FINDING THE IDEAL ADVENTURE BIKE:

Moto Guzzi V85TT, Suzuki V-Strom 1050 XT, Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro

GET INTO TRIUMPH YAMAHA

TRIALS STORY TRACER 700
(and electric bikes too) 30 years at Hinckley From hooligan to tourer December 2020
Issue 273
 Don’t look back
in anger
Mikko Nieminen

A
round this time of the year we
usually have a little look back at
what it was that made the year
memorable – a particular bike,
event, ride or trend.
This year it’s pretty clear what
it was that dominated the past, so
instead of getting hung up on it, let’s just hope that it
won’t play such a massive role in the future.
Setting the unmentionable global issues to one side,
there were plenty of landmark moments in the little
world of motorcycling even during a year like this.
Here in the UK, Triumph kept waving the flag with
the new, big and frankly bonkers Rocket 3. To build
the biggest production motorcycle in the world is
as much about beating your chest and roaring as it
is about clever engineering, but to see that level of
confidence from Triumph is satisfying.
Meanwhile, the card house that Norton had built
finally came crashing down. It’s a sign of the times
that an Indian company should come to buy what
was left of the company. Given how successful Indian
ownership has been with Royal Enfield, we can expect
to see Norton bounce back sooner or later. In one
form or another.
It has also been a year of great new bikes. The one
that made the biggest impression on me was the 204bhp
Ducati Streetfighter V4. Earlier in the year I thought that
the Rocket 3 was going to be the most out-there bike of
the year, but the sound of the big V4 was enough to tell
you that regardless of capacity and weight, this was the
biggest beast on our roads this year.
In the coming weeks Ducati is going to launch the
new V4 Multistrada, too. The engine has been tamed
for touring purposes, and we can’t wait to see the new
’Strada. Fingers crossed that we will be able to get
Despite all the doom and gloom,
this year had its moments
our hands on one soon. Talking about motorcycles of
the near future, there are plenty of exciting machines
being launched.
The heavyweight cruiser from BMW, the R 18,
which we have tested in this issue, is a big deal for
both the manufacturer and the segment. With Harley
cutting its range ahead of the Euro 5 emissions
regulations, BMW is hoping to enter the cruiser
market with a bang. And with a handsome bike like
that, I can see it happening.
We have also seen plenty of other bikes break
cover. Aprilia’s new RS 660 enters the middleweight
sportsbike category, KTM has upgraded the 790
Adventure into 890 Adventure for even bigger
adventures, and plenty of existing models have been
given specification upgrades and new colours. We
have the news of the main changes covered in this
issue, and we will be riding them soon.
Of course, not all new 2021 bikes have been
revealed yet, so there will be plenty more bikes to
cover in future issues.
Normally, around this time, we would be queuing
to get into motorcycle shows to see the bikes, but
this year we have to get our fix through other means.
Motorcycle Live will be going online November 21-29,
and it will be great to see how these digital gatherings
work, but hopefully we can soon meet somewhere in
person and talk bikes again.
Here’s to a better 2021!
Mikko Nieminen,
Editor

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors...

Roland
Brown
A bike journalist
for more than 30 years,
Roland has contributed
to countless publications
worldwide and authored
a dozen books on bikes.
He has tested machines
ranging from Rossi’s
YZR-M1 to a 1923
Douglas, but still can’t
decide which type of bike
he most enjoys riding.
Peter
Henshaw
Peter is our
history man – he’s written
more than 60 books and
is a former editor of this
very publication. Now a
freelance journalist, he
writes about transport
of all kinds, though bikes
are really at the heart
of it all. He’s an all-year-
round rider who does
not own a car.
Nathan
Millward
A reluctant
adventurer, Nathan's first
big trip was riding home
from Australia on a 105cc
Aussie post bike. Nathan
now runs Garbage Run
tours and resides in
North Devon where
attempts at learning to
surf have all been in vain.
Currently running a Moto
Guzzi V85TT.
Maynard
Hershon
Maynard lives in
Denver, Colorado, US, and
rides a lovable Kawasaki
ZRX1200. He began
riding in 1962 and found
that on or off the bike he
was happiest thinking
about motorcycling. He’s
always led a life that’s
focused on riding, rather
than life’s more mundane
trivialities.
Adam
‘Chad’ Child
Yorkshire-
born Chad has been
professionally testing bikes
for 20 years, attended more
than 350 bike launches, and
covered over a million road
test miles. With race wins at
Oliver’s Mount and two top
10 TT finishes, Chad is just
as happy elbow down on a
race track or kicking up
mud off-road.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 3
Contents PAY LESS
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Your chance to save £££ and get the
7 News magazine before it's in the shops.
Lots of new bikes for 2021. Some
pretty cool ones, too. 32 Maynard Hershon
There have been many bikes in
12 Legal Eagle Maynard’s life. This one got away....
Our resident lawyer on two wheels
takes questions. 48 Kit guide
This time our guide is all about
18 Products leather gloves.
Ten products that are definitely worth
having a closer look at. TOURING & ADVENTURE
20 Your letters 51 Touring news
This is where you can have your say International Motorcyclists Touring
about anything motorcycle related. Club emerges from lockdown.

52 Day ride
Isle of Wight makes for a great riding
holiday
ROAD TESTS
56 Mid ride
Maja took her Ducati Supersport S all 10 Benelli TNT 125
the way to Slovenia and back. This lean, mean, green machine is an
urban hit.
60 Long ride
What goes up, must come down – 14 Yamaha Tracer 700
even in Australia. Built on the naked MT-07, this is a
tourer with a difference.
66 Richard Millington
It’s been a strange year. What about 22 BMW R 18
the next one? This is the Bavarians’ big, bold
opening move in the cruiser game.
68 Making progress in Nepal

78 IAM RoadSmart has been spending

time in an unusual place to train
riders.
36 Little-big adventurers
Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT, Moto Guzzi
V85TT, Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro.

4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 TEST FLEET
90 Royal Enfield December 2020
Interceptor 650 EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen
Mikko is defending the mnieminen@mortons.co.uk
Interceptor against doubters. DESIGNER: Charlotte Turnbull
PRODUCTION EDITOR: Mike Cowton
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage
91 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley
SX Tourer
GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER:
Stu has been very kind about Sue Keily
the Kawasaki, so we try to DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER:
Tom Lee:
intervene. tlee@mortons.co.uk
01507 529412
92 Triumph Street ADVERTISING SALES: Emma Buxton-Rockley:
EBuxton-Rockley@Mortons.co.uk
Scrambler

76
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How do you know if you have SALES AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER:
Carl Smith: CMSmith@Mortons.co.uk
found the one? This is how. MARKETING MANAGER:
Charlotte Park: cpark@mortons.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole
93 Honda Africa Twin EDITORIAL ADDRESS:
KNOWLEDGE It doesn’t matter how big the MSL Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way,
Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR
bike is – you can always
WEBSITE: www.mslmagazine.co.uk
75 Knowledge over-pack. GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES:
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76 Ana Carrasco Roger and the TMAX.
Quick chat with the fastest woman in SUBSCRIPTION:
road racing. 85 BMW F900XR Full subscription rates (but see page 30 for
offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and
Mike is going all out with packing) – UK £52.80. Export rates are also
78 Triumph history gizmos on the BMW. available – see page 30 for more details.
UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the
Ups and downs of 30 years in purposes of Value Added Tax.
Hinckley. 96 Suzuki V-Strom SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS:
Media Centre, Morton Way,
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86 Inch Perfect Trials The big Suzuki has never been CUSTOMER SERVICES NUMBER: 01507 529529
TELEPHONE LINES ARE OPEN:
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missing out.
97 Moto Guzzi V85TT DISTRIBUTION:
Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor
100 Tried & tested It’s time to say goodbye to the 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP
We have tested jackets, trousers, Guzzi. Tel 0330 390 6555
PRINTED:
helmets, and the rest.... William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton
98 Yamaha Ténéré 700 The publisher accepts no responsibility for
106 Kevin Cameron We have a new rider on the unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If you
are sending material to us for publication, you
How crankshaft design has changed Ténéré, and it’s getting dirty are strongly advised to make copies and to
include a stamped addressed envelope. Original
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accepted solely on the basis that the author

36
accepts the assessment of the publisher as to
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Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this
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in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
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 NEW
Multistrada V4’s got your back
Need to know ◆ Your letters ◆ First rides

The world’s first

motorcycle
equipped with
front and rear
radar technology

W
e have been
waiting for the
V4 version of
the Multistrada
for a while. But
we had no idea that the fourth
generation of the popular bike
(more than 110,000 units
already produced) would have
eyes in the back of its head. Or
radars anyway. Because that’s
what it’s got – the Multistrada
V4 is the first motorcycle in the
world equipped with front and
Front radar Rear radar
rear radar. Oh, and the bike is
equipped with a completely new
V4 Granturismo engine operation of the ACC (Adaptive rider or through the rear-view
developed for maximum Cruise Control), which by mirror. The BSD (Blind Spot
smoothness and extension of means of controlled braking and Detection) system also signals
maintenance intervals, but how acceleration automatically the approach from behind of
about those radars! adjusts the distance (selectable vehicles at high speed.
Each radar has compact on four levels) from other Finally, about the engine…
dimensions (70x60x28mm, vehicles when riding at a speed The new, light and compact V4 Euro 5 regulations.
similar to a modern action between 19 and 99mph. Granturismo engine has At 66.7kg the 1,158cc V4 is
camera) and integrates perfectly The rear radar, on the other maintenance intervals of, wait 1.2kg lighter than the
into the bike, weighing only hand, is able to detect and for it, 37,282 miles (60,000km). Testastretta twin-cylinder of the
190 grams. report vehicles positioned in the The V4 Granturismo delivers previous Multistrada 1260.
The radar positioned in the so-called blind spot, i.e. the area 125kW (170hp) of power and Hands up if you want to see
front of the vehicle controls the not visible either directly by the 125Nm of torque. And it meets this bike NOW!

Aprilia’s RS 660 is here

The vital statistics are: 100bhp, 183kg, £10,149
Thee Italian factory has just released its hotly
antticipated mid-capacity sportbike. It gets a
1000bhp 660cc parallel-twin that produces
67NNm of torque, developed from the front
bannk of the 1100cc V4 (that will be used for
her machines!).
oth
There’s a full electronics package: TFT
T Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II hoops.
Dassh, Traction Control, Wheelie Control,
uise Control, ‘Shifter, ‘Blipper and Cornering
Cru
ABS, IMU, changeable rider modes, engine
map and engine brake strategies.
The brakes are Brembo, with four piston
calipers and dual 320mm discs on the front,
and a single disc on the rear. There’s adjustable
41mm USD Kayaba forks and shock, alongside
It weighs in at 183kg, wet. It’s priced at
£10,149.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 7
Top Stories
Honda reveals
Forza 750
New maxi-scooter and smaller
offerings coming for 2021
The new Forza 750 – the largest
capacity scooter on the market
right now – is essentially an
evolution of the long-standing
Integra. It shares plenty of kit
– but some clever changes mean
that it stands apart.
As you’d expect, Honda’s
made use of its long-stroke
inline twin that was first used to
power the NC700. It’s been
tweaked to meet Euro 5
regulations and displacement
has been increased slightly to
745cc, which helps it to kick
out 58hp and plenty of low-
down torque.
The Forza 750 also gets
Honda’s own DCT dual-clutch
automatic transmission system.
There’s a range of rider modes to
help you find the perfect settings
to suit your riding too.
The big Forza has been
designed using the base of a
conventional motorcycle, which
means that it has the advantages
of motorcycle dynamics in a
scooter chassis. There’s
motorcycle style suspension;
with an inverted fork on which
four-piston brake calipers are
radially anchored and a rear More Forza
shock absorber connected to an In addition to the range-topping 750, Honda has released new 350
aluminium swingarm. and 125 versions of the Forza.
There’s a 17-inch rim up front The Forza 350 gets a capacity and power increase (up from
which comes kitted out with two 300cc), updates to its styling and performance, plus the option for
large 310mm discs – while the Honda Smartphone Voice Control system.
rear gets a 15 ”-inch rim (like The Forza 125 receives an update to styling, practicality and
the Honda X-ADV). aerodynamic performance.
It’s not exactly light, but
considering its size, its 235kg
weight doesn’t seem bad at all,
particularly when compared to
some of the competition.
It also gets a TFT instrument
panel and an electronic key, and
there are also optional heated
grips, blankets, luggage and
more. It’s also going to be
available as a restricted A2 Forza 125 Forza 350
licence-friendly 35kW version.

Honda CB650R and Honda

CBR650R updated Dakar colours for MSX125 Grom
Honda Africa Twin
The major update for Honda’s 650 Honda’s little 125 gets a style
twins is the The CRF1100L Africa Twin will now be update with easily removed body
application of available in the classic Pearl Glare White panels and new, Euro
41mm Showa Tricolour paint scheme inspired by the 5-specification air-cooled engine
Separate original XRV650 Africa Twin, which was with five-speed gearbox. Peak
Function Big launched in 1988 during Honda’s run of power of 7.2kW arrives at
Piston USD four consecutive (1986 to 1989) victories 7250rpm, with peak torque of
forks. in the Paris Dakar Rally with the NXR750 10.5Nm at 5500rpm.
The new Euro – the inspiration for the Africa Twin. Revised LCD dash includes
5 compliance The tricolor look has been available rev-counter and gear position
rules means Honda had to make revisions to only on the ‘Adventure Sports’ version of indicator. Kerb weight is reduced
the ECU, cam lobes, intake timing, exhaust pipe, the Africa Twin, but it will now be to 103kg, and the seat is nice and
catalyser and silencer, as well as the addition of a crank available on the Africa Twin itself. low at 761mm. The Grom runs on
pulsar. The bikes will be available in a new colour, Pearl 12-inch cast
Smoky Gray
Gray, as well as Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic
Metallic, aluminium
Candy Chromosphere Red, and Matt wheels.
Jeans Blue Metallic.

8 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

Test Ride
Benelli TNT 125
Teenage years revisited
The lean, green, mean machine takes to the streets…
WORDS: Mau Spencer PHOTOS: Gary Chapman
H
aving first reviewed an
earlier version of
Benelli’s learner-legal
pocket rocket some
three years ago, I was
interested to see how the latest
reincarnation would compare.
Way back then, this little growler
won a special place in my heart
with its balls-out extrovert
approach to the learner-legal market.
What – if anything – will have
changed?
10 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
First impressions
The looks of the TNT 125 certainly
haven’t diminished in any way, shape
or form. This latest version sports the
latest graphics and colour variations
– like the very fluorescent green
livery that my demo bike was
delivered to me in. Benelli call it
‘Flash Green’ and it’s a colour that
you either like or hate; I must say that
I love it and it certainly gets you
noticed out on the street. However, if
this particular colour is not to your
liking, then it is also available in the
more tamer looking white, black or
red paint colour options.
The one thing I loved about the
bike when I originally reviewed this
machine was the way that it reflected
the looks of a much bigger and more
powerful naked-style bike with its
sporty looking styling details. I’m
happy to say that my opinion about
this hasn’t changed and that pair of
lovely looking swept-up exhaust pipes
still emit one of the loveliest growling
sounds I’ve ever experienced on a
bike of this size.
ABOVE: Even if The tech bit
the fluorescent The TNT 125 uses a single overhead
lime green colour cam engine which comprises a
scheme isn’t to single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-
your taste,
cooled unit. It produces a maximum
there’s no
power output of 8.2 kW/11.1hp at
denying the little
Benelli’s a funky 9500rpm and has a maximum torque
looking thing. It of 10Nm at 7000rpm. This is matched
might be to a 5-speed gearbox.
compact, but its What gives the TNT 125 its
trellis frame and exceptional looks is the innovative steel
twin silencers tube trestle frame which assists the
will help turn rider in getting the maximum agility
heads wherever and manoeuvrability out of the bike
you go.
when out riding. This is aided and
abetted by the front/rear suspension set
up (consisting of a Forcella 35mm
upside-down front fork and a rear
swing-arm incorporating a central
lateral shock absorber with spring
pre-load adjustment).
The stopping power for the bike is
taken care of by Benelli’s CBS braking
system which consists of a steel
210mm diameter front disc with
3-piston calipers; the rear brake is a
190mm disc with a single piston
caliper.

On the road
I spent a few minutes acclimatising
myself with the controls and the
memories of my previous experience
of riding the TNT 125 came flooding
back to me. The simple and clean
layout of the handlebar controls and
the bike’s instrumentation panel all
still had that natural feeling of
everything being where it should be,
with everything falling easily to hand
as you’d expect. Nothing felt like it had
been miniaturised in any way to match
the bike’s small stature; the seating
position in relation to the handlebars
felt just about right and provided a
nice, comfortable riding position
without the bike feeling cramped in
any way for a person like me who
stands at 5ft 10ins tall. However,
anyone over six foot tall might
disagree with that opinion.
Firing up the engine resulted in me
revisiting that lovely sounding and
throaty exhaust note that I remember
so well – it’s also a sound that will turn
heads when there are others around to
appreciate it.
Pulling away from a standstill, the
progression up through the five-speed
gearbox was as slick and smooth as I
remember it. One personal point I
would like to mention, is that although
you probably wouldn’t expect to find
such a thing on a small budget-priced
bike like this. I would have liked to
have seen some sort of indication as to
what gear I was in – it does have a
neutral light, but a little more gear
status information would have been
helpful, especially to a green rider in
the early stages of his riding career.
Given that this is only a small
capacity 125cc bike, the acceleration
felt fairly swift and overall
performance was more than
reasonable. As you’d expect this will
be affected by both the road and
weather conditions. On a good day on
a flat road with the wind behind me I
managed to get a reasonable speed
build-up to a tad under 70mph
according to the digital speedo
readout – but on a bad day you will
struggle to achieve much over
52/53mph.
This latest version is a couple of
kilos heavier than the one I tested
back in 2017, but that isn’t enough for
it to have any effect on the bike’s
performance. Handling at any speed
is good and the bike’s responsiveness
to the rider’s input is quick and
immediate. Despite the bike’s looks,
remember this is only a 125cc
machine so you’re never going to have
to deal with the same level of
performance expectation as you
would on a large capacity bike.
Because of its size and light weight,
the TNT 125 is a nimble and agile
machine that is capable of excellent
cornering when the
need arises.
Small bikes
Specification
BENELLI TNT 125
Engine: 125cc single cylinder, 4-stroke
Transmission: 5-speed
Final drive: Chain
Front suspension: Forcella 35mm USD
forks
Rear suspension: Swing-arm with
central lateral shock and pre-load adj
Front brake: 210mm disc with 3 piston
caliper
Rear brake: 190mm disc with single
piston caliper
Wheels: Aluminium alloy
Front tyre: 120/70-ZR12
Rear tyre: 130/70-ZR12
Seat height: 780mm
Running weight: 124kg
Fuel tank capacity: 7.2 litres
PRICE: £2199 (plus OTR)
CONTACT: https://www.motogb.co.uk/
make/benelli
BELOW: It’s a Braking power is excellent from the
little 125, so enlarged front and rear brake set up,
don’t expect although there did seem to be a little
impressive levels excessive travel on the foot brake
of performance,
pedal under hard braking conditions,
but there’s
but this is probably just a matter of
enough punch
from its fine adjustment. And staying on that
single-cylinder subject line, the fact that the rear
four-stroke to suspension comes with pre-load
whizz around adjustment means that you can tailor
town with a the rear end handling to suit your
smile on your individual needs.
face. It’ll top out
(eventually) at Summing up
50mph, so you
Even if there are only a few small
can have some
fun on quiet
detail changes, the latest
country lanes, improvements to the TNT 125 can
too only enhance its desirability. It’s a
bike more suited to local urban use
than for long-distance riding, and on
any journey of over 50 miles you
might start to feel a little cramped.
There is also the issue over available
storage space (there isn’t any –
although that element could be solved
with the use of a backpack).
The unique selling point of this
bike remains much as it originally did
in bringing the fun element into
riding, along with a huge amount of
smiles whether you’re winding your
way through the commuter traffic, or
taking a leisurely cruise down a
country road.
For the first-time rider, this bike
will not only provide pleasure by the
bucket load, but also will easily
accommodate any schoolboy errors
made by inexperienced riders trying
to get to grips with today’s riding
conditions. And at just over two
grand (plus OTR charges) for a bike
with all the latest tech improvements,
it ain’t gonna break the piggy bank
either!
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 11
 Legal Eagle
Andrew Prendergast
Legalities of motorcycling can be a real maze.
Our in-house expert helps you navigate it all
BONE PUTTY
Q Q
Two years ago, I came a proper cropper riding
my ZX-10R after a lady smashed into me. I was
sitting there minding my own business waiting
to pull out of a junction. The next thing a Corsa had
inserted itself into my rear (into my bike, not me –
haha!). She then basically bounced me like a pinball
across the road and through someone’s front wall.
One broken leg. So far, whilst horrible for me, not
that unusual in the biking world. However, I have had
a problematic recovery as the bone in my leg didn’t
knit back together. Due to this I had to have another
operation 18 months after I got bashed. My surgeon
(who is a top lady) used some ‘bone putty’ to help the
bone fuse together. To be fair, it worked, and the latest
x-rays are good, and my solicitor was on the verge of
settling the case. However, I have just been diagnosed
with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia and wonder if
it’s as a result of the ‘bone putty’ used in the operation.
What do you reckon? I’m also wondering about how
that affects my claim.
A
Firstly, you have my genuine sympathies. I
wouldn’t want to swap places with you. That is a
proper run of bad luck. I am afraid I do not have
a golden answer for you at this stage. However, before
you attempt to settle your claim, my strong advice is you
find out what the ‘bone putty’ was, i.e. was it synthetic
or was it made from donors? I understand the latter is
tested, i.e. for HIV, HBV, HCV, HTLV-1, and syphilis,
etc., but there are always risks of infection, etc. If it did
come from donors, then I can follow why you think
the Leukaemia came from the ‘bone putty.’ Next, you
will likely need the opinion of a medical expert, i.e. a
haematologist or an oncologist, to advise whether on
the ‘balance of probabilities’ your Leukaemia is a result
of the operation to fix your broken leg. If the answer to
that is yes, the next question to work out is whether the
driver is liable for that happening and the subsequent
losses; or whether the doctor/hospital who fixed your
leg is liable for using infected ‘bone putty’. All in all,
this is very complicated, and I do not know what the
final answer will be. However, make sure you discuss
all of the above with your solicitor before even thinking
about settling your claim. I need to stress that once you
settle your claim you cannot come back for any more
compensation at later date, i.e., for future treatment
costs, etc.
12 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
PINK SCOOTER
I put my trusty Hornet 600 up on Facebook
Marketplace. I had a young fella (who I have
since found out is a right scally) come around
to my gaff for a viewing. He seemed pleasant enough
and I got no dodgy vibes off him. However, I stupidly
let him take the bike out for a spin and he ran over
one of my neighbour’s kids. She was playing with her
friends riding a bright pink scooter with tassels (how
didn’t he see her?). Thankfully, she just scraped her
knee. Anyway, the Old Bill turned up and he’s now
going to court for careless driving (as he should). The
problem I have is I am now getting done for letting
him ride my Hornet with no insurance. That can’t be
right, can it? I was insured if I rode the bike but it’s his
problem if he isn’t insured, isn’t it? Surely he should
get done for no insurance, not me.
A
We are all human and we all make mistakes.
However, it never fails to astound me how
people don’t see other road users, i.e. a girl on
a pink scooter. My most memorable ‘I didn’t see him’
was a lady who knocked off a biker client – whilst he
was dressed as Father Christmas on a Goldwing lit up
like Blackpool seafront. He ‘came from nowhere’ didn’t
really wash. As for your situation, I am gutted for you
as I get loads of these types of calls. Whilst you think
you have done nothing wrong, I am afraid that even
Who is
though you personally had insurance, as you let the
Andrew? potential buyer out without checking he was insured
Andrew Prendergast to ride, then you are guilty of permitting him to ride
is a Managing Partner without insurance. The law relating to insurance is
at White Dalton very strict and there is no defence in this case. You will
Motorcycle Solicitors be found guilty I am afraid. The Court could sentence
(www.whitedalton. you by way of six to eight penalty points, or a possible
co.uk). You can pick disqualification. This is in addition to a fine and court
pretty much any
costs. As such, my advice would be to plead guilty and
motorcycle-related
try and obtain the lowest sentence possible. As for the
legal issue – he’s been
‘scally’, I hope you got your money for the now trashed
there, done that,
and got the answer
bike. As well as careless driving, he will likely also be
to share with MSL
‘stuck on’ for riding without insurance.
readers. If you have
a question, send it to
msleditor@mortons.
RIDE MORE
Spend less and ride
co.uk
more with a subscription
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www.mslmagazine.co.uk 13
 Yamaha Tracer 700

Jack of all trades

Touring bikes are marathon machines. Naked bikes are sprinters.
So, what do you get when you turn a naked into a tourer?
WORDS: Mikko Nieminen PHOTOGRAPHY: Gary Chapman

Y
amaha’s Tracer 700 –
much like its big sister,
the Tracer 900 – is a
tourer based on a hugely
popular naked bike from
the company’s MT-range. Using one
platform to create different bikes is
nothing new, and it can result in great
machines, but I wanted to know how
Yamaha had managed with the Tracer
700. To find out, I took one for a ride.
First impressions
First impressions matter, and with the
Tracer 700 they are mostly very
positive. I love what Yamaha has done
with the redesigned front where the
beady-eyed headlights give the bike a
determined look, and the new sharp
lines of the half-fairing carry the
styling to the rest of the bike. The
handguards with integrated
indicators look slim, but offer a
RIGHT: Lever
surprising amount of shelter from adjustment is
the wind. always welcome
The CP2 engine dominates the BELOW: Negative
view from the side, with the exhaust LCD dash looks
end can just a small protrusion smart
sticking out of the frame. Minimalist
bodywork reminds you of the links to
the other bikes in Yamaha’s range
using the same engine and chassis,
and the sculpted seat presents itself as
a tempting place to park your behind.
But there are a few little niggles...
Our test bike was equipped with the
touring screen (£142.70), soft
panniers (£334), and pannier racks
(£189). While many people will
undoubtedly choose these accessories
for their bike, and the practicality of
the panniers is impossible to argue

14 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 Road
against (I’ll come to the screen a bit
later), I felt that they didn’t do
anything for the looks of the bike.
The screen has little sticky-out bits at
the bottom making it look like it was
fitted back to front, and the pannier
racks are unsightly metal tubes that
remind you of scaffolding when the
bags are not mounted (so I left them
on all the time). However, in its stock
form, I love the look of the bike.

