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 you should be choosing in our expertly curated Best section, or find the perfect kit and accessories at MCN Product Picks.
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.
National Motorcycle Museum Winter Raffle winners announced alongside fresh summertime competition
Yesterday 11:00 by
This 1955 Speed Twin 500 is pictured with its proud new owner who won the bike as first prize in a raffle by the National Motorcycle Museum (NMM). The classic Triumph had been fully restored in the...
Op Banham ready to roll: Restored WW2 despatch bike set for commemorative ride to Berlin
06 May 2022 by
Military veterans flocked to Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum last week to witness the reveal of a restored 1944 BSA M20, which is set to be ridden from Normandy to Berlin in June 2022. The...
RoadSmart IV tyre review: Dunlop's ever-improving all-rounder
25 April 2022 by
More than ever sports touring tyres have become all the rubber you’ll ever need for your road bike – from small nakeds to tall-roaders, adventure bikes, big tourers, sportsbikes and everything in...
Where it all began: Prototype Triumph from 1901 unearthed
20 April 2022 by
A veteran collector has restored the first-ever Triumph to running order – and it’s a prototype which predates the company’s official first production bike by a year. It’s generally accepted that...
Pirelli's 2022 Diablo Rosso IV Corsa is a real world easy to manage trackday tyre
08 April 2022 by
If you put adventure and dual-purpose rubber to one side there are three basic tyre types for your road bike. Sports touring, sports and trackday. That all sounds simple enough, but there’s actually a...
Verdict: Metzeler’s Karoo 4 raises the bar for on and off-road riders
06 April 2022 by
It’s a question that gets asked constantly. What’s the best tyre for my adventure bike? It obviously all comes down to the type of riding you intend to do, but if your answer is a healthy mix of...
MCN joined in the soggy fun at the 60th Dragon Rally
04 April 2022 by
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Dragon Rally, one of the UK’s most enduring meets. Traditionally taking place on the second weekend in February, this extreme event sees up to 2000 hardcore...
Rising from the ashes: Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum re-opens
30 March 2022 by
A motorcycle museum that was completely destroyed by fire in January 2021 – along with 330 rare bikes – is preparing for its busiest summer season ever. Astonishingly, the Top Mountain museum in...
How Mutt Motorcycles are taking on the big dogs with their small-capacity retros
29 March 2022 by
British bike manufacturers are beginning to dominate the headlines once more in a modern reflection of the past, with the likes of BSA and Norton announcing all-new metal for 21st-century bike...
Going the distance: 120 years of Royal Enfield adventures
01 March 2022 by
In the world of YouTube and Instagram and massive machines with satnavs, spotlights and metal panniers, it’s easy to imagine that adventure-biking is a modern phenomenon – but that’s not true. Royal...
Winter wonderland: 16 secrets of conquering even the coldest conditions
28 February 2022 by
Riding all year round is one of the most life-enriching things you can do. Yes – some people will think you’re mad; yes – you’ll have to wash your bike more in salty conditions and be more attentive...
How to fit clip-on bars for that tucked-in race-style ride
25 February 2022 by
If your bike has standard fitment one-piece handlebars and you want a tucked-in race-style riding position, then lower clip-on bars, which bolt directly to the fork legs, are the answer to your...
MCN's Jordan Gibbons finds battery bikes are the perfect pal for city life
25 February 2022 by
No matter how much some people might yearn for carbs, induction roar and the sweet smell of Castrol R, motorcycles are only going to get greener. The world is getting hotter, our air is becoming...
Riding a trio of special Honda RC30s and meeting the men who still use them as Honda intended
25 February 2022 by
For many of us, Honda’s RC30 has been an object of desire since it was released back in 1988. With around 3500 made, they’re not as rare as you might imagine, but they were expensive – twice the price...
Safety expert urges retailers to meet the latest riding kit standards
21 February 2022 by
A leading motorcycle kit safety expert says he would support heavier involvement from Trading Standards to stamp out sellers peddling substandard products at biking shows and other events. Paul...
Discography: How to change your brake discs
07 February 2022 by
Changing your brake discs yourself can save you a good chunk of cash and give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside as you complete a job well done. In this article we’re going to take you through the...
Royal Enfield’s Dean Coxson talks exclusively about their record-breaking expedition to the South Pole
04 February 2022 by
On December 16th 2021, Royal Enfield rode into the history books when employees Dean Coxson and Santhosh Vijay Kumar reached the South Pole on a near-stock Himalayan, becoming the first people to...
