The 400cc sportsbike is an exotic delicacy from a far off land. Shipped to the UK under the banner of ‘grey import’, these beautifully wrapped, miniature GSX-Rs, CBRs, VFRs and FZRs looked like they’d been ridden straight from the Suzuka pitlane at the Suzuka 8-hour and were hugely sought after in early and mid 90s. The UK was flooded with ...
- Motorcycle News
- General news
- 03 August 2012
Jacks Hill Cafe is an unremarkable-looking transport cafe on the outskirts of Towcester. But in the 1960s it was the meeting place for youngsters racing along the A5 on their hot-rodded British bikes. Five years ago the first Jacks Hill Cafe Ton-Up Day was run and it has become the annual place of pilgrimage for the hardcore rocker - a ...
- Motorcycle News
- Custom & modified bikes
- 27 July 2012
Launched at the same time as the firm’s unfaired Tour version, and seven years previous to the fully-loaded Traveller incarnation, MZ’s Skorpion Sport was a breath of fresh air, and on the face of it, a much better bike than anything you’d have imagined possible when you consider the image the MZ name sometimes conjours up. Housing Yamaha’s XT660 motor ...
- Motorcycle News
- General news
- 13 July 2012
With just nine Cagiva Elefant 900s left on the roads of the UK, plus a further eight tucked away in people’s garages on a SORN, you might reasonably expect the Cagiva Elefant, one of the original adventure bikes, to be better represented. On face value, for the early 1990s, marrying a Ducati V-twin with a monster trailie chassis seemed like ...
- Motorcycle News
- General news
- 29 June 2012
German tyre firm Continental have spent the last year developing a radial tyre to fit common classic bike wheel sizes, with the aim of revolutionising the performance of older machines. On the basis of our first test, the new Classic Attack rubber looks set to transform the handling of countless old shonkers up and down the UK. MCN test rider ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 22 June 2012
This gorgeous reinterpretation of the original Ducati Pantah 500 is the latest from Spanish firm Radical Ducati. It’s actually based on a mid-‘80s Cagiva Alazurra 350 (which used Ducati engines before Cagiva took over Ducati completely), but with a modified Paso 750 engine, one-off rear end, 851 forks and mudguard, Ducati Monster wheels, Pantah-style fiberglass tank and solo seat by ...
- Motorcycle News
- Custom & modified bikes
- 15 June 2012
This gorgeous, retro-styled, all-black café racer is based on a Yamaha TZR250 V-twin two-stroke. It’s been built by Japanese custom shop 09Racing and uses the rear wheel and swingarm from a Honda RVF400R. For more info: www.09racing.com.
- Motorcycle News
- Custom & modified bikes
- 08 June 2012
This rare 1959 Rumi Formichino is the highlight of the H and H auction taking place on May 24 at The Pavillion Gardens in Buxton, Derbyshire. The Formichino is one of seven classic motorcycles up for auction, with other bikes such as a 1946 BSA C11 and a 1971 Honda CB125J also included. Made by the Italian factory Rumi, the ...
- Motorcycle News
- General news
- 21 May 2012
Honda’s first production V4, tested by MCN 30 years ago this week, was the start of a dynasty Honda was determined would define it, if it didn’t destroy it first. It scaled no greater heights than the VFR750R RC30, NR750 RC40 and RVF750 RC45. Honda VFR750R RC30 It’s hard to believe the RC30 is 24 years old because even by ...
- Motorcycle News
- First rides & tests
- 18 May 2012
What you see in the picture to your right is a 1959 Vespa Militare. And yes, it is real. The scooter was modified to take a 75mm cannon because it was seen as perfect for negotiating the rough terrain of Messana, a coastal village on the east of Sicily. Rocket propelled grenades are 'attractively presented in a wicker basket.' The estimated ...
- Motorcycle News
- General news
- 10 May 2012
