somehow you don’t let it.
Morbidelli didn’t succumb. He kept focused on the road ahead,
winning his first major success – the European 600 Superstock title – a
few months later.
Five years earlier his family had moved from Rome to Tavullia, so he
could train with Valentino Rossi. Morbidelli’s dad and Rossi’s dad had
raced together in the 1970s and 1980s, hence the connection.
‘Valentino started giving me advice about riding,’ remembers
Morbidelli. ‘Then he started asking me what championship I was doing
The Oxley interview
and what I was going to do next year, then he started watching some of
my races and started giving me more advice.’
In 2013 Rossi established his VR46 Riders Academy. The idea was to
find young Italians who Rossi could support. At the same time these
youngsters would train with Rossi, helping him stay sharp.
Morbidelli was the first rider to officially sign with the VR46
Academy, but by then Rossi was more than just a mentor to him. The
teenager had lost his dad and needed looking after. Rossi told him, ‘If
you need me, I’m here’.
‘The story of my life is trying to overcome difficult times,’ Morbidelli
adds. ‘It’s happened in the past and it will happen in the future. I hope
to be hard enough and ready enough to overcome all the difficult
moments I will face.
‘Vale and I talk a lot with each other. We spend a lot of time together
– training, chilling out after races, doing the usual stuff friends do. We
talk about our tough moments, which helps you get through them. I
guess we are lucky that we’ve had more times to celebrate together than
to share misery.’
Whenever I see Morbidelli on top of the podium after winning a GP
his face seems to change for a moment. The ecstatic grin disappears,
replaced by a look of sombre reflection, like he’s wishing his dad was
there, enjoying it too.
While Rossi drifts through into the twilight of his career, Morbidelli
leads the charge of the VR46 protégés. In 2017 he became the first VR46
rider to win a world championship, the Moto2 title, the next year he
became the first VR46 rider in MotoGP and last season he became the
first VR46 rider to win a MotoGP race.
‘This fills me with pride but it doesn’t mean I’m the best rider in
VR46 because VR46 is full of great
talents.’
Partnering with mate
and mentor Rossi for a
100km dirt race at
the VR46 ranch
63
The Oxley interview

Former team-
mate Quartararo
now rides a 2021
factory M1 while
Morbidelli has
to make do with
2019 bikes

He’s not wrong. Other VR46 riders in MotoGP include factory Ducati
man Pecco Bagnaia, Rossi’s half-brother Luca Marini and Moto2 riders
Marco Bezzecchi and Celestino Vietti.
Morbidelli fully acknowledges the crucial role VR46 has played in his
career. ‘I wouldn’t be here without them,’ he says.
During his first MotoGP season Morbidelli rode Honda’s hard-
to-handle RC213V. In 2019 he signed with the new Petronas Sepang
Yamaha team, alongside Quartararo. That year the French rookie
dazzled, giving Marc Marquez a hard time at several races, while
Morbidelli steadily worked his way up to speed aboard his YZR-M1.
That’s why Yamaha kept him on a 2019 bike last year, while
Quartararo was promoted to latest-spec factory machinery. This spring
Quartararo was further promoted to Yamaha’s factory squad and
Morbidelli stayed at Petronas, still riding 2019 M1s.
It’s a strange situation. Last year Morbidelli bettered Quartararo
and factory team-mate Maverick Vinales in the championship but
he’s racing two-year-old bikes, while the factory men have new-and-
improved 2021 machines.
Morbidelli’s chassis are so old that his renowned crew chief Ramon
Forcada swaps them around, so they don’t exceed their intended
mileage life. ‘We try to race with the fresher ones – once we see the
kilometres are getting high with one frame we switch to another,’
explains Morbidelli.
Is he angry about this? Of course he is, but he’s clever, so he
rationalises the anger and magically transforms it into better results.
In fact there are some upsides to riding the same bike for three seasons.
‘I’ve ridden this bike for so long that I know it so well. From a technical
point of view maybe it’s not an advantage but the more you ride the
same bike the more you feel every small thing that’s happening, so now
I can make saves that I couldn’t have made two or three years ago.’
Morbidelli’s strengths as a rider are smoothness, consistency and
intelligence. He’s not the kind of rider – like Marquez and perhaps
Quartararo – who can make a motorcycle do things it shouldn’t be able
to do. Instead he works with Forcada to extend the bike’s limits through
Franco with
genius Spanish
crew chief
Ramon Forcada,
a huge asset in
his garage
honing the set-up and then rides to those limits while adapting his
technique accordingly.
‘I’m a really flowy rider and I really like to maximise every movement
in every aspect of my riding,’ he says. ‘That’s what I try to do once I feel
good with the settings.’
And that’s exactly what he did when he won last September’s Teruel
GP. Indeed he was so flowy during the race that he had a kind of
transcendental experience, like Wayne Rainey at Suzuka in 1991 and
Ayrton Senna at Monaco in 1988. Coincidentally psychologists name
this mental state ‘flow’.
‘The race really was a trip,’ said Morbidelli after that victory.
‘Meaning, how can I say…’
‘You felt pretty high?’ prompted another journalist.
‘Yes, I felt great. It wasn’t a journey, it was a trip.’
While Morbidelli was racing for last year’s MotoGP title there were
bigger things happening in the world, like Covid-19 and the Black Lives

64
 Morbidelli’s lid
celebrates his mixed-
race heritage; half-
Italian, half-Brazilian

‘When I was
at school I was
bullied because
the colour of
my skin wasn’t
usual. I felt
the need to be
accepted and I
wasn’t accepted
at all’

Matter movement. While Formula 1 king Lewis Hamilton made BLM

his rallying cry in F1 there was hardly a murmur about BLM in the
MotoGP paddock. Apart from Morbidelli.
His experience of racist bullying had a profound effect on him and
helped make him the man he is today.
‘When I was at school I was bullied because the colour of my skin
wasn’t usual – I’m not black but I’m not white either. The bullying didn’t
make me feel good at all. I really felt the need to be accepted and
I wasn’t accepted at all.
‘The lesson I learned very quickly was that it’s not nice being pushed
Tackling
aside, so I try never to do that to anyone, whether in racing or outside.’
racism: Black Morbidelli made his feelings clear at last year’s San Marino GP, where
Lives Matter he wore a Black Lives Matter-themed helmet. He is a big movie fan, so
helmet, worn his Misano lid featured him as one of the star characters in director
at the San
Marino GP Spike Lee’s 1989 film Do The Right Thing, which deals with racism in
last year New York.

65
The Oxley interview
The helmet caused quite a stir. It also worked wonders Morbidelli had a
for Morbidelli who went out on Sunday and won his first technical disaster
the season-opener in
MotoGP race. He wore it again at the next race, with
Spike Lee also featuring, after the director had heard
about the helmet and got in touch.
‘It was great to talk with such an icon of culture such as Spike,’ he
says. ‘I will always remember the chat we had and it gave me a lot of
positive energy.’
The first time I interviewed Morbidelli back in 2017 he told me his
favourite thing was sitting on the sofa at home, watching movies and
sport. But things have changed since then.
‘When I went to MotoGP in 2018 I learned that a machine can be
so powerful and that the performance of the tyres can be so high, so
I learned there’s really no limit to the performance of a machine on
two wheels. In 2019 I learned that commitment is really the key to
perform well in MotoGP and last year I learned that just being fast
isn’t enough to win the championship.’
These days MotoGP races are so ridiculously close – the top ten
sometimes covered by less than ten seconds at the chequered flag
Franco Morbidelli CV
Born: 4 December, 1994
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
» 2011 17th European 600 Superstock championship
» 2012 6th European 600 Superstock championship
» 2013 European 600 Superstock champion
» 2014 11th Moto2 world championship
» 2015 10th Moto2 world championship
» 2016 4th Moto2 world championship
» 2017 Moto2 world champion
» 2018 15th MotoGP world championship
» 2019 10th MotoGP world championship
» 2020 2nd MotoGP world championship
‘This year I have more knowledge of
what I can do on the bike’
66
– that riders have to work harder, have less fun and
at constantly narrow the focus of their lives if they want to
Qatar stay in the game.
‘I have had to sacrifice my sofa time for training and
commitment,’ he grins. ‘And now I need to sacrifice
that time a bit more because the level in MotoGP is so high it’s totally
unbelievable. You cannot lose one inch or lose focus for one tenth of
a second. It’s very difficult but it is engaging and it is nice to be a part
of it.’
Without a doubt Morbidelli is a contender for this year’s MotoGP
title, and that is despite a disastrous start in Qatar where his M1’s
holeshot device (which lowers the bike by pumping down the rear
shock to reduce wheelies and thereby allow more acceleration)
wouldn’t disengage. Result: he rode the whole race with the rear end
down and the front up, like a chopper.
Most riders would have ridden into pit lane and thrown a few
things around the garage, but not Morbidelli. He completed the
race distance and didn’t even finish last. Once again this was his
philosophy at work.
‘I just tried to stay focused on my job and hang on tight. We had a
technical issue, so all I could do was maintain my concentration and
give my maximum.
‘If I’d had a bad race like that last year, or two years ago, I would be
much sadder and more daunted than I am in 2021. This time I was
upset but I’m always looking ahead, so my mind doesn’t spend too
much time thinking about what happened in Qatar.
‘This year I have more knowledge of myself, more knowledge of
what I can do on the bike in a race and more self-trust. Of course I
have got more pressure to deal with, but it’s a good kind of pressure
and it’s a well-earned pressure which I would like to have for many
more years.’
As Rossi’s sun sets, Morbidelli’s rises.
NEXT What was it like being a MotoGP
rider 50 years ago? Oxley talks to
ISSUE GP winner Ginger Molloy…
Group test

T OU R
Time was when the sports tourer department was where good bikes went
to retire. But not now. Today’s adventure-influenced high-risers are a
DE
force to be reckoned with. Yamaha’s new Tracer 9 GT thrusts its way
between Triumph’s Tiger 900 GT Pro and BMW’s F900XR TE…
By Mike Armitage Photography Jason Critchell

68
E F
S
O R C E
ports tourer and all-rounder have always been
wishy-washy terms. Though great devices, it was
have been based on the MT-09 but its creation was more
than slapping on new ’bars and a rack. A proper, complete
an area of the market generally populated by once-sharp bike in its own right, it’s defined mid-size do-it-all bikes
machines eased into a steadier role for their autumn since launched in 2015 and this year becomes the larger,
years. Even Honda’s evergreen VFR750 ended up there. No fancier Tracer 9. Have Yamaha stretched the gap to their
recycling these days, mind – Yamaha’s Tracer 900 might rivals, or spoilt the recipe with unnecessary tinkering?

69
Group test

Yamaha
Tracer 9 GT
Its forebear has been a top-three bestseller
across Europe and won pretty much every road
test that we’ve slung it in – so no pressure for
this complete redesign, then…

Above: R1-alike visage

H
is a refreshing break
from the beaky pack

ave you noticed how things aren’t simply ‘new’ Left: GT gets semi-
anymore? No, ‘new’ just doesn’t sound exciting active suspension
enough. These days if you want to really push home
your product’s refreshed status it has to be ‘all-new’. Which is all a bit Below: being of a
dubious when attached to a bike with just an updated dash or a helmet certain age we’re
thinking Short Circuit.
with a different paint scheme. In fact it is right up there with ‘pre-order’ It came out when?
on the scale of bloody annoying modern language (you’re just ordering, 1986!!
forchristssake). But, it’s entirely justified with the all-new Tracer 9.
Engine, frame, geometry, suspension, wheels, ergonomics, weather
protection, dash and even the footpegs are new. Looks different, too.
Yet despite the changes Yamaha managed to do something important
with their bestseller: they’ve made sure that it’s remained a Tracer.
‘It’s not lost its personality – the new bike still definitely feels like
a Tracer,’ says Bike subscriber and guest tester Chris Tyrrell, who
returned to bikes at the end of last year after many years away, and got a
cracking deal on the departing 2020-model Tracer 900 GT. ‘But it’s also
definitely changed. As soon as you get on it feels like you’re sitting in the
bike more, and a little lower, and this gives greater confidence straight
away – it’s easier at low speed, sharper, keener to swing about.’
New Kayaba forks sit the Tracer 9 lower at the nose, removing the
previous model’s high-feeling front end and eradicating any hint of
a desire to drift wide in fast corners, helped by lighter ‘SpinForged’
wheels. These changes also bring the increased agility and breezier
flickability at trundling pace; previously the Yam was out-manoeuvred MT-09), and is reassured to find that, ‘the Yamaha engine is still easily
in tight situations by the doddle-to-place BMW, but this new bike is as the best one here’. We all reckon it has the finest soundtrack as well.
nimble as the F900XR, and feels as secure too. It’s only 2kg lighter than Yamaha have played with the intake to tune the honk and the new
the outgoing Tracer 900, however, Chris reckons it easily feels ‘like ten exhaust outlet points down, so the hubbub bounces back – it sounds far
kilos or more’. meatier and sportier than the 2020 model.
Being the GT version means this bike also has semi-active forks and Toys? Glad you asked. The Yam now has lean-aware traction and
rear shock, as well as being adorned with ten- ABS, cruise, many modes, plus a quickshifter
stage heated grips (ten!), cornering LED lights on GTs. Circling while devouring his garage
and model-specific luggage. Early semi-active
systems could be a bit unpredictable – you were ‘… it’s easier at low forecourt sandwiches Chris notes less blingy
updates, and they’re all things he prefers over
never quite sure how the bike would respond
or feel. The Yam shows how quickly things
speed, sharper, his bike: rubber-topped ’pegs, more protective
screen, larger pillion seat, shorter (more precise)
have developed, though. As well as providing
the best ride quality of the three bikes and
keener to swing gear lever, better mirrors. But both he and Andy
grumble at the looks, and neither is taken by
steadfast handling at all speeds, its constant about’ twin TFT displays. The data is too small, and it
tweaking and adjusting is subtle enough to go lacks both contrast and brightness.
unnoticed – ever-sharp Chris doesn’t realise it’s semi-active until we I agree to disagree about the looks. For me, the Yam’s styling gives
point out the gubbins protruding from the fork tops. (‘Ooh, look…’) a sportier and more road-focused look, rather than being yet another
There’s a claimed six percent more grunt from the 889cc inline three, beaky wannabe, and the R1-style tucked-in lights are smart. Anyway,
with 68.5 pound-feet giving 117bhp. Any difference isn’t particularly surely riding dynamic and performance are what really matters – and
obvious, though this isn’t a biggie – the previous 847cc motor was one of the Tracer 9 definitely moves things on. ‘I paid £10k on the nose for
the greatest engines of all time, and the inflated Tracer is still smoother my Tracer 900 GT,’ says Chris, ‘and at just over £12,200 the new bike’s
than the Triumph and longer-legged than the BMW. Occasional road not two-grand better. But it’s definitely five percent better, with a clear
tester Andy Gurski has plenty of experience of the previous Tracer (and improvement in what it’s like to ride and how it makes you feel.’

70
 Buy
a used
Tracer 900 GT
Small advances with the new bike
mean a used 900 gives almost the same
experience for much less. From £4500
º Engines are super-reliable and swallow
miles, but make sure the 24,000-mile valve
check hasn’t been skipped.
º Corrosion can make a mess of
fasteners and chassis fittings.
º Bodywork gets rattly. Make
sure the screen stays in
position.

71
 Buy
a used
BMW F900XR
There are a few used 900s on the
market now – just over £8000 or so gets
you a low-mile base model
º Steering locks can be bothersome – a few
have been replaced under warranty.
º Hand guards like to vibrate loose. Make
sure the bar-end bolt is still there.
º Build quality is high. There should
be no ill-fitting parts. Look
for scruffy exhausts,
though.

Above: it’s sparkling

gold for some folk, but
just ‘pissy beige’ to
others

Left: big TFT screen

impressed our
resident tech-lover

Right: optional
semi-active is on the
rear shock only, and
doesn’t bring much to
the BM’s table

BMW
F900XR TE
Eighteen months since burbling into the
light Beemer’s twin is as chirpy, reassuring
and easy to ride as ever. But it seems things
have moved on in just a year and a half…
T here is absolutely chuff-all wrong with Beemer’s parallel
twin middleweight tall-rounder. I was fortunate enough
to ride the F900XR on its launch at the start of 2020, just
before the world turned upside-down, and have clear memories of
it dancing effortlessly through wayward Spanish traffic, whirring
soothingly on motorways, and being fabulously reassuring and ego-
boosting on slick, damp, chilled mountain roads. I stuck my chest out
and blurted that I’d rather have the tossable 900 over its bigger, faster,
fancier S1000XR stablemate. I stand by it, too. We did a Big Test on the
900 just a few months back, and again heaped praise on its compact
form. ‘A modern-day VFR,’ reckoned our design chap P. Lang.
The world’s changed in the year and a half since the XR chugged out
of the factory though, and not just with all the hand washing and mask
wearing. Yamaha have just completely revised their Tracer, the bike that
BMW openly declared was the target for their 900 – and all of a sudden
the German bike has less of an attractive sheen.
In terms of measured outright performance the 895cc side-by-side
twin can accelerate as briskly as the Tracer or Tiger and achieve an
equally irrelevant top speed. Its torque is easily accessed and deployed,
bringing real rideability. The chassis combines nimbleness and proper
sucked-down stability, with easy-steering manners at car park pace
and steadfast composure at lean on a wriggling B-road. In the TE guise

72

we have here it’s chocker with must-have whatnots as well – cornering
ABS, cruise, lots of modes, pannier mounts and heated grips – and this
test bike also has optional Dynamic ESA (posh electronic rear shock),
quickshifter, daytime running lights, centrestand and keyless ignition.
There’s a workman-like aura around the XR, though. It’s always been
there and is part of the bike’s charm, but with
the new Yamaha now matching its town centre
friendliness while also being sportier than
ever, it’s harder for the BMW to shine.
‘A perfect second
‘I don’t think that I really like the XR as bike for doing
much as I used to,’ muses Andy. ‘I’m not keen
on the riding position – the relationship everything your fun
between the seat and ’pegs is fine, but it feels
like the ’bars are too far back, and at six-foot first bike doesn’t’
I feel a bit cramped. I can’t sit where I want to,
and though the chassis steers very well at low speed and the handling
is completely fine the riding position affects my confidence.’ He’s not
alone – the smallest and most compact bike here, Chris reckons the XR
is the hardest of the three to adapt to, and the one on which he’s least
confident when attacking unknown corners. The twin doesn’t have the
luxurious torque of the Tracer or the Tiger’s low-down wallop either,
and, ‘needs working harder to keep with the two triples’.
Group test
Of course, while the BMW delivers a mildy less sparkly dynamic
its slightly worthy nature brings the small-but-pleasing bits and bobs
that you notice as an owner. Screen height is adjusted with a neat lever
that makes the Triumph’s spring-loaded system look like a lash-up,
the heated grips are the most roasty-toasty, the headlight is great and
the centrestand is easy to employ. Chris does
something to do with IT and computers (we
think he’s the bloke who turns the interweb on
each morning) and is a hardened tech-lover,
and so thinks the XR’s widescreen dash is the
hands-down winner. ‘They’ve done a much
better job than the other two,’ he gushes.
‘The switchgear seems a bit fiddly to me, but
on a 12-grand bike the display is the sort of
equipment you expect – it’s like an iPad.’
It feels wrong to be a bit down on the BMW. We know it’s still a really
good motorbike to ride, still has plenty of feel-good extras, and is still
well made and a safe buy. But I can’t forget something Langy said about
our long-term test bike: ‘It would be the perfect second bike for doing
everything your quirky, bonkers, fun first bike doesn’t do.’ He’s right...
but now you can buy the sportier, faster, more fun Yamaha instead and
get all the BMW’s usefulness as well.
73
 Buy
a used
Tiger 800
You might find a used 900, but go for
the previous 800 – it’s smoother, and in
late XC form has a supple ride. From £4000
º Bikes between Sept 2010 and Aug 2011 had
a recall to stop random stalling.
º Water gets in the swingarm and makes
the wheel adjusters rust and seize.
º Engines are reliable, but paint
flakes off them easily.
º Watch for a dodgy main
stand spring.

