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

Eyes for your bike: Bolt-on camera tech could make biking safer

02 December 2020 by Ben Purvis

Next year sees the start of something new in motorcycling as the Bosch-developed radar system used by Ducati and BMW gives top-end bikes’ on-board computers a picture of what’s going on around them...

BMW turn to 3D printing to perfect their race bikes

05 November 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

BMW are well known as masters of tech on the road and track but now they’re staking a claim as masters of tech off the track too with their latest venture. In a bid to gain valuable seconds for their...

Half a superbike, twice the fun: your in-depth look at Aprilia's new 660 motor

30 October 2020 by Michael Neeves

Aprilia’s new RS660 is the Noale firm’s first new machine in years, plugging a gaping hole in their sportsbike range between the RSV4 1100 and the RS50 and RS125. It also has a brand-new engine…well,...

Bright idea: BMW's new headlights see round corners

16 October 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Riding in the dark highlights an innate problem with traditional headlights – when you lean into a turn the beam is angled away from the direction you’re trying to go. Related articles on MCN BMW...

Like water off a biker's back: Why Belstaff turned to Gore-Tex to create kit for the Long Way Up

09 October 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

You might think of Gore-Tex – as used in Charley and Ewan’s kit for their latest TV epic – as a bit of a wonder material. It magically stops water getting in while letting sweat get out. But you might...

Piping up: How nuclear subs gave us titanium exhausts

22 September 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

As bikes get heavier manufacturers search for ways of making them lighter. Just look at the latest superbikes, such as the Ducati Superleggera or Honda Fireblade, with their titanium pipes. But what...

UK electric bike specialists Saietta target global sales with new high-tech motor

09 September 2020 by Phil West

One of Britain’s leading electric motor makers have announced ambitious expansion plans which could see their workforce multiply 10-fold and their technology used in thousands of machines on the...

Diamonds are forever: BMW create maintenance-free motorbike chain

28 August 2020 by Ben Clarke

BMW say they’ve created motorbike chain that needs no lubrication and no tension adjustment. The maintenance-free unit is to be made available on the S1000RR and S1000XR models as a factory option...

BMW's carbon-fibre swingarm replacement concept

19 August 2020 by Ben Purvis

Amongst the landmarks in motorcycle design, the swingarm stands out as one of the greatest. But now BMW have come up with a revised version of the idea that takes advantage of their extensive...

2electron McFly: Electric bike tech emulates petrol engine of your choice

11 August 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Electric bike tech firm, 2electron, have been working on further developing their McFly system, which emulates the power and torque characteristics, gear ratios, sound and vibration of a potentially...

Push comes to shove: Harley-Davidson patent reveals VVT pushrod engine

10 August 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Harley-Davidson have patented a variable valve timing (VVT) system for their next engine in a bid to meet emissions targets for an air-cooled engine. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen drawings for...

Blowing hot air: Yamaha set to fit turbos across their range

11 June 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Yamaha are working on turbocharging for their next range of bikes. This isn’t Yamaha’s first use of the tech as they briefly made an XJ650 Turbo in the early ’80s, however this new system is...

Tilt to the future: Patents reveal work on a three-wheeled Yamaha TMAX

09 June 2020 by Ben Purvis

The ‘Leaning Multi-Wheel’ (LMW) arm of Yamaha’s model range looks set to grow with the development of a new model derived from the TMAX 560. Sliding into the range between the NMAX-based Tricity 300...

Actual rocket science: The geometry magic that helps Triumph's Rocket 3 handle so well

25 May 2020 by Martin Fitz-Gibbons

One look at Triumph’s Rocket 3 R and you’d imagine it handles with all the deft agility of a Mississippi paddlesteamer. But ride the 2458cc beast and you’ll be amazed at how easily it turns, given its...

Time for a two-stroke comeback

03 April 2020 by Mike Armitage

Cutting carbon emissions and accepting dried-up oil supplies means adopting alternative technology. So, the obvious thing is of course to bring back two-strokes… In a few years Formula 1 racing will...

The shape of things to come: 3D-printed Morlaco heralds a revolution in specials building

10 March 2020 by MCN News

This Fireblade-powered, ‘funny-front-end’ superbike has become one of the very first to have its bodywork and other components produced by 3D printing technology. Dubbed the Morlaco, it’s the latest...

Jeans stronger than steel: lightweight kit strong enough to lift a skip

07 February 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

The latest gear from cutting-edge clothing company Saint combines a stretchy and comfortable denim with AA-rated protection, with enough strength to lift a two-tonne skip from just a single layer of...

Are bike manufacturers doing enough to stop bike theft?

07 January 2020 by Ben Clarke

Bikes are pretty easy to steal. A vehicle with no windows or doors that can be picked up by a few strong people is easier to steal than, say, a car. Steering locks are defeated by a firm kick and...

Getting to the hub of Bimota's 'funny front end'

03 January 2020 by Mike Armitage

Your bike’s forks offer certain advantages: they’re light, neatly packaged, provide lots of feel and have ample stiffness. But forks are a compromise. Related articles on MCN Bimota KB4 set for...

BMW's Vision DC Roadster concept showcases future carbon frame tech

02 January 2020 by Ben Purvis

Carbon fibre might have been around for decades but it’s still something of a wonder material when it comes to combining strength and low weight and, after several false starts, it’s finally becoming...

Bags for life: RST offers cutting-edge airbag tech for all

28 December 2019 by Emma Franklin

British kit firm RST have just launched their first range of airbag jackets at prices they say will finally put the technology within reach of everyday riders. Until now, electronic airbag clobber has...

BMW's E-Power Roadster could be their missing link

09 December 2019 by Jordan Gibbons

BMW have been quietly working on an electric motorcycle project for the last two years. The result is this: the E-Power Roadster Concept – a sort of halfway point between the DC Roadster concept we...

Riding a MotoE-spec Energica Ego Corsa electric motorbike at Valencia

25 November 2019 by Michael Neeves

Most people think battery motorcycles are heavy, slow, boring and lack soul. As for electric racing bikes – well they’re just plain dull, aren’t they? Well, after riding Energica’s MotoE racer at...

Is your Ducati 1299 Panigale too slow? This bolt-on hybrid kit could be the answer…

20 November 2019 by MCN News

A new hybrid conversion kit has been shown at the 2019 Eicma show, in Milan, for the Ducati Panigale 1299 superbike, claiming to boost peak power to around 295bhp and torque to 221ftlb. Called the...

New tech could soon replace conventional helmet liners

10 September 2019 by Jordan Gibbons

A major breakthrough in helmet safety could save your skull in a crash and keep your head cooler than current lids. Virtually every motorcycle helmet currently uses an EPS (expanded polystyrene)...

Exploring the technology behind cornering ABS and traction control

10 September 2019 by Ben Purvis

A technological revolution is transforming biking as cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control, powered by inertial measurement units (IMUs), become the norm even on mundane models, all thanks...