First rides & tests

Year: ALL

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - Ilmberger carbon hand guards

14 April 2010 by Ian Jubb

The first change to the look of the BMW comes in the subtle form of new hand guards. Ilmberger Carbon to be precise. I think they look great, bringing a little bit of sportyness to the overall look. Next up – Fender and Hugger in carbon. Further reading Staff bike blogs | BMW R1200GS blog BLOG10 R1200GS10

Video: Suzuki GSX1250F v CBF1000GT v VFR1200 v FZ1 Fazer

14 April 2010 by MCN

After MCN’s first ride of the new £6,999 Suzuki GSX1250F we realised that it’s a great bike at a bargain price. But how does it compare to the more expensive all-rounder competition? Read the...

Wanted: Your Triumph for an MCN road test

13 April 2010 by Trevor Franklin

MotorCycle news is compiling a feature about 20-years of Hinckley manufactured Triumphs, and MCN is looking for original 1991 models to be included. The bikes required are: 1991 Trophy 1200 1991...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - 3000 miles in 2 weeks

13 April 2010 by Ian Jubb

After 3000 miles in three weeks it’s now the second time to top up the oil. It seems to use an awful lot of the golden stuff. I read on forums that this would be the case but didn’t expect to have to put so much in. Only my two stroke lambretta uses more! Pictured is the nifty little key you get to make sure nobody can mess with your filler cap. Further reading Staff bike blogs | BMW R1200GS...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - The RT doesn't disappoint

12 April 2010 by Andy Downes

I’ve just woken up in Moffat in Scotland after a great days ride up yesterday on the BMW R1200RT. There’s nothing like a long trip to help you gel with a new bike and the RT didn’t disappoint managing...

In next week: Suzuki GSX1250F group test

09 April 2010 by Chris Newbigging

MCN has tested the new Suzuki GSX1250F for the first time on UK soil – but as it only has one real direct rival, we’ve done things a little differently. We’ve included it’s closest competitor, the...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki Versys – The final countdown

09 April 2010 by Liam Marsden

On 11 April 2008 I passed my motorcycle test, I was 17 at the time. This means that until 11 April 2010 I’m restricted to 33bhp and my Kawasaki Versys long term test bike has already arrived. On...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - Ten days, 650 miles and all is cool…just wet

07 April 2010 by Andy Downes

At some point over the next few months I might get to find out what the BMW R1200RT I am running as a long term test bike is like to ride in the dry. So far, the bike has been out in the wet, the...

Video: WSB Ten Kate Fireblade on the road!

07 April 2010 by MCN

The new edition of MCN Sport magazine is out now, featuring a world-exclusive real roads test of the awesome 220bhp Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Fireblade. But you can get a flavour of this...

Video: Ducati Monster 1100 ABS - brake tested

07 April 2010 by MCN

Ducati’s new ABS-equipped Monster costs £700 more than the standard non-ABS version. To find out if it’s worth the extra cash, MCN brake tests the Monsters back-to-back. Find a Ducati...

Staff Bikes: Victory Hammer S - Time for tea

01 April 2010 by Chris Newbigging

This is only my second blog entry, and I’m already cheating by blogging on someone else’s Hammer activity. German magazine Motorrad has replicated BMW’s viral video for the S1000RR, where the superbike appears to pull a table cloth from under a fully laid table. There’s some doubt as to whether the BMW really did, but using a Victory Hammer, the German journalists sort of manage it. The plates,...

First impressions: Husqvarna SMS630 and TE630

31 March 2010 by Michael Neeves

We’re in Italy riding Husqvarna’s two new road bikes: the SMS630 supermoto and TE630 enduro-styled machine. Both bikes have new motors with twin-cam heads a capacity hike from 576cc to 600cc and a...

Video: Bakker Nelis TL1000 special

31 March 2010 by MCN

MCN rides an astonishing TL1000-powered streetfighter special that stands out as one of the best built and nicest to ride we’ve seen. Video: Bakker Grizzly Allround Video: Bakker 250cc Moto3...

Video: Ducati Multistrada 1200 v BMW GS

31 March 2010 by MCN

The king is dead. Long live the king. MCN’s world first comparison test of the new Ducati Multistrada 1200 proves it is a better all-rounder than BMW’s brilliant R1200GS. More on the Multistrada...

Video: Bakker 250cc Moto3 prototype

29 March 2010 by MCN

Legendary Dutch tuner Nico Bakker is selling the first ‘Moto3’-spec race a bike, a 4-stroke successor to the near obsolete and highly expensive 2-stroke 125 GP machines. Video: Bakker Grizzly...

Video: Triumph Daytona 675 and Street Triple R race bikes ridden

29 March 2010 by MCN

MCN rides two very special Triumphs – the factory Daytona 675 that Chaz Davies is racing in WSS this year and a Street Triple R from the one-make race series supporting WSB in 2010. Find a Triumph...

Staff bikes: Victory Hammer S - The coolest bike on the fleet

29 March 2010 by Chris Newbigging

I have, by far, the coolest long term test bike on fleet. Forget the BMW S1000RR and Ducati Multistrada, my Victory Hammer S is the most widely admired. How can I claim this? I’ve put it to the ten...