74

Triumph
Tiger 900 GT Pro
Knobblies, snouty looks and a rumbling racket,
EXWWKHWRSVSHF*73URLVWKH%ULWLVKƮUPoV
PRVWURDGIRFXVHG7LJHU,WoVDOVRWKHPRVW
expensive bike here... so that means best, right?
I
mmediately I feel confident on the Tiger,’ reckons Chris after
a brisk cross-county foray. ‘I adjusted to it really well, really
quickly. I’m having more fun than on the BMW, and I’m happy
throwing it through corners. And the brakes are good too.’
All of this is true, of course. Bikes are all about sensations, feel and
confidence, and clearly the Triumph delivers something that he clicks
with. And it’s his opinion, and so it’s right. But I’d like to put my hand
up and disagree heartily.
Last time we tested the Tiger 900 GT we came away rather
underwhelmed. Having recently enjoyed the supple ride and engaging
character of the taller, plusher, dirtier, spoke-wheel Rally version, the
road-biased cast-wheel GT seemed a bit ‘ah’ instead of ‘ooh’. Capable,
well equipped, comfortable, all that, yes. But, in the presence of its
accomplished peers (notably the previous-model Tracer 900) the GT’s
handling, ride and engine lacked wow-factor. And it’s the same with
this bike today. For me its brakes don’t have any bite, the suspension
provides the worst mid-corner control, it’s easily the first of the three to
grind away the footpeg blobs, and there’s nothing sparkly about how it
behaves. It’s all a tad... normal. Maybe a little bit bland.
And then there’s the three-cylinder engine. Triumph have made the
triple their own, their signature powerplant.
And yet when boosting the Tiger 800 into
the 900 they bizarrely saw the need to use a
T-plane crank, sacrificing the creamy thrust,
‘It just goes, regardless of what your
smoothness and sense-tingling wail of the 120˚ right hand or left foot are doing’
Above: huge screen has various display options,
including having twin tacho bars. Er... why?
Below: all logical enough, though joystick next to
indicators requires precise thumb management
Group test
motors for a twin-alike rumble and lumpier feel. I’m sure the claims
about throttle connection and finding grip off-road are true enough,
but for road riders it’s a negative point.
Andy has ridden every Triumph triple from Daytona 675 and Street
Triple to the Explorer 1200, and has just bought a late-model 995i Speed
Triple. He finds the T-shape carry-on equally bemusing. ‘My 955 has
more top-end power, but needs revs to deliver its potential where the
Tiger just goes, regardless of what your right hand or left foot are doing.
It’s really flexible. But it seems like the Tiger is trying to do what the
Tracer and F900XR do and be a great all-round road bike, but while
sounding and vibrating like a BMW GS – and I just don’t get it.’
Pro spec means the 900 has lots of widgets and gizmos to further
entice tech-fiend Chris. Your £13,100 gets a large dash with colour and
layout options, the ability to connect and control a phone or GoPro
camera, heated grips and heated seats, electronic rear suspension
adjustment, light-up switches, cruise, fog lights, cornering traction and
ABS, tyre monitoring… you get the idea. It all seems to work splendidly,
though some of the display options are a bit games console for our
middle-aged eyes.
Practical touches aplenty too, including a pleasingly handy 20-litre
fuel tank and a centrestand. As a pair of six-foot buffoons Andy and I
both appreciate the Tiger’s spacious accommodation too – there’s more
room than on the Tracer (or certainly the impression of extra space),
a real sense of being ‘in’ the bike, and it doesn’t lock you into position
like the scooped-out perch on the F900XR. Shame the screen height
adjustment system appears to have been designed by Mr. H Robinson.
Another hour of flicking, darting B-roads and it’s clear Chris enjoys
the beaky Brit. He’s leaning further, carrying more speed through
turns, but also taking smoother lines – the confidence he feels from
the 900 shows in his riding. As a returning rider he’s attracted by the
Tiger’s solid build, easy drive and reassuring feel – what Andy and I
see as a lack of fizz and excitement, Chris interprets as the bike not
being imposing or demanding. So it’s his favourite, right? Er, no. ‘The
new Tracer 9 is just as practical and comfortable, creates just as much
confidence, but also causes more smiles. Yamaha every time.’
75
Group test
Verdict
One bloke’s culinary masterpiece is another’s
tasteless bowl of nondescript nosh. Or, in
this case, the Tiger 900 GT Pro’s confidence-
boosting handling and reassuring feel aren’t
quite as tasty for everyone.
Fresh back to two wheels, guest jockey Chris
is seriously taken with the Tiger’s dynamic
and behaviour, but for Andy and I it hasn’t the
engagement, pizzazz or hook of the other two.
Sure, it handles well enough, doesn’t abuse
your limbs or cheeks, and provides almost
twist-and-go performance from its curious
booming triple. But there’s no wow moment,
USP or must-have feature. It’s not sporty
enough and doesn’t deliver enough fun for this
modern sports-tourer sector. Interestingly,
Andy reckons if he was buying he’d take it over
the BMW, but only because the bigger-boned
Tiger suits his bigger-boned frame – he thinks
the smaller BMW is actually the better bike.
And I concur. Despite being something of a
bitsa (derived from the F850GS) the F900XR
feels like a very complete motorbike, and its
low-speed agility and control, confidence-
‘Yamaha haven’t tried to reinvent anything here,
and crucially haven’t spoilt what was already
clearly a ruddy wonderful package’
76
giving front end and oh-so-accessible handling
are stand out features. It’s also comfortable,
frugal, and dotted with useful touches like
the easy-adjust two-height screen and proper,
old fashioned, solid bungee points. But there’s
something a bit too sensible about the XR: it’s
too tour; not quite enough sport and lacks the
zip of the triples. Yes, it’ll easily turn its hand
to anything, but does so with a workman-like
air. ‘Feels the most sanitised,’ reckons Chris.
And so the new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT takes
over where the departed Tracer 900 left
off – at the top of the tree. Yamaha haven’t
tried to reinvent anything here, and crucially
haven’t spoilt what was already clearly a ruddy
wonderful package (more than 50,000 happy
customers says plenty). Instead, they’ve made
the Tracer even easier to ride, more agile and
connected at low speed, more accurate at
high speed, gruntier, more comfortable, and
noticeably better equipped. Improved for both
distance and thrashes, it’s also the best value
of the trio. Even the looks grow on you. It’s still
the defining mid-size sports tourer.
SPECIFICATIONS TRIUMPH TIGER 900 GT PRO BMW F900 XR TE YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT
Contact triumphmotorcycles.co.uk bmw-motorrad.co.uk yamaha-motor.eu
Price (on the road) £13,100 £10,690 (£12,530 as tested) from £12,202
Typical finance PCP: £2500 deposit, 36 months at £156.77, PCP: £3132 deposit, 36 months at £145.32, PCP: £2500 deposit, 36 months at £148.45,
optional final payment £7041, 7.9% APR optional final payment £6091.32, 7.9% APR optional final payment £5985, 6.9% APR
Capacity 889cc 895cc 890cc
Engine 12v DOHC inline three 8v DOHC parallel twin 12v DOHC inline three
Bore x stroke 78 x 61.9mm 86 x 77mm 78 x 62.1mm
Transmission 6-speed, chain 6-speed, chain 6-speed, chain
Power 94bhp @ 8750rpm (claimed) 100bhp @ 9150rpm (tested) 117bhp @ 10,000rpm (claimed)
Torque 64.2 lb.ft @ 7250rpm (claimed) 65.4 lb.ft @ 6600rpm (tested) 68.6 lb.ft @ 7000rpm (claimed)
Top speed 130mph (est) 136mph (tested) 130mph (est)
Frame steel tube trellis steel tube trellis aluminium perimeter
Front suspension upside-down 45mm fork, adj. compression upside-down 45mm fork, no adjustment upside-down 42mm fork, semi-active
and rebound damping, manual preload
Rear suspension monoshock, electronic preload and rebound monoshock, adjustable preload, rebound monoshock, semi-active damping
Brakes (f/r) 2 x 320mm discs, 4-pot calipers/ 2 x 320mm discs, 4-pot calipers/ 2 x 298mm discs, 4-pot calipers/
255mm disc, 1-pot caliper 265mm disc, 1-pot caliper 245mm disc, 2-pot caliper
Tyres (f/r) 100/90-19 / 150/70 R17 120/70 ZR17 / 180/55 R17 120/70 ZR17 / 180/55 ZR17
Rake/trail 24.6° / 133.3mm 29.5° / 102.5mm 25° / 108mm
Wheelbase 1556mm 1521mm 1500mm
Weight 198kg (dry, claimed) 233kg (wet, claimed) 220kg (wet, claimed)
Seat height 810/830mm 825mm 810/825mm
Tank size 20 litres 15.5 litres 18 litres
Economy 49mpg (tested), 215-mile range 50mpg (tested), 170-mile range 51mpg (tested), 201-mile range
Electronics ABS, traction, modes, cruise, heated grips ABS, traction, ABS, traction, modes, cruise, heated grips,
and seats, connectivity modes, cruise, heated grips, connectivity connectivity
Bike rating 8/10 9/10 9/10

77
First Ride
Still the
best bi
naked
The champion of the supernaked division has rivals coming out of is Euro5 exhaust. No matter…
By Michael Neeves Photography Adam Shorrock
A prilia’s mighty Tuono V4 Factory
has, despite ever-improving rivals,
managed to stay one step ahead in
the escalating supernaked scrap. But with Ducati
giving their 200bhp-plus V4 Streetfighter more
low-down punch this year and Triumph unleashing
a new Speed Triple RS with heaps more power and
tech, Aprilia decided to give their Tuono a tickle. And
when we say tickle we mean a host of engine, chassis
and styling updates. And it’s worked.
First things first, it hasn’t been treated to a
capacity hike like the 2021 RSV4 superbike, instead
its glorious V4 stays faithful to its 1077cc. Although,
it does get a new Euro5 exhaust and mapping.
Despite the Earth saving restrictions it still makes
the same 173bhp (now 350rpm higher) and 89 lb.ft
of torque. And it still accelerates with the brutality
of a superbike and has a deliciously wide spread of
perfectly delivered power that can be as docile or
bonkers as you want it to be. Its ghostly soundtrack,
even in the midrange, is completely and utterly
addictive. No V-twin, triple or crossplane crank
super naked comes close to stimulating your senses
like this most magnificent of powerplants.
Rider aids are now more refined, too, thanks to a
more powerful new Marelli 11MP ECU. You won’t
notice any traction control or ABS intervention on
the road because there’s so much grip, but the up/
down quickshifter is slick and the anti-wheelie
works well. Thankfully you can turn it off.
Out of the exit door goes the old Tuono’s fussy
5-inch colour display and in comes a much easier-
to-read version with bigger, bolder graphics. The
light-sensitive, Bluetooth-enabled dash has a Road
and Track mode and is rammed with info, including
six rider modes, including a ‘User’ mode that lets you
set your own levels of traction, engine braking and
wheelie control, power levels and ABS intervention.
The huge new left switchgear block, also fitted to
the 2021 RSV4 and 660 models isn’t the most elegant
78
New and less
fussy
SPECIFICATIONS
Price £18,100 Engine 1077cc, liquid-
cooled, 16v, V4 Power 173bhp Torque
89 lb.ft Top speed 165mph Rake/trail
24.8°/99.9mm Wheelbase 1452mm
Kerb weight 209kg Seat height
837mm Tank size 18.5 litres Economy
39mpg Colours Black and red
Availability Now
Bike verdict From its wailing exhaust
and top tech to its designer chassis
labels and luxurious finish, the Tuono
is a class act. Still the best super-
naked money can buy… and that’s
saying something these days.
Bike rating 10/10
‘A’ is for…
Tuono base model V4 also
available. Not that
anyone cares
of things, but it does have buttons for the easy to use
cruise control and finger/thumb paddles to adjust
the TC.
Like the 2021 RSV4 the new Tuono V4 gets a
slimmed-down 17.9-litre tank with more than a hint
of original RSV Mille to it, a new longer, comfier
seat and a reshaped tail unit, complete with a sliver
of a padded perch for masochistic pillions. It also
has a new top fairing with the latest Aprilia family
look LEDs, cornering and daytime running lights
and faired-in winglets. With its lower tank and
underbraced swingarm its proportions have changed
dramatically and it now looks lower and longer. Fit
and finish are still top notch.
Aprilia haven’t needed to mess with the handling
much over the years – it’s been pretty much perfect,
especially the Factory version with its electronic
Öhlins and Pirelli Super Corsa SPs. Its plush ride and
the way the front end seems to be unstickable as you
roll into corners are Tuono high points (although
the ABS robs the brakes of some feel). And it’s roomy
enough even for taller riders to enjoy. For 2021 it
gets the same underbraced swingarm as the new
RSV4, which makes little difference on the road, but
improves stability on the track.
Ducati have improved the Streetfighter V4 S for
2021 and its unquestionably more exciting, but it
doesn’t have the same joyful fluidity of the Aprilia.
It’s more luxuriously finished but costs £1895 more.
Triumph’s new Speed Triple RS now has the muscle
to be a fully-fledged supernaked for the first time,
it’s £3000 cheaper and has Öhlins and Brembos, but
while its fabulous new engine and chassis are good
enough to challenge the Aprilia on track, it isn’t as
involving on the road. The KTM 1290 Super Duke R
is also less in basic trim and undoubtedly wilder, but
it isn’t as well rounded as the Italian.
No other motorcycle is blessed with such a supple
road ride that’s also razor sharp on track. It’s still the
best super naked money can buy.
 Despite Triumph,
Ducati and KTM putting
their supernakeds into
the gym, Aprilia remain
the class of the field

‘Its ghostly soundtrack

is completely and utterly
addictive. No V-twin,
triple or crossplane
crank super naked
comes close’

79
 THE
ROU T E
Germany, Mongolia,
Chukotka, Bering Strait,
Alaska, USA, New York

GONE FISHING
Five friends take the chance to ride from Germany to New York via
Russia and Alaska, in Ural sidecar combinations. The problem is
that 1000 miles of their chosen route involves a river…
80
 Adventure

I t feels like every step we take, the road is collapsing

behind us, making it impossible to turn back. Every
step we take there’s another pothole, another swamp,
another river… another bridge split in half. Yesterday we
crossed minor rivers and bigger puddles. But that was
just the warm up for what’s waiting for us: a real Siberian
those. It’s hard to imagine that a few months ago we didn’t
have motorcycle licences and now here we are pulling 600
kilos from one pothole to another.
Johannes goes back and forth, scratching his head, trying
to calculate how to tie the ropes and pulleys so we can pull
the first Ural across. Kaupo is standing on the shore rubbing
If you’ve got a
rod and line you’ll
never be short
of grub on your
motorsidecarboat

river. Over the next 24 hours we unload everything from his cold legs, hoping that the rope is strong enough for him
the sidecars, empty out the petrol tanks and remove all to drag himself against the current to the other side of the
electronics – luckily these old Urals don’t have much of river. Anne is going through our medical supplies and trying

81
Adventure
to recall the steps, learned from a Skype tutorial, about how
to use a suture kit. Should the need arise. Which, right now,
it might. There isn’t a hospital in sight and we don’t have a
satellite phone.
Meanwhile Efy is setting up a fire to combat the effects
cookies, milk, cheese and we eat
of the icy water we will be in and out of all day. She scans
through the rest of our food, trying to figure out what we
can eat today. What’s left? Something like a cup of flour,
150 grams of alphabet soup, a packet of Yum-Yum noodles,
coffee and some vegetable stock cubes. Today’s menu will be
instant broth: we need to keep some food in reserve because
there are still 90 kilometres between us and the main road.
Which could take us another six full days.
And then the rope snaps…
By sunset we are ready to pull the first motorcycle
across. Elisabeth sets up her tripod with the camera. The
choice between helping out with the river crossing and
documenting whatever happens isn’t an easy one. She
somehow manages to bounce back and forth doing both.
The first Ural reaches mid-way across the river, wallowing
like a wayward duck. Then the rope breaks. By the time we
get the motorcycle 95% across the river the moon is out. With
grumbling stomachs we roll under the tarp and into our
warm sleeping bags. Let’s hope for better things tomorrow…
It feels like 100 years ago since we were art students but
actually it was just 12 months. Our main concerns back then
were modelling tools, paintbrushes and sketchbooks. And
then we graduated, and got those precious bits of paper that
proclaimed us actual artists. We had to figure out our next
steps in the real world. And that’s how we ended up with
the whole wide world. We went from creating weirdness for
white-cubed galleries to exploring places called Mongolia,
Kazakhstan, and Siberia. We became those weird objects we
had imagined, but in a foreign space not a minimalist gallery.
But we needed a sort of costume, which is how we ended up
with Ural 650s: a charming yet moody sidecar motorcycle,
with an appetite for self-destruction.
Among many other things this fine piece of 1990s
machinery can also be described as Russian Lego. Which
makes it an excellent choice for a bunch of kids unable to
differentiate a screwdriver from a spanner.
The film and book
The story of Anne, Efy, Johannes, Kaupo and Elisabeth is one of
the most awe inspiring and smile inducing adventures we have
published in Bike. But there is so much we have been unable
to tell. Thankfully the fivesome wrote a book and made a film.
Check it all out at 972breakdowns.com
Bon voyage:
1000 miles on
the Kolyma river
followed by 50
more across the
Bering Strait
82
‘We buy sausages, chocolate,
everything… while smoking’
Our friend Tom, also known as The Ural Pope, was the
one who suggested we take Ural 650 sidecar combinations.
Sure, we would suffer a bit along the way, but he knew we
could find spare parts almost anywhere. And, hopefully,
we would eventually be able to tell a generator gear from
a transmission gear. Rumour has it that during the 1990s
the best working Urals were exported from Mother Russia
and the decent working Urals were given to the police and
military, which leaves the worst ones which were disposed
of domestically. All of which means we were lucky enough to
get a decent set of 650s.
Every night we gather together to set up our base: the
tarp, a 25 square metre sheet, is our mobile home and every
day ends with us trying to transform this green square
into a house. Having trees around makes things easier,
but in places such as Mongolia our bikes become the poles
and petrol canisters the anchors. Then every morning we
demolish our home, pack up and keep going. At least until
the next breakdown...
Because of our chosen motorcycles it’s hard to make a
plan, but it usually goes something like this: wake up; have
coffee; brush teeth; breakdown; lunch; breakdown. And by
the time the third breakdown kicks in it’s time to set up the
tarp again. This turns out to be our daily routine for two
years, 25,000 miles and 972 breakdowns on the ‘land route’
from Germany to New York.
Escape from Siberia
But first we need to get out of this Siberian swampland.
Eventually we manage to drag all the bikes to the other side
of the river, only to discover three more days of swamps, mud
and rain. And the only remaining supplies are black coffee
and some petrol. And then, just three miles from civilisation,
we hit a big, big river. This time we choose to abandon our
motorcycles and walk for food. We reach a junction and meet
a couple of local truckers who greet us with wide smiles.
Homeless and bedraggled as we look they are eager to help
us. Within an hour or so all our bikes are over the river,
thanks to our new friendly locals and their Ural truck. Yes,
Ural. Next stop – the closest Russian grocery store where we
buy sausages, chocolate, mayonnaise, cookies, milk, cheese
and we eat everything in one go… while smoking. However,
we are not finished with large obstacles made from water,
 Rescued by
friendly locals
and their Ural
truck. Could
it have been
anything else…

