First rides & tests

Year: ALL

First ride! 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R

28 October 2008 by Adam Child

MCN Road Tester Adam Child is in Japan to ride Kawasaki’s all new ZX-6R. Here’s his initial impressions. “This new Kawasaki ZX-6R has been heavily revised for 2009, the main areas where they have...

Video: 2009 Yamaha XVS950 Midnight Star first ride

24 October 2008 by Angus Farquhar, Adam Child

MCN Man Adam Child headed out to Georgia, US, to get us this video of the first ride on the new XVS 950 Midnight Star from Yamaha. Check out the video below to see the bike in action and hear what Chad thinks of the new lightweight cruiser.

Video: Buell 1125CR first look

23 October 2008 by Angus Farquhar, Trevor Franklin

Buell has launched the new 1125CR, a naked version of its 1125R sports bike and MCN man Trevor Franklin was there to take a look. Check out the video below to see the bike and hear what Trev thinks.

The PB100: 2 - Honda RC45

20 October 2008 by Guy Martin for Performance Bikes

The 100 bikes to ride before you die, brought to you by the guys at MCN’s sister title, Performance Bikes. The 10-year-old 750 that makes as much power as an 08 Blade. I have a small list of bikes to...

The PB100: 1 - Honda SP1

15 October 2008 by Performance Bikes

The 100 bikes to ride before you die, brought to you by the guys at MCN’s sister title, Performance Bikes. Get the next 3 issues of PB for £3 when you subscribe before November 5th It seemed Honda...

Video: Bimota DB7 takes on the Ducati 1098R and MV F4 1000 312RR

14 October 2008 by Angus Farquhar, Mykel Nicolaou, Michael Neeves

There is no doubt that the new Bimota DB7 is a stunning machine, but is it good enough to take on the cream of the Italian crop? To find out we took along the video camera as all three motorcycles were put through there paces at the Misano circuit in Italy. Check out the video below to see the bikes in action an find out if the Bimota can live up to the challenge.

Video: Kawasaki ZX-10R onboard fast laps round Mallory Park

02 October 2008 by Angus Farquhar

MCN man Adam Child took his 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R long term test bike to Mallory for the ACU practice session to give it a quick blast at full pace. Check out the video below to see Chad in action at the short fast circuit on his road-going ZX-10R.

Tom Sykes passes DAS test

29 September 2008 by James Keen

Tom Sykes, who is currently third in the British Superbike Championship, recently passed his Direct Access Motorcycle Test with Mike from Maverick Motorcycle Training. Tom travelled down from his home...

Top 10 33bhp bikes

15 September 2008 by James Keen

If you’ve just passed your test in the UK and you’re under 21 or chose to take the A2 license, then you’re restricted to a bike with a maximum of 33bhp for the first 2 years. But don’t despair, we’re...

Video: Triumph Daytona endurance test

27 August 2008 by Adam Child

We know the Triumphs 675 Daytona is good but if you check out the video below you can see how it performs against the best supersports motorcycles from Japan in a tortuous six-hour track thrash. MCN road tester Adam Child went to the Franciacorta circuit in Italy to test the Triumph against the Honda CBR600RR and Yamaha R6. The plan was simple, fit each bike with a datalogger and ride for six...

Video: Tigcraft racer for the road

24 July 2008 by Adam Child

This motorcycle may look a bit weird, but that’s because it is a bit different. This is race-bike makerTigcraft’s first road bike, and what a bike it is. Tigcraft normally make single cylinder race bikes but the owner of this one liked it so much he wanted to ride it on the road. Watch the video below to see if the project worked, then read the full review in the July 23 edition of MCN.

How to win Carole Nash Britain's Got Biking Tallent

24 July 2008

Britain’s got Biking Talent with Carole Nash is back for 2008, but fon’t worry you’ve got a month to make any modifications to your bike before the deadline for entering. To help, we asked some of last year’s winners to tell us about the inspiration behind their efforts so read their stories then get your overals on, finish your motorcycle and upload it to our gallery for the chance to win £1000s...

