New rider

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...

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...

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...

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...

Q. Is it just me, or are the mirrors on CBR600RRs circa 2007 really crap? I get a lovely view of my arms and that’s it. Any ideas? A. Another reader, Barry Sylvester, had a similar problem but sorted...

Q. I have had my 2002 Yamaha R6 tucked away in my man-cave over winter on a trickle charger. I started it about a month ago and all was well. But when I went to get the bike ready for new season the...

Q. I have two bikes wanting new tyres – a 1979 Honda CB650Z and a 1998 Honda CB500S. I am not concerned about tyre wear, wet weather performance, or achieving the classic look, all I need is the best...

Q. I have been using my Yamaha YBR125 to ride up from Cornwall to Stevenage on family visits. It’s 289 miles each way and I get a terribly numb bum after a while. It gets so bad I have to stop every...

Q. The brakes on my Yamaha XJ900 Diversion only give me decent feel when the lever’s span adjustment is right out. My last bike was an XJR1300 and the brakes were great, so I’m thinking of grafting on...

Q. I would like some advice on what tyres to buy for my 1998 Ducati 916. I have had the bike for five years and fitted a set of Michelin Pilot Sports when I got the bike. I have been happy with the...

Q. I am looking at upgrading the front wheel on my 1992 Honda Fireblade to a 17 incher. Which wheel is best as there were three wheel upgrades to the CBR900 and what size tyre would I need?...

Q. I’ve almost completed the restoration of a 1999 Moto-Guzzi Daytona RS. Just how much "play" side to side and up and down on the floating discs should there be? There's a tiny tack weld on the back...

Q. I've had a Suzuki DL1000K2 for the last six years, it has only covered some 22,000 miles and has never let me down but it does have a sticky gear change. Sometimes it snicks up or down sweetly,...

Q. I’ve a Ducati 916 that has been running rough for a little while. The electrics are all fine, with no dodgy relays and the bike was recently serviced with a clean bill of health. Mick Illingworth,...

Q. I’ve just got a 1992 Moto-Guzzi 50 Targa with aging Pirelli Stradas fitted and I want a set of tyres that give me good directional stability when I head out on weekend runs. Mike Henaghan,...

Q. A friend of mine has a Triumph 1050 Speed Triple and the digital readouts seem to have packed up with no mph and the clock stuck at 1.00. The price for replacement instruments from Triumph is £700.

Q. I’ve a Yamaha 2000 FZS600S Fazer with 56,000 miles on clock which I use for commuting. I change the oil/ filter every six months and just recently changed the battery and new plugs and slightly...

Q. I’m thinking of getting a Power Commander III. What is the "accelerator pump feature"?   A. This feature is built into all PCIII USB and PCVs, it allows you to configure settings which inject...

Q. I lost my right leg below the knee a while back and I’ve got a problem finding boots that will fit me. The reason is that my prosthetic leg is pretty ‘slimline’ to reduce weight and make it easier...

Q. I have a 2009 Yamaha R6 which I’ve been riding for the past two years on Dunlop Sportsmarts. But my mates really rate their Pirelli Supercorsas – when we’re parked up on a ride their tyres are...

Q. More and more bike companies are offering Personal Contract Plans (PCP) and it looks like a tempting way of buying a new bike every few years. What's the catch? Graham Bayes, by email A. PCP deals...

Q. I recently crashed my bike at low speed after a momentary loss of concentration. I've changed the few broken parts but the fairing needs either replacing or repairing. I've always fancied learning...

Q. My insurance policy is demanding an alarm is fitted to my Suzuki GSX-R750 but I’m no fan of them as, in my experience, they always seem to go wrong, drain the battery and no one takes any notice of...

Q. My crash helmet is a few years old but remains very comfortable. It was in absolutely tip-top condition until it rolled off the petrol tank a little while ago onto the petrol station forecourt’s...

Sidi Vertigo Gore-Tex boots, from £207 at www.mcnshop.com Miles covered/time: 15,000/four years What’s good: These boots have seen four winters and many more miles in mostly terrible weather (and...

Q. I have recently bought a 2008 BMW R1200R which has the tyre pressure sensors fitted. I am not keen on the sensors and have a couple of queries regarding them. Can I have normal rubber type tyre...

Q. I have just bought a 1991 BMW K100RS. It has been unused for seven years, has only done a genuine 5000 miles and is in “as-new” condition. The bike was serviced 150 miles ago with new fluids...

Q. Is it possible to powdercoat the wheels on my 2005 Aprilia Tuono Factory? A mate told me they can't be done because they are magnesium. Airm8, MCN forums A. Magnesium wheels weigh 30% less than...

Q. I have an immaculate Kawasaki KLR650 with a Marvin stainless steel silencer that looks and sounds great. Marvin does not make a header pipe, so are there any exhaust firms who could manufacture a...

Q. I have a CCM FT35-S, the 400cc Suzuki-engined supermoto with a 120/70 x 17 front tyre and a 150/70 x 17 rear. What choices do I have in replacement rubber? Nick Scarr, email A. First off, the...

Q. We all know that manufacturers put a life expectancy on helmets of roughly five years but is there a life expectancy on leathers? I know we should replace any kit if it has been involved in a high...

Q. I own a 2008 Yamaha Fazer 600S2 which I plan on keeping for a few years. I like to do my own maintenance, but the bike has electronic fuel injection, ECU and a factory immobilizer, which is all...

Q. I have just received a fixed penalty notice for my Yamaha XJR1300, the bike is still taxed, but it’s been in bits since July so I let the insurance lapse. I thought that if the bike was taxed you...

I’ve got a 2004 Suzuki GSX-R750 which I love the look and power of. The problem is that when I open the throttle up in the second part of a corner while the bike is still cranked over, it starts to...

I've had a Kawasaki VN800 Classic for over 15 months now, and it had been running beautifully every day until a few months ago when it would just not start on the button, clicking loudly instead. I...

My wheels are looking a bit tatty on my Hornet and I’m considering spraying them myself. However the wheels take a lot of crap from the road and I am worried it won’t be durable. Cairnsie13, MCN...