MoreBikes November 2025 issue

THIS MONTH

What ayear it’sbeen, but maybe the best is yet to come? It seems almost dailythat a new bike is being revealed, as manufacturers throw their hat in the ring for aslice of 2026’ssales. We’ve got awhole load of models brimming this issue’snews pages, but having gone to print just beforeEICMA, wheremost brands unveil new machines, Idaresay we’reonly just getting started. And in asimilar respect, the launch seasonis

starting to ramp up, too. Testing bikes is the best part of this job, trying out new products and often getting the chance to experience new parts of the world in the process. For over two decades,it’sbeen something I’ve really looked forwardto, and Istill cherish the opportunity.There aresome good times on the cards and I’m going to lookforwardtofeeding back my experiences to you all. What I’d like to do also is firemoreofyour questions to the people in the industry that often

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

attend such events.Engineers, designers, development riders and suchlike. If there’s aparticular bike that gets your brain ticking and thereare afew questions you’d like answering, drop me aline and I’ll do my best. Until then, enjoy theissue.

and Z1100 SE incoming Kawasaki Z1100

For 2026, the Zfamilyhas grown teeth again,with the launch of the brand-new Z1100 and Z1100 SE –a pair of heavy-hitting supernakedsdesignedtosit at theverytop of Team Green’s naturallyaspirated hierarchy.

Sugomi, if you’ve forgotten, is the designand riding philosophy firstbaked into the 2014 Z1000. It’s aboutmenace in the metal, aggression in the riding, and asense of presencethatborders on intimidating. Kawasaki hascarried that torcheversince,and the newZ1100sare billedasthe fiercestexpression of the idea yet. Just look at them –sharp LEDeyesglaring;bodyworkpulled tightaround the motor; anew finnedunder-cowl adding to the low, predatorystance.They’rethe sort of bikesthatlookfasteven when parked outside acafé.

Butitisn’t just theatre. Both versions usearigid aluminium twin-tubeframe,Showa’s big-pistonSFF-BPforks up frontand ahorizontalback-link shock at therear. Thatmeans stability, precision and plentyoffeel. The SE pushes things furtherwith an Öhlins S46rearunit and aremotepreload adjuster –plush when youwantit, dialledinwhenyou don’t. Brakingmatches the

chassisspec: the standardZ1100 gets monobloccalipersonbig 310mm discs,while the SE rolls outwithBrembos,braidedlines and the sort of sharp,consistent biteyou’d expect from atrackday toy. Dunlop Sportmax Q5Ascome stock, aclue that Kawasaki expects thesebikes to be hustled, not just cruised

The engine is wherethe storyreallydeepens.Kawasakihas stretchedits iconic inline-fourto1099cc, andthe numberstell you all youneed: 136PSatpeak, 11.5kgm of torque,and aspread of gruntthat’sbeenfattenedinthe low-to-mid rangewith alonger stroke,revised cams,fresh pistons and even beefed-up valve springs. The flywheel’sheavier, too, givingthe motor apunchier, meatier deliverythatstill zings when you let it climb. With 5thand 6thgears stretched out, you getthe dual benefit of relaxed, highspeedcruisingand hard-hittingacceleration everywhereelse. The exhaust,a4-2-1 designwithapre-chamber tuckedaway, keeps weight down and lines clean, while addingavisual kick to the bike’salready aggressive silhouette

Of course,nomodern litre-class nakedcomes without asuite of electronics,and Kawasaki hasn’t held back.A crisp5-inch

TFTdominates the cockpit,offeringturn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth smartphone pairing, voice-command functions and full Rideology appintegration.Electronic throttle valves unlock cruisecontrol and the latest dual-direction KQS quickshifter,while the IMU unlockssix-axis rideraids: cornering management, traction control, integrated ABS, powermodes and selectable ridingmapscoveringSport,Road, Rain andfull manual Rider mode.

The ergonomics have been fine-tuned, too. The bars nowsit 22mm wider and 13mm further forward,makingthe Z1100 feel lighter, moreresponsiveand sharper in everyspeed range. It’s the little changeslikethis that make the difference betweena naked that just goesfast, and one that feels alive under you.

Both machines hit UK dealersinOctober.TheZ1100 will set you back £11,099, while the uprated SE comes in at £12,699. With styling, hardware and an ethos that continues aline stretching back over adecade, Kawasaki reckons the Z1100 is morethan just the nextchapter in the Zstory –it’sthe bikethat proves the Sugomi spirit isn’t just alive, it’s evolved

Honda CB1000F –Retro-style naked with modernmuscle

Hondahas dropped somethingspecial for2026: theCB1000F,a retro-inspired nakedthatblends 80s cool with today’sperformance tech.Think Freddie Spencer,AMA glory, and clean, bold lines that scream streetfighterheritage butwith modern handling, electronics and comfort. This isn’t just athrowback,it’safully contemporary machine with old-school soul

From the swoopingtank to theslimtail,the CB1000F wearsits 1980s inspiration proudly. Twin horns beneaththe round headlight, chunkytank graphics,and adiamond-styleframe giveitthe right mix of retroflair and street cred.The single-piece subframe opens up room for apillion without ruiningthe bike’s slim,aggressive stance.Aluminium wheels,crisp LEDlights, and colour schemes that popfinish the picture. At its heart is aFireblade-derived 1000cc inline-four,retunedfor torque and character.Maximumpower hits

122bhpat9000rpm,while 103Nm of torque arrivesat8000rpm, givingthe CB1000F punchinthe mid-range without the peaky, redline-onlyrush of the Hornet.Low-and mid-rangedeliveryis smooth and lively, perfectfor twisties,town, or open road blasts Intakefunnels,cam timingtweaks, and a4-2-1 exhaustdeliver a claimed, thumping, distinctivefour-cylindersoundtrack.

To getthe CB1000F handlingnicely, it’s kitted with Showa41mm SFF-BP USDforks up front, anew ShowaPro-Link rear shock,and cast aluminium wheels for that addededgeinthe bends.Radialmountfour-pistonfront calipersbite310mm discs with Cornering ABSvia asix-axis IMU for peace of mind when the road gets twisty Tyresare 120/70-ZR17 front, 180/55-ZR17 rear

Rider aids aresmart and subtle.Throttle By Wire gives three presetride modes –Standard, Sport, Rain –plus twocustomoptions

HSTC,WheelieControl, and Engine Brakesettingsare all managed viathe six-axis IMU.A five-inchfull-colour TFTscreendelivers smartphone connectivityvia HondaRoadSync,with turn-by-turn nav, calls,music,and ESSbrake lights forsafety. HondaSmart Key makesignition effortless, while USB-C charging keeps devices topped up

A795mm seat andnarrowmid-section make citymanoeuvres simple,while the longsubframe allows comfortable two-up riding. Rake and trailbalance stabilitywith agility, andthe 2.8m turning radius,keeps urbanridingstress-free.Optional accessories, includingacomfortseat, heated grips,quickshifter andluggage packslet riderscustomise for performance,touring or weekend blasts.It’sset to make an appearance in UK dealerships this coming February, pricedat£10,599 OTR.

COMING UP IN THE AUTOJUMBLE CALENDAR?

Suzuki slashes pricesand drops finance rates

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Suzuki GB hasjustmade life abit sweeterfor anyone eyeingupanew bike, announcing arealignment of on-the-roadprices across itsrange with some models gettinga chunky£1000 chopped straight offthe tag.

Topofthe lististhe off-road-readyV-Strom 800DE, nowcominginat£9999 OTR, down agrand. With its 21-inchfront wheel, switchable ABS, off-road traction settings,power modes and quickshifter,it’san adventure tool that’s nowevenbettervalue.Its more

road-biasedsibling,the V-Strom800RE,alsotakes a price hit -now £9499, saving £200.

The GSX-S1000 gets the same £1000 drop,now £10,999. Thatmeans Suzuki’s 1000cc inline-four screamer, aluminium twin-spar frame,GSX-R1000 swingarm and all the electronic toys –modes,traction control, bi-directional quickshifter,TFT dash –are nowwithin easier reach. Even the Katanasharpens up with a£200 cut, landing at £12,499.

From 1October,Suzuki’stouring twins, the GSXS1000GT+ and GSX-S1000GX+, were reduced, too–down

£,000 and £900 respectively,bringingthemto£12,999 and £14,999. Both come fullyloadedwith36-litrepanniersand nowreplace the standardGTand GX models in Suzuki’s UK lineup To sweetenthe deal even more, Suzuki’s standard finance rate hasdropped to 5.9% APRacrossall models over 650cc –available on PCPand HP over three years with just a£1000 deposit.That includes the brand-new GSX-8T and GSX-8TT, andSuzuki’spromised to hold that rate steady until 31 March, 2026.

Ducati Panigale V4 Rset to rule

Ducati’s latest Panigale V4 Rishere, and it’s amasterclass in takingroad-goingmotorcycles to the edge of MotoGP territory.The‘R’ badgeisn’t just for show–itmarks a lineageofhomologation specials that beganwiththe 996Rin2001 and have consistentlyset the benchmarkfor production superbikes.Thesearen’t bikestojustadmire; they’remachinesthatbeg to be ridden at the limit, offering the closestthingtoa factoryWorldSBKweaponfor mere mortals

The newPanigale V4 Risbuilt on the seventh generation ofDucatisportsbikes,inheritingthe sharp, race-focusedarchitecture of the 2025 Panigale V4 while addingserious upgrades forultimatetrack performance. The newFront Frame,hollow symmetrical swingarm, and precision-engineered geometrywereall developed alongsideDucatiCorse to perfectlymatch thegripand behaviour ofmodern slicktyres.Every detail –from chassisstiffnesstoswingarmpivot height– is optimised for maximumtraction, corneringprecision, and engine delivery, making the bikefeelplanted,predictable, and utterly addictivethrough corners.

At the heartofthe V4 Rlies the998cc Desmosedici Stradale R, a90° V4 honedwithDucati’sMotoGP philosophy.Producing 218hpat15,750rpm (208.4hpin US spec)and screamingto16,500rpm in sixthgear, it’s a high-revvingbeast built fortrack domination. Thattorque curveisn’t just aboutpeaknumbers…Ducati’sengineers

have reshaped the midrange for asmoother,moreprogressive hit, meaningevery throttle inputtranslatesintousable, adrenalineinducing acceleration.

Go full race spec with the Akrapovič racingexhaust and you’relooking at 235hp, boosted to 239hpwith Ducati Corse Performance oil–literallybringingMotoGP grunttothe road. Lighterpistons,aredesignedcrankshaft,and reinforced titanium connectingrodsmakeitbulletproofwhile staying

shockinglyresponsive. With acounter-rotatingcrank and Twin Pulsefiring order,the engine managesgyroscopic forces likea pro, tamingwheelies on the straightsand sharpeninghandling mid-corner

The V4 Rintroduces the Ducati RacingGearbox (DRG) with neutral belowfirstgear– atrick straight from WorldSBK andMotoGP.It eliminates the risk of losingengine brakingwhen droppingintofirst, smooths shifts betweenfirstand second, andmirrors the behaviour

of the bikes ridden by factoryracers. Engageneutral, and it works exactlyasthe pros expect.

Ducati’s electronics packageisequallyrace-inspired.DVO-based traction control, engine brakecontrol, wheelie management, and slide control giveyou the abilitytoextract everylastdrop of performance safely. Race BrakeControl allows deeper,later brakingwhile keepingthe rear tyre stable,emulatingthe precision of professional riders. All this is managedvia acrisp 6.9-inchTFT dash with Trackand Road modes,givingyou clearfeedback and full control.

Aerodynamics areagame-changer on the V4 R. Corner Sidepods, borrowed from Ducati’s 2021 Desmosedici GP,createdownforce at lean angles,helpingthe bikecarve tighterlines andaccelerate earlier outofcorners. The biplane wingsgenerateanadditional 25% downforce at 270km/h,pushingthe frontend into the Tarmac and improvingstabilityathighspeeds. Combine this with a10mm inward shift of the footpegs and tank/seatcombo,and the rider position becomes perfectfor leveragingaero, weight distribution, and brakingprecision.

The new frame is 40% lesslaterallystiff than before, paired with ahollowswingarmthatimprovestraction and feedback.Öhlins NPX25/30 forks and aTTX36 rear shock provide adjustabilityfor any track, while the SD20 steering damper is afirstfor aproductionbike, offeringwide dampingadjustmenttokeepthe frontsteadyunder aggressive inputs.You cantweak swingarm height,rearride height, and rear shock preload, all while integratingdatawith Ducati’s DDL system

Forged aluminium five-spokewheels shodwithPirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V4 tyresare standard. Fortrack warriors, the bike canaccept full Superbikeslickswithout modification. Brembo Hypure calipersbiteon330mm discs,givingconsistent,fade-free brakingunder the harshestconditions.For thosechasing ultimate performance,DucatiPerformance offerscarbonfibrewheels,PRO frontbrake packages,racingfairings,and even linear suspension travel sensors–the full factorykit

The V4 Rdoesn’t just performlikearace bike–itlooks likeone Ducati Redfairings,black frame and swingarm,and the brushed aluminium fueltank scream ‘track-first’, while whitenumberboards nodtoSuperbikeheritage.Eachbikeisindividuallynumberedon the triple clamp, givingyou that collector appeal alongside pure performance

With topspeedsof318.4km/h standardand 330.6km/h with racingspec, this bikeisarocketonany straight.Corneringissharper, brakinglater,and throttle responsemoreprecisethanever. And yet, it remains road-legal, lettingenthusiastsfeelMotoGP-levelprecision without the hassle of atrack-onlymachine.

The Panigale V4 Rhits dealerships this month,soget in line

KTM 990 RC Runleashed

It’sbeenalongtime coming, butKTM hasfinallyunveiledthe bikewe’ve been shoutingfor…the KTM990 RC R. Built around KTM’spunchy 947cc LC8c parallel-twin, the 990 RC Rpumps outaclaimed130bhpat9500rpm and103Nm at 6750rpm,all while meetingthe latest Euro 5+ regulations. The engine shares DNAwith the 990 Duke,but with revisedmapping, anew integrated airbox, and ashorter, morecentralised exhaust system that helps sharpen both throttle response andhandling The chassisisall-new, too– atubular steelframe paired with adie-castaluminium subframe that doublesaspartofthe airintake system.KTM’s engineershavechasedthatsweet spot betweenrigidityand flex,landingona 52.5/47.5 front-to-rearweightbiasand a geometrythat feels both plantedand

agile.Fullyadjustable WP APEX suspension is found at both ends, with 48mm open-cartridge forksand agas-assisted shockjoining the mix.Brembo’slatestHyPurecalipersclamp twin 320mm discs up front, backedbyaPR16/19 radial master cylinder for proper race-bikefeeland fade-freepower Naturally, there’splenty of MotoGP-inspired aero. The fairing and winglets generatearound 13kgofdownforceat239km/h, while alsochannellingairflowthrough the engine and around the rider.Ergonomically, KTM’sbeensmart:clip-ons, footpegsand even the seat foam have been tunedtoworkfor arange of riders, with adjustable peg positions and atank designedfor sixdistinct rider contact points

Inside the cockpit area you’ll find an 8.8-inchTFT dash,which is the biggestand sharpestinthe class, completewith afancy switchgear,split-screendisplay modes and connectivitythrough

KTM’slatestapp suite. Riderscan pickfromfive coreriding modes –Rain,Street, Sport, Custom and Track–eachfine-tuned through asix-axisIMU and KTM’sfull-houseelectronics package. The new SportABS and Supermoto+ ABSsystems even allow controlledrear-wheellift and drift-braking.

