Bike news

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21 January 2002

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V&M Yamaha R1

21 January 2002

He’d have been quicker pedalling

21 January 2002

Robert Yardy, 64, is from Yorkshire. He’s owned nine bikes. ” The first bike I had was one of these 50cc things, while I was still learning, ” recalls Robert Yardy. ” It was a custom-built frame...

ENGINEERING

21 January 2002

ALTHOUGH the bike doesn’t use any radical metals in its construction it’s quite a step forward for Harley with an all new engine, frame and totally new styling unlike any other bike before it. It’s...

Save £20 on alarms with Carole Nash at Ally Pally

21 January 2002

Carole Nash Secure, the mobile bike alarm and immobiliser division of Carole Nash Insurance, are offering a £20 saving for all visitors to their sponsored motorcycle parking area, at the Alexandra...

CCM plans tie-up with Suzuki

21 January 2002

British bike maker CCM is looking outside Europe for engines which could power a new range of singles and twins for 2003. For the past few months, the Lancashire firm has been in negotiation with Suzuki to buy a variety of engines beginning with its DRZ400 engine. Sources also suggest that other Suzuki power plants, such as the 644cc single and V-twin SV650 could be included in future deals. The...

New ZX-7R likely to be a rebadged Suzuki

21 January 2002

Insiders in Japan are hinting that the bike to replace Kawasaki’s ZX-7R will look very familiar… because it will be a green-painted Suzuki GSX-R750 with a Kawasaki badge slapped on it. It’s a move...

Quill Oval Stainless

21 January 2002

THE Quill looks like it will retain its looks over the years and the makers are obviously confident because they offer an 18-month warranty and lifetime corrosion guarantee. Sleeve options include...

Sidekick Alien race

21 January 2002

YOU’LL either think this design is the dog’s danglies or the dog’s dinner. Either way it will get you noticed, but you need to get it on first as it’s fiddly to fit. There’s a carbon option at £300...

The Decision

21 January 2002

IN a hotel conference room in Arcadia, 18 miles North of Los Angeles Harley-Davidson unveiled the V-Road to the world’s press. We took the chance to speak to the people behind the V-Rod with an...

Dagar Titanium race

21 January 2002

A COUPLE of years ago, you’d pay twice as much for a titanium sleeve, but this new brand proves how popular the material has become – and how it’s lost some of that early wow factor. There’s no sign...

Cruise tops poll for top bike movie moments

21 January 2002

It may have changed tyres from scene to scene and apparently been bullet proof, but the Speed Triple Tom Cruise rode in Mission Impossible II impressed enough people to make it the star of the best...

South Essex Suzuki GSX-R1000

21 January 2002

Styling

21 January 2002

THE radical styling of the bike was lead by a lot of inspiration from Europe. The bike that won best in show at Daytona bike week was actually from France and that made Harley really sit up and notice...

Buy a bargain bike at the Ally Pally show

21 January 2002

Fancy bagging yourself a race bike, even if only for track days? Maybe you just want a great deal. Best make your way to the Ally Pally Show in London from January 26 to February 3, 2002. The paddock bargains area will be rammed with used bikes waiting for a new home. This year they include one of Paul Brown’s 600s, a host of race bikes, and some great used road bike bargains, too. Buying one...

Oh gee, look who that is!

21 January 2002

I’ve got a dangerous-looking WSB champion here… can I let him in?

Aprilia cuts list prices by up to £975

21 January 2002

Aprilia has taken between £500 and £900 off the price of all its 1000cc V-twins. It’s clearly a move aimed at going head to head on price with its rivals, and means the Futura sports-tourer drops from £8875 to £7899, a saving of nearly a grand. The Falco all-rounder will now cost £6999, almost £900 less than last year. And the list price of the RSV Mille and Mille R are down close to £800 to £8099...

Kawasaki and Suzuki announce shared bikes

21 January 2002

Senior Suzuki and Kawasaki managers have announced more details about how the two companies will work together to share models. We reported last year how the companies were forging new links. Now we...

