Michael Neeves Motorcycle News

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Ultimate Superbikes 1st place: Ducati 1199R Panigale

Michael Neeves, 17 May 2013 09:00

Lap time: 1:46.7Top speed at end of straight: 164.01mphMax braking (g): 1.19Max lean: 50.94 Why it’s so specialDucati built this homologation special for World Superbike racing. It shares the same Marchesini wheels, Ohlins electronically-adjustable suspension and Brembo monoblocs as the S model and the power and torque is the same, too. But the R has new titanium conrods, giving the ...

Ultimate Superbikes 3rd place: Aprilia RSV4 Factory

Michael Neeves, 15 May 2013 07:00

Lap time: 1:49.8Top speed at end of straight: 164.4mphMax braking (g): 1.38Max lean: 48.2 Why it’s so specialThe 1199R and HP4 may be the latest and greatest superbikes to arrive, but neither can boast two World Superbike championships like the RSV4. Reputed to have been made for Max Biaggi from the beginning, the Aprilia made the world take notice when ...

Kawasaki Z800 First Ride Video

Michael Neeves, 05 December 2012 07:00

Kawasaki Z800 first ride: "A smooth and refined ride"

Michael Neeves, 03 December 2012 09:27

Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves, has just ridden the new £7499 Kawasaki Z800 at its launch in the south of France. Here are his initial thoughts – check out MCN on Wednesday for the full review. "This is the replacement for the Z750, a bike that’s actually been around for 10 years next year – doesn’t time fly? "Kawasaki has ...

2013 Aprilia RSV4 ridden

Michael Neeves, 25 October 2012 07:00

This is what motorcycling dreams are made of: a sunny day, a dry track and one of the world's best superbikes to play on. I'm talking about the lightly-revised new 2013 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC. It's available from the dealers next Feburary and costs the same as the current model - £16,599. You're not going to feel the new bike's ...

Traction control raises new Yamaha R1's game

Michael Neeves, 20 October 2011 16:35

The addition of traction control - which Yamaha says is the same system as used on the YZR-M1 MotoGP racer - makes the 2012 R1 a better road and track bike. But MCN's world first track test also revealed it has not managed to leapfrog its superbike rivals. This isn't surprising - there are very few changes to Yamaha's flagship ...

2012 Yamaha R1 - first impressions

Michael Neeves, 12 October 2011 09:56

We're in Spain riding the 2012 Yamaha R1 at the Valencia MotoGP circuit. Aside from a few very minor tweaks the main change to the Yamaha is its new six-stage traction control. We've just done our first session and the TC is on max. It's so intrusive you can hold the throttle to the stop out of every corner, not ...

First impressions: Husqvarna SMS630 and TE630

Michael Neeves, 31 March 2010 10:12

We’re in Italy riding Husqvarna’s two new road bikes: the SMS630 supermoto and TE630 enduro-styled machine. Both bikes have new motors with twin-cam heads a capacity hike from 576cc to 600cc and a hydraulic clutch. The chassis and bodywork are all-new and the plastics have their graphics impregnated into them, so gone are the days of blowing off your stickers ...

Australia blog: Day 7 - 500cc Grand Prix heaven

Michael Neeves, 21 January 2010 09:30

For me, the last generation of premier class GP machines are the most awe-inspiring ever built. The 500cc two-stroke weapons from the late 80s all the way to the beginning of MotoGP in 2002 are the ones that capture the imagination the most and Yamaha’s mighty YZR500 is probably the coolest, although thanks to Doohan and Rossi and their NSR500s, ...

Aprilia RSV4-R first ride!

Michael Neeves, 27 October 2009 11:39

The Aprilia RSV4-R costs £12,449 and is available in dealers now. The compact V4 engine is exactly the same as the Factory’s, it’s only the chassis components which have been altered, with Ohlins suspension replaced by Showa forks and a Sachs rear shock. Aprilia RSV4-R launch cut short Wheels are cast aluminium rather than forged, and some of the Factory’s ...