And becauseKTM knows its audience,a990 RC RTrack version is already on the way. Stripped of road kit, loadedwith PowerParts and tunedpurelyfor circuit use, it’s expectedtolandinearly 2026, following the street-legalversion’sOctober 2025 production start. KTMpromises afull rangeofnearly 100 PowerParts –from titanium Akrapovič cans and tintedscreens to telemetrykits and lowering options –alongside optional Trackand Tech Packsthat unlock quickshifter+, launch control, slip regulation and cruise control. Everybikecomes with afour-year premium warranty,too, so you canactuallyuse it without frettingovertrackdaymileage.

Triumph reveals new TF 450-X…

And then there’sthe

Triumph’s gone electric butnot whereyou mightexpect. The British brand haspulled the wrapsoffits first-everoff-road electric motorcycles,the new TXPrange,aimedsquarelyatyoung riders. Developed alongside the electric trials wizards at OSET,the fourstrong lineup promises to take kids (and even adults up to 90kg) from their first wobblylapstofull-blown off-roadaction

The newTXP-12, TXP-16, TXP-20 andTXP-24cover ages three and up,eachone tailored to the rider’s size,skill and confidence Frames,geometry, controls andsuspensionare all age-specific, with Triumph and OSET focusing on safe,confidence-building performance rather than just rawspeed,though there’splentyof that, too. Powerrangesfroma600W brushlessmotor inthe TXP12 to a1600W unit in the TXP-24, with adjustablethrottle, power and speedsettings,plus parental PINlocks for peace of mind.

Aunique 2-in-1 modulardesignlets theTXP bikes switch between‘Xplore’ mode (with seat and rear mudguardfor

newTXP range…

traditional off-roadriding)and ‘Trials’mode(standingset up for balance and control work). It’s asmart touchthat lets the bikes grow with the rider’s skills and savesparents from upgradingtoo soon.

EveryTXP packstechworthyofTriumph’s full-fat range: FOC(Field-OrientedControl) for smoothtorquedelivery, ActivePower Stabilisation to maintain performanceasthe batterydrains,and IP67-rated waterproofingthroughout Hydraulic discbrakes, air-adjustable suspension and premium construction putthem in adifferentleaguefromthe usual e-toy bikes floodingthe market Visually, theylookevery inchaTriumph,finishedin Performance Yellowand GraphiteBlack.

Prices startat£1595 forthe TXP-12, rising to £3695 forthe TXP-24, and all four models areavailable to pre-order now, with pre-Christmas deliveryguaranteed

Triumph hasjustlobbed another grenade into the motocross paddock with the arrivalofthe TF 450-X–its first fullproduction 450, and it’s drippingwith factory-spec intent

On paperit’samonster: 62.4PSat 9500rpm, just 108.3kg, and apower-toweight ratio that shames the competition. Inside the motor you’ll findforgedKönig pistons,Del West titanium valves and DLC-coated cams –properrace-bred kitthatmakes it revlikefuryand pull likea train. Anew Exedyclutch hub and Belleville spring giveitsilky control even under abuse, and yes, it even gets aquickshifter as standard. On a motocrosser

The chassisisclassic Triumph craft: an aluminium spine frame paired with ahydroformedswingarmand linkage, all balancedaround full KYBsuspension honedthrough Supercross and MXGP Brembo brakes,Galfer discs,D.I.D wheels and Pirelli MX32 tyresmeanthe spec list readslikea factoryrider’s Christmaslist. Electronics? Plenty.Launchcontrol, traction control, dual maps,Athena ECU with GETPower Assist,and app-based tuningifyou fancyfiddling between motos.

Wrappedinnew Performance Yellow graphics,the TF 450-Xlooks everybit as seriousasitgoes. AddTriumph’s catalogueofbolt-ons –fromAkrapovič pipes to holeshot devices –and you’ve basicallygot aworks bike in your shed. Pricedfrom£9995, head over to www. triumphmotorcycles.co.uk for moreinfo

Plus more bling for Bonnevilles

Triumph’s iconic Bonneville rangehas been given aserious 2026 makeover,and while the timelesslooks remain, the tech underneathhas taken aleapforward.Headliningthe updates, the Scrambler 900 gets asharper chassisset up,upgradedShowa suspension, radial brakes,and new lightweightaluminium wheels for better road and off-roadcontrol. It alsojoins the rest of the Bonneville familyingaininglean-sensitiveOptimised Cornering ABSand Traction Control, plus anew LEDlightingset up,a modern instrumentcluster, andimprovedconnectivity.

The Bonneville Bobber and Speedmaster have bulked up,too, with larger 14-litretanks, fresh bodywork, and wider,comfier seats. The Speedmasteralsogetsstraighterbarsfor amore relaxedridingposition, while both nowcome with cruisecontrol as standardand new lightweightrimsfor easier handling. For the first time,bothbikes canalsobefitted with A2 licence kits, openingthe door for newer riderstojoin the Bonneville fold. Everymodel acrossthe 2026 lineup benefits from Triumph’s new rider-focusedtechsuite,discreetlyintegratedtopreservethat unmistakable classicsilhouette –includingUSB-C charging,full LEDlighting, and signatureDRLs. Meanwhile,the T100, T120 and T120 Blackroll outfresh,hand-finishedpaintwork and side-panel detailingtokeepthem lookingassharp as theyride

Oxford’scranked its luggagegame up anotch with the new Aqua Prorange –waterproofkit designedto survive the sort of trips that chew through lesserbags.

The recipe? Arugged 1000D PVC tarpaulin underside weldedtoasupple 500D PVCroll-top,with aremovable EVAbasefor structure. It’s easy to haul, too, thankstograbhandleson every side and detachable paddedbackpack straps for off-bikelugging.

Packing’spainlesswith abig openingthat holds its shape, ahook-and-loop roll line to guaranteeawatertightseal, and aneat air-releasevalvetosqueezeout everylast bit of space.Once loaded, four quick-release straps and an under-seatsecuritystrap keep it lockedtoyourtail no matter howgnarly the road.

And if youneedmorekit,MOLLE panels, Hypalon mounts,D-rings and daisy-chain compatibilitylet youstackand strapwithzero faff.Reflectivehighlights round things off, keepingyou seen when the lightfades. With a30-litrecapacity, Aqua Proisready for anything: rain, mud, gravel, or just another overpackedweekend away

Nolan’sjustfiredout apair of fresh Iannone Replicalids,celebratingAndrea Iannone’s big comeback to WorldSBK –and they’reabsolute belters.

Twohelmets carrythe flamboyantphoenix designand the words ‘LIKE APHOENIXIRISE FROM THEASHES’ –anod to Iannone’s own rise back to racingglory. Youcan grab them eitherasthe top-shelf X-804 RS UC or the more street-focusedN60-6 Sport.

The X-804 RS UC Replicaisthe closestyou’ll gettothe race lid Iannone straps on in WSBK It’s afull-fatfibreshell drippingwith exposed carbon, iridescentred and orange paint, shiny spoilers, and amassive ‘29’onthe back.Think ultimatetrack weapon –race-bred aero, trick padding, D-ringclosure, and an Ultrawide visor for when you’re huntingapexes.

Forroadwarriors, the N60-6 SportReplica nails the same phoenix vibes butina more wallet-friendlyLexan polycarbonatebuild. Matteblack,smoked spoiler,Airbooster venting, eco-friendlyliner,drop-down sunvisor –all-day comfortwith everyday

practicality. It even playsnice with glasses. Both versions hammer home Nolan’sbond with the fieryItalian, markinghis rebirth on the worldstage with lids that areasloudand uncompromisingasheis. Whether you’re trackside or just blastingB-roads,theseare helmets built to stand out.

The new It Blows!Precision AirBlasterXL is the beefed-up bigbrother to the original, nowkicking outastorm with a440W motor spinningto80,000rpm.Theresult?Ajet of air strong enough to banish waterfromthe deepest,fiddliestnooks of your bikeorcar in no time

Built from CNC-machinedaircraft-grade aluminium,it’stough enough forworkshop graftyet gentle on paintworkand sensitive parts. Four powermodes let you go full Turbo forfastdryingordialitbackfor delicatejobs, whilethe silicone nozzle gets rightintothose moisture-hoardingcrevices

With up to three hoursofrun time on the lowest settingand USB-C chargingfor quick top-ups,this thingmeans you’ll neverhave to towel-fightwithyourfairings again. If your ride gets wet, It Blows! will sort it

R&G hasbolsteredits Eazi-Grip line-up with fresh kitfor astackofnew machines,giving ridersmorewaystoprotect their pride andjoy while addingcomfortand control.

Thankstoits 2024 tie-upwith Eazi-Grip, the Hampshirecrash-protection specialists have been quicktoroll outnew Dashboard Protectors and Tank Grips for the latest crop of bikes.That means plenty of 2025 metal is already covered, straight outthe gate

On the dash front, ridersofYamaha’s2025 Ténéré700, 700 Rallyand XMAX 125/300 can nowshield their priceyscreens from everyday scratches and scuffs. Meanwhile,new Tank Grip options arelandingfor Yamaha’s Ténéré 700, Honda’sNC750X, plusBMW’sR 1300 RT and RS

Available in amix of styles,the grips are proven to keep youlockedinunder braking and cornering, easing wristand shoulder strain while boostingcontrol. Smart, subtle upgrades that make abig difference whereitmatters

GBRacing’sbeenbusybehindthe WorldSBK curtain this year,working shoulder to shoulder with the MarcVDScrewtocrack aproper solution for Ducati’s Panigale V4 R. The result? Abrand-newdry clutch secondaryengine cover, forgedfromtheir latest tough-as-nails composite

This isn’t some cataloguepartcookedupin isolation –it’sbeenthrashedto hell and back by none other than SamLowes duringthe 2025 season. Multiple prototypes went under thehammer in theheatofbattle,takingonbig

crashes,brutal weather and the demands of keepingascreamingV4Rdry clutch cool.The final product balances airflowfor coolingwith protection fromgravelmunchingits wayinif things go sideways.

The coverbolts straight on, making swaps fast and painless, while the composite build (60 percentlongglass-fibrenylon) keeps it both lightand mega-tough.Teamitupwith GBRacing’salternator cover, and V4 Rowners cannow rock the same armour that protects race bikes at worldchampionship level.

Cold hands? Well, you need yourself some of these. An evolution of what’s come before, the new HOTGRIPSPro housetheir own temperaturecontrols inside thegripitself, with aneatlittle LEDbuttononthe clutch side,sothere’snoneedto bodgeextra switches on to yourbars.

They’realsothe first HOTGRIPS® to be made from silicone, which not onlyfeels greatin your hands,but alsolasts up to 200 percent longerthanbefore. Throw in smartercable exits, and built-in thermistors that monitor and adjustthe heat in each grip,and you’re lookingataseriously slickbit of kitthat’ll do itsbit to fend off the badweather Temperature’sdeadeasytotweak,too –red for 45°C,whitefor 40°C,blue for 35°C– andthe LEDs dim automatically at night, so you’renot blindedmid-ride.Plus,with IP65 waterproofing and abattery-savingmode(includingone for fancylithium batteries), you won’t getcaught shortwhen the weatherorelectrics turn grim Adventure, Touring, and Sports patterns are all on the menu, with customisable lengths

and open ends so barweights canstill slot in. Whether you’re hammeringbackroads, munchingmotorwaymiles,orbouncing acrossthe oddgreen lane,there’saset of HOTGRIPS® Prowithyourname on them

R&G hasjustdropped its latest bit of must-havehardware… abrandnew Tail Tidy aimedsquarelyat Ducati’s 2025 Streetfighterand Panigale V2 and V4 models Built from tough,powdercoated materials,itblends durabilitywithproperDucati styling, giving ridersthe sleek finish theirbikes deserve.As with the rest of R&G’sextensive upgrade catalogue, it’s adirect-fit bit of kit, suppliedwithall the necessary fittingsfor an easy, hassle-free install. Simple, stylish,and built to last –exactly whatyou want from atail tidy.

Lookingfor the perfectChristmas gift for the biker in your life (orjustanexcusetotreat yourself)? MotoCleanhas youcovered with its festivecleaningand maintenance bundle –packingeverythingyou need to keep both bike and kitlooking sharp over winter

The bundle includes MotoCleanGel Wash for that deep,showroom-levelshine,Chain

Lube to keep your linksmovingfreelythrough the saltyseason, andApparel Care to keep yourridinggearfresh.All three areeasytouse, high-qualityproducts –with enough in the pack to keep yourolling cleanand protected for months

Simple,useful, and wrappedupata tidy price

Your Ride

Youcan win a WEISE TEMPEST THERMAL 1PC OVERSUIT,RRP £139.99

Ready for any weather,this thermal one-piece oversuit is designed for riders who won’t let the elements stop them. Constructedfrom durable,waterproof and breathable Ripstop®, it features a 100gsm thermal quilted lining to keep you warm on long journeys.The full-length waterproof zipper makes it easy to get in and out of quickly,and the suit includes an adjustable waist, cuffs and lower leg expander.Reflective panelsenhance nighttime visibility Find out more at: https://www.weiseclothing.com/

For those that love their bikes and telling people all about them, this is your time to shine. Head over to the MoreBikesFacebook page andupload apic of your bike, tell us whereyou’ve beenonitand why you love it… and youcould findyourself staring back at yourself from within these verypages. Oh, and we’llalso pick a winner at random each monthfor awell-earned prize,courtesy of our friendsatthe Key Collection. What areyou waiting for?

Andrew Powell MZ 1000S

Youdon’t see these toooften.

Andy Hollingdale Indian

Andy’sbeen clocking the miles on his bagger.What aspot to stop and take apic

Gordon Harold Kawasaki Zephyr

What aclassic from Kawasaki. Great bike,Gordon.

Ian Mockridge Honda XL250

Who doesn’t love abig, thumping trail bike?

James McPake Suzuki GSX-R1100

COMFORTABLY FAST

BMW’snew R1300RTdelivers both comfort andfun on asilver platter…

Words: Dave Manning Pics: BMW Motorrad

Over the yearsthe Bavarian brand hasbeenbuildingthe RT version of the largestboxer twin in therange –and it’s nigh-on half-a-century now with the model first beingproduced as the R100RTin1978–and it has often been seen as beingsomething of an ‘old man’sbike’ by pretty much everyone,except thosefolk who have actuallyridden one Perceived as the version of the bigtwinwith itsedgedulledto make it as practical as possible,it hasbeendubbed atwo-wheeled car–overladen with practicalities

and lackingthe excitementand fun factor so many of us enjoy in life on twowheels.The reality, as anyone who hasriddenany iteration of the RT will tell you, is somewhat different.

The model alwayshas hadan impressive hidden personalityof beingable to covergreat distances in impressively prompt fashion, despite the ‘pipeand slippers’ aestheticsand reputation that wasundoubtedly personifiedby the barn-door fairingthat earlier models were encumberedwith

More recently, attitudes towards the RT have undoubtedly become a little morerelaxed as the motorcycling population hasagedand deferred towardscomfortand away from ‘streetcred’,while the bikeitself has developed into astreetsleeper that handles and accelerates far better than anynon-convert will expect. Initial looksofthe newestmodel –nowfitted with the 1300cc powerplant that first brokeground in the everpopularGSadventure bike–suggest it is far smaller than earlier iterations of the RT,and this wasactuallypart

of the designbrief when the team at BMWset aboutits review of the populartouring model. It hadtolook, and feel, smaller –the phraseused was‘to reduce the optical weight’ –yet at the same time also have the impressive weather protection the RT hasalwaysdelivered.

