When word got out about the RS 660, we were all pretty gosh darn excited. We rode the RS last year and, despite not being able to firmly place it in a particular motorcycle genre, were pretty impressed with its peachy little engine, the way it handled and its space-age tech. That said, the...
When you’ve sold as many Monsters as Ducati have – more than 350,000 – you know you’re onto a winner. But whilst the Monster 1200 always seemed to be exactly what it said on the tin (a Monster), its smaller sibling, the Monster 900 never seemed quite as monstrous as I’d have liked….
BMW has finally given the S 1000 R a long-overdue update; it’s 5.1kg lighter, it’s got a new chassis and yes, before you ask, it does include the newer spec S 1000 RR based engine… sort of. Ok, it’s not in the same 200bhp+ state of tune and you don’t get shifting cams, but essentially, it’s…
IOM TT racing comes with some inherent risks, and we all know what they are. Unfortunately, those ‘inherent’ risks are one of the things that make the event such a spectacle. In fact, it would be nearly impossible to mitigate those risks to any real degree, without also diluting... Read more
We learnt a few months ago that the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR was not going to be the ‘Daytona Superbike’ that everyone wanted it to be. No, rather than a superbike, it’s more of a premium spec super-naked, in café racer clothing. So to see if the ride... Read more
Some people get a watch when they retire. Not Vale. He’s probably already got a cupboard full of watches. No, Yamaha were never going to get away with that. Instead, to celebrate the years and years the nine-time world champ spent at the pinnacle of the sport, and the... Read more
Just when we thought the Panigale V4 couldn’t get any better, Ducati drop this bombshell; ‘the most significant evolutionary step’ since the V4 was first released in 2018. They’re telling us it’s better on track, less tiring to ride, and generally better in every way. Aerodynamics, ergonomics, engine, chassis... Read more
Before the internet came along and I couldn’t get my daily fix of bikes and breasts online, you’d quite often find me with my head in a magazine. If I wasn’t pulling out the centrefolds for masturbatory purposes, I was ogling over the latest and greatest superbikes; dreaming of... Read more
Bognor Regis in Bloom, Hull City of Culture, best city for this, best city for that. These days, you can’t move for intercity league tables and town tenders to hold next years annual Crufts meeting. And I’m sick of it. Nothing could be more boring, could it? That’s why... Read more
A 200hp, supercharged touring bike was always going to get my vote. But now, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX isn’t just a 200hp supercharged touring bike, it is the most comprehensively specified sport-tourer ever created. Or so say Kawasaki. And they’re probably not far wrong, because now, as well... Read more
The 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT doesn’t move across the earth, it simply spins the earth beneath it. That’s according to KTM anyway, although I’m not sure Professor Brian Cox would agree. But who cares what he thinks? We know it’s a right banger. And it’s even more... Read more
I thought we would see a ‘Factory’ version of the Aprilia RS 660 before the Tuono 660 Factory was announced, but I was wrong (again). Because just this morning, Aprilia announced this, the new baby Tuono. And it’s lighter, more powerful, even more sophisticated and, well, just a little... Read more
If you were a fan of the Paris-Dakar Rally in the olden days, you might remember the Cagiva Elefant. You might also remember its Lucky Explorer livery. MV Agusta can remember it, and now, since they are part of the same company (or group of companies) as Cagiva, their... Read more
2022 was always going to be a special year for Honda and the Fireblade brand. That’s because it’s 30 years since the first ones started appearing in showrooms. Since 1992 the Fireblade has seen umpteen iterations; some world-beating, others not quite, but they’ve all enjoyed their fair share of... Read more
A couple of weeks ago, Yamaha announced that the MT-10 has had a fairly heavy going over with more top-end power as well as extra mid-range boost; all thanks to a whole host of engine updates. The standard MT-10 is faster, sharper and tech-ier. As is the 2022 Yamaha... Read more