Staff bikes: BMW R1200GS - First few miles

26 March 2010 by Ian Jubb

The day most exciting day this year so far arrived when I took delivery of my shiny new BMW R1200 GS long termer. After skipping to the lockup i finally got to see what I’d been waiting for and there it stood complete with panniers and satnav. To make life easier this year when cleaning the beast I immediately sprayed the whole thing with Scottoiler’s F365 protective spray. It should stop the...

Staff bikes: Kawasaki GPz550 - It's fictional

26 March 2010 by Steve Farrell

I had a budget of £300 to spend on a bike when I saw this advertised on a forum with a month’s tax and MoT. MCN happened to have a van passing the seller’s area that day. I gave the driver the cash.

Staff bikes: BMW R1200RT - A testing start

25 March 2010 by Andy Downes

In terms of timing, weather and traffic, the day I hitched a lift to Vines in Guildford to pick up my BMW R1200RT long term test bike couldn’t have been any worse. Around 20 miles away from the...

Staff bikes: Honda Hornet - In search of that elusive new-bike feel

24 March 2010 by James Keen

Here at MCN we get the chance to ride a lot of crisp new bikes fresh from the manufacturer, so in comparison my Hornet seems a bit old and tired. For that reason my mission for this year is to get it...

World first test: Ducati Multistrada v BMW R1200GS

24 March 2010 by Trevor Franklin

MCN testers have gone to Italy to pit the astonishing new Ducati Multistrada 1200S in a world first comparison test against the class-leading BMW R1200GS. Trevor’s full test will appear in next week’s...

Video: 2010 Kawasaki Versys v BMW F650GS v Suzuki V-Strom

24 March 2010 by MCN

Five miles was all it took for MCN’s road testers to agree the new 2010 Kawasaki Versys is fun to ride. 100 miles later it was clear the new bike should be just as popular as the 2009 Versys. Find...

Video: Suzuki GSX1250F in action

23 March 2010 by MCN

The new Suzuki GSX1250F looks set to be the sport-touring bargain of 2010 – at £6999 it’s £1000s cheaper than competitors and £4597 less than the Honda VFR1200F. Watch the video for a quick look at...

Suzuki GSX1250FA first ride - 'the bargain tourer of the year'

20 March 2010 by MCN

MCN’s Chris Newbigging is in Gerona, Spain at the launch of the new Suzuki GSX1250FA. Here are his first impressions after riding Suzuki’s new fully-faired tourer: “The Suzuki GSX1250FA looks set to...

Video: Bakker Grizzly Allround - 'GSX-R1000 power, GS comfort'

17 March 2010 by MCN

Ducati might think that the just-released Multistrada 1200 is the last word in high performance adventure bikes, but Nico Bakker’s 160bhp Grizzly Allround makes it look tame. Read the full test...

Top ten used Aprilias

17 March 2010 by MCN

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

Video test: MV Brutale 990R v KTM 990 Super Duke v Ducati Streetfighter

17 March 2010 by MCN

MV’s new 990 Brutale is now both more user-friendly and cheaper than a Yamaha R1, but does that make it the best of the affordable super nakeds? Find a super naked for sale Watch the video to see...

Video: BMW S1000RR is king

10 March 2010 by MCN

MCN took part in the annual Masterbike test at the new Motorland circuit near Valencia, Spain, where all nine 1000cc inline-fours and 1200 V-twin sportsbikes competed head-to-head. Check out...

BMW S1000RR annihilates competition on track

09 March 2010 by Chris Newbigging

As you predicted in our online poll, BMW’s stunningly fast S1000RR has defeated all eight of its major rivals on track, comfortably annihilating the competition from both Japan and Europe. Read the...

Poll: Which is the fastest superbike of 2010?

08 March 2010 by MCN

Since the introduction of new contenders like BMW’s new S1000RR, Aprilia’s new RSV4R and MV Agusta’s all-new F4 1000, the question every sportsbike fan has been asking is: Which is the quickest 2010...

Video: Aprilia RSV4 onboard at Motorland

08 March 2010 by MCN

In this week’s MCN, on sale March 10, we reveal the results of Masterbike 2010 – the first track test featuring every current superbike from Europe and Japan. Read the Aprilia RSV4 Factory...

Video review: 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200

05 March 2010 by MCN

The 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 is so good, it heralds a new era, moving motorcycle design on to the next stage. 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 first ride report Ducati Multistrada 1200 rivals...

Top 10 greatest engines

04 March 2010 by MCN

Video preview: 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 tested

02 March 2010 by MCN

The 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 is so startling, different and advanced that it’s immediately clear motorcycling will never be the same again. Watch the video for a quick preview of our Multistrada...

2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 first ride - "The new benchmark for the class?"

28 February 2010 by Phil West

All 3 versions of the 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 are in Lanzarote being put through their paces by MCN’s Phil West. Ducati boss explains Multistrada active suspension Ducati Multistrada 1200 prices...