The reality wasthat the design teamlookedatevery single aspect of the RT –not just the design and the issues revolvingaround fittingthe new 1300cc boxertwin into RT bodywork. Eachand every componentofthe RT wastobe

considered and, if it could be improved in even the slightestway, then that waswhat would happen. Reducingthe proportions of the bike alsomeans reducingthe size of the dash which, on the previous version of the RT,was pretty expansive –some comparedittothe bridge of the USS Enterprise. Reducingthe size of the dash,and incorporatingsome of the information it displayed into dash options,meant the rider’s view could be improved,inparticular the view of the ground closetothe frontofthe bikewhichwas beingblockedonthe

earlier models and didn’taid slowspeed manoeuvring.

Onethingthat washighonthe priorityofchanges wasthe effectthe oldRTscreenhad on aerodynamics –itwas greatatprotecting therider from wind, noiseand weather, butit hadthe side effectofcreatinga highpressure area just behind the rider, so it felt that you were beingpushed forward at higher speeds(Inoticedit on the motorwaywith the 1250RT)

The new screen alsohas afunnel in the vent at its base which sends air up the inside of the screen,while

air is also directed past the forklegs and over the rad. The end result beinga super-effectivescreenwith nopushingforward from behind.

It’s electrically-operatedand while it looksbestatits lowest setting, this is whereit’sleast effective, and the reduction in the levelofwind noise –evenatrelativelylow speeds –is shockinglyapparent when it’s raised Idon’t especiallylikesitting behind atall screen, as Ifeellikethe bikeis startingtofeellikeacar,but pretty much all of the miles Idid on the RT on the launchwerewiththe screen

in its highestposition. Okay,sowe hadsome weather while we were exploringthe roads south of Munich (yes,itwas moist),but even if it had been bone-dry, Ithink I’dhavehad the screen up at its highestthanksto the dramatic decrease in noise.

Weather protection is improved with the aerodynamic designofthe mirrors and the panels around them,helping to keep rain away from the hands (it works),but further aerodynamic work wasundertaken to improvethe coolingaspectofthe bodywork,as well as weather protection.

With adventureand ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopyby scanning this link.

Thosenew side-panels that sitat the sides of the radiator canbeslid upwardstoimprove air flowtothe upper legs,stomach and kidneyarea (the latter twoapparentlybeing a vital area to cool) when the weather is warm –and theymovesurprisingly easily and canbedone from the rider’s seat.Initially, Iwas alittle unclear as to whether the panels movedwarmer or cooler air to the midriff,and in the mixed conditions we rode in Germanyitwasn’t easy to tell either way. Ihad to wait until an overnightride through France to find out(Spoiler, it felt warmer in the ‘up’ position).

Thereare guards belowthe cylinders to protectthe ankle area from rain. Yes, the bodywork is significantly narrower than the 1250RT, and certainlyfeels lesscumbersome,but hasimprovedweatherprotection all round. An impressive feat, for sure And thereare stacks moreupgrades, includingswifter heatingfor the grips and seats, and activeheadlight operation that extends the beam further forward as speedincreases. As it is,sat on the autoroutewith cruise

control at its max, oncomingcarstend to flash youevenwhen on dip.

The basicmodel is the white version, whichcomes with tubular handlebars,while other colour options have forgedhandlebars although tubularbarsare available as an option for thosefolk who wish to add aftermarket trinkets such as satnav,phone holders, videocameras, etc. Those bars aremounted to atop yoke with aratherunusual mounting system that appearsasthough it’s attachedbya single topyokenut, butthe unusual arrangementisused to preventthe bars from tipping backwardsand forwardsasthe Teleleverfront suspension system operates

Thereare options for the stereo system,nodoubt that being influencedbythe fact that 75 per centofRTsales have been with audio systems,and thereare now three levels of spec.Asyou’d expect, there’sinteractivitywith the stereo andyourdevice (read, phone) as well as the biketalkingtoyourphone aboutdirections,emails,phone calls,etc., as hasbecome the norm

nowadays (and while my desirefor personal remotenesswhile ridinga bikedoesn’t have me harkingfor the eighties,Inever enable interactivity betweenmyphone and the bikeI’m riding)

With that demand fordevice connectivity, it seems natural the BMWcan keep your phone charged while you’re riding, and the neat cubbyhole at the frontofthe tank has such an ability, with amini USBport to do so.That said, despitetryingthree differentcables (and boy, do service stations knowhow to charge for cables!),Icouldn’t getmySamsung phone to charge

The bikes we rode on the launchhad the optional DCA–Dynamic Chassis Adjustments –withrain, road and ecomodes givingasoftsuspension setup, while Dynamic and Dynamic Progivingastiffer ride with aride heightincrease that alsotips the bikeforward on to its noseslightly, movingweightforwards, steepening the forkangle and even reducingthe wheelbase(albeit onlyaverysmall amount, butanamountthatmakes a noticeable difference,nonetheless!).

In development, the hashtag #lovethepassenger wasmuch bandiedabout in the designoffice (you’ll have seen it on social mediaif you’reahashtaglover),astherewas considerable time spentdeveloping things to improvelifeasapillion passenger. So,there’re heated grabrails (the button is belowthe RH grab rail) and aheatedbackrestin the topbox.Thebackrestisprobably theverybestheateditemeverfitted to amotorcycle, given that heating the core, especiallyinthe lowerback/ lumbarregion, is perhapsmore effective in keepingthe whole body warm than anyother method!

The panniershavecentral locking and, cleverly,are alsoexpandable Open them up,and there’sadial wheel that,when turned, extends the boxoutwards. It’s reallyneat, and agreat wayofkeepingthe width as narrow as possible when you’re not carryingmuchluggage(or fighting

BMW owners will know what the ‘burger button’ does. It’sthe switch, that looks likeaburger,tothe left of the hazardlight that toggles through options for the ‘up-and-down’ rocker switch

through trafficonthe waytothe shops), although it wassomething that Ionlydiscoveredafter the actual launchevent,and Iwasn’t carryingenough gear on my soiree to Garmisch to expand the panniers. While the basicmodel hasa conventional gearbox, the launch bikes all hadthe semi-automatic ASA gearbox(AutomatedShift Assist), whichisssystemthat Ihavecome to quitelike. While many MSLreaders will be shiftinguncomfortablyintheir seatswhen automatic transmissions arementioned–whether that be BMW’sASA,Honda’sDCT or Yamaha’s Y-AMT– with comments alongthe lines of,“ButI want to useaclutch and afoot-operated gearchange!” then that’s fine,as anormalclutch and gearboxis available for this model.

While initiallyIwas very cynical aboutautomated transmissions (I utterlydespisethem in fourwheelers!), I’ve found them actually quiteenjoyable when abikeisthus equipped,particularly the latest

The centre-stand has aneat flip-out ‘foot’ to aid its use

BMW R1300R

Engine: 1300cc, boxer twin, DOHC, watercooling, valves, variable intake valve timing, 106.5 x73mm bore/stroke

Power: 143.5bhp (107kW) @7750rpm

Torque: 109.9lb-ft (149Nm) @6500rpm

Frame: Sheetsteel, aluminium subframe

Wheelbase: 1500mm

Rider aids: Threerider modes, Dynamic traction control, ABS Pro, optional front &rear collision warning, radar-assistedcruise control, lane change warning, optional ASA systemwith various modes, optional DCA

Brakes: (F) Twin 310mm discs, four-piston calipers, (R) 2856mm disc, two-piston caliper

Transmission: Six gears &shaft final drive, optional semi-automatic

Suspension: (F) Evo Telelever, semi-active electronic adjustment, (R) Evo Paralever,semiactive electronic adjustment

Wheels/Tyres: (F)120/70xZR17” tyre, (R) 190/55xZR17” tyre

Seat height: 780-860mm

Fuel capacity: 24 litres

MPG: 57.6mpg (claimed), 52mpg (testedinUK), 47.8mpg (tested, trans-Euro trip)

Weight: 281kg (wetwith fuel)

Warranty: Three years

Service intervals: 6000 miles/12 months

Price: From £18,900

Contact: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk

iterations as they’ve been developed in away that makesthem fun to use and takenothingawayfromthe riding experience.Itcould be argued they do the oppositeand add to the fun. But, of course,the onlyway that a nay-sayerwill be convincedisifheor she actuallyusesone.Goon, go and bookatestride,and be prepared to be pleasantlysurprisedand amused at the waythe throttle is aggressively blipped on down-changes under hard braking… (it’s hilarious,and addictive). The new model hasthe bars further forward than the outgoing RT,giving

amarginallysportierridingposition andfeeltothe ride,yet without losing the comfortrequired for all-day rides It’s not as sporty as the RS model, but then it wasnever meanttobe, and if you want to ride all dayand getup the nextday feelingable to do thesame again, then the RT is the one to have, especiallyifapillion is taggingalong for the ride

If you’re clocking up thosemiles on the continent, autobahn stabilitywas a subjectofconversationonthe launch, with acouple of ridersstatingthey felt some weavingwhenapproaching 200kph,although even with the screen at its highest, Ihad nosymptomsof anykind of instabilityinexcessof 130mph,but,ofcourse, this could vary dependentonrider weight and stature.

Youmay say, quiterightly,that this is irrelevant for UK riders, but rememberthis bikewas built and developed in acountry whereit is commonplacetobesat on a motorwayand be overtaken by aline of luxurysaloons all satatspeedsin excessof150mph… Yes, it excels at covering lots of miles on big, open roads,but that

Other things to know…

Engine: With the same spec as the Shiftcam1300 in the GS,there’sa healthy143bhponoffer, although it’s the torque that is perhapsmore significant, with just shyof110lb-ft spread over aflat curve.

Electronics: There’splenty to keep the mostavidtechnophile happyhere, from ride modes to DCAvia the RidingAssistant, with the ASAsystem providingmoretoystoplaywith if you’resoinclined.

Styling: While it hasretainedsome of the conventional RT look,it’sbeen sharpenedand tweakedtolooklessimposing–areduction in the ‘optical weight’certainlymakes it morepleasingonthe eye, both while satonit andwhile parked Protection: Despitereduceddimensions,the RT keeps youassecluded from weather conditions as well as it ever has.

Hotornot: With the arrayofheatingelements around the bike(bars,seat and backrest), alliedtoaerodynamics developed to directair to the areas that it’s required(or,for that matternot required), the RT brings true allweather ridingcomfort. Nobodyneeds acar anymore.

Lighting theway: The RT’s HeadlightPro automaticallyadapts the light distribution to suit,extending the beam further forward at higher speeds, spreadingthe beam wider when slowing.

wasn’t just the prime aim in its development. The 1300cc engine is moreoversquarethanthe previous 1250 motor,soitlikes to rev, and the typical ‘burp’that it gives when first startedisalittle gesturetowards howsportyitcan be if you’reso inclined. I’ve mentioneditbefore (both with the 1250 Shiftcamand 1600cc inline six), butitseems that BMWhas instilleda little bit of fun-lovingcharacter into its engine managementsystems to do this,

much likethe ‘Ready to Race’legend that scrolls acrossthe dash of KTM models

All of whichdescribes the spec and the tech (but not all of it, there’sevenmorebut I’ve runout of space), butdoesn’t reallygointo just howgood the RT is at doing its intendedpurpose: transporting its pilot from AtoB in comfortand styleinasshortatime as possible while remainingentertainingand enjoyable

How to put your bike to bed for winter…

If you’re not an all-year,all-weatherrider,it’simportant to carryout afew basic tasks and checks before you store your bike for winter. The good news is,it’ssimple to do, and meansyour bikewill be in topcondition when you pulloff thecovers in afew months’ time

When the riding season ends, your motorcycle deserves morethanjust being abandonedand forgottenin the corner of the garage. Standing still and unloved overthe cold months can cause fuel to go off, batteries to drain, and rusttocreep in if you don’tprepyour machine properly.Alittle attention now saves alot of time, effort and frustration when spring comes.

Here’sa quickchecklist from bike cleaning and maintenance experts at MotoCleancovering tasks and tips to keep your motorcycle in top condition during its winter hibernation.

Keep it clean

The first thing to do is to give your bike aproper wash to remove dirt, road salt, and bugs. Using

atop-qualitycleaner such as MotoClean Gel Bike Wash means that you get ridofeven the most stubborngrime in every nook and cranny that has builtupduring the summer and leave the bike lookingshowroom shiny.Once you get it looking like new again, dry it completely–even those pesky hard-to-reach bits –toprevent corrosion.

Don’tbefuelled

Some riders run theirbike dry before storing it, but the smart money is on using agood qualitystabiliser.The new ethanol-heavy fuelsare abit of abother to some bikes at the best of times, but all petrol breaks down over time and can clog injectors or carbs. Fill the tank to avoid condensation, then add aquality fuel stabiliser.Run the engine forafew

minutes so treated fuel circulates through thesystem.This step preventscostly springtimerepairs.

Fight the rust Even when your bike is stored in agarage, the cold and wet months of winter bring with them the threat of rust. Using a high-quality protector,such as MotoClean Maintenance Spray,

PREPPING FOR WINTER 23

helps lubricate and protect your motorcycle. It expels moistureand protects against rust and corrosion by creating adurable protective coating on the surface. Whether you ride your bike or not, it’sa good idea to get the maintenance spray out beforethe weather turns.

Check and change fluids

The older the oil in your engine, the moreyou should consider changing it (might aswell change the oilfilter, too, while you’reatit) beforeyou storeyour bike for winter.Used oil contains contaminants that can corrode engine internalsifleft sitting. Check and top up brake fluid, coolant, and clutch fluid as needed. Fresh fluids mean less chance of damage during along downtime.

Take charge of the battery Batteries slowlydischarge in cold weather.Disconnect it or,better yet, hook it up to asmart trickle charger.Avoidletting the battery sit dead formonths, as thisshortens itslifespan and can leave you stranded in spring.

No chainreaction, thanks Don’tforget to lubricate the chain, so it doesn’trust while the bike is sitting idle.Any chain lube is better than nothing, but apremium product such as MotoClean ChainLube protects the chainand sprockets against rust and corrosion by forming a water-resistant barrier that repels moistureand dirt. Looking after your chainmeans that come spring, you don’tneed to get anew one to replace your rusty chain.

Avoidflat tyres

Inflate tyres to the correct pressure to prevent flatspots. If possible, storethe bike on stands so the wheels areoff the ground. If stands aren’tavailable, roll on to amat or asparebit of carpet, or failing that, move the bike forwardafew inches every couple of weeks to keep tyre condition even.

Wheretostoreyour bike

Storeyour motorcycle in adry, sheltered place away from freezing temperatures, drafts and moisture. Agarage is ideal, but if you leave it outdoors, use abreathable, weatherproof cover,not aplastic tarp. Good airflow prevents mildew and condensation damage. A mousetrap next to the bike is not abad ideatostop our furry friends making anest in the airbox!

MotoClean

MotoClean is aUK-basedcompany offering a range of motorcycle cleaning and maintenance products. It’srun by realbikers with adeep understanding of whatittakes to keep your pride and joyclean, shinyand protected. MotoClean products are made in the UK to offer the best possible care and protection against our testing climate Forfurther information, visit www.motoclean. co.uk

Look after your brakes

Cleaning the bike thoroughly and using amaintenance spraytoprotect it is key,but normal cleaning products and maintenancesprays should be kept well away from the brakes. Clean thebrakeswith adedicated brake cleaner, suchasMotoClean Brake Cleaner, that quickly removes contaminants to restorefriction, reduce squeaking and maintain optimalbraking performance

Toptip: Clean the brakes as the last step beforestoring your bike to get rid of any cross-contamination resulting from the other tasks. Once the brakes areclean, check the brake fluid, and top up or replace as required. It’sanextra step, but you will thank yourself in the spring for doing it.

