2001
The super tourer rider
09 December 2001
Super Blackbird rider Smith likens the Bulldog to " a great commuter bike, but with style, " and thinks Yamaha has copied elements from a Buell and Monster.He says: " I’m impressed...
How Yamaha’s 2WD works
09 December 2001
Ohlins/Yamaha’s system is light and so simple it can be fitted to virtually any bike with minimal modifications to the standard suspension and transmission.It uses hydraulic pressure to transmit the power to the front.A small hydraulic pump is attached to the engine, and driven by an extra chain running from the front sprocket of the stock gearbox. It uses six or more tiny pistons to pump...
Road-going Castrol rep CBR and Blade to go on sale
09 December 2001
The Castrol Honda race squad is adding a 2002 British superbike-spec road-going FireBlade to its previously announced CBR600 supersport racer rep, and is planning to put it on sale in road legal...
Would you give the Dog a home?
09 December 2001
Yamaha’s BT1100 Bulldog doesn’t fit comfortably into any of the pigeonholes we are used to. It’s a cross between a Ducati Monster and a Buell. Yamaha believes there’s big demand for such a hybrid. But...
Two-wheel drive R1 spotted… and it rocks
09 December 2001
These pictures provide the first proof that Yamaha is seriously working on two-wheel-drive technology for its most powerful bikes. And one man who has ridden the 2WD R1 claims the system improves the...
Project X900: hub-centre steering cracked?
09 December 2001
Hans Helms has been developing this bike for over two decades. Now, with plans to put the bike into production unrealised, its bright ideas are up for sale.The majority of the patents are associated...
Road tax reform – have your say before they say it for you
02 December 2001
ROAD tax for smaller bikes could be cut, but tax on larger superbikes could be increased to make up the shortfall, according to government proposals revealed earlier this week.It’s part of a planned...
This is going to hurt…
02 December 2001
ACTUALLY it isn’t. This is stuntman Lutz Schleiser and he does this sort of thing for a living. He’s just hit a barrier at speed, but while his bike is knackered, he’s about to plop safely into a...
Blessed, and I know you hate me…
02 December 2001
Call me filthy lucky if you like, but somehow I’ve managed to blag rides on all kinds of Honda 500 GP bikes since the company first started racing two-strokes in the early 1980s. I’ve bought my own...
If you like GSX-Rs and men in blue jackets
02 December 2001
Then you’ll love this video. Part two of MCN’s new video magazine is out on December 14 and features everything GSX-R. Don’t miss it
Split lid could save lives
02 December 2001
A NEW design of helmet has been developed that can be safely removed from a rider who’s been in an accident with less danger of aggravating possible neck injuries - and allowing more rapid fitting of...
"Hunk of the Year" Ben Bostrom comments on his victory
02 December 2001
THE racing season might have ended a month ago, but the competition has been fast and furious for the title " Hunk of the Year " with over 200 votes from (mostly) female visitors to the...
Strange… but true
02 December 2001
AMERICA: DIET Dr. Pepper is rolling out new spoof ads featuring " CHimPs, " a parody of the hit ‘70s TV show about the California Highway Patrol. In the ad, two " police monkeys...
Is this numberplate big enough for you then?
02 December 2001
ANGRY biker Martin Hillier has fitted a numberplate that’s four times the legal size to his 1200 Bandit in protest at being fined for using a too-small illegal plate.And the 33-year-old from...
Guzzi enters new world
02 December 2001
MOTO GUZZI will be releasing an all-new sports bike at the end of 2002 – using water cooling for the first time in the firm’s history.In one of the most radical steps forward for a manufacturer since...
Try a new Hornet 900, VFR or Fazer 1000 this weekend
02 December 2001
Get yourself down to Carnell/Motorcycle City in Box Hill, Surrey this Sunday and you can enjoy free rides on the latest Honda models including the exciting Hornet 900 and VFR V-TEC. You can also grab...
Answer the MCN survey and win a prize
02 December 2001
Something is changing in the hearts and minds of British riders. Our obsession with sports bikes is giving way to interest in other machines. So we want to know what you’re buying instead and why. If...
Mission Impossible Triumph for sale
02 December 2001
HOW much would you pay for a Triumph Speed Triple with bullet holes in the tail, a broken mirror and a smashed tail unit?Well, the best bid so far is £5612, although the bike in question is also a...
Don’t be afraid
02 December 2001
Try as they might, they couldn’t get the Kawasaki to bow in the presence of the Angel Gabriel.
Riding Foret’s WSS CBR600
02 December 2001
HONDA’S CBR600 may be as common as muck, but this is no common CBR600. This is Fabian Foret’s CBR racer which nudged a staggering 180mph at the Monza World Supersport round.The CBR is the fastest bike...
Video taster of US stunt stars coming to Scottish Show
02 December 2001
THE world famous Starboyz stunt riders are coming to the MCN-backed Scottish Motorcycle Show early next year – but you can get a taste of their extraordinary skills right now by clicking the video...
We ride Rossi’s NSR500, Edwards’ SP-2 and Foret’s CBR600
02 December 2001
IF nervousness is just a state of mind, why hasn’t my brain told my legs and hands? Every inch of every limb is shaking in anticipation as the countdown to my ride begins.I’ve ridden hundreds of the...
High speed second-hand bargains
02 December 2001
EVEN the rich like to get more for their money. Let’s talk cars, just for a moment. Your average millionaire feels he’s bagged a bargain if he forks out for a £45,000 TVR rather than a £100,000...
And now it’s flashing helmets, too
02 December 2001
WE’VE had ABS brakes, traction control and variable valve timing, now a British inventor reckons we should follow the lead of four wheels one more time by having car-style high-level brake lights… on the back of our helmets.Grant Belben from Poole, Dorset, has patented a new wireless brake light system. It works like this: A battery/LED unit attaches to the back of the rider’s helmet with tape, so...
Main changes to the 2002 FireBlade
02 December 2001
HONDA has opted to update the Blade rather than reinvent it. Its move into 2002 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. On paper, at least.It isn’t until you ride it that you realise the changes are actually very significant ones, each with a dramatic effect on the bike’s overall character and capabilities.This is the sixth generation of FireBlade and the changes are as follows:* 1mm increase...
Audio: Blade designer Tadao Baba speaks
02 December 2001
Click the links in the download videos box, right, titled RM (if you use Real Player) or MOV (for Quicktime users) to hear FireBlade project Chief Engineer Tadao Baba answering questions about future...
Two new Aprilias unveiled
02 December 2001
APRILIA has revealed a brand new contender in the naked bike market for 2002 – the Tuono – as well as a close-to-production prototype for a hybrid multipurpose machine, called the Mana.The Tuono,...
2002 FireBlade first test – now with video and audio
02 December 2001
MCN had the first test of the heavily-revised 2002 Honda FireBlade in Estoril, Portugal earlier this week. Read Keith Farr’s first impression of the bike below or click the video and audio links in...
Video: Track action at Estoril
02 December 2001
Click the links in the download videos box, right, titled RM (if you use Real Player) or MOV (for Quicktime users) to see a clip of MCN’s Keith Farr lapping Estoril at the FireBlade launch.
