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.
Does my Honda Hornet have a radiator fan?
05 September 2012 by
Q. I'm wondering if my Honda Hornet 600 has a radiator fan. When I went on the recent Plymouth Megaride with 4000 bikes my bike was right up in the red on the temperature gauge. I had to keep turning...
How do I tell my SV’s bearing are shot?
05 September 2012 by
Q. My 10-year-old SV650 is coming up to new tyre time and I was told to watch out for wheel bearing seals and spacers with high mileage bikes. The thing is, I don't actually know what I'm looking for...
Will a loud horn cause MoT failure?
05 September 2012 by
Q. I am just wondering if there are any MoT or legal issues with a Steibel Nautilus horn that pumps out 139 decibels? My existing horn is fading slightly and I lost count of just how many people...
What’s caused sudden loss of tyre pressure?
05 September 2012 by
Q. I recently changed my tyres just fine, but 300 miles later I was on my way home from work when the front went all soggy and it was obvious the front tyre had lost pressure. I limped to the nearest...
Best tyres for a Kawasaki ZXR400?
29 August 2012
With my 1991 ZXR400 weighing the same/slightly more than a modern 600 sports bike what rubber should I buy next? I use the bike every day as it is my only form of transport. So is there something that...
Drop-down visors: are they any good?
29 August 2012
What are your thoughts on internal drop-down sun visors? Are they worth having? Debthehog, MCN forums The only downsides to them are that a few can become loose and rattle inside your helmet or drop...
ZZR1100 clutch has given up!
29 August 2012
I seem to have a major problem. After riding my Kawasaki ZZR1100 to work on a dairy farm I came back to it after milking to find that the clutch was completely unusable. The lever is solid and when I...
Why’s my Gixer overheating?
29 August 2012
My 1997 Suzuki GSX-R600 is overheating. After a 45-minute ride the temperature had risen to around 125°C. Since then I have had the radiator drained, flushed and filled with new coolant. I have had...
Best tyres for a BMW S1000RR?
24 August 2012
I currently own a 2010 BMW S1000RR and will need to change the tyres soon. It has the stock Conti Sport Attacks at the moment, I am not too concerned about mileage as I use the bike socially when I...
What’s causing my GSX-R600’s poor fuelling?
24 August 2012
My brother's got a problem with his GSX-R1000 K6, the symptoms are: No fault codes showing; misses when held between 3-4000rpm; only does it when hot; all four plugs sooted up; no problem...
Suzuki Intruder won’t start up properly
24 August 2012
My Suzuki Intruder 1500 has a starting problem, sometimes it starts fine, but about 50% of the time it will turn over really slowly and not start. I have adjusted the decompressor cables, fitted a new...
How can I turn my bike around in an enclosed space?
24 August 2012
Getting my Triumph Sprint in and out of a more and more cluttered garage is becoming hard work. So much so that I am avoiding taking it out. I know that you can spin a motorbike around on the...
Why won’t my TL1000S fuel properly?
23 August 2012
I have no fuel going into the cylinders of my Suzuki TL1000S. The ignition system is normal and the fuel relay kicks in, so the fuel pump in the tank working and fuel reaches the injector rail. The...
Best track tyres for a Honda Fireblade
08 August 2012 by
Q. I’m on my third track day using Bridgestone 016s on a Fireblade. I set the pressures at standard road pressure minus 2psi front and rear. But at the end of the day my tyres looked like I'd been...
Kawasaki ZZR notchy steering solution?
08 August 2012 by
Q. The steering on my Kawasaki ZZR1200 has gone all notchy. Is it worth changing them to tapered roller bearings? Vince Taylor, email A. In fact Kawasaki used to have taper roller bearings fitted to...
Getting feel back in Fireblade’s lever
08 August 2012 by
Q. I have replaced the original brake lines on my 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade as they were feeling 'baggy' on a long, fast ride, but I can't get the lever to firm up now. If I tie the lever in...
How to remove sheared spark plug
08 August 2012
Q. I have managed to shear off a new spark plug from my 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000. What are my options for getting it out? Oz Stephens, email A. You may well have to lift the cylinder head to get at it,...
Best sports-touring tyres for an R1100RT
30 July 2012 by
Q. I am looking for sport touring tyres for a 1996 BMW R1100RT which has a rear size of 160/60 ZR 18. I’m rather taken by Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact that was recently tested. John Hagger, email...
What’s cause of my Fireblade’s oil leak?
30 July 2012 by
Q. Over the past couple of days I've noticed a small amount of oil dripping from one of the breather hoses under the rear shock on my 2001 Fireblade. I've only noticed this happening after I've ridden...
