January

Year: 2011

Month: January

MCN video guide: How to back it in

31 January 2011 by MCN

Backing a motorcycle in is probably one of the hardest things to do on a motorcycle, yet racers do it all the time. So just how is it done? In this latest MCN video guide, senior road tester Michael Neeves talks you through his method to backing it in. Our onboard cameras give you a new look at how it’s done, as Neeves demonstrates the different steps to successfully backing it in. Watch the...

Video: 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R vs rivals teaser

31 January 2011 by MCN

The 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R gets a host of changes for this year, including ABS and traction control. MCN has already tested the ZX-10R in isolation at Qatar where it was mightily impressive, but is it...

MCN in the mist

30 January 2011 by Roger Colewell

In the clouds on Mount Teide, Tenerife, January 2011.

Got a top money saving cheat…then let us know

28 January 2011 by Andy Downes

There are many ways of saving money when motorcycling; some simple and widely known, others less so. If you have a brilliant way of saving cash while you ride then let us know as we are compiling a...

Frank Thomas in administration

28 January 2011 by MCN

The company which owns Frank Thomas, Motrax, BKS and Red Route – Thomas Sports Group – has today been put into administration. The news came as Ernst and Young confirmed today they had been appointed...

Get On a bike at the MCN Show!

28 January 2011 by MCN

At the MCN London show Get On are running 3 instructors all day every day offering free twenty minute tasters to anyone over the age of 16. Simply turn up to book on the day and ride one of the 125cc...

Destination dealer: Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles

28 January 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION MCN’s 2009 Dealer of the Year Lloyd Cooper – Motorcycles Direct has been trading from the same premises in Watford since it was founded in 1900. In addition to being the UK’s...

MCN video guide: How to wheelie

28 January 2011 by MCN

For most of us, if we had to name one thing we’d like to be able to do on a bike, it’s pull wheelies. In this latest MCN video guide, senior road tester Michael Neeves talks you through his wheelie...

Which £1500 sports tourer? - The Honda CBR600F

27 January 2011 by MCN

I have a £1500 budget for my next bike. It needs to be comfortable and quick enough to keep up with my mate’s ZRX1200… Matthew Jackson, email We’d go for a Honda CBR600F – it gives you the much...

Kawasaki ZX-10Rs from £3875!

27 January 2011 by Chris Newbigging

Kawasaki’s certifiably-loony ZX-10R superbike has now dipped below £4000 for tidy used examples – less than a third of the cost of the new 2011 model. For anyone who can’t raise £11,699 (or £12,699...

Husqvarna offer £600 of kit free with new off-roaders

27 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

Husqvarna are offering £600 worth of genuine parts, clothing and accessories with any new Enduro models purchased before 31 March 2011. Models featured in the offer include the TE250, TE310, TE449 and...

Bike vs car: cost comparison

27 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

Getting on a moped or bike costs half as much as driving a car, and we’ve got the figures to prove it. Our research below shows that a 17-year-old driving a car will have spent around £2640 to get on...

MCN down under

27 January 2011 by Tammy Louise Dear

Here I am in Australia on the Gold Coast, taking in the surf and reading my MCN. You can see surfer’s paradise in the background!

Yamaha sales steady despite big price hikes

26 January 2011 by Andy Downes

Yamaha’s price hikes shocked dealers and customers alike last year, but new sales figures show the company still managed reasonable sales despite prices on some models rising by 34% in the last 18...

MCN Show tickets selling fast!

26 January 2011 by MCN

With the all-new Suzuki GSX-R600, awesome Aprilia RSV4 APRC and Norton’s mouth-watering Café Racer among the glittering bikes, the star-studded Revolution show plus celebs galore, it’s no wonder...

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R takes on rivals

26 January 2011 by Michael Neeves

Kawasaki’s eagerly-awaited 2011 ZX-10R is finally here and MCN is currently pitching it against its 1000cc, four cylinder rivals in Southern Spain. The weather hasn’t quite gone to plan and the...

2011 KTM 990 SMT - first ride

26 January 2011 by Adam Child

Senior Road Tester Adam Child is in Southern Spain at the launch of the new 2011 ABS-equipped KTM SMT. Aside from the anti-lock brakes the model is largely unchanged, but KTM are keen to point out...

Norton's 1000cc MotoGP engine revealed!

26 January 2011 by Andy Downes

Resurgent British firm Norton is weeks away from testing an all-new 1000cc V4 on the dyno as it gears up for the next stage of its rebirth: MotoGP. This extraordinary development comes just two years...

