First rides & tests

Year: ALL

Inside this week's new-look MCN: Time up for the R1200GS?

04 April 2012 by MCN

Three all-new rivals, including Triumph’s eagerly-awaited Tiger Explorer, make the adventure bike class more competitive than ever. But which is best? We took the Triumph Explorer 1200, Ducati...

KTM 450RR Dakar bike ridden

30 March 2012 by Michael Guy

It doesn’t look like a bike that’s just finished the Dakar – it’s clean and there are only minimal signs of wear. A closer look tells you that the built to order factory KTM 450RR has seen some action...

Aprilia SRV850 ridden

30 March 2012 by Steve Farrell

Super scooters have re-ignited the top speed battle between manufacturers – a battle which has been largely irrelevant for motorcycles since hyperbikes such as Suzuki’s Hayabusa started cracking...

KTM 690 Duke Track first ride

30 March 2012 by MCN

Hook sixth gear, crouch down as small as possible and focus on the small strip of white paint at the side of the track. Wait, wait, wait… Sit up, brake, down three gears, let clutch out, as possible...

MV Agusta F3 vs rivals at a glance

29 March 2012 by MCN

MV Agusta’s new F3 is one of the most eagerly awaited bikes of 2012, but since its launch storm clouds have been gathering. Is the beautiful Italian simply too track-focused and rough around the edges...

Video: Ducati 848 Streetfighter longterm report

28 March 2012 by Michael Neeves

Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves has just taken delivery of the Ducati Streetfighter 848 he’ll be running this year. After his time spent with the 1098 version in 2009, the Streetfighter is one of...

Video: BMW C600 Sport and C650GT ridden

22 March 2012 by MCN

BMW’s new C650GT and C600 Sport are the first £9.5k step-thrus, and though MCN’s first ride proves their general competence, it’s difficult to see how they’re worth twice as much as BMW’s own F650GS...

2012 Aprilia Dorsoduro ridden

19 March 2012 by Adam Child

Aprilia’s revised exotic Dorsoduro 1200 has lost weight, gained some Italian ponies and now has a three-way traction control as standard. If you thought the Supermoto scene was drying up you’d be...

Video: Bimota DB9 Brivido CS first ride

16 March 2012 by MCN

The Bimota DB9 Brivido is the Bimota version of the Ducati Streetfighter. The bike uses the 1198cc V-twin engine from the Ducati Diavel and features no electronics like the Diavel. The CS version you...

Aprilia SRV850 first ride: "like something made as a dare"

15 March 2012 by Steve Farrell

The new Aprilia SRV850 is the most powerful scooter yet – and nearly £2000 cheaper than BMW’s C650 GT. The SRV850 is a restyled and re badged Gilera GP800 with the same chassis and 839cc V-twin...

Bimota DB9 Brivido first ride: 'One of my top bikes of 2012'

14 March 2012 by Michael Neeves

We had to twist Bimota’s arm really hard to let us ride their new DB9 Brivido. After a few months of emails and phone calls trying to set up this test, we decided to bite the bullet and literally turn...

BMW C650GT first ride: “takes scooter equipment to a new level”

12 March 2012 by Steve Farrell

The BMW C650 GT is one of the most sophisticated scooters yet – and the first to cost over £10,000. I’ve just ridden the new super scooter at the launch in Madrid. With heated seat and grips, ABS and...

MV Agusta F3 vs Triumph Daytona 675R at a glance

09 March 2012 by MCN

The new three-cylinder 675cc MV Agusta F3 is the lightest, most powerful and electronically advanced supersport machine on the road, but does all that make it any better than the Triumph Daytona...

BMW R1200GS Rallye first ride

08 March 2012 by Adam Child

It’s been a long time coming, but if any bike’s deserving of a commemorative special edition model surely it’s the BMW R1200GS. The class-defning German adventure bike has been a market leader...

Triumph Speed Triple R takes on Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC and Ducati Streetfighter S

08 March 2012 by MCN

If you’re into the wild side of motorcycling, super nakeds like the Triumph Speed Triple R, Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC and Ducati Streetfighter S are the perfect bikes for you. Though MCN’s testers agreed...

Video: MV Agusta F3 vs Triumph Daytona 675R

08 March 2012 by MCN

The lightest, most powerful and elecronically-advanced supersport machine you can buy – the new MV Agusta F3 goes up against the Triumph Daytona 675 R on the roads of northern Italy. Triumph Daytona...

2012 Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 first ride!

06 March 2012 by MCN

Aprilia’s updated 2012 Dorsoduro 1200 is currently being put through its paces in the foothills of Mount Etna, Sicily, by MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child. Here are his first impressions: “We’ve got...

Video: 2012 KTM 990 Adventure ridden

05 March 2012 by MCN

If this KTM Adventure 990 looks familiar then that’s entirely deliberate – but this is no limited edition ‘Dakar’ version, as debuted last Spring, nor the full-blown ‘R’ version – it’s the standard...

