First rides & tests

Year: ALL

Top 5 reliable middleweights

28 December 2010 by MCN

More than 12,000 MCN readers have responded to our Biking Britain survey this year, and your combined scores on the bikes you own and love (or hate) have allowed us to put together this definitive...

Video: KTM 990 Adventure goes off-road!

27 December 2010 by Michael Guy

Our KTM 990 Adventure longterm test bike is billed as one of the best all round bikes available and over the last eight months I’ve been bar to bar with despatch riders in London, scratched on country...

MCN's top videos of 2010

26 December 2010 by James Keen

Over the course of 2010 we’ve had some cracking videos here on MCN, covering the biggest new bike launches, best group tests and top features. On the MCN youtube channel our 924 (and counting) videos...

Top 5 middleweight retro bikes

25 December 2010 by Marc Abbott

More than 12,000 MCN readers have responded to our Biking Britain survey this year, and your combined scores on the bikes you own and love (or hate) have allowed us to put together this definitive...

Video: Triumph Speed Triple 1050 - 2011 vs 2010

22 December 2010 by MCN

The 2010 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 wasn’t broke – but they fixed it anyway. It was already the class-leading supernaked, but for 2011 Triumph has completely redesigned its roadster. Find a...

Chinese bike group test

21 December 2010 by Dan Aspel

Chinese manufacturers are becoming a bigger and bigger feature in the UK scene. With thousands of bikes built by Jinlu, Sukida, Pulse, Lexmoto, Sinnis and Haotian (to name a few) appearing on our...

2011 Suzuki GSX-R600 first ride - 'front stiffer, brakes harder, midrange stronger'

15 December 2010 by Michael Neeves

MCN’s Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves, is in Almeria, Spain, riding the all-new 2011 GSX-R600. Fresh from his first session at the circuit, here are his first impressions of Suzuki’s new...

Video: 2011 Kawasaki Z750R test - 'too heavy to excite'

15 December 2010 by MCN

Kawasaki is making bold claims about their new Z750R. They say they’re gunning for the magnificent Triumph Street Triple R, which is more or less the same price and power as the Z750R and one of the...

2011 Honda CBR250R first ride - 'the Ninja 250R has a real rival'

14 December 2010 by Matt Shields

Although we’re likely to be waiting until February until the first shipments of Honda’s new CBR250R lightweight arrives in the UK (perhaps no bad thing considering the current icy snap), the...

Staff bikes: CBR600F - getting it up to scratch

09 December 2010 by Andy Downes

Faults with the old Honda CBR600F-W are few and far between. They are renown for bulletproof construction, reliability and apart from camchain tensioners failing, there is really only rotting...

Top 5 comfy sports bikes

08 December 2010 by MCN

More than 12,000 MCN readers have responded to our Biking Britain survey this year, and your combined scores on the bikes you own and love (or hate) have allowed us to put together this definitive...

Kawasaki Z750R first impressions - 'no Street Triple'

08 December 2010 by Michael Neeves

MCN Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves is in southern Spain for the launch of Kawasaki’s new Z750R. Find a Kawasaki Z750 for sale The R model will run alongside the existing Z750 in its 2011...

Video: Kawasaki Z1000SX v Yamaha FZ1 Fazer

08 December 2010 by MCN

Kawasaki’s new Z1000SX proved it will be the sports tourer to beat in 2011 after MCN’s world first group test against Yamaha’s FZ1 Fazer. Read the Kawasaki Z1000SX review Read the full test in...

Video: Used 600s challenge - track time

08 December 2010 by MCN

MCN’s three £1500 600s head to Donington Park to take on a ZX-6R. Will any get near the Kawasaki? Or even get near Donington… Find a used 600 in MCN bikes for sale Video: Used 600s challenge...

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R - full review

07 December 2010 by James Keen

The 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the kawasaki ZX-10R review “Kawasaki’s ZX-10R evokes thoughts of...

Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 gets traction control & ABS - 'fun and safe'

07 December 2010 by Michael Neeves

Traction control and ABS makes Aprilia’s new Dorsoduro 1200 the most sensible and safe of the big supermotos – bikes that are traditionally utterly mental. Read the Aprilia Dorsoduro review MCN...

Kawasaki Ninja 250R Racer first ride - 'tight, planted and solid'

07 December 2010 by Michael Neeves

This is the bike that could catapult a talented teenager into racing superstardom. It’s a race-prepared Kawasaki Ninja 250R and it’s the machine being used for next year’s inaugural European Junior...

Kawasaki Z1000SX vs Yamaha Fazer 1000

06 December 2010 by MCN

MCN has been testing the new Kawasaki Z1000SX against one of its closest rivals, the Yamaha Fazer 1000. The new Z1000SX is based loosely on the naked Kawasaki Z1000, and MCN’s Adam Child was impressed...

