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BMW K1300S HP first ride

Phil West, 29 March 2012 15:28

With the new K1300S HP (for High Performance), BMW has taken one of its established, but aging standards, and sought to both extend its shelf-life and broaden its appeal by producing a limited edition, 'blinged-up' incarnation. The recipe is simple: tweak the cosmetics with a sprinkling of carbon fibre, tinted screen and model-specific paint job; add some substance by way ...

Harley-Davidson Softail Slim first ride

Phil West, 17 February 2012 15:34

Considering the turmoil Harley-Davidson has been through the last couple of years, what with plummeting US sales, the MV and Buell shockers and the little matter of having to restructure fundamentally its main production facillity, it’s more than a little encouraging that the American legend has any new models at all for 2012. And while the word ‘new’, in typical ...

First ride! 2012 Kawasaki ZZR1400

Phil West, 19 January 2012 10:52

Kawasaki’s updated 2012 ZZR1400 is currently being put through its paces by MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child at the enormous Nardo speed testing facility in southern Italy. This is what he’s so far had to say: “So far I’ve ridden the new ZZR1400 around Nardo’s handling circuit and around the amazing 7km-long circular top speed bowl. “The biggest immediate ...

Harley-Davidson Switchback meets its match!

Phil West, 27 December 2011 16:00

The new Harley-Davidson Switchback ‘bagger’ (or custom tourer) has already impressed MCN testers – but how’s it measure up against its closest rival, Victory’s Cross Roads Tour? In this week’s MCN we find out. Both are American, V-twin powered, pannier-equipped cruisers and at a quick glance are difficult to tell apart. Both also come in similar colour schemes and are ...

Staff bikes: Honda VFR800X Crossrunner - It's time to retyre

Phil West, 05 October 2011 17:01

Time for a change. The turning of three-thousand-odd miles has seen both the fading of Crossrunner's OE Pirelli Scorpions' ability and my faith in them. Don't get me wrong: the Scorps aren't a bad tyre. They've been consistent and predictable enough (in a humdrum sort of way) in all sorts of riding, from routine 30-mile work commutes in all kinds ...

Staff bikes - Honda Crossrunner: You never stop learning

Phil West, 31 August 2011 15:33

Two thousand, three hundred and forty-seven miles can reveal a lot about a bike. Even about one you thought you already knew. Such has been my first couple of months with the Crossrunner. I picked it up in May having already sampled Honda's new VFR800-based crossover machine (their description, not mine) at the world press launch and at the time thought ...

New Moto Guzzi V7 Racer takes on Triumph Thruxton

Phil West, 08 July 2011 16:41

Moto Guzzi’s latest variant of its delectable V7 Classic – the V7 Racer – looks set to be its best yet thanks to a host of cosmetic enhancements and quality detail touches. But is it good enough to tempt buyers away from the café racer class king – the Triumph Thruxton? To find out we decided to pit the two ...

First ride: New V-Strom wins over the sceptics

Phil West, 07 July 2011 13:03

While the timing of Suzuki's 2012 V-Strom 650 launch remains a mystery, our first ride of the revamped middle-weight adventure bike this week blows away any doubt that it's been changed for the better. When news of the new V-Strom first broke a few weeks ago following a baffling series of leaked 'teaser' pictures, the sceptics, myself included, had a ...

‘Super Ten better than sex’ according to TV’s Adrian Chiles

Phil West, 05 July 2011 16:47

Daybreak TV presenter Adrian Chiles has been singing the praises of Yamaha’s XT1200Z Super Tenere after trying one out recently. Find a Yamaha Super Tenere for sale The sometime sports presenter, although claiming he’s “not a bike-buff”, rode the bike from Yamaha’s HQ in Weybridge, Surrey, into West London and said afterwards: “I knew as soon as I clambered aboard ...

Is the new Honda CBR600 worthy of the name?

Phil West, 16 June 2011 10:03

Honda's new-for-2011 CBR600F brings an iconic name back to the middleweight class – but does it live up to its illustrious forbears? Where the original CBRs were market-leading supersports in their own right, the new version has already come in for some stick for being essentially a mildly tweaked and facelifted existing old model – the Hornet CB600F. And while ...