Why is my ZZR600 cutting out?
30 July 2012 by
Q. My 1992 Kawasaki ZZR600 cuts out in warm weather and won’t turn over with the electric start till it cools down. I can do quite a few miles before it cuts out again. All the ignition lights light...
How to grip Honda CLR125’s rounded-off bolt
25 July 2012 by
Q. I have to replace the fork seals on my Honda CLR125, but someone’s been in there before me and the Allen socket on the end of the damper rod has rounded out so my Allen key just spins around.
Will my aftermarket exhaust become illegal?
25 July 2012 by
Q. If I have a dealer-approved Arrow exhaust system fitted on my Triumph by the dealer and these EU rules come in saying no aftermarket exhausts, would this mean I have to take it off and refit the...
What’s causing FZ750’s fuelling problem?
09 July 2012 by
Q. I've got a technical problem with my 1986 Yamaha FZ750. Everything was fine until I removed the radiator to spray it, and then add new coolant. Whilst the radiator was off, I cleaned up the HT...
Product review: SBK Generations
09 July 2012 by
SBK Generations, £29.99 Time played: One month What's good? The career mode is improved from last year. You now start in 2009 and have up until the end of the 2012 season to win the WSB title. So this...
Best tyres for a Suzuki GSX400
09 July 2012 by
Q. I am having problems finding a pair of matching road tyres for my 1982 Suzuki GSX400. The front is a 90/90/19, the rear is a 110/90/17, if I have to mix brands what would be the best combination? ...
Jacket review: Germot Oxford wax jacket
09 July 2012 by
Germot Oxford wax jacket, £239.99 Miles covered/time: 2000/three months What’s good: This jacket combines retro charm with a degree of 21st century protection and I really love wearing it – it’s a...
How can I restrict a Honda VF400F?
25 June 2012 by
Q. I am looking into buying a Honda VF400F. But I can't find a 33bhp kit or any legal way of restricting it. I have tried as many people and places as I can think of, including Honda dealerships and...
Will WD40 damage tyres?
25 June 2012 by
Q. My son can be a bit like Frank Spencer sometimes. When cleaning his chain he often gets WD40 all over his rear tyre, too. Despite me warning him not to, he declares: "It's OK, I clean it off...
Why is my ZX-6R’s front end juddering under braking?
15 June 2012 by
Q. When I brake at slow speed on my Kawasaki ZX-6R J2 track bike it feels as if the brakes are only working intermittently and at higher speeds the front shudders a lot. The brake pads are new, the...
How to remove a seized bolt from CBR600F Sport’s radiator
07 June 2012 by
Q. I've a Honda CBR600F Sport and was just about to give it a good clean today when one of the bolts on the V-piece under the radiator just kept turning. So I thought I'll take the left-hand fairing off and carefully take the V-piece off with the left-hand fairing. All was going well until I found another seized bolt in its rubber grommet on the left fairing. How can I get them out? Dom501, MCN...
Have my wheel weights been wrongly fitted?
07 June 2012 by
Q. I have just had new Bridgestone tyres fitted to my Gold Wing by my local Honda dealer. The rear tyre has not got any weights and on the front they have put all the weights on one side, 2 x 10 and 3...
Why is my almost-new Kawasaki Z1000SX rattling?
07 June 2012 by
Q. I have a new Kawasaki Z1000SX with 900 miles on the clock, which has a faint rattle. It comes in when I am gently opening the throttle at low revs in the low gears. It’s similar to pinking or a...
Most ‘comfortable’ tyres for a Speed Triple
28 May 2012 by
Q. I’m 83 and in memory of the happy days my late wife and I had on Triumphs in 1950s I’ve got a 2008 Triumph Street Triple to have fun on. I did find it set up quite hard, so I’ve had the suspension...
What’s causing my Honda Hornet’s rattle?
28 May 2012 by
Q. I was advised the rattle on my Honda Hornet 600 was probably the camchain tensioner, so I had a new one fitted, but now the rattle has returned. However, where it used to rattle when cold, it’s now...
Can I use silicone sealant instead of a gasket?
28 May 2012 by
Q. I have bought a second hand slip-on exhaust for my 2009 Suzuki GSXR750. The pipe that connects to the end pipe is slightly out of shape and the gasket does not fit in correctly. When trying to fit...
Why is my Yamaha R6 dying on me?
23 May 2012 by
Q. I recently rebuilt my 2002 Yamaha R6 and all seems ok. It starts up and ticks over OK, but when I go to ride off it feels like it’s got no fuel and the revs die on me. She will restart just fine,...