For those of
you wanting to
recreate this
adventure, here’s
your blueprint

EVERYTHING YOUR SIDECAR NEEDS FOR ITS RIVER CRUISE

1 Standard household equipment: Spark plugs, cylinder, engine, screws, petrol canister, tarp, cutlery, pots, toilet paper, wet wipes, cigarettes, lighters, soap,
shampoo, toothpaste, towels. 2 The bureau: x6 Russian visas, x4 ural 650 doppelganger papers, pending applications for special permits for Yakuta + Chukotka.
3 Food supplies: Canned meat, canned vegetables, canned tomato paste, apples, cabbage, onions, secret breakdown chocolate, noodles, dried legumes,
buckwheat, rice, horse food (Efy was hoping it might be orzo rice), dried meat, sunflower seeds, dried fruits, flour, dry yeast, sunflower oil, sugar, coffee, milk powder,
salt. 4. Boat construction: x10 pontoons, x10 aluminium ladders, 200 metres of rope, x10 iron pipes, x5 propellers, x5 rudders, x10 chains, x10 bearings, x5
shafts, x10 custom made sprockets for the chain, x10 replacement sprockets, x2 air pumps. 5 Precautionary measures: x5 2 metre long paddles (hand carved
by Kaupo), fishing rod, hooks, flies, turn signal, x3 mosquito nets, x6 mosquito hats, x6 lifejackets, inflated inner tubes could potentially serve as lifebuoys, bear
deodorant, highly chemical mosquito spray, mosquito cream, axe, satellite phone, water filter system, beer, vodka. 6 Navigational equipment: Binoculars,
Kolyma river map from 1985, photos from some captain’s river map, obsolete motorcycle navigation system. 7 Documentation equipment: Drone, solar
charger, cell phones, GoPros, Garmin action camera, SLR cameras, Polaroid camera, Sony camcorder, hard disks, laptops, journals.

83
 ‘With pontoons clamped to each of the
bikes and propellers replacing final
drives we are ready to sail’

Honestly, this is far

worse than it looks

Clearly of the
two you would go
for the Ural

84

as before us lies the Bering Strait, our gateway to Alaska and
the United States of America.
Standard Urals and water don’t go well together so we
gather parts: custom sprockets; propellers; bicycle chains.
And then we get down to work. From the start our plan was
to motorcycle from Germany to New York, but we didn’t
really go into the details of how to do it. The problem lies
between Russia and Alaska: 50 miles of open sea… the
aforementioned Bering Strait! Which is where all those
sprockets, bicycle chains and propellers come in handy. With
a pair of pontoons clamped to each side of the bikes and
propellers replacing final drives we are ready to sail.
Setting sail… by Ural
Before attempting the Bering Strait we need to test our
amphibious creations, and by this we mean a 1000 mile sail
on the Kolyma River – basically the only ‘road’ leading to
the Bering Strait is this river. During the winter the water
freezes over making it passable by trucks, but in summer
once the ice melts you need to adapt to the conditions. At the
end of the day we believe it’s possible to get anywhere with
any vehicle… it’s just a matter of time, some imagination,
and a bit of engineering.
We reach the shores of the Kolyma River and there are just
a few hours before we set sail. Everyone is quietly excited,
and a bit anxious. However, when you are travelling as we
are you are always curious. Curious about what is round the
next corner and about who you will meet. The past year on
land has introduced us to so many people – often during
our breakdowns it has to be said. Some would stop by the
roadside to invite us into their workshop, which would
then turn into a cup of tea, which would then
turn into cooking food together, which would
then turn into telling stories. We wonder about
the stories we might hear along this secluded
river. How do people live here? Are there schools? Discos?
Postmen? What do they eat? Where do they sleep? How do
they move around in a place which is ruled by nine months
of winter. And when there’s no winter, the bears come out…
And just like that, we head off on our voyage.
Adventure
Left to right: After just five minutes of sailing, a tree trunk floats by
Kaupo, Anne, like a huge whale attempting to swallow up Kaupo… along
Elisabeth, Efy
and Johannes
with our 400kg of spare parts. That’s when reality hits: our
air-cooled engines don’t have enough power to go against
the current so none of us can sail/drive back to help him.
Drifting further away, all we can do is stare as Kaupo tries to
free himself from the branches with an axe. (Thank the river
gods, he has that axe.) Mercifully he is successful.
He catches up with us and we tie ourselves together.
Suddenly we’re 50 square metres wide and five tons: a Mega-
Float. Sticking together like this is the most logical decision
to keep us safe, but it changes a lot; for the past year we at
least got a bit of privacy under our helmets. Even riding in
a convoy we could decide for ourselves to stop or not. You
No matter how
crippled your always have the choice of deciding whether you go left or
motorcycle right. But now it’s like we’re all steering a single mass of a
there is always motorcycle. Sure, going left or right are both good options.
alternative
propulsion But when a sandbank just pops up out of nowhere five
people need to come down to just one decision – and fast!
And we have to learn the hard way that trying to maintain a
democracy on a motorcycle ship is perhaps not the
best solution. And now we’ll have to figure out
how to drag this five-ton float off of this damned
sandbank. New York
looks a long way
away…
85
First Ride
Sharpe
smarter,
more…
Suzuki’s GSX-S is the overlooked big naked. Which, all things considered, is hard to understand
By Phil West Photography Jason Critchell
S uzuki’s GSX-S1000 has long been one
of the best value street-focused nakeds.
With seductive shunt from its recycled
GSX-R1000K5 motor, better parts (Brembo radials,
multi-adjustable suspension) than its price tag
suggests yet a somehow understated presence, it was
a late but welcome addition to the streetfighter class
in 2015. 148bhp for just £10,000 (or thereabouts) is
not ignorable.
And now it’s had a substantial makeover. Six years
unchanged meant the 2021 GSX-S required a Euro5
update and Suzuki seized the opportunity to help
it stand out with an all-new, more aggressive look,
bolstered performance and extra tech and features.
Suzuki say all this means the ‘S’ is now ‘Sharper,
Stronger, Smarter’. On the strength of this outing in
the Yorkshire Dales, they are right.
First off you notice its sharper, more aggressive
look – there are more points and angles, and homage
to Suzuki’s 2020 MotoGP winner by way of winglets
and blue livery. Its face is dominated by new, stacked
twin LED headlights (as seen on the new V-Strom
and ’Busa and quickly becoming a Suzuki signature).
‘Urban camo’ overlays on side panels and shrouds
complete the styling makeover.
So that’s ‘Sharper’ dealt with, what about
‘Stronger’? For this read improved midrange and
acceleration – although still K5-based the silky,
yet meaty, four has a raft of updates. A new cat-
equipped exhaust and revised injection get it
through Euro5 while new cams, airbox, valve springs
etc compensate for the added strangulation by
enhancing peak power (by 2bhp) and smoothing
midrange torque.
For ‘Smarter’ we get Suzuki’s new ‘SIRS’ (Suzuki
Intelligent Ride System) electronics bundle, as
recently debuted on the latest V-Strom 1050 and
Hayabusa. Although, with the GSX-S being more
budget it’s a fairly basic version without an IMU (and
thus cornering ABS and traction). Still, with three
86
A bit dark
SPECIFICATIONS
Price £10,999 Engine 999cc, liquid-
cooled, 16v transverse four Power
150bhp Torque 79.6 lb.ft Top speed
145mph (est) Rake/trail 25°/100mm
Wheelbase 1460mm Kerb weight
214kg Seat height 810mm Tank size
19 litres Economy 46mpg Colour
Blue, grey or black Availability June
Bike verdict The GSX-S was always a
bargain big naked with a surprisingly
good engine and chassis. Now its
stronger, slicker and more distinctive
for virtually the same budget price.
Bike rating 8/10
Stacked and
angled
Sharper styling, more tech
and extra ooomph
performance modes, five traction settings, Suzuki’s
‘Easi-start’ and ‘Low rpm assist’, and, best of all, a
new, standard quickshifter/autoblipper, it’s probably
enough for most. All of it’s easy and intuitive
enough to navigate via the left-hand switchgear
and sophisticated-looking new reversed LCD dash,
although the digits are on the small side and the
screen (like Honda’s similarly reversed ones on its
CB500 family), is annoyingly dark.
What hasn’t changed much, of course, is the basic
riding experience – and that’s no bad thing. The
old GSX-S was always impressively able – a meaty,
evocative powerhouse of a motor enhanced by a
typically Suzuki slick gearchange, neutral handling
with surprisingly good suspension and brakes and
all for a price which undercut by £1000s not just
European exotica but all Japanese rivals.
That all remains or has been enhanced.
Performance has been bolstered, the GSX-S sounds
better, the quickshifter makes the transmission even
slicker and the new electronics and dash lift Suzuki’s
streetfighter into the 2020s – just.
Instead, what irked most about the old ’un was
how unremarkable it looked and how basic its spec
was. With the restyle, like it or not, plus the tech
upgrade, that no longer applies – and all for a hike in
price of just £300.
Yes, the GSX-S is heavier, less powerful and far
less sophisticated than the latest super-nakeds from
Ducati, Aprilia, BMW, KTM or even Triumph. But
that’s missing the point: the big Suzuki’s not playing
that game. Instead it remains a real-world naked at
getting on for half – yes, HALF – their price. It also
significantly undercuts the prices of rival Japanese
nakeds, has more than enough performance for
most yet now has enough style and spec to stand out
in a crowd.
Suzuki nakeds have long brought to mind
butchered GSX-Rs and Bandits. This one,
appropriately enough, remains a steal.
 Great bike, that
undercuts opposition by
£1000s, just got better

‘The old GSX-S

was always a
meaty, evocative
powerhouse of a
motor… That all
remains or has been
enhanced’
87
RS660: a genuine
breath of fresh air
for fairing lovers

88
 The

Big
test Miles ridden: 1161
Riders: Hugo Wilson, Mike
Armitage, Peter Boast
Fuel used: 89 litres
Cheek aching grins: 457

APRILIA
RS660
Our first, brief ride on the all-new Aprilia RS660
left us deeply impressed, but how will the Italian
middleweight fare over the longer term? Six weeks
and 1000 miles should provide the answers…
By Hugo Wilson Photography Chippy Wood

T he decline in the popularity of sportsbikes is

a chicken and egg story. Did sportsbikes lose
popularity because they became ever more track
focused, chasing ultimate performance at the expense of
all-round ability? Or did they become more track focused
because a changing (but significantly smaller) market
demanded it? Whatever, the new Aprilia RS660 seems like
a breath of fresh air – the first middleweight sportsbike in
years that’s been designed with the road rider in mind. A
spacious riding position for ordinary humans, accessible
performance, but in an exciting and all-new light weight
package that’s bristling with attitude and technology.
We tested the new bike on the road, mixing fast scratches
on twisting local runs with longer jaunts that included dual
carriageway tedium and long stretches in the saddle. And
we took it to Cadwell Park where our tame racer Peter Boast
ragged it in the fast group to find whether the new machine’s
road civility would cost it time in the trackday GP.
This is what we reckon…

89
The Big Test

We’re
suckers for
the Reggiani
replica paint
scheme

90
 LIVING WITH...
ÕóåêãÝîéïßñĞï
º With no heel protectors the
swingarm soon starts to scuff
up. So add the cost of some
accessories to your budget.
And wouldn’t it be nice if the
swingarm was polished ally
rather than painted?

Folding mirrors
º For those with restricted
storage, folding mirrors are a
boon. The Aprilia’s flick up and
out of the way easily, but they do
blur slightly at speed. Still good
enough to see flashing blue
lights though.

Cruise control
º Easy to use cruise control
takes the stress out of average
speed camera situations with
easy adjustment of speed
Simple dash
does what’s
and simple activation and
needed, but cancellation. Dip switch can be
appears accidentally flicked.
dated
Nifty back rack
º So simple, so clever, so why
has no-one done this before?
Pillion pad can be removed at
the turn of the key to reveal a
much more useful back rack with
bungee slots that allow easy
transport of clobber.

COLOURS

‘If they let these race in

the MiniTwins class at Got to be Reggiani, surely?
º There are three colour options for the new bike, which
the TT it’s going to be Aprilia describe as Acid Gold, Apex Black and Lava Red. The
Lava Red scheme on our test bike harks back to the colours
a game-changer’ of Loris Reggiani’s mid-1990s race bikes and the production
RS250 of 1994. If the intention was to stir strange emotions
in men of a certain age then mission accomplished, though
Mike Armitage wants both wheels colour matched. Acid Gold
isn’t as offensive in the flesh as it appears in some pictures.

91
The Big Test
Better on road
than track which,
to be honest, is a
pleasant surprise
in this day and age

‘Confidence is everything’ explained Bike’s quick and Easy to use

cluster allows
experienced deputy editor Mike Armitage, ‘and the RS660 electronic
gives me loads. There are other more focused race reps with adjustment
superior outright handling, but the feel through the Aprilia’s
front end and the action of its forks gives me oodles of
confidence, wet or dry.’
On track Boastie was less complimentary about the rear
suspension. ‘Poor,’ opined the Lincolnshire legend after
a concentrated track session at Cadwell. ‘Turning at the
bottom of The Mountain the shock is in all sorts of bother
– wallowing and uncontrolled.’ To be fair Boastie was
bothering fast group riders on 1000cc superbikes, and the
bottom of Cadwell’s Mountain is a stern test, with combined
direction and camber change. It’s also worth noting that
although Peter was complaining, and the Pirellis were
scuffed right to their edges, nothing seems to have touched
down on track.
However, there’s no doubt that the suspension is a
compromise, and a lack of damping adjustability on a ten
grand bike is a fair complaint. Piaggio are tight lipped about
the prospect of a Factory model with fancy suspenders, but
surely one is on the way.

92
 FACTS AND FIGURES
º 400lb in old money, combined )XHOƮJXUHV
with 90bhp is a fun recipe, but
the fuel economy figures are
59
MPG
impressive too; 59mpg average
and 70mpg within easy reach.
AVERAGE
Tank size:
15 litres
Wet Distance to
fuel light:
weight 140 miles
Range:

181.6kg 195 miles

Price Rake

£10,150 Seat height

24.1º

820mm
‘There are
more focused
race reps,
but the feel
through the
Aprilia’s front Wheelbase 1370mm Trail 104.6mm

end gives PERFORMANCE TESTING

me oodles of Performance
º Despite a blustery
confidence, sidewind the 660’s
0-60mph: 3.5s
sportiness is
wet or dry’ confirmed: it Standing-start 1/4 mile:
accelerates 11.67s @ 119.05mph
as quickly as
a Ducati 748. Top speed: 139.2mph
(indicated 145)
We’d expect
150mph in 40-80mph top gear: 8.13s
fine weather
Electronics conditions too. Braking 70-0mph: 54.8m
(ABS on)
You get a load of superbike standard electronics with the
RS660 and, even for this aging luddite, they are relatively
easy to understand and access, providing varying levels of ALTERNATIVES
High quality traction and wheelie control plus cornering ABS and engine
quickshifter is a Kawasaki ZX-6R
standard fitting braking variation. £9850
The modes are structured into road and track options º Last survivor of the old
with road settings offering Commuter, Dynamic and a supersport 600s, still an
personalisable ‘Individual’ option too. Frankly, you don’t buy engaging and exciting ride, but
an RS660 to potter about in commuter mode, so I spent most feeling quite dated.
time in Dynamic, which is a decent compromise though
KTM 890 Duke R
Mike complained that anti-wheelie and traction control were £9649
still coming in too early. Time spent adjusting those facets º Latest generation sporty
in the Individual set-up delivered a perfect compromise middleweight nakeds are ace;
between show-off and safety. see also Triumph Street Triple
For track use there is also Challenger and Time Attack and Yamaha MT-09SP.
modes with lap timers, pit lane speed limiter and other
Yamaha R7
toys, and with the safety nets removed. All these options are £8000
accessible through four-way switches on the left cluster, and º Less power, modest spec and
a single button on the right. keener price than the Aprilia, but
Road riders will get more benefit from the excellent, should be good on the road. See
average-speed-camera-defeating cruise control. page 8 for more.