Building blocks
The beating heart of the Tracer 700 is
the CP2 689cc parallel twin engine.
There’s no unlimited power, but what
there is gets delivered to the rear wheel
in a delightful manner. There seems to
be plenty of torque throughout the rev
range, in every gear, and the feeling
you get is that you have more than the
promised 72bhp to play with. And the
bike is Euro 5 compliant too, so it’s
good for a few years without a big
engine update. display with white numbers on black ABOVE: The
The diamond frame is slim, making background. It looks great, and it’s engine is the star
it easy to get your feet on the ground easy to see what you want at a glance. of the show
while perching on the 840mm high The tank is a useful 17 litres (3.7 RIGHT: Touring
seat. The riding position is relaxed gallons) in volume, and with the screen doesn’t
with the wide bars, comfortable indicated 54.3mpg (19.22 kilometres convince
contoured seat, and footpegs low per litre), you get a 200-mile range. BELOW: Panniers
enough so you don’t feel cramped. look good, the
Suspension is now preload- and On the move racks not so
rebound-adjustable front and back. I Like many good bikes, the Tracer much
left it as it was, and found it to be soon makes you forget the spec sheet BELOW RIGHT:
perfectly capable of taking the punch figures as you start riding it. Hand guards
out of bigger potholes while still don’t look like
keeping the ride feel on the sporty side. much, but work
nicely
When it comes to electronics, the
topic is quickly covered – there ain’t
much. Cable-operated throttle means
no ride modes, and there are not
countless menus to scroll through on
the dash. I like it like that! Talking
about the dash, it’s a negative LCD
Test Ride
Specification
YAMAHA TRACER 700
Price: £7947
Engine: 689cc parallel twin eight-valve
DOHC four stroke
Power: 72.4bhp (54kW) @ 8750rpm
Torque: 50.2lb-ft (68.0Nm) @ 6500rpm
Transmission: 6 speed, chain final drive
Frame: Steel diamond-type
Suspension: (F) 41mm telescopic fork
with preload and rebound adjustment
(R) Monoshock with preload and
rebound adjustment
Brakes: (F) 282mm disc, four-piston
caliper (R) 245mm disc,
single-piston caliper
Tyres: (F) 120/70/R17 (R) 180/55/R17
Dimensions: 2140mm x 806mm x
1290mm (LxWxH)
Wheelbase: 1460mm
Seat height: 840mm/33in
Kerb weight: 196kg
Tank size: 17 litres (3.7 gallons)
Fuel consumption: 54.3mpg/
19.2 kilometres per litre (tested)
Warranty: Unlimited miles/3 years
Contact: www.yamaha-motor.eu

Acceleration is rapid, the brakes bite of noise around my helmet. There Verdict
keenly and the suspension – although was no buffeting, but however I The Tracer 700 is a bike that’s difficult
not plush – takes the edge of rough adjusted the screen position, the not to like. It’s easy to manage in the
bits of Tarmac. noise levels even at lower speeds were city. It can boogie with the bigger
Any legal speed is swiftly achieved disturbing. I would definitely swap bikes on fast backroads. It has the
and easily maintained. And even if the standard screen back on if I had comfort, range and performance for
you push past the legal speeds, there the bike for longer. touring on any roads. It looks good,
is plenty in the tank. The soft(ish) panniers are very and it costs less than eight grand.
One of the first discoveries I made handy as long as you have waterproof I was impressed with the lively
on the Yamaha was how agile and inner bags (which Yamaha provides performance of the engine, and I
easy to steer it is. Presumably a lot of with the panniers), but the ghastly didn’t feel like I needed any more
this is because the bike is heavily look of the pannier frames that power. In fact, the difference between
based on the naked MT-07, and the you attach them to meant that the this and the bigger Tracer 900 (847cc
engineers haven’t lost the agility of bags stayed on whether I needed triple, 113bhp) doesn’t feel as big as
the machine in making it more them or not. the spec sheet suggests.
touring friendly. Cornering is sharp An interesting discovery was that RIGHT: Lights This may be a popular bike for
have been
and effortless, and it’s tempting to the rear rack is perfectly shaped to those moving up the cc ladder or
designed with
start riding round roundabouts at take my soft Ventura bag. I’m care
downsizing from bigger machines,
much higher speeds than you guessing that this is just a happy but it’s also more than that – it’s a
normally would. coincidence, but it worked for me as BELOW: Good capable, entertaining and gutsy bike
Covering distance is easy on the it allowed me to load plenty more on old-fashioned suitable for beginners and
Tracer. It has enough power so you the bike. I love over-packing! cable throttle experienced riders alike.
don’t feel like you have to work
particularly hard to keep it going,
and overtakes – although not as
quick as with bigger bikes – are still
pretty swift. The riding position is
relaxed, and the sculpted seat
very comfortable.
Heated grips are an extra, but
during our summer test they weren’t
needed, and the hand guards helped
keep the pinkies sheltered.
What I didn’t like was the
adjustable touring screen. I appreciate
that these are very individual
observations as we are all different
shapes and sizes, but for me the
screen created an annoying amount

16 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

OUR TOP
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www.mslmagazine.co.uk 19
Letters
WIN Gear Gremlin Classic Neon Cover
This mon nth’s Star Letter wins a Gear Gremlin Classic Neon Cover worth £55.99.
waterproof and washable bike cover, with elastic hems for a secure fit and
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We loove to hear from our readers, so if you have a topic in mind or
want to comment on something in the magazine please send your
letters to msleditor@mortons.co.uk or write to:
Letters, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine, Mortons Media,
Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. You can also join us at facebook.com/mslmag

★ Star Letter Triumph gearchange issues

ABS or not? In your feature on the Triumph

I’ve been riding for around 12
years (started at 16) and learnt
how to ride without any rider
aids. However, as a year-round
commuter and pleasure rider I’ll
never again have a bike without
at least ABS. My old Honda 500
and my BMW both have it.
Traction control, etc., I could
do without. ABS though? You
can say all you like about
racers not using it, or being
able to out-brake it in perfect
conditions, but the public roads
are not perfect conditions! I
think all of us are guilty of
riding home tired with our
minds elsewhere at times and
in those situations people tend
to panic brake. All the training
in the world doesn’t matter if
this happens.
I still ride as though I don’t
have any rider aids. It’s all very
well saying that most wouldn’t
activate it, but that’s not the
point though, is it? It’s there for
when you need it most.
Dan White
That’s a good way of looking
at it Dan – ride like it’s not
there, but have the peace of
mind that if something
unexpected happens, it’s got
your back. I will take that
approach from now!
Mikko Nieminen
Thruxton 1200R, you drew
attention to the possibility of
gearchange problems being
‘caused by a bent selector,
easily caused if the gear lever
suffers a heavy impact’.
This vulnerability of the
gearchange to impact seems to
apply also to other current
Bonneville models, including
the Street Twin.
To protect my 2019 Street
Twin against such damage, I
have followed advice from the into the casing and bending the
Triumph RAT website and fitted selector in the event of the
a black nylon spacer, just free bike ever being dropped.
to revolve, onto the gearchange It was certainly very cheap
shaft, between the gear lever and easy to do. I hope that I
and the engine casing. never have to find out how
Hopefully, this will prevent effective it is!
the shaft from being pushed David Bell

EXHAUST NOISE BRING BACK ridden in adverse conditions

Interesting letter from Steve Rose
with regards to exhaust noise.
I have a local lad who goes to
work at around 7.30am on a KTM
single. He accelerates uphill past
my house and while my
neighbours moan a bit, it sounds
good to me.
I am in no position to complain,
though. Back in the mid 1960s I
was the proud owner of an AJS
350 model 16MS at the tender
age of 17.
The ‘silencer’ was of the
straight through type, and not
quiet, and I used to ride it ‘with
spirit’ – read anti-socially.
I found that if I revved the
engine, closed the throttle and
fully retarded the ignition, then
tweaked the twistgrip, a very
satisfying explosion occurred
from the tail pipe with a large
flame attatched.
The town centre residents of
Northampton must have been
delighted. I was.
I don’t live there any more. Just
as well probably.
Edward Crombie
I guess it’s all a matter of taste. I
don’t enjoy the sound of loud
pipes on cars, but I like them on
motorbikes… Strange how the
mind works…
Mikko Nieminen
TOP BOX
I’m amazed that people are
touring with only a top box.
Having always previously
carried stuff in panniers and tank
bags, I did buy a top box and rack
for my BMW, but find I only use it
for storage, when the bike is
stationary.
Why? Well, the rack clearly
states max load 5kg, and the top
box weighs 3kg (46 litres of
space), so only 2kg of stuff can
actually be carried when moving!
Am I missing a trick?
Rich
MUDGUARDS
I was interested to note that in
January’s edition of MSL reference
was made to road filth reaching
riders due to poorly designed
mudguards. The Suzuki Katana and
the Yamaha Nikon were mentioned,
but they are not the only machines
affected. Most motorcycles now
have no rear mudguard, with a
huge gap between the rear tyre
and the underside of the seat, and
as a result the rider’s legs, thighs
and often back are covered in road
filth. Many front mudguards are
ridiculously minuscule and
inevitably cover the engine and
radiator with muck in wet
conditions. If they weren’t a legal
requirement I guess manufacturers
wouldn’t fit them at all.
For some bizarre reason modern
motorcycle designers seem to
think that a tyre in full view is a
styling feature and presume that
motorcyclists only ride on dry
roads. They probably have never
themselves and therefore not
given this issue a thought.
After-market accessory
manufacturers are no better.
Huggers are always too short and
narrow and are only really
designed to protect the rear
suspension. Interestingly, most
scooters appear to be the only
powered two-wheelers that offer
any form of protection from this
annoying phenomenon.
Motorcycle manufactures please
bring back proper mudguards.
Nicholas Crocker
Yep, it’s a pretty universal ‘design
feature’ these days. I just tested
the Suzuki SV650 (brilliant bike,
by the way) and I couldn’t help
thinking that the front mudguard
had been fixed in place back to
front. It was just an ornament
with no practical use whatsoever.
But as you say, this is the case
with almost all new bikes now…
Mikko Nieminen

20 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


BIG SCOOTERS
Approaching my three score
years and ten, accompanied by
a corresponding amount of
motorcycling experience, I
believe I am a likely prospective
candidate for the big scooter
market. So, I began my search
for such a scooter, and found
myself next to an earlier model
Yamaha TMAX on someone’s
drive.
I mounted the machine,
sitting on/in the most luxurious
two-wheeler saddle I have ever
experienced. All controls were
extremely favourable and I set
off for a test ride in the nearby
countryside observing through
what I was told to be an
optically correct screen. Within
a few minutes of my magic
carpet ride I was surprised to
see a relaxed 90mph indicated
on the speedometer, a figure I
saw no reason to query. What a
machine. Sitting comfortably in
my protected cocoon, as a
motorway commuter or when a
two-wheeled car was needed I
doubt if it could be bettered.
Curbing my enthusiasm I
decided to retrace my steps,
but found the scooter seemed
to resist my attempt at a ‘U’
turn. Knowing there was a pub
car park ahead I carried on, but
my attempt at the same
manoeuvre resulted in the
same phenomenon. I couldn’t
seem to lean it over to turn and
any attempt to slowly steer it
merely levered me into sitting
side-saddle as there was
nothing to contact with my
knees. Attempting to put my
feet down just exemplified the
width of the bike at shin level.
Subsequent examination
confirmed no defects or tight
steering, etc. Needless to say I
didn’t buy it.
BIKE THEFT
How I sympathise with Richard
Symonds. The other morning on
rising at 3am for work and letting
the dogs out I noticed my Oxford
storm cover missing and never
noticed anything wrong till I tried
riding my bike to work a couple of
weeks later (rain stopped use),
when I realised the handlebars
were bent. On taking it to my
dealer he confirmed someone had
tried to break the steering lock
(mechanic straightened bars),
I have since tried other
examples and have no problem
with smaller moped scooters or
more conventional models, even
such as a Gilera 180 Runner, but
my overall impression of the big
scoots is, other than in a straight
line, their general handling as
opposed to road-holding is akin
to trying to pull a wheelbarrow
loaded with two bags of cement,
i.e. tail-heavy and awkward.
While I appreciate you can get
used to anything, I feel justified
in broadcasting these few words
of my experience.
Phil Rich
Interesting observations Phil.
Our man Roger has the new
TMAX as his long-term bike
this summer. Here’s what he
says:
If there is one thing I have in
common with Phil it is the age
issue – he may be approaching
three score and ten, I am three
score and fourteen and have
been continually motorcycling
since I was aged 16.
It was my choice to have a
560 TMAX scooter for a
long-term road test bike this
year, having previously had
motorcycles ranging from
500cc to 1290cc. Much like
Phil, I find that it is oh so
easy to be travelling at
but activated the alarm on my
disc lock, which obviously had
stopped these scumbags. I would
advise any biker to get the most
expensive disc lock they can afford
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YOUR VIEW
naughty speeds without
even trying!
When out for a ride in the
Lincolnshire Wolds I go down
many a back road and find
myself having to do U turns,
and never have I found the
T Max a problem when doing
such a turn. Obviously, a touch
of rear brake via the left-hand
handlebar lever when
undertaking such a manoeuvre
helps. From my experience I
would not say that the TMAX
is any different on a tight U
turn than any other
motorcycles that I have
ridden.
When pressing on with a
group of motorcycle friends I
have never found the TMAX
lacking in handling; yes; if you
hit a hard bump it may start to
wallow, but like any other
two-wheel device you ride
around it. In fact, the
motorcycle guys are usually
amazed at how the scooter
keeps up with them on the
straight and on corners.
Can I suggest Phil that you
test ride one of the new Yamaha
TMAX scooters and I feel sure,
like me, that you will be amazed
at how good it is.
Roger Jones,
MSL long-term test rider
on Yamaha TMAX 560
and ignore anything made in China
as it will be made from a poor
quality zinc alloy that won’t last
five minutes under attack.
P. Cousins
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 21
Test Ride
 Launch

oes
Rock ‘n’ Rolling
nsid erin g th is is a stan da rd prod uc t on b ke, s s u
Co t is 345kg simply
ro lle d ou t of a m us eum – bu
– like it’s just e 1802cc as
bu lk? Ha s BM W m anag ed to m ak
too much rm any to find out
e as it is de sirab le? W e he ad to Ge
rideabl

BMW R 18
WORDS: Adam ‘Chad’ Child PHOTOGRAPHY: BMW

T
here is no hiding the fact
that this is a colossal
boxer engine. Each
cylinder has a 107.1mm
bore size, the pistons are
as large as my hand. The engine,
including the gearbox and intake
system, weighs 110.8kg; that’s over
17 stone, that’s a decent rugby player,
or doorman. As you’d expect from a
1802cc air-cooled engine, peak power
and torque are way down in the rev
range. Peak power is 91hp at just
4750rpm, and the huge 116.5lb-ft of
torque is at 3000rpm, barely ticking
over, like a canal boat it chugs along.
This is the most powerful boxer
engine ever used in a motorcycle,
even between 2000-3000rpm there is
over 110lb-ft of torque.
I can’t remember the last time an
engine sat so centre stage on a
motorcycle. But as impressive as they
are, torque and power are slightly
down compared to its Indian
competitor, and considerably less
than Triumph’s Rocket 3 muscle bike,
which is similarly priced.
When you throw a leg over the
relatively low seat you’re immediately
drawn to the engine, like a moth to a
flame. Each protruding cylinder head
is almost overwhelming, it feels very
unfamiliar to see so much engine
whilst still seated on the bike. The
right cylinder is set closer to the rider,
as it sits further back on the crank
which runs the centre line of the bike.
When your feet are on the mid-way
pegs, your shins are close to the huge
cylinders, and you can feel the heat in
traffic, which on test in Germany
proved beneficial, drying out my wet
boots and jeans after a downpour. It
will be interesting to see how much
heat is generated in the middle of
summer when you’re stuck in traffic
in London. Your right foot, covering
the back brake, is almost directly
underneath the cylinder. It’s not
annoying, just quirky, which adds to
the appeal of the R 18.
Strong start
The engine starts with a charismatic
rock, and if you have never ridden an
opposed twin before, it may take you
by surprise. Each blip of the throttle
pushes the bike to the left. Again, I
celebrate this quirkiness. At tick-over,

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 23

around 900rpm, displayed on a
digital clock, the bar ends dance
around while the instruments vibrate
slightly, adding to the appeal. It has
character all right, something I was
afraid BMW would weaken.
It’s a shame the fish-tail twin
exhausts don’t sound as good as they
look. There is a little bark when you
start up the big motor, but after that
it’s a little subdued. I know BMW
must conform to Euro 5, and on large
throttle openings there is a rumble,
24 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
but from such a large, charismatic
engine I was hoping for a little more.
I don’t want it to be annoying, not an
American V-twin with straight pipes,
which starts car alarms, but just
something would be nice, the odd
pop on the overrun. It’s like AC/DC
with the volume on one out of 10.
The power is effortless, the fuelling
is excellent, and you can really feel
the disparity in the power modes,
Rain, Rock and Roll – no, I’m not
joking. As you’d expect, all the work
Specification
BMW R18
Price: £18,995
Engine: 1802cc, air-cooled, two-
cylinder Boxer, four-stroke
Power: 67kw/91hp @ 4750rpm
Torque: 158Nm/116.5lb-ft @ 3000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed shaft drive
Fuel consumption: 5.2l/100km /
54.2mpg (tested), 5.6l/100km / 50.44
mpg (claimed)
Tank size: 16 litres (3.5 gallons)
Frame: Double cradle steel frame
Suspension: (F) 49mm conventional
forks, non-adjustable, (R) single rear
shock, adjustable pre-load only
Brakes: (F) 2 x 300mm discs, 4-piston
calipers with ABS, (R) 300mm single
disc, 4-piston caliper with ABS
Tyres: (F) 120/70 R19, (R) 180/65 R16
Wheelbase: 1731mm
Seat height: 690mm
Dry weight: 345kg
Warranty: 3 years
Roadside recovery: 3 years
Website: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk
is low down in the rev range; just
tickle the throttle for progressive
acceleration, you don’t really need to
pass 3000rpm. Peak power is at
4750rpm, but after that it tails off to
eventually find a soft rev limiter just
after 5500rpm. It does get a little
vibey in the last quarter of the rev
BELOW: This is a
range, noticeably above 4000rpm, but
big twin. The size if you’re revving it that hard, then
of those you’re not really riding the big boxer
cylinders is how it was designed.
breathtaking Instead, simply short shift and
appreciate the torque. The gearbox is
smooth, but for me it feels like it
needs a heel and toe gearshift and
footboards (optional) rather than
standard pegs and gear lever. The revs
noticeably drop when you change
from fifth to sixth gear. It will gladly
pull from just over 1200rpm in top
but usually, at town speed, I was back
to fifth. Sixth gear is noticeably tall,
which is perfect for cruising.
On the motorway at 60mph the
big girl is plodding along at 2200rpm.
At 75mph, revs increase a little to
2500rpm, effortless and smooth.
Once you push on a little to 85mph
and above, it’s closer to 3000rpm
with the vibrations noticeable.
And it’s a shame the cruiser doesn’t
have cruise control as standard,
which is what I’d expect from this
type of bike.
 Launch

It will handle, won’t it? and the vibrations are apparent but
There is no getting away from the fact not annoying in any way, though I
that this is a 345kg bike (and that’s did have numb-bum after a full day
dry weight!); add the rider and we’re in the saddle. I might be reaching for
easily over 400kg, getting close to the a plusher aftermarket seat in the
weight of a decent international accessories catalogue before
rugby front row. Some bikes hide embarking on any serious long-
their weight once moving, and the distance touring.
BMW does this, feeling far lighter
than it is, but those huge protruding Stopping 345kg!
cylinders and the rock between gear BMW is asking a lot of the twin
changes are a constant reminder of 300mm discs and four-piston calipers
the bike’s size. because trying to stop 345kg is no TOP LEFT: would certainly be welcomed by
You’re always aware you’re on a easy task. The front brake lever in fact Exhaust pipes some, especially in the wet.
large bike. Weight is low down, but activates the front brake only, but the aren't subtle Because there is so much
unlike an American V-twin, you can rear is linked to the front, which gives TOP RIGHT: This compression from the huge engine,
actually see the engine and think the sensation of a strong rear brake. one has foot BMW has fitted an engine braking
about that weight before attempting a The BMW stoppers are tough, and pegs rather than management system, which prevents
roundabout at speed. even under heavy use didn’t show any boards the rear from locking up during fast
The relatively fundamental set up is sign of fade despite my abuse. The ABOVE RIGHT: down changes. At times you can feel
impressive. The forks don’t dive or lever is adjustable and there’s a nice That big engine this working, reducing the engine
buckle; the shock and ride are feel. ABS comes as standard, isn’t too makes the frame braking, giving a two-stroke feeling
impressive; it feels like the front is intrusive on the front, but it’s relatively look tiny as the bike carries speed into corners.
communicating with the rear and easy to get the rear ABS activating, Once or twice this caught me out
vice-versa. Some big cruisers feel like especially in the wet. Unusually for slightly, as the bike rolled into a
the front was designed by one team BMW, the ABS is not lean sensitive, turn a little quicker than expected
and the rear by another, or they and while you could argue cornering BELOW: This is without the engine braking I
thought about the looks and chrome, ABS isn’t required on a low revving no lightweight anticipated, but this is favourable over
but left the handling for Friday cruiser, on such a large heavy bike it cruiser. Oh no! locking the rear.
afternoon after drinks in the pub at
lunch time. The BMW breaks that
rule; this is a bike that has clearly
been designed from the ground up.
Rather than steer into corners, it
rolls in. You roll the bike over its large
front wheel and on to its side. It’s
relatively easy to deck the pegs, which
thankfully are hinged and not fixed.
But even when the pegs cause a
rooster of sparks it doesn’t feel like
the BMW is on the limit and about to
head straight on destroying anything
in its path.
Over longer periods the set up did
feel on the firm side, which I guess is
the pay-off for having suspension that
doesn’t wallow and force the bike
wide when ridden with the faintest
bit of aggression. The riding position
is comfortable, the bars not too wide,

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 25
Test Ride
She certainly looks good
It’s a stunning bike in the flesh, a
work of art, and is clearly inspired by
BMW’s early boxer machines from
the 1920s and 30s like the R 32 and R
5. Elements are almost art deco, like
the R7 prototype from 1934. It
doesn’t scream at you like a carbon
winged BMW M1000RR, it’s not
covered in lavish chrome like a
Harley, and it doesn’t need neon
lights and a radio like a Wing – it’s
unique and clearly a BMW.
The frame blends into the swing-
arm to give the sense it’s a traditional
hardtail. The fishtail exhausts mirror
the R 5 from 1936, the exposed
nickel-plated shaft drive is lovely, and
even the little manual chrome lever
which activates a reverse gear is
neatly tucked away (note: this is an Time to spend some ABOVE LEFT: up, though in fact it’s closer to
optional extra). money BMW's own 130-140miles before the fuel light
The centrally mounted clocks have Before riding the R 18 I did question calipers bite into illuminates.
‘Berlin Built’ inscribed on the dials; about the fuel economy and range the brake discs Personally, especially on a cruiser, I
to stop the big
the double pinstriping appears from the 16-litre fuel tank. Each favour a fuel gauge or range indicator,
bike
hand-painted. In fact, the R looks like cylinder is huge, it has the so I know how much fuel is
a one-off special, not a mass- aerodynamic drag of a London bus, ABOVE: This one remaining before each journey. I
produced bike which has just been and let's not forget about the weight, is 'Berlin Built' much prefer to start planning for a
wheeled off the production line. It’s so it should be horrendous. But as it re-fuel, rather than panicking when
classical, yet has up-to-date clocks, revs so slowly, like a canal boat, it’s the light comes on. Plus, I dislike
LED lights, modern suspension and actually not that bad with BMW getting fully kitted up and ready, start
rider aids. I really like it, and claiming just over 50mpg. On our the ride, only to then see the fuel light
obviously, that huge air-cooled 180-mile ride, a mixture of motorway illuminate after 10 miles. And while
1802cc boxer is the king-pin which and mountain passes south of I’m having a gripe, the ignition is
holds the design together and gives Munich towards Austria, I managed keyless, but the fuel cap and steering
the R 18 such a distinctive image. It’s 54mpg. In theory, you can expect lock are not, so you still have to carry
all about the engine. over 200 miles before needing to fill and deploy the key, which defeats the
object of having a keyless ignition.
Price is interesting. Close to
£19,000 is a lot of money for a
single-seat cruiser which doesn’t even
have cruise control (and given the
accessories list is so appetising, few
models will leave a BMW showroom
standard). The other side of it is that
the price is justified in the quality,
appeal and desirability of the new R
18. Not only are you buying into the
high-end BMW brand, but this is a
completely new model for 2020,
unique and huge – a lot of bike for
your buck.
I think it’s priced competitively for
today’s market. It’s a hard one to call
as you could argue the R 18 doesn’t
have any direct competition, but
when sports bikes are pushing
£20,000 and BMW’s own K 1600B is
over £19,000, I think the price is in
the ballpark.
There is a noticeable step in the
throttle response and power between
the modes. Rain is very soft and
lethargic, whereas the Rock mode is
responsive and direct but not too
sharp, a mistake some manufacturers
make. In the wet or when grip is
reduced, the Rain mode is beneficial
and isn’t just a gimmick, as with so
much power and torque it’s easy to
lose traction.
The standard traction control,
which can be deactivated or
reinstalled on the move, will
obviously prevent any major slides or
wheelspin, but again, like the braking,
isn’t lean-sensitive and is relatively
basic. Yes, it works, and the
reintroduction of the power is soft,
which means that once the rear starts
to spin it shouldn’t spin again when
the power comes back on line.
However, shouldn’t we expect
lean-sensitive traction control from a
premium BMW?
As you’d expect the list of
BELOW LEFT: accessories is huge and designed and
Exposed drive built in partnership with legendary
shaft is a nod to
bike designers like Roland Sands, and
BMW's past
Vance & Hines. The R 18 is really a
BELOW: Single blank canvas for your imagination to
seat sets the run wild. I left my trip to Germany
tone of the thinking: heel and toe lever and foot
machine boards; V&H pipework; relaxed bars;

Rider aids and extra

equipment/accessories
Clearly the marketing team named
the rider modes, Rain, Rock and Roll,
which translate roughly to rain, road
and sport. The rider aids only change
the engine performance and
character, and do not alter the
standard traction control or ABS.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 27
Test Ride
MI

c o
, , n
an t ess
ot to th uel ca es
en with traction
ess a at
su or t. Nm r m. Sta

DE I N E RIE
he ‘bi b ’ nc u n T e st s u e an ver ramat c, es ne
m ar t to ts amous m n artners etween BMW an Ro an
ncestor t e R 5 o 1936 w t ops t e sca es at 110.8 g. San s, Vance an H nes an Mustang seats.
s m ar en ne, o en e uote r we t s T ese nc u e u a e, en ne c s, an
unnin shaft drive and ri id 45k – v n h vi r h n lothin as ex ected, but also a e bars and
r m . r um 's u e Roc et 3. 21- n r n w .

Attention to
detail is instantly
noticeable. This
is one well-built
motorcycle, with
plenty of little
touches to feast
your eyes on

Competition
TRIUMPH’S ROCKET 3 AT £19,500
Compared to the competition, the R 18 is somewhere in
the middle ground. Harley-Davidson has the Softail and
Deluxe, which you could argue are the closest
competition to the BMW, and both are considerably
cheaper than the Beemer. Then at the other end of the
scale is the Indian Vintage Dark Horse, £21,399, and
Triumph’s Rocket 3 at £19,500.
and a pillion seat. The ‘hipster’
clothing matches the high-end finish
to the accessories. Some may sneer at
the marketing and image, but cleverly
BMW have created a stunning bike,
which can easily be modified and
personalised.
Verdict
It’s so different from anything else on
the market, BMW has to be
congratulated. The cruiser market has
been relatively stagnant for decades
with similar V-twin models, but now
BMW has entered with a huge boxer
statement, and on looks alone they
are on to a winner. It’s a 2020 model
dressed for the 1920s and 1930s. The
dramatic Boxer engine holds the
design together whilst delivering
some ‘real-world’ performance and,
for a big bike, it will go around
corners scraping its pegs all day long.
Yes, it’s heavy, yes it rocks from side
to side and vibrates at high revs, but
that is what I wanted… some soul.
Thankfully BMW haven’t diluted any
of the character from the big boxer.
The finishing touches like the
exposed shaft drive are lovely, which
means I can forgive my personal
niggles like the lack of a fuel range/
gauge, no keyless fuel cap, and no
cruise control as standard. This is
BMW’s first venture into the cruiser
market for some time and they’ve
done a remarkable job. BMW jumped
into the sports bike market in 2008
with the S1000RR and took over, it
dominates the adventure market, and
now it could do the same in the
cruiser market with the R 18.

28 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 29
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 A little green
Honda
Maynard Hershon
I
n 2004 I sold my ZR-7S Kawasaki, a bike I
couldn’t love, and bought a 1989 GB500 Honda,
a rare-ish motorcycle that sold slowly then, but
is a collectible modern classic today.
The ‘GB’ stood for Great Britain. The
35-horsepower bike was an homage to older
British singles, certain Velocettes or Matchlesses,
maybe. The full designation was GB500TT, referring,
of course, to the famous race on the Isle of Man, the
Tourist Trophy.
A GB500 looks like a 50s or 60s sporting British
single: spoked alloy rims; clip-on handlebars; rear-
set footrests; solo seat with hump; round headlight;
gaitored forks; round tach and speedo; long, narrow,
pinstriped tank. Painted green so dark it looked black.
Tamar and I lived in Tucson then. I found the bike
(I’d wanted one for years) listed on eBay. It was in the
Los Angeles area, and the owner was the importer of
Morgan automobiles to the western US. I flew to LA
and rode the bike home, about 500 miles.
When I got it, the heavy factory muffler had been
replaced with a SuperTrapp, a common mod. The
stock shocks had been swapped for better ones from
Progressive Suspension. Everything else was original.
The seller told me he’d recently changed the oil,
no worries. I rode the speed limit on Interstate 10
across southern Cal and most of Arizona. The little
single ran great.
At home I changed the oil, noting as I did the black
glop that oozed into the drain pan. I adjusted the
valves. I changed the fork oil, easy in those days when
manufacturers considerately included drain bolts in
the fork bottoms. I topped up the battery.
That GB became all the motorcycle I had and all I
felt I needed. It was agile and stable, would negotiate a
twisty road in an entertaining manner, and cruise the
limit on Interstates. On a long highway grade at eight
or nine thousand feet it would ask for a downshift. I
didn’t mind.
I rode it across part of Arizona and New Mexico to
west Texas and the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock. I
rode it north and east through the Colorado Rockies
to Denver, where I decided that city might be a fine
place to live.
I rode with a local club, mostly older folks with
big BMWs and Gold Wings. My bike looked like
someone’s spare, tiny among all those behemoths.
Made me smile. I went everywhere they did. I could
ride away on curvy roads, but I refrained.
Whatta motorcycle.
Tamar and I moved to Denver in 2006, from 2400
feet of elevation to 5200 feet. The air is thinner and
the horsepower diminished. I yearned for more power
when I rode two-up with Tamar on long mountain
32 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
Some motorcycles make a bigger mark
than others…
grades. I would get that ‘in-the-way’ feeling.
I had the perfect motorcycle, but I wanted a more
powerful one. If you understand why, perhaps you can
explain it to me.
My friend Jim W, who lived (still does) near Tucson,
offered to buy the Honda. A friend of his was driving a
van from Denver to SE Arizona; Jim asked that fellow
to bring the bike to him.
I remember helping load the GB500 and all that
extra equipment into the guy’s van and watching him
drive off down our street. I sold that bike, but never
stopped regretting that I’d done so.
I bought a Triumph Thruxton, a perfectly fine
motorcycle that, alas, failed to make me love it. I
sold that bike and bought a disappointing KLR650
Kawasaki and then a DR650 Suzuki. I liked the Suzuki
the best of the three, but I didn’t quite love it. My
friend Phil gave me a ZRX1200 while I still owned the
Suzuki. I enjoyed both, but didn’t want to own two
bikes. I sold the Suzuki. Sniff…
None of the bikes I’ve owned since the GB500 have
inspired the pride that I felt with it. It congratulated
me on my taste every time I rode it. It was like a
Velocette Venom Clubman except everything worked.
Jim owned and rode the GB500 from 2008 until
2019. He’s in his mid-90s now and has reluctantly quit
riding. He sold the bike via eBay to a fellow from the
LA area, very close to where I bought it 16 years ago.
Yesterday, Jim’s wife Irene forwarded several
photos of the lovely GB500 from the time that Jim
owned it. The photos reminded me that so many
of our decisions, and not just the ones that involve
motorcycles, are impossible to explain. Mysterious,
you could say.
Who is As faithful readers will know, I have bought a Moto
Hershon? Guzzi, a 750 built in 2014. I can feel myself forming
MSL’s Maynard is our the kind of relationship with the Guzzi that I had with
man with a very unique the Honda. What does that mean?
view on motorcycling You’d think that a hotshot MSL columnist could
from both sides of choose the right bike. This one can... but not every time.
the pond. Yes, he is
American, yes, he
does ride around on
a second-hand Guzzi
that causes him grief...
RIDE MORE
and yes, he does
Spend less and ride
have his finger right more with a subscription
on the pulse of life
on two wheels. SUBSCRIBE ON PAGE 30
Top Stories
BMW R 1250 RT has
active cruise control
The R 1250 RT now comes with
revised styling, multiple riding
modes including the new ECO
option, and increased technical
upgrades such as BMW full
integral ABS Pro, engine drag
torque control (MSR). There’s
also a full LED headlamp with
optional ‘Adaptive Turning Light’.
The RT has a new 10.25” TFT
colour screen with integrated
map navigation and extensive
connectivity as standard,
making it possible to display a
navigation map in the
instrument cluster, removing
the need for any additional
display.
BMW has also gone for the
latest motorcycle tech with the
Active Cruise Control (ACC)
being added for the first time on
a BMW Motorcycle, thanks to
newly developed radar sensors
allowing for distance control
and no need for the rider to
adapt road speed to the vehicle
in front.
The newly developed front
fairing encloses the new full LED
headlamps, and the upper
section of the fairing is now
reduced in height, resulting in a
wider field of vision for the rider.
The big boxer engine features
BMW’s ShiftCam technology for
variation of the valve timings
and valve stroke on the intake
side. Peak power is 100kW
(136hp) at 7750rpm, and peak
torque figure is 143Nm at
6250rpm.
The new RT will be available
in retailers early 2021.