MCN's guide to affordable two-strokes
03 February 2022 by
Back in 2004, I flogged my Suzuki RGV250M. It was in good nick, had a complete spare engine in a box, and I got £1000. Since then two-stroke values have gone wild, and replacing it today in 2022 would...
Learning to ride: how to avoid stalling your motorbike
02 February 2022 by
Stalling turns your fleet-footed steed that responds to every delicate touch, into a 150 kilo lump of metal that wants to crush your leg. But if you learn the warning signs you can pull away cleanly...
Pass that test: How to u-turn on a motorbike
24 January 2022 by
Perfecting the dreaded feet-up U turn can be one of the most stressful parts of learning to ride a motorbike. Most of us neglect the skill the minute we pass our test, but it can be a useful manoeuvre...
Stop motion: How to service your brake calipers
17 January 2022 by
Cleaning and servicing your brake calipers is a crucial job if you’ve ridden through winter or had the bike laid up for a while, but it only takes an afternoon. So what are you waiting for? Related:...
Go off-road in a sidecar: We get a taste of outfit life by riding Ural’s latest three-wheeler in Portugal
14 January 2022 by
How many riding situations are there in motorcycling where you effectively need to forget everything you know? Trials maybe? Ice racing perhaps? For me it’s riding a sidecar. It’s the single hardest...
Shaft-drive bikes vs chain-driven bikes
13 January 2022 by
What are the advantages and disadvantages of shaft drive motorcycles and chain-driven bikes? The major benefits of shaft-drive are lower maintenance and running costs, and cleanliness. The...
Try trials with the family for a one-of-a-kind shared experience
07 January 2022 by
What’s a better idea than trying trials for the first time in the depths of winter? That’s easy – taking my 59-year-old dad along for the ride. Off we both ventured, fuelled by nerves through pouring...
The youngest person to ride around the world... during a pandemic
05 January 2022 by
Although still being verified by Guinness World Records, Jack Groves is the youngest person to ride around the world on a motorcycle. At just 22, Jack finished his studies and set out to break the...
Charge of the light brigade: Army Parachute Regiment trial electric bikes
24 December 2021 by
It’s a frigid November evening and I’m standing in a muddy field in the middle of rural France, as diesel generators shake the air around me. The area is abuzz with activity as military vehicles move...
A year in film: Watch MCN’s most popular YouTube videos of 2021
22 December 2021 by
Despite 2021 beginning with tougher coronavirus restrictions and travel cut back to only essential journeys, it’s developed into another cracking 12 months for new motorcycles and riding...
100 years of Moto Guzzi: we trace the up-and-down history of one of biking’s most important brands
17 December 2021 by
2021 will inevitably be remembered most for the worst of reasons – Covid-19, the retirement of MotoGP GOAT Valentino Rossi… but 2021 also marks one of the biggest anniversaries of all – the 100th...
Fat Boy wonder: How a bold take on the cruiser put Harley-Davidson back on the map
16 December 2021 by
‘I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle…’ It’s been 30 years since we first heard Arnold Schwarzenegger utter those immortal words in the film Terminator 2. Little did anyone know then...
Continuing the racing legacy: At home with Tarran Mackenzie
10 December 2021 by
Tarran Mackenzie followed in his dad’s footsteps this year by taking the BSB title for the first time. 25 years after Niall became the first champion of the modern era, Tarran came of age and topped a...
MCN's 2021 Black Friday motorbike kit deals guide
21 November 2021 by
MCN should be your first port of call when hunting for Black Friday deals. We will be hunting for top deals on worthwhile products. We appreciate that shopping is not everyone’s favourite pastime. But...
Chasing perfection: Honda’s oval-piston NR750 at 30
10 November 2021 by
In October 1991, the most exotic and most expensive production bike ever been produced by any Japanese brand was launched, embracing a level of tech which – even today – seems extreme. The Honda...
Best adventure motorcycle boots
02 November 2021 by
If you’re heading off-road on your bike, then like the rest of your kit, your boots need to be ready for the job. Like your jacket and trousers, they need to be supportive and keep you dry yet allow...
Motorcycle helmets with a feminine twist
02 November 2021 by
Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us ‘Women’s...
Best motorcycle top boxes
29 October 2021 by
Motorcycle top boxes are bought mainly for functional reasons. No-one buys a top box because they want to improve the look of their bike so functionality has to come first. While it may not be as fun...
Best women's motorcycle clothing
29 October 2021 by
While clothing options for men are enormous, and have been for years, that’s not necessarily the case for women. Up until fairly recently, women had little choice but to wear the appropriate size of...