93
The Big Test

Decent quality
Controls and comfort
components Sure, the Aprilia is tech laden, crisp, perky and sweet
add to the handling. But for road riders, and especially those who are
Aprilia’s bigger than a typical jockey and less flexible than a tantric
appeal
yoga devotee, the riding position is a revelation too. Praise
the lord, here is a high tech sportsbike that is hours in the
saddle comfortable. Confidently, this is a bike that can
deliver far more than track outings and Sunday rides. Never
mind the nonsense of vanning bikes to Spanish trackdays,
you can ride this one down there.
I’m 5ft 10in and not very bendy, with the aches that arise
from old impairments and advancing years. But, I was blown
away by the comfort of the RS which allowed me to rattle off
easy three hour runs without a twinge.
You need to adopt the sportsbike crouch, with horizontal
lower arm and the fuel tank embrace but peg, bum, wrist
ratio is ideal for avoiding neck aches.
Except… ‘The pegs are too low’

‘For road riders,

less flexible than
a tantric yoga
devotee, the
riding position is
a revelation’

94
 POWER AND TORQUE
observed six-foot Boastie at Cadwell. ‘It’s comfy, but I
couldn’t pressure the pegs properly to get it to turn, and º Power is basically torque x revs, and by making the RS
I had my bum on the pillion seat on the straight to get scream, Aprilia have got more power than a competitive
properly tucked in.’ Still, at least he used the pillion seat. ER-6 MiniTwins racer – yet with silencing and decent service
Mrs W wasn’t prepared to test the accommodation for its intervals (MiniTwins can be like grenades). Wow.
intended function.
The dash is basic but didn’t cause irritation, switchgear 90
is logical though the dip switch is easy to accidentally
activate and the cruise control is user friendly.
Power
75 90.8bhp @
Practicality 11,750rpm
The riding position is the biggest step towards
practicality, but there are other nice touches too. Remove Torque
60 47.8 lb.ft @
the pillion seat to utilise a handy luggage rack, fold the
8600rpm
mirrors conveniently away for storage (but watch them
blur at high rpm), use the cruise control to save your
licence from average speed cameras and, get this, enjoy 45
70mpg economy.
During speed testing the RS’s thirst was quenched
at 45mpg, but on the road it was usually delivering in 30
mid-sixties, with one 120-mile round trip providing a
measured 70mpg without trying. Typically the fuel light
comes on at 150 miles, but the 3.3 gallon tank should 15
provide an almost 200-mile range in regular use. 3000 4500 6000 7500 9000 10,500 12,000
Service intervals are 6200km (3850 miles) with valve
clearance checks at twice that.
TYRES
Quality and finish
After six weeks, 1000 miles, a few wet rides and three º The standard fit Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II seem to
washes, we’ve nothing to complain suit the Aprilia well and, because the bike isn’t carrying an
about except that the lack of heel excess of weight, they should last OK too. But with common
plates means that the painted 120/70 17 and 180/55 17 sizes there are plenty of other
swingarm is quickly scuffed. options available.
The bare metal surfaces on the RS660,
engine casings and exhausts, have a quality ACCESSORIES
feel, but painted parts and plastics are slightly
less convincing for a £10,000 bike. One suspects Heel plates
that fairing stickers might succumb to careless £26.99
jetwashery. This is a bike that will require pampering º RG Racing have been quick
to maintain its appearance, but it’s such a jewel that off the mark with RS660
won’t be a hardship. ‘Can I have one with colour accessories, including essential,
matched wheels and a polished swingarm?’ asks swingarm protecting heel plates.
Mike, suddenly enthused about sportsbikes again.
Tank bag
£219
º Aprilia’s own tankbag is a
ridiculously salty £219, but
there are plenty of other options
available.

Tall screen
£75
º ‘Increased 18%’ according to
the Aprilia site, whatever that
means, but it might make the
bike even comfier on long runs.

Aprilia MIA media platform

£219.99
º Plug-in allows smart phone
connectivity with navigation,
This man is not
travelling to call management, music etc. For
an osteopath people who need distractions.

95
The Big Test
If you’re not really
buying into the
200+bhp power
APRILIA RS660 wars of current
superbikes…
Contact aprilia.com
Engine 8-valve dohc parallel twin, 270° crankshaft

Capacity 659cc
Fuel system fuel injection
Transmission six-speed, chain
Frame aluminium twin-spar
Front 41mm USD fork, adj. pre-load
suspension
Rear monoshock, adj. pre-load
suspension
Front brakes 2 x 320mm discs, four-piston calipers
Rear brake 220mm disc, twin-piston caliper
Tyres 120/70 ZR17, 180/55 ZR17

‘Value? At around
£10k it’s amongst
some real quality
machinery:
Street Triple RS;
MT-09SP;
Duke 890’

Verdict
We really like this bike, and the way it’s reminded us that
sportsbikes can make sense of British roads. As a riding
challenge it’s all about corner speed and planning. Big
litre sports bikes are hard and uncompromising, arriving
at corners so quickly that you react by braking too hard,
and then wobble around realising that you should have
got round far more quickly and elegantly. The RS allows a
more measured approach resulting in a deeply satisfying
ride. Plus, and it’s only a small thing, that rack is genius,
adding real practicality. Clockwise from above: gets flustered on the limit; clever luggage solution; fantastic open-the-
Value? At around ten grand it’s amongst some real garage-door presence; just in case you needed a reminder of what Aprilia means
quality machinery: Yamaha’s MT-09SP; Triumph Street
Triple RS; KTM Duke 890 – all have a similar attitude to
the Aprilia, but with more power and less wind protection.
We’re convinced that the Italian bike is a very valid
alternative to these machines.
The fly in the ointment concerns spares back-up. Aprilia
don’t have the best reputation for this, and depreciation on
some of their bikes has been savage. However, we believe
that the RS660 is a strong enough package to be well
worth consideration, and it’s in with a shout as our Bike of
the Year.

Bike rating 9/10

96
 Built to suit your rider
weight & riding style
2 year guarantee
Fully re-buildable
Stainless 304L damper body
Billet machined mounts
18mm piston rod
Made in England
www.hagon-shocks.co.uk
020 8502 6222

.



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TEL: 02083648588
The area covered is 75 miles radius from EN63LT
Static wash available at our base • other services offered
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www.mo-clean.com
First Ride
One
for th
road
In supernaked world it’s all MotoGP wings and 200+bhp. But not for BMW. Have they gone mad?
By Chris Newbigging Photography Double Red
G iving motorcyclists what they think
they want is a fraught ambition. After
all, decades of sportsbike buyers
shouting ‘More! Faster! Lighter!’ have resulted in
bikes so focused, fast and advanced few can access
their potential. Supernakeds have gone this way too.
Think Aprilia’s Tuono V4 and Ducati’s Streetfighter
V4 in particular.
By basing their S1000R on the S1000RR superbike
it’s easy to see how BMW could have strayed down
this same strasse. The frame, swingarm, suspension
and engine have always been generally the same,
with detail changes to suit the nakedness. However,
the two previous ‘R’ generations have been equipped
with at least 25bhp less than the sportsbike but
with more midrange. Ducati and Aprilia favour less
differentiation.
For their 2021 S1000R you may have expected
%"ééWheelbase !ééKerb The 1000R uses the Hayes calipers as seen on
BMW to follow the Italians down the wings and
big bhp route, as once again they take all the major
components from the latest generation of double-R,
the sportsbike now packing over 200bhp at the rear
wheel. Not only that, but the RR is more focused
than ever in an attempt to win Superbike races.
Yet, refreshingly, the new single-R continues to
plough its own furrow. Peak power remains the
same as the old model at 165bhp. And where the
S1000RR uses Shiftcam technology, the supernaked
goes all conventional, with camshaft profiles
matching the RR up to 10,000rpm before falling
behind and revving to a lower 12,750 ceiling.
On the roads of north Lincolnshire it proves to be
everything you’d expect: grunty and urgent with a
flat power curve and flawless throttle response. The
broad torque spread allows wider spaced ratios – you
rarely need to stab it down to get the response you
need, and if you want to cruise, drop the revs right
down for reduced consumption and vibes.
Unpleasant high-frequency vibes have plagued the
S1000 for years, and they’re not resolved here. Hold
98
Slick,
efficient,
BMW
SPECIFICATIONS
Pricex!!x#%Ýïðáïðáà
Engine%%%ßßèåíñåàßëëèáààëäß"ò
åêèåêáâëñîÒëóáî" ÞäìTorque$ 
èÞªâðTop speed"éìäáïð Rake/trail
weight%%çãßèÝåéáàSeat height
$ééTank size!!èåðîáïEconomy
éìãîëÝàColours ÔáàóäåðáÝêà
ÞèñáëîîáàëîõáèèëóÝêàÞèÝßç
Availabilityêëó
Bike verdict ÄÏÙĊïÝèèêáóÕÔ
óëêĊðïÝðåïâõðäëïáóäëÞñõïëèáèõëê
ïìáßïäááðÞîÝòÝàëÞñðåðĊïÝòáîõ
ìëèåïäáàÝêàìëðáêðïñìáîêÝçáà
Bike rating 9/10
Semi-active is
great on road
Wings that only work over
150mph? Not for the S1000R
it above 7000rpm for too long and your fingertips
will buzz.
Moving on to better news and the major chassis
improvements: the frame relies on the engine to
provide structural rigidity, yet both elements (and
ancillaries such as the exhaust, swingarm, subframe)
are all lighter. The whole bike weighs a claimed
199kg and it’s narrower between knees, while new
handlebars connect you more directly with the front
tyre. They’re adjustable for 10mm more forward
reach from standard position, too. Suspension is all
new, the rear shock boasting a larger damping piston
for better control, and the DDC semi-active control
option pulls data from a new IMU and refines
settings to increase comfort and control. It’s made
the S1000R much more agile, more dynamic and
easier to control at town speed.
the 1250GS and S1000RR. They’re not confidence
inspiring, although the ABS system is very good – as
are all the electronic systems. The new suspension
balances refinement and poise brilliantly in road
mode: Dynamic suspension mode was redundant
until the Lincolnshire launch moved to Cadwell Park
for an evening of thrashing.
On a circuit the ‘R’ is as capable as you could
wish from a road bike, yet it is easy to ride. Ground
clearance, grip, electronic rider aid intervention,
stability and feel are all more than good enough.
Shame about those brakes though.
I tested a mid-spec model with stock cast wheels,
as well as another with optional forged wheels which
save nearly a kilo in unsprung weight. Worth it? No.
It’s already light, with plenty of leverage from the
wide handlebars, so the benefit of racy wheels isn’t
particularly needed. Nor is the adjustability of the
Dynamic Pro mode – when the pre-set settings are
so good and you can turn them off entirely if you
want, it seems silly to blow a year’s fuel money on the
feature.
 If you’re looking for the spec
sheet winner this isn’t it, but if
you’re looking for a supernaked
to ride on the road…

‘Grunty, urgent and

flawless throttle response
– you rarely need to stab it
down to get the response
you need’
99
 www.adventurebikeshop.co.uk
Unit 19, Inca Business Park, Acton, Suffolk CO10 0BB
t: 01787 372901 e: info@adventurebikeshop.co.uk



 








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Advice, guidance and things to do with bikes EXPERTS IN
THIS ISSUE

Hugo Wilson
Multi bike owner
Flat-track fantasist
fulfills his dreams at
RE’s drift academy.

BIKES
£ RIDING
Chippy Wood
Enthusiast
World Superbike
snapper and British
B-road connoisseur.

Harley Davidson Sportster: Buying [102] Flat track school: Skills [106 ]
Honda Hornet 900: Overlooked [102] Jurassic Coast: Glorious ride [116 ]
Mike Armitage
Last year’s rubber: Tyred & tested [103] Oil change: Try this [116 ] High mileage rider
Ducati 950 Supersport: Living with [104] Franco & Boastie: Racing [118 ] Used bike bargain
hunter with an H-D
Sporty 750s: Temptation [108] Leather jackets: Our favourites [120 ] Sportster interest.
Accident process: Law [109] Classic destinations: Events [120 ]
276 bikes: Road test verdicts [111] Sidi Adventure 2: Tried and tested [121 ]
The greatest LC: nuggets [115] Vespa Monthlery: Weird & wonderful [122 ]

John Westlake
Used bike dabbler
Has spent three
months with Ducati’s

Tool of updated Supersport .

the month
Bolts are specified based on the width of the ‘shank’.
A bolt with a 6mm shank usually has a 10mm head, or a
5mm Allen head. But the specification of the thread is
also critical. That M6 bolt would normally have a 1.0mm
Pete Boast
thread – the distance between the peaks of one thread.
Road tester
But it might not; finer threads and corser threads may be
used depending on the application. To check thread Experience seeker,
last weekend classic
size you need a thread gauge. This one makes me
motocross, this…?
feel guilty. It belonged to my grandpa but I’ve
neglected it and now need a magnifying
glass to read the numbers. New ones
cost about a fiver. HW

Andrew Dalton
Biking lawyer
Spends his days
arguing with
insurance companies.

101
Know How

ǮBuying ǰ

Harley-Davidson
Sportster 1200
Its shape, thump and character have made the Sportster H-D’s
GHƮQLQJPRGHOVLQFHWKHV'LVFRQWLQXHGLQ(XURSHQRZLVWKH
time to buy as prices are only going to go one way. And that’s up…

BIG MOTOR, SMALL ISSUES

Harley’s hydraulic valve lifters automatically adjust to maintain correct clearances,
so need bugger-all attention (well, very rarely). They do sound tappety for a short
while on starting, but should hush up – if the racket continues it can mean low engine
oil or a lifter fault. You might also detect what appears to be an oil leak from the air
filter cover – many bikes have an aftermarket filter which will have been supplied
‘oiled’, and gloop can run down and sneak out through the cover. Not a concern.

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE

Preloved models in dealers are sometimes only a few hundred quid less than
a spanker, so if you don’t bond with your US iron you’ll probably be able to
flog it without loss. You might even make a profit – the 1200 (and the 883)
were Harley’s best-selling models, and now they’re discontinued (they don’t
meet Euro5 regs) which could mean big demand for used bikes. And buy from
a dealer if you want real confidence. They have so much faith that ‘Harley-
Davidson Original Approved’ bikes have certified mileage and history, a
comprehensive inspection, 12-month warranty, roadside assistance…

ÍÇÇÒËÐÉËÖÖËÒ«ÖÑÒ
Servicing the simple air-cooled V-twin is a doddle even for the mechanically inept. Oil and filter
changes come every 5000 miles (or 12 months, unless doing really tiny mileages) for bikes made FROM
from 2006 onwards, and the hydraulic lifters mean a valve check about once every 100 years.
However, to keep you attentive there’s belt final drive, which needs the tension checking and £4000
tweaking every 5000 miles. Check the condition too, as stones and road crap get in, causing
fraying and then failure. 2004-on models have a lower belt guard to try and stop it happening.

ǮOverlooked ǰ
Honda Hornet 9
No, not a naked Blade – and that’s good
º The idea of a CBR900RR motor in the Hornet 600 chassis got speed-
obsessed journos into a froth in 2001. They grumbled when the result was
calmer and softer than expected; the Hornet 900 arrived as supernakeds
became a thing, and negative press caused trickling sales. But the 900
isn’t trying to be musclepants and aggro. Instead, it mixes ease-of-use
with a forgiving chassis that soaks up bumpy roads at speed, pushed by
a robust 110bhp four. We tested it with Speed Triple, Duke and Tuono on
WDQJOHG<RUNVKLUH%VDQGWKHFRQƮGHQFHJLYLQJ+RQGDZDVDFHHVSHFLDOO\
on wet bits. Owners love ’em. Prices start at £2500. Mike Armitage

102
 PRIMARY SCHOOL
If a Sportster is a bit lurchy and lumpy
when cruising at low speed it’s often
a warning that the V-twin’s primary
chain (transferring drive from the
crank to the gearbox) has become
slack. The tension is checked by
peeking behind an inspection plate on
the cover. Tolerances are quite broad
– there should be 9.5-12.7mm of free
play when the engine is cold, or 6.3-
9.5mm when engine is warm. Like the
final drive belt, you’re unlikely to ever
need to replace the primary chain.
ÉÑ«ÈÃÕÖÇÔÉ×ÄÄËÐÕ
‘Stage one’ tunes with an exhaust system, free-flow air
filter and altered fuelling (re-jetted carbs or re-mapped
injection) are common. Some owners only fit the exhaust
and air filter, though, which makes the 1200 run lean and
eventually damage the engine. Check for pops and bangs
during the test ride. You might also find an 883 that’s
grown into a 1200 – the engines are the same apart from
pistons, cylinders and heads, and lots of owners upgrade
rather than change their bike. There’s not usually any
reason to keep away from some conversions as they
usually use a Screamin’ Eagle kit, which has higher-
quality components than a factory-made 1200 and will
thud out a few more horses too.

ÈËÐÇÈËÐËÕÊ
Materials and quality are good, and owners ‘Approved bikes
generally tend to pamper their bikes. But still
have a poke at the chrome caps where the have certified
fork sliders meet the chrome stanchions,
and also where spokes meet the rims. Also mileage and
inspect paint on the rear mudguard near the
indicator/numberplate brackets as it’s often history, 12-month
scruffy. Exhausts rust inside the tailpipe as
well (as, it seems, do all Harleys). warranty…’
ELECTRICAL WHATNOTS
Older bikes may sometimes suffer a flat battery after a wet ride or enthusiastic washing, as
water runs down the wiring harness into the fuse box and shorts out the relays. Harley
sorted it in the 2007 model revision. The regulator/rectifier is carried on the front of the
V-twin and so is exposed to the weather and all the muck and filth slung up from the front
tyre. This continual battering often leads to premature component failure.

2010+$5/(<ǫ'$9,'6216325767(5
Engine 1202cc, air-cooled, 4v pushrod V-twin Power 55bhp
Torque 72 lb.ft Top speed 110mph Rake/trail ťPP
Wheelbase 1512mm Dry weight 255kg Seat height 710mm
Tank size 17 litres Economy 45mpg

Bike verdict Modern, fast, high tech? Certainly not. Charismatic,

LQYROYLQJDQGDEORRG\VDIHXVHGEX\"'HƮQLWHO\$QGWKDQNVWRWKHUHWUR
boom Sportsters are cool again too. Try one – you might be surprised.

Bike rating 8/10

ǮTyred & Tested ǰ

Get the right rubber for you
Any superseded sports tyre
Used for: yonks and yonks Price: from £125 a pair (120/70 ZR17, 180/55 ZR17)
º One of my mates asked if he should get some hot-dang Pirellis or Michelins with lots of
letters after their name for his KTM 990 Super Duke. My response? Neither. He’s a brisk road
rider and the KTM is perky, but there’s no way he needs the very latest in edge grip and all that
nonsense on the B587. I suggested something old. Seriously – there’s not been a duff tyre in
years, and superseded models offer amazing value. Take the Bridgestone BT-016 Pro. They’ve
been around a decade but were fancy when new with triple compounds, quick warm-up, wet
confidence and the grip for fast group trackday escapades. You’ll get a respectable 4000 miles
from a rear and 50% more from a front, too. Yet they’re £145 a pair. Steal, that. Mike Armitage

103
Know How

Ǯ Living with ǰ

Ducati
PRACTICALITY
Supersp
Because it’s meant to be a sensible sportsbike, there are a few nods
to practicality. Below the one-piece saddle are hooks for luggage
and a USB port, plus space for a minimal tool kit. The pillion saddle is
comfortable enough, but there’s no strap or grab handle.