Don’tjust abandon it

Even in storage, your motorcycle needs occasional attention. Check for rodent activity around the wiring and airbox, monitor tyrepressure, and look over for leaks or moisture. Starting the bike occasionally is fine, but only if you let it reach full operating temperature. Otherwise, leave it resting.

Refresh your kit

While your bike is safely tucked away for winter,it’salso agreat time to refresh your riding kit. Looking after your riding jacket, trousers, helmet, gloves and boots is not just about making them look and smell good, it’salso about them performing better,freefrom road crud and grime. Giving them agood clean with MotoClean Apparel Caremeans that by the time the next riding season is here, all you need to do is grab your kit, and it’sready for action.

Atowering day ride loop between the English and Scottish border…

TWOTOWERS A TOUROF

Words &Pics: Arianne Davey

Meeting with my friend,Phil, we decided to undertake aquest to find acircular route that visited Smailholm Tower in Scotland and Lindisfarne Castle in England on roads that would suit Phil’sRoyal Enfield Bullet and my Triumph Street Triple.

As most of you probably know, the Bullet 500 single is most comfortable below 70mph and prefers slow,twisty roads to high-speed, sweeping bends. Fortunately,the Scottishand English border country has some of the finest small, twistyroads anywhereinthe UK.So, with the exceptionofashort stretch of the A1,our 150-mile route follows B roads and minor As.

We decided to start ourroute in the beautiful small town of Peebles, mainly because it’s the closest point to wherePhil and I live. The town’smotto is ‘Peebles

forPleasure’ and it’sa place whereNew-Age hipsters and genteelpensioners co-exist with the locals amiably enough. We start by heading north up the A703 and make our first stop after only five milesinEddleston. The GreatPolish MapofScotland is a folly in the grounds of the Barony Castle hotel. It’sthe largest outdoor relief map in the world and was built by JanTomasik, a Polish soldierwho stayed on in Scotland after the Second World War. “I shall die,” he once said, “but leave my map as agift to the Scottish people to thank them for the hospitalitythey showed to the Poles whenit wasmostneeded.”

Just goes to show Route 66 is not the only place with bizarre roadside attractions.

Aftera couple moremiles we turnoff on to the B6372 to Temple,thencross the A68,

following signs to Haddingtonand the A6093. Then it’sthe B6355 to Chirnside, followed by the A6105 across the English border and on to Berwick-upon-Tweed. This eye-wateringly gorgeous 65-mile section of road is narrow and twisty with several stretches of single-track road with passing places. Phil’sEnfield loved it! Berwick-upon-Tweed is, as you might expect, at the mouth of the River Tweed, and is England’s most northerntown. Historically, it hasintermittently been part of Scotland, and its often-violent past has left it with medieval town walls, Elizabethan ramparts and the UK’soldest barracks.

Fifteen miles south of Berwick is the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and our first tower,Lindisfarne Castle. Youget to Lindisfarne over acauseway that can only be reached at low tide,but there’s

no excuse for getting stranded on the island as safe crossing times areaccessible online (https://holyislandcrossingtimes. northumberland.gov.uk).Don’tbe tempted to cross at high tide as most years someone has to be liberated from the rescue tower, and it doesn’tmake the RNLI happy to be called out for the idiotic. In fact, the day we travelled acouple wereindeed stranded by the tide. It was actually aseal and her pup sheltering in apool waiting for the tide to turnsothey could get back out to sea.

As areligious centre, Lindisfarne has 15 centuries of recorded history attracting medieval pilgrims, Vikings and modern tourists. If you want to add a 40-mileloop to the route you can travel further down the A1 and visit BamburghCastle as well. However,wehave another tower

to visit and after alight lunch, hop back on the bikes and follow the B6353 to Coldstream. It’shome to the guard’sregiment as well as on the England/Scotland border.We stop to fill up and Phil is delighted that the Bullet only takes £8 to fill while my Triumph needs £11.50 worth. He then complains that he’s only getting 82mpg... Youcan take the boy out of Yorkshire, but you can’ttake Yorkshireout of the boy! From here, the route closely follows the River Tweed through the heart of the Scottish Borders through Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peeblesshire.Thiswas the constituency of Liberal leader David Steel,but moreimportantly Edmund Blackadder was revealed to be itsLairdinthe first series of the TV comedy.Ten miles on the A698 brings us to the cobbled streets of Kelso, which is a particularly scenic Borders town.

As well asall the normal smalltown stuff, also it boasts Britain’s Friendliest Racecourse, aruined abbey and Floors Castle, which is aDownton Abbey stylestately home.

Leaving Kelso, we followthe A6089, B6397 and B6404 (in that order), and afterseven miles arrive at our second tower.You need to go along adirttrack and through afarmyardtofind Smailholm Tower,whichisa classic Borders Peel Tower

These small, fortifiedtower houses were built on both sides of the border from the 14th centuryasa defence against the Border Reivers, bandit gangswho pillagedthe area forcenturies.

From Smailholm, we takethe B6356 and stop at Scott’s View to enjoythe stunning vistaofthe EildonHills.These arereputedly ‘hollow hills’where the ‘Fairy

Queen’ lures people intoElfland. They’realso the site of amassive Roman fort at Trimontium. Having avoided being taken to Elfland, we ride the A69 past Leaderfoot Viaduct and into Melrose, the home of rugby sevens. Ned Haig invented the game of sevens as afundraiser for Melrose Rugby Club in 1883, and in thisareaofScotland whererugby union is close to areligion it continues to raise monies for the club every April. We’renear the end of our quest and it’stime forthe final leg, taking small roads past Abbotsford, home of the late Sir Walter Scott, then the sweeping bends of the A72 back to Peebles. We’ve ridden slightly over 150 miles, we’ve both had an absolutely splendid time, and Idon’t think we brokethe speed limit all day!

OFTH

With adventureand ‘going the distance’ at its heart, Motorcycle Sport and Leisureis the must-have mag for those with itchy feet or looking for first-class motorcycling inspiration on aglobal scale. Treat yourself to acopy by scanning this link.

What

Message from theEditor...

Welcome to Fast Bikes,yourhomeofthe best sports bike tests on the planet, fullof technical insight, hardcoreactionand all done in our owninimitable Fast Bikesstyle Welovetotestthe latest and greatest bikes onthe market,but we caterfor everybudget –and thatmeans thrashing everything from £1000 hacks to £100,000 race bikes.Weget totalk to the most importantand interesting people in motorcycling,beitMarcMarquez to the bloke down the road thatfixesbikes Then we stack the magazine full of features on bikes, biking andbikers,withour fingers firmly on the pulse in termsofwhat’sin the pipeline from the manufacturers

BruceWilson

Messagefromthe Editor...

Welcome to Motorcycle Sport&Leisure, amagazine with the latest motorcycle news, test rides and fascinating interviews with the topfigures from the worldof twowheels from championship winning racers to engineers and executives from the topmanufacturers.Thereare touring tales from everycorner of the globe,and strong viewsfromour expertcolumnists It doesn’t matter whattype of bike you’ve got, howyou like to ride it or how experienced youare, MSL is the grown-up’s magazine written forsheer motorcycling pleasure.

BruceWilson

UNLOCKING ELECTRONIC POTENTIAL

Electronic Warfare

Bikes have never been smarter, often littered with an abundance of rider aids. Understandingand unlockingtheir potential holds the key to atransformationalriding experience.

Words: John McAvoy Pics: Gary Chapman

Over the past twodecades, digital wizardryhas transformedthe way we ride,fromearly traction control systems to today’sfullyadjustable electronic suspension and power modes.But howmuchofitis actuallyuseful on the road?Tofind out, Ispent aweekwith the hi-tech HondaFireblade,goingdeepintoits electronic systems to separate the must-haves from the marketing hype The result? Aride transformed– not by morepower,but by asmarter set up.Here’swhat Ilearned… Love ‘emorhate‘em,electronic rider aids areheretostay. That particular technical genie gotout of the bottle alongtime ago, somewhere between2006 when the first ride-bywire production bikelanded –the Yamaha R6 –and probably2010 when the first-generation BMWS1000RR

gave us rider modes,traction control and electronic semi-activesuspension all at the same time.Sincethen, the performance envelopeofa sports bikehas been definedby1sand 0s as much as it hasbybhp,lb-ftand KGs. Things have still movedoninthe analogueworld, especiallywhen you consider howmuchcleaner engines have to be todaycomparedto2010, buttheyhaven’t movedonanything likeasmuchorasrapidlyasthey have in the digital world. Today’s bikes arevirtuallyunrecognisable in termsofwhat theyare capableof doinginassistingthe rider to either go fastorstayout of the hedgerow with little morethanlines of code that existonlyinthe formofmillions of tiny, separate,low-voltage electricalpulses everysecond, and a lot of sensors.

Agenerational divide?

This rapid advancementintechnology wasbroughtintosharp focusfor me last summer when Irodethe 2004 HondaFireblade alongside the allnew 2024 Fireblade to celebratethe 20th anniversary of Hondamaking the Fireblade into asuperbike. Free of the responsibilitytotry and make acareful and detailedassessment of each bikefor the purposeofa review, Iwas able to spend the day simply enjoyingeachbikeand only reallynotingthe majordifferences, and how, if at all, theymade the bike better or worsethanthe other Unsurprisingly, the fact that the 2024 bikehad switchgearscovered in switches and buttons compared to the 2004 bike, and adashboard that in 2004 would have looked likeit belongedinasci-fi filmwithmenus

and acronyms all over it,was the standout and mostobvious difference betweenthe bikes.However,whatwas curiouswas both mine and Michael Rutter’s reaction to all the options and all the adjustabilitywas to just leave it all as it wasand carryonwith our dayout.Ifound this apredictable, butalsoslightlysad reaction to an aspect of the bikethatnodoubt has been the focusofattentionfor alot of very brainypeople,and the fruits of all their labour canbeoverlooked so easily for no reason other than perceived hassle factor.Itdoesn’t help that the bikeissodamn good as it comes that it’s easy to think that it can’t be anybetter.

So,after ourlittle trip down memorylanewas done,Ireally wanted to spend moretime in the company of the 2024 Firebladefor

the sole purposeofdelvingintothe electronics.Acall to Honda, andthe 2024 bikewas mine for another week –plenty of time to do alot of laps of my 18-mile test routethat Iuse and reallyget into the worldofhigh-end electronic rider aids on the road.I wanted to suss outifthey’reall just solutions to problems that don’t exist, and tackle the question that often gets asked: Do we need them at all?

Iguessthe first thingthat really needstobeconsidered if I’mgoing to diveintothe worldof1sand 0s is why all toooften youhearthe line that all the electronic rider aids on modern bikes arejustpointless, andIsuppose it’s probably agenerational thing. There’s awholeloadofpeople who grew up on bikes without even adigital dashboard, let alone adjustable slide control or adjustable anti-wheelie,

or rider modes,but I’minthe very fortunatepositionofbeingone of thosepeoplewho did grow up with early R1s,Fireblades,GSXRs and so on from the late 90s and early 00s, and then through my chosen line of work,havehad afront-row seat for the electronic revolution. Thus, Ihave aunique perspectiveonthe topic, havinglived with and ridden pretty much everythingfromthe 90s,00s, 10s and 20s –the erathathas seen the transition from nothing, through the early,crude systems rightuptothe very latest mega-sophisticated systems as found on the 2024 Fireblade Since 1995, bikes have gained at least20bhpevery 10 years–95 Fireblade 120bhp, 05 GSX-R1000 170bhp, 15 R1 200bhp, 25 Panigale 216bhpo –eventually reaching a pointwherewith such avastsurplus of power, engineershavebeenable to offer features likerider modesto dial down the ferocityofthe output, and alsosmall safetynets such as

traction controland wheelie control moreout of corporate responsibility than to make the bikerideable.It goes without sayingthat if/when you switch off allthe systems on a214bhp Fireblade,itwill be perfectlysafeto ride and not suddenlyturn into an unrideable bikehell-bentonthrowing you off at the earliestopportunity.

Buttons, menus, and the ‘hassle factor’

Somewhere alongthe way, designers alsostartedusing rider aids as a performance benefit,but reallythis onlyapplies at the outerlimits of the bike’sperformance envelopeontrack, so for the purpose of this test that part of the reason for their existence is irrelevant

We knowthat race teams spend fortunes on people to just focus on the electronics setupofarace bike,whether it be aMotoGP bike, or asuperstockbike, such arethe benefits in termsoflap

times.But what aboutback in the real world? Arethereany gains or benefits to be hadonthe road by deep divingintothe electronic functions of amodern superbike? The shortanswerisyes,and the reason is that you canjustaseasily setout to make abikefeelnicerand thereforemoreenjoyable to ride on the road, as youcan to tryand make it fasteronthe track… which is exactlywhatIdid.

BeforeIgot stuckintopressing buttons and exploringmenus,Itook the time first of all to have agood read through the part of the owner’s manual that deals with the electronic suspension and rider aids to be sure Iunderstood Honda’sterminology and howespeciallythe suspension adjustments areactuallyexecuted.

Then Idid something much easier, whichwas to do afew laps of my test routeonthe Fireblade in its standard setupexactlyasitcomes from the dealer

At first the amountofinformation to takeinand understand about howthe systems all work in detail is nearly overwhelming, butjustlike learningyourway around anew phone,eventuallyitbegins to make sense. In termsofthe suspension, the Fireblade hastwo states –activeand fixed –whichistosay that in its active ‘A-Modes’the suspension is making small adjustments in the background to the dampinginthe shockand forks accordingtohow fastyou’retravelling and howbumpy the road is Forexample,ifyou ride slowly through town,the forks noticeably

divefasterifyou pull the brakelever hard than theydoifyou’rebarrelling alongatapace.Conversely, in the fixed M-Mode,the suspension’sECU will not make anyadjustmentsto the dampingregardlessofanything. You canselect M-Mode for the Ohlins suspension, dial in some settings, and that’s what you’ll get, just likea normalanaloguesuspension setup, whichiswhy Ididn’t go anywhere near the M-Mode for the purpose of this test.Iwantedtofullyembrace the whole electronic experience that the Fireblade hastooffer

Thereare three rider modes, imaginativelycalledA1, A2 and A3, whichHonda have preset with some suggestedelectronic settings that coverpower output,traction control, anti-wheelie,engine brakingand A-Mode suspension settings.Rider mode 1isaimedfor trackuse,2is calledSport and 3isRain, which in general termsmeans 1has the mostpower output,least traction control and anti-wheelie,and hasthe firmestsuspension to supporthigher corneringforces,where3has lower poweroutput,earlier interventionof traction control, softer suspension to soak up moreweighttransfer from the chassisand thus keep the loads off the tyres. M1, M2 and M3are the exact same,except with theactive suspension shut down

While Hondahavebeenkind enough to provide some carefullythought-outelectronic setups for each mode,they, likethe rest of anybikes’design, have to be pretty generic and able to provide forawide rangeofabilities and riding styles,so they’ve alsoprovidedthe functionality to go into each individual element and make adjustments.You can adjust literallyeverything, fromthe amount of anti-wheelie intervention to howyou want the frontforks to

feel, and everythinginbetween, and you canadjustitall with the push of button…except for the pre-load settings,you need spannersfor that, butmoreonthatinabit

On to my voyage of discovery,and as with anythinglikethis that you knowwill involvea lot of exploration and experimentation, the keyelement is for repeatability, so choose a decentroute to ride that hasabit of everything. You’relooking forfast corners,smooth corners, changes of direction, heavybraking,bumps, smoothbits,slowfiddlycorners, even abit of town ridingisgood to throw in, too. Ikickedoffwithalap of my test routeinA1, alap in A2 and alap in A3, andmade notesafter each one that went somethinglikethis

A1: ;Far toochoppy, even on the smoothestroad. Notnearly supple enough.Attimesitfelt likemyvision wasblurring,suchwas the harshness of the ride.It’salmostimpossible to registeranythingelseabout the bike due to howevery single bump and ripple in the road feels likeamassive pothole.’