New Super Ténéré colour announced

26 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

Yamaha have announced a new colour for the 2011 XT1200Z Super Ténéré: Competition White. Find a Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré for sale Due in dealerships in the Spring, Yamaha says the new paint...

John Banks Group are back selling bikes

26 January 2011 by MCN

After over 30 years selling Honda cars in Bury St Edmunds and celebrating nearly 37 years in the industry the John Banks Group are back in the bike business selling Honda motorcycles. Honda...

Spot the Kiwi

25 January 2011 by Farmer63

Me and my brother, who lives in New Zealand, reading our favourite newspaper!

Bikes to get warning systems ‘within two years’

25 January 2011 by Steve Farrell

Motorcycles that warn riders when they’re speeding or cornering too fast will be on the road in two years, say researchers. Warning systems have been fitted to a Yamaha Tenere and Triumph Sprint...

One in five stolen vehicles is a bike

25 January 2011 by Steve Farrell

Motorcycles account for more than one in five stolen vehicles despite making up only about 1% of vehicles on the road, according to new figures. While the number of motorcycles stolen every year has...

Video: Airforce Blaster bike dryer!

25 January 2011 by Marc Abbott

We’ve just taken delivery of the new Airforce Blaster – stay tuned for our upcoming review (it’s supposed to radically reduce drying time, allowing you to get on with the polishing sooner). For...

Victory High-Ball – first look

25 January 2011 by Trevor Franklin

Victory has released details of its new High-Ball custom – a ‘bobber’ based on the successful Vegas model. While Victory’s parent company Polaris Industries promised American dealers the High-Ball...

Jennie Gow out of 2011 BBC MotoGP team

25 January 2011 by Andy Downes

BBC MotoGP presenter Jennie Gow has just announced she will not be covering the racing series this year after just one season with the BBC MotoGP team. Gow was announced as the replacement for fans’...

New MCN Jan 26: Tiger 800XC leaps ahead

25 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale January 26, we test the 2011 Triumph Tiger XC against the BMW F800GS in a rugged off-road ride in south Wales. Also in this week’s MCN, top tips for getting the...

World first test! Tiger 800 XC v BMW F800GS

25 January 2011 by MCN

In next week’s MCN Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin exclusively pits Triumph’s new Tiger 800 XC against its closest rival, the BMW F800GS. And it’s a test with a difference. To fully explore the new...

BMW S1000RR second fastest EVER on Top Gear test track

24 January 2011 by Andy Downes

The much anticipated bike versus car showdown show on Top Gear on BBC2 last night left one important question unanswered… just how fast around the track was the BMW S1000RR? MCN was there on the day...

The Green Hornet’s custom Harley

21 January 2011 by Phil West

Honda might be making a commemorative green Hornet, but that’s not the only special bike to come out of Cameron Diaz’s latest flick, The Green Hornet. This special customised Harley V-Rod features in...

Video: SDoc100 bike cleaning

21 January 2011 by Marc Abbott

This short video from SDoc100 shows just how useful their cleaning products are. Many members of MCN staff swear by the firm’s motorcycle cleaner and chain cleaner and lube. Here you can see just...

New Harley-Davidson Blackline revealed

21 January 2011 by Phil West

This is Harley-Davidson’s new 2011 Blackline, a Softail-based cruiser featuring a back-to-basics styling, new fuel tank and split drag handlebars. The new bike was unveiled in New York last night...

Best of bikemart: Modern classics up for grabs this week

21 January 2011 by MCN

We’ve been browsing MCN bikes for sale every day to bring you some of our top picks from over 10,000 motorcycles for sale. Read more modern classics news and features Here’s just a few...

Government boost for moped scheme

21 January 2011 by Steve Farrell

A scheme which helps people find work by lending them mopeds is to get a share of a £560million Government fund to boost sustainable transport. The moped scheme has been recognised as providing...

Destination dealer: Laguna Motorcycles

21 January 2011 by MCN

ADVERTISING PROMOTION Established in Maidstone in 1982, Laguna now has three of the biggest dealerships in Kent, offering a wide selection of new and used bikes from Triumph, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki,...

MCN to race BMW S1000RR in MRO Championship

21 January 2011 by Michael Neeves

We may have just clicked into 2011, but my racing season has well and truly started. I’m pleased to be riding for the BMW Park Lane team again on their rapid BMW S1000RR in the MRO championship.