NARROW
The Supersport steers beautifully and is a joy to throw about down
a twisty road. I suspect much of the credit for this should go to the
180-section rear tyre, which helps the 950 feel nimble despite the
geometry’s inherent stability. It also helps the 950 look waif-thin.

SPORTINESS
7KLV6PRGHOKDVӪKOLQVIRUNVDQGVKRFNZKLFKDUHIXOO\DGMXVWDEOH
I haven’t touched them though – the standard settings are well-nigh
perfect for brisk riding down atrocious roads. The riding position is far
more comfortable than a Panigale’s but still feels sporty enough.
COMFORT
The saddle is well padded and big enough to shuffle about on, though
the slope at the back slides you into the same position eventually. It
easily manages the 140 miles between fill-ups and after a 400-mile day
I was ache free (apart from aches that were there to start with).

104
 The new Supersport loses a few horsepower
and gains a new nose, screen and saddle.
Nevertheless, custodian John Westlake’s
first 800 miles seem to have gone well…

port 950 SCREEN

This has two positions but because there’s only an inch or so between
them there’s not a huge difference. The upper position takes a smidge
more breeze off your chest without being noticeably noisier, so I stick
with that one. You can’t easily adjust the screen up and down on the go.

MIRRORS
These feel like an afterthought. The size and positioning is ok – just a bit
of elbow in the way – but vibrations above 3500rpm render them close
to useless. You can see there’s a white form behind you, but is it a cop
car, van or turbo sheep? Pull the clutch in to find out.

BATTERY LOCATION ÕÙËÖÅÊÉÇÃÔ°ÆÃÕÊ

If you want to wire in heated clothing, set aside a couple of hours This is Ducati’s latest fare and works sweetly. The only niggle is
of investigation and piddling about. The battery is low down on the Ducati’s use of the indicator cancel switch to do other jobs. For comfort
left side, and you have to remove the whole left fairing (10 bolts, two cancellers like myself it means I keep resetting the trip every time I
sadistically placed) to get to it. Plastics are good quality. instinctively make sure I haven’t left the indicator on.

105
Know How
n my head I was Mert Lawill in On Any Sunday; ‘There
I is no better feeling in motorcycling than coming into
a turn at 120 miles-per-hour and pitching it sideways,
with no brakes.’ In reality I was doing, maybe, 20mph and
photographic evidence suggests that the back of the bike
was stepping out by… ooh… maybe an inch. The venue
was different too – Greenfield in Lincolnshire, rather than
Sacramento, California. Still, it felt pretty exciting, but
backing it in? That must be the advanced class.
Royal Enfield’s recently announced Dirt Craft training
scheme is about giving ordinary riders the chance to further
their On Any Sunday fantasies. Pro-flat tracker and Royal
Enfield racer Gary Birtwistle has got a fleet of dirt converted
Enfield Himalayans on which to instruct on the intricacies
of the oval experience. The lack of front brake and strapping
106
a steel shoe onto your left foot makes for authenticity, but
speeds are much lower than Mert’s.
‘This is a technique based game,’ explains Gary, ‘it
looks simple, but you are searching for a grip level that is
constantly changing, and you’ve got the challenge of riding
with no front brake. To go fast you have to have real finesse.’
Instruction starts with getting familiar with the bike,
the steel shoe and the absence of front brake. From there it
moves on to getting the basics of the correct stance – body
and arm position, the way one’s hand holds the throttle, the
position of the inside leg and your bum cheeks and the way
the body remains upright, pushing the bike down into turns.
And then you are out onto the bigger track with
more speed, when the absence of a front stopper and
the importance of engine braking become much more
‘To go fast
you have to
have real
finesse’
 THEIN G
RAC ISSUE

Man at the Ok Cinderella

back: reality stick out your
dawns foot

‘Sorry, you … and this is

got lost where how you do it
exactly?’

significant. It’s also when the lapses in technique start to

become an issue. Remembering the basics is difficult, which
See the Enfield twin in action
º As well as running Enfield’s flat track training scheme Gary
is why Gary keeps the track sessions quite short, the two
is racing one of their beautiful Interceptor based twins in the
groups of six riders swap bikes so while one group rides the Dirt Track Riders Association twins class this year. Remaining
other observes and is re-briefed. That’s no hardship, a six lap races are 17-18 July at Amman Valley, Wales, 14-15 August,
session is exhausting and you’re soon gasping for a breather. Redcar, 11-12 September, Greenfield, Lincolnshire.
How does this benefit road riders? ‘Road riders are used º dirttrackriders.co.uk
to a planted bike and a consistent surface,’ says Gary. ‘If a
bike gets loose they might feel out of their depth, so being
familiar with the feel of a bike that’s losing grip is really
useful. You have to stay loose too.’
By the third session on the big track I was far more
confident of pushing the front on the way into the turn, and
of getting onto the power on the exit. It felt like the rear end
was starting to step out too, but that was probably wishful
thinking.
Whatever, it’s fantastic fun and the experience of pushing
the front while making a turn on a loose surface feels really
useful for road riding confidence. HW

º How to do it Royal Enfield Slide School sessions cost

£160, with courses taking place at Redcar, Kent, Devon and
Greenfield in Lincolnshire. º Details: dirtcraft.co.uk

107
Know How
ǮTemptation ǰ
The Magic Number
Seven-fifty. Has there ever been a sportsbike that’s a greater all-round package than a
sorted 750? No matter that there are no new ones with these gems available… Mike Armitage
£3450
Yamaha FZ750
º Little Known Facts #43: while developing the
FZ750, Yamaha painted a dotted line down the
centre of their track so that test riders could treat
it like a road. Suzuki’s GSX-R might have stolen
the FZ’s thunder when launched in 1985 but the
Yam was more advanced, with a forward-canted
liquid-cooled engine, beam-style frame and
a large-diameter tyre on its then-trendy 16in
front wheel, pre-empting the move to 17in. This
three-owner FZ is for sale at We Sell Classic
Bikes (01531 807079), showing 22,000 miles with
freshly serviced carbs, MoT’d and ready to ride.
£14,995
Ducati 749R
º This ‘stunning’ R model at Extreme Trading
(08081 689625) is no.326 of a limited run, has
done 9000 miles and has just been serviced
(including new cam belts). I know, it’s not what
you think of when you think 750. Especially
as the 749 (and 748) were two-pot rivals to
howling 600cc fours in World Supersport. But
with its short-stroke 121bhp motor and fancy
suspension the homologation-special 749R is
right up there with 750cc fours, and delivers
a lean-loving, corner-carving ride no modern
machine can supply. I ruddy love the things.
108
£3495
Kawasaki ZX-7R
º Who do you want to be? Hislop, Gobert,
Russell, Crafar... or, if you’re like me, you’ll
wriggle into some Texport leathers and slip
into a time warp pretending to be Chris Walker.
Other 750s may have been lighter and faster,
but we embraced the steadfast and inspiring
ZX-7R in the UK. This 1998 bike shows 20,700
miles and is in excellent nick, freshly serviced
with history and recent tyres. It’s at Superbike
Trading (07537 125163) with a full MoT, just
waiting for you to rock up with your iridium
visor and sparky kneesliders.
£24,995
Suzuki GSX-R750R
º With up-and-over frames and blunt styling,
1980s GSX-Rs have an iconic form. They make it
impossible to resist sliding into a colour-matched
paddock jacket, Arai Signet and white boots.
Especially when it’s the sweetest of all, the GSX-
R750R ‘double R’ from 1989 with close-ratio ’box,
fat carbs, large alloy tank and other niceties. This
one at Craigs Honda (01274 028127) has covered
just 12,500 miles and, as a UK bike, is a rare beast:
only 500 of these homologation specials were
made, with 200 for Europe and only 50 for the UK,
many of which went straight to race teams.
£24,995
Honda RVF750 RC45
º Buy an RC45, not an RC30. Reasons are many.
First, the 118bhp injected RVF is faster. Second,
it has the stability of the secure RC30 but also
greater agility, and third, it’s more spacious and
comfortable. And fourth, the 45 is far rarer than a
30 – not many were made, and at £18k it was so
hard to flog Honda crushed the last few. Really.
This 1994 bike at Craigs Honda (01274 028127)
has only done 8000 miles, and feels fabulously
period thanks to aftermarket wheels and a fruity
pipe. These bits also mean it’s way cheaper than
a mothballed all-original example. Get in quick.
£4790
Yamaha YZF750 SP
º A few years ago I got to ride a minty YZF750
that had only covered a few hundred miles.
Sampling one as they were when new was a
revelation, with midrange drive and supple
suspension that made a then-current sports
600 look utterly pointless. This example from
Rite Bike (01274 028251) adds another level
of deliciousness by being the SP version,
with luxurious Öhlins, flatslides, adjustable
swingarm pivot and the other homologation
special treats. It’s done less than 16,000 miles
and, crucially, is in must-have shellsuit colours.

£7691
Suzuki GSX-R750
º Seven-and-a-half grand might buy you a
new Honda CBR650R, and it’ll be very nice.
But it’ll also be a tad sensible and worthy, and
nothing like as inspiring, exciting and emotion-
stirring as this GSX-R. Suzuki’s legendary
sportsbike was at the heart of the three-
quarter-litre class for over three decades, and
late model bikes are near perfection. This one
at SuperBike Factory (01625 353004) is from
2016, has done just 9000 miles and is in the
go-faster MotoGP colour scheme. Joan Mir’s
riding ability probably not included, mind.
£8295
MV Agusta F4
º And you thought you’d never afford exotica.
The 750 that relaunched MV is as alluring today
as when first seen at the end of the 1990s, with
its single-sider, church organ pipes, Ferrari-style
radial valves (they all point at the centre of the
bore) and timeless lines. This one at Carl Harrison
Motorcycle Services (01379 770474) has been
thoroughly serviced, including a valve check,
new wheel and rear hub bearings, plugs, fluids,
battery, new tyres... and all for the same sort of
cash as a current GSX-S750. Which’ll give more
belly flutterings when the garage swings open?
ǮLaw ǰ
What police
really do at
an accident
f you find yourself pinned under your
I motorcycle or involuntarily parted
from it, the emergency services will
promptly arrive. There will be police
and there will be paramedics: the
paramedics role is easy to understand
– if you are really hurt a skilled medic
will stabilise you and also stop you
from dying if that’s the story of your
day. However, for the most part they
will make sure you are going to survive,
patch you up and cart you off to
hospital. Meanwhile, the police’s role is
not so obvious.
No one is going to die
Their first aim is to make sure no one is
going to die. If that is likely they follow
a pretty set procedure, regardless of
force. In England and Wales if there is
a realistic prospect of fatality the first
officer on the scene will call in a more
senior rank or roads policing. The local
officers will then do as
much as they can to get
basic information from ‘Coppers are
witnesses – usually a
very short statement used to cross
(4 lines or 30 words
is pretty typical), and examination
contact details, while
making sure no one
and know it
moves vehicles or
does that weird thing
is not fun’
of sweeping everything up. You’d be
surprised how often a well meaning
bystander gets a broom out.
If no one seems especially likely to be
bothering the Coroner the police will
usually check if there are road traffic
offences that warrant a prosecution,
perhaps run vehicles through the Police
National Computer, check identities and
run a computerised check on insurance.
Next level CSI only kicks in if there is a
likelihood of death, a serious road traffic
offence has been committed, or alcohol/
drugs found at the scene.
The forensics team comprises
police experts – usually roads policing
officers – who undergo a huge amount
of training and who deploy loads of
expensive tech. And, even if on scene, if
the hospital relay back no one is likely to
die they stop work on that basis.
No legal recourse
So, for the civil claim, if the police take
no details, prosecute no one, run no
checks, or let a miscreant drive away
having left no details, you as the victim
have no legal recourse. You can use the
close to useless police complaints system
– but that is of little help if your civil
claim can’t get off the ground. Clients
regularly express disbelief that as they
lie on the floor with busted limbs,
the police release everyone, authorise
vehicles to move and never take a
photograph. So why does this occur?
The first and obvious reason is their
job does not involve securing evidence
for potential civil claims. The second is
experience; if an officer
drafts a detailed plan or
takes photographs of a
collision scene, there is
a good chance they will
be summoned to court
to ‘prove’ their evidence
and be cross examined.
Coppers are used to
cross examination, and
know it is not fun. More
often than not a careful police report
will decide if a case is worth running or
defending. Judges pay close attention
to what people said to the police,
admittedly in very short form, before
we lawyers get to put our finger prints
all over it. Judges like the immediacy of
what is said to the police so while the
police do not have to do much, when
they choose to go above and beyond
what is the minimal requirement it
makes getting to the truth of what
happened a lot easier.
Andrew Dalton
at White Dalton Solicitors
109
Knowledge Know How

Listings
This isn’t a limp brochure-style round-up of all the bikes you can buy.
No, your guide is far more useful as it only contains bikes that we have tested,
with comparable on-the-road prices plus data, expert opinion and must-know detail
gathered by fussy full-time testers. We do hundreds of thousands of miles, dyno, datalog,
ZHLJKDQGDQVZHUWKHELJTXHVWLRQV'RQoWEX\DQHZELNHZLWKRXWUHDGLQJWKLVƮUVW

** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE PRICE ENGINE TOP SPEED POWER MPG BIKE VERDICT RATING TESTED

APRILIA UK.aprilia.com, 00800 15565500 Bike’s choice: RSV4 is everything a race rep should be... but we’d buy an RS660
RSV4 Factory £23,000 1099cc V4 186mph* 214bhp** 45mpg Ace engine, great suspension and electronics, exemplary steering. Also tiny, and depreciates. 9/10 Jul ’21
Tuono V4 1100 Factory £18,100 1077cc V4 168mph* 173bhp** 40mpg* Supernaked is fast, sharp, hi-tech, yet civil and calm if needed. Ace road-going sportsbike. 9/10 Aug ’19
Dorsoduro 900 £8999 896cc V-twin 125mph* 93bhp** 40mpg Looks are deceiving: this is more solid, friendly all-rounder than edgy, thrilling supermoto. 6/10 Aug ’18
RS660 £10,150 659cc twin 139mph 91bhp 45mpg Sportsbike handling, punch and tech; sports-tourer comfort and usability. Impressive thing. 9/10 Mar ’21
Tuono 660 £9700 659cc twin 135mph* 90bhp* 50mpg Naked RS has less tech but is comfier and super-agile. More fun than a Street Triple R or RS. 9/10 Jun ’21
ARIEL arielmotor.co.uk, 01460 78817 Bike’s choice: loads of options and extras, but it’s got to have girder forks
Ace £28,345 1237cc V4 165mph** 173bhp** 40mpg* Machined alloy frame, Honda V4, girder forks, endless choices. Fast, capable, work of art. 8/10 Jun ’19
BENELLI benelli.com, 0844 4128450 Bike’s choice: not ridden it yet, but the Leoncino 800 Trail looks tidy...
TRK 502 £5199 500cc twin 95mph* 46bhp** 72mpg** Great value long-distance tool but lacks a little balance and refinement. Don’t pay over £5k. 6/10 Mar ’18
752 S £6699 754cc twin 95mph* 75bhp ** 55mpg Designed in Italy, built in China. Solid, pleasing and decent value, but not yet in MT-07 league. 7/10 Jul ’20
BMW bmw-motorrad.co.uk, 0800 777155 Bike’s choice: yeah, it’s predictable... but brilliance of the GS can’t be ignored
R18 Classic First Ed £20,980 1802cc flat twin 115mph* 91bhp** 51mpg Excellent R18 cruiser dressed like a Harley. Quality, but screen and panniers loose cool points. 8/10 May’21
R18 First Edition £18,995 1802cc flat twin 113mph 87bhp 50mpg Just-so balance of modern rideability and quality with classic sensations and retro flair. Lovely. 9/10 Jul ’21
K1600 Grand America £24,875 1649cc inline 6 154mph** 156bhp** 41mpg** Toys, comfort, steamy engine, impressive handling... It’s a bunga-bunga party on wheels. 8/10 Oct ’18
R1250RT £14,875 1254cc flat twin 142mph 117bhp 50mpg Go-to tourer not be to all tastes, but you can’t argue the variable-valve radar-shod tourer is ace. 9/10 Jun ’21
R1250GS £13,700 1254cc flat twin 133mph 115bhp 44mpg Grunty, nimble, easy, clever. Endless options. Defines adventure, but Multi’ V4 better on-road. 9/10 Apr ’21
R1250RS SE £14,995 1254cc flat twin 139mph 127bhp 50mpg Fast, comfy, accomplished, lots of tech – sports-tourers aren’t dead. Not perfect, but it’s close. 9/10 May ’20
R1250R £11,515 1254cc flat twin 150mph* 134bhp** 60mpg** Ace variable-valve motor in friendly, comfy, capable chassis. Better pure road bike than a GS? 9/10 Aug ’19
R nineT £13,145 1170cc flat twin 139mph 101bhp 49mpg Cheap? No. Ace quality? Yup. Top mix of modern and classic. Basic-but-capable Pure is £10k. 8/10 May ’21
R nineT Urban G/S £11,510 1170cc flat twin 139mph 101bhp 49mpg Classy roadster with wide-bar’d controllability and trad’ styling. Also in Scrambler form. 8/10 Mar ‘18
S1000RR M Sport £20,010 998cc inline 4 190mph* 207bhp** 44mpg** Astounding engine, super-sharp chassis, every possible gizmo. Amazing. Base model £15k. 9/10 Feb ’20
S1000XR £14,285 998cc inline 4 155mph 161bhp 43mpg Adventure? Nah, it’s a high-rise sportsbike. Fast, agile, well equipped, supple ride, curious seat. 8/10 Apr ’21
S1000R £11,570 998cc inline 4 156mph 159bhp 40mpg Presence, performance and practicality. Sport has all tech widgets for just £13,380. Superb. 9/10 Oct ’17
F900XR £9825 895cc twin 130mph* 100bhp 50mpg Easy-to-ride Tracer rival with eager twin, quality chassis, fine spec. Very good. Naked R is ‘meh’. 9/10 May ’21
F850GS £10,180 853cc twin 120mph* 94bhp 58mpg Smooth parallel twin and dirt-ready chassis. The GS we’d use to solo round the world. 9/10 Oct ’18
F750GS £8595 853cc twin 110mph* 76bhp 69mpg** Slim front tyre and 19in wheel make this detuned 850 a better road bike. But lacks some ‘wow’. 8/10 May ’18
G310GS £5320 313cc single 88mph** 34bhp** 84mpg** Decent quality, easy to ride, but missing a defining GS character. Not peanuts, but good. 7/10 Mar ‘18
BROUGH SUPERIOR broughsuperiormotorcycles.com, +33 0562 892 460 Bike’s choice: SS100 is fabulous, but we hear a turbo is coming...
SS100 £59,999 997cc twin 130mph* 100bhp** 45mpg* Great detail, engaging ride, lots of look-at-me. Expensive, but Motocorsa have them from £35k. 8/10 Oct ’16
CCM ccm-motorcycles.com, 01204 544930 Bike’s choice: of the various Spitfire variants the flat-tracker models look coolest
Spitfire Foggy Edition £11,995 600cc single 100mph* 55bhp** 50mpg* Feel-good ride, custom looks, scythe-like cornering, hard ride. Expensive, but exclusive. 8/10 Jun ’19
Spitfire Bobber £9995 600cc single 100mph* 55bhp** 56mpg Curious mix of laid-back bobber styling with stiff chassis and revvy power. Not mega, but good. 8/10 Jan ’20
DUCATI ducatiuk.com; 0845 718500 Bike’s choice: you’ve got to ride the Panigale V4... astounding
XDiavel £17,743 1262cc V-twin 159mph 147bhp 50mpg Cruiser style with supernaked grunt and sportiness. Clever, but ride is hard. Flash S is £20,443. 8/10 May ’21
Monster 1200 S £15,038 1198cc V-twin 155mph* 150bhp** 45mpg* Looks a bit like the old M900 but it’s a modern high-tech smoothy. R (£16.3k) is track ready. 8/10 Feb ’17
Multistrada V4 S £18,565 1158cc V4 155mph* 170bhp** 43mpg** The most sophisticated, rounded, clever Ducati ever. Fast, sharp, but also comfy and civilised. 9/10 Apr ’21
Panigale V4 S £25,356 1103cc V4 191mph 203bhp 39mpg Stupid-fast, sharp, needs working to get the best out, but still feels mega to ‘normal’ folk. Wow. 9/10 Jul ’21
Streetfighter V4 S £20,143 1103cc V4 175mph* 203bhp** 27mpg Easy (ish) to ride, but also mind-warp fast. It’s remarkable... but also a bit pointless on the road. 8/10 Sep ’20
Scrambler 1100 Pro £11,443 1079cc V-twin 110mph* 83bhp** 45mpg* 1100 Evo-engined, easy-riding Scrambler has charming twin and more comfort than 800s. 8/10 Aug ’18
Panigale V4 R £35,143 998cc V4 195mph* 221bhp** 35mpg* Head-down, short-stroke, 16,500rpm nutter. Useless unless you’re a racer... when it’s ace. 8/10 Oct ’19
Panigale V2 £15,143 955cc V-twin 169mph 140bhp 45mpg ‘Entry-level’ superbike is fast yet friendly, focused yet usable. Better for most than the hairy V4. 9/10 Apr ’20
SuperSport £12,443 937cc V-twin 145mph* 113bhp** 43mpg* Top, usable, sporty road bike for normal folk. New 950 version due, so there are great deals. 9/10 Jan ’18
Multistrada 950 S £13,701 937cc V-twin 135mph 107bhp 50mpg Proper thing: eager motor, easy handling, effective semi-active ride. Worth £1.5k over non-S. 9/10 Dec ’19
Hypermotard 950 £11,143 937cc V-twin 140mph* 113bhp** 45mpg* Great Multistrada engine, fine spec, fun, bit of a looker – but limited by supermoto leanings. 7/10 May ’19
Monster £10,643 937cc V-twin 135mph* 110bhp** 45mpg* Italian icon goes from trad’ to contemporary. Light, fun, usable street bike with badge appeal. 9/10 Jul ’21
Scrambler Desert Sled £10,143 803cc V-twin 120mph* 71bhp 55mpg* High-rise twin looks, rides and feels great, and almost works off-road. Best 803cc Scrambler. 9/10 Oct ’17
Scrambler Icon £8543 803cc V-twin 123mph 71bhp 56mpg Looks the part, feels the part, and popular. Limited usability though. Street Twin is classier. 7/10 Dec ’16
ENERGICA motocorsa.co.uk, 01747 811196 Bike’s choice: they build a sportsbike, but Esse Esse makes more sense in cluttered UK
Eva Esse Esse9 £21,999 electric motor 125mph** 87bhp 60mpc Great acceleration, response, quality. Cheaper than was, but still pricey. Got a charging point? 7/10 Aug ’18
Eva Ribelle £19,825 electric motor 123mph 144bhp 112mpc Performance and handling to rival (most) petrol supernakeds. Best road-going electric bike. 7/10 Apr ’20
FANTIC fanticmotoruk.com Bike’s choice: there are three versions of the Cabellero, but just go for the best colour (so that’s the Scrambler)
Caballero Scrambler £6399 449cc single 100mph* 43bhp** 60mpg Rev-happy, ex-enduro single in a light, good-quality package. Frantic on long rides, but top fun. 8/10 Oct ’19
ÊÃÔÎÇÛ«ÆÃØËÆÕÑÐ harley-davidson.com, 0871 6412508 Bike’s choice: the Fat Bob has looks, finish, good ride... and funny name
CVO Street Glide £33,095 1868cc V-twin 115mph* 80bhp* 50mpg Bold, loud, glitzy, pricey. Most refined and usable big H-D twin yet, let down by choppy ride. 8/10 Nov ’17