A2: ‘Muchbetterride qualitybut still feels harsh. Engine feels likeit’s beingheld back at lowrpm,and the anti-wheelie is far tookeentocut in, causingthe biketobecome abit unsettled, whichitwouldn’t be if the frontwheel could just be allowedto float/hoveroverthe ripples in that section under acceleration.’

A3: ‘Muchtoo soft (unsurprising given that I’mridingquitehardon dryroads). It just starts to pogo really easily,and the suspension loses control. The throttle feels reallyslow and numb.’

It’s worthnoting that while my commentsmay sound critical, they aren’t.Ridinghardonadry summer’s dayinRain mode isn’t normalor even advisable,but it wasinteresting

to explorethe full rangeofwhatthe Hondahad to offer.Ithink forme, beingfullyfocused on the Fireblade in isolation, and goingovermynotes, Iwas surprised that, in fact,Ididn’t reallylikeany of them particularly, and my lastingmemorywas just how harshand choppythe ride was, so it wastime to getintoit. As always, while the tech on the bikemight be super-sophisticated,the principles of settingabikeupare the same as they’ve alwaysbeen: Startwithsetting yourpreloads/sagsand then focuson dampingafter that Dive right in…

The Fireblade hasareallyneatscreen whichtakes away the need forthe old-fashionedtechnique of getting ameasuring tape and recruitingthe help of amatetomeasure the bike’s sagand adjustaccordingly. On the Honda, there’sascreenoption called ‘Preload Guide’withemphasisonthe word ‘Guide’. Youvisit that screen, enteryourweight, and it tells you howmanyturns to add/remove on the preload adjusters of the forksand shock manually, NOTvia abuttonon the handlebar. It’s the onlyadjustmentyou have to do with aspanner or socket, but thankstothe qualityofthe Ohlins kit, it’s adoddle.Whatiscurious is that the standardpreload settings arefor a65Kgperson, whichI find extraordinarybecause according to the NHS,the averageweightof an adult in the UK is 85Kg. Isay extraordinaryfor acouple of reasons Oneisthatittookmeabout 10 seconds to research that information while amassive company likeHonda apparently didn’t,and the fact that the standardpreload settingonthe Fireblade is such amassive amount out, even for an average-size adult, let alone aproper, full-size one like

UNLOCKING ELECTRONIC POTENTIAL 29

myself

At 105KgI’m obviously abovethe averageweightofanadult male,but I’malsoa good solid seveninches taller than the averageheightofan adult male,all of whichmeans that given for even an averageweight adult,the Fireblade’spreloadsare miles out, for me –and Isuspect a greatdealofothers– theyaren’t even closetobeing in the rightpostcode, whichmeans the suspension won’t be workinganythinglikeaswell as it can.

So,itwas with acertain amount of trepidation that Iaddedthe recommendedone turn of preload to the forks,and 3.5 turns to the rear shock.I saytrepidation because I’dalready noted the bikefor being excessively choppy, and nowI’d just addeda whole load of preload to the springstotheoreticallymakeiteven stiffer,but then lessthana mile after Iset off,aproperlightbulb moment happened.

The bikefelt much moresupple, with an immediatelynoticeable increase in controlledmovement,

especiallyatthe rear shock.The bikewas transformedfromhavinga choppy, harshride that felt likethe whole thingwas either over-sprung, or hadnosag due to toomuch preload,tosomethingunrecognisable butina positiveway.Wherethere were previously ripples in the Tarmac,therewas now… nothing. The transformation wasshocking (pardon the pun) and took me awhile to understand whyaddingaton of preload to the shock especiallycould make the bikefeelsofteratthe rear

Once I’dgot over the euphoria of havingamuchnicer bikebeneathme, and Iallowedmylogical part of my brain to work,Iworkedout that the answer hastwo parts, whichaswith all things associated with bikeset up, go hand-in-hand. The Fireblade, as with all road bikes,has aprogressive link that connects the rear shock to the chassis, it’s the geometryof this link that means the morethe spring on the shock compresses, the harder it gets to compress– it gets ‘progressively’harder the moreitgets compressed, hence the name

The reason for this is so manufacturerscan sell bikes which canhavealoadofluggageand/or a pillion addedatany time,whichwill obviously compressthe shock, butby havingalink that makesthat harder to do the moreyou compressit, means that youstill getsome degree of supportfromthe spring, even with aloadofextra mass addedforcingit deep into its stroke

The power of proper set up

Oneofthe consequences of a progressivelink is that if youdon’t have enough preload, you’ll have too much sag, whichmeans toomuch of the spring’s movementisusedup just supportingthe bikeand rider’s weight.Now,ifyourbikehas been set up for a65Kgperson, even an average weight person will sitonthatbike anduse up an excessive amountof the shock’s initial stroke,and you’ll be satatthe part of the stroke where the progressivelink starts to firmup the spring, whichwill make the whole thingfeeloverlystiff, and not offer much movement.

By addingalot of preload as I had, achunk of the spring’s sagwas removed, and the startingpoint of the shock wasmuchhigher in its stroke,and thereforethe softer part of the link’s movement. So, while on the surface it seemed counter-intuitivetoadd preload to getasmoother action from the rear shock,the logic is all thereonce youunderstand howaprogressive setupworks.Factor in the fact that the bikehas been setupfor

achild’s weight, it means whena person of even averageweight, let alone my weight,sits on the bike, it’s just flatteningthe rear shock into the reallyhardpartofthe link’s movementand the shock absorber literallybarelymoves Back on the road, andonce over the transformation of the bikeride quality, I’mlessexcited abouthow the frontforks feel with the extrapreload. The frontofthe bike feels abit higher andalittle bit numb,but I’mtaking aboutaverysmall difference,and in the spirit of the test,given it’swhat Hondarecommendfor my weight, Idecide to leavethe settingasis. The behaviour of the frontend feels

no lesssharp and responsive, the Fireblade’s outrageous frontend is all still very present and correct,itjust feels different, not worse. So,with preloads all wherethey should be,Iset offtolap my test route and approach it by settingone of the adjustable dampingparameters to its extremities to confirmwhat I already think Hondameans by the terms‘Front’,‘Rear’, ‘Brake’, ‘Acc’and ‘Corner’.I used A2 mode to work in, as given that it’s the ‘Sport’modeas opposed to the A1‘Track’ mode,the startingpoint forall the base damping settings in it aresoftertobegin with, whichiswhatI waslooking for Essentially, Iwas just tryingtoget

the whole suspension movingand workingmoretotakeadvantage of the excellentOhlins construction, and do away with the choppinessso that higher levels of feedback and information from the tyrescan get through to me

The beauty of the electronic settings for the dampingisthatyou can literallypull over on the side of the road, pressabuttonafew times,carry on fora fewmiles,and if you don’t likeit, just putitbacktozero. Youcan go to +5 for the firmest dampingfor that parameter and -5 forthe softest, so Iwentstraightto-5for the ‘Front’ and ‘Rear’ functions,and straightaway the whole setupofthe bikefelt

looser andverysupple.Immediately the rear shock and forks came even moretolife andall the choppiness hadgone,but it didn’t takelongafter Istartedpressingonthatthe bike startedpogoing abouta bit toomuch. Isimplypulledover, went into the relevant screen, and firmedupthe dampingbychangingthe Frontand Rear from -5 to -3, whichfelt just right. Inoticedthatadjustingthe ‘Front’ and ‘Rear’ parameterssofterdid make both the compression AND rebound dampingsofter, meaningthey’remore of ageneralsettingwhichiswhereit occurred to me the other parameters come in. ‘Brake’, ‘Acc’and ‘Corner’ would otherwise be known as compression dampingona bikewith normalsuspension.

Iknowthis becausewhile Iwas now very happywith the overall feeling that Iwas gettingfromthe bike, the forks were divingfar toofastunder heavingbraking for me.Settingthe ‘Braking’function to +3 firmedup the dampingand slowed the rate of divefromthe forks to just the right levelfor my preference.Idid go all the wayfrom-5to+5, just to validatemy understandingofwhatthe function did, andall Icould tell wasthatit slowed down or sped up the rate that the forks dive–whichiscompression damping.

Give more, get more Just for the hell of it,Iwentthrough the same routine of goingfrom +5 to -5 on the ‘Acc’and ‘Corner’

UNLOCKING ELECTRONIC POTENTIAL

functions and endedupbackwhere Istartedfor them at zero.Therate the rear wassquattingunder hard acceleration wasonthe money, and if I’mhonest, Iprobablyneededa big60mph roundaboutto generate the sort of corner loads that would make detectingany differencesthat

adjustingthe ‘Corner’function would make when it detects high angles of lean at speedtogiveextra supportat both ends.

In short, the ‘Brake’, ‘Acc’and ‘Corner’ functions act as low-speed compression dampingfor the forks and shock independently, and both the forks and shock together for the ‘Corner’function. Clever stuff,and Honda’sterminology and attemptto breakitdownintolayman’sterms must be applauded.

Very happywithhow the bikenow felt in my hands,Imoved on to the engine’s settings,whichwereslightly

morepredictable due to bikes having hadthis elementofelectronics for a lot longerthanelectronic suspension. However, in the spirit of the test,I did explorethe extremities of each function’srange,and pretty much endedupwith everythingdialledright down as Iusuallydo.

Turninganti-wheelie down to 1just keeps anypremature intervention out of the picture, so the frontwheel can hoverand allowhardacceleration to happen uninterrupted.Onthe road, traction control isn’t reallyneeded, butIdoliketoleave abit on just in case there’sa change in the road surface when Ileast want it.Innormal conditions there’stons of grip from the tyres, andthe number of times you mightget to 50 degreesoflean or moreonthe road aresofew and far between, and even then traction control is onlyreallyafactor if you’re alsobeingsuper-greedy with the throttle.Speakingofwhich… There’s afastlongleft/longright that goes underarailway bridge near whereIlive, and Imustadmit Idid smile almostevery time Iwent through it,because under the bridge Icould just pickupthe sound of the Fireblade’s throttles splittingasI pickedupthe throttle mid-corner, beforebringingitingently.

By splittingthe throttles,the bike’s ECUistoagreater or lesserdegree–dependingonwhatthe sensorstell it is goingon–cuttingpower to two cylinders, so that when youdostart to feed in poweratleanand speed,

you’regettingamuchsofter, lower levelofpower for the initial drive. If traction control is acurefor rear wheel spin, split throttles areaform of prevention, and certainlyifyou do activatethe split throttles on the road, it is nice to knowthatsomewhere underneaththe fuel tank something hasdecidedtodialthings down abit rather than spoilany fun laterinthe corner when youwantthe biketo drivehardwithoutbeing shut down. The other thing Ipickeduponwas that in all butthe most‘powerful’ mode (Mode1), the engine felt held back abit at the lowand mid-range of the revs.Itjustfelt abit dull at the throttle,asthough the throttle bodies weren’t quitedoingwhat the twist grip was. Then, after acertain point theywere, whichironicallymeant the powerfelt likeitcame in with abit of astep. In full powermode, it actually felt morealive,responsiveand smoother.Thebikewas much nicer in full powermode.

Ireallylikealot of engine braking, and have done forever,soafter a brief sample of turningthatupfor maximumintervention andreallynot likingthe reducedlevel of braking contribution from the engine,itgot putbackto1for the leastamountof intervention.

The verdict?

So,whatdid Ilearn from my deep dive into the worldofelectronic rider aids? Well, some things weren’t asurprise, such as whereI endedupwith the

engine’s settings.However,abig surprisewas just howfar away from the Fireblade standardsuspension setupI ended, whichismoreofareflection on the standardset up Hondareleasedit with,thanany masteryonmypart–all Idid wasfollowHonda’sinstructions to change it from aset up foraprimary school aged child’s weight to an adult’s weight. It wassomethingIprobably wouldn’t have found outifI hadn’t hadset time aside to exploreevery corner of everyfunction, and that is probably the biggestlessonofall –don’t assume anything.Justbecause the bikeisbrand-new, loadedwith the very best kitand carries aprice

tagnorth of £20,000 doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

We’venot riddenthis Fireblade on the road, and whilstwhen Irodeit the firsttime Inoted it for beingastiff bike, Ididn’t reallymarkitdownfor that. It sort of addedtothe theatre of ridinga214bhpsuperbikeonthe road, and the whole thingissoutterly mind-blowing and dominated by the engine,thatit’snot easy to seepast the violence of it all.

However, if this test reminds us of anything, it should be that whether you’vejustboughtanolder used bike, or abrand-newmegabike, always, always, alwaysgo through it’s setup, becausewhatyou think is already an

incredible bikecould potentiallybea LOTbetter.

As for the whole electronics debate aboutwhether or not it’s necessary, there’re acouple of things to take away and celebrate. The fact that beingable to just push buttons on a switch gear canalter the characteristic of howabikereacts,feels and interacts with the road and you the rider is incredible

Beingable to change howall your points of contact with abikefeels, such as the engine when youopen AND shut the throttle,orthe ABS, or the quickshifter,issuchabrilliantly simple waytomakeabikefeeljust rightfor you, and the benefits of

that aremassive.Furthermore, now that the dark artofsuspension set up is rapidlybeing broken down into aprocesslesscomplicated than operatingasmartphone thanksto software and sensors, the abilityto transformabikeand bringittolife is moreaccessible to morepeople than ever before.

The Firebladeisabout as full-on asportsbikeasyou canget,and wheneveryou hear thosedourpeople spoutguff likeit’stoo much for the road, knowthis…Bytakingtime to understand the bike’ssystems,and dedicatingsome time to exploring them,Itransformedthe Fireblade from aharsh,overwhelming biketo

one that wasapussycatonthe road –a bikethatIbet even the biggest naysayer would enjoy riding, which leadsmeneatlytomyfinalthoughton the subject.

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of believingthat electronic adjustability is all to do with performance and making the bikefasterontrack While that is true,itisalsotruethat becauseall that very same electronic functionalityand adjustabilityis so easy to use, it canalsobeused by morepeople than ever to make their bikenicer and thereforemore enjoyable to ride on the road –somethingevensurelythe biggest techno-sceptics can’t moan about.

Thereisahighchance that youwill have to performanemergencystopat some pointofyourridinglife (that’s whyit’sincludedinthe licence test, after all). The good thing is that like mostmotorcyclingmanoeuvres, with abit of practice you canlearn to do it very effectively.

Skills clinic: Emergencystop

Most bikescan stop alot quickerthanriders think. The key is to know how to make thathappen. Here’show…

Don’t make thesemistakes

Onesizedoesnot fit all, and although the same laws of physics applytoall bikes,differentgeometry, equipment and loadmeanthat youmay need to adjustthe approach slightly depending on what youride.For instance,a sportsbikewith top-spec brakes,a

solo rider and no luggage will stop pretty quicklyonthe frontbrake alone (possiblysowellthat the rear wheel is barely in contact with the ground, making the rear brakeprettyuseless), whereasafully-loadedcruiser with a passengercan benefit from usingthe frontand rear braketogether

If you areusedtodrivingacar but new to bikes,itmay be difficult to getout of the habit of stomping on the brakepedal when youspota hazard. In acar thisisfine as the four wheels will keep youupright in most situations,but bikes aremuchless stable,and your brakingactions need to be moregradual and progressive rather than an instantgrabofthe frontbrake leverorastomp on the rear brake.