Britain’s Got Biking Talent with Carole Nash: Show us your motorcycle special to win

23 July 2008

Think you’ve got a special motorcycle? Spent thousands getting it just how you want it? Well now’s your chance to show it off and win something back in the second Britain’s Got Biking Talent with...

Video: Is the Suzuki GSX-R750 still the top road sports bike?

22 July 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN reader Craig Carr wanted help deciding if he should trade his Suzuki K6 GSX-R750 for the K8 version or a Ducati 848 in this video road test. Senior road tester Michael Neeves added Kawasaki’s ZX-10 and Yamaha’s R6 to the test and then took Craig for a spin around the local roads before finishing off at Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds. Watch the video below to see which one Craig chose and read...

Video: Long distance travels on a Victory Vegas

15 July 2008 by Angus Farquhar

My fellow workers here at MCN think the Victory Vegas 8-Ball that I’ve got on long-term-test is only good for slow cruising and showing off so I thought I’d prove them wrong by piling on some serious miles. Check out the video below to see how the Vegas coped with a ride from Peterborough to the Isle of Sky in one day.

Video: Harley Davidson XR1200 takes on Ducati's GT1000 and the Moto Guzzi Griso

14 July 2008 by Adam Child

Harley-Davidsons XR1200R challenges the best European retro roadsters available in Ducati’s GT1000 and Moto Guzzi’s 8v 1200 Griso in our video road test. MCN road tester Adam Child took the motorcycles on a european adventure to the Bikes Classics Festival in Spa, Belgium to see legends such as Agostini and John Surtees compete. Watch the video below to see how the Harley-Davidson got on and read...

Bandit is a bargain!

09 July 2008 by David Mc Cabe

Been biking a few years and all I wanted was a big bike (GSX-R1000). Got my Honda CBR600RR stolen in the summer of 2005 and got no money back from my insurance so i had to buy a new bike on finance.

Video: 2008 Triumph Street Triple v Speed Triple

02 July 2008 by Michael Neeves

Triumph launched a brand new Speed Triple and the 675 Daytona based Street Triple this year so we got both the motorcycles together with the 2007 Speed Triple to see just how good they are. Check out the video below for a detailed look at the two new bikes and to see them both in action.

Video: KTM 990 Superduke R first ride

01 July 2008 by Adam Child

MCN road tester Adam Child travelled to the Salzburgring, Germany, to take part in the first ride of KTM’s 990 Superduke R. How would the new motorcycle cope with the unusual choice of track and would it prove itself to be a suitable track motorbike? Watch the video below to find out of the KTM got on around the notoriously fast circuit.

Harley Davidson XR1200 video

29 June 2008 by marcus Kingma

This time a movie from me about the H-D XR1200: http://www.vimeo.com/1238627

Video: Aprilia Dorsoduro Supermoto group test

27 June 2008 by Adam Child

Aprilia’s 2008 Dorsoduro Supermoto takes on its rivals in the shape of KTM’s 990SM and Ducati’s Hypermotard in our exclusive video road test. MCN’s road tester Adam Child invited the 2006 British Supermoto Champion, Sam Warren, along for a second opinion as they pitched the motorcycles against each other around Ancaster Kart track. Watch the video below to see how the Aprilia faired and read the...

Video: Racing the Ducati Desmo Challenge

27 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

The Ducati Desmo Challenge is a five-round Italian Championship held just for Ducati engined machines and Michael Neeves gives you a behind the scenes look at the Championship in this video. Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves went along to round three at Vallelunga, near Rome to check out the action and take part in a one-make Ducati Hypermotard race. Check out our video below to see where he...

Bimota DB7

24 June 2008 by Anonymous

I spotted these two beauties on Monday morning… having seen them in the flesh – I want one! Just have to convince the other half now!

Video: JvB Moto Scrambler tested

18 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN travelled to Cologne, Germany to ride JvB’s Moto Ducati Scrambler and it’s one of the most agile, responsive, fun machines we’ve ever ridden. The motorcycle starts off as a Ducati Monster and ten weeks and 8000 Euros later it’s transformed into this mad Scrambler. Check out our video below to see what Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves makes of the Scrambler and meet Jens, the brains behind the...

