2013
Best bikes for under £5k: 2005-2011 Triumph Speed Triple
25 June 2013 by
What was it like then? When Triumph released the Speed Triple in 1050cc form in 2005 it really did set the benchmark. It was so good it remained top of the naked bike class for a staggering six years...
Staff Blog: In search of confidence
24 June 2013 by
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I’ve started to try and get to the bottom of the confidence issue I reported in the paper last week, which has left me with chicken strips on the Street Triple R’s Pirelli tyres. First step was to...
Staff Blog: Friday Night is Rideout Night!!!
24 June 2013 by
Following my recent appeal to you lovely blog readers I’ve just spent a cracking weekend riding the Yamaha Fazer8 round North Norfolk visiting some little gems that you recommended. I’m going...
Best bikes for under £5k: 2005-2009 BMW R1200RT
24 June 2013 by
What was it like then? Bland but effective BMWs, like the R1150RT, managed to attract an army of fans, but they did comprise a rather stereotypical legion of buyers. While many bikes in the Bavarian...
Sid Biberman RIP
23 June 2013 by
The World of Vincent Motorcycle enthusiasts mourns the passing of one of it's great pillars of wisdom and support. Sid Biberman RIP. Ride on. If you want to know more of the man check out: http://classicmoto-cycles.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/legendary-big-sid-biberman.html
Lotus to make 200bhp motorcycle
21 June 2013 by
Iconic British sportscar brand Lotus is gearing up to build a 200bhp motorcycle which will use Formula One technology and will be built by a car racing team Kodewa and designed by the man who designed...
Electrickery
21 June 2013 by
It looks like a moped but this electric scooter can legally be ridden by 14-year-olds with no licence, insurance or helmet, and carrying a pillion. The £850 Dayun Electric Tandem Bike has a...
Ducati factory escapes earthquake damage
21 June 2013 by
The Ducati factory in Bologna has been evacuated after being hit by an earthquake earlier today; no damage has been reported and there are no casualties but the entire workforce has been sent home in...
Triumph refreshes Speed Triple 1050
21 June 2013
Triumph has given the popular Speed Triple 1050 a light refresh with a new blue colour available along with some minor cosmetic changes including a clear rear light and accessories now fitted as...
Staff blog: I've got to stay up - someone on the internet doesn't like the Burgman
21 June 2013 by
Every time I write a blog on the Burgman, I seem to become embroiled in debate with critics of the scooter. I don’t know why I feel the need to convince others to like it. It reminds me of...
Bike chooser: Leftfield middleweight nakeds
21 June 2013 by
This week's bike chooser brings to you the best budget naked middleweights that money can buy.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?> These bikes are great if...
Would Jorge’s HJC be a UK hit?
20 June 2013 by
You may have noticed that MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo had some company on the top step of the podium after last weekend’s Catalunya GP. Big-hearted Jorge took Spanish artist Anna Vives with...
Staff Blog: Hyperstrada at Snetterton and beyond
20 June 2013 by
I took my Hyperstrada for a blast around the Snetterton 300 circuit on Monday – my second trackday of the year on the Ducati. I was there helping fellow MCN-er, Andy Davidson, who was doing his first...
Days left to save Peak District’s best trail riding route
20 June 2013 by
Motorcyclists have until June 28 to object to plans to ban motorised vehicles from the best green lane in the Peak District. The Peak District National Park Authority is proposing a permanent traffic...
Best bikes for under £5k: 2008-2009 Triumph Bonneville
20 June 2013 by
What was it like then? The return of Triumph’s most famous name was the one everyone was waiting for from the revived Hinckley marque. And when the all-new ‘Bonnie’ was unveiled at the 2000 Cologne...
MCN in the delivery room
20 June 2013 by
Please find attached a picture of my wife Rosana, who could not put down a copy of MCN between contractions. She was particularly interested in the engine characteristics of the V4 powerplant! You...
Electric coast to coast record set
19 June 2013 by
American firm Moto-Electra has set a coast-to-coast world record for electric vehicles. The team rode 2500-miles on the trans-continental run, crossing the USA in three and a half days using the same...
Staff Blog: Bavaria and back on the Beemer
19 June 2013 by
The BMW F800GT is a tourer. So far I’ve covered just short of three thousand miles worth of short trips to and from various parts of the country - living out of the panniers for the occasional odd...