‘Baby’ GS gets updates for 2021

The smallest model in the BMW range – the G 310 GS – has got its
313cc liquid-cooled engine updated for Euro 5, and it produces an
A2-friendly 33.5bhp – now controlled by a ride-by-wire throttle.
Price for the updated model start at £5435.
The clutch has been upgraded to a ‘self-boosting anti-hopping’
unit to reduce aggressive engine braking and lighten the lever (which
is now adjustable, too). There’s also a new LED headlight and
indicators. New colour options are available too, including the
striking Rallye finish.

40 years of GS
In addition to new ’40 Years GS Edition’ colours, all BMW R 1250 GS and R
1250 GS Adventure models will have Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and
new ‘Eco’ riding mode as standard.
If you want to add some extras to your bike, new full LED adaptive
cornering headlights, cruising light and function-integrated turn
indicator bulbs are now available as optional equipment ex works. There
are also optional heated seats for rider and pillion.

BMW’s first M model, the M 1000 RR

BMW M 1000 RR’s four-cylinder engine, producing 156kW/212hp at 14,500rpm,
is based on the S 1000 RR, but now with greater peak power and increased
maximum engine speed.
The M model features new engine internals, including forged pistons and
longer, lighter titanium connecting rods, as well as a new lightweight titanium
exhaust system.
Weighing just 192kg, the M RR features M winglets and high windscreen
to form part of an aerodynamics and chassis package optimised for
on-track performance. Price starts at £30,935.

34 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


Kawasaki’s new
Versys 1000 range
Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 is a
formidable adventure bike, and
for 2021 Kawasaki offers it in two
guises, the S and the SE. The first
replaces the stock bike in the
range and adds many of the
features that the old model was
lacking but the SE had as
standard. The SE also receives an
update for 2021, with the addition
of Showa Skyhook suspension.
The Versys S comes in three
flavours: as Standard model as
well as Tourer and Grand Tourer
editions; each option being fitted
with a gradually increasing
number of touring items from
panniers, handguards and a tank
pad for the Tourer model.
The 1043cc, inline-four Versys
1000 S benefits from electronic
cruise control, cornering
management function, KTRC
traction control, selectable
NEW
engine power modes,
and integrated rider
modes combining
the most appropriate
traction control and
power settings for
sport, road, rain plus a
rider (manual) mode.
The Versys 1000 S
is equipped with LED
lighting throughout from
main lighting to
indicators, rear brake
light and even licence
plate illumination.
Kawasaki up and down
quick shifter is included as
standard. This is allied to an
assist and slipper clutch.
The Kawasaki Rideology App Also included in standard dealers this December retailing at
delivers Smartphone connectivity fitment are 12V power source, £12,999, whilst the upgraded
to the Versys 1000 S, and the grip heaters, hand guards and a Versys 1000 SE will cost £14,899
bike is also equipped with large height-adjustable screen. and will be in dealers from
Kawasaki’s Highly Durable paint. The Versys 1000 S arrives in February.

KTM 890 Adventure is here

Based on the KTM 790 Adventure, the new 889cc KTM 890
Adventure raises performance figures to 105hp and 100Nm of
torque, and yet the powerplant is Euro 5 compliant.
The new bike features 200mm of suspension travel, 830/850mm
seat height, a low fender, a 20-litre tank and KTM My Ride
navigation.
Adventure-spec tyres, a full-size TFT dashboard, Cornering ABS,
Traction Control and Motor Slip Regulation, and a strong yet
lightweight subframe for pillion or baggage add to the versatility of
the bike.
Accessories include Cruise Control (with the handlebar switch now
provided as standard), a Quickshifter+ (with optimised settings),
heated seat and grips, as well as a wide compliment of luggage.

New colours for Kawasakis

great and small
Kawasaki 650 twins, Z900,
Ninja 1000SX and Vulcan S
get new colours for 2021.
The 2021 line-up from
Kawasaki gets lots of new
colour, Versys 650, Z650, Ninja a
650, Z900, Ninja 1000SX and Vulcan
V S all getting a makeover.
In addition to the new colours, there are also Performance
Editions of the bikes. For the Z900 this means a large smoke
meter cover, a gel tank pad, a colour-coded seat cover plus the
sporty sound and extra performance of an Akrapovic exhaust,
finished off with carbon heat shield.
The Ninja 1000SX Performance Edition adds frame sliders to
the same list that the Z900 receives.
Availability varies, but you will start to see the first new models
in dealerships in November 2020.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 35
Test Ride
 Group

izing is all th e rage t

at t
th in te We look at
Downs
e ad vent ure bike s that m ight appeal to
thre
those giving up their 1200s

Triumph Tiger 900 GT P

ro...
Moto Guzzi V85TT... Suzu
ki V-Strom 1050 XT

O
ver the last 10 years things got a little bit out of hand with the adventure
sector. Bikes have gained weight, bulk and cost. It’s a trend that finally
looks to be slowing.
Beneath the big hitters sit an ever-growing range of solid alternatives,
a little bit down on cubic capacity and power, but just as usable in the
real world, if not more so. Here are three of them.
The Guzzi is the bike I bought for the shaft drive, the big tank and slightly quirky
nature of it. It’s said to be Moto Guzzi’s bestselling bike and would seem more
mainstream than any that have come before it. The owner’s forum is awash with
riders who have chopped in their GS and Explorer 1200s for them.
The V-Strom 1050 XT, meanwhile, is Suzuki’s flagship adventure bike.
The big Suzuki has always been a great bike, bought for its functionality and value,
with this 2020 model finally given the visual clout hopefully to get it
noticed amongst the herd.
That leaves the Triumph Tiger GT Pro, a bike launched this year to much fanfare
and critical acclaim. Arguably it’s already become the ‘go-to’ bike of this class and
owners seem to be very happy with them.
We did debate as to whether to use the GT Pro or the Rally Pro for this assessment.
In the end it came down to wheel size – all three bikes ride on 19-inch wheels at the
front, the assumption being that most riders in this sector are going to be spending
95% of their time on Tarmac, therefore the GT Pro seemed the most natural choice to
make, even with its cast aluminium wheels.
And so it was, all three bikes were ridden in a variety of environments: back roads,
A roads and dual carriageways, to give them a proper real world test.
If you’re curious about this little-big adventure category, you’ll enjoy this article…
Test Ride
Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro
The Tiger may be an old dog, but it has mastered some new tricks
M
uch has been made of
the new engine in the
Tiger. The new T-plane
crank and 1-3-2 firing
order is reported to
make it more tractable on off-road
terrain and lend it more twin-like
usability. Power is the same at 94bhp,
but torque climbs from 58lb-ft to
64lb-ft, which is all good on paper,
but has it lost some of its free-revving
triple nature as a result?
In a way, it has. Certainly, there’s
more to play with in the low to
mid-range and towards the top end it
really does go hard.
But whereas the old unit was really
distinctive in the way it made its
power and the noise that it made as it
did so, this new unit is a bit more
generic, not quite as thumpy as a
twin and no longer exhilarating like
a triple. It’s an improvement in
overall performance, but maybe a
step backwards in terms of character
and arguably more forgettable as
a result.
38 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
Compared to the other two bikes, it
feels 10bhp down on the Suzuki and
about 30bhp up on the Guzzi.
This being the GT Pro, the
suspension is Marzocchi front and
rear. The forks are 45mm upside
down cartridge type, manually
adjustable for rebound and
compression damping, whilst at the
rear preload and damping adjustment
is electronic, meaning that you can
set the preload – rider, rider with
luggage, pillion, pillion with luggage
ABOVE: Park it – using the thumb stick on the
in a stream and it left-hand controls that riffles through
doesn’t look out the options on the 7-inch TFT screen.
of place. A bike Here you can also set the damping
built for
position from 1 to 10, the latter being
adventure
the firmest setting.
The bike handles well. It’s not as
BELOW: Heated
pin sharp as the V-Strom, and not as
seats front and
rear might just
sure-footed or stable as the Guzzi. It
sway the other sits in between, riding on soft springs,
half into letting and only when pushing on that bit
you buy that new harder do you start to wonder if
bike having electronic suspension on
the rear is a bit of a halfway house
solution, much like it is on the
BMW F850 GS.
For a spirited ride you can quickly
firm up the damping at the rear, but
the forks remain unadjusted (unless
you stop and do it manually), so
there’s a potential to upset the balance
of the bike and I’m not sure if the
overall handling performance is as
good as if they were just a well set up
manually adjustable forks and shocks,
much as it is on the Rally that sits on
fully adjustable Showa forks and

spring. The plus side, of course, is the
easy adjustment of preload on the
rear, which for touring is a handy
feature to have, especially if you have
a pillion jumping on and off.
The quickshifter (Triumph Shift
Assist) is perfectly executed and adds
almost a turbo-charged surge to
upshifts. Whether it’s necessary on an
adventure bike is down to you. Same
with the heated seats front and rear
that you get on the GT Pro.
The main boon of the Tiger 900 is
its manageability, especially for those
looking to downsize from the bigger
bikes. The seat is slender and it offers
the lowest option of the three bikes
here at 810mm. It’s also the lightest at
228 kilos, with each of the three bikes
weighed fully fuelled and also laid
down and lifted to assess how
recoverable each would be if you
ended up in the dirt. At a campsite,
for example, it makes the bike easy to
Group
ABOVE: The
screen will split
opinion. Less is
sometimes more
ABOVE RIGHT:
The triple has manoeuvre and man-handle into
been completely place. On the road all day it means
reworked; adding you won’t get tired so quickly,
power and
especially as seat comfort is arguably
torque, but at
what cost?
the best of the three.
The new TFT screen is slick and
RIGHT: Left high tech. It adds a touch of
switchgear is sophistication to the package,
cluttered, but especially compared to the drab
the GT Pro gets Suzuki LCD screen and cramped TFT
backlit switches
screen of the Guzzi. Most things are
RIGHT: Electronic easy to control, although you wonder
adustment at if after a long winter many riders are
the rear, but going to forget which button on the
manual cluttered switchgear does what and
adjustment on
they’ll end up flashing oncoming
the front
traffic rather than turning on the LED
spotlights or setting the cruise control.
Riding the Triumph off-road
revealed that the GT Pro will more
than cope with the gentle trails and
fire tracks that most riders are going
to be using it on. The change in
engine does make it more tractable at
Test Ride
Specification
TRIUMPH TIGER
900 GT PRO
Price: £12,800
Engine: 888cc, liquid-cooled, 12 valve,
DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Power: 94bhp @ 8750rpm
Torque: 64lb-ft @ 7250rpm
Frame: Tubular steel frame,
bolt-on sub frame
Wheelbase: 1556mm
Brakes: Twin 320mm disc, four-pot
radial caliper (front), 255mm disc,
one-pot caliper (rear), cornering ABS
Transmission: 6 speed, chain final drive
Suspension: Marzocchi 45mm upside
down forks, manual rebound and
compression damping adjustment,
180mm travel (front), Marzocchi rear
suspension unit, electronically
adjustable preload and rebound
damping, 170mm wheel travel (rear)
Wheels/tyres: 100/90-19 (front),
150/70R17 (rear), Metzeler
Tourance Next
Seat height: 810-830mm (31.9-32.7in)
Fuel capacity: 20 litres (4.4 gallons)
Kerb weight: 228 kilos
Service intervals: 6000 miles
Warranty: Unlimited miles/2 years
Contact: www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
low speed and the bike is nicely ABOVE: Styling
balanced and the soft suspension, more aggressive
than before
which finds its limit on the Tarmac,
does give good suppleness on rougher TOP RIGHT: Heat
roads. Being able to get your feet from the radiator
down easily is also a big bonus. fans can blow
There’s a big debate on the forums hot air on to the
rider’s thigh
as to which is better – the road-biased
GT or the more off-road focussed ABOVE RIGHT:
The new 900
Rally. Those who’ve ridden both say
the Showa suspension of the Rally gets a into the background nicely and never
makes for a better bike, on or off detachable feels like you’re going to grow tired of
subframe,
Tarmac, although with a 21-inch it or so frustrated by any of its
helping to avoid
front wheel you are going to get a ‘write-off’ in
possible niggles.
slightly duller steering. My neighbour rides his Tiger 800
the event of a
Overall, the Tiger 900 GT Pro is a tumble to work and back every day, rain or
strange bike in a way. It excels at shine, and again the 900 feels like that
nothing; neither performance, BELOW: The kind of bike; a bike to buy and use
handling, tech, looks, character or Tiger is keen to and in that regard it still very much
price… it’s beaten in every category explore the back remains the go-to mid-capacity
by another bike in the class. And yet, lanes and it’s a adventure bike of choice. You might
touch less
as a package it works brilliantly. It’s not fall in love with it, but I doubt
daunting than
easy to ride, easy to live with, blends the other two
you’d ever regret buying one.
 Group
Suzuki V-Strom 1050 XT
Updated looks have given the Suzuki a new lease of life

T
he Suzuki has been the
‘nearly man’ of
motorcycling since it first
came out, yet anyone
who’s spent time on one
will know what a great all-rounder
the V-Strom is. The problem has been
one of image, with Honda doing a
terrific job of relaunching the Africa
Twin with a clearly designed and
marketed product back in 2017 – it
became the overnight off-road poster
child of choice, whereas Suzuki never
really seemed to grasp the nettle with 100bhp to 106bhp, and torque dips ABOVE:
the V-Strom and as result it was 2.2lb-ft to 73.8lb-ft. Most noticeably, Functional but
always a bit unclear as to what it was peak torque rises up the rev range ugly, the new
and who it was best suited for. from 4000rpm to 6000rpm. instruments let
the bike down
Now we have the new 1050, with It’s this shift in the torque curve
from an
retro styling inspired by the that makes the biggest impact on the aesthetic point
legendary DR750 Dakar bike to riding experience. Previously the bike of view
suggest they’ve finally given it some never really liked to rev and was best
off-road chops to take on the Africa scurried along by short-shifting. It ABOVE RIGHT:
Twin, whereas in reality beneath the was brisk, but never felt fast. Now, by Screen
surface things largely remain around 4000rpm, the bike is really adjustment
unchanged. It’s still just a road starting to get into its stride, pulling toggle on the
outside just
touring bike in drag. cleanly all the way through to peak
above the
The 1037cc engine has been power at 8000rpm. headlight.
rebranded from a 1000 to a 1050, and It’s a transformation in the Inconvenient, but Tubeless spoked XT rims the hardest
most of the mechanical changes are personality and attitude of the bike, the screen is to clean on the market. Question mark
to satisfy Euro 5. Power is up from finally bringing the big yellow beast brilliant over stainless steel spokes or not

Such an easy bike to enjoy an early

morning ride. Crisp, bright and
stimulating; the V-Strom wakes you up
Test Ride
Specification
SUZUKI V-STROM 1050 XT
Price: £11,299
Engine: 1037cc, liquid cooled DOHC,
90-degree V-twin
Power: 106bhp @ 8500rpm
Torque: 73.8lb-ft @ 6000rpm
Frame: Aluminium twin spar
Wheelbase: 1555mm
Brakes: Twin 310mm disc, four-pot
radial caliper (front), 260mm disc,
one-pot caliper (rear), cornering ABS
Transmission: 6-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: 43mm usd KYB adjustable
for preload, rebound and damping
(front), KYB monoshock adjustable for
preload and damping (rear)
Wheels/tyres: Spoked tubeless,
110/80-19 (front), 150/70-17 (rear);
tyres Bridgestone Battlax A41
Adventure
Seat height: 850-870mm (33.5-34.3in)
Fuel capacity: 20 litres (4.4 gallons)
Kerb weight: 247 kilos
Service intervals: 7500 miles
Warranty: Unlimited miles/2 years
Contact: www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk

ABOVE: It’s an
unashamably
handsome brute.
Proud of its new
colours
LEFT: Seat
height
adjustment
fiddly on the
V-Strom
compared to the
others
to life. Concerns over a lack of torque It’s just a shame that they didn’t
low down in the revs seem ABOVE RIGHT: think to offer a GT model, fitted with
unjustified. It still has plenty of meat Flimsy plastic all the bells and whistles of the XT,
at the bottom end; it now just has an handguards but with the cast aluminium wheels
exhilarating top end to match. really let the bike of the base model. It’s probably what
down. if you’re
You just have to watch what many existing V-Strom owners are
going to do it, do
throttle mode you’re in. If it’s set in hankering after.
it properly
C mode – the laziest response of the After all, this is still no dirt bike. I
three – then it feels like you’re riding ABOVE FAR took it down some moderate lanes
with the brake on, but in either B or RIGHT: New Euro and to be fair it coped quite well –
certainly in A mode the throttle input 5 compliant fun even – but it’s not what you’d call
is crisp and lively, the new ride engine pushes its natural environment.
peak torque
technology being one of the most Suzuki are coy about suspension
further up the
authentic and precise set ups of any changes for this model –minimal they
range, and adds
of the adventure bikes. character in the say – but just as the engine has been
It also allows the bike to feature process uncorked, so too has the handling. It’s
cruise control, but only on the XT, not a beautifully balanced, precise and
on the base model, which seems a bad ABOVE MIDDLE: confidence-inspiring set up, firmer
deal for anyone preferring the cast New engine than the other two bikes, but so
aluminium rims of the base model to guards add perfectly tuned for covering ground
the tubeless spoked rims of the XT, protection, but quickly. There’s enough suppleness to
that oil filter is
which are a swine to clean. The base keep things comfortable, but on a
still exposed, as
model also forfeits the centre stand, twisty, bumpy road such as the B3306
is the underside
12v charger under the seat, the easy exhaust chamber from St. Ives to St. Just, neither of the
adjustable windscreen and several other two bikes would be able to
other features including hill hold RIGHT: touch it for pace or accuracy. The
control, dual mode cornering ABS V-Strom's Nissin Bridgestone Battlax A41 Adventure
and handguards, making it an easy brakes are tyres give a huge amount of grip and
jump to the XT, which was probably feelsome and feedback, much improved over the
effective
part of Suzuki’s plan. OEM Battlewings of old.

42 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 Group

The brakes are excellent – arguably ABOVE: Cruise

the best of the lot here – and with control is a
that bold styling you’re now welcome
guaranteed to get noticed on the addition thanks
to new ride-by-
V-Strom. The red and white would be
wire throttle
my preference, although the black XT
is probably the colour of choice for ABOVE RIGHT:
the introverts. The screen (a criticism Land’s End to as always just does a good job of
of the old bike) is also the best of the John o’Groats in being a dependable motorcycle, with
three bikes, for me at least, allowing a day. You could barely any murmur of mechanical
do it on the
visor up riding at motorway speeds problems ever surfacing on the
V-Strom, but
with no impact on the tinnitus at all. you’d need a
owners’ forums, which is what you
The handguards feel cheap and cushion by the want from your motorcycle.
flimsy, and in the 1980s-inspired LCD end The V-Strom still lacks aspirational
screen you can see where the money qualities of some of the other bikes. It
has been saved. RIGHT: The XT’s still doesn’t have the badge or the
The one thing that lets the bike underseat 12v name to float to the top of the pack.
down is the rider seat comfort, now charger is a But the V-Strom remains a bike that
thinner and slimmer than it was useful addition you buy not to please or impress
before. Along with the handling, the BELOW: New other people – the Suzuki is not about
V-Strom feels more sporty for this square headlight keeping up with Joneses – it’s a bike
year, rather than dialled in for is marmite. Some that just offers tremendous value and
long-distance touring, and you wish it would for 2020 an even greater amount of
revert to the
wonder – as exciting as the bike is involvement and rider thrill. To me, it
twin lamps of old
now – if that’s the right direction to now feels like Suzuki’s challenger to
be taking it in. But a seat can soon be the XR, as much as it does to the GS.
fixed as otherwise it’s such a solid, If only they could eek it out to
likeable, working-class machine, that 125bhp like the TL1000 of old. Then
it would raise some eyebrows.
Test Ride
Moto Guzzi V85TT
It may be the odd one out in many respects, but the
Guzzi has a lot to offer
L
ast but not least the Guzzi, a
bike that many may
overlook for the fact it
doesn’t have the power or
the convenience of being a
mainstream manufacturer of the
other bikes in this category. But
arguably the V85TT is a bike that
many have been asking for, and
certainly hoping BMW would
themselves have built; a shaft-driven,
travel orientated motorcycle with a
long-range tank and some capability
off-road. Stick an R80 GS badge on it
and the Bavarians wouldn’t have been
able to build them quick enough.
As it stands the Guzzi is almost the
awkward odd one out in this
category. A Classic Enduro is how
they have decided to market it, but
after 1600 miles on the bike I’d say it
was more akin to an Italian V-Strom
650, with charismatic flair from that
rocking transverse air-cooled twin
and the maintenance-free simplicity
of that shaft-driven final drive.
In comparison to many of these
bikes the beauty of it is its simplicity.
Other than the cruise control and the
little bit too small TFT screen, the
technology on the V85TT is as old as
the moon. There’s no quickshifter, no
electronic suspension or cornering
ABS. It has traction control and
regular ABS, but otherwise it’s a
brawny, torquey 79bhp engine mated
to a chassis that isn’t as dynamic as
the Suzuki, but perhaps a touch better
resolved and stable than the Tiger.
On cross-country runs on twisting
and lumpy A and B roads it flows
beautifully and carries a great amount
of pace. Surfing along on the wave of
torque is the best way to ride it, as the
first time you chase it to the 8000rpm
redline you’ll be left somewhat
disappointed, and the rep mobile
you’ve been tailing on the dual
carriageway will have left you for
dead. Ultimately, you either get the
Guzzi or you don’t.
It’s not a light bike either. I weighed
all three and at 252 kilos the V85TT ABOVE: Could
was actually the heaviest, with the do with being
Tiger at 228 and the V-Strom at 246. bigger, but all
That was all with a full tank of fuel, the information
is there
although in defence of the Guzzi that’s
with the optional centre stand, crash RIGHT:
guards and Bumot pannier frames Switchgear the
fitted, but certainly no welterweight. It cleanest design
carries its weight low though and is a and most
intuitive to use.
well-balanced machine. Riders of the
Also the most
R1200GS will feel the similarities. basic
What lets it down is the throttle
response. It has three modes: Road, BELOW RIGHT: If
Rain and Off-Road. There’s little only they were
difference to tell them apart and even tubeless
 Group
Specification
MOTO GUZZI V85TT
Price: £10,899
Engine: 853cc air-cooled 90°
transverse V-twin
Power: 79bhp @ 7750rpm
Torque: 59lb-ft @ 5000rpm
Frame: Steel tube
Wheelbase: 1530mm
Brakes: Twin 320mm disc, four-pot
caliper (front), 260mm disc, twin-pot
caliper (rear), ABS
Transmission: 6 speed, shaft drive
Suspension: 41mm usd KYB forks
adjustable for preload and rebound,
KYB monoshock rear adjustable for
preload and rebound, 170mm of travel
Wheels/tyres: Spoked tubeless,
110/80-19 (front), 150/70-17 (rear),
Tyres Metzeler Tourance Next
Seat height: 830mm (32.7in)
Fuel capacity: 23 litres (5 gallons)
Kerb weight: 252 kilos (as tested)
Service intervals: 6000 miles
Warranty: Unlimited miles/2 years
Contact: www.motoguzzi.com/uk

in Road mode it could do with a
quicker reaction to input. It just lacks
a little snap, especially off-road when
there’s a slight disconnect between
throttle and rear wheel. It’s not a huge
issue, but a racier throttle map would
be welcome.
On a long 300-mile day, riding tight
country lanes, it’s a great bike to live
with. It’s all day comfortable, has a
lovely engine note, especially the
rumble at start up, and it’s such an
undemanding bike to live with. You
could travel great distances and I don’t
think you would tire. In that regards it
has more in common with the
Triumph than the Suzuki. The
Triumph goes harder and perhaps
would make a ‘better’ everyday
machine, be it commuting or
all-year-round riding, but the Guzzi is
the most relaxing of the three.
The lack of proper mudguard at the
front and rear remains an issue,
although various aftermarket
solutions are attempting to solve that.
There’s also been the odd niggle with
gasket leaks and sensor failings, but
Piaggio and the dealers have been
good in rectifying any issues and
there doesn’t look to be anything
significant that could bring your trip
to a crashing halt. Conversely, the
Suzuki forums are absent of any real
problems or niggles, and that might
be what you want.
Off- road the V85TT is probably
more capable than Moto Guzzi wish
to promote. It copes alright with
rough terrain, with a nice easy flow to
it and a good natural standing
position, those wide bars really
coming into their own.
If anything, that’s what
characterises the V85TT the most.
Whereas with other adventure bikes
you tend to sit in them and there’s a
lot of ‘bike’ around you, instead on
the Guzzi you seem to sit on it, much
as you would with a classic bike or
cruiser. Visually and aesthetically it’s
also hard to find fault. There are some
lovely design touches on the bike and
it feels like there was some love put
into even the most generic of things
such as handguards or brake pedals.
In recent decades motorcycles
seemed to have lost their tactile
nature. For someone who likes to
keep their bikes clean it’s nice to get
up close and interact with a bike that
you sense was made with Italian
ABOVE: The passion, not global corporate
Guzzi makes for governance and cost cutting.
a great travel It’s not a perfect bike. In fact at
bike. Not the times it’s frustratingly slow. For some
fastest, but easy
people it will feel like too much of a
to live with
step backwards from the bike they’re
used to riding. That’s not to say it’s an
antiquated bike. The gearbox is
smooth and clean in its change. The
Brembo brakes are strong and overall
it’s a very polished product. Very
BELOW LEFT: much a 21st century design and
Goggle-eyed execution. It just doesn’t have the
front end sets straight-line performance of its
the Guzzi apart counterparts, but then it comes down
from the rest to what you’re buying it for.
As an everyday commuter bike
BELOW RIGHT:
then no, there are better options. But
Adjustable
suspension is
as a bike to love and own and take on
supple and well a romantic adventure, the Italian
controlled. Built from Mandello Del Lario is in a
for comfort, not league of its own. But certainly try
speed one before you buy one.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 45
Test Ride
Verdict
T
hree bikes, all roughly the
same, but all vastly
different. If you had to
pick a winner you
couldn’t, because they’re
all good bikes, just in their own
unique way. The Triumph is an odd
one. I can’t figure out if it’s better than
the 800 or not. In every mechanical
and measurable way it is, but at the
same time I’ll always remember my
time spent on the 800 in a way that I
don’t think I will with the 900. In
becoming a better bike its lost some
of its character. Some of the forums
will disagree. Many prefer the 900 to
the 800 and that’s okay. We’re all
different. But ultimately Triumph has
built a solid, safe, dependable
machine. No one’s going to question
why you bought one because it’s
obvious. It’s a Tiger, and they’re a
good all-round machine. Will you fall
in love with it? I’m not sure.
The V-Strom 1050 XT has been
unleashed. It has real verve and
character now. It’s still a bit confused
as to what it is, but at least it feels
eager and keen, not lazy like it once
did. Why they’ve fitted it with a plank
for a seat heaven knows. It’s not
terrible, it just could have been a bit
better, but seats can easily be fixed.
The rest of the package is very good
and in a game of top trumps would
easily come out best of this three. It
has a great engine, sharp handling
and fantastic value. It still won’t
appeal to the badge snobs,
but that’s life.
The Guzzi is an odd-ball. On paper
it makes no sense, but it’s a joy to
ride, sure-footed, characterful,
hairy-chested in an Italian playboy
sort of way. It will just be too slow
for some, but it can still hustle and
away from the motorways it can carry
so much pace and momentum,
backing away from the point and
squirt nature of the big boys and
bringing it back to the flow of
progressive riding; light on the
brakes, easy on the power, riding it
on the torque and never breaking a
sweat. Maintenance-free shaft drive
also makes it a traveller’s dream and
it’s a bike that the market was
certainly lacking.
More than anything, with these
bikes in particular, it all boils down to
personality. Each bike has its own
unique character, which will appeal to
different people for different reasons.
Four great bikes. And many more great
bikes that could have been included.
We really are living in a golden age of
motorcycling. Let’s make the most of it
before the electric kicks in.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 47
 Buyer’s Guide

Leather gloves
Your hands are pretty much the first line of defence when
riding a motorcycle. Whether it’s the weather or the impact
of a crash, it’s important to keep them protected.