The most of each drop

º We were delighted when our Aprilia RS660 gave 70mpg (see page 88), but it’s a drop in
the ocean. The world fuel economy record is by a hybrid trike thing built for the Shell Eco
Marathon that did 14,573mpg in 2018. Yes, really. We prefer this from the Shell challenge’s
early years, complete with left-hand throttle and strapped-on cushion. Good for 845mpg.

111
Knowledge

Listings
ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES
BLUE = Available just on iPad
RED = Available on iPad and Android
ORANGE = Available in print only

** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE PRICE ENGINE TOP SPEED POWER MPG BIKE VERDICT RATING TESTED

FXDR 114 £17,995 1868cc V-twin 120mph* 91bhp** 44mpg** Drag-bike styling, huge back tyre, massive stomp, dubious cornering. Fat Bob much better. 6/10 Nov ’18
Low Ride r S £15,825 1868cc V-twin 115mph 93bhp* 50mpg** Top looks and noise, more fun to ride than you think. But better in California than Croydon. 6/10 Jan ’20
Ultra Limited £24,695 1745cc V-twin 105mph* 67bhp* 43mpg H-D take on a tourer. Best-ever ride and handling, water-cooled heads. Good, if not ace. 7/10 Nov ’13
LiveWire £28,995 electric motor 115mph* 104bhp** 90mpc Superbike acceleration, jet-like noise, decent handling, smooth, well made. And expensive. 7/10 Oct ’19
Road Glide Special £22,995 1745cc V-twin 105mph* 67bhp* 42mpg Ride, finish and 8v motor much better than old H-D. War of the Worlds fairing blows minds. 6/10 May ’15
Street Glide Special £22,895 1745cc V-twin 115mph* 40bhp* 45mpg* Classic looks, decent suspension, good finish and latest 8v motor is the best yet. Fine thing. 8/10 Dec ’16
Sport Glide £15,295 1745cc V-twin 116mph 99bhp 51mpg Hammering engine, civil road manners. One of the most appealing H-Ds – and now cheaper. 7/10 Sep ’18
Fat Bob £14,295 1745cc V-twin 115mph* 75bhp* 44mpg** Bold looks, fine details, huge punch, and surprisingly usable too. 1868cc option is £15,495. 8/10 Feb ’18
Breakout £18,855 1745cc V-twin 115mph* 75bhp* 50mpg** Low-slung, drag-inspired cruiser that rides better than expected. Classy, refined hot-rod. 8/10 Dec ’17
Street Bob £12,295 1745cc V-twin 110mph* 75bhp* 50mpg** Classic chopper-ish lines, clean handling, modern 8v power. But new Fat Bob is far better. 6/10 Dec ’17
HONDA honda.co.uk/motorcycles, 0845 2008000 Bike’s choice: Get a V4 quick – they’re killing the VFR after almost 40 years. Boo, hiss, etc
GL1800 Gold Wing Tour £28,349 1833cc flat-six 112mph 125bhp** 51mpg Still opulent and huge, but super-tourer has cunning front suspension and its finest ride ever. 8/10 Sep ’18
Crosstourer £11,499 1237cc V4 130mph** 133bhp** 43mpg Noise and floaty ride are GS-like, finish is ace, V4 is strong. Dropped this year, so get a bargain. 8/10 May ’12
CB1100RS £9999 1140cc inline 4 130mph* 86bhp 43mpg Better-handling 70s superbike version of CB. Fine thing. 20bhp more would be nice. Ace price. 7/10 Aug ’17
CB1100EX £9799 1140cc inline 4 130mph* 86bhp 43mpg Classy retro is smooth, usable, charming, if lacking a little soul. Great quality, yet bloody cheap. 7/10 Jun ’17
CBR1000RR-R Blade SP £23,499 1000cc inline 4 185mph* 214bhp** 45mpg** Shrieking, rev-happy sportsbike. Small, exquisite, hi-tech, classy, pricey. Are you fast enough? 9/10 Apr ’20
CBR1000RR Fireblade £19,999 1000cc inline 4 185mph* 214bhp** 45mpg** Same power and electronics as SP (above), but no semi-active or quickshifter. Save for the SP. 9/10 Apr ’20
Africa Twin Adv’ Sport £14,649 1084cc twin 130mph* 97bhp 44mpg All the tech, plush optional semi-active, classy feel, huge range, stupid switchgear. So close... 8/10 Feb ’20
Africa Twin £13,049 1084cc twin 130mph* 97bhp 47mpg Feels like a big, refined enduro bike, so is different to a GS. Cheaper too. Daft switches and dash. 8/10 Dec ’19
CB1000R £11,649 998cc inline 4 145mph 135bhp 46mpg Fast, luxurious, high quality – and has a touch of the soul Honda have been lacking. Nice. 8/10 Feb ’19
VFR800F £9999 782cc V4 141mph 98bhp 46mpg Classic V4 charm and ability, modern air. Buy a legend while you can: it’s discontinued this year. 9/10 Jun ’14
Crossrunner £9999 782cc V4 134mph 98bhp 46mpg VFR for adventurers is superb: smooth, brisk, comfy, well-made. Discontinued so ruddy cheap. 9/10 May ’20
X-ADV £10,349 745cc twin 105mph* 54bhp** 70mpg* Off-road scooter you’ll never take off-road. Pricey too. But also practical, enjoyable and top fun. 8/10 Dec ’18
Forza 750 £9999 745cc twin 110mph* 54bhp** 70mpg Capable bike with looks and practicality of a scooter. And DCT. Odd concept, ace execution. 9/10 May ’21
NC750X DCT £7949 745cc twin 110mph* 54bhp** 62mpg Flexible twin, top mpg, clever gears, big storage, well made. Not flash, but oh-so-very useful. 10/10 Feb ’17
CBR650R £7949 649cc inline 4 138mph 86bhp 54mpg Flexible, handsome, fun, fast-enough road sportsbike. Remember 1990s CBRs? You’ll love it. 9/10 Aug ’19
CB650R £7199 649cc inline 4 140mph 93bhp** 50mpg Naked version of CBR (above) is fabulously balanced. Quality, dynamic, value all superb. 9/10 May ’19
CB500X £6119 471cc twin 110mph* 43bhp 68mpg* Well-made, able, A2 adventure bike. Naked F (£5599) and faired R (£6149) are even nicer. 7/10 May ’19
CRF450L £9499 449cc single 80mph* 24bhp** 55mpg* CRF dirt tool detuned for dual-purpose use. Ace on trail, not very good elsewhere. And £9k! 7/10 Apr ’19
CRF250L £4949 249cc single 78mph* 23bhp** 70mpg* Fine green-laner and friendly urban commuter. Rally (£5649) has big tank, useful screen. 7/10 Mar ‘18
Monkey £3749 125cc single 65mph* 9.2bhp 105mpg Supersize Monkey: MSX (below) in convincing 1960s mini-bike custom. Fun, not practical. 7/10 Oct ‘18
Super Cub C125 £3449 125cc single 65mph* 9.2bhp 124mpg Descendent of iconic step-thru’. Glorious urban transport. Discontinued, so haggle a top deal. 8/10 Jul ‘19
MSX125 £3449 125cc single 70mph* 11bhp* 105mpg Half Monkey bike, half proper bike. More giggles than a naked bouncy castle party. 8/10 Aug’13
HUSQVARNA husqvarnamotorcycles.com/gb Bike’s choice: Supermoto is desirable, funky, silly... and yet usable day-to-day
701 Supermoto £9799 693cc single 121mph 71bhp 54mpg Engaging, fun at sensible speed, frugal, sexy, friendlier than it looks. Proper midweight tool. 9/10 Sep ’17
701 Enduro £9799 693cc single 120mph* 71bhp 54mpg Proper dirt bike, yet refined, frugal and plush on the road. Big-tank LR (long range) version, too. 9/10 Apr ’19
Vitpilen 701 £7549 693cc single 125mph* 71bhp* 56mpg KTM 690 with classy styling, ace single, lively ride. Knobbly Svart’ version is more comfy. 8/10 Sep ’19
Svartpilen 401 £4299 375cc single 105mph* 43bhp** 65mpg* Built for A2 riders avoiding the mainstream. Essentially KTM’s fine 390 Duke with more style. 7/10 Jul ’18
INDIAN indianmotorcycle.co.uk Bike’s choice: classic character, modern quality, sensible price – Scout Sixty is a market leader
Roadmaster £26,199 1890cc V-twin 110mph* 90bhp* 40mpg* Fully-loaded, over-the-top celebration of touring opulence is actually very good. 7/10 May ‘15
Chieftain Dark Horse £23,999 1811cc V-twin 120mph* 90bhp* 40mpg* Half-faired, long-haul ‘bagger’ with satin finish and lots of tech. Impressive, genuine Harley rival. 8/10 Nov ’14
Challenger £24,999 1770cc V-twin 112mph** 122bhp* 46mpg* Full-on tourer with ace water-cooled motor, physics-defying chassis, full tech. Watch out, H-D. 8/10 Jan ’20
FTR1200S £12,999 1203cc V-twin 140mph* 120bhp** 45mpg* Likeable, stylish, high-quality V-twin flat tracker. Sporty ride is a tad firm, mind (non-S is softer). 8/10 Feb ’20
Scout £11,899 1133cc V-twin 120mph 100bhp** 45mpg* Distinct, classy mix of trad’ style and modernity. Mean Bobber version (£12k) is very black. 8/10 Feb ’18
Scout Sixty £10,499 999cc V-twin 110mph* 78bhp** 45mpg* Style, quality and details of big ’un (above), but affordable. Finest ‘medium’ cruiser there is. 9/10 Nov ’17
KAWASAKI kawasaki.co.uk, 01628 856750 Bike’s choice: has to be the Ninja Z H2. Friendly, usable, yet suitably deranged
ZZR1400 £12,747 1441cc inline 4 186mph 193bhp 38mpg End of the line for the epic, continent-eating, fine handling, legendary ZZR. Buy while you can. 8/10 Jul ’18
Versys 1000 S £13,145 1043cc inline 4 144mph 114bhp 47mpg High-rise, high-spec ‘adventure tourer’ is genuinely great. Its only problem is no BMW badge... 9/10 Apr ’21
Ninja 1000SX £11,447 1043cc inline 4 149mph 140bhp** 43mpg* The best-selling Z1000SX sports-tourer, with more tech and refinement. Sports-tourer datum. 9/10 Jun ’20
Z1000 £10,647 1043cc inline 4 147mph 131bhp 37mpg Eager chassis, fit motor, child’s-toy looks, firm ride. Far from perfect, but distinct and pleasing. 7/10 Aug ‘15
Ninja H2 £26,146 998cc inline 4 183mph 205bhp 25mpg Glorious excess in a hi-vis cotton-wool world. Part-throttle acceleration is mind-blowing. 10/10 Feb ’17
Ninja H2 SX SE+ £22,145 998cc inline 4 186mph* 197bhp** 39mpg Sports-touring exotica. Not perfect, but classy, usable, and that motor... Base model £16.5k. 8/10 Jun ’19
Z H2 £16,047 998cc inline 4 175mph* 197bhp** 40mpg* Mega blown H2 motor in bespoke naked chassis. Far more road focus than supernaked rivals. 8/10 Oct ’20
Ninja ZX-10RR £24,947 998cc inline 4 180mph 189bhp 44mpg The already-capable ZX-10R with tuned motor and fancy wheels: basically a base for racing. 9/10 Jun ’18
Ninja ZX-10R £14,647 998cc inline 4 180mph 189bhp 44mpg Amazing race-derived motor, handling, electronics. SE with semi-active ride is £19,292. 9/10 May ‘21

Not for the limp wristed

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2g under braking, meaning they put nearly 160kg through their wrists at each corner. Or,
SXWDQRWKHUZD\WZLFHWKHJIRUFH\RXUFFVSRUWVELNHZLOOKLWDFFHOHUDWLQJLQƮUVW

