Bike news
MCN’s long-term columnist and friend Neil Murray passes away
Yesterday 10:36 by
It’s with enormous shock and sadness that we have to report the passing of MCN’s long-term columnist, contributor and friend Neil Murray, who died last Monday, July 19. At just 63 years-old, and...
Bikes not chopped: Reports of the death of motorcycles 'greatly exaggerated'
26 July 2021 by
The government has published a paper on their plan to ‘decarbonise transport’ with plans to have all new cars ‘fully zero emission at the tailpipe from 2035’ but when it comes to motorcycles, reports...
Weekly wind-on: your roundup of the stories that mattered in motorbikes this week
23 July 2021 by
This week, KTM pulled the covers off a new track only sportsbike called the RC 8C. The bike uses the parallel-twin engine from the firm’s 890 Duke R wrapped in a handbuilt steel frame and...
Forever 21: Ducati pay tribute to Troy Bayliss with special edition Panigale V2
22 July 2021 by
Ducati have honoured one of their most successful and well loved racers with a special edition bike to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first world title. The eponymous Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st...
Fighting bike crime on the front line: Cops step up their efforts to crack down on bike thefts
21 July 2021 by
The Metropolitan Police’s roads team have been working hard to tackle motorbike and moped theft in the capital and say it’s been paying off. The Southern Borough Command Unit, for example, have been...
Spyshots: New KTM 990 could shake up the road-going naked world
21 July 2021 by
KTM hit the mainstream with the 790 Duke in 2018, followed by a strong update this year boosting capacity to 890. Now spyshots suggest there’s another bike in the offing. Related articles on MCN KTM...
Life on the road with DocBike
21 July 2021 by
Bikertek promotion The sixth and final part of the 2021 series is all about DocBike. It will feature a day in the life of a band of emergency service workers who are out there trying to keep all road users safe -...
KTM RC 8C offers an orange slice of the GP action
20 July 2021 by
KTM have taken their 'ready to race' motto to a whole new level with the RC 8C – a carbon-kevlar clad racing machine powered by the engine from the 890 Duke R naked. Developed with Krämer Motorcycles,...
Triumph reveal bold plans for new MX and enduro machines
20 July 2021 by
Triumph are planning an assault on the lucrative motocross and enduro market – with two big-name ambassadors helping them to blaze a new off-road trail. The Hinckley-based operation have outlined...
DAB Concept-E combines roadster charm with supermoto cool in learner legal package
19 July 2021 by
French boutique bike builders DAB Motors have whipped the covers off their new Concept E – a 13.4bhp learner-legal roadster and the firm’s first foray into electrification. The prototype was produced...
Yamaha R7: Great first impressions from USA
19 July 2021 by
There’s an old joke that we’re always a few months behind the Americans when it comes to the latest trends and in the case of Yamaha’s R7, that’s literally the case. The exciting new middleweight twin...
Auction prices hit record high: AJS Porcupine sees auction prices spike
16 July 2021 by
The Bonhams Summer Stafford Sale set new records as the auction paid its first visit to the show since the autumn of 2019 – with the ultra-rare 1940s AJS 497cc E90 ‘Porcupine’ Grand Prix bike setting...
Riding on coconut shells: Activated carbon inserts made from sawdust and coconut shells could transform your bike
15 July 2021 by
Motorcycle firms have dabbled with the idea of air suspension for decades, but now a British firm have developed a technology that breathes new life into the idea. Related articles on MCN How helmet...
Norton CEO outlines ambitious racing plans and 'understands V4 owners’ frustration'
15 July 2021 by
The new boss of Norton has outlined ambitious plans for the firm and a renewed determination to treat owners of the V4SS bought from the ‘old’ company (NMUL) fairly, in an interview with MCN. Dr...
New Akita 125 is the latest L plate friendly affordable retro from Mutt Motorcycles
14 July 2021 by
Meet the Mutt Akita 125: a new minimalist L-plate friendly retro costing £955 less than Yamaha’s incoming XSR125. Priced at £3495 before OTR costs, the Akita is the latest creation from Birmingham...
Harley-Davidson Sportster S unveiled with new chassis, new engine and new £14k pricetag
13 July 2021 by
Harley-Davidson have unveiled the Sportster S – the latest machine powered by their new Revolution engine – which promises more power and improved electronics built on a brand new platform. The...
British built and customised machines steal the show as Goodwood Festival of Speed returns
13 July 2021 by
British built, designed and customised bikes dazzled at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, which was given a last-minute go ahead as a coronavirus 'pilot event'. Thousands flocked to the open-air...
Indian break out the ink with latest tattoo competition
12 July 2021 by
Indian have unveiled the first of their incoming outlandish tattoo-inspired livery designs, with three well known tattoo artists all creating a design that is digitally displayed on a Chief model...