Y
ou’ve decided you need a new pair
of gloves, and you’ve narrowed it
down to wanting a leather pair. But
what else should you look for?
Here’s a quick guide to get you up
to speed from knuckle protection to
double layer leather palms…

Furygan Higgins Gloves

£89.99 | www.nevis.uk.com

COW, GOAT, KANGAROO…

The kind of leather you choose can make a difference – and there are more out
there than you may think, all of them with their own pros and cons. The Furygan
Higgins gloves featured here are made from goat leather. Characteristics of
this kind of leather include suppleness and softness, as well as good levels of
abrasion resistance. Other leathers often used include cowhide and kangaroo
leather. Cowhide is likely to be the one you’re most familiar with. It’s affordable,
comfortable, durable and offers good levels of abrasion resistance. Strong and
lightweight, kangaroo leather is often the choice of racers for their one-piece
suits, but it is sometimes used in gloves. Be sure that you’re comparing like-for-
like as leather comes in different thicknesses too and can sometimes be double
layered for extra protection on impact zones.

LENGTH
The preferred length of glove is very much down to
personal choice – some riders prefer shorter gloves
and others longer. It will also depend on the style of
your jacket and the cuffs as to which gloves will sit the
best with the rest of your kit. Ideally, try the gloves
on with your riding jacket, so you know how they fit
around the cuff. If the gloves are too long there will
be a lot of bunching around the wrist, which could get
uncomfortable. If they are too short, you’ll get cold
wrists and in the event of an accident, you’ll
be unprotected.

FIT
As with all riding gear, the fit is extremely important. Riding along
and your mind focusing on how tight your gloves are or how there’s an
uncomfortable seam digging into your little finger means your attention
isn’t on the task in hand of riding. By wearing kit that you trust and
you’re comfortable in, you can enjoy the ride and know that you’re safe
and well protected. You want the gloves not be too tight or too loose,
and to not restrict your hands too much when you bend your fingers to
close into a fist. Speak to your local dealership though, as some leather
‘gives’ once it’s bedded in. Look for things like stretch fabric on the wrist
and also pre-curved fingers. This means the material won’t be fighting
against the natural resting position of your hands, a bit like a pre-curved
sleeve in a racing leather jacket.

48 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 KIT GUIDE

OTHER LEATHER
GLOVES TO CONSIDER…
RST GT waterproof
glove
£69.99 | www.rst-moto.com

Made from cowhide leather, the GT waterproof

glove is a ‘do-it-all’ sports glove. Key features
include a double leather palm and TPU knuckle
and finger tops, which offer protection, whilst
pre-curved fingers ensure all day comfort. The
digital finger enables the rider to use a touch
screen with ease. Fixed SinAqua Lining is designed
to keep your mitts dry, and adjustable Velcro cuff
closure helps find the right fit for you.

FEATURES
Depending on the style of gloves, there
may be some additional features such as
touch screen inserts on the fingertips,
micro-fleece linings and visor wipers.
It all depends on what you’re after and
what weather conditions you plan to
ride with them in. ucano Urbano
b
Barone Gloves
£79.99 | www.tucanourbano.com
PROTECTION
One of the most important elements is the protection that the gloves offer. While there Soft inside and out, these Autumn/Winter gloves are
are some very stylish gloves on the market, they’re not necessarily going to offer much
made with 100% goat leather on the outside and
protection in the event of an accident. Look for gloves which are CE-approved – this
means they are tested for abrasion resistance, impact protection and also dexterity have a faux sheepskin inner with a microfibre lining
(i.e. can you move your hand properly and feel things when wearing them?). Look for on the palm for maximum sensitivity of controls.
protective features such as knuckle protection and secure fastenings and adjusters. Fully CE-approved, the Barone gloves have rigid
inserts on the knuckles and a D3O insert on the
palm, as well as padding on the fingers and a long
adjustable cuff with zip.

FEEL
You don’t need us to tell you that being able to feel the brake lever and handlebars are
important when riding. Feel is sometimes more of an issue with thicker winter gloves,
which feature lots of thermal linings and waterproof membranes. But it’s important to
check all the same. The feel you get will be linked to the fit of the gloves. Too tight and
your fingers may go numb. Too loose and the material may gather and make your palms
uncomfortable on the bars

WARMTH OR VENTILATI
If you only plan on riding with them in the winter time, then be sure to look for
with a thermal lining and waterproof membrane, as just because they’re predomi
leather, doesn’t mean you have to get wet hands. However, if you plan to use t
summer gloves only, then look for gloves without lots of warm linings.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 49
50 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
 TOURING Your rides ◆ Expert advice ◆ Places to go

On the road again

Zoom has been used to keep members in touch

IMTC – the International

Motorcyclists Touring Club
– emerges from lockdown Still getting out and about – the Barton-Scarborough Run

T
he International organise tours, and it reckons it’s National Dinner weekend in Region has begun meeting in
Motorcyclists the oldest motorcycle touring March. For the foreseeable real life at favourite cafés,
Touring Club is club in the world. future all of these will be keeping to social distancing
starting to It sounds like a contradiction reviewed in line with guidelines, while East Midlands
emerge from in terms. How does a government restrictions, with Region has been organising
lockdown, after motorcycle club based around some being cancelled and others ride-outs according to
all club events the concept of big trips, cope being modified to adhere to the motorcycle-specific guidelines
were cancelled in early April, in with a travel ban? Not only that, restrictions in place at the time.” issued jointly by the BMF, MAG,
line with Government but they like to meet face to Despite all this club life being TRF, VMCC and others. “These
guidelines. “The Second World face. “We’re very much a club currently on hold, not to guidelines have been included in
War was the only only other for the motorcyclist who likes to mention the club’s traditional the IMTC’s ride-out risk
time club events were suspended socialise,” says Alistair, “with trips into mainland Europe and assessment,” adds Alistair, “and
since our establishment in regional monthly breakfast beyond, it has found other ways trips so far have included the
1932,” says Alistair Smith, meets, regular mid-week lunch to keep members occupied. North Yorkshire Moors, Barton
Acting Publicity Officer. “Since meets, Christmas lunch meets “The club committee has been to Scarborough, Lincolnshire
the relaxation of lockdown and in some of the regions meeting online via Zoom,” says Aviation Heritage Centre and
restrictions, the club has been ride-outs during the Spring, Alistair, “enabling us to continue Tickencote to Pitsford Reservoir.
slowly returning to life again.” Summer and Autumn. Then steering the club through these Also the Pilgrims Run from
The IMTC – one of Britain's there are regional club weekends difficult times. And with the Newark to Guildhall, Boston,
longest established motorcycle throughout the year, easing of Covid-19 restrictions, which involves travelling to
clubs – exists to encourage and culminating in the club’s annual our five regional groups have places associated with the
either gone online or resumed. Mayflower Pilgrims.”
The Northern Region is The IMTC tours to Germany
Adventure Bike Rides organising weekly and monthly and the Czech Republic have
In the last issue of MSL we featured Adventure Bike Rides – a Zoom meetings and has been been postponed until next
company that specialises in showing people how to get into joined by some members from Summer, with the hope that
adventure riding. other regions, including some whatever restrictions are in
We received a lot good feedback from people who are living in France.” Even if big place then it will still be possible
interested in dipping their toes in adventurous waters, but we also trips are out, members have to run the tours.
got something wrong. Their website. Whoops! Sorry! been kept entertained with More information can be
So, if you want to sample the joys of adventure riding, the quizzes and slide shows of found on the website www.imtc.
website to visit is www.adventurebikerides.co.uk or call them on previous tours to Germany, org.uk and the Membership
01652 462 067. Corsica, the USA and Canada. Secretary can be contacted at
The London & Southern membership@imtc.org.uk.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 51
 Day Ride

Ride the Wight

Next October, the Isle of Wight will host a
closed roads ‘TT’. In the meantime, it’s a
great day ride destination
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Peter Steele

T
he Isle of Wight has been invaded by ABOVE: View from Culver
Vikings, French, Jutes, Romans and, Downs
more recently, tourists. This year, it
would be invaded by my mate Wellsy RIGHT: Socially distanced
and I. Wellsy has so many bikes he seaside at The Duver
always struggles to choose which one
he’s going to ride. This time it's his
pocket-sized KTM RC390 and I'm on my only bike BELOW: This is what
(not jealous), a Honda NC750X. Wight has just one passes for a High Street
mile of dual-carriageway, so anything more than the on Wight
KTM’s 44bhp and Honda’s 54bhp is wasted.
Riding off the ferry from Lymington, it takes a full
30 seconds to reach Yarmouth town square and park
up in the bike bay. Yarmouth may be small, but it’s
popular with bikers. There are two separate
motorcycle parking bays, three pubs (all do food and
The Bugle has rooms), one hotel, five restaurants,
three cafés, two guest houses, one pier and one castle.
Got that?
After fuelling up on bacon butties and coffee at
Gossip’s café, we try to cross the River Yar swing
bridge towards Totland, but it’s closed to allow boats
through. Time to take in the view… to the right is
Yarmouth Marina, The Solent and Lymington hazy in
the distance. To the left is the massive green hump of
Tennyson Downs, rising high beyond the Yar.
Eventually, the swing bridge unswings and we are
off towards Freshwater, turning left at the Totland
roundabout, through Freshwater and on to Freshwater
Bay. There are toilets opposite the car park, very handy
for our coffee-soaked bodies.
Back on the bikes we join what must be one of
England’s best biking roads, the 15-mile A3055
Military Road. It was built in 1860 as part of a defence

52 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 TOURING & ADVENTURE

Fareham

azine.c
ENGLAND ag

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w
North Solent w
National Nature
Reserve
Osborne
Northwood

Hamstead
S Heritage Coast
F
Yarmouth Newport St. Helens
Downed
Bembridge
Freshwater
Isle of Wight
AONB ISLE OF Sandown
Mottistone
WIGHT
Shanklin

Luccombe

Ventnor
Niton

RIGHT: Either Wellsy is

leaning on a bollard or
he’s stretching a tired
leg

BELOW: Yarmouth Pier

– it’s not exactly
Southend

network and is mostly pretty well surfaced. If you ride

slowly enough you can marvel at the astounding sea
views and prepare yourself for something I’ve
experienced several times approaching the Isle of
Wight Pearl shop. For some reason, ancient cap-
wearing Nissan Micra drivers congregate in the car
park, wait until I appear, then zoom out en masse in
front of me. I think they lurk there all year just to get
me. This is a real problem, as the island has a large
proportion of elderly drivers and the driving standard
can be poor at best. So watch out. Especially near Isle
of Wight Pearl. That’s where they live.
Still, we’ re soon past the inevitable Micra, heading
southeast towards Niton, the most southerly point of
our tour. Then it’s on to Ventnor, a fashionable holiday
resort for the discerning Victorian, but not so popular
now. I like the place though, as it has a certain charm,
and there’s a Honda dealer by the traffic lights; been
there 35 years and still going strong.
There are two parts to Ventnor: the top bit (with
solo bike parking in the High Street and in the large
car park) and the lower sea front bit, accessed by the
steep and twisty Shore Hill. Turn left at the bottom of

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 53
the hill, just before the sea front ‘band stand’ building,
for bike parking. We stop there to stretch our legs.
Time to seek out yet more coffee and bacon butties at
the Spyglass Inn at the far end of the front.
Back to the bikes and the KTM is getting a few
admiring glances. It’s a lovely looking machine, 70kg
lighter than mine and half the engine size. Wellsy
reckons it’s great fun, quite nippy and smooth for a
small single (he could be describing himself), a
tad uncomfortable on longer runs and
averaging around 75mpg. I was quite surprised
by the seat height, 820mm, compared to my
NC’s adventure-style 830mm. My bike, as
usual, gets no compliments, except from a
holidaying Yorkshireman : “Nice ’ed light, is
that one of ’em ELL EE DEES?” It is, and it
does work pretty well, but it’s not Micra-proof
(laser beams on order).
Leaving Ventnor along the High Street, we head
towards Shanklin on the A3055. Shanklin and
Sandown are very touristy and not really our thing,
and we prefer to head over to Culver Down, one of
our favourite stops. To get there we turn right in
Brading towards Bembridge, then right again up
Culver Down Road, a small road which you need to
look out for. This climbs to the top of the Downs,
stopping at the main car park just along from the
Culver Haven Inn. There's a circular walk from here,
around the end of the cliff, the old gun battery and
ABOVE: Ignore Fawley in back, just right for finishing off with ice creams at the
the background – this is Inn. Sitting by the huge granite Yarborough
Yarmouth seen from Monument we watch aircraft landing at Bembridge
Tennyson Downs Airfield below us, cruise ships in the Solent and
Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower on the skyline.
Back on the bikes, after washing seagull crap off my
‘Ell Ee Dee’, we head back to the junction (rather a
tight right turn) towards England’s largest village,
Bembridge. It’s a pleasant place to stop, but we’ll
do that next time, so carry on along the B3395 to
St Helens. At the T-junction we turn right, then
right again down Duver Road, heading for the
drop-dead gorgeousness that is The Duver
– Duver is the Wight word for dunes. These
and the beach front boardwalk are well worth
stopping for, as is the Baywatch Café. More ice
creams and coffee before we retrace the road
through St Helens and turn back towards Brading.
Right at the lights, then a left up Bully’s Hill on to
Brading Down Road which, I’m pleasantly surprised
to find, has been resurfaced. Sixty per cent of the
ABOVE: Military Road was island’s 600-mile road network has been given a
built in the 1860s to makeover in the last seven years and it shows on this
deter invasion (Photo: one. We bend-swing our way for a while, then relent
Alistair Young) and pull into the summit car park. More stunning
views overlooking a Roman villa, Sandown airfield
and the sea.
BELOW: River Yar is a Off again, we drop down into the island’s biggest
yachties’ paradise town, Newport, then north on the A3020 towards
Gurnard. This narrow road runs through the very
English villages of Porchfield and Newtown, before
the T-junction at the A3054 in Shalfleet. Turning right
takes you straight back to Yarmouth, but I prefer to
turn left, then right down Elm Lane. At Newbridge
take a right and ride through Wellow and Thorley to
Yarmouth. If you’re not in a hurry, don’t turn for
Newbridge, but ride through Calbourne, the
impressive Brighstone Forest and then Brighstone
village. You’ll hit the Military Road again near the
Pearl emporium (beware Micras). Then it’s back
through Freshwater to Yarmouth.
I haven’t met a mainland biker yet who knows of
these places. The Isle of Wight may be small, but it’s
quite a place for biking if you know where to look…
well, you do now... see you over there.
These yachts are racing
– doesn’t look like it
though
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 55
 Mid Ride

Riding home
Maja Kenney has lived in the UK for 20
years, but for her first big trip rode home
to Slovenia
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Maja Kenney

I
slowed down as I approached the back of the ABOVE: Not a Ducati
queue of bikes waiting to board the Channel brochure, just a tranquil
Tunnel. My heart was in my throat and my corner of Slovenia
stomach was doing somersaults as I came to a
stop and switched the engine off. At that point it RIGHT: First stop – coffee
hit me. I was setting off to Europe for three in Bruges
weeks on my Ducati, and on my own. I'd
travelled before, but had only taken up motorcycling
(apart from a scooter at 16) in 2016 – this was my first
big solo trip. Thankfully, I was last in the queue of the BELOW: Eifel National
bikes so I could observe what everyone was doing, but Park made a change from
it was only once I was parked on the train and took motorways
my helmet off that I finally relaxed.
The crossing was quick – less than half-an-hour –
and I soon found myself on a French motorway
heading for Bruges. I was doing it! Relaxed, I shrieked
inside my helmet, happy and excited to be finally on
the road.
Bruges was the first stop, just because. I had never
been, but had heard about how beautiful the place
was. And it was all true. After the initial indecisiveness
of where to park and leaving my bike unattended in a
strange city, I took a short walk around the main
square and settled in a side street café for a late
breakfast. The sun was out, the coffee was amazing
and the croissant tasted wonderful. Watching the
world go by, I sat there working out my next move.

56 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 TOURING & ADVENTURE

ABOVE: Mayschoss,
where they seem to grow
vines on the cliffs

RIGHT: Bavaria, and more

twisty tarmac

LEFT: Triglav National

Park, Slovenia

The only accommodation I had pre-booked was a

small hotel in Germany on the edge of the Eifel
National Park. I’d heard this was a bikers’ paradise and
decided to spend two nights there to give me a day of
fun on the bike with no bags. Back on the Ducati (a
Supersport S, which I love), I carried on across
Belgium. It turned out to be mostly flat so you can
imagine the roads are pretty boring, and apart from
detouring to Ieper (Ypres) for lunch I headed straight
for my accommodation. In fact, once across the
border to Germany the scenery and roads changed
– everything became more interesting.

Right decision
The next morning I realised my two-night stay in the
Eifel National Park was the right decision, because it is
stunning, woven with twisty roads which finally gave
me the chance to scrub the sides of the Ducati's new
tyres. With no more motorways I spent a full day on
smooth, bendy roads running through the forests,
peaking out at the top of the mountains and back
down to the lakes.
In the evening I stopped at Nideggen, a stunning
town with sandstone buildings and a castle with
beautiful views. Feeling confident, I sat down at one of
the many cafés with their tables arranged on the
pedestrianised streets and ordered dinner. My high
school German didn’t quite deliver as I ended up with
a snack of a flatbread. Tired and too embarrassed to
change my order I ate the food, drank more water and
headed back to the hotel.
Following the suggestion of a fellow twitter user I
visited Mayschoss the next morning, for two reasons.
It’s a wine region and looking at the map, the roads
looked like lots of fun on a bike, and the ride there
and back was definitely worth it. Unfortunately at
10am I wasn’t really in the mood for wine, but I was in
awe of where the vines are grown clinging to steep
hillsides. As for the roads, they did not disappoint.
After those two days I pushed on to my next stop,
ABOVE: Just under cloud
base on the Panorama
road
RIGHT: Exciting moment
for Maja, the home border
the walled town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, for a
break and a few photos. I knew most of the day would
be motorways and was excited to push the Ducati a bit
more on the sections without speed limits.
Unfortunately it was cloudy, cold and windy, and with
a full luggage load the exercise wasn’t quite as much
fun as I’d hoped.
After a few hours of motorways I stopped to look
for accommodation – only I can find a village with no
pub! Luckily I was able to find somewhere to stay, and
it was just for the one night. Anyway, the next village
was within walking distance and did have a pub for
dinner and a well-deserved pint of the local brew.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 57
Memory Mountain Pass
More motorways eventually took me into the Bavarian
region of Germany, right on the border with Austria.
You can imagine it, the beautifully kept Alpine
villages, stunning views, amazing roads and clean air.
It was still fairly cold and I made several stops to
warm up and refuel not just the bike, but me as well. I
was lucky and managed to book a B&B with a pool
and a beer fridge in my room not far from
Berchtesgaden, which itself is well worth a visit.
Next morning I headed for my final destination,
Slovenia. But before I embarked on yet more
motorways through Austria I checked the map. The
Panorama route (Rossfeld Panorama Strasse) was a
brilliant alternative – you have to pay a toll, but it is so
worth it! The road peaks at 1560 metres and the views
are awe-inspiring, even on a cloudy day.
The rest of the day was broken up with stops in
random villages off the motorway until I was nearly at
the border. I deliberately chose to ride over the old
mountain pass to cross the border (Wurzenpass or
Prelaz Korenjsko Sedlo) rather than the tunnel joining
Austria and Slovenia. We used to come this way when
I was a child, riding in the back of my parents’ car. The
old road is now full of potholes and clearly not looked
after, but I didn’t care. With each twist and turn and
climb of the road I was closer to my goal and the
excitement and happiness I felt when I saw the sign
‘Slovenia’ is difficult to describe.
Having lived in the UK for over 20 years I forget
how beautiful my home country is. And for the first
time I got to explore it on a motorcycle. I rode high
Alpine passes and beautiful country roads, visited
lakes and villages I hadn't been to in ages, and rode
some of the Triglav National Park roads. I didn’t make
58 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
ABOVE: Taking a road it to the coast this time, but for a very good reason
less travelled in rural – I'd planned to ride home via Bologna to visit the
Slovenia Ducati factory, and needed to get going.
ABOVE RIGHT: Panorama Heading back
was a lot more fun than Italy greeted me with heavy rain, erratic drivers and
the tunnel alternative lots of trucks. Needless to say, I didn’t much enjoy the
flatland and motorways to Bologna, but the factory
visit was worth it. After that, I had another detour,
Cinque Terre, which is Italy's coastal region off the
Ligurian Sea. It turned out to be a bigger detour than I
had imagined, but it was still the right decision. The
short ride through Tuscany was awesome and Cinque
Terre itself is incredibly beautiful. Mind you, it was
getting very hot, close to 40 degrees C, and the Ducati
was, helpfully, heating my thighs and legs as well – no
wonder I got caught speeding in one town whilst
trying to negotiate the Italian traffic.
RIGHT: Supersport Ducati
carried its luggage well
BELOW LEFT: Coast roads
in Liguria were stunning
BELOW: Italy’s Cinque
Terre coast, a contrast
with the Alps
 TOURING & ADVENTURE

NETHERLAN S
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Stuttgart
Paris
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Salzburg
Zurich
AUSTRIA
A10
FRANCE SWITZERLAND
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Venice E70

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TOP LEFT: Where else but
Italy?
ABOVE LEFT: Switzerland
was a relief after northern
Italy
LEFT: Another highlight,
and no prizes for
guessing...
BELOW: Three weeks on
the road, and still smiling
as she heads home
The morning arrived and for the first time ever, all
loaded and ready to go, I dropped my bike on the
gravel car park! Luckily no damage, not even a broken
lever, just a few scratches on the end of the handlebar.
Phew.
The rest of the ride to Calais was less eventful,
giving me time to reflect on the journey and the
adventure I’d had, feeling proud that I had achieved a
long-standing goal of riding a motorcycle across
Europe. My first major adventure had ended, but it
gave me ideas and inspiration for many more since. I'll
be doing this again.

The moment I entered Switzerland a sudden calm

feeling descended. Other road users seemed to slow
down and calm down, while the air became cooler
and fresher almost instantly. I spent a couple of days
in Switzerland riding the mountain roads, enjoying
the peace and quiet which, after the hustle of Italy,
was just what I needed. The only plan was to stop at
the Ace Cafe in Lucerne and the rest I just made up
as I went along.
I didn't have a firm plan for the route home, but did
have to do some forward planning for the last few
days, to make sure I caught the return train at Calais,
and decided to head back through Germany and the
Black Forest. My last day was one of mixed emotions. I
had spent three weeks on the road, just myself and my
bike, and it had been fantastic. I had worked through
plenty of things and a few curve balls came my way
during the trip, but I loved every moment. On the last
night I stopped in a small village in Belgium where I
treated myself to a glass of fizz to celebrate. All I had
to do now was get to Calais next morning, catch my
train and head home.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 59
 Long Ride

PART
Down Under, TWO

Bottom Up
ABOVE: Road to Strahan,
one of Tassie’s highlights

Jeremy’s Torr’s epic cross-Australia ride – this month, BELOW: Brayshaw’s Hut,
north to south, from Queensland to Tasmania Snowy Mountains

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Jeremy Torr

I
first rode towards Cairns – the first significant
town south of Cape York. As sometimes
happens, I saw a sign to a pub, so I investigated.
The Lion’s Den has apparently been serving
thirsty travellers on the Bloomfield Track since
1875. I asked if there was a back way to the coast
road, and a bloke called Jonno said yes, it would
be a “piece of piss” for a bike like mine, albeit a bit
rough in places. Reassured, I set off down the
Bloomfield.
It wound picturesquely by the Little Annan river,
becoming more rainforest-ish and rugged by the
minute. Varying from thick, deep dust to single track
to polished river stones, along with 1-in-3 climbs and

60 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


accompanying ‘Low Ratio Now!’ signs, it was a
challenge. It also had a few narrow river crossings
which, although not too deep, made scaredy-cat
4WDrivers queue up on either side, effectively
blocking access to everyone else. I blazed arrogantly
by on my road tyres, to the cheers of some locals
fishing in the shallows.
The Shiver surprised and impressed me with its
off-road capability. Although using Diablo Rosso
Corsa tyres (not exactly dirt track spec) it was solid
and stable, and gave me virtually no butt-clenching
moments. The grunty little V-twin was perfect on
loose stuff, too. After some 20-30 miles on the
Bloomfield I cruised triumphantly into Cape
Tribulation and the most perfect beachside campsite
in Australia. A group of visiting jugglers from
England rode unicycles and threw their children in
the air to celebrate.
“This is the best and friendliest place we’ve been to
in Australia,” they told me. I agreed, sitting on the
beach drinking beer and watching the evening light
slip into the crocodile-infested sea. It was so idyllic I
stayed two nights, despite (or maybe because of)
the lack of phone or internet connectivity. Bliss.
Running on fumes
The next day, heading south through the
legendary Daintree (the oldest living rainforest on
earth at 135 million years) I was informed by a
local that it wasn’t the same now all the hippies had
left, and been replaced by ferals, druggies and petty
criminals. It looked ok to me as I rode down twisty,
TOURING & ADVENTURE
TOP LEFT: Bloomfield’s
loose surface and 1-in-3
slopes weren’t a problem dripping moss-lined roads, avoiding the cassowary
TOP RIGHT: Doesn’t look signs. I decided not to stop at Murdering Point, but
too bad, but this is carried on to a tiny, tired looking holiday town called
burnt-out country Karrimine. The lady at the motel was helpful: “Yes, it’s
ABOVE LEFT: Cockle ok to swim in the sea here now. There are sharks of
Creek, as far south as you course, and a few crocs and maybe some stingers
can get by road (jellyfish) too, but not so many at this time of year.” I
MIDDLE RIGHT: Cape didn’t go for a swim.
Tribulation I carried on down the laughingly named Pacific
ABOVE RIGHT: Coast Way (Bruce Highway). As a road supposedly
Wolverhampton circa near a coastline, it’s a total failure. It's way inland,
1961? Nope, Carryong choked with trippers, lined with greasy burger stops,
2020 fringed by soulless cane fields and disfigured by
BELOW: $7.00 for the endless dumped machinery. Avoid it at all costs.
Daintree ferry, one-way I was tempted to head back inland, but wanted to
meet a mate at the delightful Airlie Beach, an oasis in
the dereliction. There I found a superb coffee shop, a
great campsite and a delightful chance meeting
with Reg and Bernie, camping with their kids.
But south of Airlie Beach that horrid ‘coast
road’ reasserted itself. Not only that, but
refuelling might be an issue. The map said
there was a petrol station 200km down the
road, which on the Shiver’s range was tight
but doable. I cruised up to the pumps – or
the stumps of pumps. Some lunatic had
run over them all, wrenching them out of
the ground. According to the map the next
fuel was 80km away, right on my tank’s limit. I
crawled off up the road in draining 30+deg heat.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 61
 rid
de.” I suggested that it was nothing – I was on
m
my way back from Cape York Peninsula.
“What, on that?!” gasped another
At the next pumps a handwritten sign read disbelieving BMWer.
‘Closed for Renovation.’ I sobbed, and rode on n The next stretch of tarmac on my
– what else could I do? research list was the Putty Road. At just
I came across about a dozen RVs parked over 100 miles long, it runs all the way
under some gum trees. Scenting salvation, I pulled from Singleton down into Sydney’s suburbs
in and asked if anybody had spare fuel. They all a and is understandably popular with local
had – but only diesel. Then one guy remembered he bikers. The local council is so proud of it, it
had a litre or so of petrol in his generator. Thee sound d
describes the road as ‘a great blend of
of fuel splashing into the Shiver’s tank was likee higgh-speed open road with sweeping bends, and
heaven’s trumpets. areas of tighter smooth corners where you can
The further south I rode along the Queensland hone your cornering skills’. That’s my kind of council.
coast, the more people I saw, but they became less TOP LEFT: Layby miles As I headed down through northern and central
friendly and open. One Swiss rider I met summed it from anywhere, complete NSW, I started to see the first marks of bushfires.
up: “Everything on this road is just for tourists. with rubbish bin Burnt trees lined some roads, and huge plumes of
Nothing is only as it is.” I decided to turn off as soon TOP RIGHT: Early smoke were starting to build here and there. But it
as I could, and headed towards Tin Can Beach, a morning, and it’s was still early days in the fire season, so I carried on
35-mile side trip through spooky, deserted sand freezing... south, skirting Sydney towards the Victorian Alps.
dunes. The campsite was cool, lulled by waves from ABOVE: Jeremy gave Goulburn, Canberra, Tharwa all rolled by with good,
the beach and, best of all, quiet. I slept like a log. Murdering Point a miss... but not memorable roads, but then the hills started.
Adaminaby (over 3300ft high) marked the start of the
The best roads NSW ski fields, and what turned out to be some
Before setting out on this ride, I’d looked up a few stunning riding. I caught up with a couple more
recommended bike roads. One was the Lions Road, bikers, Bruce and JonPaul, who told me that from the
lauded by many as magnificent, and only a bit off my summit at Cabramurra were some of the best riding
BELOW LEFT: Curried
route. When I got there, it was magnificent, but only scallop pie, Queenstown roads in NSW.
to look at. It was bumpy, full of cars and heavily They weren’t wrong. From Cabramurra to
polluted by warning signs. Luckily, it eventually BELOW: Stock route is for Khancoban the Tooma Road is 70 miles of the most
popped me out on to the Armidale Road running cattle on the hoof, not amazing riding, scenery and buzz that you will get in
down over the NSW border to Dorrigo, a route that Aprilias SE Australia, possibly the whole place. Riding through
one tourist had warned me against. “It’s dangerous on
a bike,” he frowned. “Too many corners and logging
trucks.” Thank heavens I ignored him, and discovered
the best biking road yet.
I also discovered Tim,
a Laverda rider who
knew the road like the
back of his hand. The
sun through the trees,
the Tarmac, the corners,
the cool of the forest and
just us, riding. It was
epic. South of Dorrigo, I
pulled up at Ebor coffee
stop, and saw a group of
GS1200 riders swapping
technology tips. One
looked at my bike’s plate.
“Wow, you’ve come all
the way from Tasmania,”
said one, “that’s some

