New MCN March 21: McGuinness tests 150mph electric bike

Published: 20 March 2012 Updated: 20 November 2014

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In this week’s issue of MCN, on sale Wednesday March 21, John McGuinness gets his first taste of the electric Mugen Shinden he will race at the Isle of Man TT during a test at Motegi, Japan.

Both Honda Racing and Padgetts Honda were testing at Snetterton last week, ahead of the opening BSB round at Brands Hatch on April 6, we have all the news and times from the test.

Also in this week’s MCN, the new Suzuki GSX-R1000 takes on its predecessor, £10,000 BMW scooters tested and Honda’s secrets for endurance success.

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What you’ll find in the March 21 issue of Motorcycle News:

New Moto Guzzi California revealed
These are the first officially-released pictures of Moto Guzzi’s eagerly-awaited, all-new 1400cc California, unveiled at an American dealer conference in Miami.

MCN January 11

Audi poised to buy Ducati
German car manufacturer Audi has until mid-April to decide whether it will buy Ducati as part of an exclusive deal, according to high-level Audi insiders who are already checking Ducati’s books.

New Suzuki GSX-R1000 slower than predecessor
MCN’s world first speed test of the 2012 GSX-R1000 showed that the new bike is significantly slower than the outgoing model. In fact, it appears to be limited to 176mph, while the old bike hits 183mph.

MCN January 11

Ducati 848 Evo Corse first ride
The new 848 Evo Corse brings true exotic bling to the sub-superbike class, but is it worth paying the extra cash?

McGuinness: ‘Mugen power is perfect for the TT course’
John McGuinness reckons the new carbon monocoque-framed Mugen Shinden electric race bike will be perfectly suited to racing the 37.73 mile mountain course after testing the bike at Motegi.

Revealed: Honda’s secrets for endurance success
In year two of the TT Legends World Endurance programme, Honda is aiming to finish in the top three of the series and score at least two podium finishes.

Crutchlow the contender…
More experience, more self-belief and more confidence now MotoGP has switched to a 1000cc format are three key reasons why Britain’s Cal Crutchlow has been backed to emerge as a surprise podium contender in 2012.

By Liam Marsden

Former MCN Web Producer