2017 Long Term Fleet

Road bike electronics have come along way over the past decade. Ducati’s homologation special 1098R was first to be fitted with traction control, as we know it today. Wheel speed sensors measured the...

I’ve been absolutely loving my time on the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and have been doing quite a bit with the bike; from track riding, to touring, to just using it to commute on every day. Here are my...

MCN’s campaign to encourage the motorcycle community to ride 5000 miles in 2017 has been a hit and has seen thousands of riders sign up – with a good number having already hit the 5000 mile...

Unfortunately, as cool as the Triumph Bobber looks, it's not been plain sailing over the first 3000 miles we've spent together.  I've chucked the Bobber straight in at the deep end, using it as...

Metzeler’s Roadtec 01 tyres were a complete revelation for the Ninja 650 when I fitted them a few months back but now it’s time to try something else.  I’ve opted for a sportier tyre and have...

My YZF-R6 is now proving far easier to live with than I first feared. Initially my first impressions weren’t favourable; The suspension was too harsh and the bike was far too track focused. However,...

I’ve got a confession to make. I’m absolutely crap at fixing things, DIY and anything like that, so when it comes to playing with bikes, unless it’s something basic, I often err on the side of caution...

My relationship with my Yamaha R6 can be described as rocky. She has thrown me out of the seat on more than one occasion and the bars have shaken their disgruntled head a few times. My Yam is a little...

While I’ve been enjoying riding the Harley-Davidson Street Glide I’ve had on test, I’d not really gelled with it. I’ve clocked up well over 5,000 miles on it now but most of that has been commuting,...

With the July sun blazing and light summer nights still with us it’s time to start to think about winter riding, well, it is if you’re anything like me!! Being an all new model, there are currently a...

The Triumph Street Triple 765 RS comes on the awesome Pirelli Supercorsa SP’s that offer incredible grip for trackways and hot summer rides, but I couldn’t help but feel it was all a little much for...

There’s a reason why enduro bikes are as thin, light and lithe as possible, with all extraneous fat stripped away to reveal pure muscle and sinew: because the last thing you want off-road is a lardy...

The Triumph Bobber looks great, there's no doubt about that. But one thing I was slightly worried about prior to its arrival was if all that style would be at the cost of functionality. The Triumph...

It’s been three months since I got my hands on the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS and so far the bike has been an absolute hoot. Triumph have scored highly in many areas with the new RS from performance...

The Harley-Davidson Street Glide has been steadily growing on my over the last few months and it's now woven itself into the fabric of my life, making itself a true member of the family. Like all good...

One of the things I’ve been interested in with my Kawasaki Ninja 650 long term bike this year has been its power output. Now I don’t think that it’s particularly bad as standard, and most of...

Having passed the 1000-mile mark a short while ago, a few things have struck me about the consistently brilliant Ducati Supersport S. The switchgear is just a bit… well, odd. Hit the cancel indicator...

Prepping for a trip to the Alps in just over a weeks time it's time to go shopping and find some luggage to fit the RS. I was recommended to look at the SW Motec Blaze panniers but after a...

When I took delivery of the V-Strom 650XT back in April, I was quite impressed with the Bridgestone Battlax Adventure tyres it came with. They gave quite a lot of feel in both the dry and the wet and...

So I braved the A1 (M) again, but this time down south to London. With a full tank under my belt and a slight fear I wouldn't be able to hack the hustle and bustle of our big capital, I arrived at the...

Mallory Park was alive to the sights and sounds of some delicious metal at last weekend’s annual Bike Bonanza.  Road and race machines, from classic to modern, two-stoke, four-stroke and wankel,...

I ride everyday no matter the weather. Bikes are my main form of transport and they need to be able to keep up with the rigours of commuting everyday in unpredictable British weather. Take one look at...

My first few weeks with the Ducati have been a bit of familiarisation exercise. Trying out the various engine modes (three) and fiddling around with adjustable screen (two positions), while dreaming...

Mark, my other half, and I checked the weather report on Saturday night and realised Sunday was going to be ‘Scorchio’, so what better way to spend the day than out on the bikes. We always fall into...

An engine oil and filter change for the 2002 Fireblade had been on the cards since I bought the bike a few months ago but shamefully I've only just got around to doing it. TOP STORIES Goodwood...

Summer trackday season is upon us and there’s still only one tyre for the job: Metzeler’s Racetec RR K3. On the road they’re plush, grippy and not too shabby in the wet. A rear lasts for over...

After 600 miles added to the clock, the KTM 125 Duke I'm running as a long-term test bike this year, is now ready for her first service. The KTM's 1st service During the KTM's first service I managed...

MCN’s long-term test Honda Fireblade SP arrived shortly after we awarded it the win in our group test of the 2017 superbikes. Honda had just signed Guy Martin to ride one alongside John McGuinness for...

I’ve been using the Ninja 650 now for a few months now and am really pleased with how things are panning out with the bike. It’s practical, fun, comfortable and I think it looks absolutely fantastic –...

I’m now 3500 miles into life with the KTM Super Adventure S and all is well. It took a little time to get to grips with the plethora of electronic features on the bike, but I feel I’ve finally got my...

Now I’m a full licence holder, I have to admit I’m struggling a little with the 15bhp on offer from the KTM. It’s not so much of an issue on twisty B-roads, but on motorways – where I do most of my...

I stumbled into the office to laughter, hidden behind a load of boxes that had been delivered. I must have looked ridiculous but I didn’t care, I was excited. The contents of said boxes were a load of...

After a week’s heavy use, I resisted the urge to take the V-Strom out in the glorious weather yesterday and instead spent the afternoon giving it a quick freshen up. It’s a bike that looks stunning...

Here's my latest GSX-R1000R video blog, including an on-board lap of Brands Hatch... MORE FROM MCN’S FLEET Service time again for the Ninja 650 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S Electric Dream Quick!...

What happens when you replace ‘that’ can? We fit a slip-on Yoshi to find out Suzuki’s new GSX-R1000R might have a new chassis, a raft of electronic rider aids and clever VVT motor, but when it...

This time last week I was on the way to Paris for a little French adventure with two fellow scooter riders. My Honda X-Adv and I were part of MCN’s annual maxi-scooter test.   With a Yamaha...