2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

Video: Ducati Streetfighter longterm test report

23 July 2009 by MCN

MCN road tester Michael Neeves has the Ducati Streetfighter on longterm test for the summer of 2009. So far he’s had the bike for a month and covered over 2,500 miles. Watch the video for his...

First ride: Race-ready Harley-Davidson XR1200

16 July 2009 by Adam Child

Unless you’re from Springfield, Illinois or have a brother named ‘Bubba’, the idea of a Harley-Davidson race bike is probably as foreign as ‘grits’ for breakfast. Not any more. Harley-Davidson are...

Video: Onboard the Harley-Davidson XR1200 racer

13 July 2009 by MCN

The Harley-Davidson XR1200 race bike has been developed in conjunction with Harris Performance for a one-make race series due to be launched next year. Read the Harley-Davidson XR1200 review Find...

Piaggio MP3 Hybrid: MCN rides the world’s first hybrid motorcycle

10 July 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Piaggio’s MP3 Hybrid is the first motorcycle in the world to combine a petrol engine with an electric motor to reduce emissions and increase economy – but our first ride shows the technology isn’t...

Video: Onboard the Desmosedici RR at Donington

09 July 2009 by James Keen

Go onboard with Ducati test rider Vito Guareschi as he puts in a few fast laps on the Desmosedici RR at Donington Park. Find a Ducati for sale Read the MCN Ducati Desmosedici RR review

Can't wait for the Honda V4? Try one of these...

08 July 2009 by MCN

Honda is uncharacteristically bullish about the new Honda V4, as revealed in MCN’s recent interview with boss Shigeru Takagi. If this confidence is well founded, Honda’s rivals need to be very...

Video: The world's best all-rounders?

08 July 2009 by James Keen

The new breed of trailie-style all-rounders are put to the test in a 450-mile day trip to Le Touquet via Calais and Bologne. Watch the video to see if the Ducati Multistrada 1100S, Triumph Tiger 1050...

Video: 2WD Yamaha R1 ridden

07 July 2009 by MCN

MCN is the only publication in the world to have ridden the Ohlins two-wheel-drive Yamaha R1. Watch the video for a tech explaination of the 2WD system and see MCN’s Trevor Franklin take a test ride...

Piaggio MP3 125 Hybrid first ride

06 July 2009 by Chris Newbigging

MCN has just ridden the world’s first production hybrid motorcycle – the Piaggio MP3 125 Hybrid. Piaggio MP3 LT – the scooter the law says is a car The new motorcycle combines a conventional 125cc...

TTS Triumph Speed Triple - first ride

03 July 2009 by Adam Child

There’s no getting away from it: Triumph’s Speed Triple is an excellent bike. Its superb handling, amazing triple engine, inimitable style and decent value makes it the class leading super naked. So...

Piaggio MP3 400 full review

03 July 2009 by James Keen

The Piaggio MP3 400 has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the MCN Piaggio MP3 400 review “The largest incarnation of the...

Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX full review

03 July 2009 by James Keen

The Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the MCN Moto Guzzi Stevlio NTX review “The Moto Guzzi Stelvio is...

Moto Guzzi V7 Café Classic vs. Triumph Thruxton

03 July 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Guzzi’s new V7 Café Classic is, like Triumph’s Thruxton, a romantic take on café racers of yesteryear. The satin-finished lime green Moto Guzzi is a café racer version of the current V7 Classic, so...

New Indian Chief - first impressions

03 July 2009 by David Folch

MCN gets the first ride on the Chief, the latest bike from Indian, America’s oldest motorcycle company. The new Chief is Indian’s entry level bike, costing £15,500. Find a cruiser for sale First...

Very impressed with the Honda DN-01

24 June 2009 by Gerry Fett

I bought an 09 DN-01 and am totally pleased. I’m a 62 year old male with a 28″ inseam and have been riding since I was 16. Video: Honda DN-01 test My recent motorcycles (I own a few) include an HD Softail deluxe (boring), a BMW R1200C cruiser(a poor handling vibrator), a 1300 VTX(copy of an HD, boring too), a Yamaha Royal Star tour deluxe (absolutely awesome but heavy and tall for me), a Honda...

Video: Tul-Aris 2-stroke racer

24 June 2009 by MCN

The howling 2-stroke Tul-Aris racer is ridden in this week’s MCN. The bike, which features an 800cc parallel twin engine from a snowmobile, was built by the head of R&D for Renault F1. Watch the clip...

Aprilia Mana 850 GT ABS - first ride

23 June 2009 by Michael Neeves

The £6999 Mana 850 GT ABS is much more than its specs suggest. On paper it’s a bike with a 839.3cc V-twin scooter engine (the same lump, incidentally, you’ll find in the GP800 made by Aprilia’s sister...

Video: Honda DN-01 test

19 June 2009 by James Keen

MCN’s 2009 longterm test fleet includes the unconventional-looking Honda DN-01. It’s an automatic with cruiser geometry, a 680cc v-twin engine and shaft drive. So far so odd – but what’s it like to...

