Everytime I fire up my KTM450 EXC-F there’s a feeling that only a pure race bike can bring. The way it jumps on the sidestands responding to every angry rise and fall of the revs, the way it barks angrily even out of the standard can just gets me going everytime. Following a full service at Gear4 KTM in Market ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 22 November 2010
Street Triple 1 : London 0 London is a congested network of road works, cycle lanes, tight, un-filterable traffic lights, one-way systems and road rage, all vigilantly policed by a swarm of unblinking CCTV cameras. The perfect place to test the “Street” in Street Triple. On a rainy autumn night last week I leapt aboard the Triumph and ploughed down ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 17 November 2010
With my Street Triple missing a footpeg and the office missing a Web Producer, there was only one thing to do: steal James Keen’s GSX-R600. My biking past is littered with sports tourers, an SV650 here, a CBF1000 there, but never dedicated sports bikes. My experience of even mid-range performance bikes is limited to a few rides on a friend’s ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 04 October 2010
Daily use of the BMW R1200RT has seen the mileage cresting 8000 with familiarity allowing me to love the bike and the way it can apparently do almost anything. Fidn a BMW R1200RT for sale People look at the RT and think it’s a big beast. I’ll admit it does look imposing but this bulk evaporates the moment the wheels ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 23 July 2010
Getting the priorities right for MCN Live at Butlins, Skegness. The GS is really a do anything bike and it carries beers and snacks pretty well too! Now on with the disk lock and away with the key until tomorrows ride out. Now to hope I don't actually find out how good it actually is! Further readingStaff bike blogs | ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 23 April 2010
When you don’t have a fuel gauge, you get tuned in to how many miles you can do on a tank. My Hammer S usually gets around 125 miles before I fill up, returning 38mpg on a country roads blat – fairly respectable for a big engine like the Victory 1731cc lump. Yesterday I used the Victory to visit Shaw ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 23 April 2010
After 3000 miles in three weeks it's now the second time to top up the oil. It seems to use an awful lot of the golden stuff. I read on forums that this would be the case but didn't expect to have to put so much in. Only my two stroke lambretta uses more! Pictured is the nifty little key ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 13 April 2010
Ever since former MCN editor Adam Duckworth used to let me terrify myself on his KTM 450 SX-F, I’ve always lusted after a 450 to have in the garage. There’s something about the way KTM grabs you that means I’m now spending lunchtimes at Gear 4 in Market Deeping and filling up my garage with orange KTM carrier bags full of ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 01 April 2010
The day most exciting day this year so far arrived when I took delivery of my shiny new BMW R1200 GS long termer. After skipping to the lockup i finally got to see what I'd been waiting for and there it stood complete with panniers and satnav.To make life easier this year when cleaning the beast I immediately sprayed the ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 26 March 2010
