September

MCN in Cuba

MCN in Cuba

On the beach at Cayo Guillermo, Cuba. My well thumbed copy of MCN was great for breaking the ice and making friends with fellow bikers.

No cuddly meerkats for bikers

No cuddly meerkats for bikers

An insurance firm is offering free cuddly toys – but not to bikers. Compare the Market is giving away a free cuddly meerkat with policies. But the toys, which are selling for £40 on eBay, are offered...

Classic Indians, Harleys, shotguns and cider mills in Ohio’s “ultimate barn find”

Classic Indians, Harleys, shotguns and cider mills in Ohio’s “ultimate barn find”

A treasure trove of classic American motorcycles has been unearthed in what auctioneers are calling the “ultimate barn find”. Ranging from a 1937 Indian Jr. Scout to a 1965 Harley Davidson FLH Pan...

Video: Abba superbike stand

Video: Abba superbike stand

Next week’s MCN has our review of an Abba superbike stand. It’s incredibly helpful for performing maintenance tasks if your bike doesn’t have a centrestand. Here’s a video that shows how it’s done.

80mph motorway speed limit by 2013

80mph motorway speed limit by 2013

Motorway speed limits could increase to 80mph by 2013. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said there had been “huge advances in safety and motoring technology” since the current 70mph limit was...

Editor's picks: KTM 990 SMT

Editor's picks: KTM 990 SMT

Inspired by how much fun Trevor Franklin appears to be having with his KTM 990 SMT (watch the video here), we take a closer look at the big V-twin and select our pick of the 990s on offer at...

Video: Long term KTM 990 SMT ABS

Video: Long term KTM 990 SMT ABS

Trevor Franklin talks through the finer details of his KTM 990 SMT ABS long term test bike, his plans for the bike and explains why it’s helping him to ‘still feel like a teenager’. We suspect it...

VIDEO: Melons… rocks…“Wingnut”… what 3hrs a night has done to Nick Sanders

VIDEO: Melons… rocks…“Wingnut”… what 3hrs a night has done to Nick Sanders

Nick Sanders has returned from a triple-length-of-the-Americas expedition, a journey he describes as “the hardest” of his career. After leading a group of paying customers from the bottom of Argentina...

Bennetts ultimate track day!

Bennetts ultimate track day!

WATCHING Scott Redding take pillions on a two-seater Moto2 bike, or watching Cal Crutchlow ride sideways around Snetterton whilst Toseland gives lessons on track riding isn’t your average Tuesday...

Argentinian tourers at 'The Green Wellie' Tyndrum

Argentinian tourers at 'The Green Wellie' Tyndrum

Ken Berry spotted an Argentinian couple at ‘The Green Wellie’, Tyndrum who have been touring for nine years: “I was away for a couple of days up north of Scotland (26/09/2011) with a friend and we...

Way cool Honda VT750S special editions

Way cool Honda VT750S special editions

Honda has added ‘championship white’ paint, speed stripe and retro logo to its VT750S, significantly boosting the appeal of what was already perhaps the most effortlessly cool bike in its...

American motorcycle hand signals

American motorcycle hand signals

Here’s a short video from Jason Hubbert providing an informative and amusing guide to motorcycle hand signals used in the States, with many of them, including “that soccer mom almost merged into me”...

Michael Neeves MRO Powerbike Blog – Final round, Brands.

Michael Neeves MRO Powerbike Blog – Final round, Brands.

It wasn’t quite the perfect end to a perfect season, but it was damn close. After the chequered flag was waved for the final race of the MRO Powerbike season last Sunday at Brands, I lost the...

Sign petition to fight EU

Sign petition to fight EU

An MEP is urging riders to sign a petition against EU measures to make motorcycles impossible to modify. The petition, proposed by UKIP MEP Marta Andreasen, calls on Government, MPs and MEPs ‘to...

Ducati Streetfighter 848 launch - first impressions

Ducati Streetfighter 848 launch - first impressions

MCN’s Trevor Franklin reports: “We have just completed a 90km road ride from Modina up into the mountains and the new Streetfighter 848 is indeed proving to be everything I thought it would be.  It is...

Britain’s own ‘Burt Munro’ breaks speed record

Britain’s own ‘Burt Munro’ breaks speed record

In a scene reminiscent of the film ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ which celebrated 60-something New Zealander Burt Munro and his land speed record attempts at Bonneville in the ‘60s aboard an old Indian...

New Kawasaki ZX-10R for £5795. Did you put a deposit down?

New Kawasaki ZX-10R for £5795. Did you put a deposit down?

Did you put down a £500 deposit on a 2011 ZX-10R priced at just £5795? If so MCN would like to hear from you urgently The offer – run by Birmingham-based firm “Friends & Co Ltd” and advertised on Ebay...

Destination dealer: George White Superbikes

Destination dealer: George White Superbikes

ADVERTISING PROMOTION George White continues to provide so much more than just bikes to its growing customer base from its purpose-built headquarters in Swindon – reckoned to be the largest...

