2015

Year: 2015

Month: ALL

London Motorcycle Show: BMW Bike Highlights

11 February 2015 by MCN Staff

If you’ve seen this week’s MCN you’ll probably still be drooling over the official Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show supplement. Outside of all of the talks, presentations, live interviews and...

No British GP at Donington - Official statement

10 February 2015 by Sports desk

The Board of Directors and Staff of Donington Park Racing Limited (‘DPRL’) are greatly disappointed to have to report today that the Circuit of Wales company, and its new subsidiary GP15 Limited, have...

New MCN February 11: Rossi fitter and faster

10 February 2015 by Liam Marsden

In this week’s MCN, available in newsagents, on iPad and Android from February 11: – Rossi fitter and faster in first test of 2015 – New Triumph Speed Triple spied – BMW R800R first ride – New Triumph...

Yamaha VMAX designer dies

10 February 2015 by Andy Downes

The designer of the Yamaha VMAX and founder of Japanese design company GK Design has died aged 85. Kenji Ekuan founded GK Industrial Design – the company that has been responsible for many of the most...

Bike of the Day: 1979 Suzuki X7

10 February 2015 by Phil West

Nope, that’s not a misprint – £9500. But neither’s the ‘NOS’ bit, which stands for ‘New Old Stock’. Because this isn’t a used example of Suzuki’s rip-snorting, Yam LC-rivalling two-stroke 250, which...

Make the most of London Show with our zones

10 February 2015 by MCN

It’s only three days until the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show opens its doors, and so you’ll be able to make the most of your day we’ve split parts of the show up into four distinct...

Yamaha celebrates 30 years of VMAX with carbon version

09 February 2015 by Andy Downes

A new VMAX Carbon model has been added to the range to celebrate 30 years since the famous bike first appeared and the firm has also added a new, cheaper VMAX aimed at those who want to customise the...

Coming to the MCN London show this year?

09 February 2015 by MCN Staff

Are you joining us at the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show this year? We’re expecting a record-breaking attendance this year, so, if you are travelling via DLR we recommend that you alight at...

Inventor's bright idea comes in kit form

09 February 2015 by Tony Hoare

A British inventor has created and patented the first full-sized plastic model motorcycle kit. Peter Manning from Somerset is starting out with a vacuum-formed plastic kit based on the design of a...

MCN Bike of the Day: 1981 Kawasaki Z200

09 February 2015 by Phil West

OK, nearly three grand for a 25-year-old Japanese commuter sounds a bit steep on face value but think on this: it’s already completely restored so is virtually ‘as new’; the honest, clean and simple...

Bike of the Day: 1980 Honda XL500S

06 February 2015 by Phil West

Honda’s big thumper was one of if not the definitive four-stroke trail bike of the late ’70s/early ’80s and led directly to the new breed of rally replica monster trail bikes and ultimately the...

Long-term test: Suzuki V-Strom 1000

06 February 2015 by Liam Marsden

It’s been a busy yet enjoyable time with the V-Strom 1000 since I was handed the keys in March 2014. We’ve herded over 200 cyclists from London to Huddersfield, shown up sportsbikes round Silverstone...

Pope’s Harley sells for £35,000

06 February 2015 by Andy Downes

A Harley-Davidson FLSTC 103 Heritage Softail Classic signed and blessed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XV1 and later revivced by Pope Francis sold for £34,684 – twice the estimate at the Bonhams Grand...

Rev up for Carole Nash MCN Scottish Motorcycle Show

05 February 2015 by MCN Staff

Scotland’s biggest and best show returns to Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre on March 7 and 8, with all the latest moles, major manufacturers and breath-taking live action shows. Major bike...

Indian Chief Dark Horse to debut at MCN show

05 February 2015 by Andy Downes

The new Indian Chief Dark Horse will be shown for the first time in Europe at the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle show at Dockland’s Excel on Saturday February 14. The launch of the bike is the...

Long-term test: Triumph Tiger 800XC

04 February 2015 by Andy Davidson

If pottering up and down green lanes isn’t enough to prove the Triumph Tiger’s off-road prowess then how about a gruelling, non-stop 24 hour rally through the Alps? Still not convinced? Well perhaps...

New MCN February 4: Guy Martin in India

03 February 2015 by Liam Marsden

In this week’s MCN, available in newsagents, on iPad and Android from February 4: – Guy Martin exclusive India interview – KTM Super Adventure and 1050 ridden – New Norton Dominator first ride –...

Obituary: John Durkin 1932-2015

02 February 2015 by Ray Archer

Obituary: John Durkin 1932-2015 It is with great sadness we report John Durkin passed away peacefully at his home in Lincolnshire on January 27, aged 82. John loved motorcycle sports and for many he...

