2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

The 5 best V4s you can actually own

30 June 2017 by Jordan Gibbons

Forget the triple, the V4 is the best combination of a twin and a four. With photos emerging of the new Ducati V4, everyone is getting excited about V4 bikes again. V4s have scored countless race wins...

5 bikes that deserve a comeback

27 August 2010 by James Keen

The current range of new motorcycles is wide and varied, but there are still some niches not being satisfied. Here’s 5 used bikes, no longer in production, that deliver something unique and not...

Top 10 motorcycle insurance bargains

26 July 2010 by James Keen

Motorcycle insurance costs are an important consideration for any bike buyer. That’s why over the past few months MCN has been highlighting some of the best cheap-to-insure motorcycles out...

My top five bikes of the noughties

01 January 2010 by Chris Newbigging

As another decade in biking draws to a close, the MCN office has been rife with debate over the most important bikes in the last ten years. MCN staff will be sharing their lists on motorcyclenews.com...

Neevesy’s top three bikes of 2009

31 December 2009 by Michael Neeves

At the end of the year it’s often time to reflect on the last 12 months, so we asked MCN’s road testers for their personal three best bikes of 2009. Their answers may surprise you. Here are Michael...

Buell: Goodbye or good riddance?

31 December 2009 by Phil West

The passing of 2009 somehow seems to draw the final curtain on the sad demise of Buell Motorcycles, which parent company Harley-Davidson decided to kill off in the autumn and which produced its final...

Triumph Thunderbird's toughest test

30 December 2009 by MCN

MCN’s tests have proved that Triumph’s new 1600cc Thunderbird is one of the best cruisers out there – its mixture of lazy parallel twin power and surprisingly sharp handling more than matches rivals...

Neevesy's predicted 2010 top five motorcycles

29 December 2009 by Michael Neeves

The global financial crisis seems to have hit the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers the hardest. There’s very little to get excited about from them next year except for Kawasaki’s funky Z1000. One...

Suzuki SV560: Great do it all bike

28 December 2009 by Anonymous

I first got my Yellow Canadian 1999 Suzuki SV650S and it was a great bike. I got it super cheap as a multi-owner used bike. Great bike. It has all the power you need but not too much as to get you...

No need for hanging off

26 December 2009 by weasel221

I got my naked Suzuki SV650 K5 new in June of 2005 and I absolutley love it. Coming from a mostly dirt background, I don’t really ‘hang off’ the SV, but you don’t have to! The thing will rail any...

Chad's favourite video tests of all time

25 December 2009 by Adam Child

MCN senior road tester Adam Child gives us his three favourite MCN videos from 2009. On board 2008 Suzuki GSXR1300R Hayabusa One of my all time favourite clips. Flat out on Hayabusa at...

Andy Downes' top five bikes of the decade

23 December 2009 by Andy Downes

Five best bikes of the decade – Andy Downes, MCN Chief Reporter 1. BMW K1300R The bike I have just done 9000 miles on as my long term test bike this year and one that was a brilliant combination...

Trevor Franklin's top three bikes of 2009

23 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

1) KTM RC8R When KTM introduced the 1190 RC8 in 2008, its specification promised so much. The 1148cc motor was credited with a 152.6bhp and 88.56ftlb of torque – big figures for a 75° V-twin. With...

BMW K1300S wins ABS test, beats car

23 December 2009 by John Westlake

MCN recently conducted a rigorous test of ABS to see how the latest and most sophisticated versions fared against more basic systems. We also tested a standard family car with ABS. The bikes tested...

Chad's top three bikes of 2009

22 December 2009 by Adam 'Chad' Child

At the end of the year it’s often time to reflect on the last 12 months, so we asked MCN’s road testers for their personal three best bikes of 2009. Their ansers may surprise you. Here are Adam...

BMW S1000RR dyno curve

19 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

MCN’s readers correctly spotted a mistake in the comparative test (issue December 16) of BMW’s new S1000RR superbike against the Suzuki GSX-R1000, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Yamaha R1 and Kawasaki...

Motorcycle insurance bargains: retro roadsters

18 December 2009 by James Keen

Motorcycle insurance costs are an important consideration for any bike buyer. That’s why over the past few months MCN has been highlighting some of the best cheap-to-insure motorcycles out there. ...

Video: MCN vs winter

18 December 2009 by MCN

The snow today may have kept most motorcycles off the road, but MCN doesn’t admit defeat so easily. All you need is some determination, good winter kit and an enduro bike… Find an off-roader for...

Video: BMW S1000RR world first group test

16 December 2009 by MCN

The Big Four becomes the Big Five as BMW’s first real superbike battles it out with the established stars. Facts and figures: BMW S1000RR vs the competition Find a 1000cc superbike for...