112
 Know How

** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE PRICE ENGINE TOP SPEED POWER MPG BIKE VERDICT RATING TESTED

Z900RS £10,547 948cc inline 4 143mph 102bhp 51mpg Modern Z900, tweaked into a retro. And better for it – dynamic, feel and detailing are great. 8/10 Jan ’19
Z900 £9047 948cc inline 4 145mph* 123bhp** 52mpg** If you grew up on inline fours, this feels ace. Not as agile or punchy as MT-09, but very good. 7/10 Sep ’17
Versys 650 £7497 649cc twin 115mph* 62bhp* 54mpg* Twin-cylinder tall-rounder is a great multi-purpose tool. Full-kitted Grand Tourer is £8792. 9/10 Oct ’15
Vulcan S £6647 649cc twin 115mph* 61bhp** 63mpg* Affordable, good-looking, modern cruiser with ER-6 power. Surprising ability, keen price. 8/10 Jan ’18
Ninja 650 £7247 649cc twin 130mph* 67bhp** 70mpg* Z650 dressed up in ZX-10R costume. Comfy, easy-to-ride, cheery twin for J. Rea wannabes. 9/10 May ’17
Z650 £6997 649cc twin 130mph* 67bhp** 70mpg* Confidence-inspiring Zed is fun, fit, frugal. More fun than SV650, nicer build than MT-07. 9/10 Mar ’17
Ninja ZX-6R 636 £9847 636cc inline 4 165mph 116bhp 44mpg Full-on sports 600 now has TC, modes and a big snout. Focused, but surprisingly rideable. 8/10 Aug ’19
Ninja 400 £5698 399cc twin 110mph* 44bhp 63mpg** Pricey A2-legal entry sportsbike with nice bits: assist-slip clutch, LCD dash, bungee hooks. 8/10 May ’18
KTM ktm.co.uk, 01280 709500 Bike’s choice: fast, light and funky, but safe and secure – 790 Duke is a wonderful creation. Loads knocked off too...
Super Adventure S £14,999 1301cc V-twin 155mph* 160bhp** 49mpg Super-tech, radar-shod, all-roads missile dressed as adventure bike. Ace, but Multi’ V4 better. 9/10 May ’21
1290 Super Duke GT £15,599 1301cc V-twin 159mph 158bhp 45mpg Mad power, sports handling, all the toys and eats miles. Couple of iffy bits, otherwise ace. 9/10 Jan ’19
1290 Super Duke R £15,749 1301cc V-twin 160mph* 161bhp 42mpg* Fast yet friendly, sharp but safe, and loads of gizmos – perhaps the best all-round supernaked. 9/10 Sep ’20
890 Adventure £10,999 889cc twin 130mph* 103bhp** 63mpg** The previous 790 with extra bhp, smoother delivery, tweaked chassis, more tech. Very good. 8/10 Jan ’21
890 Duke R £10,649 889cc twin 140mph* 119bhp** 53mpg Buy this, not an R6 – the souped-up 790 is the defining mid-size sportsbike, but still friendly. 9/10 Nov ’20
790 Adventure R £10,999 799cc twin 130mph* 95bhp** 67mpg** Fit power, proper chassis, better off-road than F850GS. To be replaced by the 890, so haggle. 9/10 Nov ’19
790 Adventure £9799 799cc twin 128mph 93bhp 70mpg Flexible motor, proper image, easy to use. Good, but Yam Ténéré is better value. Going soon. 8/10 Sep ’19
790 Duke £7499 799cc twin 140mph* 102bhp** 64mpg** Light, punchy twin is also easy to ride. 2018 Bike of the Year but discontinued, so grab a steal. 9/10 Dec ’20
690 Enduro R £8999 690cc single 115mph* 73bhp** 60mpg* Super-clever Duke/Husky 701 lump in long-legged trailie. Pukka, classy, dual-purpose tool. 8/10 Feb ’16
390 Adventure £5649 373cc single 105mph* 43bhp** 56mpg Chirpy A2-legal adventurer looks like a 1290 (sort of). But it’s basically a 390 Duke in wellies. 8/10 Jul ’20
RC 390 £5249 373cc single 107mph 42bhp 53mpg Fast, frantic, flighty, yet efficient and usable. Dissolves in winter. In teen-friendly 125 form too. 6/10 Jul ’15
390 Duke £4899 373cc single 108mph 41bhp 70mpg* Revvy, eager motor in agile 125 chassis? Yes. Looks like the 1290 and less toy-like than it was. 7/10 Jun ’17
125 Duke £4299 125cc single 75mph* 15bhp** 100mpg* Indian-made Duke for teens is huge pan-Europe success. It’s perky, handles and looks top. 7/10 Jun ’11
MASH mashmotorcycles.co.uk; 01264 889012 Bike’s choice: go for the X-Ride (but budget for new tyres and suspension)
650 X-Ride £4999 644cc single 90mph* 40bhp** 60mpg* Ex-Honda Dominator motor in 70s-style trailie. Good quality, keen price, let down by chassis. 5/10 Apr ’21
DirtStar Scrambler £4496 398cc single 80mph* 28bhp** 70mpg** Inoffensive aesthetics, affordable price, steady performance. Simple two-wheel pleasures. 6/10 Nov ’16
Roadstar £4096 398cc single 80mph* 28bhp** 70mpg** French brand, made in China, fine Honda-based motor. Some iffy details, but cheap and fun. 6/10 Dec ’17
MOTO GUZZI uk.motoguzzi.it Bike’s choice: unique image, sweet ride, classy quality; it’s not fast or clever but V85 is lovely
V85 TT Travel £11,999 853cc V-twin 115mph 68bhp 50mpg Pleasing V85 with hit-and-miss extras (luggage, tall screen, hot grip, fogs). Buy the stock one. 8/10 Mar ’21
V85 TT £10,899 853cc V-twin 115mph 68bhp 50mpg Convincing road-going adventurer. Capable dynamic, fine quality, charm and great looks. 9/10 Jan ’20
V9 Bobber £8999 853cc V-twin 110mph* 53bhp** 55mpg* Pleasing V-twin in a trendy, well-made package. Shiny Roamer (£8699) looks a bit too ’80s. 8/10 Jun ’16
V7 III Special £8600 853cc V-twin 115mph* 53bhp** 63mpg Style, ride and badge all spot-on. 850 V-twin isn’t as grunty as a Street Twin, but we forgive it. 9/10 Jul ’21
MOTO MORINI motomorini.eu Bike’s choice: if you’ve got the cash, the factory’s ‘One-Off Department’ will do you a custom to your spec
Milano £13,700 1187cc V-twin 145mph* 114bhp** 42mpg Instant chunky power, firm and direct chassis, neat 70s paint. Buying is a gamble, but it’s cool. 8/10 Nov ’19
MUTT muttmotorcycles.com, 0121 439 4774 Bike’s choice: endless ‘custom’ versions available, so get creative
RS-13 125 £3570 125cc single 80mph* 12bhp** 80mpg* Retro 125 built in China to Mutt’s spec, finished in UK. Knobblies are limiting, but a decent thing. 6/10 Nov ’18
MV AGUSTA mvagusta.co.uk, 0844 4128450 Bike’s choice: gotta be the Superveloce, even if it’s just for the looks
Superveloce £17,780 798cc inline 3 160mph* 146bhp** 41mpg Super-sporty F3 in semi-retro dress. Fast, sharp, sounds top, looks superb, quite demanding. 8/10 Nov ’20
Turismo Veloce 800 £15,780 798cc inline 3 136mph 110bhp** 48mpg* Adventure bike? Nah, it’s like a high-rise sportsbike. So-so ride, busy dash, but it’s good. 8/10 Jan ’19
F3 800 £14,380 798cc inline 3 161mph 148bhp** 34mpg* Crisp, punchy, trim. Easier on the road than a 600 but still focused – needs a track to really shine. 8/10 Apr ’14
Brutale 800 RR £13,880 798cc inline 3 153mph** 138bhp** 40mpg** Top engine, nimble, great looks, ridiculous hard ride. Semi-auto clutch version a bit gimmicky. 6/10 Apr ’19
PATON krazyhorse.co.uk.com; 01284 749645 Bike’s choice: There’s only one road bike available. Good job it’s brilliant
S1-R Lightweight £24,745 649cc twin 135mph* 71bhp** 55mpg* Replica of TT winner. ER-6 motor, bespoke Italian frame, top-drawer parts. Pricey but superb. 8/10 May ’15
ROYAL ENFIELD royalenfield.com/uk; 0844 412 8450 Bike’s choice: it’s tough... Interceptor has the appeal, Himalayan has the practicality
Continental GT £5899 648cc twin 110mph* 44bhp 60mpg* Café racer has flexible motor, light handling, keen price – but Inter’ version (below) is nicer. 8/10 Apr ’19
Interceptor £5699 648cc twin 110mph 44bhp 60mpg Charming twin has authentic feel, fine looks and great price. Think Indian-made Guzzi V7. 9/10 Aug ’19
Bullet Trials 500 £4699 499cc single 80mph* 27bhp 80mpg* Venerable Bullet as ‘works replica’, which just means with high ’bars, blocky tyres, single seat. 6/10 Dec ’17
Classic £4699 499cc single 80mph* 27bhp 80mpg* Simple Bullet (below) with more style. Hi-tech as a brick, but a cool, engaging weekend toy. 7/10 Dec ’17
Bullet £4199 499cc single 80mph* 27bhp 80mpg* Not retro, but a real old bike they forgot to stop making. Basic, slow, but oddly appealing. 6/10 Dec ’17
Himalayan £4499 411cc single 80mph* 25bhp 84mpg Refreshingly different, reassuringly usable. Rugged build, laid-back motor and decent ride. 8/10 Jul ’21
SUZUKI suzuki-gb.co.uk; 0845 850 8800 Bike’s choice: has the be the Hayabusa, doesn’t it? The thing’s a legend
Hayabusa £16,650 1340cc inline 4 186mph* 187bhp** 42mpg** There are more powerful bikes. But nothing goes stupid fast with the ease and class of a Busa. 8/10 Jun ’21
V-Strom 1050 XT £11,747 1037cc V-twin 137mph 99bhp 52mpg Loads of gizmos, amazing screen, plush-yet-secure ride, solid motor. It’s no GS... but top value. 8/10 Dec ’20
V-Strom 1050 £10,147 1037cc V-twin 137mph 99bhp 52mpg Not got the XT’s toys, spokes or cool colours, but well priced with usual V-Strom friendliness. 7/10 Dec ’20
GSX-R1000R £17,147 999cc inline 4 186mph* 199bhp** 45mpg* Variable-valve engine with grunt and power, slick chassis, top electronics. A serious thing. 9/10 Jul ’18
Katana £11,647 999cc inline 4 152mph 147bhp 46mpg Superb GSX-S (below) given edge it lacks with sharp 80s-inspired styling. Bold yet usable. 8/10 Nov ’19
GSX-S1000F £10,947 999cc inline 4 153mph 143bhp 45mpg Upright sports, not a sports-tourer. Not flashy, but fast, composed, plush: a modern ZX-9R. 8/10 Jun ’20

Owe it to Suzook
º 7KLQN7UR\%D\OLVVWKLQN'XFDWL%XWWKHJUDQLWHKDUGWKUHHWLPH:6%FKDPSƮUVWPDGH
his mark on a Suzuki. He entered the ’97 Australian Superbike series on a GSX-R750,
ending runner-up, his performance gaining a wildcard on a Suzuki in his home 250cc GP.
The bike was a dog but Bayliss ran at the front, leading to a ride in BSB on the GSE Ducati.

113
Knowledge Know How

Listings
ROAD TEST BACK ISSUES
BLUE = Available just on iPad
RED = Available on iPad and Android
ORANGE = Available in print only

** Claimed * Estimated

BIKE PRICE ENGINE TOP SPEED POWER MPG BIKE VERDICT RATING TESTED

GSX-S1000 £10,847 999cc inline 4 149mph 143bhp 45mpg GSX-R motor, supple ride, comfy, fine finish, low price. Hard to fault, but lacks a little ‘wow’. 8/10 Jun ’20
GSX-S750 £8147 749cc inline 4 145mph* 113bhp** 58mpg** Ex-GSX-R750 engine, capable chassis, good ergonomics. It’s decent, just a bit shy on fizz. 7/10 Apr ’17
V-Strom 650 £7747 645cc V-twin 115mph* 60bhp* 45mpg More able and better-equipped than ever, still cuddly and cheap. Not stand-out, but good. 7/10 Jul ’17
SV650X £7147 645cc V-twin 122mph 74bhp 50mpg Standard SV with on-trend tuck-and-roll seat, bikini fairing and clip-ons. Buy the stocker. 6/10 May ’18
SV650 £6647 645cc V-twin 122mph 74bhp 50mpg Chirpy, cheerful, usable, quick, proven, though Yam MT-07 has a bit more zip and charm. 7/10 Apr ’19
GSX-R125 £4574 124cc single 80mph* 15bhp** 123mpg** Perky motor, better power-to-weight than rivals, and cheaper. Won’t suit big-boned, mind. 9/10 Nov ’17
GSX-S125 £4274 124cc single 75mph* 15bhp** 123mpg** Naked version of trim GSX-R. Light, agile, stable, but not as ‘complete’ as the sportsbike. 8/10 Nov ’17
SWM swmmotorcycles.com Bike’s choice: missing Yam’s XT660? Buy a SuperDual. Currently no UK importer, mind...
SuperDual X £7895 600cc single 120mph* 54bhp** 50mpg Ex-Husky single, made in China, built-up in Italy. Decent dual-purpose tool. Don’t pay over £6k. 7/10 Sep ’19
TRIUMPH triumphmotorcycles.co.uk Bike’s choice: Speed Twin whacks ticks in so many boxes
Rocket 3 GT £20,700 2458cc inline 3 138mph** 165bhp** 35mpg Huge motor is amazing, handling is ridiculous, but firm ride and sheer bulk limit use as ‘real’ GT. 8/10 May ’21
Rocket 3 R £20,000 2458cc inline 3 138mph** 165bhp** 35mpg Cruiser? Hardly. With a stiff chassis, handling and crazy grunt, the R is a Mad Max supernaked. 8/10 Feb ’21
Tiger 1200 XR £12,200 1215cc inline 3 131mph 122bhp 44mpg Heavy, but has easy handling, smooth power, quality, toys. New one here before end of 2021. 8/10 Aug ’18
Thruxton RS £13,000 1200cc twin 130mph* 103bhp** 50mpg Trad’ charm and neat details with punching, revvy twin, track-able chassis and premium finish. 9/10 Mar ’20
Scrambler 1200 XE £12,300 1200cc twin 130mph* 96bhp** 50mpg Thudding big twin in tall, plush, quality trail bike with a dash of dirt skill. Loads of toys, too. 8/10 Nov ’19
Scrambler 1200 XC £11,500 1200cc twin 130mph* 96bhp** 50mpg B-road-ready 1200 is top quality, high tech, pleasing, but Street Scrambler is better value. 8/10 Mar ’19
Speedmaster £11,650 1200cc twin 110mph* 76bhp** 55mpg** Low-slung Bobber transformed for the USA with beach ‘bars, shiny bits and pillion perch. 8/10 Sep ’18
Bobber Black £11,650 1200cc twin 120mph* 77bhp** 56mpg Bobber (below) with smaller front wheel, twin discs, and better ride quality. Impressive. 9/10 Sep ’18
Bonneville Bobber £10,650 1200cc twin 120mph* 77bhp** 56mpg Bonnie as low-riding solo bobber. Lazy wallop, top quality, rides better than looks suggest. 9/10 May ’18
Thruxton £11,000 1200cc twin 130mph* 96bhp** 50mpg Lower-spec chassis than the RS, but matters not on the road. Subtle, refined, able café racer. 9/10 Aug ’17
Speed Twin £10,700 1200cc twin 130mph* 96bhp** 50mpg Thruxton grunt, T120-based chassis, Street Twin looks... and mega. The retro-supernaked. 9/10 Mar ’20
Bonneville T120 £10,600 1200cc twin 120mph* 79bhp** 54mpg Lolloping grunt, steadfast chassis, top finish. Hasn’t Street Twin’s agility, but has finer ride. 9/10 Sep ’18
Speed Triple RS £15,100 1160cc inline 3 175mph* 178bhp** 38mpg Mighty motor, ace outright handling, full tech. But too stiff and focused for the road. Shame. 8/10 Jul ’21
Tiger Sport £10,950 1050cc inline 3 140mph* 124bhp** 45mpg* Sporty, solid, comfy, easy – the best 1050cc Tiger yet. Adventure? No. It’s a tall Speed Triple. 7/10 Sep ’18
Street Scrambler £9300 900cc twin 110mph* 54bhp** 60mpg Street Twin with semi-knobblies, taller ride, high pipes. Bit more spacious and stable. Nice. 9/10 Feb ’19
Bonneville T100 £8900 900cc twin 110mph* 54bhp** 60mpg All the style and easy-going pleasures of the T120. Makes 24bhp less, but is £1000 cheaper. 9/10 Sep ’18
Street Twin £8100 900cc twin 110mph* 54bhp** 60mpg Handsome, pleasing, well-made retro with decent grunt and easy-to-flick chassis. Really good. 9/10 Feb ’19
Tiger 900 Rally Pro £13,400 888cc inline 3 130mph* 94bhp** 55mpg** The Tiger 800 was ace... and the 900 is even better. The pick of sub-1000cc adventure bikes. 9/10 Oct ’20
Tiger 900 GT Pro £12,800 888cc inline 3 130mph* 94bhp** 49mpg Great spec, comfort and usability. But road-biased GT doesn’t stand out like the Rally version. 8/10 Jan ’21
Tiger 850 Sport £9300 888cc inline 3 125mph* 84bhp** 49mpg Confusingly, 850 is actually the base Tiger 900. Lowest power, fewest toys, but you won’t tell. 8/10 May ’21
Street Triple RS £10,500 765cc inline 148mph 124bhp 48mpg Big power, glittering spec, rock-hard ride. Top naked sportsbike, but lacks fun of old Street Trip’. 8/10 Nov ’20
Street Triple R £9100 765cc inline 3 149mph 118bhp 42mpg Fast, crisp, fine spec. Gruntier and plusher than RS (above) but still sporty. MT-09 more fun. 8/10 Apr ’18
Trident 660 £7195 660cc inline 3 130mph* 80bhp** 60mpg** Affordable and friendly like an MT-07, sweet handling like a Street Trip’, and well made. Brilliant. 9/10 Jun ’21
YAMAHA yamaha-motor.co.uk, 01932 358000 Bike’s choice: Well priced, nicely made, ace to ride – Ténéré 700 is a glorious thing
YZF-R1M £22,599 998cc inline 4 186mph 192bhp 40mpg MotoGP-derived electronics + track-focused superbike = incredible. Limited availability. 9/10 Feb ’21
YZF-R1 £17,399 998cc inline 4 186mph* 192bhp 40mpg Stiff, tall, high geared on road, but raciest of the race reps is special and peerless on track. 9/10 Dec ’19
MT-10 SP £15,049 998cc inline 4 153mph 152bhp 38mpg Already amazing MT-10 with R1 SP’s electronic suspenders. Great, if not obviously better. 9/10 May ’17
MT-10 £12,499 998cc inline 4 153mph 152bhp 38mpg Fast, sporty, friendly, great spec. Bit thirsty, but mega. Touring version (£12.8k) even finer. 9/10 Nov ’16
Niken GT £15,499 847cc inline 3 117mph 105bhp 42mpg Large screen, better pillion bits and luggage turn the three-wheeler into a great sports-tourer. 8/10 Jun ’20
Niken £14,199 847cc inline 3 117mph 105bhp 42mpg Lose preconceptions – it rides and feels like a bike, but gives way more grip and confidence. 8/10 Jun ’20
Tracer 900GT £11,197 847cc inline 3 129mph 112bhp** 47mpg Fabulous distance-ready sports-tourer. Swift, stable, comfy. Being dropped, so work a deal. 9/10 Jan ’19
Tracer 900 £9597 847cc inline 3 129mph 112bhp** 47mpg Adventurer presence, comfort and practicality in a great road bike. Being replaced by Tracer 9. 8/10 Jan ’21
XSR900 £9699 847cc inline 3 130mph 104bhp 49mpg Ace MT-09 (below) in ’70s get-up. Not ‘authentic’, but as fun and the best-value sporty retro. 9/10 Aug ’18
MT-09 SP £10,199 847cc inline 3 130mph 104bhp 49mpg SP has Öhlins rear shock, R1M paint job, special feel. Forget all the talk about MT’s not handling. 9/10 Jul ’21
MT-09 £8999 889cc inline 3 130mph* 117bhp** 49mpg* Wonderful gurgling triple now with more tech, oomph and rider confidence than ever. It’s mega. 9/10 May ’21
Ténéré 700 £9499 689cc twin 120mph* 72bhp** 55mpg* Great MT-07 motor in Dakar-style chassis. Charms on the road, rocks on a trail, and good value. 10/10 Feb ’20
Tracer 7 £8199 689cc twin 125mph* 70bhp 56mpg Super-fun MT-07 with practical niceties. The datum for all-rounder value. GT even better. 9/10 May ’20
XSR700 £7699 689cc twin 119mph 70bhp 49mpg Mega MT-07 in period costume. Proof that retro looks can work with a modern dynamic. 9/10 Jun ’16
MT-07 £6899 689cc twin 122mph* 74bhp 48mpg Knocking on, lacks tech, but the defining midweight naked. Fun, capable, appealing, ace value. 9/10 Jun ’21
YZF-R6 £12,221 599cc inline 4 172mph 114bhp 38mpg Hardest, sharpest 600 ever, with full electronics and R1 looks. Dropped for ’21, so haggle hard. 8/10 Feb ’19
YZF-R3 £5649 321cc twin 102mph* 41bhp** 65mpg Light, revvy, fun-to-ride, well finished. Ability and spec fight for title of best A2 sportsbike. 8/10 May ’19
YZF-R125 £4799 125cc single 80mph* 15bhp 92mpg R1 looks, big bike feel, clever engine. Easy to see why they sell so many to enthusiastic teens. 8/10 May ’19
ZERO zeromotorcycles.com, +3172 5112014 Bike’s choice: SR/F is pricey, but shows the potential of these whizzy battery jobs
SR/F £19,045 electric motor 124mph** 110bhp** 300mpg** Quick, decent range, simple to ride, easy to like. Bit drab to look at, usual charging point issue. 8/10 Sep ’19
DSR Black Forest £18,145 electric motor 110mph 69bhp 3.3cpm Electric adventure bike is actually pretty good. Until you can’t find a charging point... 6/10 Sep ’18
S £10,045 electric motor 86mph** 59bhp** 200mpg Simple commuter has basic chassis, slow charging, but keen price and equivalent of 200mpg. 6/10 Dec ’20