Yamaha YBR250: full review

17 June 2009 by MCN

The Yamaha YBR250 has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the MCN Yamaha YBR250 review Kawasaki Ninja 250R v Honda VTR250 “If...

Aprilia Shiver GT: Full review

15 June 2009 by James Keen

The Aprilia Shiver GT has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the MCN Aprilia Shiver GT review Read the Aprilia Shiver GT first ride...

5 of the best urban scramblers

12 June 2009 by James Keen

Middleweight trailie style bikes make great town bikes. It just so happens that a lot of the things that make them useful green laners make them handy in the city too. Thinking of trading in? Sell...

The scooter the law says is a car

10 June 2009 by Steve Farrell

This 100mph scooter can be ridden by car drivers without a motorcycle licence or helmet. The 400cc Piaggio MP3 LT is Piaggio’s latest scooter with two leaning front wheels, after the smaller 125 and...

Video: Onboard the Ducati 1098R

10 June 2009 by MCN

Go onboard the Ducati 1098R as MCN road tester Michael Neeves takes it for a flying lap of the 2.48 mile Almeria circuit. Video: Ducati Desmosedici v 1098R road test Video: Onboard the Ducati...

Video: Onboard the Ducati Desmosedici

10 June 2009 by MCN

Go onboard the Ducati Desmosedici as MCN road tester Michael Neeves takes it for a flying lap of the 2.48 mile Almeria circuit. Video: Ducati Desmosedici v 1098R road test Video: Onboard the Ducati...

KTM-powered Lambretta first test

05 June 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Dactek’s 45bhp KTM-engined Lambretta is one of the most powerful in the world – and we’ve ridden it. A standard Lambretta only makes 9bhp, and tuning it to within an inch of it’s life gives an...

World First Ride: Evaproducts Track T800CDI diesel motorcycle

04 June 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Evaproducts Track T800CDI is the most advanced diesel production bike built yet and MCN has exclusively tested it. The Track T800CDI is a new adventure-style motorcycle from Dutch manufacturer...

Cheaper Ducati Streetfighter tested

04 June 2009 by Michael Neeves

• First ride of standard Ducati Streetfighter • £2500 cheaper than S version • Still costs £11,495 though MCN’s Michael Neeves is the first journalist to ride the standard Ducati Streetfighter. This...

Kawasaki VN1700 Voyager v Harley-Davidson Street Glide v Victory Vision Tour

04 June 2009 by Michael Neeves

Kawasaki’s new VN1700 Voyager is the Japanese firm’s first fully-dressed V-twin American-style tourer. It’s a Harley clone through and through, albeit loaded with the sort of cutting-edge technology...

Supersport 600s head to head on track

03 June 2009 by Adam Child

600cc sportsbikes are more track focused than ever – not one of the current class has any real concessions to road ability. That’s why they’re so popular on track days – there’s always a swarm lapping...

World first test: Aprilia SL750 Shiver GT

02 June 2009 by Chris Newbigging

MCN has just finished the world-first test of the new Aprilia SL750 Shiver GT. The motorcycle is a new model for 2009, taking its complete chassis and engine from the naked Aprilia SL750 Shiver but...

Video: Onboard a MotoGP mechanic's tuned Kawasaki ZX-10R

02 June 2009 by MCN

In this week’s issue of MCN we take a look at ex-MotoGP mechanic Stewart Miller’s 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R – a bike capable of lapping Almeria 2 seconds faster than a £45,000 Ducati Desmocedici. ...

Video: Sports bike of the year 2009

01 June 2009 by MCN

The Aprilia RSV4 takes on the best of the best to find the UK’s ultimate sports machine for 2009. The KTM RC8R, Yamaha R1, Aprilia RSV4 and Triumph Daytona 675 were taken to the Isle of Man for 2000...

Top 5 three-quarter litre corner eaters

29 May 2009 by James Keen

Is 750cc the perfect capacity? For many it strikes the perfect balance between the light weight and sharp handling of a 600 and the all out power of a litre bike. Thinking of trading in? Sell your...

MCN's top sports bikes of the year 2009

29 May 2009 by James Keen

In the May 27 issue of MCN the sporty group test winners go head to head to see which sports bike is the best of the best in 2009. Video: Watch the sports bike of the year 2009 video test The...

Suzuki Bandit 650 launch: First impressions

22 May 2009 by MCN

MCN’s Marc Potter is on the Isle of Wight riding both the unfaired and faired (650SA) versions of Suzuki’s updated Bandit at the UK launch. Here are his first impressions of the faired version. Find...

Top 5 best handling bikes - according to you

21 May 2009 by James Keen

Here’s a top 5 countdown of the bikes rated highest for handling by user reviewers in the MCN bike reviews section. Thinking of trading in? Sell your bike with MCN for £9.99 Do you agree with the...