New rider

Welcome the the MCN New Rider section, where we'll help you navigate your way from complete biking novice to confident beginner. If you're unsure how to begin your journey onto two wheels, the diagram below is for you.

New Rider

Year: ALL

Will my headlamp fail an MoT?

15 June 2010 by MCN

Q. I took my 1997 Honda RC45 RS down for its annual MoT and the tester said that I had a “problem” with the headlamps, that the dip beam was “flat” with no “break off” to light the pavement etc. He...

New rider: Do you really need a powerful bike?

11 June 2010 by Chris Dabbs

There’s no right or wrong time to buy your first big bike, the key to the process is to be honest with yourself. If you have been driving a car for years and have built up a fund of roadcraft in...

New Rider: How to ride safely on a motorway

11 June 2010 by Chris Dabbs

Motorways may be boring to ride on, but they are the safest roads in Britain despite the high speeds and vast volumes of traffic that use them. This is because they traffic joining them filters on...

Advice: What are the best tyres for a Kawasaki ZZR1400

09 June 2010 by Marc Abbott

Q. I have recently purchased a 2008 ZZR1400 which has about 5000 miles on the clock and is fitted with Bridgestone Battlax BT-014 tyres which are in very good condition. Are these tyres suitable for...

Advice: GSX-R Winter lay-up fuelling problems

09 June 2010 by Marc Abbott

Q. My GSX-R has been sat all through winter with the same tank of fuel in it (I know, not the best idea), so now as a result my bike is very sluggish to respond to the throttle movements and hence...

How to push a motorcycle

04 June 2010 by Chris Dabbs

It’s hard to believe when you are tipping your bike into a bend with the merest fingertip pressure on a bar, that your bolide weighs a couple of hundred kilos. But when you’ve got to push it into the...

How to tell if you have a puncture

04 June 2010 by Chris Dabbs

The tubeless tyres that are fitted to the vast majority of bikes these days are more puncture-resistant than tyres with inner tubes and don’t tend to suffer from the rapid deflation that is a...

How to push your bike around

04 June 2010 by MCN

It’s hard to believe when you are tipping your bike into a bend with the merest fingertip pressure on a bar, that your bike weighs a couple of hundred kilos. But when you’ve got to push it into the...

Tubeless tyres and punctures

04 June 2010 by MCN

The tubeless tyres that are fitted to the vast majority of bikes these days are more puncture-resistant than tyres with inner tubes and don’t tend to suffer from the rapid deflation that is a...

Tight FireBlade chain is causing problems

02 June 2010 by MCN

Q. I have a ’97 Honda Fireblade RRV. In May I rode up to the BMF Rally two-up but I didn’t realise that the chain was running too tight over bumps and when accelerating. It’s now making a ‘clattery’...

Chinese 125 carb problems

02 June 2010 by MCN

Q. I own a Sukida SK125-4 Commissioner (it’s Chinese), which if it’s not careful is going to be turned into coke cans as it’s doing my head in. The problem is that when I go for a run and its warm it...

Why is my R1200GS front disc pulsing?

02 June 2010 by MCN

Q. I recently took my pride and joy R1200GS to my local BMW garage for its 6000-mile service. I asked them to investigate a front brake pulsing at low speed. Now I had a Tiger that did exactly the...

If in doubt, change your tyres

02 June 2010 by MCN

Q. I have returned to motorcycling after a 48-year break and my bike is a 1990 Yamaha XV535 which is very pleasant to ride - even with the gearlever on the left! But on some road surfaces the...

Differences between bike and car engines

28 May 2010 by MCN

If you have come from the four-wheeled world it is easy to forget that motorcycle engines need more care and attention than car engines as they rev a lot higher with much greater power to capacity...

Suspension set-up for a 2002 CBR600F

25 May 2010 by MCN

Q. What suspension settings are best for solo riding on a CBR600F, 2002 model? I weigh 88kg in full riding kit and ride on the road with the odd track day. I also carry a pillion and luggage a couple...

Can I get new wheels under warranty?

25 May 2010 by MCN

Q. At the weekend, while cleaning my 2010 Kawasaki GTR1400, I noticed the rear wheel was bent on the right-hand side of the rim, where you’d expect to place a tyre lever. Save £££s on motorcycle...

Adjusting to the bike riding experience

21 May 2010 by MCN

If you are coming from four wheels to two for the first time, the differences can seem daunting. Cars deliver their responses to you through a myriad of different systems that use complicated...

Fizing a seized lock

21 May 2010 by MCN

Turning the ignition on with your bike’s key should be such a simple action that will have you winging down the road in seconds. But what do you do if the key won’t turn? You don’t dare force it for fear of it snapping off in the lock, but you really, really need to get going NOW. You may need to add some lubrication, and a good lube is pencil lead. Rub the graphite up and down the key several...

