2011

Year: 2011

Month: ALL

Honda's V4 Crosstourer GS-rival gets sporty edge

17 November 2011 by Phil West

Honda’s all-new adventure bike – the V4 Crosstourer – is significantly different to the prototype version first unveiled a year ago and will bring new sophistication, technology and riding pleasure to...

Video: 1980s Paris-Dakar box-set

17 November 2011 by Marc Abbott

Duke Video have recently released a box-set of their coverage of the 1984-89 Paris-Dakar rallies. It costs £54.99 for the six-DVD collection, and covers a whopping 547 minutes of off-road action. And...

'Ace' prize for winner at Warr's Harley custom night

17 November 2011 by MCN

A dream trip to the legendary Daytona Bike Week in Florida awaits Harley owner Robertas Sakalauskus after winning the experience in the Warr’s Harley-Davidson big prize night at the Ace Café. Europe’s...

“Ultimate Kawasaki Experience” competition launched

17 November 2011 by MCN

Anyone joining the Kawasaki Riders Club at the Motorcycle Live show at the NEC could win an ‘Ultimate Kawasaki Experience’. The prize includes riding a 2012 Kawasaki of your choice for a week, getting...

No Farmyard ticket price rise

17 November 2011 by MCN

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has announced that ticket prices for the Farmyard Rally will not rise in 2012. This is the fifth year running tickets for Europe’s biggest motorcycle-only rally have...

See Guy Martin tow girls on skates this weekend

17 November 2011 by John Westlake

Road-racing superstar Guy Martin will headline a new event called Rollerburn this weekend featuring scantily-clad women being towed behind bikes. The event is at the Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire...

New meeting place for Brussels protest

16 November 2011 by Steve Farrell

MCN’s Brussels protest ride now has a new meeting point. At the request of Belgian police, riders will gather in a prestigious park opposite the European Commission instead of outside European...

Visit Alpha at the NEC

16 November 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION Essex-based official Yamaha and Suzuki dealers Alpha Motorcycles are well known for their show deals and special offers. After many years exhibiting at the NEC they know what...

Guy Martin creates own tea blend with competition winner

16 November 2011 by Guy Procter

Guy Martin has created a bespoke tea blend with Bennetts Biker Dream competiton winner Rachel Heath from Chesterfield. The 23-year-old’s dream was to have a cuppa with the TV and TT star, but he went...

Video - Keith Flint’s final race of the season

16 November 2011 by MCN

Bike-mad Prodigy frontman Keith Flint races in the Sorrymate.com Junior 1000 Endurance championship with Hottrax. Teaming up with Ben Neeves (brother of Senior Road Tester, Michael) they run under the...

Michael Neeves blog – Racedays, Jerez

16 November 2011 by Michael Neeves

I’ve just come back from riding my BMW Park Lane S1000RR at Racedays in Jerez. It was my final ever outing on No.5, after two years racing it in MRO. What is/who are Racedays? Racedays is a three-day...

Yamaha TZR-1 King Kenny concept

16 November 2011 by Oberdan Bezzi

Here’s my concept for a modern old-school racer. Based on the engine from the current Yamaha R1, it is a tribute to Kenny Roberts Sr.

Help highlight potholes

15 November 2011 by Steve Farrell

A new BBC consumer affairs programme wants to hear about hazardous unfilled potholes. Programme makers are looking for examples to film this week for a pilot series to be broadcast on Wednesday...

New MCN November 16: New Metal 2012 - unmissable new bikes from Milan & Tokyo

15 November 2011 by MCN

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday November 16, we bring you all the details on new metal for 2012, with 13 pages of unmissable new bikes from the Milan and Tokyo bike shows. We take a...

2012 KTM Duke: most potent single-cylinder road bike ever

14 November 2011 by Michael Neeves

More power, less weight, improved refinement and ABS as standard – the new KTM 690 Duke promises to be more fun, easier to ride and safer. Now making a claimed 70bhp, it’s also the most powerful...

Bumping into Ian Hutchinson

13 November 2011 by Mark Vestey

I am Mark Vestey, an avid MCN reader for over 20 years, now living in Hong Kong. I just bumped into Ian Hutshinson at the Macau ferry here. Ian was on his way to Macau to race there next weekend.

El Sardinero Rally

11 November 2011 by Jeff Rogers

El Sardinero Santander 2011 (Spanish Classic Motorcycle Rally). I entered the rally for the first time this year having heard many stories of the atmosphere, the roads and the welcome of the Spanish people. I can testify that all the tales were true and would recommend it to anyone, but my story is of a different aspect of the rally that many riders will possibly not want to think about. On one of...

Video: a decade in MotoGP

11 November 2011 by Marc Abbott

Duke Video have just announced this extremely tempting DVD which covers the most controversial moments in the premier class of racing over the last 10 years. With expert analysis from the people who...

