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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.

Year: ALL

MCN's guide to affordable two-strokes

03 February 2022 by Mike Armitage

MCN's guide to affordable two-strokes

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 Chris Dabbs

Learning to ride: how to avoid stalling your motorbike

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 Gareth Evans

Pass that test: How to u-turn on a motorbike

Perfecting the dreaded feet-up U turn can be one of the most stressful parts of learning to ride a motorbike. Take it from me: I failed my mod 1 test on it when I put a foot down mid-way through it. ...

Stop motion: How to service your brake calipers

17 January 2022 by Bruce Dunn

Stop motion: How to service your brake calipers

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 Jordan Gibbons

Go off-road in a sidecar: We get a taste of outfit life by riding Ural’s latest three-wheeler in Portugal

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 MCN

Shaft-drive bikes vs chain-driven bikes

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 Saffron Wilson

Try trials with the family for a one-of-a-kind shared experience

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 Saffron Wilson

The youngest person to ride around the world... during a pandemic

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 Laura Thomson

Charge of the light brigade: Army Parachute Regiment trial electric bikes

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...

100 years of Moto Guzzi: we trace the up-and-down history of one of biking’s most important brands

17 December 2021 by Phil West

100 years of Moto Guzzi: we trace the up-and-down history of one of biking’s most important brands

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 Phil West

Fat Boy wonder: How a bold take on the cruiser put Harley-Davidson back on the map

‘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 Josh Close

Continuing the racing legacy: At home with Tarran Mackenzie

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 Chris Williams

MCN's 2021 Black Friday motorbike kit deals guide

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 Alan Cathcart

Chasing perfection: Honda’s oval-piston NR750 at 30

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 Jim Blackstock

Best adventure motorcycle boots

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 Maria Martin

Motorcycle helmets with a feminine twist

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 Maria Martin

Best motorcycle top boxes

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 Jim Blackstock

Best women's motorcycle clothing

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...

Top motorcycle waterproofs

29 October 2021 by Jim Blackstock

Top motorcycle waterproofs

Sometimes, you may not want to wear your full waterproof, breathable and super-technical touring clothing when you’re out on the bike. It might be a lovely summer’s day and you’re heading for the...

Try track-based training: Improve your cornering skills in a safe environment

27 October 2021 by Saffron Wilson

Try track-based training: Improve your cornering skills in a safe environment

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never been confident when it comes to cornering. Whether that’s because of the scrape of my footboards when I try to lean or my complete lack of experience on a track,...

Try an electric trials bike at Inch Perfect Trials

22 October 2021 by Justin Hayzelden

Try an electric trials bike at Inch Perfect Trials

Sweat is pouring down my face as I focus every ounce of concentration onto negotiating the rocky river bed, desperate to keep my feet up and avoid a ‘dab’ whilst my fingers tickle the throttle just...

Britain's best bikes: these are the 2022 MCN Award winners

20 October 2021 by MCN

Britain's best bikes: these are the 2022 MCN Award winners

The MCN Awards celebrate what we think are the very best motorbikes by category available in the UK right now. Some truly wonderful bikes have hit the roads this year, while others remain at the top...

Test your riding endurance in an Iron Butt Rally

12 October 2021 by Justin Hayzelden

Test your riding endurance in an Iron Butt Rally

The Iron Butt Association is dedicated to the pursuit of safe, long-distance motorcycling. Sure, most of us have done extended days on the bike, but to class yourself as a genuine ‘Iron Butter’ you...

Experience riding as fast as you want on a German autobahn

13 September 2021 by Bruce Dunn

Experience riding as fast as you want on a German autobahn

With sixth gear engaged and the throttle open to the stop, the three-lane-wide autobahn funnels ever narrower into a tiny apex in the distance. Accented orange by the rising sun on the horizon, every...

Motorcycle track day tips for beginners

26 August 2021 by MCN News

Motorcycle track day tips for beginners

Motorcycle track days in the UK are big business – particularly since international travel dwindled during the Covid-19 pandemic. And here’s why…  Related: Best motorbike trackday...

Learn the art of bike control: California Superbike School will teach you the secrets to speed

25 August 2021 by Ben Clarke

Learn the art of bike control: California Superbike School will teach you the secrets to speed

Riding in the company I keep at work can be a sobering experience. The wider MCN team have hundreds of years of experience of riding every type of bike on the roads, runways, trails and racetracks –...

Now is the time to design your own helmet

16 August 2021 by Richard Newland

Now is the time to design your own helmet

Hello. My name is Richard, and I’m a shameless hypocrite. OK, so this isn’t group therapy, but I felt it would be wrong not to share with the group that this rampant self-indulgence is spectacularly...

24hr party people: MCN join in the action at the first 24hr Freetech Endurance race

10 August 2021 by Dan Sutherland

24hr party people: MCN join in the action at the first 24hr Freetech Endurance race

It’s 4.30am. We’ve already been racing for 16.5 hours, and I’ve just woken from an exhausted hour’s slumber at the back of our race awning, a face mask over my eyes and earplugs rammed firmly home to...

You meet the nicest people on a Honda: 60 years of the HOC

23 July 2021 by Saffron Wilson

You meet the nicest people on a Honda: 60 years of the HOC

The carpark is abuzz with broad smiles, excited chatter, and gorgeous bikes. Despite the threat of rain, members of the Honda Owner’s Club (HOC) haven’t shied away from an opportunity to come together...

Bike airbag or lifejacket? Don’t get caught out by misleading web listings for cheap safety gear

21 July 2021 by Ben Clarke

Bike airbag or lifejacket? Don’t get caught out by misleading web listings for cheap safety gear

Motorbike airbag vests have been moving into the mainstream in recent years thanks to a wider range of manufacturers launching their own versions at more accessible prices. But not all of the items...

Seconds from glory: How close is Honda’s latest Fireblade to a full factory racer?

09 July 2021 by Bruce Dunn

Seconds from glory: How close is Honda’s latest Fireblade to a full factory racer?

In 1992 Tadao Baba created the Honda FireBlade with the sole intention of making the best possible sports motorcycle. Deliberately opting for a 893cc rather than a 750cc motor, as demanded by the...

Continental concerns? It's MCN's guide to riding your motorbike in Europe

02 July 2021 by MCN

Continental concerns? It's MCN's guide to riding your motorbike in Europe

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 season...

Yamaha mark 60 years of GP racing as the second most successful manufacturer of all time

21 June 2021 by Mat Oxley

Yamaha mark 60 years of GP racing as the second most successful manufacturer of all time

Yamaha may not have won as many grand prix races as Honda, but the Hamamatsu manufacturer is arguably still the greatest racing brand of them all. The company contested its first grand prix in May...

Viva Vespa! Celebrating 75 years of the scooter that changed two wheels forever

11 June 2021 by Phil West

Viva Vespa! Celebrating 75 years of the scooter that changed two wheels forever

Seventy-five years ago this spring, motorcycling – or, to be precise, powered two-wheelers – changed forever when the very first scooter was launched. Spawned from the rubble of post-WW2 Italy,...

Explore Northumberland: New 250-mile route launched to rival the NC500

10 June 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

Explore Northumberland: New 250-mile route launched to rival the NC500

A pair of Northumberland residents have created the Northumberland 250 – a route set to rival the North Coast 500. Related articles on MCN The best UK roads to explore by motorbike this...

Plug in, ride out: Best electric motorbikes of 2023

26 May 2021 by Ben Clarke

Plug in, ride out: Best electric motorbikes of 2023

It’s getting hard to ignore the number of electric vehicles you see on the roads these days. What used to be a novel rarity is now commonplace with models from most major manufacturers and electric...