Many ridersunderestimatehow quicklytheir bikes canstopsafely. If youapplythe pressure to the brakes correctly, youmight be surprised

to seehow quicklymodern bikes canstop. Theimportant thinghere is that youneedtodothe braking right, in acontrolledmanner. At the same time,you should never overestimatethe bike’soryourown abilities as this canleadtoobvious problems

This is how to get it right

Onesureway to improveyourbraking is practice.The more yourepeat the process, the shorterthe braking distance becomes. Youwill alsofeel much moreconfidentinyourown abilities and bike’scapabilities,which help youkeepyourcoolwhen the

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you arebraking.Unfortunately,this makesthe whole thing moredifficult and destabilises the bike. What you should do insteadisanchor yourself to the bikebygrippingthe fuel tank with your knees.This makesthe weight transfer lower, and lets you hold the handlebars with relaxed arms,givingyou much morecontrol without pushingthe frontwheel in a direction it doesn’t want to go

The same as when ridingatspeed, when youare reducing speed it matters whereyou arelooking.Looking further ahead and liftingyourvision from the frontwheel will giveyou abetteridea of your surroundings and help balance the bike.

Applyingthe brakes needsto happen quickly, progressivelyand smoothly. With mostbikes,this is mainlydone with the frontbrake, butit’sbesttoexperimentwith your bikewhen youpractice,soyou know exactlywhatworks

When youapplythe frontbrake,do it smoothly, so the frontsuspension compressesina controlledway to add pressure and stabilitytothe front wheel. Areallygoodtechnique is:

skills arecalledintoaction.

When it comes to braking, it’s not all aboutthe bike,it’salsoabout you Your riding position hasasignificant impact on howwell youcan slow the bike down.It’sanatural instinct to situp, straighten your arms and grab hard on the handlebars when

 ThrottleOff

 Littlebit of frontbrake

 Littlebit of back brake

 Then load more,more, more on thefront

 Clutch in

With the suspension compressed you canthen brakeharder.You might

be surprised howhardyou canbrake on amodern motorcycle, anddon’t be surprised if the rear wheel feels light or even lifts alittle

In mostcases the rear brakewill have much lessimpact than the front, and it maybebettertoleave it alone, butifyou have alot of weight at the rear of the bike(pillion, luggage) or if the frontbrake is not very effective, then it will be helpful.

Many new bikes have ABSsystems whichwill help not to lock the wheels when youare braking. If your bike hasdifferentlevels of ABStochoose from it is importanttoset these correctly, remembering to allowfor the conditions andthe load carried. The onlyway to getthis rightis, you guessedit, practice In addition to the brake, alsoyou will need to remembertoshift down the gearssothat you areready to ride off after youhavecome to astandstill, and pull the clutch leverintostop the bikefromstallingasthe speed reduces

And don’t forget…

Brakinghardina straight line is one thing, butwhen youare ridingaround abend, with the bikeleant over,you aredealingwith adifferentsituation altogether.Braking in acorner is another very useful skill, and we will be lookingathow to do that in a futurearticle.But first,let’s getthat straight-line brakingsorted.

Q&A

Q.Weare somewhat in apickle and desperately need some help.Lastspring my wife treatedmetoaBMW R1300 GS for my 60th birthday.Wehad anamazingsummer ridinginEuropeand touringthe UK (mywife rides pillion). On this occasion we were in the southwest ridingtwo-upona narrow country lane when we were involved in ahead-on with acar.Ican’tremember what happenedand neithercan my wife.However,apparently a witnessbehind us said Iwas slightly on the wrongside of the road as it wassonarrow. Thankfully, Iwasn’tbadlyhurt. However, my wife brokeher legand sufferedpost-concussion syndrome.She is aPilates instructorand hasn’t been able to return to work,understandably, and haslostalot of money. My insurance company haskept tellingusweneedtowait to seehow she heals,and will adviseand help her. However, when Ispoke to adifferentcase handler last week theysaid my wife should get independentlegal advice.Whatshould she do and who should be helping my wife? Ithought that as Ihad fullycomprehensiveinsurance they would sort everythingout.

A.Yourfullycomprehensiveinsurance is to coverthe risk of yourbikebeingdamaged and for paying outathirdparty if youinjureor

damage their property.Itisnot theretoprovide independentlegal advice to yourwifeasthe injured party. With that in mind, your wife should getindependentlegal advice ASAP. It appearsthe collision wasyourfault so she can sueyou by reason of her beinganinnocent pillion. Whilstthatmay sound weird, i.e.wife sues husband, legallyitisnot uncommon. You payinsurance and theywill have to coveryou and payout for yourwife’sinjuries and losses. As for your wife’s injuries,Isuspect she will need to getanorthopaedic and neurological opinion with aview to evidencingher losses that havearisenfromthe collision. Post concussion syndrome after ablowtothe head canleadtopoorconcentration and depressed mood,soshe needstobearthisinmindand getbacktoher treatingdoctorifnecessary. Whatever she does,she needstoget some independentlegal advice.She should not rely directlyonyourinsurer to adviseand help her

Q.I wasout ridingwithtwo of my mates

We all met at college afew yearsago on abuildingcourseand betweenuswehavea Fazer600, aCBR600F and aTriumph Speed 400 (that’s mine!). We hadbeenfor arag along the coastroadfromEastbourne and pulled

Each issue our specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through their legal trials andtroubles.

intoBrightontograbsome chips and acup of tea. In my opinion, the best fishand chipsin the worldare to be found on the rightasyou wander on to the pier! We huddledfromthe wind, munchedthrough ourfoodand afterthe obligatory play in the arcade,weheadedback to ourbikes to ride outoftownand into the South Downs. As often is the case in Brighton, traffic wasstackedasweheadedout,sowe were filteringthrough.Mytwo mateswere ahead of me as we arrivedatsome traffic lights. We managedtofilter righttothe front. As the lights turnedgreen, we zipped off.About a minuteorsolater Iheard the sirens and then spottedthe blue lights in my mirrors.Weduly pulledover, and twoofficershopped out. Ihad absolutelynoideawhatwehad donewrong, buttheyexplainedthatI(not my twomates) hadjumpedared light. In short, (I have gone back and checked) thereweretwo lanes on approach to the traffic lights.Theleft-hand lane hadarrowsonthe road to go straight on or turn left.Theright-hand lane wasfor turningright only. Therefore, as my twomates hadfiltered and squeezed into the left-hand lane,theyhad done nothing wrong. However, becauseIwas in the right-hand lane,and that lane wasonred, even though Icut into the left-hand lane once theywenttogreen, Ihad effectivelyjumped

the redlight. Iwas super-politeand ‘took’ the lecture, even though Ithoughttheywere wrong. Thankfully, Ithinkmenot beingaknob and not kickingoffsaved my bacon as theytold me off and then let me go.What do you think? Ithoughtitwas legaltofilter and Ithoughtmy manoeuvrewas fine, i.e.tocut from the righthand lane into the left lane as Iwantedtogo straight ahead.

A.Firstly,Ihaveseenlots of bikersdowhat you did. However, that doesn’t make it correct.Thelaw states you must stop behind thewhite‘Stop’line acrossyourlaneunlessthe traffic lightisgreen. Therefore, whilst seemingly pedantic,the Police were correct,i.e.because yourlanewhichwas ‘turn right’ onlywas on red. Whilstyourmates hada greenlight to ride straight on in theirlane, you did not.Ithink you played it entirely rightwith the Police as you clearlypassedthe ‘attitude test’. Ihaveyet to meet anyone who haskickedoffwith the Police at the roadside and getawaywith anything. As for ‘gettingaway’ with it,it’sfair to sayyou did. Jumpingared lightcarries apunishmentof three penaltypoints and afine of up to £1000 if dealt with at Court. Therefore, well done on takingthe ‘lecture’ as that wasamuchbetter outcome than the alternative.

QuickSpin: BlurocXBongo 125

If you’re after acharacterful and eye-catching 125, the X-Bongo is sure to whet your appetite.

What is it?

From the first sight of Bluroc’s X-Bongo until Ihanded the keys back, it was hardnot to think of wherethe inspiration for the design came from, but at asmidge over half the price of Honda’sMonkey bike (£4199),any preconceived opinions that this machine would be only half as good werethrown out of the window after spending some time with it.

Bluroc has been the new name for Belgium-based manufacturer Bullit since 2021, butthe company’s values have remainedtoproduce motorcycles with avintage feel for the best valuesothey can be attained by any biker from alearner tocut their teeth on, to aseasoned rider looking for acheaperoption fun bike to add to agrowing collection.

Power: 8.5bhp/6.3kW @7500 rpm

Weight:101kg

Price: £2399.00

Contact: www.blurocmotorcycles.com

Talking the torque

Above all else, starting awrite-up on abike like thismust begin with the styling as it is arguably the X-Bongo’strumpcard. While the looks areretro, up close thereis plenty of moderntech available, from the LED headlight housed in avintaged round shape, to adigital display which includes gear and fuel level which some smaller capacity bikes still lack. Front ABSisalso present, as well as awaterproof USB outlet which Iambecoming ever morereliant on.

The 125cc air-cooled singlecylinder engine is well packed into the small frameand offers a

surprising amount of torquefor its size. A4-speed gearbox aids in acceleration, enabling the bikeand rider to keep with the flow of traffic in urban areas or to have fun on back roads. Fuel injection is present to help with performance while also

assisting to meetstrict environmental standards

When it comes to handling, the meaty-sized goldenUSD forks up front and dual shocks at the rear look like they should be more than capable of offering adecent

ride for abike weighinginatonly 101kgdry

Cracking on…

Despite the smaller natureof the X-Bongo, at 5’11” Inever felt anywherenear as cramped

as Iexpected to be, with the handlebars set at areasonable height and width, and the footpegs lowenough so my knees werenot being forced into my armpits (not that Icould get into this position easily nowadays!).

The seat was by no means the softest, but itslonger shape did allow me to move towards the rear on longer stretches or pull myself forwards when taking advantage of thebike’slow weight at 101kg, to throw it intotight corners or easily

manoeuvrethrough thetrafficin built-up areas. The suspension further backed up ahigher level of confidencewhen riding some of the bumpier sections of road, even when taken as fast as the bike would go, soakingupwhat

myself at afairly average height and maybe still carrying some extra Christmas weight (okay,from the last few seasons combined), the suspension on this model was performing exceptionally well; considering the value package price this is on offer for,itwas holding its own.

The 4-speed manual gearbox was allowing for rapid acceleration with an impressive level of mid-range torque for a125cc bike, but it did have adisadvantage when it came to top-end speed. Joining traffic from aGive Wayjunction was no issue, but atop speed creeping to just over 50mph, depending on the road incline, left me feeling more vulnerable on busier and faster stretches of road.

When it came braking for tighter corners, the lightweight natureof the bike left me feeling like Ihad all the stopping force needed from the single front disc and unbranded caliper that come as standard, and despite anchoring up harder and harder,I never seemed to find the level for the assistance from the ABS on the warm day Iwas testing on. When bringing the rear brake into action as well, it was all too easy to promote locking of the rear, but the ease of handling on offer proved never to be abutt-clenching experience. As fun as this antic was, to give some sympathy to the rear tyre, its longevity and mainly because this wasn’tmybike, Iopted to rely on the more-than-capable front brakes to do the anchoring up.

also adding to the small, but solid, aesthetics. Looking closer,the tread patternalso features some quirky Pandas on the edges of the tyre. Maybe moreofatalking point than arevolutionary high-grip design, but fairly cuteall the same.

The X-Bongo came in aminimalistic ‘Matt Grey’,but thereisanother optionof‘Racing Black’, which hasa vibrant redand bluecoloureddesign down the side of the fuel tank. If I werelucky enough to be offered one, my biggest decision would be over the colouroption as both suit this model for differentreasons.

retro-looking machine. Considering the level of handling,low price and big attitude, Ican see this appealing to arange of potential riders. Being CBT friendly,itisagreat machine to cut your teeth on when learning, while its smaller footprint means it could be an option for someone to load on the back of acamper for commuting around on while touring. The top speed might be an issue if travelling on faster roads frequently,sothat would need to be considered.

wasthrown atiteasily without being too soft in the corners.

Although Iamtrapped in an adult’s body,the child in me was having ablast withoutthe aging joints screaming at me to remind me that Iamtechnically middle-aged. With

Although Ihave never been abig fan of Chinese rubber,the Yuanxing tyres fitted as standardwere performing well for the little fun bike after the initial shine was wornaway Also, they looked great with the chunky tread on the 12-inch wheels

The overall build qualitylooked spot on from whichever angle I looked at the bike, and when sat on it, firing it between the corners on some back roads, and having as much fun as Icould squeeze from it, the lowpurchase price never reflected in my experience of the comfortorcapabilities from the nimble handling.

Worth apunt?

It may not come as asurprise that Iwas somewhat smitten with this

Riding smaller bikes can sometimes mean you don’tget seen or respected by other road users quite the same, butwithout stating that riding around on the X-Bongo will make you abeacontoother motorists, Idid finditwas quite a head-turner If Ibought one of these, it wouldn’tbesimply because of the low price, the riding experience or even the build quality backed up with atwo-year warranty,it would be because of the massive character that this smaller bike offers.

Oliver -Suzuki GSX-R125

Time on test:8 weeks /Miles: 731 /Price from new: £5199

Well, another month of riding has gone by already and, unfortunately with it, the last remains of summer.I have had another thrilling time of even moreadventuresand learning. After spendingthe first few weeks of my motorbiking journey focused on becoming comfortable riding, Ispent most of September more on the enjoyment side of motorcycling.

Knowing the riding seasonis coming to an end, every sunny day is aday to getthe bike out asyou know that those days aregoing to become araresight in the following months, so Ihavecertainly been making the most of it. Therehave been three major motorcycling rides I’ve been on this month, with the usual small rides mixed in, all of which have been morebrilliant than the next.

The first saw me visit Foremark Reservoir,onnot the nicest of days Imust admit, but riding there Iwas greeted with rolling hills, served with the odd pothole and the countryside’s signature…the odd village.For the first time, it was nice to ride to adestinationinstead of aimlessly plodding around; it definitely made me appreciate the journey Unfortunately,the weather was gloomy and the temperature cold. However,it’show you dress for the weatherthat determinesyour misery for the day,soknowing this, Iwas well prepared.

Iamfortunate enough tobe equipped with aHalvarssons Dalen jacket and textilejeans. The layered jacket kept me warm, and the reflector strips kept mevisible on inclement days. Also, liners can be removed for summer,so you don’tsweat yourselfaway, and also it contains shoulder

and elbow armour with optional compartments for the chest and back. The textile jeansare equipped withkneepads, so if proving to your friends that you can, in fact, get yourknee down, and something goes wrong, it would definitely be grease on the road and not rider error!

Having arrived atthe reservoir, Idid the usual visitor things of looking around and taking in the views. However,due to my current addiction to riding, Ididn’t stay long as Iwanted to get back on the road. Itook asteady ride back and that concludedthe day

The next week saw the heavens open, soIdidn’tmanage to get out at all. Iamtrying to get myself out in the rain asitisanecessity to improve my riding and also something Ihavetoface as Ilive in England, but levels of rainlike that would haveonly ended badly for a new riderlikeme. The end of the week saw the weather improve and that meant time to ride again.

Icontacted some oldfriends who Iknew rode bikes and we met up. It wasnice to actually ride with other people for once as Ihad done mostlyall my motorbiking solo. We rode to aspot by East Midlands airport whereyou can stop right by the runway.Wewatched the planes fly in and out whilsttalking about bikes as we slowlyfroze to death. One ofmyfriends also had aSuzuki,sohewas happy to see mine pullup.

