Bike news

Year: ALL

Llewellyn sees the potential of the racing Blade

11 February 2002

MOTOPOWER invited another rider to Bruntingthorpe last week to test a Blade – former British champ Matt Llewellyn. The team asked him to try the British Superbike-spec machine before offering him a...

Spot the differences

11 February 2002

Chassis: The new frame uses the same dimensions as the old model, but has been completely redesigned for extra stiffness and better handling. The price you pay is a 3kg (6.6lb) weight gain. This is...

How to complain to Meacher himself

11 February 2002

Here are some of the tips, suggestions and ideas for contacting MPs and Michael Meacher in particular which you’ve posted on the boards. pie eater offers on the subject of Michael Meacher MP: Email address: House of Commons: massonm@parliament.uk Telephone numbers: House of Commons Phone number: 020 7219 4532/6461 House of Commons Fax number: 020 7219 5945 Constituency Phone number: 0161 626 5779...

Meet Hodgson at Ducati store opening

11 February 2002

Neil Hodgson, James Toseland and Steve Hislop will be attending the opening of the new Ducati Manchester store, this weekend. The dedicated store in opens to the public for the first time at 9am on...

Anyone got a dustpan?

11 February 2002

You’re going to be sweeping this one up to take home.

Come Dancing

11 February 2002

If you can’t find a bar to work on your ballet routine, a motorcycle will have to do.

Developing a 170bhp Blade

11 February 2002

THIS 170bhp FireBlade is the basis for a 2002 British Superbike – and you can buy one for around £13,000. It is being developed by Motopower, a leading Honda squad in this year’s championship. I say ...

Testing the 2002 ZX-9R

11 February 2002

Kawasaki is so worried about the repercussions of a 900cc sports bike hitting the symbolic 300kph mark, it has deleted the offending ” 300 ” from the new ZX-9R’s speedo. That’s what it looks like,...

Triumph to reveal sharper 600

04 February 2002

Triumph is planning to replace its TT600 with a lighter, faster version and it will be unveiled before the end of the year. Codenamed ” R ” , it will not only have improved performance, but also a...

Fifth RiDER POWER survey launched

04 February 2002

RiDE magazine has launched its fifth RiDER POWER survey – giving readers the chance to comment on everything from what’s gone wrong with their bikes to what they think to their dealers and what they...

Testing the Harley XL883R Kneivel replica

04 February 2002

By Jon Urry One of my lasting childhood memories is my Evel Knievel toy.You know the one I mean – the little white figure on his Harley which you wound up and let fly across the room as it performed...

Getting on the jumping bandwagon

04 February 2002

It’s not just Ago who used to do the leaping

2.2-litre Triumph spotted on test

04 February 2002

Triumph’s new 2.2-litre cruiser has been seen undergoing hot-weather testing in Death Valley, California. The rigorous testing suggests the machine is nearing production form. It has a massive in-line...

Ear we go, Ear we go!

04 February 2002

Will these be adorning every Shoei and Arai in the country this Spring… or are they so daft that they’ll actually reduce your street cred? We think there are enough of us with slightly deranged glints...

MX somersaults

04 February 2002

Flippin’ heck! Don’t fancy being in his boots… or lid

Lighter, faster engines for all

04 February 2002

Yamaha has invented an aluminium casting technique which saves up to 30 per cent on the weight of engine parts. The firm is already tooling up its motorcycle engine factory to take advantage,...

Can’t get quoted on R1 cover? Now you can

04 February 2002

YAMAHA has responded to the biggest problem currently facing would-be superbike buyers – finding an insurer who’ll offer cover at all, let alone at a fair price or on reasonable terms. A new scheme...

Knievel targets record, any record

04 February 2002

Robbie Knievel is setting his sights on a record-breaking jump this year… but it hasn’t yet been decided quite what the record will be. Organisers of the National Grand Prix of Washington, in the U.S,...

Back to when the TT was a GP

04 February 2002

There was a time when ALL GP bikes were four-strokes

Win a Fazer 600

04 February 2002

It’s true, you never get something for nothing in this life. We’re going to give one of you a 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, another one will get a place on an MCN track day and one more will win a pair of...

