2011

Year: 2011

Month: ALL

Best tyres for a Derbi Terra Adventure

19 December 2011 by MCN

Q. What rear tyre would you recommend for a 2011 Derbi Terra Adventure 125. The rear is a 130/90 x 17 and the front is a 90/90 x 21. Newbiker1, MCN forums A. Continental Escapes are a really good...

Best rear hugger for a KTM SMT

19 December 2011 by MCN

Q. Some time ago Trevor Franklin did a long-term test on a KTM 990SMT. I’m using my bike for the winter months getting to work and I remember Trevor saying that he fitted a new rear hugger. He said it...

Best flip-front helmet with sun visor

19 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I’m looking for a new full-face helmet but fancy one with an internal sun visor. I know a few of the flip front types have them but I don’t want the extra weight. Motorcycle helmets for sale. Money...

Why are my ZZR1200's brakes sqealing?

19 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I have recently purchased a Kawasaki ZZR1200. I’m very pleased with it, but I have one annoying problem – the front brake squeals under light operation. I have removed the calipers, and the pistons...

Best all-weather tyres for a Honda CBR600F

15 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I bought an N-plate Honda CBR600F six months ago with Michelin Pilot 1s fitted that arejust about done after 5000 miles and three track days. I will be using the bike mainly for summer riding and a...

Why won't my Honda CBX750 run properly?

15 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I’ve just got an ’86-reg Honda CBX750, it had blowing header pipes which I’ve fixed. My problem is that when I try to ride it after letting it warm up the middle two cylinders splutter then cut...

Cure for Kawasaki Zephyr's fuel problems

15 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I have a Kawasaki Zephyr 750 which has not been run very much since summer 2010. When I triedstarting it about a month ago, it was very reluctant to fire up, but would just about run OK. I decided...

Best tyres for a Kawasaki GTR1400

07 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I have been on a GSX-R1000 for the past two years, but now as my wife wants to travel further afield we are changing to a Kawasaki GTR1400. Which tyres can I fit to get the most grip and feel? I’m...

Why is my Bandit 1250's exhaust popping?

07 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I bought my 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250SA new and I like everything except the massive end can. I replaced this with a twin outlet road legal can from Banditmania which looks and sounds great. The...

How do I replace Suzuki SV650's radiator?

07 December 2011 by MCN

Q. While waiting for my shoulder to heal after a smash I took the radiator off my SV and got it repaired. What do I need to know about putting it back on? Is it as simple as stick it back on and fill...

Is petrol damaging my 20-year-old bike?

07 December 2011 by MCN

Q. I’ve just seen an advertisement for a product that will protect motorcycle engines made before 1996 from damage that will, according to them, result from use of petrol containing ethanol. I have a...

Product review: Proguard Custom Fleximonitors earphones

30 November 2011 by Michael Neeves

Proguard Custom Fleximonitors earphones, £239.95 Miles covered/time used: 2000/two months What’s good: They block out as much noise as a good foam earplug (and actually more than the firm’s own custom...

Where's my GSX-R600's engine braking gone?

30 November 2011 by MCN

Q. I’ve noticed the engine braking on my 10,000-mile GSX-R600 K5 has severely decreased when I roll off the throttle and I can quite happily ride round at 10mph with no throttle at all and the clutch...

How to store a bike over winter

30 November 2011 by MCN

Q. I own a 2010 Honda VFR800. My bike is used most of the year but could be off the road for a couple of months in bad weather. It is garaged and has a battery conditioner fitted. Can I do any form of...

Suzuki Hayabusa's hot start issue

30 November 2011 by MCN

Q. I have a 1999 Hayabusa with a hot start problem. It starts fine when cold and on choke, and also when hot if you start straight away after stopping, such as after fuelling up. The problems start if...

Best winter battery care

23 November 2011 by MCN

Q. I am going to need to take my BMW F800R off the road over the winter and would like some advice on how best to look after the battery. I cannot fit a trickle charger as there is no electricity...

Oil light mystery on 2004 Yamaha R6

23 November 2011 by MCN

Q. I have an ’04 Yamaha R6, and on cold mornings the oil light comes on for about 30 seconds after I have been riding for a couple of minutes. When the bike has done about three or four miles or when...

Best road and track tyres for a Honda CB1000R

17 November 2011 by MCN

I have a 2011 Honda CB1000R ABS, and want to do track days, what tyres are best suited to being ridden to the circuit, do a track day and then ride home? Roearn, MCN Tyre forum Any of the new breed of...