Remember to SORN your bike

21 May 2010 by MCN

These days there is more and more paperwork attached to owning a bike whether it’s on the road or not. If you do decide to take your bike off the road you have to register it as off the road with the...

How to extract a GT550’s rear shocks

18 May 2010 by MCN

Q. I’ve bought myself a project bike – a 1988 Kawasaki GT550. It was completely dead but everyone’s help on the MCN forums has got it through the MoT, so firstly thanks to all. I now have a bit of a...

How do I know my brake pads will suit my discs?

11 May 2010 by Chris Dabbs

I would like to fit Ferodo Sintergrip road ST HH brake pads to my 2000 Yamaha R6. But Ferodo say the discs must be stainless steel or cast iron for their pads to be suitable. I have emailed Yamaha UK,...

Troubleshooting: Why won't my 2002 Thunderbird go?

11 May 2010 by Chris Dabbs

GCollins: I have a 2002 Triumph Thunderbird with 17,000 miles on it and in good condition. Lately the engine has started to fade and then cut out, this happens after about 30 miles often after a stop...

Steering dampers can help on bumpy roads

07 May 2010 by MCN

Bikes are designed to have very different handling characteristics, from slow, lazy steering and high stability on customs and out-and-out tourers, to fast steering, agile sports bikes. Those sports...

How to clean a Speedfight head and barrel

07 May 2010 by MCN

Q. I’ve just stripped down the head and barrel on my Peugeot Speedfight and the piston is coked up with black crap. What’s the best way to clean it without damaging it? Fred1021, MCN forums A. Most...

Diagnose a cush drive fault

07 May 2010 by MCN

Q. I have a 2005 Yamaha Dragstar 125 with 3000 miles on the clock and I have excessive free play in the drive system when throttling off. The engine goes from driving the bike to the bike driving the...

How to extract a seized front wheel spindle

05 May 2010 by MCN

Assuming the spindle is seized to the bearings or the spacer between the bearings, remove the tyre, tube and rim tape then soak the wheel overnight in diesel or paraffin. If you have a stout leakproof...

Why don't my VFR’s idiot lights work?

27 April 2010 by MCN

Q. The idiot lights on my Honda VFR800 have started playing up. Sometimes neutral works, and then my digital clock goes on the blink for a couple of days before coming back again. Nick Langhorn, email...

Is ride height making my bike steer slower?

27 April 2010 by MCN

Q. I do a lot of track days but I seem to have hit a brick wall when it comes to getting round fast corners quickly. Every time I up the pace on my R6 the bike misses the apex and runs wide appearing...

Best tyres for a BMW K1300GT

27 April 2010 by MCN

Q. I’m looking to replace the tyres on my BMW K1300GT. The ones currently fitted have a special “UU” rating for this bike. Save cash on motorcycle tyres BMW recommend Metzeler Z6, what do you...

Tyres that inspire confidence...

20 April 2010 by MCN

Q. I intend replacing my tyres in the next few weeks and would appreciate some advice. Save £££s on motorcycle tyres The tyres fitted are Continentals, which came with the bike when I bought it; but...

Indicator bulbs: handy tips

20 April 2010 by MCN

Q. I wonder what the minimum wattage is for bike indicators, if there is one? Save cash on motorcycle lighting I have bought some new winkers for my Kawasaki 400 grey import and they’re 10 watts,...

How to diagnose clutch cable problem

20 April 2010 by MCN

Q. The choke lever on my 2001 Yamaha 900 Diversion will only pull about a quarter of the way open. Not being too technically minded, and before I go stripping down unnecessarily, is it most likely to...

Road positioning is more important on a bike

19 April 2010 by MCN

If you flit between using a car and a bike don’t forget that you have much more choice over where you are positioned on a bike than in a car. You need to think about where you should be on the road,...

Get your mates to watch you ride

19 April 2010 by MCN

If you’ve got biking mates, get them to watch you ride. They’ll spot some oddities to your technique that you’re not aware of. And they’ll have a great time telling you all about it… Get a friend into biking and win £10000 for you, and £5000 for them with the MCN 1000

New rider: filling up when sitting on your bike

16 April 2010 by MCN

Q. Is it against the law to sit on your bike when refuelling? According to a Tesco’s cashier that’s the case. They wouldn’t start the pump until I got off the bike. Sam Fletcher, email A. It’s not...

Best first bike for a 50-mile commute

16 April 2010 by MCN

Q. I’ve finally got the nerve to do my bike test, and I’m now wishing I could have been one of the happy elite to have taken my test when I was 18, and had a man shouting at me with a clipboard some...