Motorbike Advice
Your one-stop shop for all motorbike advice, including how-tos, getting a motorcycle licence, servicing, maintenance and more.
Find out which bikes and kit you should be choosing in our expertly curated Best section.
For those looking to learn how to ride a motorbike, head to our Learning to Ride hub, where we cover all you need to know about getting into this wonderful lifestyle.
If you've already got going, check out our Riding Tips section for the best guides and top techniques.
Looking for somewhere to go? Don't miss our Places to Visit area for some ideas for your next rideout.
And when you get home, learn how to look after your bike in our Bike Maintenance hub.
Britain's best bikes: these are the 2020 MCN Award winners
19 October 2020 by
The MCN Awards celebrate what we think are the very best motorbikes by category available in the UK right now. It may not feel like there’s been much to celebrate in 2020, but some truly wonderful...
The Ace Café London through the ages
19 October 2020 by
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The Ace Café on London's North Circular has been a home from home for motorcyclists for over 80 years, so we at MCN thought we'd put together a gallery of pictures to show how it has changed in that...
MTB to motorbike: The theory test
14 October 2020 by
The next major milestone on my journey to unrestricted motorcycle access didn’t actually involve riding a bike at all, but did mean taking an exam for the first time in what must be at least a...
If Bond did bike museums: Why you should head up an Austrian summit to the amazing Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum
14 October 2020 by
Austria’s highest border crossing is also one of its greatest motorcycle roads. The mighty Timmelsjoch pass climbs from the Ötztal valley in the Austrian Tyrol and crosses the border at 2474m before...
Zef Eisenberg, 1973-2020
08 October 2020 by
Multiple world and British speed record holder Zef Eisenberg tragically lost his life in an accident during a record attempt at Elvington airfield on Thursday, October 1. Zef, 47, was a businessman,...
Smile for miles! It's the best touring motorbikes
07 October 2020 by
Touring by motorbike is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things you can do on two wheels. While it’s true that you can tour on anything from a superbike to a 125, this list will concentrate on...
Boxing clever: BMW R18's engine was 100 years in the making
05 October 2020 by
The 1802cc air-cooled unit inside the new BMW R18 is the largest and torquiest boxer they've ever built. It sets a whole new standard in modern, air-cooled engine design but the basic layout stretches...
30 years on: The story behind Triumph's rebirth
23 September 2020 by
Thirty years ago this month, in September 1990, Triumph Motorcycles were reborn when, not one, not two, but SIX all-new Hinckley-built bikes were unveiled on the opening day of the Cologne Show in...
Top A2 licence-friendly bikes for 2020
10 September 2020 by
If you're 19 or older, after a CBT, theory test and two-part practical assessment you can gain an A2 licence, which allows you to ride a bike of up to 35kW (roughly 47bhp) without displaying L-plates.
Cow herding…on a bike! Ex-Great Escape Triumph TR6 is a firm farm favourite
09 September 2020 by
Nearly 60 years ago Steve McQueen wowed motorcyclists with his riding in the classic movie The Great Escape. Following completion of filming, the Triumph TR6 that was used in the famous jump over the...
Best electric motorbikes of 2020
04 September 2020 by
It’s time to take electric motorbikes seriously. In 2016, Germany voted to ban the internal combustion engine by 2030, and the UK Government is under pressure to bring its ban on the sales of new...
How to pass your full UK motorbike licence
27 August 2020 by
Getting a motorcycle licence in the UK - known as a category A licence - opens the door to one of the most exciting and liberating experiences going, but doing so can seem offputtingly complicated.
Upright aggression: MCN's guide to the best stripped-back super nakeds on the market right now
26 August 2020 by
A new generation of super nakeds hit the streets in 2020 with more power, fancier tech and higher price tags than ever before. The headline grabbers were Ducati and Kawasaki whose new bikes – the...
MCN's August Bank Holiday events guide
24 August 2020 by
The August Bank Holiday weekend is almost upon us and is offering bikers a chance to get out and about at some great events, as well as enjoy some cracking world championship motorcycle racing...
All-rounder rubber! It's the best sports-touring tyres
14 August 2020 by
Welcome to MCN’s 2020 sports-touring tyre test. This is the rubber that promises the best of everything; handling performance, allweather grip and thousands of miles of life. In fact, apart from...
'I'm a motorcycle fanatic' - Captain Sir Tom Moore
13 August 2020 by
Captain Sir Tom Moore burst into the public consciousness in April, when over the course of three weeks he walked 100 lengths of his garden and raised more than £40m for the NHS. But a documentary to...
Go-anywhere Garmins: Montana 700 series launched complete with SOS feature
10 August 2020 by
Riding a motorcycle along a rugged trail just got a little safer, thanks to a new all-terrain sat-nav system from Garmin, complete with emergency SOS functionality. Consisting of three navigation...
