First rides & tests

Year: ALL

Honda CRF250 Rally review (2017-on): A great lightweight adventure bike

04 November 2020 by Michael Guy

Building on the growing appetite for adventure, Honda have launched the funky CRF 250 Rally. Capitalising on the overwhelming success of the Africa Twin and the kudos gained from becoming front...

Motoz Tractionator first ride

14 January 2019 by Jordan Gibbons

Of all the questions we get here at MCN, ‘what tyres should I buy?’ is easily the most common. Everyone wants the magic combination of good grip with decent wear, perfect in the wet and in the dry...

MCN Bike of the Year Awards 2018

21 November 2018 by MCN News

2018 has been another bountiful year for new machines, so the best-of-the-best below are very special indeed. Let’s kick things off with our Bike of the Year. Bike of the year Best innovation Best...

Gallery: Harley release more details about the 2019 LiveWire

07 November 2018 by Jordan Gibbons

Of all the new Harley-Davidsons we’ve seen in the past few months, the LiveWire is arguably the most forward thinking. For a brand that trades on American muscle, 115 years of heritage and that...

Exclusive: Indian FTR1200S prototype ridden

02 October 2018 by Richard Newland

After a year of teasing, Indian’s all-new 2019 production FTR1200 has finally been unveiled to the public at the Cologne show, converting much of the promise from the FTR1200 Concept of twelve months...

Paton reveal 60th anniversary S1R

10 September 2018 by Matt Wildee

Paton have launched a special version of their S1R Lightweight to celebrate their 60th anniversary as a bike constructor and Michael Dunlop’s Lightweight TT win. It features a new matt black and green...

First ride: Velocity-Moto 900LC

06 September 2018 by Michael Neeves

Velocity-Moto’s Hag Hughes was a paddock-jacketed hooligan back when the Yamaha RD350LC was king. He rode, raced and modified them and now three decades later, this 900LC is his homage to the iconic...

Video: Our first ride with Yamaha's TY-E electric trials bike

23 August 2018 by Michael Guy

Yamaha are no strangers to electric power. They’ve been building electric bicycles for 25 years, but this new TY-E electric trials bike is different. Their first proper electric motorcycle is billed...

Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport: 'Costly but cool'

27 July 2018 by Adam Child

I’m having a good day. The sun is out and it’s close to 30 degrees. I’m comfortable in a leather jacket, jeans, an open- face helmet and shades on-board Ducati’s very cool Scrambler 1100 Sport.

First ride incoming: Aprilia's new RSV4 gives you wings

15 June 2018 by Michael Neeves

We’re riding Aprilia’s new RSV4 RF FW at Mugello on Tuesday. Revealed at the EICMA show last year the road-going ‘Factory Works’ is lighter and more powerful than its RR and RF (Factory) stable...

First ride: Is the Aprilia RSV4 RR a bargain sportsbike or a false economy?

03 May 2018 by Jon Urry

When Aprilia’s sportsbike was a V-twin, the firm used to sell far more of the higher-specification Factory models than the base model. However recently this has all changed, so much so in fact that...

New tyre review: Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II

11 April 2018 by Michael Neeves

Many sports tyres will tolerate the odd trackdays and some trackday rubber can be used on the road, but here at its world launch in South Africa on the road and at the Kylalami circuit near...

First ride: Yamaha WR250F

06 April 2018 by Adam Child

It’s 5-degrees below zero and I’m getting kitted up in a cow shed – but I couldn’t be happier. Normally I’m full of anxiety before a day’s enduro riding, but not today. I’m in the safe hands of the...

First Ride: Kymco AK550

05 April 2018 by Alison Silcox

Kymco’s new AK550 is the Taiwanese firm’s largest capacity scooter and at £8879 the new addition is priced to compete with the market leading Yamaha TMAX. We’ve been living with the AK550 and have...

Tyre review: Bridgestone Battlax SC2

29 March 2018 by Michael Neeves

Tyre: Bridgestone Battlax Scooter SC2 Rain £252.00 per pair (120/70 x 15 & 160/60 x 15) Where was the test: 1200-miles commuting and touring in UK and France. Modern day maxi scooters are virtually...

Tyre launch: Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31

21 March 2018 by Adam Child

Bridgestone’s new Battlax T31 tyre, which is already available for purchase, promises to deliver improved wet performance and feel. Bridgestone haven’t concentrated on dry performance, instead they...

Video: We ride Honda's Africa Twin Adventure Sports

19 March 2018 by Michael Guy

The overnight snow has thankfully disappeared and the sunshine is out, and there’s a satisfying bark from the exhaust on Honda’s new flagship as we ascend one of the many twisty mountain roads that...

New tyre review: Dunlop SportSmart TT

16 March 2018 by Michael Neeves

Dunlop’s new SportSmart TT occupies that largely untapped no-man’s land between an all-purpose sports tyre and trackday rubber, aimed at rapid road riders and trackday fans, in equal measure. They’ll...

