April

Year: 2005

Month: April

Police appeal after crash

08 April 2005

Police are appealing for witnesses after a crash between a car and a bike resulted in the rider’s death. The accident happened on the A450 at Shenstone, Worcs on Sunday April 3. It involved a green...

ZX-6R alternative found

08 April 2005

MCN has unearthed some early clay model workings and design sketches for the current Kawasaki ZX-6R – and we want to know what owners think. The early models show how much work went into the 2005...

Diesel spill crack down

08 April 2005

Lorry drivers are in the cross-hairs of a new campaign against bike-threatening diesel spills. Haulage companies across Northamptonshire are being sent 10,000 plastic tank tags, six thousand pairs of...

Try free track sessions

08 April 2005

Free track sessions on BMW’s wildly-powerful K1200S are being offered to anyone considering buying a sports bike this year. You get to ride two 15-minute sessions on your own bike and one on the...

Make the most of Monday

08 April 2005

It looks like being a dry and warm evening for most of us. Make the most of it with a ride out to one of the following: Monday’s bike meets: Four Crosses, Hatherton, Staffordshire. 6pm.

Harley sets drag records

08 April 2005

A Harley-Davidson V-Rod drag racer has entered the record books in America by achieving the first six-second run in National Hod Rod Association history, with a new best top speed of 197.45mph in the...

Butlins bands revealed

08 April 2005

Slade are among the bill-toppers at next weekend’s MCN Live Butlins bash. All accommodation is now sold out so, we’re sorry, if you haven’t booked already it’s too late to join in the nightly...

Flick through Apr 6 MCN

01 April 2005

Take a video flick through the new issue of MCN (out from Wednesday, April 6, 2005) with MCN Editor Marc Potter. You’ll see almost every page in this packed issue. It is 4.5mb (so may take a little...

Foggy Racing trips

01 April 2005

You can now visit the Foggy Petronas factory, book VIP WSB trips, or even join the team during a weekend test session. The Foggy Petronas team has offered the three different trips in conjunction...

Bike MoT up 50 per cent

01 April 2005

The cost of bike MoTs is likely to rise from August this year after complaints from dealers and lobbying from the Retail Motor Industry Federation. The RMI says increasingly complex bikes and new...

Malaguti look for models

01 April 2005

A fleet of Malaguti scooters will be roaming five major UK cities over the coming weekends to seach for stylish men and women to become models for the brand. Apparently the firm is looking for...

Hear/rate biker song

01 April 2005

Here’s your chance to play Pop Idol and rate the music of singer/songwriter Anthony Vincent. Vincent, from Ohio, US, calls his style “alternative acoustic”. The track is called I Believe and is about...

MCN Sport: Free PDF

01 April 2005

Ever wondered just how fast you have to react to save a highsiding MotoGP bike? Well, now you can get a hint at how quick you’d have to be in an exclusive feature in the Spring issue of MCN Sport...

Off Road: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of off road events held in the UK. They include MOTOCROSS, TRIALS, ENDURO, SPEEDWAY AND SUPERMOTO events. These are those for the week starting April 6, 2005. SPEEDWAY WEDNESDAY April 6 Hull, Yorkshire. 01482-784848. Poole, Dorset. 01202-681145. THURSDAY April 7 Ipswich, Suffolk. 01473-623640. Oxford, Oxfordshire. 01865-711346. Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Harley riders reveal all

01 April 2005

Harley-Davidson owners are being invited to tell all about their special obsessions. Publisher Tom Pero says he is looking for ‘humorous personal essays’ of 500 to 1500 words about their...

Rideouts: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of RIDEOUTS being held across the UK. If you’d like to organise one, or check for the latest ones being arranged, take at a look at our Rideouts forum. Click here WEDNESDAY April 6 IN-4 (KTM) tracks and trails. 01270-768562. The Plough, Swinderby, Lincolnshire. 7pm. 01522-881736. THURSDAY April 7 IN-4 (KTM) tracks and trails. 01270-768562. FRIDAY April 8 IN-4 (KTM)...

Bikes pay new bridge toll

01 April 2005

New proposals could see motorcycles charged £4 to cross the new Thames Gateway Bridge being built between Beckton in East London and Thamesmead south of the river. The new Bridge received planning...

MCI sets bike manifesto

01 April 2005

The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) has launched its ‘Motorcycling Manifesto’ for the post-election govenment. The Manifesto asks the government to act in several key areas including motorcycle...

90,000 at Tokyo Show

01 April 2005

The 32nd Tokyo Motorcycle Show attracted more than 90,000 people at the weekend. The event at Tokyo Big Sight ran from Friday to Sunday (April 1-3) The 90,955 total visitor number was up more than...

