2015

Year: 2015

Month: ALL

Project Bol d'Or Part 5: Back on Cours

27 October 2015 by MCN

To Magny-Cours? ith MCN’s dilapidated Ducati Paso 750 hammering a nail into its own coffin by dint of a fork that sounded like a slide hammer, it never even made it to the start line for its planned...

New MCN October 28: Has he lost it?

27 October 2015 by Simon Patterson

In this week’s edition of MCN, available in newsagents, on iPad and Android from October 28: Rossi’s tenth title in doubt after massive Marquez clash Guy Martin: ‘There’s more to life than racing...

'We're back' – Kevin Ash reports on the return of the British superbike, at the launch of the T595 Daytona

26 October 2015 by Kevin Ash

March 1997, Alicante, Spain: Triumph is at the biggest gaming table of its (second) life. And it’s just cast the dice in the shape of the bike they benchmarked on the FireBlade and the 916. Please god...

Poll: Can Rossi pull the championship victory from the jaws of defeat at Valencia?

26 October 2015 by MCN News

Can Rossi pull the championship victory from the jaws of defeat at Valencia?

Poll: Rossi or Marquez; who was most at fault?

26 October 2015 by MCN News

Rossi and Marquez were, at best, silly boys in Sepang – each looking guilty of some errors in judgement. But at whose feet do you lay the most blame?

Project Bol d'Or Part 4: It’s a bit of a Bols-up

26 October 2015 by MCN

There are few things more ignominious than a very public failure, but there’s no hiding the fact that MCN’s much-neglected Ducati Paso has fallen at the last hurdle, leaving it stranded without a...

El Solitario’s not afraid of the ‘Big Bad Wolf’

26 October 2015 by James Archibald

Spanish bike builder David Borras, best known for his custom bike outfit ‘El Solitario’, has built this fascinating XJR1300 as part of Yamaha’s ‘Yard Built’ series. Named the ‘Big Bad Wolf’, this XJR...

Picture story: Before Ducatis were fast

25 October 2015 by Classic Bike magazine

Here’s a trio of pocket-size Ducatis that promises to challenge your preconceptions about this storied Italian marque, currently enjoyiing its most successful year in the UK ever. Petite, sweet and...

Poll: Do you ride in the Winter months?

23 October 2015 by MCN News

The nights are (sadly) drawing in and winter is looming. Do you ride and what do you do with your bike?

Honda reveals updated NC750X and VFR1200X Crosstourer for 2016

23 October 2015 by Andy Downes

Honda has revealed a raft of substantial changes to the 2016 NC750X and CB500X ahead of the official launch of the bikes at the Tokyo show next week. The firm has also revealed minor updates to the...

MCN Awards 2015: Machine of the year

23 October 2015 by MCN Staff

With so many brilliant and groundbreaking machines being unleashed in 2015, choosing a bike of the year was always going to be tough. Motorbikes don’t get as big, bad or as bold as the Kawasaki Ninja...

Project Bol d'Or part 3: Insane Bol-der-dash

23 October 2015 by MCN

It’s now or never as our eclectic 90s sportsbikes head south for Europe’s biggest biking party Rich’s Paso – Odds 8/1 The Rider: Richard Newland, Deputy Editor The Bike: 1991 Ducati Paso 750 ...

FREE National Motorcycle Museum open day

22 October 2015 by MCN News

The National Motorcycle Museum are throwing open the doors to their phenomneal collection on Saturday 31 October for their second annual FREE open day. All visitors will be able to view the Museum...

World and British champions headline host of racers at Motorcycle Live

22 October 2015 by MCN News

Motorcycle Live is one of the best places in the UK to meet some of the country’s – and world’s – leading racers away from the pressures of the paddock, all under one roof, and this year’s show is no...

MCN Awards 2015: Best Sportsbike (Unlimited)

22 October 2015 by MCN Staff

With so many brilliant sportsbikes released this year, we were spoiled for choice when it came to making a decision about our sportsbike of the year. The new R1 though was outstanding in every...

Project Bol d'Or Part 2: Bold steps

22 October 2015 by MCN

With only a week to go until Europe’s biggest biking party, we couldn’t help but think – will it start without us? Rich’s Paso – Odds 6/1 The Rider: Richard Newland, Deputy Editor The Bike: 1991...

Yamaha dealer specials honoured

22 October 2015 by James Archibald

Yamaha have announced the winners of its first ever ‘Dealer Built’ competition, which follows on from the success of their ‘Yard Built’ competition, conceived to promote the firm’s Sports Heritage...