Tyre launch: Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41

14 March 2018 by Adam Child

Whilst in Morocco for the launch of the new T31 Sports Touring, we will also get the opportunity to test Bridgestone’s new Battlax Adventure A41. The A41 is Bridgestone’s all-new tyre aimed directly...

New tyre launch: Michelin Road 5

23 February 2018 by Dan Sutherland

Already available for purchase, Michelin’s new Road 5 sports touring tyre replaces the firm’s hugely popular Pilot Road 4. With the original Pilot Road launched back in 2002, this fifth-generation...

Big scooters - why would you need anything else?

24 January 2018 by Adam Child

If you want the ultimate large-capacity maxi scooter such as Yamaha’s £9799 TMAX or the £9199 Suzuki Burgman 650, you need deep pockets. However, the middleweight, 400cc versions here offer just as...

Triumph's Moto2 765 ridden!

24 January 2018 by Michael Neeves

In 2019 Moto2 will be powered by three-cylinder 765cc Triumph engines. It’s out with Honda’s peaky CBR600RR screamers and in with the angry rasp of Britain’s best triple. It’s the biggest shake up in...

First ride: Chris Walker Kawasaki gives the Versys 1000 a mean makeover

13 January 2018 by Jon Urry

Winter can be a tricky time when it comes to new bike sales, but Chris Walker Kawasaki have come up with two tempting reasons for riders to part with their cash over the festive period. Taking the...

MCN Bike of the Year Awards 2017

31 December 2017 by Michael Neeves

What a brilliant year we’ve had for new bikes. With well over 100 new models, facelifts and updates, the sheer quantity has been overwhelming. All that riding has kept MCN’s Road Test department...

First ride: Motorini MT125RRi ‘a viable alternative to Japanese 125s’

21 December 2017 by Dan Sutherland

If you’re in the market for a cheap 125 that looks the part and delivers generous fuel returns, then look no further. Priced at just shy of £2200, the Motorini MT125RRi sits in direct competition with...

First ride: Ducati Scrambler Mach 2.0 'effortlessly cool'

04 December 2017 by Jon Urry

At this time of the year we are bombarded by adverts from perfume companies, all promising a Hollywood lifestyle if you buy their fragrance. Backed up by glamorous movie stars, these marketing...

First ride: Harley-Davidson's FLDE Deluxe

25 November 2017 by Phil West

While Harley’s most brashly styled newcomers such as the Fat Bob and Breakout might be the headline bikes from the all-new 2018 Softail line- up, more traditional cruiser buyers haven’t been forgotten...

First ride: Peugeot Speedfight SF4-125

23 November 2017 by Adam Child

Peugeot pulled the covers off the original Speedfight back in 1997 and it was an instant success – topping the sales charts across the late 90s and into the early 2000s. Related: Peugeot Speedfight...

Video: Supercharged Kawasaki H2 speed test

22 November 2017 by Michael Neeves

To celebrate the impeding arrival of the new supercharged Kawasaki H2 SX, here’s an on-board video of MCN’s Bruce Dunn speed testing its bigger H2 brother. Although top speed is limited to 184mph...

Gallery: ‘R’ motorcycle SP-ecials really that special?

02 November 2017 by MCN News

Suzuki’s £13,599 GSX-R1000 is 2017’s best-value superbike and drips with the Japanese firm’s latest technology. A new VVT motor overflows with explosive torque and screams with mind-melting power, it...

2017 cruiser of the year: Triumph Bonneville Bobber

26 October 2017 by Michael Neeves & Adam Child

With so many bikes wowing us in 2017 it’s easy to forget the new Bonneville Bobber was one of the most-eagerly anticipated. The Triumph is styled to mimic those pared-to-the-bone 1940s-style bobbers,...

2017 Super naked of the year: Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory

26 October 2017 by Adam Child

Aprilia didn’t need to do much to their fiery supernaked to impress us, but as well as tweaking it to meet Euro4 regs this year they’ve improved the ride, handling, brakes and electronics… not that...

2017 sportsbike of the year: Honda Fireblade SP

26 October 2017 by Michael Neeves

Where do you start with the new Honda Fireblade? Talk about contentious. It’s been hopeless in World Superbikes, disastrous at the TT and bombed in a handful of other magazine group tests. So how can...

2017 retro bike of the year: BMW R nineT Urban G/S

26 October 2017 by Jon Urry & Michael Neeves

Launched in June it arrived fashionably late, but the new BMW R nineT UrbanG/S has come straight into our number one top slot– immediately establishingitself as our favourite retro of 2017. Like the...

2017 scooter of the year: Yamaha TMAX DX

25 October 2017 by Adam Child

Yamaha have sold over a quarter of a million TMAX maxi scooters since its inception in 2001, making it their best selling bike to date. For 2017 the big scoot gets a new aluminium chassis with revised...

2017 adventure bike of the year: KTM 1090 Adventure R

24 October 2017 by Adam Child

Since the demise of KTM’s 990 Adventure in 2012, true off-road fans have been left craving a new powerful, large, but capable off-road bike. The outgoing 1050 Adventure never really hit the spot, but...