Would you buy an MV Agusta F3 800?
19 June 2013
MV have released their new F3 800, billed as the ultimate road bike, combining the light weight and handling of a supersport bike, with the extra oomph of a superbike. But would you buy one?
Staff Blog: I bet it won’t go off-road…
19 June 2013 by
Whether I’m picking up a curry on a Saturday night, filling up with petrol somewhere, or answering calls from readers who are thinking of buying one (or never buying one) – I’m regularly bombarded by...
Who's the greatest current British GP star?
19 June 2013
It's been a long time since british stars have been shining so brightly in MotoGP. Cal Crutchlow is the hot property at the minute, with factory teams fighting over him, Bradley Smith is impressing as...
Ten pairs of Goodwood tickets to give away
19 June 2013 by
The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world – No other event combines such a diverse collection of cars & motorbikes with a star-studded line-up of drivers in one...
Win a place on the Chris Walker Race School
18 June 2013 by
MCN is offering one lucky reader a place on the Chris Walker Race School along with £250 worth of R&G products. The competition is being run in conjunction with R&G and offers a place worth...
Video: MV Agusta F3 800 first ride
18 June 2013 by
We head to Misano to ride MV Agusta's new F3 800 to see if it's 173kg and 30bph more in the midrange than its 675 brother means it really has the perfect blend of power and handling.
New MCN June 19th: MV F3 800 First Test
18 June 2013 by
In this week's MCN, out June 19, we have a world-exclusive first test of MV Agusta's new F3 800. We have spy shots of Triumph's new Harley-beater cruiser bikes. Also this week: MCN vs TT winner, at...
The view on my ride to work
18 June 2013 by
Sadly I forgot to ride to work on ride to work day - I had some clothes to take for dry cleaning, so it wouldn't have been practical. I do, mostly, ride to work and thought I would send in the...
Staff Blog: Did You Ride to Work Today?
17 June 2013 by
It's Ride to Work Day today and after my early morning ride to the office here’s the photo of my Yamaha Fazer8 in the car park at MCN Towers! As you can see there’s only me and a couple...
Staff Blog: It’s a Family Affair!!
17 June 2013 by
After four and a half long years my other half and I went for our first ride out together over the weekend. Mark was involved in a start-line crash at Brands Hatch when racing his Suzuki SV650...
Video: Ducati Hyperstrada first ride
14 June 2013 by
MCN road tester Michael Neeves gives us a look at his first ride on the new Ducati Hyperstrada – his long term test bike for 2013.
Staff Blog: Sorry for the lack of updates!
14 June 2013 by
I'm afraid I'm not really blogging this week; I'm more apologising for the lack of blogs so far! I haven’t done any riding on my R125 since my *ahem* off last month, as firstly the bike was away with...
Staff Blog: Black Bikes...
14 June 2013 by
I love the idea of black bikes. They're the stealth option. In 2013 black also seems like the sensible choice for a sports bike like the GSX-R750, not so much because it helps you slip unnoticed from...
Michelin v Pirelli
14 June 2013 by
I’ve spent this week getting to know the new Pirelli Angel GT tyres I fitted on Monday. I’ve been using my bike for commuting to work and the other day I rode the 320-mile round trip down to Ramsgate...
Motorcyclists can join POLITE force
14 June 2013 by
Motorcyclists have been told they can legally wear a high-visibility vest that resembles police uniform. The yellow bibs have the word ‘polite’ printed on the back in large capital letters, along...
Sorry mate, I didn’t tree you
14 June 2013 by
No amount of training can prepare us for some hazards of the road, as one riding instructor learned. Barry Briggs had a lucky escape when a tree fell on him as he followed a student. The...
Monster wanted for road test fame and glory!
14 June 2013 by
MCN's road test team urgently need a M900 for a photoshoot this coming Tuesday. The bike will be picked up and returned by our professional courier and ridden only briefly for test impressions...
Finance offer on new GS models
14 June 2013 by
BMW Motorrad UK have launched a special finance offer for its new F700 and F800 GS models. This means that it's now possible to purhcase the new F700 GS, which updates the F 650 GS with increased...