Bike news

Year: ALL

World's greatest bikes #8: Suzuki RG500 XR14

07 December 2023 by Jon Urry

In 1974, Suzuki unveiled a bike that would go on to change the face of 500cc GP racing – the RG500 XR14. Although its first season didn’t give too much of a hint about what was to come, mainly as...

Divvy goes electric: Retired engineer cooks up battery-powered bike with some help from the internet

07 December 2023 by Phil West

If you’ve ever fancied building your own electric bike, why not take inspiration from 77-year-old Cumbrian Peter Hope who recently completed this battery-powered Yamaha Diversion 600 with the help of...

Yamahas built by CFMoto 'solely for the domestic Chinese market' says European boss

07 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Yamaha’s European President has spoken out to clarify the brand’s recently announced joint venture with CFMoto, by stating that any bikes built as a result will be solely for the domestic Chinese...

Langen reach for the stars: Brit firm go global with new LightSpeed

06 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

British firm Langen, famed for their naked Two Stroke café racer, have confirmed to MCN that they are planning to go global with their incoming V-twin LightSpeed LS12 muscle cruiser. Unlike the...

Get adventure ready with Charley Boorman at the 2024 Devitt Insurance MCN London Show

06 December 2023 by MCN

Prepare for inspiration at the Devitt Insurance MCN London Motorcycle Show in February with the all-new Charley Boorman Adventure Base Camp. This new stage is set to ignite the wanderlust of riders at...

Naked revival: Milano name returns to Moto Morini line-up with new 1187cc V-twin brute

05 December 2023 by Phil West

While Moto Morini’s virtually all-new X-Cape 1200 adventure bike was the star of the brand’s line-up at November’s Eicma 2023 trade show in Milan, it was the similarly powered Milano naked that...

Italjet get serious with radical 58bhp Dragster 559 Twin

05 December 2023 by Phil West

Scooters don’t usually grab much attention, especially when they’re still in the prototype stage. But then scooters don’t usually have 550cc twin cylinder engines producing nearly 60bhp, feature a...

Operation Trail is go! Thames Valley Police launch new off-road motorcycle team against offenders

05 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Thames Valley Police are cracking down on anti-social quadbike and motorcycle riders with a new team of off-road officers aboard Honda CRF300Ls. Part of a larger initiative called ‘Operation Trail’,...

Check out Red Torpedo’s new winter range!

05 December 2023 by MCN

Paid partnership with Red Torpedo Red Torpedo is warming things up this winter by introducing a fresh new range of top-quality clothing with a cosy, classic, stripped-back look. While Red Torpedo are known for bold and eye-catching...

Winners are grinners: Lucky MCN readers meet 2023 world champions at exclusive FIM autograph session in Liverpool

04 December 2023 by Emma Franklin

Over 40 motorcycling world champions gathered in Liverpool last Saturday for the prestigious FIM Awards, and 12 lucky MCN competition winners got the chance to meet them in an exclusive pre-awards...

Mini Thruxton ready to roll: Triumph/Bajaj tie-up looks set to gain faired 400 retro café racer derivative

04 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

These spy shots recently snapped in southern Europe appear to show a new Triumph Thruxton 400 in the works, based on the firm’s latest small-capacity singles built in partnership with Bajaj...

Pan America takes on Africa: Harley-Davidson team up with ex-Dakar racer for 6000km rally

01 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Harley-Davidson have teamed up with ex-Dakar racer Joan Pedrero to compete in the 6000km Africa Eco Race using a specially-prepared version of their Pan America 1250. Related: Read our...

Kymco join fight against theft with free Datatool tracker and security markings offered to buyers

01 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Kymco have announced a new sales incentive that will see their two- and four-wheeled products equipped with Datatool motorcycle security free of charge (the £3499 electric I-One is not...

CFMoto showcase 675 engine concept: New triple set to top 100bhp

01 December 2023 by Phil West

CFMoto have released more details about their upcoming 675cc three-cylinder engine platform, which looks destined to spawn a new road-friendly sportsbike. The ambitious Chinese brand not only...

No more excuses: MCIA boss tells Government to make biking safer

01 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The boss of the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), has called for a major shake-up on motorcycle safety. Tony Campbell, CEO of Britain’s leading motorcycle industry body, was speaking at the...

How to: change your coolant for the winter months

01 December 2023 by Bruce Dunn

I own and run a Yamaha TZ250 race bike, and to comply with racing regs the cooling system must be filled with de-ionised water. This is because antifreeze, and other coolants, have the potential...

Biking legends: Julia and Kevin Sanders

01 December 2023 by Saffron Wilson

How many of us dream of travelling around the world on a motorcycle for a living? Well Kevin and Julia Sanders made that dream a reality. After bagging two world records – the fastest two-up ride...

Dream ride: Paradise found in New Zealand

01 December 2023 by Andy Davidson

The frothing river looks deep, which makes the GS feel twice as heavy the second it dips its toe in the water. Alissa decides to wade across and recce any deep spots for the as-big-as-a-house BMW.