Harley 'cooler' than ever

Harley 'cooler' than ever

Harley-Davidsons are  ‘cooler’ than ever, according to a UK survey of the coolest consumer brands. The American icon placed third – up from sixth last year – in the annual list. Aston Martin came out...

Ducati Streetfighter 848 launch

Ducati Streetfighter 848 launch

Ducati is launching its new 848 Streetfighter at a brand new circuit in Italy this morning, and MCN’s Trevor Franklin is there. It’s a beautiful day there as it is here, and Trev’s looking forward to...

Editor's picks: Ducati ST3

Editor's picks: Ducati ST3

The Ducati ST3 is often over-looked as a sports tourer – potential buyers often choosing the more common Honda VFR800, but there’s nothing wrong with the ST3… The ignored Ducati family – the sports...

Black Bear Harley

I would like to say a big thank you to Black Bear Harley-Davidson in Newmarket. After searching continously for a dealer who would sell me a tax-free motorcycle as I’m in the forces and serving in Germany, Black Bear was fantastic. I approached them and they confirmed they could do tax free and job done. I rode away with my new Harley and a huge smile on my face – the service they provided was...

New MCN September 28: New Honda Fireblade revealed

New MCN September 28: New Honda Fireblade revealed

In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale September 28, we have all the details on the new 2012 Honda Fireblade, which gets new, sharper styling, as well as big piston forks and a new rear shock, but no...

Triumph Tiger 1050 gets makeover

Triumph Tiger 1050 gets makeover

Triumph has given the Tiger 1050 a host of changes for 2012 including upgraded suspension, a sportier riding position and new graphics. The changes cover the 1050 and 1050SE models with the changes...

Demo from Durham services

Glad to report the actions of Durham police were the complete opposite to their counterparts in Northumbria, as usual. I did the demo from Durham services northbound to the Washington services. Durham police blocked the A177 to allow us out of the service station, and blocked the A1M northbound with two cars, so we could all come down in the slip road safely. No bikers were dicking about, and the...

Norwich MAG ride

Thanks to hedgehog5 regarding Hi-Vis jackets, I joined the MAG ride on Sunday at the Norwich meet and found I was in the minority being one of some six or so riders wearing the same and consequently got a bit of ribbing. On the ride over from the Hunstanton area once again a car driver pulled out on me at a T-junction and caused a near collision. I wear this for added security even if I do look...

Video: MAG M25 Protest

I went to the Clacket Lane Services on the M25 thinking a few bikes might show, I spoke with the wife of the organiser and she said they were expecting 100. When I got there I think there was more like 500, others say 600.

Police target demo

Police target demo

Police in Northumberland stopped 45 motorcyclists taking part in Sunday’s EU demonstration and issued them with warnings for allegedly riding in an anti-social manner. If they are deemed to be riding...

Editor's picks: 2002-2003 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade

Editor's picks: 2002-2003 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade

Honda has just unveiled the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, marking 20 years since the first Honda Fireblade arrived on the scene, designed by Tadao Baba. The 2002-2003 854cc Fireblade was the last of...

Video: 2012 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

Video: 2012 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

This is apparently the first official video of the new Honda Fireblade, seemingly intended for an American audience, that shows the bike in action and emphasises the details revealed by MCN, including...

MAG EU protest Kinross

MAG EU protest Kinross

Pictures taken at Kinross Services in Fife, Sept 25 for the MAG EU protest. Great turn out for the protest.

Honda's new 700cc naked: how good is it going to be?

Honda's new 700cc naked: how good is it going to be?

Honda’s kicking the ball into the biggest open goal it can find launching a 77mpg 700cc parallel twin super scooter at the height of fuel price paranoia. But it’s not the version that will attract...

Gordano, M25 protest ride

Gordano, M25 protest ride

Motorway mayhem Sept 25th, Gordano services M5. Several hundred bikes turned out in the rain to try and preserve our way of life. My girlfriend Jo, trying to get the message across in this attractive...

Ducati 1199 Panigale spied road testing

Ducati 1199 Panigale spied road testing

Ducati’s all-new 1199 Panigale superbike has been spotted carrying out final testing on the roads of Italy as the bike enters the final months before an official launch in November. The 1199 Panigale...

Video: 'Born from MotoGP' Ben Spies on the 2012 R1

Video: 'Born from MotoGP' Ben Spies on the 2012 R1

In an attempt to link the 2012 Yamaha R1, which now features six-stage traction control, to MotoGP, this video shows Ben Spies loading up a day-van and heading to a trackday. The revised YZF-R1, with...

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R750: The surprise tourer

Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R750: The surprise tourer

It’s fair to say my GSX-R750 has lived most of its short life with the rev needle pinging against the redline on track. It’s a sensational-handling bit of kit, devilishly fast and intoxicatingly...