Bike news

Year: ALL

Join the crowds at our Spring Spectacular

16 December 2001

If you’ve already booked your chalet for the MCN Butlins Spring Spectacular, you aren’t alone. In just a month since we started taking bookings, 1500 people have already signed up. The event includes...

We wunt to be togevva

16 December 2001

Close racing… at a time of year when you didn’t have to huddle together to keep warm.

Ninjas at the ready

16 December 2001

Remember the balmy days of the British superbike season.

Czech supermoto arrives in the New Year

16 December 2001

The 610cc Praga four-stroke off-roader has a hand-built engine and aluminium fuel tank, a choice of Paioli or Marzocchi forks and Brembo brakes. And those features are just part of the appeal of the...

Now you can submit your road tax responses

16 December 2001

Have your say on Government proposals to change road tax for bikes with this new website address. The original address published showed you the proposals but didn’t link to a response form. Use the...

Government report says ban on dark visors should stay

16 December 2001

Dark visors should remain banned from UK roads because we can’t be trusted to work out for ourselves that we should switch them for clear ones when the sun goes down. That’s how a...

Corser’s deal with Foggy delayed by fineprint

16 December 2001

The chances of Troy Corser confirming his deal to ride in the all-new Foggy Petronas WSB squad before Christmas are fading. But he is still expected to sign up within the next 10 days. The only...

Strange but true…

16 December 2001

Here’s our latest line-up for bike-related oddities from around the planet. If you know of something worthy of inclusion in our next collection, e-mail jon.urry@emap.com AUSTRALIA: Not content with...

Suomy reveals new high-spec lids

16 December 2001

Suomy has revealed its greatest line-up yet, including an all-new range-topper, plus lids for Ducati and Aprilia. The Spec 1R takes over from the popular Gunwind as the No1 Suomy in 2002. It heralds a...

Win head-to-toe-kit, Ally Pally tickets and a track day

16 December 2001

Tell us a bit about your motorcycling life and you could win one of a host of great prizes. Simply follow the link (right) and tick a few boxes and not only will you be helping us improve the service...

Ducati’s new 998 versus Aprilia’s RSV-R

16 December 2001

With the 998 not due to visit our fog-bound shores until January, we had to go to Italy and get one, factory-fresh. We took our own RSV-R with us to meet its rival under clear blue skies. At Ducati...

Carl Fogarty: In his own words

16 December 2001

Jonny: Carl how long do you think it will take to get a race win with the new bike? CarlFogarty: Oh, it’s impossible to say really. It would be great to have one in the first year, although that’s unrealistic. But certainly in 2003 Dave: How difficult will it be to stop yourself jumping on the bike during testing to get the fastest lap times? CarlFogarty: Oh that won’t be difficult at all.

Your bike snaps could win you a top show prize

16 December 2001

If you’ve captured a great motorcycling moment on camera this year, enter your best efforts for the Photograph of the Year competition at the Scottish Motorcycle Show. There’s a trophy up for grabs in...

Remember this?

16 December 2001

Dry days… no snow… re-live those magical warm Tarmac BSB moments

It’s good to talk

16 December 2001

Our Talk Bikes section is breaking new records as more and more of you register and head for the sections that most interest you. On Wednesday, the live chat with Foggy saw a record high in the number...

Can you name all the FIM winners?

16 December 2001

The FIM called together all its 2001 bikesport champions for a gala dinner on Saturday night. Dougie Lampkin, Jamie Dobb, Troy Bayliss and Valentino Rossi were among those officially picking up their...

Missing hippy’s headshave

16 December 2001

When one of our staff failed to turn in on the day after the Christmas party, we asked users of our TALK BIKES chatboards what punishment would be fitting. The majority were either too painful or...

The return of Bimota (again)

16 December 2001

Bimota is on course to make yet another comeback under new management. The firm’s assets have been auctioned off by the Italian court dealing with its bankruptcy, and one of the former bosses bought...