Video: 2011 Triumph Speed Triple v KTM SuperDuke v Kawasaki Z1000

01 December 2010 by MCN

Watch the revamped 2011 Triumph Speed Triple take on its closest rivals – the Kawasaki Z1000 and KTM SuperDuke – in the super naked class. Find a Triumph Speed Triple for sale Will more...

Video: Used 600s challenge part 1

24 November 2010 by MCN

The latest 600cc sports bikes are brilliant, but heading towards £9k. MCN investigates how close three 10 year-old 600s can get to modern day performance levels. Find a sports 600 for sale This...

Video: 2011 KTM RC8R first ride

24 November 2010 by Michael Guy

While other sportsbike manufacturers are rushing to develop electronic rider aids (see page 2), KTM believes their new RC8R doesn’t need them. Find a KTM RC8R for sale The heavily updated RC8R has...

Video: Onboard the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R

23 November 2010 by MCN

Kawasaki claims the new ZX-10R has more power, more torque, less weight and more effective electronic rider aids than BMW’s class-leading S1000RR – but is it better? Find a Kawasaki ZX-10R for...

Used 600s challenge - CBR600F v GSX-R600 v Thundercat

23 November 2010 by MCN

The latest 600cc sports bikes are brilliant, but heading towards £9k. MCN investigates how close three 10 year-old 600s can get to modern day performance levels… Find a sports 600 for sale The...

Staff bikes: VFR750 - that'll teach me for being smug

23 November 2010 by Simon Brown

That will teach me for being smug about my bargain VFR 750. Last year the £750 Honda cruised through its MoT with a couple of advisories and a cheery wave from the mechanic. My budget buy was...

Staff bikes: BMW S1000RR - Star of the 'ring

23 November 2010 by Andy Downes

The moment I realised I’d made the right choice borrowing the BMW S1000RR instead of my regular BMW R1200RT arrived as the S1000RR hit an indicated 181mph down the main straight at the Nurburgring. I...

Staff Bikes: Ducati Multistrada - loan leaves an impression

22 November 2010 by Andy Downes

Getting my hands on the Editor’s Ducati Multistrada 1200 was meant to be for just one afternoon so I could do some advanced rider training, but after some begging it turned out to last nearly a...

2011 KTM RC8R first ride - 'Now with twin spark tech'

19 November 2010 by Michael Guy

MCN’s Michael Guy has sent back his first impressions on the new KTM RC8R from the world launch in Spain: Find a KTM RC8R for sale “The previous incarnation of the RC8R had issues with fuelling...

Kawasaki ZX-10R first ride update - 'a formidable weapon'

18 November 2010 by Trevor Franklin

MCN’s Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin is Qatar at the world launch of Kawasaki’s new ZX-10R. He’s just completed a day’s riding and sent this report. Find a Kawasaki ZX-10R for sale “Evening has...

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R first ride - 'much more linear power delivery'

18 November 2010 by Andy Downes

MCN’s Chief Road Tester Trevor Franklin has just stepped off the new Kawasaki ZX-10R after a single sighting lap at the Losail Circuit in Qatar. He’s just phoned in with his initial impressions of...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - End of a wonderful time

17 November 2010 by Andy Downes

Giving back long term test bikes can be a mixed bag of emotions. On occasions you know you won’t miss the bike no matter how good they might be. Other times you know the bike is going to leave a big...

Staff bikes: Triumph Street Triple - Conquering the capital

17 November 2010 by Dan Aspel

Street Triple 1 : London 0 London is a congested network of road works, cycle lanes, tight, un-filterable traffic lights, one-way systems and road rage, all vigilantly policed by a swarm of unblinking...

BMW S1000RR is MCN Machine of the Year

17 November 2010 by Marc Potter

MCN is proud to reveal that the new Machine of the Year for 2010 is the incredible and class-redefining BMW S1000RR. Find a BMW S1000RR for sale As well as being one of Britain’s best-selling...

Video: Rieju MRT200 first ride

17 November 2010 by MCN

If you’re on a restricted licence and like playing in the mud, Spain’s Rieju have just the bike for you – the MRT200 LC Pro Comp. Rieju MRT200 LC Pro Comp – first ride Watch the video for...

Video: Triumph Tiger 800XC first ride

17 November 2010 by MCN

A few weeks ago MCN got a world first ride on the Tiger 800 – the more road-orientated and novice-friendly version of the two new Tigers – and we were blown away. But now we’ve ridden the Tiger...

Triumph Tiger 800XC - 'the best all-round adventure bike in the world'

16 November 2010 by Phil West

Like most, I watched Ewan and Thingey’s ‘Long Way Round’. And like many I’ve harboured fantasies of traversing the globe on an adventure bike, picking up enough tales of diseases and delicacies along...

Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC Special Edition - full review

10 November 2010 by James Keen

The 2010 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC Special Edition has been ridden and rated by MCN – you can read the full web review in the bike reviews section. Read the Aprilia RSV4...