Honda CR1100 Dick Mann concept

10 November 2011 by Oberdan Bezzi

Here’s my design for a Honda motorcycle, built as a tribute to 1970 Daytona winner Dick Mann.

‘Thousands of learners could have to pass test twice’

10 November 2011 by Steve Farrell

Thousands of learner motorcyclists could have to take a controversial riding test twice despite passing the first time, riding instructors have warned. They are also likely to be charged twice as a...

Second MP backs MCN Brussels protest ride

10 November 2011 by Steve Farrell

An MP has given a major boost to MCN’s planned Brussels protest over stifling EU measures by promising to join the ride. Steve Weatherley, Tory MP for Brighton and Hove, will join MCN readers taking...

Staff bikes: Victory Cross Country - Victory on a roll

10 November 2011 by Mark Holmes

After six months with the Cross Country, I finally get to stretch its legs on a 1300-mile tour of Spain and Portugal. It turned out to be an eventful trip with plenty of ups and downs. The ups start...

Video: 2012 Husqvarna enduros tested

10 November 2011 by MCN

Husqvarna’s 2012 range has been revitalised as a direct result of winning both the E1 and E2 world championships. MCN’s Michael Guy tests all the new 2012 models to see how they perform. Husqvarna...

Destination dealer: Great deals at Doble

10 November 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION Doble Motorcycles of Coulsdon, Surrey, have had a great summer – and continue to lead the way with fantastic offers on ALL new Hondas. Selected new motorcycles from Doble are...

Honda's incredible RC-E Tokyo Show concept

10 November 2011 by Guy Procter

Honda will reveal this breathtaking electric sportsbike at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show next month. Dubbed the RCE, the road-legal supersport-style bike uses the large, powerful electric motor employed...

Milan show video: Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200

09 November 2011 by MCN

Triumph’s new Tiger Explorer 1200 adventure bike has been unveiled at the Milan show. The Tiger Explorer is set to be the most powerful shaft-driven adventure tourer for the foreseeable future, with...

How not to buy a ringer or clone: best guide yet

09 November 2011 by John Westlake

One of Britain’s leading racing clubs has compiled the best guide yet on how to avoid buying a stolen bike or engine. The British Motorcycle Racing Club (Bemsee) has produced a short booklet clearly...

Spanish rally draws classic Brit bikers

09 November 2011 by Mark Holmes

Three hundred British bikers descended on the Spanish port of Santander to take part in the XXIV Ancient Motorcycles Meeting aboard their classic bikes. They were treated to a celebrity welcome as...

Milan Show: Moto Guzzi unveils new V7

09 November 2011 by Phil West

Moto Guzzi has unveiled two new versions of its V7 Roadster at the Milan show, both also powered by an updated version of its 750cc Transverse V-Twin. The new engine is outwardly similar to the old...

Milan show video: R1200GS Rallye, G650GS Sertão and Husqvarna MOAB

09 November 2011 by MCN

MCN’s Executive Editor Phil West takes a look at the new bikes from BMW and Husqvarna that have been launched at the EICMA Milan motorcycle show. One new model unveiled by BMW is the R1200GS Rallye,...

Milan Show: Bimota reveal three new models

09 November 2011 by Phil West

Bimota were a surprise hit at the Milan show, with three all new-bikes. The DB10 is Bimota’s version of Ducati’s Hypermotard but with its own, tubular steel and aluminium frame. The DB9 Brivido is an...

KTM Freeride video brilliantly sells appeal of electric dirtbikes

09 November 2011 by Guy Procter

KTM has done the electric dirtbike industry a massive favour with its latest promo. The clip, which shows the lithe, ‘leccy Freeride E tearing up Barcelona from bedside to BMX track brilliantly...

Bikes on TV: 9 - 15 November

09 November 2011 by Alison Silcox

KEY TO CHANNELS. DRT – Discovery Real Time DSC – Discovery Channel DHD – Discovery Channel HD EXS – Extreme Sports Channel EUR1 (2, HD) – Eurosport 1 (2, HD) MOT – Motors TV CH4 – Channel...

Video: Ducati 1199 Panigale unveiled at Milan Show

08 November 2011 by MCN

Ducati finally took the covers off of their revolutionary new superbike – the 1199 Panigale at the Milan Show today, and MCN was there to capture the unveiling. The 195bhp, 190kg 1199 Panigale V-twin...

Neck braces do work…

08 November 2011 by Trevor Franklin

Check out this video of a guy who crashed during a trackday at Barber Motorsports, USA. Now there’s braking and there’s braking, but braking to the point of breaking your bike and yourself is taking...

Triumph Tiger Explorer: 135bhp/£11,000ish

08 November 2011 by Guy Procter

Triumph’s new Tiger Explorer will give its R1200GS rival a 135bhp mauling the firm has revealed. That makes the Explorer’s all-new 1200cc+ motor 35% more powerful than its German rival’s, at least for...