Bike of the Day: 1983 Honda CBX550

02 February 2015 by Phil West

Sophisticated 16-valve four was one of the last of the old school, air-cooled 550s (before the GPZ600R kicked off the liquid-cooled 600cc class) and, along with Kawasaki’s GPz550 and Suzuki’s GSX550 a...

First ride: 2015 KTM 1050 Adventure

01 February 2015 by MCN Staff

KTM’s all-new 1050 Adventure, the Austrian firm’s smallest entry-level adventure bike is currently being put through its paces in Gran Canaria by MCN’s Senior Road Tester Adam Child. Here are his...

First ride: 2015 KTM 1290 Super Adventure

31 January 2015 by MCN Staff

KTM’s all new big 160bhp 1290 Super Adventure is being launched today on the stunning roads of Gran Canaria. MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child is our lucky man enjoying the sunshine and the delights...

Triumph Tiger 800 in dealers now

31 January 2015 by Andy Downes

Triumph’s all-new Tiger 800 range which now consists of four models has arrived in UK dealers. The Tiger 800 range has been given a significant makeover for 2015 and MCN’s launch report declared it...

Ducati Scrambler Specials gallery

30 January 2015 by Andy Downes

The first three Ducati Scramblers worked on by custom builders were shown at last weekend’s Verona bike show in Italy and you can now see them all up close thanks to this gallery of images. The three...

New series of Easy Riders starting

30 January 2015 by Andy Downes

A new six-part series of The Easy Riders starring Red Dwarf and Death in Paradise star Danny John Jules and freestyle stunt rider and model Chesca Miles as they ride five countries in five days and...

A Giant Leap: 2015 BMW S1000RR vs the 2014 model

30 January 2015 by Michael Neeves

The Mission It’s the S1000RR’s biggest revampsince it was introduced five years ago. BMW say their new weapon is lighter, more powerful, and more refined than ever. To find out just how much this...

Picture gallery: Indian Scout group test

30 January 2015 by MCN

You may have seen our group test this week starring Indian’s impressive new Scout 1200 versus Harley’s equivalent 48 and Ducati’s Monster 1200. What you won’t have seen, though, is this extra gallery...

My Life in Bikes Terry Mynott

30 January 2015 by Tim Thompson

The star of Channel 4’s hit comedy The Mimic reveals his love for the Honda MBX50 and biking holidays with no plan What are you riding today? A chopped 2008 Yamaha FZ-1, which I’ve had since November.

AJP PR5 RR Rally first ride

30 January 2015 by Michael Guy

It’s regarded as the world’s ultimate race, but the cost of taking part in the Dakar runs to well in excess of £50,000 and that’s a lot of money in anyone’s book. A Dakar hopeful needs the best bike...

Our Bikes Velocette Venom Clubman

30 January 2015 by Simon Relph

‘It’s smashing to ride head-down, arse-up’ A love story that’s endured three decades, bent valves and duff magnetos, MCN’s Senior Designer Simon Relph’s still head-over-heels with his Velocette My...

Picture gallery: 2015 Ducati 1299 Panigale test

29 January 2015 by Phil West

We’ve been testing the hugely impressive new Ducati 1299 Panigale this week and our full report is in this week’s MCN on sale now. But we thought you might like to see some of the extra pictures we...

Honda officially dismisses RCV213-S ‘greenlight’

29 January 2015 by Andy Downes

Honda have moved to officially quash rumours emerging from Japan claiming the road replica RCV213-S MotoGP bike had been given the go-ahead and that it will cost the equivalent of £112,000 in the...

Suzuki expands 50/50 finance offer

29 January 2015 by Andy Downes

Suzuki has widened the current 50/50 finance campaign to include additional models to the V-Strom 1000 Adventure already covered and it will run until the end of March. New models included in the...

Bike of the Day: 1981 Honda XL185

29 January 2015 by Phil West

Another one of these cute, four-stroke, early ‘80s trail bikes cropped up recently. That one needed little and seemed decent value at over £1500 which makes this ‘project’, albeit one that’s claimed...

Suzuki Recursion rumours denied

28 January 2015 by Andy Downes

Rumours that Suzuki’s turbocharged concept bike, dubbed ‘Recursion’, will imminently go into production have been quashed by the firm. Global chatter suggesting that the turbo had been given the green...

Get your design on an MCN t-shirt!

28 January 2015 by MCN

We’re on the lookout for some fresh designs for our t-shirt shop, and if you fancy yourself as a bit of a designer you can send us your ideas and they may make it into the shop. If you have a design...

New BMW 300cc roadster spied

28 January 2015 by Andy Downes

BMW are surging ahead with plans to enter the small bike market – with what’s believed to be a 300cc roadster spotted testing in Germany last week. Developed in association with Indian automotive...