Bike news

Year: ALL

Easter Egg runs so far…

11 March 2002

Know of an Easter Egg run? E-mail the details to david.cushman@emap.com with EGG RUN in the subject line and we’ll add them below. Saturday March 23 Bromsgrove, Worcs: In aid of Dr Barnado’s. Start from the Merlin, noon. Details: 01527-575843. Swinderby, Lincs: For Hartsholme Children’s Centre. Meet Halfway House (between Lincoln and Newark) 11am. Details: 01522-881736. Walkern, Herts: For...

Not your average weekend blast

11 March 2002

This just isn’t good enough, you can almost hear the other guests thinking. There’s sand in the pool of the supposedly swanky four-star Hotel Salam. And blokes fully-dressed in enduro gear. Next to a...

They won with MCN2U. Now it’s your chance

11 March 2002

They entered one of our text message MCN2U competitions and won. A year’s breakdown cover, courtesy of NCI Rescue Service, goes to: M Walker from Narberth; H Waters, Warminster; D Flooks, Liverpool, K...

Ducati recalls 2001 bikes

11 March 2002

Ducati is recalling almost its entire 2001 range for attention to a clutch cylinder problem. The only bike it doesn’t affect is the 748R, which uses a slipper clutch. The cylinders on the rest of the...

Everybody’s talking about it

11 March 2002

Kawasaki’s ZX-6R is the single most talked about bike in our dedicated bulletin boards. While both the Talk News and Talk General boards have higher overall postings, the ZX-6R is way ahead on the...

See stunt tribute to Eddie Kidd

11 March 2002

Stunt riders are paying tribute to a legend in the Eddie Kidd Stunt Spectacular at the Bike Live Show this weekend. And Eddie will be there too. Kidd may use a wheelchair to get around these days...

Piaggio 500cc scooter arrives late… 1000cc to follow?

11 March 2002

Piaggio’s X9 500 scooter has finally made it into showrooms – almost a year late. Originally launched last Spring, it was sent back to the drawing board after test riders reported an unnerving...

Worst bike you ever bought

11 March 2002

Ever made a really bad buying decision and ended up with a bike that really didn’t match up to your requirements, was a right dog, or was simply sub-standard by nature? We want to hear from you with all the dirt on the nightmare bike you landed yourself with. See end of the story for details on sending your contributions in. Here’s some examples we’ve already received: From Tim Saunders: My worst...

World’s first test: 2002 R1, Blade, 9R and GSX-R1000

11 March 2002

It’s the 2002 test we’ve all been waiting for. Uprated R1 and 9R versus bigger-bore and sharpened Blade… all taking on the benchmark GSX-R1000. Over eight pages of the new MCN, out on Wednesday, March...

Guzzi revises Nevada 750

11 March 2002

Moto Guzzi has revealed a revised version of its bottom-of-the-range Nevada cruiser – the final bike in the line-up to get a series of updates influenced by Guzzi’s new owner, Aprilia. The 750cc...

World’s biggest bike festival happening now

04 March 2002

Bikini-clad babes on FireBlades, extreme racing, stunning supercross and more Harleys in one place than you’ll ever want to see again… it’s all happening in the Florida sunshine of Daytona Bike...

Bike week: Cops try to close nudist camp

04 March 2002

Daytona cops are trying to close down a nudist camp opened up for Daytona Bike Week. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office have ordered the visitors off the private property, not because of the (large...

ZX-6R tops sales charts for 2002 so far

04 March 2002

Latest sales figures show Kawasaki’s ZX-6R is top of the charts for a second month running. Much of that is down to heavy discounting as dealers clear the way for the new 636cc version. Here’s the top...

Bike week: Two lidless riders die

04 March 2002

Two riders have died following bike accidents at Daytona Bike Week. Neither had been wearing a helmet. Both are American. Florida allows those over 21 to ride without lids. Ambulance staff say they...

Stunt stars’ bikes could be yours

04 March 2002

The internationally famous Starboyz stunt team are performing at the Scottish Show this weekend… in what will double up as one of the oddest bike ads you’ll ever see. The Starboyz, who are using...

First test: Buell Firebolt

04 March 2002

We’ve been riding Buell’s radical new Firebolt. It’s an R1-light, quick-steering beam-framed thriller aimed at European sports bike nuts, but does it hit its target? For our full report, make sure you...

Big Daddy Rat dies, aged 74

04 March 2002

The man behind some of the most famous custom bike shows of Daytona Bike Week, Karl " Big Daddy Rat " Smith, died at the age of 74 on Monday. He is thought to have suffered a heart attack. He had been in poor health for the past two years but had continued to stage his custom bike shows in Daytona Beach during Bike Week and Biketoberfest. He had also staged shows throughout Europe and at...

