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The latest new motorbike and rider technology

Read exclusive stories about the latest motorcycle and rider technology, paving the way for bikes of the future.

Year: ALL

The Diablo's in the detail: New Pirelli Supercorsa V4 brings track performance to the street

27 January 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

The Diablo's in the detail: New Pirelli Supercorsa V4 brings track performance to the street

Pirelli are catering for their sportiest customers with the fourth generation of their Diablo Supercorsa motorcycle tyres for both the street and the track – using a dual-compound design on the front...

Triumph say biofuels prove electric bikes aren’t the only way forward

13 January 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Triumph say biofuels prove electric bikes aren’t the only way forward

Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent, has spoken exclusively to MCN about how developing ethanol rich E40 fuel for Moto2 by 2024 could influence the sustainability of road bikes. “I think...

Ace of base: How ZeroFit make the 'world's warmest base layer'

12 January 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Ace of base: How ZeroFit make the 'world's warmest base layer'

You have to have the utmost confidence in your garments to trademark them as the ‘world’s warmest base layer’ but that’s just what ZeroFit have done. The ‘Heat Rub’ technology was developed by...

Aprilia’s V4 to get VVT: Firm take out variable valve timing patent for future RSV4 superbike

06 January 2023 by Ben Purvis

Aprilia’s V4 to get VVT: Firm take out variable valve timing patent for future RSV4 superbike

Suzuki, BMW, Kawasaki, Ducati and Yamaha have all taken steps into variable valve timing and now Piaggio are developing their own setup for a future Aprilia RSV4. Suzuki’s VVT design, used in the...

Quick as lightning battery tech gives 135-mile range after 10 minutes of charging

30 December 2022 by Stuart Prestidge

Quick as lightning battery tech gives 135-mile range after 10 minutes of charging

Pioneering battery innovation company Enevate have announced a partnership with Lightning Motorcycles to equip their 150mph Strike Carbon sportsbike with new advanced lithium-ion cells which could...

Could biofuels save the combustion engine?

21 December 2022 by Stuart Prestidge

Could biofuels save the combustion engine?

The electric revolution is well underway but advancing biofuel technology could see the beloved combustion engine live to fight another day. Engines themselves are not the enemy, it is their use of...

Brembo go green with eco-friendly brake pads: high-end performance without the damage to the planet

09 December 2022 by Stuart Prestidge

Brembo go green with eco-friendly brake pads: high-end performance without the damage to the planet

Brembo have come through on a promise they made a year ago to produce high performing brake pads that are less harmful to the planet than conventional items. The approach to the new Greenance range...

Airheads: World's first integrated airbag helmet unveiled by Airoh

02 December 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Airheads: World's first integrated airbag helmet unveiled by Airoh

Airbag systems are nothing new in biking. Once a safety net reserved for the MotoGP elite, they’re now found in everything from standalone vests to adventure jackets, to bespoke leathers. However,...

MotoGP's lid revolution: Mips safety gurus bring new levels of protection to racers

25 November 2022 by Dan Sutherland

MotoGP's lid revolution: Mips safety gurus bring new levels of protection to racers

Swedish helmet safety pioneers, Mips, are stepping into the MotoGP world championship to protect riders from the forces of rotational impacts generated in crashes. Improvements in rider safety are...

Turning trash into treasure: Bering Freeway kit created using 70% recycled plastic

18 November 2022 by Jim Blackstock

Turning trash into treasure: Bering Freeway kit created using 70% recycled plastic

French kit manufacturer Bering have taken environmental sustainability one step further as their latest Freeway suit is made from 70% recycled plastic bottles taken directly from the sea. The key...

RE ZRO armour protects you and the planet: Brit innovation ready to hit the market

04 November 2022 by Dan Sutherland

RE ZRO armour protects you and the planet: Brit innovation ready to hit the market

With the drive towards net zero, a new body armour firm have created what’s said to be the world’s first 100% recyclable and 100% biodegradable impact protection. Currently in testing for CE levels...

Alpinestars Tech Air 3: Clever gear you can stash in your rucksack when you aren’t riding

13 October 2022 by Stuart Prestidge

Alpinestars Tech Air 3: Clever gear you can stash in your rucksack when you aren’t riding

Alpinestars’ new autonomous airbag system, the Tech-Air 3, could save your life in the blink of an eye – and it is small enough to pack away in a rucksack or under the seat of a scooter when you...

