2008

Hibernate your bike this winter

Hibernate your bike this winter

Planning on hibernating your bike this winter? Storing a bike well takes the same meticulous level of preparation as braving the elements. Read on for top tips from RiDE magazine on how to do it...

My bike test report

Like most, I too decided to spend a small fortune and do the DAS course with a company in Southend-on-sea. The first day was taken up with the CBT which I found quite easy. I havent ridden a bike for nearly 20 years so I was pleased with how at ease I felt. All was good with the figure of 8, U-turns, emergency stop etc. Even out on the road I felt very confident. After the first day and passing...

How to stop your visor misting this winter

How to stop your visor misting this winter

Good visibility is crucial to staying safe when riding this winter and a big barrier to that is the age old problem of visor misting. As temperatures drop the likelihood of this problem occuring is...

Hand Guards for Street Bikes

Hand Guards for Street Bikes

I don’t always get MCN but one week recently I did and saw a short press release on the new Acerbis hand guards for street bikes – their model “Dual Road”. I made enquiries in the trade and the...

Bikers shell out £1000 a year on kit

British motorcyclists spend an average of almost £1,000 on kit every year, according to research by retailer Infinity Motorcycles. Shop for over 45,000 products with MCN Leather goods account for the lion’s share of the £960 per annum average spend, with riders shelling out £321 each year on jackets and jeans. Helmets were the next highest (£241), followed by textiles (£183), boots (£138), and...

So what does the SHARP motorcycle helmet test really mean?

So what does the SHARP motorcycle helmet test really mean?

It’s long been a subject of great debate among riders – and particularly helmet manufacturers – whether a £500 top-of-the-range race replica offers better protection in a crash than a £50 budget lid.

Top 10 tips for looking after your motorcycle helmet

Top 10 tips for looking after your motorcycle helmet

Motorcycle helmets are a lot more fragile than you might think but as we all know they’re pretty damned important for protecting your head. MCN has put together 10 tips to keep your helmet in top...

Get your suspension set up to suit you!

Having ridden motorcycles since the age of three, I thought there was bugger all my mucker Gaffs could tell me about bikes! But after the obligatory half a gallon of grog on a Friday night, he convinced me to stop being a m**ge bag, and part with forty quid to have my suspension set up professionally! being an engineer, I was convinced that modern bikes come out of the factory set up to almost...

MCN shopping proves a huge success

MCN shopping proves a huge success

MCN’s new online shop has gone live. The site is the first in the UK to allow riders to browse and compare the prices of more than 50,000 bike products, supplied by the country’s biggest retailers,...

New MCN Shop lets you find the best deal on products and kit

New MCN Shop lets you find the best deal on products and kit

The UK’s first online motorcycle shop that lets you track down all your biking kit in just a few seconds and compare prices to get the best deal goes live this week. MCN has teamed up with some of the...

Adam Shorrock's motorcycle test diary

Adam Shorrock's motorcycle test diary

I passed my CBT last summer with CAM Rider and must admit I was surprised I passed. Looking back at handling my first 125cc motorcycle are memories of excruciating pain in my crotch and a thumping...

30mph limit is dangerous

I believe that 70mph is the speed limit on dual carriageways. As long as you are not a hazard to others then you travel at the speed you are happy with. If 70mph is a must during your motorcycle test how can the goverment justify the 30mph limits for 50cc motorbikes and scooters?! These are allowed to use dual carrageways. HGV’s are governed to 56mph max and only allowed to 40mph on unrestricted...

Data Tag registration

Hi, I bought my bike last year, it has a data tag number on it but no phone number to register it, does anyone know how to do this? please help. Thanks.

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS Dary: D Day take two

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS Dary: D Day take two

So it was once again the day of doom or the first day to the rest of my life. I headed to the BSM Training Centre for 9am ready for another day with big Chris. After a chill out we headed out towards...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day seven: I'm back and almost ready

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day seven: I'm back and almost ready

Well, it’s been a few weeks and I’ve made it back to Birmingham for a quick refresher session ahead of my test tomorrow. As I’m up here mid week, it’s not Lichfield I’m going to test at but the South...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS Diary day five: I'm really starting to enjoy this

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS Diary day five: I'm really starting to enjoy this

Well with just one full day’s riding ahead of my test tomorrow the heat really was on. I started off by taking myself out round the pad to warm up Kay and also to put in some U-Turns so that I could...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day four: By George I think she's got it!

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day four: By George I think she's got it!

My first major problem of the day was actually getting out of bed. The left side of my back has decided to go in to spasm probably after the windy ride yesterday – oh great. On arrival at BSM’s...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day three: To SV650 or not SV650? that is the question

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day three: To SV650 or not SV650? that is the question

After the highs of yesterday and the unexpected success on the Suzuki SV650 the plan for the day was to go out on the road to see how I get on with the ‘big’ bike before making a final decision...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day two: Good god I'm riding a 650!

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day two: Good god I'm riding a 650!

I arrived just before 9am ready for day two and really aching from yesterday, which I’d hoped would go away over night. After getting my Frank Thomas Alicia textile gear on and HJC helmet it was time...

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day one: Let's get riding again

SarahC's Suzuki and BSM DAS diary day one: Let's get riding again

Well after a few months off the road I’ve finally got round to booking what will hopefully turn out to be my Direct Access route to a full motorcycle licence. Over the next week, I will be sharing my...

Faulty luggage position on Suzuki Bandit GT

Faulty luggage position on Suzuki Bandit GT

I have just purchased a bandit 1250 GT and when I got it home I found that you could not sit two people on the bike because of the position of the top box. It sits over the back seat and means there...

SHARP helmet tests remain a work in progress

SHARP helmet tests remain a work in progress

The first round of results from the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Program (SHARP) helmet test scheme are on-track to be published during the spring, a spokesman for the Department for Transport...

675 exhaust

Hi, bought a Triumph Daytona 675 masterclass a few months ago. Wanted to get the best exhaust sound but didn’t want to lose the fantastic looks of the back end. Bought a never been used end can off ebay for £35 and set about removing the baffle. It took some doing but after cutting, bashing, butchering and welding it was sorted. Fitted it to the bike and what a sound. Took the bike to local...

Video: Setting your suspension up for the track

Last year Michael Neeves ran his Yamaha R1 as both a road and race bike but this year, he’s saving it just for track so to give him that extra edge he’s getting full ohlins race suspension fitted. Check out the video below to follow Neevesy and his R1 as the shiney new kit gets fitted and gives the bike a new lease of life.

KNOX chest protector

KNOX chest protector

British protection specialists KNOX have responded to a recent MAID survey with the release of their chest protector. The MAID survey showed that 27% of chest injuries are critical, compared to only...