Video: Triumph Explorer 1200 first ride

29 February 2012 by MCN

Triumph is making no bones about gunning for BMW’s best-selling R1200GS – its new Explorer 1200 is aimed squarely at giving the BMW a bloody nose. Triumph motorcycles for sale. And in every possible...

Honda NC700X is brilliant

27 February 2012 by mark

I took a Honda NC700X for a road test recently and ordered one as soon as I got back to the showroom. I’ve traded in a 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 – a great bike in all respects. The biggest problem I had was worrying what would come in the post for two weeks after every ride. I travel many miles a year and the increase in money making machines (sorry, safety cameras) is amazing! As fines are reportedly...

Triumph Tiger Explorer First Ride

24 February 2012 by Marc Potter

MCN Editor, Marc Potter, is at the world launch of the Triumph Tiger Explorer and here are his first thoughts. “Triumph admits it is aiming the Tiger Explorer squarely at the BMW R1200GS, and claims...

Honda Crosstourer first ride

23 February 2012 by MCN

Adventure bikes are moving into a new dimension this week – as MCN’s first test of the Crosstourer proves. The new Honda brings V4 performance and sophisticated automatic transmission to the class for...

Harley-Davidson Softail Slim first ride

17 February 2012 by Phil West

Considering the turmoil Harley-Davidson has been through the last couple of years, what with plummeting US sales, the MV and Buell shockers and the little matter of having to restructure fundamentally...

Honda Crosstourer first ride: "One of the best mile munchers in class"

16 February 2012 by MCN

The Honda Crosstourer is Honda’s all-new adventure bike – aimed squarely at bikes like the BMW R1200GS and Yamaha Super Tenere. Powered by the same V4 engine from the VFR1200, the Crosstourer is...

Video: Onboard a Ducati 1199 Panigale with Neil Hodgson

15 February 2012 by MCN

2003 World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson was at the Ducati 1199 Panigale launch in Abu Dhabi and was kind enough to let MCN bolt-on some onboard cameras during one of his sessions. The Panigale is...

Ducati Panigale first ride: 'Like no Ducati I've ridden'

10 February 2012 by Michael Neeves

UPDATE, 11 Feb, 15:10 “We’re midway through our day riding the new Panigale and it continues to impress. The 195bhp Superquadro engine is hugely impressive with just the right amount of usable torque...

BMW G650GS Sertao first ride

10 February 2012 by MCN

The Sertão region of Brazil is renowned for its rugged, inhospitable terrain – hence its inspiration as the name for BMW’s new hardcore version of its new G650GS. Effectively it’s a belated successor...

2012 KTM 990 Adventure first ride

10 February 2012 by Adam Child

MV Agusta F3 first ride: "tiny, loud and angry"

08 February 2012 by MCN

MCN’s senior road tester Michael Neeves is in the south of France for the official launch of the new 675cc MV Agusta F3. It’s a critical bike for MV – because it’s relatively affordable (at £9999 it’s...

Harley-Davidson Soft Tail Slim first ride

07 February 2012 by MCN

MCN’s executive editor Phil West is testing the new Harley-Davidson Softail Slim and Sportster 72 in southern Spain. He’s just phoned in this brief first impression: “So far I have been riding the new...

Staff Bikes: Ducati Multistrada - What a year!

03 February 2012 by Marc Potter

That’s it. Time to send my Multistrada 1200S back. And I’ve never been sadder to see a bike go. It fits into my life perfectly and that’s saying something as I’ve owned, run and tested just about...

Staff bikes: MV Agusta Brutale - Life's more fun naked

03 February 2012 by Andy Downes

It’s been an amazing year with a bike that managed to combine a muscular engine with fantastic styling and almost daily use, including commuting and lovely trips on some amazing British roads. The...

KTM Freeride 350 first ride

03 February 2012 by MCN

KTM is at it again – attempting to redefine the bikes we ride. The Freeride 350 is the latest example, featuring the Austrian off-road experts’ latest 350EXC-F enduro engine set in a compact...

Triumph Speed Triple R: The harder you ride, the better it gets

02 February 2012 by MCN

Triumph has added a dynamic new dimension to the hugely popular Speed Triple by giving it the ‘R’ treatment. For an extra £2500 over the standard version (£8799), which was released (and heavily...

Video: 2012 Kawasaki ZZR1400 first ride

26 January 2012 by MCN

Twenty-two years after the powerhouse ZZR1100 was launched, Kawasaki has released its all-new ZZR1400 complete with a bigger engine than ever, more power, and sophisticated traction control. To find...

First ride: Triumph Speed Triple R

24 January 2012 by MCN

Triumph’s new-for-2012, uprated Speed Triple R is currently being tested by MCN in southern Spain. These are Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves’ first impressions: “I’m at the launch of the new Triumph...