Main test: Lord of the twins

30 November 2023 by Carl Stevens

When thinking about Italian exotica, a pair of middleweight parallel twins probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. But this blossoming part of the market actually offers a sublime mix...

Exclusive interview: Andrea Iannone is back in WSBK. How does he think that will go?

30 November 2023 by Leonardo Villanova

Andrea Iannone smiles when he starts telling me how he felt in Jerez de la Frontera when he first sat on the Go Eleven Ducati Panigale V4R, the bike he will race with in the 2024 World Superbike...

MotoGP insight: Pecco's long road to the top

30 November 2023 by Josh Close

20 rounds, 39 races and a season-long title fight. We follow Pecco Bagnaia’s route to the title… Round 1 Portimao SPRINT 1 Bagnaia 2 Martin 3 M Marquez GRAND PRIX 1 Bagnaia 2 Viñales 3...

‘Pop bang’ car firm fined: Prosecution brought against noise-boosting vehicle mods

30 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

A car modification company has been convicted and fined for ‘openly advertising and supplying illegal vehicle alterations which increased noise’ in what’s being called a ‘first of its kind’...

Back with a vengeance: Honda’s CBR600RR is back after a six-year absence – but why?

30 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Honda have announced that their reborn CBR600RR will cost £10,499 OTR when it hits dealers in 2024. That’s £100 cheaper than Kawasaki’s latest Ninja ZX-6R, which also returns this year after departing...

Goodwood Revival goes green: sustainable fuels for old bikes at 2024 historic race event

29 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The 2024 Goodwood Revival meeting will be run using sustainable fuels, with both the historic cars and motorcycles having to make the switch. Next year’s event, which runs from September 6-8, will...

Brit MX shake-up: Full details on Triumph’s TF 250-X ahead of 2024 debut

28 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Triumph Motorcycles have finally spilled the beans on their 2024 TF 250-X mx racer, revealing further images and a full tech spec ahead of the firm’s 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship...

Hooligans rejoice! KTM unleash new Super Duke 1390 R

28 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

KTM are marking 30 years of their naked Duke range in the only way they know how: by launching a brand-new 187.4bhp 1390 Super Duke R range powered by a monstrous 1350cc motor. It’s priced from...

Show time success! Motorcycle Live 2023 welcomes nearly 90,000 bikers

27 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The annual Motorcycle Live Show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre has concluded with just shy of 90,000 visitors across nine days of biking action. Offering enthusiasts the chance to...

Royal Enfield tease new Shotgun 650 cruiser at Motoverse festival in India

24 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Royal Enfield have teased fans in India with the first glimpse of a new Shotgun 650 cruiser, inspired by the SG650 Concept seen at the Eicma show back in 2021. We’ve already ridden it, so check...

Meet Bautista, Bou, Bristow, and the new MotoGP champ with MCN

24 November 2023 by Emma Franklin

The prestigious FIM Awards 2023 are taking place in Liverpool on Saturday, 2 October, and to celebrate the occasion MCN readers have been invited to an exclusive pre-event autograph signing session,...

‘We’re a long way from having 100% renewable energy’ - Bosch’s bike boss on zero emission technology

24 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

With global political leaders, and influential thinkers demanding an ever greener society and less reliance on fossil fuels, the motorcycle industry finds itself at a difficult...

Save our speedway! Fight to save Peterborough Panthers continues

24 November 2023 by Phil West

The battle to save Peterborough Panthers speedway and, specifically, their East of England Showground track, has reached new heights with a protest rally in the heart of the city on Saturday, November...

World's greatest bikes #7: Ducati Monster 900

23 November 2023 by Phil West

Many assume it was the 916 that revived Ducati in the 1990s. Instead, after the 1991 750 and 900 Supersports, it was the 1993 Monster 900 that truly returned the Italian marque to prosperity. The...

How to: Fit LED headlights

23 November 2023 by Bruce Dunn

Lights on modern bikes are absolutely brilliant and there really is little room for improvement. But if you’ve not got one of the current crop of LED-festooned models and instead have something a...

BMW announce R12 nineT and R12 cruiser in rejuvenated boxer heritage range

23 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Ten years on from the introduction of the first R nineT retro in 2013, BMW have pulled the covers off two new R12 models – marking the start of a new generation for the German heritage...

CL-C Low Ride: CFMoto concept reveals new take on age-old design

23 November 2023 by Ben Purvis

Chinese firm CFMoto launched their first cruiser model this year in the form of the 450CL-C and used their platform at the 2023 Eicma show to display a potential future development of the machine in...

Inside story: Richard Hammond's Smallest Cog resto business gears up for bikes

23 November 2023 by Richard Newland

What on earth is Richard Hammond doing with that beautiful Interceptor? It’s a fair question, if all you know about him is that he has two other famous friends and does a lot of silly things in cars.