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.
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,...
My Suzuki GSX-R750 is overheating
23 May 2012 by
Q. I have a 2003 Suzuki GSX-R750 and when it gets to its max temperature (107 degrees) it overheats and cuts out in traffic, I have to wait until it cools down before it starts again. It was fully...
Why is my Deauville playing up?
23 May 2012 by
Q. I was riding home on the M6 yesterday after a weeks touring round Scotland on my Deauville when my rev counter went haywire then died. Shortly after, the bike backfired twice and the engine cut out...
Road tyres for a Triumph Tiger 800XC
23 May 2012 by
Q. What replacement tyres would you recommend for my Triumph 800 XC? I will only be using the bike on the road for weekend leisure trips and occasional long distance tours. They also need to be good...
Which springs to upgrade my FJR’s forks?
16 May 2012 by
Q. I want to uprate the front fork springs on my FJR1300A (2008 plate) as I’m finding it too soft fully-loaded. The brand names I've heard of don't do replacement uprated springs for my year of bike.
Can I re-use an old tyre?
16 May 2012 by
Q. Is it acceptable to re-fit a motorcycle tyre? I replaced the rear tyre on my 2007 CBR600RR last year as I was going on a long trip and didn't want the hassle of changing it when I was away. Now...
What’s causing front-end shimmy?
30 April 2012 by
Q. I am getting a slight front end shimmy at higher speed on my Honda CBR600F. The bike is fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsas and I’ve done 1000 miles on them during which time they have been...
Which clutch plates for a Yamaha V-Max?
30 April 2012 by
Q. My Yamaha V-Max will soon need new clutch plates. The Barnett sets are £20-30 more than EBC or Ferodo. Are they worth the extra cash? Mickh13, MCN forums A. Unless you are going drag racing I don’t...
Best textile trousers on a budget
30 April 2012 by
Q. After 28 years off bikes I have decided to go back to riding. A lot has changed in this time and I need some advice. I am thinking of buying a pair of textile trousers with a limited budget of £75,...
How do I remove Suzuki GSX600F exhaust headers?
30 April 2012 by
Q. I need to get the exhaust headers off my Suzuki GSX600F while the engine is out of the frame to repair an oil leak. All the exhaust bolts are off the studs, but the pipes themselves are wedged in...
Are five-year-old race tyres past their best?
24 April 2012 by
Q. I recently bought a pair of new Metzeler Racetecs off eBay for my track bike. Now it's my own fault because I should have asked how old they were, but when they arrived I realised they were made in...
Why is my air filter covered in fuel?
24 April 2012 by
Q. The fuel on my Kawasaki ER-5 is flowing straight through into the air filter box and it sounds like it is only firing on one cylinder, too. Quilley, MCN forums A. The ER-5 has a vacuum tap which...
Will a Power Commander sort low-rev jerkiness?
24 April 2012 by
Q. I’ve a 2002 Suzuki GSX-R750 with an Akrapovic end can. It runs very well, certainly not short on power! However slow speed running below 4000rpm is a bit jerky and erratic at times! Would fitting a...
Can I repair brake disc mounting holes with helicoils?
24 April 2012 by
Q. I've stripped the threads on two of the front disc mounting holes on my Hayabusa. Would it be OK to repair them with helicoils? David Stowe, MCN forums A. You can do a helicoil repair as a...
Tyres for a Firestorm?
08 April 2012 by
I ride a 1998 Honda Firestorm which is mint (5000 miles) and the suspension is fully sorted which transforms the bike to what it should have been. But now the bike could do with more modern tyres to replace the old BT010s. I ride from legal speeds to countryside burn ups and would like a balance of reasonable grip, mileage and value. Conti Motion are a tyre I was considering but I would first...
Best sports-touring tyre for a Triumph Speed Triple
02 April 2012 by
Q. Can you tell me what the best sports-touring tyre for a 2011 Triumph Speed Triple is? The last tyres were Metzeler Racetec Interacts that I got 3500 miles out of. I’d like some rubber that will get...
Triumph Speed Triple stuck in gear
02 April 2012 by
Q. My 18,000-mile 2005 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 has started sticking in first gear when stationary. No amount of force on the lever will shift it, the only way to get neutral is to turn off the...
Can I convert Kawasaki ER-6 to thumb throttle?
02 April 2012 by
Q. My octogenarian father still rides his Kawasaki ER6-F regularly, but worsening arthritis in his right wrist means he is having problems maintaining proper throttle control. I have been trying to...
Can police stop you for emissions?
02 April 2012 by
Q. We know the police can do you for a noisy exhaust, but have they ever done anyone for excessive emissions on aftermarket exhausts? S Boucher, email A. Not as far as we’re aware. The police don’t...
Why is there stepped wear on my front tyre?
21 March 2012 by
Q. I was getting my GSX-R out from hibernation and I’ve noticed some stepped wear on the front tyre, it probably occurred with that end of the year track day and 300-mile ride I did last October. A.
What to wear for desert riding
21 March 2012 by
Q. Work is taking me to Qatar and I’ll be swapping my Honda CB100R for a CRF450 to ride the dunes. As gear isn’t readily available out there, and I’m clueless when it comes to MX gear. Can you give me...
How to check Kawasaki ZZR600’s valve clearances
21 March 2012 by
Q. I have a mint Kawasaki ZZR600 E1 which I am happily racking the miles up on. I do my own servicing and the valve clearances are coming up to be checked and reset. My Haynes manual has flagged up...
Shoei XR-1100 problem
15 March 2012 by
I wanted to pass on a concern I have with Shoei's XR-1100 crash helmet. The lid is awesome, very comfy, visor removal is easy and it is reasonably quiet. It suffers in one way only and has really...
Best tyres for a Kawasaki ZZR600
14 March 2012 by
Q. I own a 2001 ZZR600 and would like an opinion as to the best tyres for this bike. I am not a knee-down, throttle-open rider, basically I’m a commuter and weekend social rider. I have recently read...
How to get back at a scammer
14 March 2012 by
Q. I have been stupid and trusted a stranger from the UK who I thought wanted to buy my 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R from me here in Slovakia. I won’t go into details, but I lost a lot of money and I don’t...