0% finance on new Kawasakis

04 February 2002

KAWASAKI has resurrected its interest-free credit scheme on its entire range. Called ” Fastlane Finance ” , if you put down a deposit of at least 10 per cent on a new Kawasaki, you can pay the rest...

Honda plans road-going V4 and V5

04 February 2002

HONDA is working on an all-new 1000cc V4 superbike AND a Hayabusa-style V5. Both are expected to draw heavily on technology being developed for the firm’s new V5 four-stroke GP race bike. The V4...

Ally Pally sets new record

04 February 2002

More of you than ever before visited the Ally Pally for the MCN Superbike and Road Racing Show which finished on Sunday, February 3. World firsts such as Suzuki’s B-King, Triumph’s Speed Four and the...

Keeping the TT alive

04 February 2002

Lining up at the Glencrutchery Road startline

Long term test: Yamaha Tmax

04 February 2002

JUST because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, according to an old saying. And while I might hesitate to share that gem of wisdom with the barefooted bloke I regularly see...

Win a VIP British GP weekend

04 February 2002

You can win a fantastic VIP hotel break at the British GP by entering our new MCN2U mobile phone text message competition. We have 10 tickets to the GP itself as runners-up prizes, too. The first prize gives you and a friend a night’s Hilton hotel accommodation at for the GP weekend and grandstand seats at Donington. Entries have to be made by text message via your mobile phone. The competition is...

Hail to the crashers

04 February 2002

Yes, they all walked away. Amazing. Not that we need to say this, but DON’T try this at home… these are paid professionals!

Benelli opens UK order books

04 February 2002

BENELLI has named the 19 UK dealers who will sell its long-awaited Tornado superbike, and has today opened its order books for the exclusive limited-edition version of the triple. Between 40 and 50 of...

Bike covered by Wren? No it isn’t

04 February 2002

If you have a covernote or policy which says your bike is insured by Wren Motor Policies, look for alternative cover immediately. The firm says it hasn’t offered insurance for bikes since 1992 and is concerned that its good name may be being mis-used. Police in West Yorkshire are investigating. More than 200 bike owners are believed to have covernotes which look as if they have been issued by...

You hand £13,500 to Riders charity

04 February 2002

You donated a grand total of £13,500 to biking charity Riders for Health in auctions at the Ally Pally show. Over the nine days of the show items ranging from a wooden statue of Colin Edwards to a...

Time running out to help stop road tax hike

04 February 2002

There are just days left for you to tell the Government where to get off over its threat to raise road tax for most riders. Thousands of us have already taken the time and trouble to fill in an...

World’s first ride on Ducati 998S

04 February 2002

This is what I always hoped a Ducati 998 would be like. First-look suggests there is only one little change from the standard machine – the letter ” S ” on the end of the numbers. But what a...

Aprilia kit gives Falco more fight

04 February 2002

Aprilia is offering an aftermarket kit for its V-twin Falco which bosses say will give it streetfighter-style and loads more grunt. Aprilia UK’s Paul Walker said: ” As it is, the Falco wheelies...

Pugh, Pugh, Harley, McGrew

04 February 2002

Harley-Davidson is considering offering special editions of the Electra Glide and the Road King in the UK… if they feel enough firefighters want them. The Firefighter special editions come in scarlet...

MV Agusta F5 to be most powerful on the road

01 February 2002

The 1000cc MV Agusta F5 due for launch at September’s bike shows is expected to be the most powerful production bike in the world with more than 160bhp at the rear wheel, according to insiders. The...

First test on Azaro III tyre

01 February 2002

Our first impressions from the test of the new Avon Azaro III sports-tour tyre reveals this could be the perfect all-rounder. On a CBR600 at the Valencia track in Spain on Friday, our test rider Adam Morrissey said: " I’m scraping the pegs and my toes and everything and it’s not until you are right at the very limits that these feel anything less than a full-on sports tyre. " For most riders on...