Getting ghosted: D3O’s latest armour offers flexibility and comfort without sacrificing safety

07 October 2022 by Stuart Prestidge

Getting ghosted: D3O’s latest armour offers flexibility and comfort without sacrificing safety

Armour is no good if it’s so hefty and restrictive that you end up taking it out – especially in kit like riding jeans – which is where the latest gear from British firm D3O comes into its own. The...

Baffling technology: Yamaha and Akrapovic up the power without breaking noise limits on GYTR project

06 October 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Baffling technology: Yamaha and Akrapovic up the power without breaking noise limits on GYTR project

Yamaha’s track-only R1 GYTR will arrive in dealers for 2023 with a new Akrapovic Mid Muffler System promising more power, less weight and a noise level below 101dB. Available across Yamaha’s entire...

Shoei's quest to cut drag: Wind-tunnel developed X-SPR Pro leads helmet tech advances

23 September 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Shoei's quest to cut drag: Wind-tunnel developed X-SPR Pro leads helmet tech advances

Shoei’s new X-SPR Pro helmet looks set to raise the bar in helmet tech – and particularly aerodynamics. The Pro is Shoei’s top-of-the-range, FIM-homologated racing lid, built to meet the new ECE...

Triumph’s 2023 Moto2 big boost: How Triumph have squeezed more from their triple, without sacrificing reliability

16 September 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Triumph’s 2023 Moto2 big boost: How Triumph have squeezed more from their triple, without sacrificing reliability

Moto2 engine suppliers, Triumph, are gunning for higher top speeds, more overtaking and greater excitement from 2023 – with the firm announcing significant upgrades to their circa 140bhp, 765cc racing...

Salt of the earth: Sodium-ion batteries are the safe, cheap and abundant alternative to lithium

02 September 2022 by Ben Purvis

Salt of the earth: Sodium-ion batteries are the safe, cheap and abundant alternative to lithium

Next year electric bike giants Niu plan to launch a scooter powered by a sodium-ion battery rather than the lithium-ion cells which have become ubiquitous across the burgeoning electric bike...

Belly of the beast: Why Aprilia’s MotoGP championship challenger stands out from the rest

25 August 2022

Belly of the beast: Why Aprilia’s MotoGP championship challenger stands out from the rest

The current crop of MotoGP machines might be the fastest we’ve ever seen but they’re also among the ugliest – sprouting ever more elaborate wings and fins in the effort to tame the airflow.   Among...

Back to the carbon fibre future! Lighter, stronger carbon forks on the way thanks to BMW and ZF

18 August 2022 by Ben Purvis

Back to the carbon fibre future! Lighter, stronger carbon forks on the way thanks to BMW and ZF

Although carbon-fibre forks have come and gone over the years in MotoGP, a new set of carbon suspension developed by BMW and ZF in Germany helped the M1000RR to victory at the recent Spa 24-hour...

Nasa tech at Asda prices: Indian firm’s hydrogen fuel cell bike plan gives glimpse of future

29 July 2022 by Ben Purvis

Nasa tech at Asda prices: Indian firm’s hydrogen fuel cell bike plan gives glimpse of future

Hydrogen fuel cells have been around for decades but they’re still seen as a space-age technology more at home on the International Space Station than at your local filling station. But that won’t be...

Reading between the lines: Honda working on lane assistance system for the bikes of the future

22 July 2022 by Ben Purvis

Reading between the lines: Honda working on lane assistance system for the bikes of the future

Honda is developing rider-assistance systems with the aim of making accidents a thing of the past – but rather than taking away control, they’re aiming to nudge us into making the right...

Hydrogen’s swappable solution: Car giant’s H2 plans could pave the way for next-gen motorcycles

14 July 2022 by Ben Purvis

Hydrogen’s swappable solution: Car giant’s H2 plans could pave the way for next-gen motorcycles

Japanese automotive powerhouse Toyota have demonstrated a method to overcome one of the greatest stumbling blocks of using hydrogen as a fuel.  Hydrogen is attractive on several fronts. Its...

Clever kit is creating a real buzz: How honeycomb structures inspire new lighter, thinner body armour

06 July 2022 by Phil West

Clever kit is creating a real buzz: How honeycomb structures inspire new lighter, thinner body armour

Knox has revealed their lightest and thinnest products yet. Inspired by natural structures such as honeycomb, the new Micro-Lock Compact builds on the firm’s already popular Micro-Lock range,...

‘We are shipping product and it is real’: Forcite smart helmet boss explains how their high-tech helmet will succeed where others failed

29 June 2022 by Dan Sutherland

‘We are shipping product and it is real’: Forcite smart helmet boss explains how their high-tech helmet will succeed where others failed

Smart motorcycle helmets are nothing new. Companies have been promising internal cameras, head-up displays and more for years, but very few have made it to market and fewer still have made any...