Biker-backed charity makes breakthrough in Africa

16 December 2001

Riders for Health has signed the first ever agreement for a non-governmental organisation to manage medical transportation in an African country. The UK Charity of the Year has signed the agreement...

Meet Aaron, Britain’s youngest stunt rider

16 December 2001

Aaron Stannage may still be at infant school but he has already performed in front of crowds of over 40,000, appeared on TV and been a fashion model. Oh, and he also currently the UK’s youngest stunt...

Malaguti shows shape of things to come

16 December 2001

Developed as a prototype, Malaguti’s Super Climber has been debuted in Bologna to gauge public reaction. ” We want it to show people that Malaguti is thinking about motorcycles. We will see how people...

Schwarzenegger in bike accident

09 December 2001

Arnold Schwarzenegger might be famous for his bike chases in the films Terminator II and True Lies, but this time the action happened off-screen. The 54-year-old Harley rider has been injured in a...

Kawasaki boss suggests full merger with Suzuki

09 December 2001

Kawasaki and Suzuki are preparing to come together to launch a new bike within three years under a new and separate brand. Bloomberg reports Kawasaki Heavy Industries president Masamoto Tazaki as...

Project X900: hub-centre steering cracked?

09 December 2001

Hans Helms has been developing this bike for over two decades. Now, with plans to put the bike into production unrealised, its bright ideas are up for sale. The majority of the patents are associated...

Two-wheel drive R1 spotted… and it rocks

09 December 2001

These pictures provide the first proof that Yamaha is seriously working on two-wheel-drive technology for its most powerful bikes. And one man who has ridden the 2WD R1 claims the system improves the...

Elbow-to-elbow racing

09 December 2001

Get close to the supersport action… they do

Don’t sell your bike from home

09 December 2001

Police are warning owners not to meet potential used bike buyers at our own homes. Kate Wright of the Northants force said thieves are using ads to pick out the bikes they want, ringing to find out...

It’s wrong to assume the GSX-R is a hooligans machine

09 December 2001

Although this video probably won’t help that argument, it is entertaining. Part two of MCN’s new video magazine is out on December 14. Don’t miss it

Would you give the Dog a home?

09 December 2001

Yamaha’s BT1100 Bulldog doesn’t fit comfortably into any of the pigeonholes we are used to. It’s a cross between a Ducati Monster and a Buell. Yamaha believes there’s big demand for such a hybrid. But...

Three men to put him in his leathers

09 December 2001

When it takes three people to force him into his leathers, you’ve got to wonder what he’s going to be doing

The best 600s you can buy for close to £4000

09 December 2001

1999 600s from the four Japanese manufacturers can now be bought in dealers advertising in MCN for £4500, give or take a few hundred. Shop privately and you can get a mint R6, CBR600, ZX-6R or...

New firm launches scooters into UK

09 December 2001

Taiwanese firm TGB is to launch both two and four stroke scooters of between 50 and 125cc into the UK in January. Prices have yet to be announced but are intended to be competitive with Italian and...

MCN’s new GSX-R video mag on sale from December 14

09 December 2001

Watch some of the hot highlights of the latest MCN video magazine on line right now. It’s a celebration of the cult of the GSX-R. Get a taste of it by following the links, right, and downloading some...

He just couldn’t quite brush the MCN logo with his knee

09 December 2001

He got close though. Part two of MCN’s new video magazine is out on December 14. Don’t miss it.

Road-going Castrol rep CBR and Blade to go on sale

09 December 2001

The Castrol Honda race squad is adding a 2002 British superbike-spec road-going FireBlade to its previously announced CBR600 supersport racer rep, and is planning to put it on sale in road legal...

Win a signed Hodgson book for your best biking moments

09 December 2001

Your most magical motorcycling moments of the year have already started coming in. This one from Richard Halford is a great example. ” First track day, first time knee down, wore out a set of sliders...