Sunra Robo S ridden: Electric arrival delivers convincing offer to commuters
12 July 2021 by
New player to the European two-wheeler scene, Sunra have just released their Robo S 125cc equivalent electric scooter in the UK. If you’re not familiar with the name, it’s because they’re new to the...
Bobber job! French custom house reveals two Honda CMX1100 Rebel specials
12 July 2021 by
Honda Europe have teamed up with French custom house FCR Original to create two unique CMX1100 Rebel builds, said to celebrate the 'dual personality' of the Japanese firm’s latest twin-cylinder...
LiveWire One: Electric bike drops the Harley badge and the price
08 July 2021 by
LiveWire, the freshly spun-off electric motorbike brand from Harley-Davidson, have unveiled their first model called the LiveWire One. Related articles on MCN Harley-Davidson LiveWire...
Smoke show: Yamaha revise two-stroke YZ motocross range and reveal all-new YZ125
08 July 2021 by
Yamaha are aiming to get the holeshot on the off-road racing competition with their 2021 two-stroke motocross range; revealing updates to the YZ85 and YZ250, plus an all-new YZ125 for good...
Benda’s outlandish flattracker could roll in at under £6k
08 July 2021 by
Benda are making serious waves in the Chinese market and expanding into Europe with dealer networks in Spain and Italy – and now they’ve launched not one but two new four-cylinder models. The first,...
Energica’s giant leap: New EMCE motor promises greater power and range
07 July 2021 by
Energica have announced a new electric motor, which they say offers a considerable improvement in all areas. The motor, dubbed the EMCE, has been co-engineered with the Italian company Mavel, a...
Word on the Street: CCM celebrate golden anniversary with two new models
07 July 2021 by
CCM have produced two new bikes based on their Spitfire platform as they celebrate 50 years in business. The family-owned firm have been going from strength to strength since the Spitfire range was...
CE into the future: BMW CE 04 electric scooter is just the start
07 July 2021 by
BMW have unveiled the latest of their electric scooters, the CE 04 and apart from its futuristic styling it’s actually quite a normal sounding machine. Some electric manufacturers have been guilty of...
Honda CBR600: Your in-depth guide
06 July 2021 by
The 2021 Honda CBR600RR was launched on 25 September featuring more aerodynamic styling, revised engine internals, traction control and more. Unfortunately, it’s not coming to Europe – with the...
Do-it-yourself: Custom kits for Royal Enfield 650s
05 July 2021 by
Bad Winners have built a series of do-it-yourself kits for the Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor and Continental. Related articles on MCN Limited edition Indian Scout Bobber Sixty customs The best base...
Road stats are mixed bag: Good and bad news for bikers in latest figures
05 July 2021 by
There was a 16% reduction in road deaths in 2020 but the picture wasn’t quite so rosy for bikers. The reason for the reduction was the lockdown, with millions fewer miles travelled. Related articles...
French fancies: Parisian dealer teams up with custom house for limited-run Scout Bobber Sixty range
05 July 2021 by
Meet the Indian Neon Scout Bobber Sixty series – a design collaboration between custom house Tank Machine and Parisian dealer Indian Étoile, inspired by Nascar racing liveries. Costing around £17,560...
European Commission drops insurance green card requirement for UK motorists
02 July 2021 by
The European Commission has scrapped the requirement for UK riders (including Northern Ireland) to carry an insurance green card within the EU. Related articles on MCN National Motorcyclists Council...
Voxan and Biaggi set sights on more electric speed records
01 July 2021 by
Former GP and WSB star Max Biaggi is preparing to take the electric bike speed record to a whole new level with his Voxan Wattman. After setting no fewer than 11 new records in November 2020, the...
Hot new 5Four: Limited edition Honda CB1000R prototype breaks cover ahead of official unveiling
01 July 2021 by
When the legendary CB750 celebrated its 50th birthday back in 2019, Honda UK teamed up with custom bike guru Guy Willison – who will be familiar to anyone who watches Henry Cole’s various TV series –...
1969 Honda CB750: The world's first superbike
30 June 2021 by
More than half a century ago, British bikers got their first look of the machine that would change motorcycling forever. On April 5, 1969 at the Metropole Hotel, venue for the Brighton Motorcycle...
Ace in the hole: How a massive central duct hopes to transform motorcycle aerodynamics
30 June 2021 by
When Max Biaggi set the land speed record for electric bikes in the semi-streamlined class on Voxan’s Wattman last year he used brute power to achieve it – with 367hp on tap to average 228mph. Now...
A new Frontier: Norton provide support to students for electric bike project
30 June 2021 by
Norton have provided expertise, data and a brand new superbike frame to students at WMG, part of the University of Warwick, to help them in their research into electric motorcycles. There are 13...