62 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 TOURING & ADVENTURE

S
Laura 81
Cairns

A1
Townsville

Mackay

A1
QUEENSLAND

Brisbane
AUSTRALIA A1
Gold Coast

NEW SOUTH Newcastle

WALES Sydney
Canberra M23

M31

Melbourne
majestic snow gums, huge ravines and gobsmacking
views is good enough. Riding an empty, twisting
ribbon of tarmac makes it better than good.
azine.c
I rolled into Khancoban on a complete high, waved ag
goodbye to Brett and JonPaul at the service station
w.mslm

o.u

and cruised into Corryong. I’d last been in this small TASMANIA
k/MA

DOWNLOAD A10
town about 20 years before, but little had changed. If
ROUTE
anything it was even more woebegone. Many shops PS F
w

w
were closed and an old couple on the main street Hobart
asked me if I needed food – they must assume
everybody there is on their uppers.
I rode down out of the High Country towards TOP LEFT: Road trains,
Bright, discovering why Corryong was so depressed Queensland
– Bright had stolen all its trade and people. It was all ABOVE LEFT: Some
café latte bars and craft breweries, spandex tights and campsites were a bit bare
bushman beards, and thronged with tourists. I caught RIGHT: Steam loco
up with some friends there, but missed the wild back graveyard, Dorrigo
country friendliness. In fact, it was time to get back to
Melbourne and the ferry to Tassie, and the ride down
to Victoria's capital reintroduced me to multi-lane BELOW: You can see how
roads, irritated drivers, freeway boredom and neatly the Snowy Mountains got
maintained properties. It all felt a bit strange. their name – they’re
mountains
Keep on South
Once back in Tasmania I decided to ride down the
west side as it is much wilder, and the forecast was
good. That's something you don't turn your nose up
on around here – some areas get 6ft of rain a year. I
was heading for the old port of Strahan, where the
mighty Gordon River meets the sea. The road there
from the Devonport ferry terminal went through
delightful old towns like Deloraine and Mole Creek,
past the famous Cradle Mountain, and century-old
Rosebery and Tullah mining settlements. It was like
riding through some of the small lanes around
Telford, where I used to live, only I was on the main
(and only) road. None of the mainland's straightness
was evident and every mile had a surprise or
challenge. The scenery was brilliant, the roads were
empty and the sun was shining. No wonder Tassie has
such a great reputation for biking.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 63
 Obviously it had attractions for tourists that day too,
because when I got to Strahan everything was full,
even the campsite. After a few desperate circuits of
town I located the last vacant motel room which smelt
like a family of cats had just vacated, but it did have a
bed. I had locally caught fish and chips with a beer,
and slept with a smile, ready to rise early.
My diary for the next, and last, day of the trip reads:
‘If you want to wear out all the rubber on your tyres,
ride from Strahan to Hobart.’ This is the Lyell Highway
and it’s an absolute beauty. As far as Queenstown it’s a
flowing, rolling delight through dunes and low hills,
and from there to Lake Burbury the blasted landscape
will turn your head inside out. Burbury to Derwent
Bridge is bikers’ switchback heaven, and that’s only
halfway to Hobart.
The café owner at Derwent Bridge had a queue of
customers, but seeing I was on a bike he ignored them
and took me round the back of his place to a shed full
of tasty race and touring bikes. “I like living here,” he
said unnecessarily. It’s easy to see why. Tassie has a
good feel, with a sense of intimacy and freedom that
other parts of Australia are in danger of losing.
But my destination was calling – Cockle Creek is the
most southerly settlement in Australia! It was 34 degrees
as I rode through Hobart, but once out of the city and
64 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
ABOVE: On the
Bloomfield track – Shiver
coped well off tarmac
ABOVE RIGHT: Tasmanian
roads are a world away
from the Outback
straights
RIGHT: Tim and his
Laverda joined Jeremy for
a while
headed down through Margate (not that one), Dover
(not that one) and Southport (not that one), I was
cooled by the shade of magnificent forest gums. The last
stretch was some 15 miles of relatively smooth dirt road,
and the sun was still shining as I rolled into the camping
BELOW: Jeremy travels area behind the Cockle Creek dunes. A young German
light, which suited the woman waved and invited me to a folk festival.
Shiver I’d made it, top to bottom of Oz, ridden 6180 miles
and seen a whole continent roll under my wheels.
From the Victorian Alps south, I’d been chased by
some of the worst bushfires Australia had ever seen.
About 31 million acres across Australia went up in
smoke and hundreds of houses too, and it will likely
be years before anybody else can ride and see the
roads like I had just done. I felt lucky, and damn
proud of the Shiver. To Vaughn, the bloke who sold it
to me, thank you.
Bushfires
The 2019-20 bushfire season was the worst ever
seen in Australia. Dozens of people died, an
estimated one billion animals may have been killed,
some 6000 buildings were destroyed, and over 11
million people suffered respiratory problems, as far
away as New Zealand. But nature is tough, and
many of the native trees are sprouting again. Most
ash-blocked rivers are starting to flow and the
locals are starting to rebuild. So why not take a trip
down under, when you can? You will help kick start
the economies of small rural towns – and they
need it.
 An uncertain
future
Richard Millington
T
his year seems to be full of
uncertainty. Will we come to terms
with the Covid-19 pandemic? Will
a vaccine spring from the research
being sweated over in laboratories
around the world? Will herd
immunity mean we all get to a point
where we can travel? What will be the impact on
employment and business?
We are already seeing some of the results: One of
our favourite hotels in Scotland is not re-opening their
doors; a regular haunt on the banks of the Rhine is not
taking bookings for 2021…
While the whole world is dealing with Covid-19, in
the UK we have the added uncertainty of Brexit. On
January 1, 2021 the UK will no longer be part of the
EU. Forget the PR stories that we left almost a year
ago. This was political spin as for the whole of 2020 we
have operated under EU rules and benefits.
As you are belting out your annual rendition of
Auld Lang Syne (and not holding hands with the
person next to you) and Big Ben sounds, then we will
be actually exiting the EU.
At present we seem to be heading for a no-deal exit,
despite repeated assurances that a deal is oven ready,
simple and in the EU’s interest. If we do finally exit
three-and-a-half years after the vote with no deal then
the impact when stirred into the Covid-19 melting
pot will be huge. But I am not here to re-hash the folly
or otherwise of exiting the EU. And I am certainly
not here to propose a cure for Covid-19. I am here to
talk about the impact of all this uncertainty on your
touring plans for 2021 and beyond.
I was once told, ‘You cannot prepare for the
unexpected.’ I disagree, but let’s start by preparing
for the expected even if it is not certain. Let’s assume
a no-deal Brexit? If so, you are going to need at least
six months remaining on your passport at the time of
departure from the UK. If you want to ride in Europe
you will also need an International Driving Permit
(IDP). Now there are two types of IDP relating to
two different conventions of European countries. A
1968 version covers the EU as well as Switzerland and
Norway… Except for Ireland, Spain, Malta, Cyprus
and Iceland, for which you need the 1949 IDP. Each
IDP is valid for a year. With a likely increase in
demand for passport renewals earlier than normal
and an exponential growth in the number of people
requiring IDPs, I would suggest sorting both now. Do
not wait and then lament your lost trip as you sit at
home with no documents.
When you need to renew your travel insurance,
ensure it will extend cover after the reciprocal benefits
of the European Health Insurance Card expire at the
66 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
As we approach the end of what has to
be one of the strangest years any of us
have experienced, we are starting to look
forward to 2021. But can we?
year end. You should also plan for the cost to rise and
a more extensive quiz about pre-existing conditions,
as your travel insurance will now have to cover all the
treatment that the EHIC would have done previously.
When you renew you bike insurance, check the
terms and duration for European cover? Before you
press the button also check that they will supply you
with a Green Card. Many insurers stopped offering
these years ago, despite them being a requirement in
Croatia, Bosnia and a few other places. From January
1 you could need one for all European travel.
Renewing your breakdown cover? Check the
European terms for 2021. Currently the free
movement of vehicles means repatriating your broken
down or crashed bike is relatively simple. This will
change in 2021 and added bureaucracy means
added cost.
If you are booking a tour or hotels, be super-clear
about the terms. With hotels and ferries you really
don’t want to be pre-paying at present, certainly not
more than a token deposit if you can help it. Right
now you cannot be certain who might be about to
close their doors. However, not shelling out lots of
your hard-earned cash doesn’t mean don’t book and
don’t plan. In fact, you should do both, just not pre-
Who is pay in full just yet. If you want to help make sure that
Millington? your favourite tour company, hotel or ferry service is
Richard Millington has still there in 2021 and beyond, then book your 2021
been riding for more trip. Decide where you want to go and get a plan and
than 30 years, touring a booking in place. Businesses looking at empty order
for more than 25, and books are far more likely to be forced into surrender
has never looked back. and disappear than those looking at the rosy promise
He’s the founder of of future business.
Motorrad Tours, and So, in these uncertain times be prepared and, most
has ridden on five importantly, make plans.
continents, guiding
motorcycle tours in
Europe, Africa, North RIDE MORE
and South America
and Asia. www. Spend less and
motorrad-tours.com ride more with
offers a wide range
of adventures, with a subscription
something for
every rider... SUBSCRIBE ON PAGE 30
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 67
 Conquering the

What do you get when you take a bunch of Nepalese ABOVE: The scenery was
not too shabby
riders and a couple of IAM RoadSmart trainers? BELOW: The only bikers in

The only trained bikers in the country, that’s what! hi-viz jackets for miles

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Scott Tulip

M
y phone rang. It was Pete
Doherty who has been a good
friend for many years. We
worked together for 10 years as
instructors on the motorcycle
wing at the Metropolitan Police
Driving School. We’ve both been
IAM RoadSmart examiners for over a decade, and
we're full-time IAM employees as Area Service
Delivery Managers. So you could say we know each
other well.
It’s not uncommon for us to enjoy a little bit of
‘banter’ and the occasional wind-up. We have learnt
the signs of when a wind-up is coming: our lips move.
The day I heard about our Nepal trip was no different.
Pete called and asked me if I was up for a work trip to
Nepal. I laughed it off as I was confident this was
another one of his pranks. Finally I realised this was

68 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 TOURING & ADVENTURE

actually happening, and he went on to explain that we TOP: On the go fixes were
were to deliver off-road motorcycle training to The an important part of the
Gurkha Welfare Trust on behalf of IAM RoadSmart. training
Once it had sunk in that I was finally travelling to ABOVE: The Annapurna
a place I’d always wanted to visit, I quickly put mountain range
together a list of essentials for the trip. Small helmet- ABOVE RIGHT: A typical
mounted camera: check. A large lens to aid my Nepalese bridge over a
photography habit: check. Sun cream to manage the river Dependants (including widows and children) come
heat: check. Space in my luggage to bring back gifts for BELOW: Taking care of here to socialise, get medical assistance and help
the family: debatable. retired Gurkhas across filling in forms; a wide range of services are available.
Nepal is the Gurkha The GWT has a huge outreach programme and
On location Welfare Trust engages with villages for projects such as water
We landed at Kathmandu at about 9am, and outside supplies and building new bridges. It costs about
the heat was already stifling. As soon as we arrived at £60m per year to run. The UK Government
the Bagrati Welfare Centre, Pim (an ex-Gurkha) took contributes £2.4m and the shortfall is made up from
us to meet the chief of staff at the GWT Area Welfare private and public donations in the UK.
Centre (AWC) in the city centre. These centres are the At the centre, it was striking to
regional bases of operations throughout Nepal. witness how the chaos of the city
suddenly stops as soon as you turn
into a side road. We sat drinking a
The Gurkha Welfare Trust cup of tea and couldn’t hear a
The Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) is a charity that takes care of retired note of the cacophony we had left
Gurkhas throughout Nepal. They supply aid ranging from medical and just 100 yards away. Later that
financial assistance all the way to welfare visits. We faced the task of afternoon, we would be going out
teaching the riders the skills they required to get from A to B safely. for a ride in the city traffic to
experience the roads of Nepal.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 69
Local traffic ABOVE: Just because a
Nepal is the same as the UK in that traffic drives on road has been dug up, it
the left… allegedly. We were advised to beware of a doesn’t get closed for
right indicator as it could mean one of two things: traffic
either the vehicle is turning right or they want you TOP RIGHT: Giving way
to overtake! Overtaking seems to be the national to everything is the best
sport and the whole nation practises it at every policy
opportunity. The rules seem to be as follows: If you ABOVE RIGHT: Normal in
want to overtake, sound your horn. As you are Nepal, but don’t try this
overtaking, sound your horn. As you complete the at home IPSGA at work
move, sound your horn. If you are being overtaken, The next morning we met the group of workers we’d
sound your horn. If someone drives towards you, be training and then set off on the journey to Pokhara,
sound your horn. which is about 200km. We were wondering which
The way to decide whether an overtake is safe or bikes we’d be given. We imagined it would be
not is simple: just do it. A return gap is always there; something made in the region, such as Hero or Royal
you just pull in and create it. If you meet another Enfield. The latest ‘Himalayan’ model, perhaps? We
vehicle, just brake and they will move or stop. then discovered they would be Honda XR150Ls. I’m
Overtaking can be carried out to either the nearside 6-foot plus, and the wrong side of 14 stone. Pete is the
or the offside. But even if you overtake on the nearside wrong side of both. I think we’ll need two each: one
you have to watch out for oncoming traffic. per bum cheek!
To turn right on to a main road is as awkward as it We had a total of 12 students, which was a
is in the UK. You need a gap in the traffic before you challenge, but manageable. We provided all students
pull out. Nepal simplifies it a bit by not actually with a bright yellow drawstring backpack which
needing a gap in the traffic from your left. Just turn BELOW LEFT: In the included a neck-scarf, pens, stickers, lanyards, some
beginning, there were
right into oncoming traffic then – you guessed it other goodies and a simplified version of our
the basics of how to sit
– sound your horn, create your gap and drop into the on a bike
advanced riding handbook.
traffic line that is (mostly) heading your way. This We would be teaching them methods of riding to a
technique is used by every vehicle from scooters up to BELOW: River crossing system, colloquially known as IPSGA, which those
the huge, heavy TATA trucks that are plentiful. looks easy, but is readers who have done some advanced training will
After a while, though, it sort of made sense; all of anything but (hopefully) recognise. For those that haven’t done any
this madness contains no malice. People will always
make room for you – they even sound their horn
to let you know.

70 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


post-test training it is an acronym for:
■ Information
■ Position
■ Speed
■ Gear
■ Acceleration
It works. Take IAM RoadSmart’s advanced
rider course and find out for yourself. It also
works in our off-road context, with a few extra
techniques to help ride over rough ground.
The end of the road?
A large unknown was the ‘base level’ of the riders and
we wouldn’t know that until we’d seen for ourselves
but again, the standard required to pass the driving
test in Nepal is greatly different to our usual
expectations. We had been told that many of our
students were experienced cross-country
motorcyclists, so we could potentially have had
anything up to a budding Dougie Lampkin in
the group.
After riding for about eight hours, fatigue was
setting in and the group was starting to get strung out.
Then the road ended. Just stopped. Ahead was a cloud
of dust. I realised this was part of a road under
construction. The Tarmac stopped and we were riding
on the unmade aggregate laid as a base. In the middle
of the road was a long line of piles of finer aggregate
waiting to be laid prior to the Tarmac. The dust was
awful; visibility was so low I couldn’t see enough to
overtake the bus ahead as it bumped its way slowly
over the poor surface. This went on for over a mile
before the Tarmac resumed and the dust cleared. A
short while later, thankfully we arrived at our
destination. Again, a very short drive from the main
road and we found a small oasis of calm.
We had arranged a session to be presented by one
of the GWT mechanics. It involved repair and
maintenance techniques that could be used in the
field. Wheel removal to repair a punctured tube,
cleaning the brake shoes and pads, draining water
from an engine that had been submerged, cleaning
spark plugs, etc. It was all well received and everyone
got involved.
The tyre levers proved problematic though. They
were the right length to slip under the brake disc to
maintain pressure. Until they slipped. Which they did
– twice. Both times the mechanic caught himself
smack in the shins. Judging from the strained wince
on his face, it certainly did sting! The third time, he
kept a foot on them. Learning had taken place.
TOURING & ADVENTURE
Football, skids and fish tail
We had asked for a flat(ish) area to practice front
and rear wheel skids. Surprisingly, the local football
pitch was chosen. It was rough ground, to say the
least. Some fair old boulders were lying around and
I certainly wouldn’t fancy playing football on it. We
had been concerned about chewing it up with the
skidding exercises, but were assured that this wouldn’t
be a problem. Actually, I think the damage we did
levelled it slightly so it all worked out okay. We drew a
massive crowd once word spread, but the rain soon
TOP LEFT: And now do had everyone back indoors. The monsoon season was
the same without approaching and the weather was starting to turn.
jumping… We had discussed the use of brakes on motorcycles
TOP RIGHT: Students and the opinion of our guys was that the rear brake
putting their new skills was the best brake; they didn’t use the front brake as it
into practice on football could cause a crash. This is not an unusual view in the
ground UK, especially amongst newly qualified riders, so the
ABOVE: Scott Tulip (left) task was the same, to get them to understand that the
and Pete Doherty (right) front brake is the most efficient, and needs to be
BELOW: The scenery applied smoothly and progressively. So we decided to
during the trail rides was spend a good deal of time on the braking exercises.
almost distractingly The rear wheel skid was no problem and they were
gorgeous grinning like maniacs in no time at all. The front
wheel skidding exercise was met with some
trepidation, however. It did take a while for some, but
they all got there.
There is no real formal training programme for
motorcyclists in Nepal. You can attend a ‘school’
which teaches you to pass the test. That test is a
figure-of-eight, then ride uphill, stop and do a hill
start, turn round at the top and ride back down again.
The test takes about three minutes. Or, you can go to a
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 71
market and buy a licence. There is a Highway
Code-type book, but it is never tested, or even
read, I suspect. They just follow the example set by
their peers.
Doing it for real
The next day was the first full day of off-road training.
We awoke to clear skies for the first time and had a clear
view of a snow-capped mountain called Machapuchare,
which in Nepali means ‘fish tail’. It was about a 40km
ride to get to the ‘training ground’, but we had agreed
that if we saw somewhere suitable to practice some
techniques, then we would stop and do exercises.
On our ride we came across a river bed. In
monsoon season the river here is six or seven feet
deep and impassable, but at this time of year it
meanders through the river bed, no more than a foot
deep in places. An ideal ground for training. We
stopped there awhile and practised techniques for
river crossings, hill ascent and hill descent, getting all
the students to practice repeatedly.
We passed a bridge with a 20-foot drop into a dry
river bed and reached a road that traversed a hill
called Kahun. In the UK, Kahun would be a mountain.
A proper one. Snowdon would be scared of it. The
vertical ascent was only about 800m, but it was mostly
‘up’. Seriously ‘up’. Nepal does not do flat in any form.
This was serious stuff, but the guys took on what they
had learned at the river bed and reached the top in
only an hour or so, but in better shape than usual. No
one fell off though; they were pushing themselves to
try new things and were working quite hard. Such is
the nature of learning.
We stopped at a village on the way. Terraced paddy
fields and plantations of potatoes and corn were all
around, reminding us how hard the lives are that the
p have. But their pride,
Nepali p , honour and friendliness
72 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
are beyond doubt. If they have nothing, but they see
TOP LEFT: How you you need it, they will give it. They have a huge
feeling? On top of the reputation for loyalty and fierceness, and you can see
world! it at every level.
ABOVE: The Pandas
couldn’t believe their Getting it right
eyes Bearing in mind we were on trail bikes, I was
ABOVE RIGHT: Local surprised to see road bikes parked up in dwellings. I
wiring. Some mains guessed they must have come up the other side of the
electricity, some mountain as it was probably a better road. Nope,
telephone, mostly exactly the same. Incredible skill to get a road bike up
internet
here, on road tyres, over roads made from Tarmac
(some of it even in continuous runs), gravel, rocks,
mud, leaves and bark. Or any combination thereof.
We passed several farms. At one of them I saw/
sensed a movement in the hedge to my left. When I
looked there was an airborne dog at head height. It
must have seen us coming, gone into hunter mode and
aimed for the biggest in the herd, which was me by a
BELOW: Unusual hazards
huge margin (unfortunately Pete was with the other
on the roads. Cows are squad). I have had my rabies injections, but didn’t
sacred so they just really want to risk it so I just accelerated away. This
wander and lay where thing could run though. Fast. For a long time. Luckily
they wish it got bored and dropped off. I still think there are
teeth marks in my boots though…
We’d been training the guys for a few days, and they
had received a full, intensive course of instruction.
They were already experienced motorcyclists in their
own right, but in reality that was just machine
handling skills. Road safety, and having a few options
of different techniques available to them, were both
new areas we had helped them to develop. Are they
safer than they were when we started? Yes, without a
shadow of a doubt. We split into two groups for us to
observe their riding, with Pete and I starting at the
rear and working our way to the front and then
dropping back, then re-starting the procedure. This
worked well, and when we overtook the riders, they
no longer viewed it as an invitation to race!
They were actually riding at a slower, more
 TOURING & ADVENTURE
regulated, pace. Some had picked up ‘The System’
quite quickly, whilst others were a little weak still, but
just about getting there. It was a treat watching them
being overtaken by a manic scooter-riding local on
the Tarmac who then had to slow down for the dirt
road, while our guys would just stand up, look up
and accelerate straight past. The message had really
got through.

The only trained bikers in Nepal

Our last day was about assessing the group’s training
skills, for them to be able to pass on information and
advice to others in the future. Due to the heavy rainfall
we couldn’t do any training outside so we resorted to
Plan B, which was to use the classroom and get them
to take us through the various theory inputs required.
We had designed a PowerPoint presentation for this
course so we set the computer up, about three minutes
before the power cut. These are common here,
especially in rain and storms, and there are various
backups, but they can take a while to switch on.
Improvise, adapt and overcome: with Plan C we ended
up in a dim classroom with no power (but dry) using
a whiteboard and markers.
It worked well and everyone engaged with the
session. In the end, nine of the 12 satisfied us and their
leaders that they had sufficient understanding and
depth of knowledge to be able to pass on the ABOVE RIGHT: A bit of
techniques, and explain why these methods work when rain couldn’t dampen the
asked challenging questions. The remaining three were spirits
to have their future development managed locally.
RIGHT: Nepal is a mixture
This group are now the ONLY trained motorcyclists
of modern and traditional
in Nepal. That is something both Pete and I are
extremely proud to have been a part of. BELOW: Parking was free,
Our time with The Gurkha Welfare Trust was over but the walk to the
and it was time to head back home. It really was an nearest McDonald’s was a
honour and a pleasure to work with and train such bit long
inspiring people. The work they do and their
eagerness to learn is outstanding and I cannot wait to
hear about their progress.
74 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
 KNOWLEDGE
Euro 5 – the facts
Next year all new bikes
must be Euro 5 compliant.
But what does that mean?
I
t’s all changing again. The
good news is that although
the Euro 5 regulations are a
bit of a headache for
manufacturers and dealers,
it’s nothing that you and I need
to worry about.
Basically, from the first day of
2020, every new type-approved
motorcycle and moped sold in
the EU (and EFTA) had to meet
the new Euro 5 standard. It's all
about reducing emissions and
making bikes cleaner and more
efficient.
There are four different types
of exhaust emissions included in
the new legislation. That's one
more than Euro 4. The three
common measures are carbon
monoxide, total hydrocarbons
and nitrogen oxide. But Euro 5
gets an additional measure:
non-methane hydrocarbons.
Triumph Rocket 3 is the biggest production
bike (2.5-litre triple), but it passes Euro 5
Riding ◆ Buying ◆ Rating
Getting into specifics, Euro 4
regulations legislated that a
motorcycle should emit no more
than 1140mg/km of carbon
monoxide. For Euro 5 that drops
to a maximum of just 1000mg/
km. The old limit for total
hydrocarbons was 170mg/km,
but that drops down to just
100mg/km. The limit for nitrogen
oxide was 90mg/km, but that's
down to 60mg/km. And the
newest emissions rules allow for a
maximum of 68mg/km of
non-methane hydrocarbons.
What happened on
January 1, 2020?
From January 1 any new
motorcycle seeking type
approval (to be sold in the EU
or EFTA) had to meet or exceed
the new Euro 5 emissions
standards.
Type approval – or European
Whole Vehicle Type Approval,
to give it its full title – is a set of
widespread standards that a
motorcycle must meet or exceed
for it to be legally sold in the EU
and EFTA.
It's not just about emissions:
Gaining type approval means
complying with rules on noise
levels, meeting compulsory
requirements for advanced
braking systems (for certain
category machine), anti-
tampering devices, and more.
However, if the type approval
was already in place, the
manufacturers could crack on
selling non-Euro 5 bikes like
nothing’s happening. But that’s
not going to last for much
longer.
And what changes on
January 1, 2021?
January 1, 2021 is the big date
when it comes to Euro 5. From
the first day of next year, every
brand new motorcycle sold in
the UK will have to be Euro 5
compliant. Even if it’s a model
that’s been in production for
decades and was perfectly legal
to be sold a couple of days
earlier in 2020.
This means you could walk
into a dealership on December
28 and buy a brand new Euro 4
compliant motorcycle without a
problem. But a few days later,
after New Year, the dealer would
no longer be allowed to sell you
the bike as a new model.
For dealers this could be a
problem. It’s not unlikely that
there will be some Euro 4 stock
still to off-load, which could
mean you may be able to bag a
bargain on a box-fresh bike for
the New Year. It’s no coincidence
that there have been lots of good
finance deals lately…
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 75
Ana
Carrasco
World Champion at the age of 21,
Ana is the world’s fastest female motorcycle racer
T
wenty years ago in Murcia, southern
Spain, three-year-old Ana jumped on
her elder sister’s minibike and got her
first taste of racing motorcycles. A
natural talent, she quickly progressed
through the ranks, competing in
national, European and world
championships, gradually earning her place in better
teams and on more competitive bikes. She became the
first female racer to set pole position, and then to win
a race (Portimao, Portugal on Sunday, September 17,
2017) in a motorcycle road racing World
Championship.
76 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
In 2018, at only 21 years of age, she was crowned
the winner of World Supersport 300 Championship
riding a Kawasaki Ninja 400 with the David Salom
Junior Team. She had beaten the competition over
eight rounds with a points tally of 93, and lifted the
championship cup after the final race in Magny-
Cours, France, on September 30, 2018. From a toddler
on a minibike, she had gone a long way to become the
first woman in the history of motorcycling to win a
World Championship as a rider in an open class.
So, how did it all start for Ana?
“I started when I was three years old because my
family was always around this world. My father is a
motorcycle mechanic, and he was involved in racing
before I was born, so I had the opportunity to start
very young.
“In the beginning, racing was like a hobby for me, I
just had a lot of fun. But the results were always good,
so at one point I started to think about the possibility
of making it to the World Championship.
“I always had the support of my family from the
first day, and I still have it. They gave everything they
had during many years, and thanks to that I’m here
today.”
Ana has raced in national, European,
Moto3 and SSP300 championships.
What have been the differences
between them?
“I think all the championships are difficult, for sure
winning is always difficult. For me everything depends
on the level of the rider, the material and the support
of the team to make good results. But in my
experience, the national championship is the best
school to learn and be ready to take the opportunity to
go to the World Championship.
 PROFILE
“In 2018 when I won the SSP300 World
Championship we did a good job during the whole
season. The team helped me to try to overcome all the
changes of the rules, and for sure the most important
thing was to be consistent, not make any big mistakes
and score points in every race. It was a hard season
but we never gave up, which was important.”