The ride happened after dark. Riding on roads with no streetlights and in thepitch black was new for me. My poor bike’sheadlight was workingovertime to ensure Ididn’tbecome abad Christmas decoration on abush. Thetrip was nothing special for what most riders getupto, butfor me it was the first time ridinginagroup, andIloved it. It was acompletely different side to motorbikingand also showed me how much more skill Istill needed to build upon. The following days Iwent on the odd ride on my own after work. Even if it’sfor 20 minutes, Istill try and get moremiles under my belt and mainly that’sbecause I simply love riding. Iwent out in the rainafew times, too, to buildmy confidence riding in wetconditions and I’ve never felt so exposed in my life. Knowing withthe slightest over-input I’d be flatonmyarse reallykept me on my toes, but I kept telling myself, the moreItried, the better Iwould get My lastmajor ride out thispast month was again done with the friends Irode to East Midlands airport with. It was time to christen the bike with aMatlock Bath visit. Thiswas definitelythe hardest ride of them all. I’d have to ride for over an hour,something I’d not done without the occasional break, and

on big Aroads that I’d not yet had the confidence to conquer

The weather didn’tencourage me much either,asthe remains of apassing storm werestill present, meaning thereweresome high winds. All of this did make me doubt whether Ishould leave it for another day,but Icouldn’t turnitdown.

We set offand slowly made our way there. It was pretty simple riding up until we got to the hills of Derbyshire. The roads slowly began turning into sweeping corners and fast straights whereI must admit Idid get left behind by my more skilled friends, but that didn’tmatter -I simply took my time and admired the scenery.Itreminded me alot of North Wales with its big hills, lots of forests, rivers and plenty of sheep. We made our way through countless Industrial Revolution era towns which made me question whetherIwas still in 2025. Eventually we arrived, parked up and had amooch about admiring all the other bikes, daydreaming about the ones that one day we might own.

The thing that took the biggest toll on me on the journey up was my concentration. The constant scanning and remaining aware arethings I’m used to by now, but doing it for that long really exhausted me so Imade the most out of the visit, making sure Iwas ready for the ride back. Now,obviously the route home was the same as the route there, but in reverse. The views were just as splendid and the roads just as much fun. Will Itell you I accidentally kill-switched myself going 50mph and not realising it till Ipulled over? No, Iwon’t. But apart from that it was an absolutely splendid day out and resulted a good night’ssleep. It had been abrilliant month filled with lots of new experiences and even morelearning. For the following weeks, my aim again is to get out as much as Ican and visit new places. The weather really will start to turnnow so Imight have to just embrace the rain if it means Ican go for rides. Ialready have some places in mind, so I’m very much looking forwardtoit.

Small but mighty

Cheap, cheerful, well-made and maybe the most important bike for motorcycling sincethe…Bantam

Motorcyclinghas alwaysridden the peaksand troughs.Fashion loves, then loathes,politics uses it like everything else, and worldwide matters affectthe popularity of twowheels butsofar have not killedit. The workingman’s commuterbecause theycan’t afford acar,isalsothe transport of choice for such currententities as Brad Pitt, David Beckham,Keanu Reeves and the futurekingofthe United Kingdom and

the Commonwealth,Prince William This month,it seems,we’re cool. Thisbodes well forour latest potentialhigh-volume seller,the BSA Bantam 350. A350? Think back to the headline acts of the past:Triumph SpeedTwin, Bonneville,Gold Star, SS100, CB750 and Commando, GS1000, 888, Fireblade,R1, S1000RR Speed. Presence.They were leaders. Innovators.They were winners. How

cana350 even be spoken in the same breath? Becauseintoday’s world, bikingneedsanentry pointthatis cool, friendly, invitingand realistic –it doesn’t need aheadline missile

The Bantam could be the answer to gettinganew worldintobiking. It currentlycosts thousands of pounds and aboutone year to pass yourcar test if you canfind adriving instructor willingtotakeyou on.

Then add thousands morefor acar Busesare germ tubesand trains are, well, crap –inmyexperience,at least. Unlessyou liveinthe country, in whichcasebuses and trains are thosethings you seeonthe tellyand don’t reallyexist

Butthe BSABantamis£3499, brand-new, on the road,with threeyears’ warranty.You canhaveone from 19 yearsold, your test course

will be abouta grand, and youcan kit yourself outsafelyand fashionably for roughly£500. Formany, it’s the answer theyneed–and want. Butisit anygood?

After 18 years, Iview motorcycle launches sceptically; theyneedto be seen and heardthrough afilter PR is so good now, you have to wade through the pre-launchhypeand bull, ride the bike, and then use

yourexperiences from life to bring abalanced, unbiased view to your audience.

Whichisweird, considering magazines aredisappearingas everyone watches free YouTube videos by peoplewith little experience,knowledge,oranyone editingtheir content –but hey, you’vesaved afiverbynot buyinga magazine…(Matt –stopwhining –

everyone). Even if you do fork outfor amag,atesterisonlyhuman, and most bikes feel better on quiet,perfect roads that have been carefullychosen to highlightpositives,masknegatives, and paintarosypictureofthe bike under Spanish sun.

The Bantam launchwas unusual then, as itwas slap-banginthe middle of London. Okay,it wassunny, but it wasn’t exactlySpain. The route waslessa curatedexperience to paintthe bikeinthe perfectpicture and morethe sat-nav’schoice of roads to getusout of the trendyBike Shed restaurant/club/venue in East London and south to Ryka’s café at Boxhill, Dorking, in Surrey.Twothirdsofthe ride wasin20mph limits, and as we gotout of the overcrowded metropolis,wefound 40s and even dual carriageways!

The Bantam is astraightforward recipefor an everyday motorcycle, as befittingthe Bantam name –though amusinglythere hasbeenafew moaning abouthow it should still be a125/175cc two-stroke.Yeah, sure, howabout drum brakes and no rear suspension? Do shut up…The334cc, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine makesahealthy, yetunthreatening, 29bhpwith 21lb-ft of torque.This heads through the six-speedgearbox, thrustingthe 185kg(wet) bikeforward with straightforwardease. Slowingis by single discfront and rear,plenty of powerfromthe speeds available,and the suspension is superb

The six-yard test is apasswith flyingcolours. Five differentpaint schemes will setyou apart, the yellow and silver most reminiscentofthe B44 scramblers, and my personal favourite. Cast wheels look Harleyesque and different;the small, round headlightisneatlytuckedinabove the forkgaiters;and the shorty mudguard hasprettystays holdingit. The exhaust,sooftenwheremoney-saving shows,isascoolas, and the rear mudguardand rear lightwithtail tidy areright on the money. Asingle clock keeps thingssimple upahead, and controls arestraightforward

The name maybehistoric, but there’sbeennoefforttogivethe Bantam aretrofeel. Roundedfuel tank aside,this is moreDucati Scrambler than pastiche,with perhapsthe engine side casings doffinga capto the original teardrop shapeofthe old two-stroke engines

The Bantam,to theseeyesatleast, looksbiggerthanitis.

Jumpingon, I’macutely awareof the journeyahead –anovercrowded, camera-riddledjungle with everyone seeminglytryingtohurtyou.I’m also ridinganunfamiliar motorcycle. Yet strangely, it doesn’t feel unfamiliar.It feels,well, automatic,likeadefault

Thiswould make agreat trainingbike with no weight on yourwrists, yet aslightlycantedforward position, enough to counterthe wind and make jarringbumps not shoot upyour spine.Downtofirstand off we go. Firstislow,but not redundant. Shame on youifyou stall, though! The engine is happyupto7000rpm,so oncewarmyou canreallynip off into the trafficbefore findingthe naturally placedgearlever and poppingupto second and above. The gearboxfelt reallyslick, if still alittle tight– my bikehad done atotal of 60-oddmiles, so Ican forgivethat.

Throttle control is sublime,the feel is faultless, and the engine does exactlywhat you ask. That motor feels alivebut blatantlyhas

SPECIFICATION:

BSA Bantam 350

Engine: 334cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder

Gearbox: Six-speed, chain driven

Power: 29bhp @7000rpm

Frame: Steel spine frame

Wetweight: 185kg

Fuel tank: 13 litres

Price OTR: £3499

From: Bsacompany.co.uk

abalancer shaft to keep the singlecylinder personalityand vibes at bay. There’snosweet spot,but itdoes build, addingtothe feel.

Pullingawayisfine in second gear, too, should you have forgotten to get down to first.Theclutch is the stuff of dreams to alearner and experienced rider alike; smooth,superlightaction and aprogressive bite, which, consideringthe modestpower and the regularneedtochangegearif ‘progressing’, is handy.

Whizzingaround the city–yes,I know, at 20mph –ishilarious,with enough powertohavefun and to get outofjunctions butwithoutthe risk of spinningupthe rear and endingon yourass.Orpop it up into fourth or

fifth and relax, tiptoeingthrough the busy streets of anger, selfishnessand litter. The cityisthe Bantam’s natural environment, and it excels Pickupthe pace nowas we start to gettowards theoutskirtsand we canuse that engine more. Will it now feel flat? Underpowered?29bhpisn’t much,but the bikedoespickup, providingyou’renot afraid to usethe revs.You have to feel the engine,as the revcounter is difficult to see–it runs around the outsideofthe dial –infact,all butthe speedistricky to read. Ilikethe ideaofone,simple clockasitlooks good,but it’snogood if you can’t read it.Not bright enough and elements aretoo small. And while I’mwhining, the navigation buttons arenot reallyintuitiveand looklike theyleadtomuchmorethanjust

changingthe odometer to the trip meter –wow

So,rev and it dothprovide speed. Acceleration is helped by the overall weight beinglower than average; at 60mph is fine,and 70 caneasilybe held, providingyou have agoodgrip. Iwouldn’t want to do mile after mile down the motorway,but afew miles is fine.Itfeels likegearing wasset up to cruiseat60-ish,though Brakes aresuperb. Single discfront and rear,but the rear disclooks proportionallylargerand feels it.The Bybrecalipers do asplendid jobfrom alllegal speeds,yet in themeleeof the citytheygaveinstantreaction and retardationbut neverfelt over-braked Nice,progressive feel at the lever, too. The suspension is asurprisinggem of this bargain bike. Thereare no soft

spring rates, no under-damping. The travel feels just rightwith135mm up frontand 100mm at the rear, givingnosituations on ourride bottomingout the forks,yet even with an 18-inchfront wheel and, er, MRF tyres(Madras Rubber Factory, apparently), steering is delightfully precise, the wide handlebars helping, butalsothe spot-onriding position whereyou areleaning slightly forward,avoidingthoselarge pothole bumpsgoingstraightup your spine.

Perhapsit’sbecause Igenerally ride old, knackeredbikes,but Iwas reallytaken abackbythe suspension. Icannot commentonthe tyres, other than Ihad no issue. Theyfeelstiff, whichgives good support, butnot so much feedback.And it wasdry,so

I’ve no ideaonwet weather grip.The pattern looksstrangely identical to Avon’sRoadriders,though The seat isn’t low. At 800mm,the shortofleg will be on tiptoes, but the seat does getnicelynarrowat the fronttohelp.For thosefortunate to be taller,itgives this ‘little’350 abig bikefeel. And it’s perfectly proportionedtothe size of the tank, width of the ‘bars, and the whole bike feels –and looks–likethe product of one person; not twocontinents and untold designers, engineers, marketingbodsand test riders… whichitultimatelywas Irodearound London in the 1990s as acourier and lovedthe excitement, the endlessracing,nocameras, and everyone hatingus, so it didn’t matter. It’s adifferentworld now, with

moretraffic,morepedestrians,more potholes and, yes, cameras.It’snot fun anymore, unless, it seems,you’re on aBSA Bantam 350. It stops when you need,itpacifies potholes,and when the lights go greenyou canbein frontevery time

The bikeiscomfortable,feels likea bigbike, steers as well as you need, and comes with afreesmile.Out in the countryside you will be best picking your routes to enjoy the Bantam the most, as longA roadswill gettedious,but find aflip-flop B-road and I’msureyou’ll find that smile again.

The largestsmile will come from that headline price: £3499 on the road. Three-yearwarrantyand tax is under £70. Servicingisevery 3000 miles,but closeservicing is an Indian

thingand it’s not expensive. And a naughty smile will comefromyour choice,asrivals arenone other than RoyalEnfield and Triumph. The Royal Enfield is just beaten by the Bantam on price,performance,and through theseeyes, looks. The Triumph is abetterbikebut is £1746 more expensiveand certainlyisn’t £1746 better

The new BSABantam 350could literallybeyourcommuter:easyto ride,starts on thebutton, frugal and cheap. Yet, when you want to take yourother pride and joy, youcan. Sounds abit likewhat old classic bikefolk alwaysgoonabout,the one everyone hadthat took them to work or two-up to the seaside…you know what wasitcalled? Oh yes, theBSA Bantam.Welcome back

For those that appreciate the charm, smell and unrivalled ambiance of aclassic motorcycle, you’ll love the road tests, tech features, interviews and archive content that’re packed into every issue of CBG. Scan the link to order yourself acopy

The original BSA Bantam

TheBSA Bantam hadalongand successful history and wasthe motorcyclethatkeptpostwar Britain on the jobinthe 1950s and 1960s.The original was not even aBSA design; it acquired the two-stroke single as reparations from theDKW factoryinGermany after the Second WorldWar and then did some work of its own, putting the kick-startand gear shift on the right. It hadthree gears. The new BSAsooneclipsed Villiersenginedrivals,becomingthe machine for the everyman to usefor work and teenagersto cuttheir two-wheeledteeth on. After the D1 wasthe more powerful 150cc D3, though the D1 stayed in production into the mid-1960s for the Post Office.The D3 wasoffered with rigid and plungerframes and then swingingarm suspension. TheD3was replacedbythe 7.5HP D5, with a175cc engine, better forks and uprated ancillaries.

Averyprettymodel followed calledthe D7, then by amore powerful D10, whichwas paired with the excitingfour-speedD10 Sports whichcame with dropped ‘bars, aflyscreen, ahigh-level exhaustand aracing seat.The D10 could alsobeordered as a useful four-speed trail bikein Bushman trim

ThepenultimateBantams were the 13bhpD14/4 Supreme and Sports models,which could reach65mph if youwere enthusiastic.The last Bantam, until now, wasthe B175 of the early1970s,whichwas about as good aBantam as it got, with seriouslyuprated engine for greaterreliability. BSAwas developingan18bhpversion, the D18, when the company folded. Thetwo-stroke Bantam hasaveryfriendly owners’ club with aracingclub offshoot,whereimpressively fastand powerful Bantams compete in trackand off-road competitions

Buyingaused…

HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE

The ‘stubby nose’Blade is on the moneyinmore ways than one...

Words: JonUrry Pics: Mortons Archive

When we first road the 2008-2011 HondaFireblade back in the day, we described it as ‘likeacomfortable pair of slippers’.While initiallythis seems aderogatorycommentabout atop-levellitresportsbike, in fact it highlights what agreat machine this generation of Bladeactuallyis. It maynot be the mostpowerful litre bikeofits day, anditlacks the pizzaz of Yamaha’s unique andheadlinegrabbingcrossplaneengine,but the Blade is such arefinedand balanced overall package, it is the bikeyou return to at the end of the dayasitjustfeels so good to ride.Likeyourcomfortable pair of slippers, youmay experimentwith alternatives,but youalwaysreturn to what youknowsuits youbest. Hondahavealwayshad an uncanny knackofmakingtheir Fireblade awonderful all-round road bike, somethingtheysoughttoimprove upon when theycompletelyrevised the model in 2008. Despitethe ‘underseat pipe’ generations (20042007) beinggenerallywell received, and packinglots of MotoGP-derived technology,theydidn’t quitecut it againstthe competition, so arethink wasrequired. And amajor one at that! Smaller,lighter and morecompact in its stylingthanbefore, the 2008-2011 BlademarkedHonda’s recognition that to be in with a shout of takinglitrebikesales glory, youneededtopushthe boat out. Whichtheydid, armingthe Blade with aclaimed 175.3bhpand 113.8Nm of torque,not to mention atop-spec chassiswith improved mass-centralisation and allthe latest bling–although no electronic assists aside from the options of C-ABSfrom 2009 onwards(whichadds 10kgtoit weight). Yetall theseimprovements were done under the mantra of ‘Total Control’,and it is this part that is most apparent when youride it andeven now, 17 yearsafter it emerged, the Blade still impresses.

