December

Year: 2011

Month: December

Tom Cruise personally asks for Chris Pfeiffer stunt show

16 December 2011 by Andy Downes

BMW stunt rider Chris Pfeiffer was asked to put on his spectacular stunt show by Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise earlier this week after bike fan Cruise spotted him near the red carpet entrance to the...

Video: Kawasaki Versys 1000 onboard

16 December 2011 by MCN

So does a four-cylinder adventure bike make any sense? On the strength of our world first ride of Kawasaki’s pioneering, Z1000-based Versys 1000, the answer is ‘Yes’… and ‘No’… The four-cylinder motor...

2012 Kawasaki ER-6n vs 2011 Kawasaki ER-6n

16 December 2011 by Jon Urry

Kawasaki’s ER-6n is one of the success stories of the naked middleweight class. Originally launched in 2006, this pleasingly quirky looking machine has won an army of fans thanks to its easy-going...

Liverpool City Council to charge for bike parking

15 December 2011 by Bigdog365

I recently sent an enquiry to Liverpool City Council regarding a report that they were to begin charging for bike parking. Their e-mailed reply confirms that, although not 100% confirmed yet, they are likely to begin charging for bike parking next year. Payment will probably have to be made by phone, thus removing the need for tickets to be issued. I currently commute on my 1250 Bandit, but given...

Yamaha Super Tenere Worldcrosser GS Adventure rival is go!

15 December 2011 by Andreas Exarheas

The Worldcrosser version of the XT1200Z Super Tenere, first shown as a concept bike at the Cologne Show last year, will go on sale next March, Yamaha has announced. Like BMW’s Adventure compared to...

Revealed: The secrets behind MV Agusta's F3

15 December 2011 by Andy Downes

MV Agusta’s all-new three-cylinder F3 is days away from going into full production and looks set to rewrite the class rules as it takes on supersport all-comers with more power, lower weight and more...

Destination dealer - Ongar Motorcycles

14 December 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION 2011 was a massive year for Triumph dealer Ongar Motorcycles with the arrival of Triumph’s new Tiger 800 and next year is set to be even bigger thanks to the new Tiger...

Airbag suits? You ain't seen NOTHING yet: 'Safety Sphere'

14 December 2011 by Guy Procter

A Canadian inventor has come up with the ultimate airbag, whose operation has to be seen to be believed. We don’t want to spoil the surprise, so please, watch the clip before reading any...

48 extra pages of biking extremes in this week's bumper MCN!

14 December 2011 by Liam Marsden

Don’t miss the 48-page McGuinness Biking Records 2011 supplement in this week’s triple-pack MCN! It’s 48 packed pages of amazing stories, pics and stats from the fastest, most powerful, winningest,...

John McGuinness & Neil Hodgson to perform at Revolution 2012!

14 December 2011 by MCN

TT legend John McGuinness and World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson are just two of the stars who’ll be battling it out at this year’s MCN Revolution show. The event, which is part of the Carole Nash...

Bikes on TV: December 14-20

14 December 2011 by Alison Silcox

KEY TO CHANNELS. DRT – Discovery Real Time DSC – Discovery Channel DHD – Discovery Channel HD EXS – Extreme Sports Channel EUR1 (2, HD) – Eurosport 1 (2, HD) MOT – Motors TV CH4 – Channel...

New delivery of KTM junior motocross bikes stolen

13 December 2011 by MCN

A delivery of 36 new KTM junior motocross motorcycles has been stolen from a lorry in Kent on the evening of Friday December 9. Thieves took 35 KTM 50 SXs and one 65 SX. The popular junior...

Adventure Map – motorcycle tours in Spain

13 December 2011 by MCN

Whilst there is undoubtedly pleasure to be had in loading up your bike and leaving it all behind on an adventure unfettered by deadlines, most of us have to try to squeeze as much fun as we can into a...

You too can be Batman...

13 December 2011 by Phil West

This Batman suit is no fancy dress costume – it’s a proper, leather motorcycle suit, designed for bikers who want to look more superhero than Power Ranger. It’s the latest from US manufacturer UD...

Police recover nine stolen bikes after owner complains of inaction

13 December 2011 by Steve Farrell

Police followed a tracking device to a haul of nine stolen motorcycles – but only after a newspaper exposed their inaction over the case. When Sam Jackson’s Yamaha R6 was stolen, he knew what street...

New MCN December 14: Inside the MV Agusta F3

13 December 2011 by Liam Marsden

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday December 14, we take a trip to the MV Agusta factory for an exclusive look at the development of the new MV Agusta F3. This week also features a 48-page...

No national police course?

12 December 2011 by colin mcclure

Just read the story about police offering additional safety training – fantastic. I have noticed though that it seems to be Southern forces that are regularly in your paper offering courses etc. This is good, don’t get me wrong. Living in the North I never hear of Manchester Police offering this kind of course, they just seem hell bent on speed enforcement fines. Seeing as how law enforcement...

