Bike news

Year: ALL

Workshop: Be a stud-meister

07 September 2023 by Bruce Dunn

Don’t allow broken studs and bolts to stop you in your DIY tracks – here’s how to sort it yourself… Get the right tools for the job When you are working on an engine there are often times...

Twin-cylinder triple threat: BMW aim for the middleweight adventure top spot with advanced new F800GS and F900GS range

07 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

BMW’s hotly anticipated R1300GS isn’t the only new adventure bike coming from the German brand in 2024, with a radically different F900GS, distance-munching F900GS Adventure, and A2-friendly F800GS...

Expert guide: Trackday fun for as little as £800

07 September 2023 by Jon Urry

Of course you could pitch up at a trackday with a spanking new Panigale, tyre warmers and all… but you are putting a load of pressure on yourself to perform and what if it all ends up in the gravel?...

'As a team boss, he did it all' - a tribute to Paul Bird

07 September 2023 by Josh Close

British motorcycle racing has lost one of its biggest, most influential and dedicated characters following the passing of Paul Bird, owner of Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM), who died in hospital following...

The MCN Test: Is the Norton V4SV worth the wait?

07 September 2023 by Jon Urry

After the extraordinary mess surrounding the previous ownership, approaching the revamped Norton V4SV with an open mind is a challenge – but while the latest bike looks virtually identical to the...

Biking legends: Norman Hyde

07 September 2023 by Saffron Wilson

Norman Hyde is one of those people whose name has become a brand in itself. He’s virtually synonymous with Meriden Triumphs and worked alongside design guru Doug Hele at the factory near Coventry.

Techwatch: Is hydrogen the future?

07 September 2023 by Ben Purvis

We’re constantly promised that better, lighter, faster-charging batteries are just over a horizon as a viable alternative to all forms of combustion engined motorcycle. However, genuinely...

KTM launch new £20,899 890 Adventure R Rally alongside exclusive customer desert riding experience

07 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

KTM have tapped into their Dakar rally raiding knowhow to deliver the most capable (and most expensive) 890 Adventure off-roader to date. The £20,899 890 Adventure R Rally will be available for pre...

‘Uniting female bikers’: Third annual Women in Moto show inspires more women to take up two wheels

07 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

More than 1500 enthusiastic bikers descended on Uttoxeter Race Course earlier this month for the third annual Women in Moto riding event. The August 19-20 show was open to people of all genders and...

Iconic Royal Enfield Bullet name returns to Europe in new air-cooled retro 350 range

06 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Royal Enfield are bringing the iconic Bullet name back to Europe with a new range of air-oil cooled 350 models, based around the existing Classic retro. The Bullet name has been synonymous with the...

Lincs police tackle bikers travelling to Cadwell Park BSB weekend with noisy exhausts

01 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Lincolnshire Police cracked down on bikers using noisy exhausts heading to the August bank holiday British Superbike races at Cadwell Park. The force released a Tweet online from their Lincolnshire...

Coventry firm Maeving launch more powerful RM1S capable of hitting 65mph

01 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Meet the Maeving RM1S: the new faster, more powerful version of the Coventry firm’s battery powered RM1 city bike, first revealed in 2021. Capable of a claimed 65mph, the latest S electric model...

Entry level aggression: CFMoto launch sub-£5k 450NK parallel twin naked

31 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

CFMoto have revealed a new £4990 450NK parallel-twin naked motorcycle for 2024, designed to slot in between the single cylinder 300NK, and larger capacity 650 twin variant. The A2 licence roadster...

Expert guide: Affordable year-round rides

31 August 2023 by Jon Urry

Shopping on a budget for a bike you are going to use 12 months a year, whatever the weather – rather than tucking it away in the garage for sunny use only – doesn’t mean that you have to put up with...

Dream ride: Dan meets his hero bike, the H-D XR1200 racer

31 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

I can remember it like yesterday. Standing on the outside of Charlies Two at Cadwell Park, transfixed by the sight of 25 Harley-Davidson XR1200s jostling for position before feeding in the power down...

Dream ride: Six gears in Provence

31 August 2023 by Geoff Tompkinson

Creeping down the stairs of our rented apartment in the sleepy French town of Mirabeau, bike boots creaking and luggage clattering, doing our best not to disturb our neighbours. It’s 6am and the...

The MCN Test: Italian charisma for less cash...

31 August 2023 by Phil West

While the revival of historic British brands, most notably Norton and BSA, continues – but now with Indian ownership– a similar thing is happening in Italy, with Benelli and Moto Morini undergoing a...

World's greatest bikes: #1 Ducati 916

31 August 2023 by Jon Urry

No bike has ever defined an era as much as the Ducati 916 defined the 1990s. Launched in 1994, the 916 replaced the aging 888 as Ducati’s sportsbike and went on to not only dominate the World...