Startingwith its engine,the dyno mayprove Honda’spower claims

Type: 999cc, liquid-cooled, 16v,inline four

xStroke: 76mm x55.1mm Compression: 12.3:1

Fuelling: Electronic Fuel Injection Tested Power: 162bhp @12,000rpm Tested Torque: 107Nm@ 8600rpm

Chassis

Frame: Aluminium twin spar

FSuspension: 43mm invertedforks,fullyadjustable

Rsuspension: Monoshock, fully-adjustable Front Brakes: 2xfour-pistonradial calipers, 320mm discs

Brake: Single-pistoncaliper,220mm disc

Verdict: 8/10

If you areafter an all-round litresportsbikewith an affordable price tag, the Blade is ahardact to beat It does everything extremely well with no major weak areas.

+Smooth engine, reliability, securehandling

-C-ABS is expensive to service, can feel atouch bland

ALSO CONSIDER THESE:

2009 Suzuki

GSX-R1000

Private: £4300 Dealer:£4999

The twinpipe GSX-R1000 was never the most popularmodel but it is agreat road bike with agutsy engine and relaxed riding position.

Engine: 999cc, l/c, 16v, inline four

Power: 158bhp @11,900rpm

Torque: 104Nm @9950rpm

2009 Kawasaki

ZX-10R

Private: £4500 Dealer:£5200

The last of the olde-skool Ninja models,this generation of ZX-10R blends the wildness of the original with the userfriendlinessofthe second to make agreat bike.

Engine: 998cc, l/c, 16vinline four

Power: 159bhp @12,000rpm

Torque: 101Nm @10,200rpm

2009 Yamaha YZF-R1

Private: £6000 Dealer:£7000

The first generation of crossplane R1 is abrilliant sportsbike that, although atouch lardy, has a wonderful motor and assured handling

Engine: 998cc, l/c, 16v,inline four

Tested Power: 182bhp @ 12,500rpm

Tested Torque: 115.5Nm @ 10,000rpm

slightly optimistic,but agenuine 162bhp at the rear then is still pretty damn good and when it is backedup by 107Nm oftorque it all results in a reallysuperbmotorfor road riding. Packinghugeamounts of smooth drive, the Blade’s inline four has aturbine-likequalitytoits power

deliveryand that means younever feel the need to go chasingrevsonit. Deliveringbagsofmid-range, it drives fluidlytowards the redline and while arguably not as thrillingasaNinjaZX10R or characterful as acrossplane R1, it is incrediblyeasy-going. And fast, very fast. Just becauseitdoesn’t

Also worth knowing…

Small update...

The Blade was updated in 2010, although the changes wereincredibly small and mainly aimed at helping superstock racers. Thecrank was made morerigid, the flywheel increased in size to boost inertia by 6.87%, and the rear end’slook sharpened.

Bigger update...

In 2012 the Blade received a stack of upgrades that included new 12-spoke wheels, Showa Big Piston Forks, afresh look, and an LCD dash. Under these styling mods thebarebones ofthe bike areessentially the same, but it does look better This generation remained unchanged until 2017 when the all-new Blade replaced it.

C-ABS

Honda’sCombined ABSwas an option from 2009 onwards. Notabad system for road riding, you need to ask when it last had its fluid changed. Technically,this should happen every two years, butittakes over four hours to do by a professional, andcosts close to £500! If it is left andthe fluid gets contaminated andharms the ABSunit,that’sabill of over £2000 for anew unit!

Suspension linkages

By now thesuspension linkages will be in need of astrip and regrease, so ask when it was last done. It’soften overlooked and seized linkages can be a nightmaretofreeoff

HESD

Honda Electronic Steering Damper is tucked away under the ‘fuel tank’. Generally fairly robust, it is worth checking all is working as it can be costly to replace. Thereisa test procedure that you can run (look online for guides) that will allow you to feel if it is operating properly or not.

Finish

Generally,the finish is pretty good on the Blade, butthe black exhaust heat shield can shed its paint, leading to discolouration andrust, andthe fairing is quite brittle. Look for broken lugs, especially on the seat unit.

Exhaust valve

Astandardcheck on aused bike nowadays, ensurethe exhaust valve is opening and shutting. The motor costs£500 to replace, but thereare lots of used units available online for about £50. Some owners disconnect it, which will cause afault code unless the ECUhas been reprogrammed or adongle fitted.

Fuel pump

filter

By now thereisafair chance the fuel pump’sfilter(located within the tank) will be abit blocked with debris from the fuel, so look at swapping it to ensure the bike’spower isn’trestricted. Anew filter is around £10 but you will need anew seal as well, which is another £10. It’salso worth replacing the air filterwith afree-flowing unit.

kick you in the balls,don’t make the mistakeofassuming the Bladeis lethargic,asitcan still hit closeto 180mph and its drivabilitymadeit the fastest litrebikeoveraquarter of amile when sister publication Fast Bikestesteditin2009. And this amenable nature alsohelps it when it comes to handling.

As youwould expect, the Blade isn’t quiteasagile on atrack as the Ninja, butonthe road it is far more sure-footed and just likethe 2009 R1, this nature makesitmuchmore enjoyable and easy to ride fast–both on the road and track. True, if you liketofighta litrebikethe Ninjawill getyouradrenalin flowing morebut if youwantrapid progress, the Blade is the best option. With its suspension and chassisfeeling tailored for the roadsand therefore lessharsh than sportier rivals’units, the HESD helpingstopany head shakes,the motor drivingmerrily in anygearand the new brakingset up bitinghard, goingbriskly on the Blade is ajoy

It is alsofairly comfortable,too, with asporty, yetnot ridiculous, ridingposition–although the pillion seat is far lessaccommodatingthan

previous generations of Blade. Well, what did youexpect? It’s asportsbike, after all, and compromises need to be made.Which leads us nicelyontothe Blade’s trophycabinet.

The reallyinteresting part about this generation of Firebladeishow well it did at the TT,whichisthe sternestroad-based test for any superbikeand arguably the most ‘realworld’race thereis. From 2008 until 2013, the Bladewas undefeated in the Senior TT,and it took another victoryin2015 –not to mention a stackofSuperstockTTwins. That tells youall youneedtoknowabout this model of Fireblade–itmay not have gainedany WSBsuccessbut as aroad-goingsuperbike, it is very, very,hardtobeat.

It is fairly easy to pickupa really nice (soideallynot in the horrible ‘winningred’burgundycolour) 2008 Fireblade for between£4500 and £5000. It mayhaveover20,000 miles on its clocks butaslongasthe 16,000 valve-clearance service hasbeen completed (it’s very expensive) that’s ahell of alitre sportsbikefor very little moneywith few reliabilityissues to reallyworry about. That makesita very tempting prospect indeed.

OxfordMint DegreaserAnd Bike Wash

While modern degreasers and cleanersdon’t have quitethe same effectivenessasthose that were available acouple of decades ago, they’realso nowherenearascaustic and detrimental to the environment and ourown health. Thatsaid, theseOxfordProducts are remarkably effective,ifgiven a little moretime to work

The degreaserisina spray canand needsleaving for fiveminutes or so to soak in beforerinsingoffwith cold water. Thatgot the worstofthe chain lubeand road detritus off the grimier areas– basically the undercarriage and brake dust-encrustedwheels –ofthe GSX600F at the end of its 2195mile round trip to the ends of the UK

Ithen turnedtothe handpumped Bike Wash to useon the whole of the bike. This needs the same treatment–spraying on and leavingfor fiveminutes beforeabit of agitation with a soft brush (Oxfordsuggesttheir own, Iuseda cheappaintbrush) andfollowing that with arinse down and awipeoffwith a lint-free cloth.TheBikeWash canalsobeusedina pressure washer to givea‘snow foam’and canbeboughtinlarger5-litre containerstoeither topupyour pressure washer or the 1-litre bottle shown here(thus reducing plastics usage).

The environmental considerations continue as the Bike Wash is biodegradable and not tested on animals (whichI would’vethoughtthatshould be the default position nowadays, and it shouldn’t have to be stated on labels).

The result,asgood as new! And there’salsothe bonusthatOxford givewith all of their Mint range (includingthe chainlube!) that of aminty-fresh smell!

TESTED BY:Dave Manning TIME: 12 months

WEB: www.oxfordproducts.com Price: £8.99

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Sale

BMW GS310 reg 2021, only 4000 miles, colour red and blue, superb condition, extras include top box and windscreen, £3450 or may p/x for new or newer low-mileage bike, contact evenings. Please call 01920468490

1415

BMW R1150 RS

£1,800, 2002, 116K miles, MoT,replaced telelink suspension,noleaks or issues, heated grips, adjustable front screen, nice comfortable ride, ULEZ friendly,adjustable saddle, Remus exhaust, reliable, kept inside. Please call 07903274831.

1411

BSA Bantam Gear

Change Lever splines ok, £10, Pitmans Book of the RoyalEnfield by WC Haycraft, all 4stroke, singles 1944 to 1958, slightly tatty,readable, £5 Please call 01299266565

1230

BSA Bantam Petrol Tank model D5 or D7 complete with filler cap/oil measure petrol tapchrome centre strip solid no rust inside/ outside, alas dent on left side easily repaired, £50. Please call 01268735135 1239

Ducati Indian 760 1987, £1,200, fully working and with an MoT until March 2026, comes with some spares, tyres, chain and sprockets and batteryall fine. Please call 07849640478, Burnham 1320

£5,950, 1957, metallic green withcorrect dark green frame, Ariel style brakes, new Avons, probably the best available, offered from private collection, V5C, photosavailable,free deliveryarranged. Please call 01723372219 1420

Ducati Monster

1999, M600 Dark, 24,400 miles, good runningorder, history back to new,MoT August 2026,£2400ono. Please call 07553536212 1228

Gilera Strada

1964, lovely bike, all paperwork, just had new ignition, service etc, Café Racer,chrome guards, 125cc, £1850 ovno. Please call 07591935046 1419

Classified

Greeves DB Sport

£2,600, 1960, 250cc, twin Villiers, good starter and runner,overall good condition, historic no tax or MoT required. Please call 01322275022 1423

Harley-Davidson Dyna SG 2013, 110th Anniversary Super Glidecustom, 1585cc, MoT August 2026, colour bronze, black, 10,807 miles, vgc, £8995 cash on collection. Please call 07810888956, Derbyshire 1231

Harley-Davidson PanAmerica

1250cc, reg 2021, 4000 milesonly,black and grey,extras include top box, always garaged,vgc, £9950 ormay p/xfor new/ lowmileage bike, phone evenings. Please call 01920468490 1414

HondaCB750 1975, in excellent condition, tax and MoT exempt, UK bike, 27,000 miles, good colour,genuine reason for sale, £6000 ono. Please call 07546034695 1240

HondaCG125

2001, blue, kickstart, CDI, new MoT,tyres x2,battery, brakes, verygood condition, £1100 ono. Please call 07424065312 1307

HondaNC750XDM

£4,500, 2021, 12,218 miles, full service history, bike as new condition, black, heated grips, no issues with bike, owned for three years, full set of luggage never been used, excellent bike for commuting or weekend travel, contact for photos. Please call 07890334567 1413

Kawasaki 750 Zephyr £150, 1991, frame with V5 wiring loom, 4into 1exhaust. Please call 07981367294 1308

Moped

2021, £777, ideal for starters, good condition, valid MoT,2 keys, startsand drives nicely.Please call 07741397000, Lincolnshire 1295

Moto Guzzi California

1996, 1100icc, 29,000 miles, on Sorn, MoT May2026, new leather upholstery, spot lights and much more, £3250 ovno. Please call 01205760322 1227

Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

Motorcycle Tyre unused motorcycle tyre Dunlop K82, 3.00-18 never fittedtoarim, bought in error,wrong rim size, any reasonable offer please. Also unused motorcycle tyre Mitas H.03 3.2518 Universal block tread pattern never fitted to a rim bought in error,wrong rim size, anyreasonable offer please. Pleasecall 01268735135 1233

Royal Enfield

70 reg, 12,000 miles, good condition, lots of extras, carrier,panniers, engine crash bar,choice of seats, 'N' cat, but sold with 12 months MoT,£2750 ono. Please call 07436002647 1242

Royal Enfield 4T Turbo

Silencers

Triumph Thunderbird pair original factorypeashooter silencers, rear section excellent condition, off lowmileage bike, no rust corrosion, undamaged, £500 collection only New chrome sprocket cover boxed, £300 plus £7 postage. Please call 07434513161 1232

Triumph 1200

£1,500, 1991, earlyTriumph 95% finished no room or time to finish, contact for more info usual box of extra bits, carbs, tank etc. Please call 07934561576 1424

controls etc, Boyer ignition, manyreceipts,previous MoTs, photos, V5C, stunning showwinner this year, delivered free.Please call 01723372219 1237

Triumph Thunderbird £5,000, 1966, Dreg, full engine restoration, 300 miles, presently all receipts of rebuild, superb condition, runs beautifully.Please call 07883077061 1422

Triumph Thunderbird 900

Peashooter silencers rear sections, newboxed, no longer available from Triumph, immaculate condition, original packaging, fits95onwards, also fits Legend, £850 collection only.Please call 07434513161 1416

Honda CB360 1974, £3,000, 1974, mint just had major service 11,300 miles, original hand book and workshop manual, rides perfectyou will not be disappointed, contact for details. Please call 01443226706 1309

HondaRebel

2018, £4,150, 2018, excellent condition, like new,red tank, full MoT, service history, 6250 comfortablemiles, two panniers and top box. Please call 01366383941 1226

£1,950, 2010, screen rear rack, top box,engine bars, new battery, newstarter motor,tested till October 2026, 16,000 miles,good tyres, reasonable condition, ideal winter bike, manuals. Please call 01302 340181 1418

Motolug Trailer Motolugcollapsible single motorcycle trailer, dismantles quickly without tools, ideal for storage/ transporting in asmall van, estate caretc, built in loading ramp, lights number board, no longer used, £450. Please call 01268735135 1238

1967,new pistons, new clutch, runs, rides, readyfor restoration, engine bearings rumbling, buff log book, V5, looking for£1600, buyer collects Tamworth, Staffs. Please call 07949168179 1412

SYM 125 2010, mintcondition, 8 months MoT,only 3500km, only used on sunnydays. Please call 07778742954 1243

Triumph Bonneville 2017 onwards,black leatherCaféRacerseat, Triumph printed on the back hump,asnew condition, only used twice cost, £200, bargain £90. Please call 07505003737 1236

Triumph Speed Twin 1961, £5,950, 1961, immaculate, black/cream paintwork, matching numbers, new Devon rims/ sprockets, tyres, seat,

Vetter Windjammer Fairing black with headlight, indicators, horns, lower panels, wiring connectors, verygood condition with mounting frame, needs bead blasting andpainting, glove compartments, locking and presstops, £250 collection only.Please call 07434513161 1235

Yamaha XS-750SE 1979,goodrunner, US import, 16,500 miles, Cruiser bike, stepped seat, handle bars, lotstainless fasteners, 3discs electronic ignition, braided hoses, valuable Porsche sports car number F1350 or offers. Please call 01708782364 1234