Aprilia RSV can't find neutral

17 November 2011 by MCN

I have a 2004 Aprilia RSV Factory on which it is impossible to select neutral when stopped. It is sometimes possible to slide it into neutral from second gear as you come to a halt, but at a...

Do I need tyre warmers for early trackday sessions?

28 October 2011 by MCN

I’ve been getting into track days recently, and this year’s Indian summer has been a godsend. But even with the sun shining the tracks are pretty cold in the mornings. Is it time I invested in some...

Which Honda CBF250 sprocket to replace to raise gearing?

28 October 2011 by MCN

If you want to raise the gearing, which makes more difference (if any), an extra tooth on the gearbox sprocket or one fewer on the rear wheel sprocket? Will either option affect the length of the...

Tyres for a Kawasaki VN1600 Classic

05 October 2011 by MCN

I am trying to source a rear tyre for my Kawasaki VN1600 Classic, a 170/70 x 16 Bridgestone G722. I have trolled through pages of Google search, but have been unable to locate one. I have just put on...

How to recalibrate speedo to match new gearing

05 October 2011 by MCN

Kevin Ash in his Insight column a few weeks ago described raising the gearing to improve fuel economy. I would love to do this on my Tiger 800, which like most bikes is unnecessarily undergeared at...

Video: How to fix a puncture using the Gryyp Turn & Go

26 September 2011

This step-by-step video shows you how to fix a punctured motorcycle tyre using the Gryyp Turn & Go puncture repair kit.

Why are my Hayabusa's brakes clicking?

26 September 2011 by MCN

I changed the front pads on my Hayabusa recently, but now after hitting the brakes I keep hearing an annoying ‘clicking’ sound like something is touching the brake discs. I took it back to the...

Kawasaki ZZR1400 head bearing issue

20 September 2011 by MCN

Q. I have a 2007 Kawasaki ZZR1400 that has, from new, produced a loud crack from the head race area. During the guarantee period I was always told at each service that there was nothing to worry about...

Suspension fix for a 2004 Yamaha Fazer 1000

20 September 2011 by MCN

Q. This is my second Fazer 1000, an ’04 model after several Blades and R1s. Ticking nearly all of the boxes: performance (Akrapovic system) and practicality aswell as all-day comfort, the glaring...

Best all-round tyres for a KTM Superduke

08 September 2011 by Marc Abbott

I have a KTM Superduke and need to replace both tyres. I ride quite hard so need something that inspires confidence, but often get caught out in the wet, so need something that doesn’t slide all over...

Kawasaki ER-5 keeps stalling

08 September 2011 by MCN

I have a 2002 Kawasaki ER-5, the engine starts and runs perfectly, but as soon as you put it in gear and start to release the clutch the bike will stall, no matter how high the revs are. It’s not the...

How to extract a bar end weight screw

30 August 2011 by MCN

Q. I have a bar end weight screw stuck in the end of the bar after the bar end snapped off. There isn’t much sticking out to get a grip of, so I’m going to have a go at drilling it out, but are there...

Why are my bulbs blowing?

30 August 2011 by MCN

Q. I replaced a bulb for the speedo on my, but when I was on my way home from work late this evening I accelerated hard to overtake a car on the slip road and join the motorway, and shortly after my...

Why are my Aprilia Mille's tyres deflating?

09 August 2011 by MCN

Q. I have bought a 2002 Aprilia Mille that is having tyre problems – they’re deflating for no reason. I have put new tyres and valves on and the problem is still there. Motorcycle tyres for sale. The...

Best retro helmet for less than £200

04 August 2011 by MCN

Q. I’m looking for an open-face helmet to wear on a Triumph Bonneville and I’ve about £200 to spend (although I’d rather spend less!). Cheap motorcycle helmets for sale. What are my options? Martin...

Why's my FZ1 rear brake useless?

04 August 2011 by MCN

Q. The rear brake on my Yamaha FZ1 is useless. I told my local Yamaha dealer when they had it for its 12,000-mile service and afterwards they said it was OK. They said the pads looked almost new (they...

What's holding my tyre to the rim?

25 July 2011 by MCN

Q. Why does the rear wheel of a motorcycle not spin within the tyre? A great emphasis is placed on maximising tyre grip against the road surface, so why do the wheels not spin inside the tyre – the...

Exactly what tools do I need to replace my chain?

25 July 2011 by MCN

Q. I am about to replace the drive chain on my Honda Fireblade and I wanted clarification on which tools I’ll need for the job as the retailer wants to sell me a tool to peen over the hollow link...