MCN’s Yamaha R6 meets a fiery end

16 June 2008 by MCN Newsdesk

This is the result of MCN’s Senior Writer Andy Downes’ track day mishap at Brands Hatch this morning (Monday). Andy highsided the Yamaha R6 on the exit of Druids, and the impact of the crash resulted...

KTM 990 Supermoto video

14 June 2008 by Marcus Kingma

The KTM 990 Supermoto is a lot of fun but very bad for your drivers license. Funfactor: 9.5

Video: Onboard Suzuki GSX-R750 at Oulton Park

13 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN Man Michael Neeves got an eye opening one-one-training session with California Superbike School master Andy Ibbott and you can see the result below. We’ll be bringing you the full video of everything Neeves learnt form the day with Ibbott at Oulton Park soon, but in the mean time you can see the result of the training in the flying lap of Oulton Park on Neeves’ Suzuki GSX-R750 below.

Video: Moto Morini Granpasso first ride

11 June 2008 by Angus Farquhar

The Granpasso adventure bike is the latest, and possibly best, addition to resurgent Moto Morini’s range. Watch the video below for action of tester Roland Brown putting it through it’s paces at the world launch or read the full artcile in MCN, Wednesday 11 June, 2008.

Video: Yamaha R1 Cup behind the scenes

06 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN man Michael Neeves has been competing in the Yamaha R1 Cup all season and brings us up to date with life in the paddock. The last time we caught up with Michael he’d just had his race snowed off at Brands Hatch, this time we get a proper tour of the action. Watch the video below to see how Michael got on and read the full article in MCN, Wednesday 4 June, 2008.

Video: Bimota DB7 launch report

06 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

Bimota has launched the latest in it’s stunning range of bikes, the Ducati 1098 powered Bimota DB7 and you can see the video report on the motorcycle below. MCN man Michael Neeves has been in Italy to ride the motorbike at it’s launch at the Misano circuit and was impressed. Watch the video below to see what he thought and read the full article in MCN, Wednesday, 11 June, 2008.

MCN and Ducati present the Monster 696

04 June 2008 by Sarah Carnell, Adam Child

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a launch of a new bike? Well Ducati has decided to spill the beans. The full story behind the development and world launch of the new Ducati Monster 696...

Video: John McGuinness tries out 2007 & 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades on TT Mountain course

04 June 2008 by Adam Child

Honda’s new CB1000RR Fireblade won our superbike group test and is great on track but is it better than last year’s motorcycle around the Isle Of Man TT and now you can see them in action in our video test. MCN roadtester Adam Child and TT lap record holder John McGuinness travelled to theIsle Of Man to find out if the 2008 Honda Fireblade is better than the 2007 version. Watch the video below to...

Video: Kawasaki 250 R Ninja v Hyosung GT250R

03 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

Kawasaki’s new Ninja 250 R and Hyosung GT250R are once again giving new riders something to get excited about and now you can see them in action in our video test. MCN road tester’s Michael Neeves and Adam Child relive their younger days with a nostalgic trip to Chelsea bridge in London. Watch the video below to see if the Ninja 250R made them feel young again and read the full article in MCN,...

First ride: Bimota DB7 in Misano

02 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

MCN Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves has just ridden the new Bimota DB7 round Misano for the first time, this is what he has to say: “It’s surprisingly roomy given how small it looks, the brakes are...

Video: Bimota DB7 launch preview

02 June 2008 by Angus Farquhar

MCN Road tester Michael Neeves is out testing Bimota’s brand new DB7 sports bike and he sent back this quick preview of the test. First impressions of the Bimota DB7 Michael will be testing the bike of the next few days and will send back his full report and video by the end of the week.

First impressions: Bimota DB7 launch from Misano

02 June 2008 by Michael Neeves

Michael Neeves, MCN’s Senior Road Tester, is currently in sunny Misano, Italy waiting for the first ride on the Bimota DB7. Here are his first impressions: “The waiting is finally over and I ‘m...