Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

How do you feel about electric rider aids on motorcycles? They seem to divide the riding public pretty neatly into those who see the benefits and those who don’t. I’m firmly in the pro-electronics camp. Although I enjoy riding on green lanes on my Su

A bike journalist for more than 30 years, Roland has contributed to countless publications worldwide and authored a dozen books on bikes. He has tested machines ranging from Rossi’s YZR-M1 to a 1923 Douglas, but still can’t decide which type of bike

£639.99 | www.nevis.uk.com Richa has just unveiled its new, top-end textile jacket for 2019. Called the Arc GTX, it’s a high-end, laminated Gore-Tex jacket which comes with a specification to rival some of the biggest players in the textile motorc

Almost a year ago, maybe before the Royal Enfield Himalayan (at long last) reached dealer floors in the US and UK, we began hearing about the company’s new 650 twins. There will be two models, we heard, one sportier than the other, mostly in the posi

1979 The prototype Katana – Target Design’s ED-2 – debuts at the Cologne Show to much rejoicing. Suzuki decide to put it (and the smaller ED-1) into production 1980 Production GSX1100SZ is unveiled at Cologne Show 1981 The Suzuki GSX1100S-Z Katan

Fresh patents from Honda show the touring behemoth equipped with a pair of cameras in the front fairing that will enable the bike’s safety automation to take over if it senses a collision. Safety systems based on avoiding a collision with a vehicle o

The naked CB500F (the overall best-selling CB model in Europe) is potentially the least interesting of the three CBs. But it’s also, possibly, the best because it cherry-picks the handling dynamic of the sporty CBR600R, with 17in wheels and conventio

I have noticed for some time that dependant on the type of bike being tested, the tester is dressed in jeans, jacket, open face helmet, and fashion boots. I don’t understand why they feel the need to wear less protective gear just because they are ri

Guess which genius wrote this: “So while it’s crazy to write any of them off, the sicknote list puts Repsol Honda’s ‘dream team’ on the back foot at the start of the season.” Regular readers will note it was yours truly, a month ago, on the eve of th

As with the previous Multistrada 950, there are four Accessory Packs listed for the 950 S: the Touring Pack (£907, with panniers, heated grips, centre stand), a Sport Pack (£1084, with Termignoni end can, aluminium water pump cover, LED indicators),

Spring is round the corner with longer, warmer days, and even the hardy, all-weather riders have a deranged glint in their eyes. Bikes will be coming out of storage and checked over. Batteries are taken off the maintenance chargers, fuel caps removed

Arriving in Angola, I had no idea what to expect. An oil-rich country must have good roads, I thought. I wasn’t wrong, but nothing could have prepared me for how strange this leg was going to be. After sleeping in the port of Soyo, I woke to the soun

MSL Editor Mikko has a two-tier approach to carrying photo kit: “These days the cameras on most smartphones are so good that you can’t even tell whether a photo was taken on a proper camera or a phone. I always carry my phone around with me, so if s

The question to ask at the end of all of this is how much any of it matters, if at all. Well, it matters if you’re keen to do a specific task, of course. Attempting to take on the Scottish Six-Day Trials with a Honda Gold Wing would be ill-advised, f

What: World’s biggest classic motorcycle show When: April 27-28 Where: Stafford County Showground, Weston Rd, Stafford ST18 0BD The Isle of Man TT races were first staged in 1907, but the milestone 100th meeting will only be marked later this year

Deep breath, kids, it only gets more and more confusing from here on. Though, it starts out simple enough. A naked motorcycle is one that doesn’t have weather protection. It is common to say a naked doesn’t have fairing, but almost all modern bikes h

You can’t change the law of physics and there’s no denying the Africa Twin is a big, heavy bike seemingly unsuited to the rigours of off-roading – until you ride it. The Honda is a remarkable bit of kit, and within just a couple of hours you’ll be do

Custom motorcycles are bespoke items riders build themselves or pay a professional to create. More often than not, customs use a naked as the starting point. There are dozens of styles/movements, most having roots in the desire to make an existing bi

Jon Murray bought his 750-mile, four-month old R1200RS Sport SE in 2015. He’s done 11,000 miles on it since, and very much rates it. “I’m a big BMW fan. Whatever anyone thinks of the bikes, nobody can argue with the customer service. For me, nothing

With a mind programmed from 42 years of riding experience on only two wheels, quite understandably it’s still taking me time to feel fully at home when rounding corners quickly on the Niken. But with more miles comes more familiarity, and slowly but

2010-current, 1237cc, 76°V4, 170bhp, 267kg Launched to restore the reputation of the VFR brand, the 1200 failed to win hearts. Virtues of its excellent engine, fine handling, and top build quality and finish are spoilt by excess weight, questionable

Garry Mackay of BMW dealer Wollaston BMW in Northampton has plenty of experience of dealing with R1200RS models. “They’re massively popular, and we do brilliantly with them. They’re an excellent trade-in bike for us. The Sport SE is easily the most p

T hose tireless early enterprisers Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach gave Germany a big head start in both internal combustion and the motorcycle in 1885 by building and testing their ‘Standuhr’ – a clumsy test ‘mule’. It was a wood-framed two-whe

The R1200RS is an almost perfect used buy in that there are plenty around, they have an excellent reputation, and are usually owned by conscientious riders. You’ll have to pay for what you get as residual values are good, but over the longer term it’