What’s your best winter survival tip?

12 December 2011 by Andy Downes

If you were to share with everyone else your best winter bike preparation tip that keeps your bike working smoothly and looking great despite the colder months which would it be? Perhaps it would be a...

Dirt bikes from their '70s heyday

12 December 2011 by Andy Westlake

The 1970s are often thought of as the heyday of British trials when names like Mick Andrews and Martin Lampkin (Dougie’s dad) led the world aboard Ossas and Bultacos and regularly made the front page...

Victory’s new ‘Hard-Ball’

12 December 2011 by Phil West

This is Victory’s new 2012 Hard-Ball – created by blending the American firm’s recent High-Ball cruiser and its Cross Country pannier-equipped tourers. Or, to put it another way, it’s a ‘bagger’...

Find anti-tampering proposals confusing? Don’t ask the Chair of the committee behind them

12 December 2011 by Steve Farrell

The Chair of European Parliament’s lead committee on anti-tampering proposals did not know who they applied to when questioned by MCN. Malcolm Harbour, Chairman of European Parliament’s Internal...

MEPs push ahead with plans to make tuning impossible

12 December 2011 by Steve Farrell

MEPs have voted to make bikes impossible to tune despite a Brussels protest by motorcyclists against the measures. European Parliament’s lead committee on the proposals wants manufacturers to develop...

Bikers charged hundreds of pounds a year extra for life insurance

10 December 2011 by Steve Farrell

A major life insurer has started charging customers hundreds of pounds a year extra for riding a motorcycle. Ageas Insurance asks policy applicants whether they have ridden a motorcycle during the...

Harley-Davidson Electra/Ultra Glide 2012

09 December 2011 by MarcKing

Riding the new models from Harley-Davidson. The colours are new. Electra Glide Ultra Limited Midnight Black & Brilliant Silver Pearl. Ultra Classic Electra Glide White Hot Pearl

2013 Triumph Street Triple spotted!

09 December 2011 by MCN

This exclusive shot is one of the best yet of Triumph’s 2013 Street Triple. Spotted in Spain, where Triumph has a testing base, the 2013 machine is a significant evolution of the existing Street...

Evan and JT

09 December 2011 by Craig Steel

My little boy Evan (5 yrs old) meeting his idol at the Staffs bike show earlier this year.

Yamaha FJ1100 rat bike

08 December 2011 by kremnin

Here’s my ratted Yamaha FJ1100 from 1985. Using parts from Honda, Suzuki, Indian, Harley, Kawasaki and of course, Yamaha. The rear frame is built from a cabin bed and so are the exhausts. There is...

Video: Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere long-term test review

08 December 2011 by MCN

MCN’s WSB reporter Michael Guy has covered approximately 8000 miles on the Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere riding across Europe to cover WSB races at the Nurburgring and Magny-Cours, along the length of...

Triumph Tiger Explorer spotted testing

08 December 2011 by Phil West

Triumph’s all-new Tiger Explorer is currently undergoing final testing – as these pics taken in Cornwall this week prove. Snapped by MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child in a motorway services near...

Staff bikes: Yamaha Super Tenere - The continent-trotter

08 December 2011 by Michael Guy

The wheels of the big Yamaha Super Tenere have barely stopped turning. It’s been into France, Belgium and Germany for the Nurburgring WSB round followed by a jaunt down to Magny Cours for another WSB...

50 classics in time-warp village hall

08 December 2011 by Phil West

This amazing barn find collection of classic bikes has just been unearthed in the West Country and will now go up for auction early in the new year. Stored in a former village hall near Bristol, the...

Kawasaki Versys 1000 delivers more for your money

08 December 2011 by Adam Child

Video: New Joey Dunlop DVD

07 December 2011 by Marc Abbott

Duke Video’s new DVD ‘No Ordinary Joe’ looks to be a very decent telling of the Joey Dunlop story, featuring interviews, race action and stacks of previously unseen footage. Here’s a taster of what to...

World’s first titanium framed Monster

07 December 2011 by Andreas Exarheas

American Randy Martin has built the world’s first titanium-framed Ducati Monster S4RS and says his custom-made frame is half the weight of the original – but it does cost around £4000! Martin said:...

Destination dealer: LidsDirect.co.uk

07 December 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION If you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift, or just feel like treating yourself, LidsDirect.co.uk should be your first destination. LidsDirect.co.uk is the fastest...

Free Oxford Comfy Pack

07 December 2011 by MCN

Exclusively in this week’s MCN you can take advantage of a special reader offer where you can claim a free Oxford Comfy Pack worth £14.99 by following these simple steps: Register at...