The greatest LC
º The Tour de France Moto was a road race in, er, France. In ’80 to promote the RD350LC,
the Sonauto race team built a special to try and beat the ruling 1000cc four-strokes. With a
7=WRSHQG&DPSDJQRORZKHHOVODUJHWDQNDQGEKS+XEHUW5LJDOZRQWKHƮUVW
20km stage on the RD375LC by over 60sec. And the second, and third... but then crashed.

114
 Bike Batteries
0800 310 2100
www.mdsbattery.co.uk
Get a MATE to OIL your CHAIN
Oil your chain, not your back wheel!
www.chainmate.co.uk gary@chainmate.co.uk

As featured in RIDE and MCN

MOTORCYCLING ICONS FROM BYGONE TIMES

All kinds of classic motorcycles

View our current stock at: Tel: 01252 625444
SUNDAY 19th
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SEPTEMBER 2021
Trinity Park,
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9am-6pm
Discounted eTickets available online
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/CopdockBikeShow
 Make
Ǯ Glorious ride ǰ the most
of the
But what about Jurassic coast
º From Poole use the Sandbanks ferry
and head towards Worth Matravers,

the dinosaurs?
and the Square and Compass pub. Sit
at a giant stone table, look out to
sea and gnaw on a hot homemade
pasty and pint of cider. Plus
they have a fossil museum
Britain’s Jurassic Coast does not involve fleeing velociraptors for your dino fix.
although, if you’re lucky, you might bag yourself an ancient fossil

eeling stressed or just fed up, then this might appeal, though after the famous corner at the TT (if you need your lid servicing,

F please don’t go near the cliff edge…

Dorset is the perfect summer weekend destination for
those dawdling about on two wheels kind of days. You won’t
find many fast, sweeping bends – it’s much more a lazy, low-
speed cruiser riding type of trip, where you’ll spend as much
time pottering around off the bike as you will pop-pop-popping
around on it. And besides, Dorset has too many caravans and
motorhomes on its coastal roads to get into a rhythm. This is good
riding of a different kind…
Our route takes us from the labyrinthine streets of Lyme
Regis in the far west of the county – art shops and a stroll along
the pebbled Cob (curved seafront break water) – along the A35 to
Charmouth. Here you get a famous fossil-hunting beach where
you might hook yourself a ten million-year old memento. From
it’s right next to Helmet City).
Next take the B3157 through Burton Bradstock and along a high
ridge that traces Chesil beach off to the right – a pebbled shoreline
reaching in an arc to Weymouth, with the spur of Portland in
the distance. It’s a lovely, low-speed, scenic, ride along the kind of
road where you just want to sit back and let the bike roll through
the gears rather than chase your mates. After Weymouth take the
back lanes to Durdle Door, right next to Scratchy Bottom. Durdle
Door is the arch you’ll see on any TV show about this coastline,
but it’s a long walk down a steep hill, so change into trainers and
leave the bike boots in a top box.
For a final stop head to Poole Quay, just outside Bournemouth,
which used to be stuffed with bikes on a Tuesday evening. And if
you’ve arrived mid afternoon pop on a boat to Brownsea Island

PIC: CHIPPY WOOD

the beach it’s a short hop to the golden cliffs at West Bay (as and go count the red squirrels instead .
seen on TV’s Broadchurch), where bikes gather at the memorial It’s a great place to end up on a summer night, when all you
every Wednesday evening, in the summer. The fish and chips are need is another bag of chips and a row of bikes to wander along,
exceptional or try Windy Corner café on the esplanade, named and friendly folk to pass the time with. Chippy Wood

ǮTry this ǰ
Òîñàáêðëåè
ğèðáîßäÝêãá-save over £100 on servicing Ben Lindley

ÄñõÝêëåèğèðáîïëßçáð Green slime and gloves Quick drainage

º Some oil filters come with a hex nut welded
to the base of the filter. A great idea in
principle, but if the filter is twisted on too tight
the welded nut can shear away from the filter
body and cause oil leakage. So forget ratchets
and/or brute force and treat yourself to a cup
socket – they cost a tenner and last for years.
º No matter how careful you are, engine oil
will get everywhere. Protect your hands with
latex gloves and have a pot of green Swarfega
nearby (or Rozalex Zalpon Zorange with grit).
Line your work area with newspaper and have
rag or paper towels nearby to clean tools
and bolts on the job.
º Warm oil drains faster and more completely
than cold oil so run your bike for a few minutes
first. Unscrew the oil filler cap to avoid vacuum
build-up during drainage and carefully
unscrew the drainage bolt while avoiding
the hot exhaust and hot oil. Make sure the
container you drain into is big enough.

116

‘When all you need is
another bag of chips
and a row of bikes to
wander along’
Ðëððëëðåãäð
º Tightening drain bolt and new oil filter to
the correct torque is vital for a good seal.
Screwing them too tightly will cause the bolt’s
crush washer to be flattened into uselessness,
and the filter’s rubber seal to fail under high
pressure. Check your manual for bike-specific
settings ie don’t take the internet’s word for it.
Know How
ǮÕßîááêðåéá ǰ
ÇéëðåëêÝè
ºNo such thing as a tedious TT race. Speed, risk,
location and atmosphere make it an unrivalled
spectacle, even through the medium of YouTube.
The Formula 1 race from 2000 is particularly good,
though. It’s chock full of Isle of Man names including
McGuinness, Jefferies, Moodie and Rutter, weather
conditions are great and it features bikes like the
Yamaha R1 and Honda FireBlade, untethered by
electronics and giving a bucking ride.
But what makes it a goosebump-special is it’s the
final year Joey Dunlop raced on the island. Having
told Honda the Blade wasn’t good enough to break
Yamaha’s stranglehold, the factory supplied him with
a special engine for his SP-1. After a neck-and-neck
race, Joey eventually wins by a whole minute,
bringing his first Formula 1 win since 1988 – at the
age of 48. He sums it up in a typically laid-back post-
race interview with, ‘I’m happy enough’. MA
ÕáÝîßäÈëîéñèÝÖÖ
(scan QR code for YouTube link)
117
Know How
ǮRacing ǰ
Bourne
ready
he plan was that at the finish of this test session we
T had to be ready for the first race. I’d say we’re 99%,
which is close enough. We’d already tested at Oulton
Park and Silverstone, and done trackdays at Oulton and
Mallory too, so Franco’s now had a decent amount of time on
the bike. This test was about making a few small changes to
the bike, learning a bit about how it goes at Donington and
coaching Franco a bit too.
We had the full team there and it’s an early start on
practice days, so we were all in the paddock the night before.
Franco came down from County Durham with his grandma
and grandpa, Avril and Steven, who’d got a caravan. Our
THEIN G
RAC ISSUE
118
Mentoring:
Franco and
Chris Walker
crew chief Ryan Higgins is a bit posh so he’s
got a motorhome, but I take the Graziano
Ready for the
first race at
Oulton Park,
Rossi approach and sleep in the van. 26-27 June
Our first session was at 9am, but by 7.30
there was already a massive queue at the
Pirelli truck for tyres. It was crazy. I think
there were eight people changing tyres, flat out,
all day long.
The sessions are 40 minutes and we did three,
but there’s not much point in staying out for the full
session. Franco’d go out, try a few things, then come
in and we’d make a few changes, then he’d go again.
Watching him going into Redgate was really impressive.
He was leg out, braking at the last second and then stuffing
it onto the side of the tyres. The lean angle is amazing, its no
wonder they’re getting their elbows down.
It was a hot day, so the bike was soon sliding about
and that’s something Franco’s going to have to
get used to. The Junior Cup bikes he’s been
 riding
don’t
move
the way a
supersport bike
does. And there’s a
lot more power. It’s making
128.6bhp so its not short of speed.
After the first session we made some changes to the
gearing. The idea was to reduce the number of down
changes he needed to make between Schwantz and
Mcleans when the bike is on its side.
He needed to be able to go through Mcleans a gear higher
so we lowered the overall gearing by going up a tooth on
the rear sprocket, and also raised the rear ride height 10mm
and dropped the tyre pressures slightly because of the
temperature.
The next session he was 0.8 seconds faster, which doesn’t
sound like a lot but it is a good gain. The session after we
went up another tooth at the rear and ended up with a 1m
11.9 which we were really happy with.
The top few are doing Im 9s, so there’s a bit more to go at.
The two things that need to happen to the bike before the
first race are to slow down the throttle slightly to smooth
the response, and we still haven’t got a quickshifter fitted.
That’ll be worth a few fractions.
It was good to be able to work on Franco’s riding too.
Coming off the Junior Cup bikes he’s used to maintaining
corner speed and is having to change his lines to get the
most from the supersport bike. Chris Walker was out in
the same session, riding his Ducati Tri-options racer, and
he was able to talk to Franco about how to gain time down
Craner Curves too.
Anyway, it feels like we’re all set and I’m really excited.
So much so that I’m actually thinking of missing the race
at Scarborough so that I can be at Oulton for Franco’s first
race on 26-27 June. I never thought I’d be prepared to give
up the chance of riding at Oliver’s Mount, but we’ll see. PB
Know How

Ǯ Our favourites ǰ
The essential

Leather part of anyone’s

dressing-up

jackets
box. These are
our preferred
hide jackets…

Alpinestars Missile Ignition £499.99 alpinestars.com

º I’ve worn this top spec Alpinestars jacket for road
testing duties for over a year now. Not only does
it look great, but the quality is everything you’d
expect for the price (although you can get it for
over £100 less of you shop around). There are
no signs of wear, fraying or broken zips and it’s
well fitted, light and comfortable on and off a
bike. It’s also not too hot or constricting in the
summer, but warm enough to wear on a fresh
spring or autumn day. MN

BMW PureBoxer £1065 bmw-motorrad.co.uk

º No, the price isn’t a ham-fisted typo. This jacket
really costs one thousand and sixty-five pounds.
But, as you’d expect for such significant outlay, it’s
glorious. Made from horse hide it has a smooth
finish, subtle sheen and strokable softness.
Copper zips, press-studs and badge add class,
as do the silky liner and high-quality removable
thermal layer. However, a zip tag has pulled
off a pocket and glove Velcro is causing the
sleeve lining to fray, which isn’t great. MA

‘You can’t help

Spada Hedonista £269 spadaclothing.co.uk but ride some fabulous
º For me, a leather jacket just has to get the basics
right: decent fit, solid construction, looks good.
The Hedonista nails those perfectly, despite being
roads to get there’
relatively cheap – it’s widely available for £100 off
the list price. I don’t suppose it would shrug off a
crash in the same way as a hand-made BKS, but
the 1.4mm full grain leather feels robust and the
jacket has stood up to four years of heavy use
with just one brass zip needing attention. The ǮBlast from the past ǰ
armour is pants though, so I replaced that. JW

Furygan Sherman £265 furygan.com

TT magic
June with no TT is unacceptable so I
º The classy, off-black, Sherman is splashed dug out one of my favourite books on
with subdued brown logos from the typically the subject: Mac McDiarmid’s 2007 The
loud French clothing brand. Leather is Magic of the TT. It’s essentially a history
super-soft and armour is flexible D3O stuff.
ERRNEXWWKHZULWLQJLVHƬRUWOHVVO\
Fit is smaller than expected, especially on
the forearms, so try a size up from your
readable (he’s an ex-Bike editor, afterall),
usual. The kicker is that it ain’t a recent and as a former TT racer and Isle
design, which means it’s currently £140 off of Man resident the level of detail is
RRP at FC-Moto. Mine is four years old and is phenomenal. Be the TT nerd you always dreamed of.
still in great condition. BL Used copies are on Amazon for under a tenner. JW

120
 ǮEvents ǰ
See, hear...
Bike contributor Ben Lindley shrugs on the
tweeds, dons a flat cap, and totters through a
month of vintage motorcycling this July…

Dragstalgia
Northamptonshire 9 – 11 July
ºBlimey, is it the tenth anniversary of Dragstalgia already? Pop
over to Santa Pod Raceway for classic bikes and hot rods running
on alcohol and nitro. Drag bikes conform to historic ACU pro stock
rules, which means pre-1980s, 7-inch tyres and carbs.
santapodtickets.com

Malle Mile
Lincolnshire 23 – 25 July
ºNew grounds for this year’s weekend of run-what-ya-brung race
madness. Moving location from London to Grimsthorpe Castle in
Lincolnshire means the Mile is now a more pleasurable target, and
you can’t help but ride some fabulous roads to get there.
mallelondon.com

British Historic Racing

South Wales 24 – 25 July
ºFancy classic racing of a more serious kind? Then pop over to
Pembrey in South Wales. Racing can be curiously self-flagellatory,
such as the single-cylinder Ducatis up to 1976 class, where 80% of
the field will, likely as not, break down before the finish line.
britishhistoricracing.co.uk

Oliver’s Mount Festival

Scarborough 31 July – 1 August
ºRoad racing like it used to be – with hay bales instead of
Airfences. First ever ‘Festival’ at the Mount focuses on fun, so
PIC: GREG MOSS

parades, entertainment and amusements will break up the racing.

Expect a healthy dose of the latter, though, with hard-fought
classes for solos and sidecars.
oliversmount.com

ǮTried and tested ǰ

My new favourite boots
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore
Used for: 4 months Price: £334.99 Info: sidiselect.co.uk
º I like these. They are robust, waterproof, have a grippy sole and there’s a relatively simple
two strap plus Velcro flap securing system, a hard plastic guard around the ankle and a
flexible joint that makes walking a possibility. Oh, and a useful hoop on the back of the boot
to help when you are pulling them on; it’s the little things… The fitting is narrow enough that
my feet aren’t floating around inside the boot. I wore them on a soaking wet Pan America
launch and an equally soaking ride to and from Wales, and came home with dry feet. As
usual with adventure boots they’re cumbersome for riding a ‘normal’ road bike, wiggling
your toe under the gear lever is awkward, but on adventure bikes, they’re ace. HW

121
Know How
ǮWeird & Wonderfulǰ
Vespa Monthléry
7KHKXPEOHVFRRWHUKDVREYLRXVDSSHDOWKDQNVWRLWVIDEXORXVHDVHRIXVHDQG
SUDFWLFDOLW\PLQLPDOUXQQLQJFRVWVRKDQGWKHDELOLW\WRWUDYHOUDWKHUTXLFNO\
orget about Harley taking on Indian, Schwantz battling Rainey,
F and Garner versus the pension ombudsman. The greatest rivalry
in motorcycling took place on dinky rims to a buzzing chainsaw
soundtrack, between two equally famous brands: Vespa and Lambretta.
The skirmish goes back to their foundation. Ferdinando Innocenti’s
steel tube factory was bombed during WW2 so he invested in cheap,
easy to use, rugged scooters with better weather protection and lower
pricing than omnipresent bikes. He employed an aircraft engineer
ÒËÅØÇÕÒÃÄÑÛ°ÃÎÃÏÛÕÖÑÅÍÒÊÑÖÑ
to design a device with a twistgrip gear change, shields to keep filth
off and a step-through layout for frock wearers. It also used a pressed
frame, but Innocenti was so intent on steel tube he fell out with the
engineer... who took his design to Piaggio.
Piaggio released it as the Vespa in 1946, with Innocenti’s Lambretta
coming the following year. The two firms fought over patents and the
lucrative European scooter market throughout the 1950s and ’60s.
They also battled on track in Italian scooter classes, Vespa building a
122
125 Corsa with an alloy frame. Its success lead to further promotion of
Vespa rapidity when they chased speed records in 1950 – and which of
course had nothing to do with Lambretta setting 13 the previous year.
Based on the Corsa and created by Vespa’s experimental department,
three Monthléry specials were crafted in duralumin (an aircraft-grade
alloy), powered by a specially-tuned 125cc two-stroke single with 11bhp.
At the French circuit the scoot was named after, and after smashing one
up, a team of riders rode solidly for ten hours to set 17 records, including
the 1000km average (77.24mph) and one-hour average (83.26mph).
Things got silly over the next few years, both firms making ever-
smaller streamliners and pushing speed well into three figures (Vespa
had a twin-crank engine with opposed pistons sharing a combustion
chamber). But these cigar-shaped racers weren’t true scoots, making the
Monthléry – with side-mounted motor, underbelly frame, footboards,
relocated headlight – surely the most wonderful of the breed. Love to
think it still has a hook for my shopping bag as well. Mike Armitage