Electric STORM Pulse goes further

22 October 2015 by MCN News

A team at Eindhoven University of Technology have unveiled the world’s first touring electric bike, the STORM Pulse. Started by a team of 30 students in 2014, the team unveiled their designs in March...

Brackley Festival of Motorcycling donates £31k to charity

21 October 2015 by MCN

Record crowds at this years Brackley Festival of Motorcycling have resulted in a record pay out to local charities of £31,000 A superb list of attractions and fine weather resulted in a record...

Classic or Crusher: Gilera CX125

21 October 2015 by MCN

The incredibly futuristic CX125 was never a huge seller. The enveloping bodywork hid largely conventional technology (the single front fork was essentially telescopic so had no performance advantage...

Brain-cooling helmet takes a step forward

21 October 2015 by MCN News

A team of investors – including former-Managing Director of Silverstone, Richard Phillips – have today launched Halo Active Technologies, a company dedicated to innovative safety products which will...

MCN Awards 2015: Best all-rounder

21 October 2015 by MCN Staff

The Yamaha MT-09 Tracer was a standout motorcycle from the off. It would have been a strong contender for our overall bike of the year, were it not for Kawasaki’s outrageously impressive Ninja H2.

Buying on PCP? Read this first!

21 October 2015 by MCN

Neil Murray makes a living buying & selling pre-loved metal – and he’s on your side ‘Buying on PCP? Read this first’ ersonal Contract Purchase sales are attractive because they bring your monthly...

MCNLive! gets it sideways in 2016

21 October 2015 by MCN News

Short track racing is one of the fastest growing and most thrilling forms of motorcycle sport in the UK today. It’s an exciting, fast paced and grassroots sport that’s similar to speedway in format...

Rotorheads

21 October 2015 by Classic Bike magazine

Spectators on the Isle of Man for this year’s Classic TT were treated to a feast of Norton rotary race bikes ridden by legendary racers – and it was all thanks to a superhuman effort by the National...

Video: Motorcyclist saves kitten

21 October 2015 by Liam Marsden

A motorcyclist in the United States has won the hearts of Reddit users, after stopping to save a kitten that was stranded in the middle of a busy intersection when other road users failed to stop. The...

Honda’s secret V4 Superbike

21 October 2015 by Ben Purvis

Honda appear to be gearing-up to introduce an all-new V4 1000cc superbike to slot in above the Fireblade and take the battle to its more exotic rivals. Evidence pointing to Honda’s plans includes...

Moto Guzzi 1400 bagger spied

21 October 2015 by Andy Downes

This is the world’s first sighting of the new production ready Moto Guzzi 1400 California-based bagger which was spotted undergoing final testing before an anticipated launch at the Milan motorcycle...

New Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200s caught

21 October 2015 by Ben Purvis

The next-generation of Triumph Tiger Explorer will feature a hugely expanded range and a host of technical and styling changes as revealed in these spy pictures of the two top-of-the-range models...

New Norton V4 takes shape

21 October 2015 by Andy Downes

Norton’s all-new 200bhp 1200cc V4 announced earlier this year is already taking shape – as these computer illustrations reveal. The new V4 – codenamed P94 after the number of wins the company have...

MCN Awards 2015: Best Retro/Retro Style

21 October 2015 by MCN Staff

Biking is becoming cool again and the retro scene is playing a massive part in this. With older styled bikes becoming a popular commodity, the Ducati Scrambler had a lot to live up to and prove that...

Project Bol d’Or Part 1: To Boldly Go

21 October 2015 by MCN

The world’s craziest biking party returned to Paul Ricard this year – and we set out to ride there on these! The Mission o ride 1100 miles to the legendary Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance race –...

Picture story: The most notorious bike in Japanese history

20 October 2015 by MCN

The bike under the sheet is a 1967 Yamaha YR1 350cc parallel twin two stroke. Not a hugely interesting model in itself, exactly (save for the fact it was Yamaha’s first 350, and its engine formed the...

7 six-cyclinder heroes

20 October 2015 by MCN

Six sells – or at least it did. Here’s our pick of six-cylinder heroes. Honda CBX1000 (1978-1982) The one everybody thinks about. Honda’s 1978 tour-de-force had six carbs as well, and produced...

MCN Awards 2015: Best Adventure

20 October 2015 by MCN Staff

The Adventure bike segment of the market is a vitally important one and as such there are plenty of manufacturers all fighting for the position to have the best adventure bike of the year. This year...

MCN Awards 2015: Best 125

19 October 2015 by MCN Staff

The out-going CBF125 was the best-selling motorcycle in the UK, so Honda had to make sure they got the new CB125F (they’ve moved the ‘F’ around) right. And, since it’s our 125cc award winner, you can...