Racing is tough, and winning even

tougher, so how does Ana keep
herself going?
“I train between 4-6 hours per day. Some of it is just
regular physical training like gym, cycling, running in
the mountains... and some is with a motorbike. I ride
enduro and flat track at Rocco’s Ranch (dirt track
complex next to the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit – ed.)
almost every day.
“Mentally, I’m quite relaxed. I just try to enjoy the
moment. My goal is to win, but I’m not obsessed with
that. I know that winning is the result of doing a good
job during all the season so I try to be focused on
making the job every day.
“I don’t feel like I’m a role model, so maybe it helps
me to not feel pressure. I know that if I achieve good
results I can help other girls have an easier path to the
World Championship, and for sure I try to be a good
example just in case somebody is looking up to me.
“There have been times I have thought about
quitting, not because I wanted to stop racing, but
because the situations almost forced me to stop. For
many years I didn’t have the support I needed, so I
had to race in difficult conditions. On top of that I had
some injuries and my family was suffering a lot, so
sometimes in the past the thought of quitting did
cross my mind.”

Life is not all about racing, and Ana is

well prepared for any eventuality
“I’m a Law Student at UCAM University. With racing
it is difficult to do both things, but the university help
me a lot so I can manage both calendars.
“After my racing career I would like to continue
working on racing with my own team or helping other
riders. For sure this would make me happy.
“At the moment, the outbreak of the coronavirus
has made the situation very difficult for us, but I’m
trying to be positive. I’m at home, training as much as
I can to try to be ready when things return to normal,
and I hope for sure that it ends soon and we can get
back on racing this year.”
TRIUMPHANT
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T
WORDS: Roland Brown PHOTOGRAPHY: David Goldman, Phil Masters, Triumph
he unexpected invitation on Triumph-
headed notepaper had been
intriguing, but I was not expecting
much when I arrived at an
anonymous building on an industrial
estate outside Hinckley in
Leicestershire in June 1990. After all,
Triumph had finally gone bust seven years earlier; a
final nail in the coffin of a once-proud British
motorcycle industry that had struggled through the
1980s in terminal decline.
Strange as it now seems, back in those pre-internet
days there had barely been a rumour that something
was stirring at Triumph. We knew the failed firm had
been bought from the liquidator by a builder. The site
of its famous old factory at Meriden, 15 miles to the
south-west, was a housing estate with roads called
Bonneville Close and Daytona Drive.
I had no suspicion that anything exciting was going
on at Hinckley, despite having spent many days at the
MIRA proving ground a few miles away, speed-testing
the latest, mostly Japanese bikes. There I’d occasionally
glimpsed a prototype rotary-engined Norton, but no
Triumphs. I’d interviewed Les Harris, the dealer from
Devon who had been using new spare parts to
assemble small numbers of 750cc Bonnevilles,
antiques compared to modern GPZs and GSX-Rs. But
that had ceased. Triumph was dead.
HISTORY
Then, on that June morning in 1990, a man in a
grey uniform opened a door in that Hinckley
industrial building to reveal a remarkable scene. Inside
Triumph’s new factory were rows of huge, state-of-the-
art manufacturing machines. There were also two
motorcycles, prototypes of a new range of three- and
four-cylinder superbikes with capacities ranging from
750 to 1200cc.
The set up was mind-blowing and the bikes were
hugely impressive. Their liquid-cooled engines and
steel-framed chassis were modern, inspired by
Kawasaki’s GPZ900R, the top superbike of a few years
earlier. The faired sports-tourer and naked triple
looked almost production ready, though the faired
bike’s paintwork was split between red and white to
show alternative colour choices.
This was clearly not some under-funded enterprise,
inspired by a mix of patriotism and passion for
motorcycling, like several previous revival attempts. It
was a hugely serious operation that had been years in
the making. Meeting John Bloor, the company’s
47-year-old owner and driving force, confirmed that
view – although despite his obvious brains and track
record I still struggled to understand his incentive for
investing so much effort and money in an industry
with such a disastrous record.
Three decades after that June day – still the most
memorable of my career – it’s perhaps Bloor’s vision and
belief that stand out most of all. Triumph is now a global
concern that employs more than 2000 people and last
year produced around 65,000 bikes. Perhaps the man
who made it all happen is the only one who might have
predicted that level of success all those years ago.
In 1990 Bloor and his small team had already spent
several years and tens of millions of pounds building
and equipping the factory, and developing a range of
bikes. He’d been to Germany and Japan to invest in
ultra-modern tooling, determined to prevent the
quality control problems that had plagued Triumphs
produced at Meriden on ancient, worn-out machinery.
This had all been done in great secrecy, as related by
Gary McDonnell, a former Meriden worker who was
among Bloor’s first employees at Triumph. “After the
old factory closed, a lot of us used to meet up and
some ex-Meriden people were at the ‘new’ Triumph
factory,” McDonnell recalled in 2010. “They were
tight-lipped about it, but I was told there was a job for
me there if I wanted one.
“I started around Christmas 1987 and joined a very
small, dedicated team of about 12 people. It was the
most fantastic, memorable and exciting part of my
whole work career. It was a brand new factory – well
financed, clinically clean and cavernous. With the
designs I saw, I knew this was the start of the ABOVE: The modern MODULAR CONCEPT
resurrection of the British motorcycle industry – Hinckley site has a visitor Bloor’s early models were designed using a modular
something very, very special was about to unfold.” experience facility open concept similar to one proposed by legendary
That small team was hard at work. The purchase of for all BSA-Triumph engineer Bert Hopwood shortly before
Triumph had included an R&D department project, that firm went bust in 1973. This involved the majority
codenamed Diana. “But when we appraised it we of engine and chassis parts being shared between
found it wasn’t viable, so we had to do something else,” several models, substantially reducing development
said Bloor. “I was told that they’d spent x pounds on it, and production costs. The system allowed one basic
but within two months of buying the firm we’d engine and chassis layout to generate six first-year
arranged to go and have a look at how people who do BELOW: Triumph has a models, from naked 750cc Trident triple to faired
it better operate. We came back, scrapped the lot and long history with plenty 1200cc Trophy sports-touring four.
started again.” of landmark models Those first production Triumphs created a stir when

80 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 HISTORY

Rocket III being assembled in 2014

unveiled at Intermot in Cologne in Autumn 1990, and

even more excitement at the home Birmingham show Triumph Trophy Prototype, 1990
shortly afterwards. “Before the show doors were
opened there was a terrific pounding with the chant,
‘Triumph, Triumph’ echoing around the halls,” recalled
McDonnell. “The doors burst open and everyone made
a beeline for the Triumph stand. Blokes were jumping
on the bikes and punching the air, shouting, ‘They’re
back!’. It was quite an emotional time.”
The bikes reached showrooms early in 1991, to
enthusiastic reviews – I and others judged the
powerful, fine-handling Trophy 1200 an improbably
close rival to Kawasaki’s mighty ZZ-R1100. The
Trident 900 that followed later in the year was a lively
naked triple, though the short-stroke 750cc variant
was less impressive. The modular concept, though
largely successful, had its limitations.

FAR FROM EASY

Bloor’s fledgling firm soon established a reputation for
solid, if unspectacular, engineering. But things were
far from easy for Triumph. As well as facing cynicism
from motorcyclists who had seen previous revival
attempts fail, the firm encountered resistance from
British-bike loyalists who thought the multi-cylinder
machines too Japanese. Some cynics even claimed
Triumph had links with Kawasaki.
Sales in Germany, the first export market, were
disappointing. And the modular format made
Triumph’s Daytona sports models uncompetitive,
especially when Honda’s FireBlade arrived in 1992.
“That was the tough year,” recalls Bruno Tagliaferri,
who had joined the firm from Honda UK in 1990 as
sales manager, with responsibility for setting up the
domestic dealer network, and would stay until retiring
last year. “The honeymoon was over. The press had
been very positive but became more critical, saying

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 81
the bikes lacked style and were top-heavy.”
Triumph proved to be good listeners and fast to
react. The Daytona was successfully revamped with
more power and bright yellow paintwork. By 1994
sales had risen from the first year’s 2414 to over
10,000, boosted by the launch of the first Speed Triple.
The 885cc naked three-cylinder sportster was
essentially just a stripped-down Daytona, but its raw
look and character hit the mark and gave Triumph a
stronger identity, aided by memorable advertising
featuring a Rottweiler.
Another important advance came in 1995, with the
start of exports to America and the launch of the
Thunderbird 900 triple, the firm’s first classically styled
model. Bloor had been cautious about exploiting
Triumph’s history. He was desperate to earn his
company a reputation for modern, high-quality
engineering; and to shed the marque’s old reputation
for unreliability. The Thunderbird’s success – it was by ABOVE: Triples and twins
far Triumph’s bestselling model in 1995, contributing are what Triumph is
over 5700 of the total production of 13,500 – famous for
confirmed the brand’s enduring appeal. RIGHT: The Triumph range
Triumph went to the next level in 1997, with two has always been a varied
very different models. The T595 Daytona sportster one under Bloor
and naked T509 Speed Triple were Hinckley’s first management
bikes to abandon the modular concept. The Daytona,
in particular, was a major statement: the first ever
British super-sports bike designed to compete head on
with the Japanese and Italians. Its 955cc three-cylinder
engine, tuned with help from Lotus Engineering,
produced 128bhp. Triumph’s traditional steel spine
frame was replaced by twin oval-section aluminium
tubes, holding a single-sided aluminium swing-arm.
The Daytona handled well and was stylish and fast.
Despite its confusing T595 name (taken from its
factory code number, in Triumph tradition), it was a

Hinckley Hits
TROPHY 1200, 1991
Triumph’s powerful sports-touring
four was remarkably competitive
against the mighty ZZ-R1100 and
other rivals. It made 125bhp with
strong midrange, and its
steel-framed chassis gave sound
handling.
SPEED TRIPLE, 1994
The original Speed Triple was
essentially a Daytona 900 with
fairing removed, and with a five-
instead of six-speed gearbox. The
Triple’s raw look and character,
backed by clever advertising,
made it a hit.
THUNDERBIRD 900, 1995
Released in time to lead Triumph’s
attack on the States, the firm’s
first retro model combined its
softly tuned, 69bhp triple motor
with high bars, mouth-organ tank
badge, heavily finned motor and
peashooter pipes.
T595 DAYTONA, 1997
Hinckley’s first purpose-built
sportster proved the Brits could
build a competitive superbike. The
classy 955cc Daytona combined
its 128bhp triple engine with a
sweet-handling aluminium-framed
chassis.

82 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


The honeymoon was over. The
press had been very positive
but became more critical,
saying the bikes lacked style
and were top-heavy
T509 SPEED TRIPLE, 1997
Three years after the original
Speed Triple came the aluminium
framed T509 with its distinctive
bug-eye headlights. It showed just
what a naked sports bike was all
about, and earned a cult
following.
SPRINT ST, 1998
A high-quality blend of 955cc
triple motor and Triumph’s first
alloy beam-framed chassis. Voted
the year’s top sports-tourer by
Motorrad and others, it was
arguably Hinckley’s first class-
leading model.
John Bloor – Mr Triumph
Triumph’s modern story is
one of teamwork over more
than three decades, but
most of all it’s about one
man: the remarkable John
Stuart Bloor, or JSB as he’s
known to staff at Hinckley,
some of whom have been
there since the earliest
days. Bloor founded Triumph
Motorcycles Limited after
buying the old marque from
the liquidator, and still owns
it, although he’s now well
into his seventies (77 on
June 16 ) and spends less
time at the factory.
Bloor is a fascinating,
down-to-earth character
who became hugely successful
from a humble background. A
coal miner’s son from a
Derbyshire village, he left
school at 15 to work for a local
builder. Two years later he’d
become a self-employed
plasterer, and by the age of 20
he’d built his first complete
house, already showing the
combination of sharp mind and
appetite for hard work for
which he would become
renowned.
Bloor Homes grew rapidly to
become one of the UK’s largest
privately owned house-building
firms, and by the early 80s its
boss found himself featuring
above the likes of Elton John in
The Sunday Times’ list of
Britain’s richest people, his
fortune running to over £100
million. But Bloor wasn’t
satisfied with that, and looked
for a new business opportunity.
When buying the Meriden site
for housing he became aware
that the Triumph name was
available, and bought it for a
reported £150,000.
He had ridden motorcycles
in his youth, but his experience
of Triumph was largely
negative, as he recalled later:
“When I was 16 I used to have a
Tiger Cub. To be honest I didn’t
think a lot of it, as water used
to get into the points. I’d be
coming back home from work
on a winter’s night at 6pm and
was always having to pull over
and start fiddling with the
points. I wasn’t best pleased!”
A motorcycle firm appealed,
he said, partly because its
products are tangible and,
unlike houses, have the
HISTORY
John Bloor in 1990
potential to be exported
worldwide. (As he has proved,
they can also be made reliable.)
“Bikes are an end product and I
like end products. They’re
engineering and I like
engineering. There’s no bloody
ego trip for me,” he told me on
that day in June 1990. That is
undoubtedly true. Bloor is
uninterested in personal
publicity, and has barely agreed
to an interview with any
journalist since. He rarely
appears at Triumph functions,
and used a disguise to visit
bike shows anonymously.
He is famously blunt
speaking but inspires great
loyalty. “He’s an immense
figure – a real one-off with
incredible vision and
commitment,” says Bruno
Tagliaferri. “He has a
tremendous memory – he knew
everyone on the site – and a
great knowledge of the
product, engineering,
sourcing… He’d always know
how much parts would cost.
He’s a very good reader of
people. He’s also a good
listener, but once he makes a
decision he sticks to it.”
Many have wondered why
Bloor has not been knighted,
though he was awarded an OBE
for services to the motorcycle
industry in 1995. He does not
have a lavish lifestyle despite
last year being reportedly
worth almost £2 billion.
His precise wealth and
motivation might be hard to
evaluate, but what’s for sure is
that very few people have
been more important to
motorcycling over the last
three decades and more.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 83
big success, contributing almost half that year’s best
yet production of just over 15,000 bikes. When its
aluminium frame was found to be prone to cracking
near the headstock, Triumph avoided a PR disaster
with a policy of rapid replacement, and earned
customer loyalty by often adding a free service or fresh
tyres at the same time.
Triumph’s other, more surprising success story of
1997 was the T509 Speed Triple, a revamped version
of the original naked sportster. With its new pair of
bug-eye headlights, the rowdy T509 surfed the
streetfighter craze with perfect timing. Two years later
Triumph attacked the sports-tourer market with the
Sprint ST, which held a detuned, 955cc triple motor
from the Daytona in the firm’s first twin-beam
aluminium frame. Magazines voted it the world’s best
sports-tourer, ahead of Honda’s VFR800FI, the class
yardstick – another landmark achievement.
ABOVE: Daytona 1000 RIGHT DIRECTION
was not the biggest hit Further proof that Triumph was moving in the right
for Triumph, but the direction came in 2000, when it posted a profit for the
Speed Triple certainly first time. A year later the firm finally launched a
was
retro-styled parallel twin, complete with iconic
Bonneville name and unashamedly nostalgic look.
The new 790cc twin made a modest 61bhp and
barely out-performed its inspiration from the late
60s, but it handled well and was fast enough for its
target audience.
By this time Triumph was going from strength to
strength, with production topping 29,000 in 2001. But
the following March saw a major setback when much
of the factory was destroyed by one of Britain’s largest
ever industrial fires. Production was halted for five
months, costing more than 20,000 bikes and many
millions of pounds’ worth of sales. But nobody was
hurt, and the insurance payout helped Triumph move

Hinckley Hits
BONNEVILLE, 2001
The 790cc, air-cooled Bonnie
resembled a late-Sixties T120,
down to two-tone paint and
‘eyebrow’ tank badge. 61bhp
output and 205kg weight made it
no quicker than the old
Bonneville, but it was popular.
ROCKET III, 2004
Triumph’s growing confidence was
shown by the outrageous Rocket,
whose 2.3-litre, 140bhp triple
motor was motorcycling’s biggest
powerplant. A sound chassis, it
was fun rather than scary, and
the latest Rocket is even better.
DAYTONA 675, 2006
After years of struggle to produce
a competitive middleweight four,
Triumph got everything right with
the Daytona 675, which matched
the Japanese for speed and
handling, and added unique
three-cylinder charm.
STREET TRIPLE, 2007
Stripping off the Daytona 675’s
fairing and softening its power
delivery gave a quick, light,
sweet-handling and competitively
priced naked roadster that
appealed to riders from novices to
grizzled veterans.

84 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

 HISTORY
more quickly than had been planned into a larger,
more modern T2 building on an adjoining site.
After that blip, production resumed its upward
direction, and was boosted the following year when
Triumph opened the first of three factories in
Thailand. Meanwhile, the Hinckley R&D department
was creating a string of outstanding models in very
different areas of the market, starting with the big,
bold 2.3-litre Rocket III that was the world’s largest-
capacity production roadster in 2004.
Triumph’s approach in this period was influenced by
the work of consultancy firm McKinsey, who had been
hired by Bloor to give a thorough appraisal of his
business. Perhaps their most valuable advice was to
focus on models that Triumph did best and was
known for – which meant triples and twins. A planned
four-cylinder superbike was dropped, despite being
close to production readiness.
In 2006 Triumph ended its string of under- ABOVE: Santa’s been been all plain sailing even before this year’s pandemic
performing four-cylinder middleweight sports models busy wrapping up decimated global production and demand. Increasing
and launched the Daytona 675 – a slim, agile and, motorcycles globalisation and tough competition had already led
most of all, unique triple. The following year’s naked CEO Nick Bloor (one of John’s two sons, the other of
Street Triple derivative was another success that whom, Adrian, runs Bloor Homes) to announce in
confirmed Triumph’s ability to make high-quality February that all volume production will soon be
bikes with distinctive character. It contributed to moved to Thailand, leaving the Hinckley factory for
2008’s record production total of 53,890, which passed prototypes and factory customs, as well as an
the highest total ever achieved by Meriden in the glory expanded R&D facility.
years of the 60s. Inevitably the virus has affected those plans. This
Although the global recession that followed shortly year’s sales will be seriously hit, and bike firms
afterwards affected every manufacturer, Triumph BELOW: Speed Triple including Triumph might take years to recover fully.
emerged from it in better shape than most rivals. In racing has been popular, But if any manufacturer looks in good shape to
recent years the firm has been well placed to exploit and no doubt helped weather the storm, it’s possibly the historic, yet
the popularity of retro bikes, as its back catalogue of with sales relatively youthful British marque that was reborn in
stylish bikes and famous names has combined with
technical advances that allow powerful, smooth-
running parallel twins. The Bonneville family was
overhauled in 2016 and has since generated
outstanding models in the Thruxton R, Bobber,
Scrambler 1200 and Speed Twin, to name just four.
And Triumph’s growth has not been all about new
metal. Bloor was initially reluctant to get involved in
racing, but series for the Speed and Street Triple
proved popular. The Daytona 675 has been very
successful, notably winning the Supersport TT, British
Supersport title and Daytona 200 in 2014, and
powering the 765cc Moto2 grid last season. The firm
held a string of Triumph Live events, and in 2017
opened a Visitor Experience at Hinckley comprising
museum, shop and café.
Triumph has long been profitable, and turned over
more than £500k last year, but the business has not

TIGER 800, 2011
Triumph’s R&D team worked with
typical thoroughness to develop a
capable middleweight adventure
triple, whose availability in
road- and off-road focused
versions continues with the
current Tiger 900.
THRUXTON R, 2016
Hinckley’s first Thruxton predated
the current café racer craze and
became popular, but it was the
second generation model, part of
a major Bonneville family update,
that hit the mark – especially in
high-spec R form.
BONNEVILLE BOBBER, 2017
Triumph’s growing design
confidence was highlighted by the
Bobber, an imaginative blend of
1200cc Bonneville engine and
apparently hard-tail rear end that
looked stunning and handled
improbably well.
SPEED TWIN, 2019
Its namesake sparked
motorcycling’s twin-cylinder era
after World War II, and although
the modern Speed Twin can’t
match that impact, its torquey
engine and fine handling show
how far Triumph twins have come.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 85
 Inch Perfect Trials Experience Day

Getting Sampling a bit of

this exhilarating
motorcycle sport is

trials
one of the best
things you can do
on a bike. But be
warned: it can be
addictive!
WORDS: Mikko Nieminen PHOTOGRAPHY: Zoie Carter-Ingham

I
f you class yourself as a petrol head or a speed
freak, you probably wouldn’t rush to sign up for
a day on an electric trials bike. But you’d be
massively missing out – the Inch Perfect Trials
Experience Day on an Electric Motion Epure
machine is one of the best things you can do on
a bike. Not a drop of petrol, and very little speed
needed. Don’t believe me? Ok, let me try to explain…
Riding an electric trials bike is a truly eye-opening
experience. I don’t think I have ever done as many
skids and wheelies as I did during the day at the Inch
Perfect Trials HQ. I’m pretty sure I haven’t had as
much of a laugh in a long time. And I certainly haven’t
improved my riding so rapidly since I had the
stabilisers removed from my first pushbike.

What, where, when

Inch Perfect Trials is based in the gorgeous Ribble
Valley, near Clitheroe in the Forest of Boland. The
setting could not be much prettier or more suitable for
running a Trials dealership, workshop, training and
experience days. There are 100 acres of fields and
woodlands that Mother Nature has prepped as trials ABOVE: Before riding,
ground. And the bit that she missed now features we needed to get our
the purpose-built Trials Park with stone, wood and heads around the
tractor tyres aplenty. This place has something for electric bikes
everyone from complete trials beginners (such as RIGHT: No noise, but
myself) to experienced pro riders. And all the land is plenty of poke
owned by Inch Perfect, which means you can fully BELOW: Inch Perfect
utilise it without worrying about restrictions or Trials are located in a
angry ramblers. stunning setting
The show goes on all-year round, although this year
the Covid-19 situation changed things for a while, and
the after-effects are still visible at the centre with hand
sanitiser bottles readily available and posters on the
walls reminding people to keep their distance. But as
the new normal goes, this is pretty good.

Bikes, bikes, bikes
If you do an experience day, you can hire a traditional
petrol-powered machine or even bring your own, but
you also have a choice of opting for one of the brand
new 2021 Electric Motion Epure electric trials bikes.
This is what I went for.
The Epures are a bit special. They make 12kW of
power, weigh 75kg, and there are a lot more figures in
the spec sheet, but the only one you really need to
know is the amount of torque. That’s 600Nm! Yep,
600. The equivalent of five-and-a-quarter Fireblades.
And that’s for a bike that can be made a road-legal
125cc equivalent. I know, let that sink in for a while…
There are three different modifications of the Epure:
Lite, Sport and Race. I had the Lite and Race models
to play with when I was there. There’s not much
difference that a novice can tell (slightly differentt
suspension components, etc.), except that the Litte is a
standard twist-‘n’-go while the Race has a hydrau ulic
clutch to give you more control of the power deliiver
In either case there are no gears, no noise apart
from a slight whirring sound, and very little
maintenance. Three power modes control how
much of that colossal torque goes into the back
wheel, and a little safety lanyard attached to
your left wrist cuts power to the machine if
you part company with it.
RIDE BETTER
ABOVE: Easy does it!
The first exercises
were simple
RIGHT: This kind of stuff
was beyond our
beginners' skills In terms of riding, the Epures are the perfect bikes
to start trials riding on. You can’t stall them, there are
no hot parts to worry about, and you don’t need to
worry about your clutch control. For someone like me
who has never ridden trials, that was the perfect way
to get started. If you are more experienced you will
find other benefits such as the motor and battery
BELOW: Big wheelies to
clear big obstacles
being fully enclosed units, which allows you to ride
the bike in water that comes all the way up to the
BOTTOM: Testing the handlebars as there are no air intakes or exhausts to
newly acquired skills in let water in. Thankfully that was not something I
the wild needded to worry about just yet.
Exp
perience day
Befoore we got up close and personal with the bikes, it
wass time to get kitted up. If you don’t have your own
kit (or just don’t fancy doing the washing
afterwards) Inch Perfect will provide the helmets,
boots, gloves, trousers and tops you need. Riding
trials is harder than it looks, so lightweight
clothing is essential.
After a quick familiarisation of the bikes
(there really isn’t that much to know) we were
heading to a nearby field for our first taste of
riding trials bikes.
A couple of people in our group had trials
exxperience, but we all started at the basic level so
t trainer could see what kind of level we were all at.
Thiss is an important part of the day as the day is open
to alll abilities, from age 12 upwards.
e first few yards were nervous. I was on a bike
h t sn’t familiar with, sampling a discipline of
m t r ling completely new to me, and being very
aware that those
t 600 Newton meters were lurking
behind e pretty packaging of the bike, just waiting
t . I was sure to stay in the lowest power mode.
Our first exercise was to do figure-of-eights at a
slow pace, just to get used to the bikes. Surprisingly it
didn’t take very long at all to get the hang of it, and to
start trusting that the tyres would not wash out.
The bike also reacted very softly to demands of
power, and although popping the front wheel up was
delightfully easy, there was no problem keeping the
bike under control.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 87
 As the morning progressed,
we tackled going up and down
hills, crossing rivers, and
navigating some simple
obstacles. Seeing our trainer
clear more difficult sections
with ease made it perfectly
clear how much there was to
learn, but even managing to
ride over some logs, stones and
water obstacles was thrilling
enough.
After lunch we headed out in
the wild. The area owned by
Inch Perfect Trials is vast, so
there are near-limitless options
to explore, but we kept things
reasonably easy (although still
challenging enough!) and had
our own little trials safari
around the grounds. It’s great to
get out of the training ground
and realise that you can actually
manage the bike in the woods.
Proper Boys’ Own stuff!
Five hours of riding later you
feel like you’ve had a good
exercise. It’s harder than you
think to go so slow. But more If you fancy a piece of this pie, I can wholeheartedly
importantly there is a massive step up in your riding ABOVE: It looks so easy... recommend the experience day. The whole thing is
skills during the day, and the whole experience from ABOVE RIGHT: The well run, the experience will improve your riding
facilities to training is excellent – this really is a amount of traction was skills, and it’s an absolute giggle. Just don’t expect to
motorcycle sport that I could see a lot of people surprising go home without being caked in mud – but that’s part
getting seriously hooked on. of the fun, right!

is there more?
The Experience Day (full day from £100) that we did Inch Perfect Trials
is just one of the many things that you can try your LOCATION: New Hey Barn, Whitewell,
hand at here. There are tailored children’s and Near Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 3AU
women’s days, full and half-days, wheelie school, bike TELEPHONE: 01200 448 130
maintenance course and tailored training for more EMAIL: sales@inchperfecttrials.co.uk
advanced riders. Basically, if it’s trials related these WEB: experience.inchperfecttrials.co.uk
guys have it covered.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 89
LONG-TERM REVIEW
Test fleet: Royal Enfield
Interceptor 650
Not everyone loves the Interceptor, but Mikko is willing to
fight its corner
I
have had a great time with
the Interceptor this year,
and having just seen the
latest monthly figures for
registrations of new
motorcycles, it’s clear that I’m
not alone – the Interceptor was
the best-selling bike in its
category in the UK, not for the
first time this year.
But there’s always someone
who wants to piddle on your
parade, isn’t there. For me, the
party-pooping noises came from
the direction of Stu Barker who
runs our Kawasaki Ninja
1000SX long-term bike. You see,
we swapped bikes for a couple of
days when I had a job where I
needed a more track-capable
bike. For me it was the perfect
swap as the Kwaker was an
absolute hoot both on road and
track. Stuart, however, was
90 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
rather long in the face when I
returned for my beloved Enfield.
What’s the problem?
I was curious to hear why Stu
didn’t love the Interceptor.
Maybe there had been a
technical issue with the bike?
Here’s what he said: “I was
looking forward to riding the
Interceptor as I’d mainly heard
good things about it. And for
the first few miles through town
I did enjoy it. It’s a bike stripped
back to the bare essentials just
like bikes used to be – no
electronics, no luxuries, just a
rough seat-of-the-pants feel that
really appealed to me. But as
soon as I showed the Interceptor
a bumpy B-road my opinion
changed dramatically.”
Stu’s main criticism was
directed at the Interceptor’s
suspension and brakes. And as
I’ve said many times on my
reports, they are not the finest,
but they do the job. What you
need to do is ride the bike with
less aggro and more zen. The
suspension will tie itself in knots
if you try to set land-speed
records on bumpy roads, and
the brakes need more of a
squeeze than top-of-the-range
ones, but they do the job. Tone
your riding down a notch, and
suddenly it all starts to work
much better.
Can less be more?
I can’t help thinking that Stu just
didn’t quite get the bike. The
Interceptor is a bike that will tell
you as soon as it gets out of its
comfort zone, and that zone is a
distinctly smaller patch than the
vast plains that many alfa-bikes
THIS MONTH
Rider: Mikko Nieminen
Cost New: £5699 + OTR
Spec: 47bhp/52Nm
Engine: 648cc, sohc, air/oil
cooled, parallel twin
Kerb weight: 202kg (unladen)
Tank: 13.7 litres
Seat: 804mm (31.7in)
Miles this month: 417
Miles on Clock: 2133
Average mpg: N/A
Current Tyres: Pirelli Phantom
Sportscomp
Modifications: Ventura Evo pack
and rack (£367.29), SW-Motech
Legend Gear saddle, tail and
tank bags (total £463),
Beeline satnav (£199),
GripSkinz (£14)
S
Speeds
d are b
bestt kept
k t moderate.
d t
Taking the time pays off
roam around oozing confidence.
In Stu’s words: “The bike is so
basic that 80mph felt much
scarier than doing 120mph on a
much more competent
Superbike.”
Yes, that’s true, but – and this
is an important but – for me
that takes nothing away from
the riding enjoyment. Yes, the
limits are reached easily. And
yes, you need to make some
allowances, such as travelling
slower, to enjoy the ride. But if
you accept that, and ride within
the bike’s limitations, the
Interceptor is a delight. It’s a
tortoise in a world of hares, but
accept it for what it is, ride it
like it was designed to be
ridden, and you can have a
fantastic time on it!