Which bike has the best ABS: scientific test

15 December 2009 by John Westlake

MCN is about to scientifically test the braking performance of a selection of ABS-equipped bikes. Which do you think will perform best, and worst, out of: • BMW S1000RR – has a phenomenally...

Video: Yamaha R1 long term report

15 December 2009 by MCN

MCN’s Adam Child has had his longterm Yamaha R1 for almost a year in which he has covered over 16,000 miles. The year has had its ups and downs for Chad and his Yamaha R1 with the only major modification being the addition of an Akrapovic exhaust system.

First ride on sportiest Bonneville: the Hyde Harrier

15 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

The latest Hyde Harrier is the sportiest, most enticing road-going Bonneville ever made, MCN can reveal after an exclusive first ride. Find a Triumph Bonneville for sale Ohlins suspension and a...

Paul Malin’s verdict on 2010 Suzuki RM-Z250

11 December 2009 by Paul Malin

Ex-motocross GP rider Paul Malin says the new 2010 Suzuki RM-Z250 is awesome, after riding it at its launch for MCN. Although the 2010 Suzuki RM-Z250 has a brand new chassis, the overall riding...

Ducati Glasgow’s £22k Streetfighter S special

11 December 2009 by Michael Neeves

It’s hard to imagine how you could improve on an impressive machine like the Ducati Streetfighter S, but Ducati Glasgow has given it a go anyway and created this fantastic special complete with...

BMW S1000RR group test: "An exciting and surprising bike"

11 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

MCN’s Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin is in the South of France pitting the new BMW S1000RR against the Honda Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-10R, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha R1. He has just phoned in his...

BMW S1000RR group test first impressions

11 December 2009 by Trevor Franklin

Video: Kawasaki GTR1400 takes on the mighty BMW K1300GT

09 December 2009 by MCN

Kawasaki has the BMW K1300GT firmly in its sights with its uprated 2010 GTR1400. Can the Japanese maker beat the German experts at only their second attempt? Read the Kawasaki GTR1400 review Read...

Video: The fastest Desmosedici we've ever tested

07 December 2009 by MCN

Ducati Desmosedici RRs are pretty special to begin with, but this one is even more spectacular. It’s packed with Grand Prix technology (it’s almost a GP bike with lights) and makes 203bhp at the rear...

Owners pay tribute to the Suzuki SV650

03 December 2009 by James Keen

In the 10 years since its launch in 1999, Suzuki have sold 20,700 SV650s in the UK alone. Find a Suzuki SV650 for sale Suzuki SV650 buyers guide Here just a few of those owners pay tribute to...

Honda VFR1200F first road test verdict

30 November 2009 by Phil West

The long-awaited Honda VFR1200F has been just undergoing its first road test in the hands of MCN Executive Editor Phil West, this is what he has to say: “After riding Honda’s new VFR1200F over 300kms...

NEC Show: Yamaha R1 wins as MCN's Bikes of 2009 are revealed

26 November 2009 by Guy Procter

The revolutionary Yamaha R1 is today revealed as MCN’s Bike of the Year. An expert panel of judges headed by MCN Editor Marc Potter voted unanimously in favour of the bike, with Potter presenting the...

Video: Ducati Hypermotard Evo SP first ride

25 November 2009 by MCN

The old Ducati Hypermotard 1100 was criticised by many for being wildly impractical, so you might think the new one would be less bonkers… but no. Find a Ducati Hypermotard for sale Read the...

Video: 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 first ride - "Japan's best super-naked"

23 November 2009 by MCN

On paper the new 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 looks like it could be a full-blooded ‘super-naked’ – an intoxicating mixture of raucous engine, sharp handling and bad attitude. In reality it’s something...

Video: Buell XB9SX 2-minute test

20 November 2009 by James Keen

Buell may of sadly shut down, but that’s good news for bargain hunters. The remaining new bikes are going for amazing prices and Harley have promised dealer back-up for the next 10 years. Find a...

Video: 2010 BMW S1000RR review - "From now on the world is a different place"

19 November 2009 by MCN

Watch the video below for the MCN world first ride report on the 193bhp BMW S1000RR. Win a BMW S1000RR! Read all the latest news on the S1000RR According to MCN chief road tester Trevor Franklin,...

2010 Ducati Hypermotard 1100 first ride: “It’s more fun than ever”

19 November 2009 by Adam Child

The revamped Ducati Hypermotard 1100 is a blast, according to MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child who is currently testing the bike in Sardinia. Ducati Hypermotards for sale Chad said: “There’s now...