Venom Carbon

21 January 2002

THIS is the most expensive can in Venom’s 2002 range – aluminium options start from £195. All of them include a link pipe. This version looks good and fits easily. The internals are stainless steel,...

MV’s tribute to Senna finally arrives

21 January 2002

MV Agusta’s special edition F4 Senna will finally hit UK showrooms next month. The bikes – which are built as a tribute to three-times F1 champion Ayrton Senna were originally supposed to be on sale...

All set for the Ally Pally?

21 January 2002

The MCN-backed Ally Pally show opens this weekend. More than 60,000 people are expected to visit before the London show closes on February 3. Among the glittering attractions are Honda’s new V5 GP...

Matt’s the way to do it

21 January 2002

Ride with Matt Llewellyn.

Tadao Baba: Father of the Blade

21 January 2002

TADAO Baba is one of the few men in the world that knows the direction the FireBlade will go in the next few years. The softly-spoken Honda chief engineer is rumoured to already have dozens of even more evolved FireBlades built and undergoing testing. We caught him during a relaxed moment at Estoril and coaxed him into spilling a few beans. MCN: Is Honda committed to developing the FireBlade...

Rider fined £72,000 for 46mph in a 30

14 January 2002

A Finnish rider has been hit with what could be the world’s biggest speeding fine for doing 75kph (46mph) in a 50kph (31mph) zone. Anssi Vanjoki has had to sign a cheque for £72,000 after being caught speeding in Helsinki. Finnish laws dictate that the fine is means-tested and since Vanjoki is a senior Nokia exec on a telephone number salary, his payment was set at the top end of the...

Bimota back in the showroom

14 January 2002

Bimota’s new owner says he intends to have the SB8-R superbike back on sale before the end of the year. Late last year the famous company’s remains were bought up by Italian businessman, Guiseppe...

Triumph Tiger

14 January 2002

The addition of hand protectors for 2002 makes the Tiger look even more off-road, but on road they serve a much better purpose – as wind deflectors, writes Adam Morrissey. Having done plenty of miles...

Learning from Kevin at the Schwantz Suzuki school

14 January 2002

THERE’S a five dollar baseball cap hanging on my bedroom wall which is as valuable as anything I own. Every time I glance at it I’m reminded of the day I rode with Kevin Schwantz. Imagine calling Old...

Behind the scenes

14 January 2002

Long hard hours in the pit garages made the difference for Edwards

A moment’s reflection

14 January 2002

Edwards future must be bright judging from those shades.

Keeping track

14 January 2002

On screen displays keep you up to pace with the 2000 WSB season

Ruth wins chance to learn from Frankie

14 January 2002

Speed Triple rider Ruth Prior is the winner of our place on the European Superbike School in France. She will be given lessons by WSB star Frankie Chili. The 30-year-old, from West Sussex, said: " I am a really big fan of Frankie’s, he’s just the best. " Follow the link, right, to see details of the competition Ruth entered and the European Superbike School she has won.

Triumph Bonneville

14 January 2002

One of the first times I ever did 100mph on my own was as a teenager on a mates mint, tuned classic Triumph 750 Bonneville. It was an empty airfield on a dry summer’s day and I remember the bike...

See your bike grace the pages of MCN

14 January 2002

Fancy the chance to see your bike featured in MCN? We would like to borrow seven mint (or nearly mint) standard (or near-standard) 2001-spec bikes. We’ll collect them, clean them, cosset them, studio...

Triumph Sprint ST

14 January 2002

Compared to the current VFR the Sprint ST feels a bit big, a bit flat and looks a bit dated. But for the type of rider Triumph’s aiming the Sprint ST at it’s obviously working a treat as it was their...

Buy an SP-1 and have lunch with Colin Edwards

14 January 2002

We’ll be bringing you the first test of the new SP-2 within the next couple of days… its arrival was bound to signal improved deals on the SP-1. Honda is now throwing in a free dinner with Honda WSB...

Triumph Daytona 955I Centenary

14 January 2002

At first look it might look like just another 955I but it’s much more than that. There’s a single-sided swingarm added to the already sharp looks of the Daytona with a colour-matched seat cowl with...