New rider

If you’ve kerbed a car wheel you’ll know what sort of mess it does to the rims, but you can keep driving most of the time. Damage an alloy wheel on a bike and it will ruin the bike’s handling and...

Tubeless tyres have several advantages over tubed tyres and are far more numerous on today's bikes. Among those advantages are that they run cooler, so can cope with higher performance and give longer...

Q. I have a 2008 ABS Honda Hornet which has an Akrapovic megaphone end can fitted. At the moment the bike doesn’t run smoothly at certain points. Would this need to be fixed by a Power Commander? Or...

Q. I just wondered if any other readers have had the same problem with Triumph paint as I have. I am the owner of an ’09 Sprint 1050 ABS in Phantom Black which I sadly managed to drop in a paddock...

Q. I have a problem with my 1995 Fireblade. When I brake heavily I get violent front end judder. I do track days and it is making it unrideable. Save £££s on motorcycle tyres The discs and pads are...

Falstaff jacket, $397 (£258) Miles covered/time: 4200/13 months What’s good? The closest you can come to putting on your favourite slippers, this jacket immediately feels that you have owned it for...

Getting your first big bike can be a daunting experience, especially if you are below average height. Once you’ve gained confidence on big bikes the need to get both feet flat on the floor is largely...

If you are looking for a bike to pass your test on, make sure that you purchase the right bike for the category of test you want to pass, or you could find yourself restricted to a 125 with only an A1...

Q. I was riding on the M54 tonight and the front tyre on my 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R went flat really quickly, I struggled over to the hard shoulder and got recovered back home. Find a used Kawasaki...

Q. I have a Triumph Speed Triple 955i on a 2000 plate. My back brake is virtually none existent. I have had it checked and have been told that everything is OK, and that it’s just a common thing with...

Q. I really need to make my 2007 Kawasaki Z750 louder as they hear my son’s GSX-R coming, but not me following. So I’m looking at a replacement can, but what’s to be done with the device fitted to the...

If you are thinking of changing your chain there are a few things you should consider. You can get more out of it, if you keep it scrupulously lubricated and adjusted through its life, ideally with...

The parallel twin cylinder engine has a long history of use in motorcycles, being the mainstay of the British motorcycle industry for 50 years until the smoother, more sophisticated four-cylinder...

When I start my Honda CBF500 up the headlight should come on automatically. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. However, after riding for a few minutes it comes on and stays on. Neither dip nor main...

I have a friend who has a 2008 Yamaha XJR1300. He has a problem with a code that keeps coming up on the warning panel – when you switch the ignition on, the code that shows up is “20”. If the engine...

The first ‘modern’ three-cylinder engine was an inline design built by the Triumph/BSA conglomerate back in the 1969 using their existing twin-cylinder motors, as a response to Honda’s revolutionary...

I have recently purchased a 2010 R1200GS which was fitted with Conti Trail Attacks from new. They are very grippy and confidence inspiring but the rear seems to be wearing out at an alarming rate...

The instrument panel lights have all gone on my 1994 Kawasaki GPZ500S and I need to know if I need capless or mini bayonet type bulbs to replace them? I know they need to be 12 volt/3.4 watt. ...

My 2007 MV Agusta F4 1000R has really suffered in the summer’s heat. It has always run hot at about 110 degrees, but it started to boil up and got to 125 degrees, which is when I switched it off in a...

Switching to an aftermarket exhaust is an obvious choice if you want to change the look, sound or performance of your bike. But you do have to consider a few things before you splash the cash. First...

The simplest bike engine design is the single cylinder and it’s what’s fuelled generations of young and new bikers’ love affair with two wheels, as well as keeping the masses moving in poorer...

Q. I don't have much confidence in the tyres fitted to my 2007 Triumph America. They are a fairly new Metzeler Lazertec front and Marathon rear. Save £££s on motorcycle tyres The front tracks any...

Q. I have a 2007 R1 with just over 7000 miles on it. I noticed that there was a ticking noise coming from the right hand side of the bike and so took it to a dealer who thought there was no problem. I...

Q. I have just bought a set of two-piece leathers and have a question about the fit. I am a 40/41-inch chest and so ordered the size 42 after speaking to the salesman. The sleeves end at just above...

horuson1: I have a ZX-6R C1H (2005). When I go for a ride it seems to be running hotter than it should then if I stop it cuts out unless I rev it. If it cuts out it won’t restart for about 15 minutes...

The V-twin engine has a long and noble history in motorcycling as it was adopted early on by manufacturers like Harley and Indian because it allowed two cylinders to be bolted into the narrow,...

A set of leathers is a major investment, so it’s important that they fit you well. Although leathers will give a little bit over time, they aren’t as flexible as textile garments, so the makers cut...

Q. My wife has recently completed her CBT course and was told that “cheap helmets have a shelf life of around two years, with more expensive ones having a shelf life of around five years, after which...

Q. I am on a very tight budget as a poor student (bloody tuition fees), so I can’t afford to change my tyres until I absolutely have to. Save cash on motorcycle tyres Apart from a lack of tread, what...

Q. I’m taking my bike over to Spain next month and I wondered what’s the best way to tether the bike with the ratchet straps I have just purchased. I have a centrestand-free Kawasaki ZRX1200S and I...

Q. I own a 2004 Kawasaki ZX-6R. When I go out with my lights on, it blows the stop/tail fuse within a mile or so. If I leave the lights off, I can ride all day with no problems. I changed the bulbs...

Q. I have a 2001 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird that seems to run fine. What concerns me is that when I start up from cold the right-hand silencer emits water vapour almost immediately, while the...

If you are heading abroad on the ferries it’s important that you are able to tether your bike down properly in the hold in case of rough weather. Park it so it is almost leaning against the deck wall...

The inline four-cylinder engine is the most popular layout for bikes because it combines high performance with relatively low cost. First made popular by Honda in 1970s, after they’d gained experience...