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.
Jam busters! How to filter on a motorbike
Yesterday 15:56 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...
Top A2 licence-friendly bikes for 2020
03 July 2020 by
If you're 19 or older, after a CBT, theory test and two-part practical test you can gain an A2 licence, which allows you to ride a bike of up to 35kW (roughly 47bhp) without displaying L-plates. And...
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...
Smile for miles! It's the best touring motorbikes
20 May 2020 by
If you decide that you want to go touring on two wheels for long distances, the first decision you need to make is what motorbike you will use. Getting this wrong has the potential to make or break...
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...
How to pass your full UK motorbike licence
12 May 2020 by
Passing the motorcycle licence in the UK - known as a category A - opens the door to one of the most exciting and liberating experiences going, but doing so can seem offputtingly complicated. Never...
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...
Two tribes go to war: The story behind the Honda SP-1
28 April 2020 by
It is not often that the might of HRC gets rattled, but in 2000 this was the case. Despite dominating the premier class of racing with Mick Doohan and the NSR500, Honda were being given a very...
Best 125cc motorbikes of 2020
24 April 2020 by
If you’re learning to ride and aged 17 or older, after passing your CBT certificate (Compulsory Basic Training) you can gain your provisional A1 bike licence, which allows you to ride up to 125cc...
Best electric motorbikes of 2020
24 April 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...
MCN's guide to selling your motorbike
21 April 2020 by
Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, modernising or just fancy a change, selling your motorbike is often a big part of the process of buying a new one. Here are MCN’s tips for getting the most for...
How to get your motorbike back on the road after a long time
13 April 2020 by
The Coronavirus pandemic may have delayed the start of the riding season, but there’s nothing stopping you from making sure your bike’s ready to roll as soon as the restrictions are lifted. Related...
Safety on the move: How to ride like a road test pro
08 April 2020 by
I thought I’d share some of the ways I ride to stay in one piece on the road. Not the mechanics of going through corners – body position and all that stuff, but the zen-like way you think about what...
Charge! Keep your motorbike battery healthy while it's laid up
07 April 2020 by
When a bike’s being used regularly, the battery should stay fit and healthy for several years. But when a bike is laid up – as the vast majority across the UK are right now – it can go flat in a...
Neevesy's bike-hacks: How to set up your motorbike like a road test pro
01 April 2020 by
So your bike is sitting patiently in your garage, waiting to blink back out into the sun again when this is all over, but what can you do to it to make it work better for you, without spending any...
Beat the isolation blues with MCN's top YouTube videos of the last 12 months!
23 March 2020 by
It’s tough being locked up indoors desperate for your biking fix, and there’s only so much cleaning and prep you can do. MCN is here for you with a list of our top ten most popular YouTube videos from...
Clinical trials: Dougie Lampkin trains Riders for Health workers in Lesotho
19 March 2020 by
The rider ahead is still sitting down, which I find reassuring. If he can navigate the wet clay, loose rocks and increasing gradient without having to leave the saddle, then even a wobbly off-roader...
Things to do during Coronavirus isolation: give your motorbike a proper clean
18 March 2020 by
As many of us find ourselves isolated and at a loose end in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, what better time is there to give your motorbike a proper clean? While scrubbing your bike isn’t...
Putting the style in textile: MCN's guide to the best waterproof gear you can buy right now!
11 March 2020 by
Aside from being unpleasant and sucking the fun out of your riding, being uncomfortable or cold on a motorbike can lead to distraction or slow down your reactions. One of the best ways to avoid this...
Lock it or lose it: MCN's guide to the best locks, chains and disc locks on the market right now
06 March 2020 by
Lock your bike. It’s one of the most crucial lessons you learn, when you get your first push-bike; lock it up wherever you leave it because if you don’t, it might not be there when you get back.
Fuels rush in: Will my motorbike run on E10 petrol?
04 March 2020 by
The Government has announced a consultation proposing that E5 fuel be replaced with E10 as the standard grade of petrol in the UK. Under the plan, E5 fuel would continue to be available as a ‘Super’...
Motorbike tyre advice: know your bike’s boots
03 March 2020 by
Tyres are the most important part on your bike – your sole connection with the road for the overwhelming majority of the time. Latest tyre reviews on MCN Metzeler M9 RR review Metzeler 01 SE...