Strip lightning! The best naked motorbikes of 2020
05 August 2020 by
Before sports bikes gained racer-replica bodywork, touring machines required weather-beating full fairings and even adventure machines donned screens, beaks and all manner of plastic add-ons, all...
Jam busters! How to filter on a motorbike
03 August 2020 by
As cars and 4x4s get ever fatter, the lanes we use for filtering are becoming narrower, the margins for error tighter. So more than ever the slickest and safest way to slip through traffic is to slow...
Biking on the big screen: On Any Sunday turns 49
28 July 2020 by
Not only was it nominated for a 1972 Academy Award for best documentary, but On Any Sunday was also backed by Steve McQueen - the coolest man ever to have graced Planet Earth. Related articles on...
Continental concerns? It's MCN's guide to riding your motorbike in Europe
27 July 2020 by
A European motorbike trip can be a great way to get some miles racked up towards your #ride5000miles total at any time of year; whether it's your summer holiday, a way to extend the riding...
Support pours in for Haslam Race School as it faces 2021 closure
22 July 2020 by
When MCN broke the news last Wednesday that the Honda Ron Haslam Race School is to close after 24 years of inspirational teaching, it unleashed a tidal wave of support for the legendary centre. The...
Been window-shopping? Check out our advice on how to buy a used motorbike
30 June 2020 by
Buying a pre-loved motorbike is one of the most exciting experiences there is, but with so much money changing hands it can also be stressful. Buying a lemon can be costly, inconvenient or even...
Bricking it! Lifesize Lego Ducati Panigale V4 R revealed
19 June 2020 by
Hot on the heels of the launch of Lego’s £54.99 Technic Ducati Panigale V4 R kit, artist Riccardo Zangelmi has now created a lifesize model of the bike using Technic bricks. Unveiled today at the...
Testing times: How to pass your motorbike MoT first time
09 June 2020 by
If your MoT expired from March 30, 2020 the Government gave you an automatic extension on your current certificate without needing a retest. But that extension will lift on August 1 as restrictions...
Teenage dreams: We ride Allen Millyard's Honda SS50 specials
03 June 2020 by
The humble Honda SS50 is iconic. Built and sold in their thousands as the moped craze swept through 1970s UK, the slick-looking four-stroke looked like a miniature motorcycle. Flat bars, upswept...
Safety first: Join a Biker Down! course near you
02 June 2020 by
There are plenty of courses available to bikers to help them with improving riding skills, awareness and basic maintenance – you can join an IAM training course or sign-up for...
Fun in the sun: Top tips for riding your motorbike in a heatwave
02 June 2020 by
When the sun comes out it’s more tempting than ever to get the bike out of the garage and rack-up some miles. Riding in hot weather is great but you and your bike need to be prepared. This is...
How to pass your CBT and ride a motorbike on L-plates
01 June 2020 by
If you've decided you want to ride a motorbike, the first thing you'll need to do is complete a Compulsory Basic Training, or CBT course. It may be a step down from your dreams of exploring the open...
Forty years of the GS: Original BMW R80G/S designer tells us the untold story
20 May 2020 by
It’s exactly 40 years since the first ever BMW GS went on sale: the R80G/S. No one knew it would go on to be the most popular bike in the company’s history and that it would help to change the course...
Back on the bike: Brush up on safe riding with these great tips
12 May 2020 by
With filthy roads, nasty weather and a distinct shortage of daylight, it’s not surprising that so many of us choose to put our hard-earned pride and joy to bed for winter. But while we’re saving our...
The lids are alright: Best sports-touring motorcycle helmets for under £300
12 May 2020 by
In the market for a new sports touring motorcycle helmet? Got a budget of up to £300? We're here to help. As well as being in direct contact with manufacturers and distributors of the latest lids, our...
In the blood: MV Agusta marks 75 years of building soul-stirring motorbikes
08 May 2020 by
Few motorcycle marques have combined racing success with showroom sex-appeal quite like MV Agusta. With 38 Grand Prix World Championship titles, the Italian brand have enjoyed the most on-track...
VE Day celebrations: remembering the Royal Enfield 'Flying Flea'
08 May 2020 by
It’s 75 years since World War II officially finished as the Allies accepted Germany's surrender on May 8, 1945. And as VE Day celebrations remember big characters and big machines, there was also one...
Busting the boredom: Your guide to the best video games for bikers
30 April 2020 by
Have you ever dreamed of sitting on a packed MotoGP grid - surrounded by the greatest motorcycle racers in history? Or lusted over the thought of pushing the latest bikes on road and short circuits...
Having fun without two wheels Part 4: motorbike-themed things to do during Coronavirus
30 April 2020 by
Ding dong! Your latest delivery of 10 fresh boredom-busting ideas is here to see you through lockdown. Be it pure entertainment or a bit of self- or bike-improvement, you can indulge your passion for...