Blair backs BikeSafe

01 April 2005

Prime Minister Tony Blair is pledging to take a fresh look at the way nationwide BikeSafe schemes are funded after MCN raised the issue with him at an audience at No. 10 on Thursday (March 31). Find...

Riding Schools: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of RIDING SCHOOLS on in the UK. Those listed here are for the week commencing Apr 6, 2005. WEDNESDAY April 6 RoSPA Motorcycle Rider Evenings, Southampton and DMCC House, Eastleigh, Hampshire. 7.30pm. 023-8060-0176 or bob.pinder. SATURDAY April 9 Bike Safe 2004, North Wales. 0845-090-1234. Motorcycle First Aid Course, London. 020-7258-3456. North Wales Police Rider...

Knievel goes wild on TV

01 April 2005

Evel Knievel’s son Robbie gets his own TV series – Knievel’s Wild Ride – from tomorrow (April 5, 2005). It follows his increasingly wild days as he prepares for a series of life-threatening stunts. ...

New MV specials

01 April 2005

MV Agusta has just realeased photos of its two new limited edition specials, the Brutale Gladio and F4 1000 Corse. The bikes have been released to celebrate the opening of MV’s racing development...

Bike use booms in UK

01 April 2005

There were 55,000 more bikes on UK roads at the end of 2004 than there were at the end of 2003, according to Department for Transport figures published today (April 4, 2005). The figures represent a...

Track events: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of track events. Those listed below are for the week commencing March 30, 2005. HILLCLIMB SATURDAY April 9 British Hillclimb Championship, Loton Park, Shropshire. 01902-896699. SUNDAY April 10 British Hillclimb Championship, Loton Park, Shropshire. 01902-896699. ROAD RACING SATURDAY April 9 Mid Antrim MCC, Aghadowey, County Londonderry. 028-9062-9016. New Era road...

In MCN out on April 6

01 April 2005

This week’s MCN features our guide to the 100 hottest used bike buys this Spring. PLUS a free eight-page guide to Sunday’s MotoGP and exclusive insight into James Toseland’s nightmare down...

Save on superbike school

01 April 2005

motorcyclenews.com has joined forces with the California Superbike School to save you £120 in celebration of the school’s 10th anniversary in the UK. At Rockingham on April 12, you can do the school...

Small sportsbike deals

01 April 2005

For many new riders getting on to a sports bike is all they want to do, but jumping straight on to a 600cc or 1000cc machine can often prove quite intimidating. Fortunately there is an answer. Small...

C-charge bonus for bikes

01 April 2005

London’s Congestion Charge is to rise from £5 to £8 this summer – offering even greater incentive for car drivers to switch to two wheels. The current £5 levy for cars has already seen a boom in bike...

Events: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of SHOWS, RALLIES, EXHIBITIONS and AUTOJUMBLES. These are those for the week commencing April 6, 2005. OPEN DAYS WEDNESDAY April 6 Portsmouth Motorcycles with Honda BSB Race Team, Farlington, Portsmouth, Hampshire. 4pm-8pm. 023-9237-2244. RALLIES FRIDAY April 8 Beermonsters MCC, Harefield Hall Hotel, Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire. 01423-529255. SATURDAY April...

BikeSafe event a hit

01 April 2005

The national BikeSafe event was a massive success at the weekend with thousands of people turning out at Cheltenham racecourse to take advantage of the free assessment rides. The event was organised...

Bike Meets: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of BIKE MEETS on in the UK. Those listed here are for the week commencing April 6, 2005. WEDNESDAY April 6 Breidden Tea Room, Welshpool, Powys. 6pm. 01938-570053. Bulls Head, Clotton, Cheshire. 01829-781354. Bulls Head, Thringstone, Leicestershire. 01530-224327. Coach House Inn, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire. 01455-840330 or www.kirkbymallorycoachhouse.com. Crown Inn,...

Bikes on TV: Apr 6 on

01 April 2005

Each week we publish a list of events happening around the UK, and listings on motorcycling programmes on TV. This is the TV listing for the week beginning Wednesday, April 6. Key To Channels: DHL = Discovery Home & Leisure MM = Men & Motors EXS = Extreme Sports Channel MOT = Motors TV, SS1 (2,3 or X) = Sky Sports 1 (2,3 or Extra) EUR = British Eurosport Wednesday 6 9am MOT Powerbike Tour11.30am...

Bikes-only chunnel train

01 April 2005

BMW dealerships are taking bookings for the World of BMW Biker Meeting trip. There are two packages available: a hotel option that costs £400 for a solo rider in a single room or £355 for a solo rider...

Biker Build-Off winner

01 April 2005

The Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off has been won by California builder Matt Hotch. His victory was announced at Las Vegas’s Hard Rock Café on Friday with ZZ Top providing the entertainment. ...