2016 Long Term Fleet

The ultimate road test

Welcome to MCN's 120,000-mile test of 2016's key new machines. From Triumph Thruxton R to Kawasaki J125, it's the UK's most comprehensive bike fleet.

MCN's 2015 Longterm Fleet - we present the most important collection of bikes in 2015.

Year: ALL

MCN Fleet: Triumph Thruxton R’s Beauty secrets

03 June 2016 by Simon Relph

When I first saw a picture of Triumph’s all-new Thruxton R, it was love at first sight. When I found out it was going to be my long-term test bike, I was over the moon! The night before I went and...

MCN Fleet: Is 93bhp for Honda's Africa Twin enough?

28 May 2016 by Michael Guy

Honda claim 93.8bhp from their new 998cc flagship Africa Twin. Compared to its 1200cc, 150bhp-plus adventure bike rivals it’s clearly down on capacity and power, so we wanted to find out if the Africa...

MCN Fleet: The sun doesn't have to shine for the BMW F800GS to thrill

27 May 2016 by James Archibald

The 800 eats the miles like a buffalo at a buffet so I can spend hours in the saddle without an ache or pain; thanks to its relaxed, upright riding position. I just stick the electronically adjusted...

Long term update: New rearsets on the ZX-10R are the bee's knees

26 May 2016 by Michael Neeves

After riding into the side of a VW Polo in 1994, my knees aren’t what they should be. The pegs on my Kawasaki are the highest of all the 1000s, which can be uncomfortable. I’ve been to Reactive Parts...

Long term update: New Remus Exhaust on my Harley Street 750

25 May 2016 by Alison Silcox

I’m on a quest to personalise my bike so the first step’s have been to fit a new Remus Exhaust pipe (http://www.performanceparts-ltd.com). Related: Full Harley-Davidson Street 750 review Not only...

MCN Fleet: 'The RT's little touches really make me smile'

24 May 2016 by Adam Child

It’s strange how the little things matter and become more apparent the longer time goes on. My R1200RT’s qualities are obvious: class-leading comfort, excellent rider aids and a punchy, partially...

MCN Fleet: The Street Twin's fantastic plastic

21 May 2016 by Ped Baker

Over the past forty years plastic parts have become the norm on Motorcycles. Fairings, clock surrounds, mudguards, coolant tanks all now go unnoticed. The material was once treated with contempt but...

MCN Fleet: Husqvarna 701 Supermoto questions answered

20 May 2016 by Liam Marsden

I’ve covered 2000 miles on my long term Husqvarna 701 Supermoto since taking delivery of the bike in March and while it’s taken some getting used to after last year’s bike, I now feel much more at...

MCN Fleet: S100XR's positive vibes

19 May 2016 by Andy Downes

Search the internet for info about the S1000XR and the subject of vibration will quickly surface, but it does seem to be an inconsistent theme. What some owners and those on test rides have perceived...

MCN Fleet: All about the looks with the Yamaha XSR900

18 May 2016 by Andy Calton

Coming from a misspent youth of smoke-belching two-strokes, Yamaha was the brand I turned to most frequently as a spotty teenager in search of cheap thrills. Related: Full Yamaha XSR900 review An...

Long term update: ZX-10R gives miles of smiles on MCN rideout

07 May 2016 by Michael Neeves

I’ve been taking it easy on my ZX-10R for its first miles and the upside of the tentative riding is the fuel economy. I’ve squeezed up to 49mpg out of it − not exactly racy, but good for the wallet.

MCN Fleet: Street weathers the storm

05 May 2016 by Alison Silcox

Peering out of the window of the Hotel Kyriad in Etaples, the rain was lashing down and the trees bent in half. We were about to set out on day two of our mini break to France, heading to a town just...

MCN Fleet: Dishing the dirt on the KTM Freeride 250R

03 May 2016 by Tim Thompson

Nearly four months later, this diminutive KTM Freeride 250 R is still making my pulse race like a Ducati Panigale S on slicks. In years to come I will remember it as the bike on which I dropped all...

MCN Fleet: Should you splash extra cash on the XDiavel S?

30 April 2016 by Emma Franklin

Ducati’s 1262cc space-age belt-drive super-cruiser comes in two guises, the entry-level £15,795 XDiavel and the range-topping XDiavel S at £18,395. I’m running the S as a long-term test bike this...

MCN Fleet: ‘Have I just made a costly mistake?’

27 April 2016 by Andy Downes

My first ride on the BMW S1000XR was a little nerve-racking because I’d chosen the bike based on the promise of what it would be like, rather than experience.I’d not ridden an XR before, so was a...

MCN Fleet: Pleased to meet you (again) Africa Twin

22 April 2016 by Michael Guy

Having attended the launch of the Honda Africa Twin in South Africa at the end of last year, I knew what I was getting when my long-term test bike arrived, but that didn’t make me any less excited! It...

MCN Fleet: The Street Twin serves an ergonomic masterclass

21 April 2016 by Ped Baker

If there’s a single word that sums up Triumph’s Street Twin it’s ‘simplicity’. From riding to customising, everything about the bike is designed to be fuss-free and as simple as possible. In just a...

MCN Fleet: Rain starts play on GS

19 April 2016 by James Archibald

This is my first year with an adventure bike and rather than give myself a gentle introduction, I headed to the Highlands. The idea was to face a five-day baptism of fire (or rain as it would turn...

Long term update: Can I ‘Un-Euro 4’ the ZX-10R?

15 April 2016 by Michael Neeves

For 2017 new bikes will have to be Euro 4 compliant – cleaner and more efficient. It’s the reason so many manufacturers have compliant bikes this year and we’ll see even more rolled out at the bike...

MCN Fleet: Husqvarna 701 Supermoto's extreme weight loss

14 April 2016 by Liam Marsden

Having spent 2015 on a Kawasaki 1400GTR, an armchair of a motorcycle that weighed 305kg and could easily carry the weekly shop, 2016 will be a little different. 2015 Husqvarna 701 Supermoto...

MCN Fleet: Life in the HOG lane

12 April 2016 by Alison Silcox

Here I am after just a couple of weeks into riding the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and I’ve discussed it more with passers-by than I’ve chatted about other bikes in a whole year. Is this going to be...