Yamaha’s green initiative: $100 million fund available for environmental tech firms

28 June 2022 by Phil West

Yamaha’s green initiative: $100 million fund available for environmental tech firms

Yamaha has become the latest major motorcycle manufacturer to significantly expand its green credentials with the announcement of a new $100 million fund for investing in environmental...

Textile gear that covers all bases: How Klim use the latest fabrics to create tough but breathable waterproof gear

24 June 2022 by Jordan Gibbons

Textile gear that covers all bases: How Klim use the latest fabrics to create tough but breathable waterproof gear

For adventure riders, there’s never been an answer to the age-old question: what gear is cool enough off-road but protective enough on-road and waterproof too?   A suit that saves you from a 70mph...

Petrol vs electric: MCN lifts the lid on the true cost of battery powered bikes

17 June 2022 by Ben Purvis

Petrol vs electric: MCN lifts the lid on the true cost of battery powered bikes

Love it or hate it, we’re seeing major developments in electric motorcycles. But the latest research shows that their environmental advantage over more traditional petrol-powered machines is far from...

Swedish e-bike firm Cake discuss progress towards zero carbon

17 June 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Swedish e-bike firm Cake discuss progress towards zero carbon

Cake Motorcycles founder Stefan Ytterborn has updated MCN on plans to build the first truly fossil-free bike by 2025. The Swedish firm calculate that building one of their electric-enduro-style...

CFMoto point the way to the future with their modular chassis ethos

10 June 2022 by Ben Purvis

CFMoto point the way to the future with their modular chassis ethos

We’ve had our first look under the skin of a new CFMoto electric in the works that uses a modular plug-and-play design that could be adapted into a range of models. The Chinese firm has already...

Langen's electric future: UK firm famous for 2T café racer are working towards swappable battery tech

10 June 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Langen's electric future: UK firm famous for 2T café racer are working towards swappable battery tech

Wigan-based Langen Technology is developing a new modular battery system that they believe could revolutionise the off-road and greenlaning industry. A sister firm to Langen Motorcycles (the team...

Bosch push ‘hydrogen economy’: Engineering firm backs plan for 4000 hydrogen filling stations by 2030

01 June 2022 by Ben Purvis

Bosch push ‘hydrogen economy’: Engineering firm backs plan for 4000 hydrogen filling stations by 2030

While battery-powered electric bikes have been at the forefront of efforts to create carbon-neutral machines, there’s long been support for hydrogen as an alternative green fuel – and now engineering...

Honda tech steers out of danger: Clever new tech brings the ability to take control and prevent accidents

26 May 2022 by Ben Purvis

Honda tech steers out of danger: Clever new tech brings the ability to take control and prevent accidents

When Honda unveiled the Riding Assist and Riding Assist-e concept bikes back in 2017 the self-balancing machines stunned with their autonomous abilities – and now Honda is developing the technology to...

BMW adaptive aero springs into action: How pop-out bodywork is the future of aerodynamics

17 May 2022 by Ben Purvis

BMW adaptive aero springs into action: How pop-out bodywork is the future of aerodynamics

The idea of moving bodywork is far from new, but BMW are looking to get in on the act without the use of electronics. We’ve had electrically adjustable screens for years and more recently Moto Guzzi’s...

Getting amped up: D3O develop new AMP helmet liner system absorb low-level impacts

29 April 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Getting amped up: D3O develop new AMP helmet liner system absorb low-level impacts

Motorcycle helmet safety standards have been rightfully given a boost recently with the introduction of ECE 22.06 and a greater focus on rotational injuries. Now armour specialists D3O want to take...

Revolutionary Shoei ‘Opticson’ helmet is edging towards production

22 April 2022 by Ben Purvis

Revolutionary Shoei ‘Opticson’ helmet is edging towards production

The idea of having a head-up display (HUD) inside a motorcycle helmet is far from new, but despite dozens of false starts, it’s still not a technology that’s managed to break into mainstream...

Current affairs: Horwin planning fast-charging ‘niobium-battery’ bike by 2024

12 April 2022 by Ben Purvis

Current affairs: Horwin planning fast-charging ‘niobium-battery’ bike by 2024

The Brazilian arm of electric bike firm Horwin has inked a deal with niobium supplier CBMM to bring ultra-fast charging niobium batteries to the company’s bikes as soon as 2024. Niobium is an element...