Test fleet: Kawasaki
Ninja 1000SX Tourer
Stu gets a second opinion on the big Ninja from editor Mikko
T
his month the editor
of this fair magazine
needed to borrow the
Ninja 1000SX to do
an IAM Skills Day
down at Thruxton; his reasoning
being that it might be more
suitable for both the 234-mile
round trip on the road and the
activities on track than his Royal
Enfield Interceptor – the Ninja is
an all-rounder after all.
After leaving me with his
Interceptor (which I was not a
fan of – you get what you pay
for and I’d rather buy second
hand than have a brand new
bike that falls short in so many
departments), I handed over the
keys of the Kawasaki and issued
Mikko Nieminen with a
Quickshifter could be a tad smoother
challenge: “Try to find a fault
with it – because I can’t.”
This is what he had to say
upon his return. “It wasn’t an
easy job to find a fault as the
first impressions were
thoroughly positive. After just a
few yards on board, you
instantly get an overall feeling of
smoothness. Everything from
power delivery to suspension
work like an iron fist in a silk
glove, with sharp determination
and elegance.”
See? I told ya!
But hang on, he’s not finished
yet. “As the ride progressed
however, I managed to find a
few niggles to mention. One was
the mirrors, which offer a nice,
clear view, but it’s mostly of my
hands rather than what’s behind
me. (I wonder if Mikko realised
you can adjust the mirrors
within their casings? I have no
problem adjusting them so I can
clearly see what’s behind me
– Stu.) Putting air in the tyres
was another bother. I couldn’t
get to the valves without having
my hands covered in brake dust
from the massive discs.”
Brake dust rubs off, Mikko –
man up!
Trying super hard, as I asked
him to, he managed to find one
other teeny criticism and this
time I do agree with him. “The
quickshifter, which was great
most of the time, got a bit lumpy
on full throttle openings – just
when you would most benefit
from it.’”
The two-way quickshifter
does work well in most
instances, but I do find myself
just trying to smooth it out with
a little dip of the clutch now and
again, particularly when
changing from first to second
gear. It’s something you soon get
used to and I do it without even
thinking now.
But it was only when I rode
Honda’s Fireblade SP that I
realised how much smoother
quickshifters can be – I never
touched the clutch once after
I had set off.
But it’s testimony to the Ninja
1000SX that two experienced
riders, intentionally looking for
LONG-TERM REVIEW
THIS MONTH
Rider: Stuart Barker
Cost new: £12,199 (for Tourer
version with metallic graphite
grey colours)
Engine: 1043cc liquid-cooled
in-line four-cylinder
Spec: 140bhp/81ft/lb
Kerb weight: 235kg
Tank: 19 litres (4.2 gallons)
Seat: 835mm (32.9in)
Miles this month: 452
Miles on clock: 2803
Fuel consumption: 45.1mpg
(16km/l)
Current tyres: Bridgestone
Battlax S22 G
Modifications: Kawasaki tank bag
£165.95, new Bridgestone Battlax
S22 G rear tyre £150
(plus £30 fitting)
The mirrors divide opinion
faults, can only find such small
niggles as these. As Mikko says:
“Of course, these are all minor
issues in an otherwise brilliant
bike that’s powerful, comfortable
and handles well. I hate to admit
it but Stu’s right, it’s damn tricky
to criticise!”
Fine praise indeed, but it was
the initial text I received from
Mikko when he arrived at
Thruxton that best summed up
his feelings about the Kawasaki.
And I quote: ‘Mate, how the ****
do you still have your licence?
That thing’s a ballistic missile
dressed up as a tourer. Jeez!’
PROS & CONS
+ Smooth, fast and competent
+ Inspires confidence and trust
to ride hard
– The two-way quickshifter
could be smoothed out a
little
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 91
LONG-TERM REVIEW
Test fleet: Triumph
Street Scrambler
How do you know if you’ve found the one?
I
f you part with your
hard-earned cash and buy a
brand new bike you’ve
usually done some research,
weighed up the other
options and probably taken a test
ride too. But at what stage do
you know if you’ve made the
right choice? Are you still as sure
six months down the line, or do
you blindly stand by your bike
when you know there’s
something better on the market?
It’s tricky, isn’t it? It’s your
pride and joy and you don’t
want to admit that you’ve made
the wrong choice; that you
should have bought something
else – even if that is exactly what
you think. Thankfully, that’s not
the case with my long-term
There’s a lot of nice touches on
the Triumph. The level of finish is
second to none
92 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
Street Scrambler. I know I didn’t
have to part with my hard-
earned cash to get my hands on
it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t
know how I feel about the thing.
Basically, I’m enamoured; in
fact, I seem to enjoy riding it
more and more every day.
Getting better
That’s only been reinforced
recently, because over the past
few weeks I’ve had a bit of a
backlog of bikes to test, which
has meant that the pseudo-
Scrambler from Triumph has
had to take a bit of a backseat. It’s
been tucked away in the shed
while I’ve been putting miles in
on a selection of other bikes and
scooters, including a selection of
big scramblers from the likes of
Ducati, BMW and Indian. I liked
them. They were impressive bits
of kit in their own right. But they
weren’t quite the Street
Scrambler. They were more
substantial in size, they were
more powerful and they were
more expensive; and yet, I didn’t
necessarily like them any more...
I think that’s pretty telling.
After a couple of weeks apart I
couldn’t wait to get back in the
saddle. It didn’t disappoint. I
immediately felt right at home;
all that easily accessible torque
propelling me along while being
accompanied by a glorious
soundtrack from that twin
exhaust system. I love riding it.
It makes me feel good. That’s
partly because Triumph knows
exactly what it’s doing. The
chassis is magnificent – and it
helps to make the Street
Scrambler a doddle to ride. The
suspension’s soft enough to soak
up the lumps and bumps of the
road without a question, but
firm enough to still allow you to
press on and scrape the footpegs
when you fancy.
New toys
During that brief off period, the
bike also went back to Triumph
HQ to have a few goodies fitted
to it. My aim was to up the level
of protection to allow me to get
stuck into some slightly more
serious off-road. I want to take it
over some tough terrain and see
how it copes, ideally without
having to worry about a rock
piercing the sump. As a result,
I’ve got my hands on the Sump
Guard Kit and the Dresser Bars
THIS MONTH
Rider: Ross Mowbray
Cost new: £9600
Engine: 900cc parallel twin
Spec: 64bhp/59lb-ft
Weight: 203kg
Tank: 12 litres (2.6 gallons)
Seat: 790mm (31.1in)
Miles this month: 220
Miles on clock: 1765
Fuel consumption: 54mpg
(19.1km/litre)
Current tyres: Metzeler Tourance
Modifications: I’ve just had the
Sump Guard Kit and Dresser Bars
fitted. They cost £131 and £127
respectively.
respectively Not cheap – but
not bad
Not exactly the roomiest of seats
for pillions
for the sum of £258. I reckon
they should do the job for the
riding I’m planning on doing.
But with the weather starting to
take a turn for the worse, I’ll
have to start to think about a set
of more aggressive off-road tyres
to try and ensure I’ve got grip
on the chewed-up lanes in the
countryside surrounding my
pad. But I’m a bit reluctant to
change the set of Tourances that
come as standard. There’s still a
good bit of life in them and
they’re impressive on the road,
no matter whether it’s wet or
dry. I just don’t expect them to
be up to much on slippery mud
and grass. I guess there’s only
one way to find out – I’ll let you
know how I get on next time.
PROS & CONS
+ The chassis is impeccable
+ It’s a nice place to be. I’ve
found myself riding it at
every opportunity
– More substantial bash plate/
sump guard as standard
would be good

Test fleet: Honda
CRF1100L Africa Twin
Here is a typical tale of boy meets girl, boy gets girl on the back of
bike, boy gets treated to weekend away, girl over-packs…
I
had no idea how ‘I want you
to pack light’ in Spanish
went, but as she speaks
better English than me, I
was hoping I’d already
gotten the message across.
Sadly not… because as my
good lady Rebeca piled things
into BOTH panniers that I’d
allotted for her (I had the
top-box) I could almost see my
beloved Africa Twin groan
under the weight. To be fair we
had packed light, but my
beloved had booked us a very
expensive hotel and wanted to
save on the booze bill… hence
we were lugging a fair few
bottles of the old vino
collapso…
The kitchen sink?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a
porker and the good lady is a
slight, lithe thing – but I have to
say, the amount of luggage we
were hauling was making me
wonder if we were hitting the
limits for the panniers (10 kilos
each, 33 litres on the right side
and 37 litres on the left) and
top-box (six kilos, 42 litres…)
So, being the careful old git I
am, I upped the pre-load by
another couple of notches. So
while I could feel the bulk, the
handling wasn’t all that bad…
Big plus points my little
Africa Twin…
These boots were
made for walking…
We arrived at the lovely hotel
and unpacked (that alone took
an age… have you ever tried to
walk past reception without
making the bottles clink in the
panniers?) and I was then hit
with the bad news…
She only hadn’t packed
her ‘casual’ footwear… she’d
only packed her ‘smart’
footwear. Which meant that our
dinner appointment in the
restaurant was fine, but our walk
around the grounds prior may
have looked a little daft: of
course, I’d packed a single
footwear solution which
covered both bases as I’m a
bloke, but still…
Now, I’d travelled 120 miles
on the bike to get to her and
then taken the good lady a
LONG-TERM REVIEW
THIS MONTH
Rider: Bertie Simmonds
Cost new: £16,749
Engine: 1084cc liquid-cooled
parallel twin, four-stroke
Spec: 100bhp/78lb-ft
Kerb weight: 236kg
Tank: 18.8 litres (4.1 gallon)
Seat: 850/870mm (33.5/34.3in)
Miles this month: 862
Miles on clock: 4011
Fuel consumption: 45.2mpg
(16km/litre)
Current tyres: Bridgestone Battlax
Adventurecross Tourer AX41T
Modifications: Front Side Pipe kit
(£340), Deflector Set (£50), Front
Fog Lights (£465)
further 30-40 miles to the hotel,
so it was ‘local-ish’ to her. It was
a lovely day so, sure – I wanted a
late afternoon drink on the
lovely terrace, but – well, to do
the 60 miles to and back to pick Packing for bike trips is an art form
up some garish Doctor Martens
was fine by me as I love riding
bikes!
So, while she chilled out and
pampered herself in the room, I
saddled up once more and went
to get her boots… Lovely ride
and so much better ‘one-up!’
Perfect pillion
And so, finally, I can say that
this machine – the Africa Twin
– is indeed the perfect pillion
machine. Since our weekend
away we’ve popped out more
than a few times and this side of
a 1400GTR or something bigger,
it’s perfect. With my original
tyres now looking a little ‘Now, where did I put my shoes?’
squared off (they suffer almost
70 miles upright on the A1
every other weekend), it’s time PROS & CONS
to try the Dunlop Trailmax + It’s brilliant two-up with LOTS
Meridian. Oh, and I believe the of luggage…
phrase is: ‘Quiero que empaques – Nothing, this month!
ligero.’ But I could be wrong!
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 93
LONG-TERM REVIEW
Test Fleet: Yamaha TMAX
Scarecrows do not
frighten this rider and
machine
I
n a couple of my nearby
villages several scarecrows
have been seen outside
people’s property and I have
to say they always bring a
smile to my face when passing.
There were some really
interesting scarecrows on
display, but one in particular felt
quite pertinent – ‘Our
Keyworkers and their Covid 19
support’ was the theme – I just
had to stop and take a picture.
Just a short
important ride
Whenever I get my motorcycle
gear on, the boss always asks
where I am going (methinks
what now?). On this occasion
just a 12-mile round trip had to
be made to obtain goats cheese,
puff pastry and tomatoes for a
Facetime cooking lesson
between my better half and our
granddaughter Freya. The
provisions were just placed
under the seat for transport and
to be honest looked quite lost in
the cavernous compartment.
The plus side to my short ride
was an excellent goats cheese
tart for my supper at our end of
Facetime and Freya was able to
share her newly acquired skills
with her mum and dad. After
94 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
my short ride, a trip to obtain an
oil filter for one of my bikes
made up for the ‘into town ride’.
Flashing Multifunction
Indicator Light (MIL)
A couple of trips out, found the
MIL light (malfunction
indicator lamp) coming on
intermittently. Now, the
handbook clearly states that
there will probably be problems
in the engine or other vehicle
control systems when said light
comes on. If this occurs have a
Yamaha dealer check the
onboard diagnostic system.
Hold on a minute, this is an old
school rider on this machine, let
us just think back to anything I
have done to the scooter, just in
case, etc.
The only thing that came to
mind was the fitting of the lead
direct to battery for my heated
vest – but this was nearly four
months ago, and it has been ok
during that period. Ah well, let’s
take the lead off and see what
happens. You’ve guessed it – no
more MIL light. Don’t ask, I
haven’t, but I am sure I will
curse when the colder weather
hits us.
Now on longer, but
still important ride
Just getting the gear on again
and a little voice from the
kitchen said: ‘Do you fancy a
Large storage compartment makes the shopping look small
ride to Ashley Farm Shop to get
me some home-cured meats?’
Now this is a round trip of 150
miles on some of South
Lincolnshire and Leicestershire’s
finest motorcycle roads, so
what’s not to like. “Yes of course
dear,” I say, “as long as you allow
me to buy some homemade
flapjacks for going.” Job done.
Another food collection was
when I happened to mention my
trip to see the guys at Webbs’
Yamaha in Lincoln. This time I
was asked to go to the specialist
Chinese supermarket to
purchase a top up of Chinese
pancakes for the freezer.
As the supermarket is just a
short walk from Webbs, the
answer once again was yes, of
THIS MONTH
Rider: Roger Jones
Cost new: £10,320
Engine: 562cc, liquid-cooled,
parallel twin
Spec: 47bhp/41lb-ft
Kerb weight: 218kg
Tank: 15 litres (3.3 gallons)
Seat: 800mm (31.5in)
Miles this month: 244
Miles on clock: 1601
Average mpg: 61.2mpg
(21km/litre)
Current tyres: Bridgestone
Battlax SC
Modifications: Wiring
plug to battery for
f
heated vest (no cost)
course. Was it worth the effort?
You bet, the crispy duck
pancake rolls served up for
our evening meal that day
were a real treat.
Now all this may sound like
combining scooter riding with
filling my now cavernous
stomach and why not?
Any excuse for a ride out with
a purpose on the Yamaha
TMAX is good for me,
especially if it means a good
meal at the end of the day.
PROS & CONS
+ Great mpg
+ Best looking scoot out there
– No real suspension
adjustment

Test fleet: BMW F900XR TE
Mike feels the heat… and it’s lovely
T
his past month I
have enjoyed plenty
of opportunity to
check out a few
different aspects of
the BMW. So, are you sitting
comfortably? Good, because
I know I am, thanks to some
new air conditioning. How can
that be, I hear you ask? Mikko
has mentioned good things
about the seat covers supplied
by Cool Covers, so I decided to
give them a try and opted for
one of their UV-resistant,
washable ones specifically
manufactured for the F900XR.
And what a difference. Stylish
and easy to fit via two Velcro
straps, the airflow between
myself and the seat was
immediately evident.
My daughter having recently
passed her CBT, one evening we
enjoyed a longish, circular ride
for some fish and chips, as you
do. By the time of the return
home, the weather had cooled. I
was wearing Summer gloves
and with a nip in the air, it was
an ideal opportunity to try the
heated grips. Quickly my hands
were lovely and warm, and it
was then I realised the heated
switch symbol was on three, the
highest level, so I dropped
down two stops before my
hands turned to toast.
The other gizmo I have been
enjoying is cruise control,
whether it be riding in
prolonged restricted speed
zones, or clearways.
What a treat to be able to
relax the right hand and not
lose speed, and do the reverse
v-sign to approaching riders
rather than the conventional
head nod. And in the true spirit
of the riding fraternity, the
other day I received a leg out
acknowledgment… must have
been French, and it caught me
by surprise. I am now rather
fond of that move too.
Watch and learn
In the hope of consistently
improving my riding technique,
I went on a taster ride with an
observer from IAM Roadsmart’s
Lincolnshire Advanced
Motorcyclists group. After an
initial chat and a cuppa, we
headed into the countryside on
a pre-arranged route, with Jerry
Neale following behind and
monitoring my every move.
I rode the BMW, and am I
glad I did, because I have
become increasingly used to the
bike, as it offers so much
confidence, being smooth and
agile through the gears and
reassuring on the brakes. I am
hoping that I will be able to
keep the bike long enough to
head out with Jerry again.
Well and truly screwed
Recently I took possession of a
somewhat humongous machine.
I choose the word ‘humongous’
because it describes something
enormous. Coined in the 1970s,
it has its origins in American
slang, so seemed the
appropriate adjective to
describe the Harley-Davidson
Street Glide Special. Upon
arrival, I took it for a leisurely
50-mile run. The next morning
I hopped on the BMW to fuel
up, and it felt like a midget in
comparison! For starters I could
wheel it backwards out of the
LONG-TERM REVIEW
THIS MONTH
Rider: Michael Cowton
Cost new: £10,685
Engine: 895cc, parallel twin
Spec: 103bhp/67.9ft-lb
Kerb weight: 219kg
Tank: 15.5 litres (3.4 gallons)
Seat: 825mm (32.5in)
Miles this month: 330
Miles on clock: 1692
Fuel consumption: 61.4mpg
(21.7km/l)
Current tyres: Michelin Road 5 GT
Modifications: Sport Package -
£200, Comfort Package (Centre
Stand, Keyless Ride, Dynamic
ESA) - £630, Dynamic Package
(Headlight Pro, Gearshift Assist
Pro, Adaptive Headlight) - £575,
Teleservices (SOS) - £250,
Touring screen - £140,
Panniers - £800
£800,
Hand Guards - £65
garage without feeling as if I
was going to topple over. Ah
yes, mentioning ‘for starters’, I
did have a brief frustrating
encounter with the BMW.
Having wheeled it out, the
battery appeared to be flat. I put
it on trickle charge, and that
afternoon it fired up, so I rode
to the garage. Fuelled up, it was
flat again. The display and
satnav would light up, but when
I pressed the starter button, the
displays blanked out.
It transpired that the screw
affixing the cable to the live
terminal had, well, unscrewed
itself, so the loose battery cable
was causing excessive resistance
to build up, thereby causing
issues with the electrical system.
Annoying for sure, but a lesson
learnt as I made use of the
Phillips screwdriver housed
conveniently under the seat.
PROS & CONS
+ A joy to ride
+ Great agility
– That damn loose screw
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 95
LONG-TERM REVIEW
Test fleet: Suzuki
V-Strom 1050XT
Mossy hates cleaning bikes. Luckily, he knows a man who doesn’t!
H
aving my long-
termers protected
by the All Year
Biker anti-
corrosion treatment
has become habitual, and I had
no doubts about adding my
V-Strom 1050 to the list of
previously treated machines.
AYB is essentially a very
thorough and effective way of
bringing your bike to near
surgical levels of cleanliness, and
then applying an anti-corrosion
coating which lasts up to one
year. When I had the job done
earlier in the year, the Suzuki
was just a few months, and 500
miles old. Even so, given I want
With the winter weather looming, Mossy is happy with the AYB
treatment
96 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
to ride it in all weathers, and am
not exactly adept at regular
cleaning, getting the protection
sorted as early as possible was a
good plan.
There’s plenty to do
Riding to the base of my local
AYB operator Alan Grace (who’s
one of 23 around the UK) near
Devizes saw him start the £85
transformational process
immediately. Hardly what you’d
call filthy, my 1050 still had a
light coating of grime which had
taken the shine off it. A little
worryingly, it also had some
light corrosion on its wheel
spokes and brake unions.
Getting on with it
Restoring its factory-fresh looks
begins with a gentle pre-rinsing
to remove the surface muck,
allowing the AYB products to be
at their most effective. Following
that, Alan applies a specially
formulated degreaser. It’s
effective at dissolving oils and
greases, but more importantly,
it’s not aggressive enough to
cause any etching or damage to
protective lacquers. This is then
rinsed off with a well-aimed, low
pressure jet washer.
That’s just the start
Once it’s been left to drip dry,
the V-Strom is then completely
coated with a traffic film
removing foam. It removes all
the nasties like brake dust, chain
lube, animal waste, tree sap,
agricultural produce, and road
salt. Once it’s done its work, the
bike is once again jet washed
carefully and dried thoroughly
using a hot air blow drier, which
is crucial for the next part of
the process, adding a fine film
of the highly acclaimed XCP
Rust Blocker.
Invisible protection
It’s this stuff that will form a
barrier to all the nasty bike-
THIS MONTH
Rider: Chris Moss
Cost new: £11,299
Spec: 106bhp/74lb-ft
Kerb weight: 247kg
Tank: 20 litres (4.4 gallons)
Seat: 850/870mm (33.5/34.3in)
Miles this month: 412
Miles on clock: 1974
Average mpg: 56mpg
(19.8km/litre)
Current tyres: Dunlop Trailmax
Missions
Modifications: none
AYB treatment is near-surgical in
its approach
rotting stuff I’ll be riding
through in the coming months.
Acting like an invisible garage
it’s applied using a spray gun to
let the fine mist penetrate all
areas, though key parts like tyres
and brake discs are masked off
to keep it away from them.
Coverage is deliberately kept
thin to allow it to dry fully, not
‘puddle’ and subsequently
attract further moisture-
absorbing dirt. Once the
masking covers are removed the
operator then applies the Rust
Blocker to any outstanding areas
by hand. Claimed to repel water
and debris, it’s expected to last
around a year or 10,000 miles,
though if you live close to the
sea or an industrial area, then
AYB recommends treatment a
little more often. To round off
the impressive cleansing and
protection treatment, a
dirt-repelling PTFE-based wax
is then applied to the paintwork.
Alan’s intensive effort means I
have a very shiny V-Strom once
again, and one that’s defended
well against the ravages of
winter riding.
To get the same treatment,
contact: www.allyearbiker.co.uk

Test fleet: Moto Guzzi V85TT
Great Scots!
T
his is the end of the
road for the Guzzi.
Eight months of
ownership and a
frustrating year for
travel. It has to be sold to keep
the heating on over the long
winter that is to come. A slight
exaggeration there but it’s been a
good bike, enjoyable to ride,
especially on a group trip
around Scotland I managed to
squeeze in just before the rule of
six came in.
The Himalayan managed to keep
up without much problem
Ten of us met at Matlock
Bath, and from there we
meandered north through the
Peaks and into Yorkshire and
then Cumbria for the first night
on the road.
In the week that followed, the
group headed up to the NC500,
following it in a clockwise
direction all the way back down
to Braemar and home. We
averaged about 200 miles a day
and camped most nights bar one
at the Aultguish Inn just outside
Ullapool, and the next night at
the cheap and cheerful Weigh
Inn in Thurso.
Keeping up with
the others
The bikes in the group
ranged from the R1200
GS Adventure, KTM 790
Adventure, Suzuki
V-Strom 650 and Royal
Enfield Himalayan.
The Guzzi sat amongst
them all nicely. It
averaged 62mpg on the flowing
A and B roads around the coast,
and a respectable 52mpg on the
long motorway ride back down.
It was comfortable for a full
day in a saddle, aided by the
Cool Cover, and bar the
occasional long churn of the
starter motor before it fired into
life, managed the 2000-mile trip
without issue, although it did
use a drop of oil along the way.
Something to keep an eye on.
The stability in the corners
was a good attribute, especially
along the choppy single track of
northern Scotland. It’s a very
predictable bike to turn and
takes a lot to knock it off course.
What goes up…
It’s not a light bike, and in
fairness the 24.5bhp Himalayan
kept up with the group without
too much issue – an inescapable
shadow - and was that bit easier
for its rider to manhandle on
campsites and in car parks and
what not, and so really even the
853cc Guzzi is overkill in the
Highlands.
Perhaps that’s my only
LONG-TERM REVIEW
THIS MONTH
Rider: Nathan Millward
Cost New: £9500
Spec: 79bhp/59Ib-ft
Engine: 853cc air-cooled 90°
transverse V-twin
Kerb weight: 252 kilos
(fully fuelled)
Tank: 23 litres (5 gallons)
Seat: 830mm (32.7in)
Miles this month: 2200
Miles on Clock: 3786
Average mpg: 57.9mpg
(20.5km/litre)
Current Tyres: Metzeler
Tourance Next
Modifications: Bumot Defender
Evo panniers (£1059)
Factory option: Centre stand
(£160), engine guards (£100),
Cooll Cover ((£75))
Total cost of
mods: £1394
complaint with these mid-sized
bikes; they’re neither feast nor
foul. Not the punch of the big
bikes, nor the lightness of the
little ones. They fall somewhere
in between and are
compromised accordingly.
That said, I never wished to
have been on a different bike. I
came back from the trip more
impressed with the Guzzi than
when I started it and that’s
always a good sign. The trip
served as good proof that the
V85TT is an excellent travel
bike. Sometimes frustrating for
not having the power of some of
its contemporaries, balancing
that with the fact that it’s just a
good place to be. It looks good,
feels solid and rides well, and
the shaft drive and 23-litre tank
make it practical. To improve it I
would add tubeless rims and an
extra 15bhp. Then it would be
perfect. As it is, it’s still my pick
of what’s out there in this
category. I’ll be sad to see it go.
Watch this space for its
cheaper replacement.
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 97
Test fleet: Yamaha Ténéré 700
Can the go-anywhere motorcycle really go anywhere in Wales?

