Table of contents for 15 October 2025 in MCN

‘Factories have to tame all that performance’ SUPERBIKE SHOOTOUT, P33 NEW METAL Honda CB1000F hits UK After years of waiting, Honda have finally confirmed the 80s-inspired retro CB1000F will be arriving in the UK, and at an alluring price of £10,599. The new CBF is based on the brilliant Hornet platform, featuring the same Fireblade-derived motor, but in this guise retuned for more laid-back, low-end grunt. Honda claim 122bhp peak power, with 76lb.ft chiming in at 8000rpm. PAGE 33 NEW METAL Fast orange With production back in full swing at KTM’s Austrian plant, the next 2025 model set to make its long-awaited arrival is the firm’s 990 RC R sportsbike. KTM have finally confirmed the full spec for the parallel-twin middleweight sports machine, as well as a UK price of £13,499.…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer TOP STORY Honda have lifted the lid on their long-awaited CB1000F naked production bike, revealing that the new model will hit UK dealerships in February 2026, priced at £10,599. Based on the CB1000 Hornet platform – MCN’s reigning Bike of the Year and Naked of the Year – the CB1000F shares the majority of its core components with the existing road-biased super-naked, but retunes the package for more laid-back use. Honda first teased the bike five-years-ago at the 2020 Osaka Motorcycle Show as a CB-F Concept, before revealing a production-ready design at the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race earlier this year alongside a bikini-faired SE version. Now, 65 years after the original CB92 Benly broke cover (the…

Spanish electric motorcycle firm, Stark Future have launched their long-awaited SM model – said to feature the best power-to-weight ratio of any production supermoto. Prices start at £10,900 for the 59.2bhp Standard model and rise to £11,900 for the full-capacity 79bhp Alpha. It tips the scales at a claimed 124.5kg, with a monster 674.5lb.ft of torque available at the rear wheel – massively more than petrol-powered equivalents such as the updated KTM 690 SMCR single. Power delivery, engine braking, and battery regeneration levels can all be configured to rider preferences via the signature Arkenstone colour display, with the bike designed to be ridden on both the road and track. Power comes via a 7.2kWh honeycomb magnesium battery, which acts as a stressed member within the steel chassis. This works alongside…

We’ve teamed up with the organisers of this year’s MCL at the NEC in Birmingham to give away a pair of tickets every week between now and midnight on November 7. The giveaway is free, with winners picked at random. All you need to do is visit motorcyclenews.com/winmcl25/ and fill out your name and email address. Running from November 15-23, MCL is the UK’s premier new bike show, featuring famous faces, live entertainment, test rides, and even a special 70th anniversary MCN celebration – featuring the seven most pivotal motorcycle models of the last seven decades. ‘We’ll give away a pair of tickets every week’ Plus Suzuki will mark 40 years of the GSX-R – including a first UK appearance for the latest GSX-R1000R, set to re-enter the European market…

‘Hunting down a used GS homage’ I’ve just got back from blatting around on the new BMW R12 G/S, which was absolutely brilliant fun. I’ve always loved the R nineT range and the R12 models are basically the same but with a different name, styling and tech updates. But as much as I loved the G/S, one thing really stuck in my throat about it: the price! The R12 G/S I rode had the Option 719 II box ticked, which gave it more rugged off-road wheels and tyres (utterly pointless…) as well as the beautiful matt ‘Sandrover’ paint and red frame. I can’t even start to describe how wonderful this paint option made the bike look – but there is a catch, it’s a £2100 extra. In fact, the bike…

A race-winning 1199 Panigale R, ridden by Marco Melandri in World Superbikes will go under the gavel at this November’s NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham. Run as part of the factory-supported Ducati team alongside Chaz Davies, the bike took two wins and two pole positions across the season, with Melandri finishing fifth overall in the standings. Across 25 races, the bike carried the Italian rider to the podium 10 times, with the factory switching to the four-cylinder Panigale V4 R the following year. Expected to fetch between £60,000 and £80,000, the bike has been maintained as part of a large private collection and comes in running order, ready for your choice of trackdays or parades. In fact, it was ridden up the Goodwood hill climb at this year’s Festival…