One in ten bikes bought from Carnell-City

04 March 2002

Almost one in ten new bikes in Britain were bought from Carnell-City last year. The company has published its annual figures which show massive rises all round, but those rises are mostly down to Carnell’s acquisition of Motorcycle City. The combination of the two saw Carnells 17-shop chain expand to 30 branches and meant 9.3 per cent of new bikes in this country were bought from the combined...

WSB deal ends Foggy track academy

04 March 2002

If you’re ready to take your place on a Carl Fogarty Academy, prepare to be disappointed. The academy, which offered a Ducati 748 to hammer round the track for a day, has been scrapped. Octagon, which...

1200cc Blackbird for 2003

04 March 2002

Honda insiders have confirmed the Super Blackbird is getting a mid-range boost and a restyle for 2003. Although the changes are expected to raise power by as much as 20bhp to around 155bhp, the real...

Three head injuries as Bike Week starts

04 March 2002

The start of the world’s biggest bike festival, Daytona Bike Week, has been marred by three riders receiving head injuries in accidents. None were wearing helmets. Florida ruled that those over 21...

Bike Week: Cops cancel leave

04 March 2002

Police have cancelled leave and called in 20 extra Highway Patrol state troopers to get tough on traffic enforcement in Daytona Beach during Bike Week, the world’s biggest bike gathering. They made...

Face-to-face with Meacher

04 March 2002

Minister Michael Meacher may have been able to avoid questions about his leaked anti-bike letter on the BBC’s Any Questions radio show, but he couldn’t avoid MCN. Meacher was in Peterborough on Friday night for the Radio Four show and we had hoped he would be forced to answer questions surrounding his infamous letter. It reads as if he seriously considered banning bikes from National Parks and...

Kawasaki joins big-bore cruiser war

04 March 2002

Triumph’s Twenty Two cruiser may not have it all its own way when it comes to the battle of the big-bore cruisers. Kawasaki is ready to roll with a huge V-twin expected to come close to a two-litre...

Bike Week: Erik Buell inducted into hall of fame

04 March 2002

Erik Buell, the man behind the Buell range of bikes, has been inducted into the National Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame in America. But who would you nominate for a UK Hall of Fame? Steve345 has...

2002 R1 winner revealed

04 March 2002

Alan Sapsard from Southampton was the lucky winner of the 2002 YZF-R1 competition drawn during the official dealer launch of the new bike on the evening of February 28. More than 10,000 people entered...

Fazer 1000: Long term report

04 March 2002

Over the last month, I’ve been covering 300 passenger-laden miles a week. That’s a good test for any bike, but the simple fact is that if I had bought any other bike it wouldn’t be happening. I’m...

Aprilia considers Haga rep

04 March 2002

Aprilia is looking into launching a Haga rep Mille R for the road… but the firm wants your input to help it decide whether or not to go ahead with the plan. ” Haga is a very popular rider with fans,...

Bike Week: Stolen Harley spotted 30 years later

04 March 2002

If you thought it was just the Mounties who always got their man, it’s time to tip your lid to the persistence of the Volusia County cops. These are the boys who police Daytona Bike Week, the world’s...

Strange But True

04 March 2002

Oh no… here’s another line-up of motorcycling oddities from around the world. If you have anything worthy of inclusion in our next one, e-mail jon.urry@emap.com Holland: A Groningen graveyard now...

One in four London drivers will swap four wheel for two

04 March 2002

Almost one in four drivers in central London say they’ll swop to bikes to avoid paying a £5 a day congestion charge next year, MCN can exclusively reveal. It’s the best way they can find to beat the...

World first test: The 2002 ZX-12R

04 March 2002

Kawasaki has raised the power of the ZX-12R AND given it an even more sporting focus. Our full report is published in MCN, out on Wednesday, March 6, 2002. But here are our first impressions. (i) The...

10 Scottish show winners revealed

04 March 2002

The MCN-backed Scottish Motorcycle Show is on over the weekend of March 9-10 and 10 site users will now be there, with a pal or partner, free of charge.. We’ve given away 10 pairs of day tickets worth...

Frame fix could cut insurance costs

04 March 2002

Carnell-City is claiming a new addition to its Sheffield-based Bike Clinic could reduce the number of bikes which have to be written off. And that could have a big impact on the price we all pay for...

Scottish Motorcycle Show this weekend

04 March 2002

Everything is in place for the doors opening on the MCN-backed Scottish Motorcycle Show at 9am, on Saturday. Highlights include: Kit and accessories at discount prices; the gorgeous MCN girls; the MCN...

New reg lands DVLA in the PO0

04 March 2002

DVLA bosses have had to recall over 100 new registrations because they spell out: ” PO0 ” . All plates issued since Saturday March 1 this year, feature the figures 02. The Fylde area of Blackpool was to be identified with PO. The DVLA didn’t spot the potential for embarrassment until the plates arrived at a car dealership. It happens to be opposite Fylde Superbikes. Fylde boss Dave Patterson...