Singles club: under the skin of Triumph’s new 400cc singles

31 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Back in late June, Triumph Motorcycles announced an assault on the rapidly expanding low-capacity singles market, revealing the 398cc Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X, to be built in collaboration with...

The Nexus episode: Lexmoto's L-plate friendly scooter costs under £3250

31 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Wallet-friendly small capacity bike firm Lexmoto have revealed their latest learner-legal scooter model – the £3249.99 Nexus, featuring a colour TFT dash, keyless ignition and more. Starting in the...

Ready to run up that hill: Classic climb is all in a good cause

29 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Owners of pre-war bikes and cars are making final preparations for a hillclimb organised by Louth Rotary club in Lincolnshire. Debuting in 2022, the Lincolnshire Wolds Vintage Hill Climb will again...

Lincs firefighters to go the distance with 1000-mile charity ride honouring fallen colleagues

29 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Firefighters from Alford Community Fire Station in Lincolnshire are hoping to raise £5000 for The Fire Fighters Charity with a circa 1000-mile ride to Scotland to meet the team at fellow Alford...

Royal Enfield fires a shot: New five-strong Bullet range expected for 2024

25 August 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Royal Enfield are gearing up to reveal a revitalised Bullet range for 2024, with five new models being teased online, for a reveal on Friday, 1 September. The new models are a mixture of new and...

MCN Workshop: Drop your own wheels and save cash on tyre changes

25 August 2023 by Bruce Dunn

In this week’s Workshop feature, our expert technician Bruce takes you through a cheeky way to drop your wheels, so you can save money when having your tyres changed. Don’t forget to check your...

Biking Legends: Mick Doohan

25 August 2023 by Stuart Barker

The statistics are impressive by any standards: In a 10-year period between 1989 and ’99, Michael Sydney Doohan started 137 500cc Grand Prix races. He finished on the podium 95 times, was on pole...

Big Read: The Ducati Multistrada at 20

25 August 2023 by Richard Newland

Twenty years ago the biking world was still clinging to the peak of superbike supremacy complete with lurid leathers, loud pipes, and a black market in partially atomised kneesliders so that those who...

MCN Test: Finding the best hardcore off-roader

25 August 2023 by Carl Stevens

The adventure sector is almost buckling under the weight of incredible machinery it offers. There’s so much choice, from entry-level A2 all-rounders to eye-wateringly powerful (and expensive)...

Cadwell BSB preview: A mountain to climb...

25 August 2023 by Josh Close

Here are five things to watch out for as the BSB riders prepare for airtime at the wonderful Cadwell Park… O’Halloran’s new hope Jason O’Halloran has a glimmer of hope in the title race after...

Techwatch: 2-strokes ain't done yet!

24 August 2023 by Carl Stevens

It’s hard to talk about two-stroke engines these days without getting misty-eyed about the past. The smell, the sound, the incredible hit as they wind into the powerband; it’s a sensation that’s all...

Robocop: AI tech deployed to catch mobile phone and seatbelt driving offences

22 August 2023 by Ben Clarke

Devon and Cornwall Police have deployed a free-standing AI road safety camera to catch drivers using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts. Said to be a UK first, the system netted almost 300...

Lightweight hooligans: KTM add a touch of exotica to the A2 class with fully redesigned 390 and 125 Duke

22 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

KTM have kicked off their 2024 new model reveals with a ground-up redesign of the 390 Duke A2-compatible model and 125 Duke learner-legal naked, featuring new engines, chassis parts, electronics, as...

QJMotor SRK1000RR: Chinese sportsbike with Italian heart heads for production

22 August 2023 by Ben Purvis

It’s only a matter of time before China’s rapidly advancing motorcycle industry creates a world-class superbike and QJMotor have put themselves into a prime position by teaming up with MV Agusta to...

Piaggio CEO Roberto Colaninno passes away

21 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Chairman and CEO of Piaggio Group, Roberto Colaninno has passed away aged 80, leaving behind a 20-year legacy featuring some of the most iconic motorcycles of the modern era. The news was confirmed...

A cut above: Annual BarbersRide charity trip takes total funds raised to £150k

21 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Organisers of the annual BarbersRide motorcycle run are celebrating their biggest year yet, with 39 riders taking on a lap of Ireland to raise an estimated £25,000 for the Make a Wish children’s...

Vincent's life explored: New documentary narrated by Ewan McGregor to appear in September

21 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

A new documentary exploring the history of Vincent Motorcycles and narrated by A-list film star Ewan McGregor will be available to stream from September 2023. Speed is Expensive will appear on...

No hope for fast fixes on potholed UK roads

18 August 2023 by Dan Sutherland

No wonder our potholed roads aren’t getting any better… a new report published by the RAC has found a 29% reduction in the number of miles resurfaced in England in the last year, when compared with...