May

New Bimotas tested

New Bimotas tested

To celebrate the announcement of a new UK importer, Bimota brought along the DB5S, DB6, DB7 and Tesi 3D to Brands Hatch for us to ride, to refresh British riders’ memories of the exotica they...

Guest road test: Shervin reviews the Kawasaki ZX-10R

Guest road test: Shervin reviews the Kawasaki ZX-10R

Shervin Rezaiy is a trained auto mechanic, internet phenomenon and awesome motorcycle modifying legend. We are privileged to have him review the greatest bike of all time, the 2005 Kawasaki...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki Versys – The return of the Versys

Staff bikes: Kawasaki Versys – The return of the Versys

If a man by the name of Sam Pinney ever asks to borrow your bike, say no. Bad things happen. Everything was going well until I was informed some scamp in London had tried to steal the Versys. Here...

Staff bikes – Victory Hammer S: Calling open-minded Harley owners

Staff bikes – Victory Hammer S: Calling open-minded Harley owners

The Victory Hammer S continues to be a pleasure as I rack up miles in the sun, and I’ve yet to run in to any problems. It also continues to draw praise. A week spent road testing meant the Hammer was...

Staff bikes: Ducati Multistrada 1200 - The bike I've waited 10 years for

Staff bikes: Ducati Multistrada 1200 - The bike I've waited 10 years for

Picked up my new Ducati Multistrada 1200 Touring on Friday and I couldn’t be more delighted with it. With electronically-adjustable Ohlins suspension, changeable engine maps, heated grips, keyless...

Video: Hypermotard 1100 v GSX-R600 v Speed Triple

Video: Hypermotard 1100 v GSX-R600 v Speed Triple

Ducati’s new Hypermotard 1100 Evo is a great bike – but it has divided opinion in the MCN office. One side of the office thinks it’s a relevant and fun alternative to a supersports machine like the...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - Beware bike sellers who limp

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - Beware bike sellers who limp

When I bought my GPz550 for £300 in January, I triumphantly claimed I’d proved you could get a decent bike for next to nothing. I now admit I’ve proved only that you can get a bike for next to...

Video: Park Lane S1000RR ready-made racer

Video: Park Lane S1000RR ready-made racer

BMW took the 1000cc sports bike world by storm this year with it’s new S1000RR. But now dealers are pushing the envelope and BMW Park Lane is offering to build you a track version of the S1000RR out...

First ride: Triumph Thruxton 904 Ace Special

First ride: Triumph Thruxton 904 Ace Special

You may have seen this lovely, highly-modified Triumph Thruxton on our stand at the Carole Nash MCN Motorcycle show at Excel earlier in the year. Created by Tony Scott of T3 Racing (he also runs the...

Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - Coppers can't touch me!

Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - Coppers can't touch me!

My previous entry, on the subject of top speed runs on the road, was met with a few comments on the logic of my admission to speeds well in excess of 85mph on the queen’s highway. Well, after taking...

2010 Triumph Sprint GT - first riding impressions from Skye

2010 Triumph Sprint GT - first riding impressions from Skye

Trevor Franklin reports after his first 50 miles and has this to say about the new Triumph Sprint GT1050.   It’s obvious Triumph has taken the direction of the Sprint GT to a higher touring level from...

2010 Triumph Sprint GT launch

2010 Triumph Sprint GT launch

MCN Chief Road Tester, Trevor Franklin, is currently in Scotland around the area of Inveraray riding Triumph’s latest 1050 Sprint model.   The new Sprint GT is Triumph’s touring focussed version of...

Video: Mavizen electric sportsbike first ride

Video: Mavizen electric sportsbike first ride

MCN’s exclusive road test of the first electric road-going sports bike proves the future of non-petrol motorcycles is exceptionally bright. The British-designed Mavizen TTX02 is so good it feels like...

Video speed test: S1000RR v RSV4 v Hayabusa v ZZ-R1400

Video speed test: S1000RR v RSV4 v Hayabusa v ZZ-R1400

20 years after the launch of the original hyperbike, Kawasaki’s ZZ-R1100, superbikes like BMW’s S1000RR are now so fast they’re rendering the Hayabusa and co. irrelevant…     Or are they?  Read the...

Racing blog: Vari-Trac BMW Park Lane S1000RR

Racing blog: Vari-Trac BMW Park Lane S1000RR

After sampling BMW Park Lane’s MRO Stocksport S1000RR at Brands GP on Thursday I got the amazing opportunity to race it at the historic Kent track at the weekend. Team Vari-Trac BMW Park Lane looked...

BMW Park Lane will build you this superstock S1000RR

BMW Park Lane will build you this superstock S1000RR

BMW Park Lane is the only dealer in the UK where you can buy a race-prepared S1000RR new out of the crate. Costing £17,500 (or £18,000, fully-painted) you get the full-spec superbike, complete with...

Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - Top speed test for 28bhp missile

Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - Top speed test for 28bhp missile

My Enfield Bullet Clubman has no rev counter and nothing but an ‘old-fashioned’ dial by way of speedometer. And once above a certain speed the needle can wander by as much as 10mph either way. A...

Video: Yamaha Super Tenere first ride

Video: Yamaha Super Tenere first ride

After our first ride of the new Yamaha Super Tenere, we can confirm that Yamaha’s new adventure bike has a brilliant engine and is a credible alternative to BMW’s popular R1200GS.    Watch the video...

Video: 2010 BMW R1200RT longterm review

Video: 2010 BMW R1200RT longterm review

MCN’s longterm test fleet for 2010 includes the BMW R1200RT. Senior reporter Andy Downes has had the bike for 5 weeks and covered over 5,000 miles so far.        Read the BMW R1200RT review Find...

Shaw Harley-Davidson Spyder first ride

Shaw Harley-Davidson Spyder first ride

If you have enough money, you can have anything you want. If the object of your desires is a custom Harley styled like the Porsche Spyder that killed James Dean, star of iconic movie ‘Rebel Without a...

Yamaha Super Tenere - World first test ride

Yamaha Super Tenere - World first test ride

The new Yamaha XTZ1200Z Tenere is a great alternative to a BMW R1200GS or Ducati Multistrada says MCN’s Trevor Franklin. Adventure special issue of MCN, on sale this Wednesday Trevor has so far...

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - Silverstone, Sheene & snotty Dunlops

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - Silverstone, Sheene & snotty Dunlops

The other day I had to film a bike test at Silverstone and since Dunlop were having a tyre launch at the same time, I ended up with a new set of Sportsmart‘s and some time on track.  I was shooting...

Video: Mavizen TTX02 electric superbike - first ride preview

Video: Mavizen TTX02 electric superbike - first ride preview

MCN is testing the world’s first production electric superbike – the Mavizen TTX02. Watch the video for a little preview showing just how different this bike is to ride. The Mavizen TTX02 uses a...

MCN rides the world's first production electric superbike

MCN rides the world's first production electric superbike

We’ve been granted an exclusive first ride on the Mavizen TTX02, the world’s first production superbike. Video: Mavizen TTX02 electric superbike – first ride preview Powered by twin 96V DC Agni...

First ride: Honda VFR1200F DCT

First ride: Honda VFR1200F DCT

Phil West, Executive Editor, is near Frankfurt testing Honda’s new VFR1200F DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) which is Honda’s much vaunted and radical new auto gearbox. Phil – a confirmed...

Video: 2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 first ride

Video: 2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 first ride

MCN’s first ride of the revamped Shiver 750 suggests its rivals should be worried – the new v-twin feels sportier than the outgoing model,  but is also easier to live with and remains good value.   ...