I
’m not a great fan of water
crossings. My nerves are not
being helped by the fact that
the lad two bikes in front of
me is picking his Yamaha
TT250 up from the middle of the
stream. I have been that man…
Today I’m ok, though. I am
sitting astride the Yamaha
Ténéré 700, and I fancy my
chances.
Back to the start
Yamaha markets the Ténéré 700
as the ‘go anywhere motorcycle’.
To put that to the test, I decided
to take the bike to Sweet Lamb
Adventure Rally Bike Academy
in Wales.
The academy offers 5000 acres
of off-road heaven. For me in
rural Worcestershire getting
there is a two-hour ride along
some great flowing roads and at
7am on a Sunday morning
they’re mostly empty of traffic.
Turning the key and firing the
ignition brings the Ténéré to
life. The parallel twin burbles
quietly away against the stillness
of the morning. All the controls
come to hand easily and the big
LCD screen that dominates the
front is at a perfect height. If you
have ridden any of the standard
Yamahas of recent times the
basic information is presented
in a very familiar way.
The sun has not quite come
up yet and the quad front lights
illuminate the first couple of
miles of narrow country lane
fantastically. Mind you, that’s
not a surprise, as all the
Yamahas I have ever owned
seem to err on the ‘burn your
retina’ side of brightness.
The CP2 drive train is geared
so that I’m only really using 5th
and 6th, with the odd 3rd and
4th for the really tight stuff. I set
Centre stand gets a bit in the way when off-roading
myself a challenge to see if I can
make the next five miles only
using 5th gear – and the Yamaha
does it with ease, pulling
strongly out of some reasonably
tight uphill corners.
Getting up to speed
As traffic increases I discover
that overtaking is a breeze; open
the throttle and you’ve passed,
almost regardless of what gear
you are in. Winding my way
through a town I stop at a set of
red lights. On green I pull away
and the bike seems a little
sluggish. I look down to see
what’s wrong, and the LCD gear
indicator is showing 3rd.
For off-roading, the tyres aren’t ideal, but they work
As the road starts to get less
urban I check the good sized,
clear mirrors. I’ve picked up
some Sunday morning heroes
on their high-powered
Tupperwares. The next corner is
a sweeping left-hander. I crank
the Ténéré on its side and fire it
out of the corner. I can feel the
tyres dig in as all 72bhp from
the CP2 is brought into play.
About five seconds later the
ear-splitting noise of an
aftermarket exhaust attached to
a litre sports bike rockets past.
His friend is a little more
cautious, so I move over and
wave him past, which he
acknowledges graciously. I

98 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962


chuckled to myself; this
anti-squat suspension really
works.
The rest of the journey is
uneventful, although I am
finding the suspension
surprisingly firm and it’s
producing a reasonable amount
of chatter. I’m suspecting it’s
down to too much compression,
but luckily when I arrive at
Sweet Lamb I bump into a
friend of mine, Mark, who
knows a thing or two on the
subject. He bounces the bike up
and down and gives me a
quizzical look. “This is the
standard setting?” he asks. “As
far as I know,” I reply. “It’s a bit
hard, isn’t it?” I nod, and Mark
gets a screwdriver.
The Ténéré has compression
and rebound adjustments front
and rear that are straight
forward to get to. We take three
clicks out of everything. On the
two-mile track to my
rendezvous with the forest ride
group it’s more forgiving and a
vast improvement.
Easing into
off-roading
There are 14 of us on the ride
today, mainly on KTMs and
BMWs of varying ages, the only
other Yamaha is the lad on the
TT250. The Ténéré looks right
at home in this battle-hardened
group of bikes. The only things
that are out of place are the
tyres. The Pirelli Scorpion Rally
STR aren’t that aggressive,
especially on the front. I’m
suspecting that muddy trails
may be a problem.
One of the great advantages I
can see of the Ténéré over its
Exhaust note is a pleasant bark
competition ironically is the lack
of electronic aids. Apart from
the ‘less to go wrong’ argument,
personally I like the fact I’m in
control and not wondering if
there’s a better setting. All that is
needed leaving the bitumen is to
turn the ABS off (single press of
a button) and lower the tyre
pressures to 29psi (according to
the manual).
The initial forest track is my
first opportunity to ride
standing. The controls remain
easy to use. The foot pegs could
be a little bigger, but I feel I have
a good enough footing to
operate the gear and brake
levers. There are removable
rubber inserts on the pegs as
standard to help with vibration
and I found no reason to take
them off. The rear brake on the
bike has a lot of movement
before anything happens,
something a spanner and a little
time would correct.
We sail down the next few
miles of track, then head
downhill to a water crossing.
River crossing
It doesn’t take long for the lad to
pick up his TT 250 and luckily it
fires straight back up and he
splashes his way to the opposite
bank. Now it’s my turn. If I’m
going to fall in I’m going to
capture it for MoreBikes.co.uk,
so I turn on the GoPro, making
sure I’m in first gear and rolling
the front wheel into the water.
Punching the throttle, the
parallel twin barks loudly,
propelling the bike through the
stream, the high front fairing
keeping most of the bow wave
off me. I feel the back wheel hit
a rock and I throw a leg out to
regain my balance. Another
bark from the engine and I’m
through and riding up to where
the rest of the group is waiting. I
start breathing again and stop
the GoPro: ‘No space available’
it reads – Really!
LONG-TERM REVIEW
THIS MONTH
Rider: Andrew Freeman
Cost New: £9382
Spec: 72bhp/68Nm
Engine: 689cc, parallel twin
Kerb weight: 204kg
Tank: 16 litres
Seat: 875mm/34.4in
Miles this month: 540
Miles on Clock: 1466
Fuel consumption:
58.2mpg/20.6km/l
Current Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion
Rally STR
Modifications: None
PROS & CONS
+ Basic simplicity
+ Torque engine
– Standard tyres
Dash follows familiar Yamaha
design paths
Reassuringly capable
Throughout the day, the Ténéré
floated through all but the
muddiest of conditions with
reassuring sure-footedness, any
traction issues almost
exclusively down to the
limitation of the tyres.
As we made our way back
through a surreal combination
of wind turbines and forest, I
wondered whether the Ténéré
700 can ‘Change your life
forever? The jury is out on that
one at the moment, but it will
definitely give you a fantastic
day out straight from the
factory. But, of course,
everything can be improved.
Now where did I put that
accessories catalogue?
www.mslmagazine.co.uk 99
 TRIED &TESTED
Things we’ve worn ◆ Kit we like ◆ Things we put on our bike
Arai Rapide & AGV K6 helmets
Just like
motorcycles have
evolved into
sharply focused
precision tools for
different purposes,
so have helmets.
There are ones
that suit the retro-
scene, like the Arai
Rapide. And there
are those that are
more sport and
touring oriented,
such as the AGV
K6. But what’s the
difference, really?
100 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
Arai Rapide
Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | £529.99
www.whyarai.co.uk
The Rapide stands out from the
Arai range of helmets with its
the chin bar and at
the rear, but no
distinctive retro-look. There are top vent, just the
two things that immediately
catch your eye if you know your
two ‘brow’ vents in
the visor. The chin
Arais: firstly, although the helmet vent is operated
uses the same VAS-V visor with a from the inside of
Pinlock lens as many other Arai the helmet, which
full-face helmets, the fastening isn’t as difficult as
mechanism is different. Where it sounds, although
you would normally find the
quick-release pods, you have two
you do need a little
practice.
screws holding the visor in place. The shell shape is
This looks more like the good old typical Arai, designed to
glance off and spread impact
ARAI RAPIDE
days, but makes changing the
visor a slightly longer process. forces, with no ridges or spoilers.
Price: £529.99
Weight: 1555g (tested, size M)
Secondly, you will notice that the This test helmet featured the
Sizes: XS-XL
ventilation doesn’t look very blue HA graphics (a nod to
familiar. You have a visible grill on Hirotake Arai, the founder of Arai
Contact: www.whyarai.co.uk
 KIT

Arai’s chin vents are opened and closed from

Arai visor is opened from the left inside the chin bar You need a small coin to get the Arai visor off

Helmet). I’m not usually too
bothered about looks, but this
helmet was so nice that I couldn’t
bring myself to bolt an intercom
unit on it because it just didn’t
look the part.
Inside the helmet you find the
usual high-quality removable and
washable ‘anti-microbial’ liner,
which is the same material used
in Arai’s top-quality lids rather
than the ‘brushed nylon’ that you
find in the more budget Profile-V
helmet. It stays fresher for longer.
The pads are also removable,
and there’s even a little
adjustment that you can do easily
by removing the 5mm thick
micro-fit inserts from the cheek
pad and temple crown pads.
There’s also an ‘emergency cheek
pad release system’ to help
remove the helmet safely after
an accident.
I find the helmet a great fit, but
naturally that depends on your
individual head shape, even with
the slight adjustment being
available. It is not the quietest or
lightest helmet, but you know
that it has been designed to be as
protective as possible, and it
looks great. If I’m being picky I
could say that ventilation could
be a bit more robust, but I feel like
that about a lot of helmets.
The double-D fastening is a
matter of preference, but for
me it’s preferable to a micro-
ratchet buckle.
If you are into the vintage look,
this is a great helmet to
go with any old or retro bike. Arai
has plenty of cool new graphics
coming out for 2021 too, so
there’s even more choice to
match the lid with your
wheels.

AGV K6
Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | £359.99 | www.agv.co.uk

Some say that you either have an
Arai head or an AGV head. Well,
my head must be soft enough to
mould itself to fit into either as I
don’t really notice much
difference. Both helmets feel
snug, secure and comfortable.
The only noticeable difference is
that the AGV chin bar sits closer
to my chin. I can live with that.
Looking at the K6, we clearly
have a very different kind of
helmet here from the Rapide. This
is very much a modern take on
sporty touring helmets rather
than a look to the past.
The shell is a bit more
contoured than the Arai, with a
sleek look including a small rear
spoiler above the extractor vent.
The shape has been specifically
designed to reduce turbulence.
There is plenty of venting here:
two intakes in the chin and three
at the top, plus the twin extractor
at the rear. All intakes are
adjustable, and easily opened and
closed with a gloved hand.
Continuing the sleek look is the
Pinlock Max Vision compatible
visor. It features a quick-release
mechanism that makes changing
the visor a doddle, and the
system has been built so that on
the outside all you have is a
smooth surface with just a tiny
little lever for release. To open the
visor you need to push the button
in the middle – easily done with
either hand.
Neither helmet has an internal
sun visor, so being able to swap
easily between a clear and a tinted
visor is handy. That’s if you don’t
just take a pair of sunglasses with
you. The AGV has been designed
with glasses wearers in mind, so
this is a good option.
The lining is all removable and
washable, and it’s been put
AGV K6
Price: £359.99
Weight: 1255g
(tested, size M)
Sizes: XS-XL
gv.co.uk
Contact: www.ag
together using Rittmo and
Shalimar fabrics w with added
sweat-absorbing qualities.
q
Cheek pads fea ature an
emergency releas se system, and
the shell profile hasas been
designed to be ‘collarbone safe’. makes this a great helmet for
Fastening is with a double-D strap. both short and long rides.
For me, the outstanding feature Sharp ratings for either helmet
of this helmet is its lightness. The are not available yet, but both
official figure for the smallest of meet the regulatory standards,
four shell sizes is 1220g, and my feature the ACU gold sticker, and
scales showed the size M helmet they have been built with a lot of
to weigh 1255g. The lightness is emphasis on safety. But they
instantly noticeable as you pick are also very comfortable and
up the helmet. Combined with the good looking – albeit in very
great aerodynamic qualities, it different ways.

Sleek design meets ease of use in AGV’s visor

AVG visor opening button is in the middle AGV has plenty of top vents removal system

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 101
Tried & Tested
Sena 10C Evo intercom/camera
a
Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | £379 | www.sena.com
Intercom units are clever gizmos.
Some are particularly clever, such
as the Sena 10C Evo. It works as a
normal comms unit by letting you
chat to your riding buddies, listen
to radio or music, or even make
phone calls. That’s what these
things do. But this one also has a
camera, so you can take videos or
photos of your ride. The videos
can include your commentary via
the comms system’s microphone
or music that you play while
recording the video.
Fitting the system to your
helmet is easy, just fix the
mounting plate, route the
speakers near your ears
(positioning them right is
essential so you hear them), and
fix the microphone in place. Bosh,
you’re done!
Using the unit is easy too. It has
a big wheel to the side and two
buttons that can be used with a
gloved hand. Once you figure the
Sidi Canyon Gore boots
Tested by: Bob Pickett | £249.99 | www.sidiselect.co.uk
Sidi Canyon boots are made of
full-grain leather, with chamois
leather on the boot leg. They have
a Gore-Tex membrane and Velcro
fastening, with the boot held in
place by a closure strap with
replaceable micrometric lever.
102 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
basics, it’s all pretty simple to use
on the go – like anything, practice
makes perfect.
Sound quality is excellent. I
have had phone conversations
with people who had no idea that
I was on a bike at the time of the
call – the sound quality is that
good. The intercom range is
impressive too – if there are no
obstacles in the way it stretches
up to a mile and can link up to
four people. I have also listened to
music with no problem – filtered
earplugs help with this. Sena
There’s also an anti-slip rubber
sole and Nylon innersole with
replaceable anatomical arch
support. The boots are armoured
at the points you need it: shins,
heels, ankles and toes all feature
armour/stiffer materials.
promises 20 hours of talk time,
and I have never run out of
battery on a single journey unless
I have used the video camera,
which Sena says should last
1.5 hours.
Video quality is good (up to
4K/30fps). It’s not quite as
smooth as the new GoPros, but
perfectly good to show what’s
going on. And being able to record
your commentary to go with the
videos is a real bonus. Still photos
Whilst they are high quality,
getting them on is a faff. The
straps over the foot make it fiddly
to get the side panels open and
doing up the straps isn’t a task to
try in the dark (try slotting the
strap through a thin slot and then
adjust with small ratchets). Side
panels fasten with Velcro.
The boots are a snug fit. I would
definitely recommend trying
before buying. But once on, they
stay in place, secured by the
boot strap.
The thick sole means I have to
raise my foot higher than normal
for down-changes (and the
spongy tread makes feel less
immediate) and to begin with I
had no idea how much pressure I
was applying to the rear brake.
But when riding they’re
comfortable.
The Canyons feature Gore-Tex,
and they have proven to be
100% waterproof; not once
has a drop of rain got to my
feet. And they do the job
of wicking away moisture
as well. When the
Mercury drops off the
thermometer my toes are always
warm in the Canyons.
are sharp with 12MP (4:3). There
is an app that you can use to
preview your videos and make
sure the camera is pointing in the
right direction. The app also lets
you change the basic settings.
This has become an item I use
on most of my rides now,
sometimes for music, sometimes
for video, and sometimes when
I’m expecting a call that I don’t
want to miss. It makes
multitasking on a bike possible.
At some point you will have to
get off the bike and walk, and the
Sidi Canyons are ideal for that. I
can wear them all day. They’re
very comfortable to walk in, and
the centre strap keeps them
perfectly in place. That said, the
soles feel spongy so you tend
to lope.
The Canyons’ grip in the wet is
a revelation. One rainy ride home, I
deliberately tried to slide my foot
on the sodden floor. Not a
chance. The Canyons held
steadfastly to the ground.
The Sidi Canyons use higher
quality materials, and they’re soft
where you want them to be, but
still protect in all the places you
need. The retaining strap over the
foot makes a big difference.

Furygan Ares Lady gloves
Tested by: Lisa Tams | £64.99 |
www.nevis.uk.com
These gloves are really warm and
served me well in autumn, winter
and spring – in fact they’re so
warm I had to set them aside
when summer arrived and switch
to a thinner pair. The thermal
lining does a great job and they
even have a special insert on each
index finger so you can text or
use a satnav without taking them
off. Well, in theory at least – I find
that a gloved finger is impossible
to text with.
They’re really quick and easy to
get on and off as there’s just a
single Velcro strap on each glove
for fastening and there’s hard
armour on the knuckles and outer
part of the wrist, as well as soft
armour on the palms.
I only ride pillion these days and
the gloves are comfortable
enough for that, but I feel they’d
be a bit short in the fingers if I was
riding so do try a pair on first and
bunch your fist up to see if there’s
enough room in the fingers.
Because they have a short cuff,
you can wear these gloves with a
textile jacket or leathers without
any bunching up or the need to
tuck your sleeves into the cuffs.
Being Furygans, they’re pretty
stylish too and feature a subtle
black-on-black Furygan panther
logo on the cuff and the Furygan
name (again, black-on-black)
across the knuckles.
I’ve always found gloves the
hardest piece of biking kit to get
right when it comes to fit as
everyone has different-sized
palms and fingers. If the fingers
on the Ares gloves were just a
little bit longer they’d be
near-perfect for me, so just
make sure you try a pair on
before buying.
KIT
RST Maverick jjacket
and trousers
Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | Jacket £1
199.99,
Trousers £149.99
.99 | www.rst
www.rst-moto.com
t moto.comm
The Maverick jacket anda trousers
sit in the middle of the RST range
in terms of p price, and that reflects
their features too. You don’t get
quite all the goodness of the
top-of-the-range item ms, but
there’s still plenty go ng for
these garments.
Versatility is high on the
agenda with these bitts of kit. You downpours the SinAqua lining
get waterproof and th hermal liners gives up.
to guard you against wett and d Fit is
i on the
th sportyt side
id off
cold, and there are plenty of touring. Both the jacket and
vents for the warmer days. trousers are very comfortable,
There are also plenty of but I found that the arms were a
adjusters to ensure a good fit, bit too short for me. Naturally this
and a 360 zip connecting the depends on your build, but it’s
jacket to the trousers. worth noting that the cut is
All armour is CE Level 1, and the different than some other RST
rating for the items as a whole is A. garments.
Waterproofing is ok for As general all-round items the
showers, but I found that with jacket and trousers offer good
bigger and more long-lasting quality for the price.

Tucano Urbano Footerines

Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | £12.99|
www.tucanourbano.com
Here’s something I never realised I
needed, but have found rather
useful – galoshes for bikers. The
Footerines are rubbery rain covers
for your riding boots, so if your
boots aren’t fully waterproof
these will go a long way to keep
your feet dry.
I used mine with urban boots
that aren’t properly waterproof
when I nipped to town on my bike
in rain. The Footerines allowed me
to wear boots that were as good
for walking as riding, and kept my
feet dry. The only problem I had
was that I found them a little
slippery when putting my foot
down on wet Tarmac.
If you wear properly waterproof
touring boots you won’t need
these, but I can see them being
handy if your boots are a bit leaky.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 103
Classified
BIANCHI MT61 1961, rare ex Italian
military, very nice original condition with
a V5C, 318cc, 6 volt electrics, ideal for
all military events, can deliver Tel. 07798
866071. Middx
HONDA CX500 Turbo, 1982, 73,999
miles, MoT, BT45 F+R braided lines, good
condition, reliable, recent cam chain water
pump seal, good exhausts solid bike,
£3950 Tel. 07776 349560. Dunkeld
KAWASAKI Zephyr 1100, 1992, approx
37,000 miles, MoT Jan 2021, vgc, very
reliable, £4250 ono Tel. Terry 07933
102256. Rutland
KAWASAKI W800 Special, 2012, model
related reg plate, as new condition,
1385 miles only, fitted with Zard exhaust
system, service & MoT, £5395 ovno Tel.
01978 853778; 07932 369159. Nth Wales
SUZUKI SP60 1985, rare US import, only
85 made, totally restored, 6535 miles, too
much to list, £3250 Tel. 01254 605501.
Lancs
YAMAHA DT50M 1978, fantastic bike
needs work, currently getting engine
rebuild done, selling because of time &
effort Tel. 07407 349380. North Yorkshire
104 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
BLACKJACK ZERO 3 wheeler, no. 001.
2005, Guzzi 850cc engine (1981 T3)
with VW gearbox, 13,500 miles, €18,500
euros or UK sterling equivalent Email.
sandyandpete@hotmail.com France
HONDA CX500 1980, 22,000 miles,
unfinished project in good condition,
standing for a few years, loads of spares,
many brand new, £1500 for job lot Tel.
07939 642958. Midland
KAWASAKI J300 Special Edition,
300cc, reg March 2014, only 6000 miles,
exceptional unmarked original condition,
£2350 Tel. 01749 899514. Somerset
KAWASAKI ZX636R 2003, 31,340 miles,
excellent condition, MoT, spare original
exhaust, Haynes workshop manual,
£2700 ono Tel. 01472 210918. Lincs
TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE A1 2009,
42,027 miles, very well used condition
visually, but in excellent mechanical
condition, MoT August 2021, £3200 Tel.
01446 719254. Cardiff
YAMAHA XS650D 1977, comprehensively
refurbished to high standard, 17,000 miles,
stainless spokes, new tank, tyres, battery,
C&S, rechromed exhaust etc, £4750 Tel.
07747 627287. Bucks
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Super Low 883,
2011, looks like new, over £3000 of
extras stage one tune Vance and Hines
pipes and Q/D screen, £6000 Tel. 07443
413169. Manchester
HONDA VF1000F 1986, 30,000 miles, all
MoTs, Gazelle stainless exhaust, Krauser
panniers, vgc, runs well, too heavy for me,
£2000 ono Tel. 07855 615496. Cardiff
KAWASAKI KH1 1971, rare drum brake
version, original pipes, all stock, restoration
project, non runner, good compression,
good wiring, £5250 no offers Tel. 07365
297414.
MOTO GUZZI California 2000, Special
Pearl, 32,177 miles, Guzzi panniers,
vgc, new Hagon shocks, MoT, serviced,
2 keys, Sorn, £3850 Tel. John 07766
006444. Cheshire
TRIUMPH TIGER 800 2012, 27,000 miles,
one owner, panniers, centre stand, heated
grips, crash bars, rear hugger, tank pad,
spare screen, MoT, £4300 Tel. 07881
888958. Leics
YAMAHA XT600E 2000, imported 2005,
30,500 miles, MoT June 2021, new chain
& sprockets, reg/rectifier, rear disc/pads,
Scottoiler, Givi monokey rear rack, £2000
Tel. 07841 0430866. Kent
HONDA CN250 also know as Helix,
Spazio, Fusion, 1994, Gloss black, built in
06/1993,16,846 miles, digital dashboard,
MoT, £1700 Tel. 07393 195066. London
HONDA XL700VA Transalp, 2012, 22,500
miles, Honda topbox & panniers, touring
screen, centre stand, chain oiler, recent
tyres, chain, sprockets & pads, MoT,
£2250 Tel. 01235 531363. Oxon
KAWASAKI KZ650 1977, good condition,
new back tyre and recent Motad exhaust,
not matching numbers but rides well,
£2950 Tel. 07483 218404. Shropshire
SUZUKI GT250 1976, rebored new
pistons, gaskets, new chain, mini
indicators, seat, mirrors, air cleaner, petrol
tap overhaul kit, tyres, £2750 Tel. 01427
788167. Lincs
YAMAHA FJ1200 1991, restoration or
base for a project, 32,000 miles, very
complete, with a rack and full luggage,
Tel. 07515 258925. London
YAMAHA YZF750R 1994, 35,000 miles,
lovely condition for age over 26 years old,
only selling due to lack of use, sold as
seen, MoT, £2200 ono Tel. 07561 367040.
Lincs

For Sale
APRILIA CAPONORD 1200 Travel
Pack, 2017, accessories for sale,
R&G radiator guard, MRA Vario
Touring screen (also fits some
Guzzi Griso’s) and pannier inner
bags (also fits Aprilia Futura), all
good condition, make me an offer
Tel. 01604 810527 evenings.
Northamptonshire.
Parts For Sale
BLACK WIDOW SILENCERS and link
pipes for Honda ST1300 Pan great
sound, weight saver, £120 ono Tel.
01525 210573; 07944 583334. Beds.
BMW F800 pair expandable
panniers complete with inner bags
& locks, £375. Tel. 07939 192627.
West Midlands.
BMW F800GT tall tinted screen with
fittings, £45. Tel. 07939 192627.
West Midlands.
BMW R1200RT 2010 Ferodo brake
pads, still boxed FDB 125P, front
FDB 2034ST rear, £30, collect or
postage extra Tel. John 07745
603453. Essex.
BMW R850R/R1100R touring
windscreen by Cee Bailey-California,
aircraft quality, perfect condition, too
tall for me, buyer collects, £55. Tel.
01366 348020. North Norfolk.
HONDA CROSS RUNNER 2020 rear Givi
rack and Monokey base plate, nearly
brand new, £95 +p&p Tel. 07583
899768. Ayrshire.
Name: ...............................................................................................
Address: ........................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
Email: ................................................................................................
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Description
Tel
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HONDA ST1300 2004, Black Widow
silencers and link pipes, great
sound, nine months old, £150.
Tel. 07944 583334; 01525 210573.
Beds.
SUZUKI SV1000S OEM clip-ons, top
yoke (needs two ignition switch
bolts) changed when new 2005,
£30 postage extra, collect Tel. John
07745 603453. Essex.
TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 2014,
OEM comfort seat, unused, £35.
Suspension lowering plates 40mm
adjustable footpegs, £50 collect
or postage extra Tel. John 07745
603453. Essex.
TRIUMPH ST1050 Sprint 2010,
parts/accessories for sale: handle
bar risers, fuel pump, radiator
fan, exhaust, leg shield, Haynes
manual, £50 the lot plus p&p Tel.
07972 843351.
TRIUMPH THRUXTON EFI parts for
sale: genuine chain and sprocket
kit £60; brake pads front (genuine)
and rear (EBC) £12 per set;
headlight lens unit, used (tiny scuff
on edge) £20; headlight tubes inc
rubbers and black headlight stays
£60; genuine standard exhausts
£80; genuine rear shocks £60;
MAP x 2 and Temp sensors £15
each; Lamda Sensors x 2 £20;
fuel hose clip, one £20; fuel
tank gasket for fuel pump £10;
fork protectors plastic £5; rear
wheel hub, silver and very clean
£40; Triumph twin power silicon
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MAP sensor pipe unions (brilliant
upgrade) £8; genuine Triumph
clutch alignment tool, T3880014,
£25 new; genuine mirrors, almost
new pair for £50; Motone 1” bar
risers and bolts, black and almost
new £20; accessory oil filler plug
Triumph £10; footrest rubbers
£5; indicators £20 per set; rear
light unit and indicators £40
complete; rear red reflector on
arm £10; Olive waxed cotton RHS
pannier and mounting bracket
for Thruxton £100; chainguard
black but needs a paint £5;
genuine brake and clutch levers
£15; genuine new air filter £20;
OBD2 cable £10; Haynes manual
£10; genuine Triumph workshop
manual including EFI diagnostics
and repair, printed out into two
ring binders £40; 2 x sets of
exhaust clamps, new £10; Lamda
deletion kit, bolts and sensor parts
£10; oil filter £8 and headlight
rim £20. Manchester area for
collection or +postage Tel. Mark
07815 084533.
Miscellaneous
KAWASAKI KH125 factory issue
manual part no 99931-542-02, £25.
Tel. 07974 822880. Halesowen
West Midlands area.
KAWASAKI VERSY 2013, gel seat,
650cc only Bagster, £40. Triumph
Street twin rack, £30 Tel. 07758
640296. Essex.
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MICRON PADDOCK STAND never used,
£20, collection only from West
Sussex Tel. 07766 315470.
NEXX SX jazzy cream helmet size
large (brand new) Tel. 07468
504251. Staffordshire.
REVENGER 60 two piece leather mens
motorcycle suit, used but only once
and in good condition, selling as it
no longer fits! 52” black leather
two-piece suit, full attachment zip
to trousers, internal pocket, zips to
cuff and ankles, zip front to jacket
with velcro at neck, velcro for
knee sliders, zip fly, collection only
from West Sussex £75. Tel. 07766
315470.
YAMAHA XJ6 REAR CARRIER as new,
£50. Baglux leather type tank
cover and Baglux tank bag. Tank
bag never been on the bike £80.
Belstaff old style red and black
jackets two, £35 each Tel. 07443
413169. Manchester.
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www.mslmagazine.co.uk 105
 Then and now
Kevin Cameron
U
p to the coming of the British Twin
(all the pushrod parallel twins built,
many for export, from the 1936 of
Edward Turner’s 500 Speed Twin
onward to the 1970s) the usual
crankshaft for any motorcycle was
assembled from five major pieces,
held in alignment by some combination of tapers,
keys and thin nuts. The five pieces were the two disc-
shaped flywheels, two ball or roller-bearing main
shafts (one driving the separate transmission via
a chain, the other driving the valve gear in the
timing case by gear or chain) and a crankpin on
which the connecting-rod was carried by a rolling
big-end bearing.
Once assembled, it had to be ‘trued’ to place its
two main shafts on the same axis. This required the
work of a skilled person, alternating between checking
alignment with machinist’s dial gauges on a stand, and
nudging the parts into progressively better alignment,
either by blows from a soft hammer (cast iron or mild
steel flywheels like those of Matchless G-50s dent
easily), or by ‘bumping’ – rotating one flywheel with
respect to the other on the crankpin by bringing the
crank down smartly so that one flywheel struck a
block of wood, allowing the inertia of the other wheel
to move it slightly in the desired direction. With
new parts this could be a quick and straightforward
process. Do up the nuts securing crankpin and
mainshafts, prevent their loosening with tabwashers or
grub screws and you’re done. Next!
It’s easy to see the possible shortcomings. Casting in
iron was very convenient because it could place metal
in each flywheel where needed for strength and proper
balance – without much expensive machining. Finer
adjustment of balance was achieved by drilling holes
into the heavy side. As revs rose from the very modest
1500 of early days – and particularly in racing – main
shafts and crankpin worked loose in soft flywheels. In
time this led to adoption of flywheels sawn from alloy
steel plate and then machined to shape, and in a later
step, to the forging of each flywheel in one piece with
its mainshaft. Each step moved crankshaft building
away from being a small shop bench assembly craft
toward a series of specialised machining operations.
The automotive side faced the problem of creating
a mass market by cutting production cost. This
required auto crankshafts to be cast or forged in
one piece, then machined to produce the necessary
main and connecting-rod bearings. Because split
rolling bearings were unreliable and expensive, car
cranks were given pressure-lubricated plain journal
bearings. Specialised production machines were
quickly developed, retiring the machinists of old in
106 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962
Kevin Cameron looks at how crankshaft
design has changed over time
favour of ‘stagers’ whose only work was to load and
unload parts from machines, and to start automated
machining cycles.
Strange to say, some of the early big-displacement
bikes from Japan for a few more years continued the
ancient tradition of building-up crankshafts from
separate parts assembled by press-fitting in order to
allow main and connecting-rod bearings to remain
ball or roller. This included Kawasaki’s epoch-making
903-cc Z-1 of 1973 and Suzuki’s GS series, hitting
markets a couple of years later.
Honda, already deeply committed to an expanding
future in auto production, went a different way with
their four-cylinder CB750 of 1969 – the automotive
way. They gave their big bike a one-piece forged
crankshaft turning in plain journal bearings, its
connecting-rod big-ends being split and bolted.
Cutting production cost expands markets.
Didn’t friction increase when rolling bearings were
abandoned in this way? That had been carefully checked
in 1953, when Enzo Ferrari ordered two otherwise
identical V-12s to be built – one with a complex rolling-
bearing crank and the other with a one-piece crank and
the then-new Vandervell replaceable insert plain journal
bearings. Vandervell had produced such bearings in
quantity for thousands of Rolls-Royce Merlin and
Griffon aero V-12s in the war.
And when those two engines were tested? The plain-
bearing version proved superior in almost every respect,
most important of all in durability and low cost (as you’d
Who is expect, cold-cranking friction can be quite low with
Cameron? rolling bearings). Other interested organisations made
Kevin is one of the similar tests, and with the same results.
most widely-respected Today rolling bearings have almost entirely departed
technical gurus on from the crankshafts of trucks, cars and motorcycles.
the planet. Author The engines of F1, of World Superbike, and of MotoGP
of some of the most all send the force of their pistons through one-piece
iconic and landmark forged cranks turning on plain bearings.
books in motorcycle Crankcase-scavenged two-stroke engines, because
publishing, the they use their crankcases as scavenge pumps, must
American brings the continue with rolling bearings that can survive on
innermost workings very little oil. In the interest of having simplified
of what goes on in an oiling systems, some four-stroke MX engines still
engine to the fore in an retain rolling main and con-rod bearings. And for
easy-to-access way.
many years, and despite the ambition otherwise of
Simply put, Cameron
‘ottovalvole’ creator Massimo Bordi, Ducati V-twins
is a genius of all things
have retained large ball main bearings. In the last
metal that are fixed to
iteration – the Panigale – main bearings became plain
two wheels.
journals as well.