Furygan Spectre D30 £49.90 This Level 2 armour is pre-shaped and injection moulded into a lattice design, making it as lightweight and comfortable as possible. The non-Newtonian nature of the polymer D30 means that it remains flexible under normal conditions and protective on impact. Furygan claim the Spectre armour is so comfortable that you barely know it is there until it is needed. www.furygan.com Oxford Hotgrips Pro 2.0 £199.99 An updated version of the popular Hotgrips, the Pro 2.0 features two new heat settings, which now brings the temperature range from 35°C to 55°C. Featuring an auto-dimming LED heat indicator, reactive temperature control, and a battery-saving voltage sensor, these grips are packed with advanced features. www.oxfordproducts.com MTR S-4 £46.74 You’ll be hard pressed to find an ECE 22.06 helmet with…

Q ‘Is the law on my side?’ In April I was knocked off my Vespa when a car changed lanes without indicating. I had multiple soft tissue injuries from which I have now recovered. The car driver’s insurer has accepted liability, but say they will only offer me 75% of my injury compensation. They are arguing that I was negligent because I wasn’t wearing a protective jacket and trousers. They state that had I been, then I would not have been as badly hurt. Is this correct from a legal perspective? Helen, Swansea A No, it is not correct in law. Motorcyclists are legally required to wear a helmet. There is no law requiring bikers to wear protective clothing such as jackets or trousers. The Highway Code advises that “strong…

THE DETAILS Open Sun-Thurs 9am-3pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm Find out more / Facebook: CTL Motor Company Cirencester GL7 5DT Although the Cotswolds make for great riding, biker cafés in this quaint corner of the UK are few and far between. Race-mad Les Saunders along with wife Michelle noticed this trend and decided to open a dealership brimmed with classics, which of course had to have a café, too. In fact, some regulars reckon the place is like a mini Ace Café. “Some people call it a showroom, and some people think it’s a museum,” says Michelle, “but pretty much everything you see is for sale. People have come in for a coffee and left with a £3000 bike.” Amy Perks is responsible for the café, and husband Tom runs the dealership.…

THE UK’S HOTTEST RIDES MCN staffers share their favourite short routes Start the day by booking onto the Penderyn Distillery tour, where you can pick out your preferred tipple for the evening after completing this mountain loop. Setting off from the distillery, heading south on the A4059 you leave Penderyn heading onto the Rhigos Road – the A4061. Taking in each turn and viewpoint from the edge of the Brecons, you pass the Zip World Tower should you want a higher look. Hustling through Treorchy, you exit the town for the A4107 Bwlch Mountain pass, a tight grouping of hairpins. Cutting across Afan forest park, you drop into Neath where you can find plenty of stops for fuel or a brew. The road less travelled is on the agenda for…

JOIN THE MCN PIT STOP BREW CREW www.motorcyclenews.com/pit-stop ‘What about the rest of us?’ GORDON HAROLD Thought I'd drop in to see what the craic is… and here I am! Gordon went to Gordon! ‘Blood, sweat and miles’ PETER CHISHOLM Had an extra day off today as a blood test was at an inconvenient hour. Had time for a couple of hours rumbling about Ayrshire in nice weather. ‘New Pit Stop?’ LEN POTTS Rookhope Kitchen in the heart of the Durham dales. ‘There’s nothing like family’ GRAZ SMILE Just arrived in Luxembourg on my Honda CL500, with my son on his Yamaha XSR125 Legacy. As of today, we just clocked 5064 miles so far and 16 countries. ‘Can’t park there, mate’ PHIL BOYES The winter liner went back in the…

‘From trail to twisties’ The Husqvarna 701 Enduro is astonishingly capable. It’s punchy, powerful and, in the right hands, will demolish the roughest of trails at a class-leading level. For us mere mortals though, it has the manners, balance and prowess for confidence-building treks. The electronic rider aids, and in particular the adjustability offered by those accessed via the Rally Pack, provide a helping hand that’s so unobtrusive it does nothing but flatter. It’s got the legs to do distance work on tarmac, and will make you smile through the twisties, so strap on some luggage and you’ve got a true go-anywhere adventurer. THE FACTS £10,499 Husqvarna 701 Enduro…

‘Blade’s a cut above’ BMW and Ducati have taken turns to win MCN superbike shootouts over the years, but with today’s test focusing more on road performance than track, the Honda takes top spot. Its performance and handling have never been in question since its major 2020 overhaul, but now, with more real-world grunt, shorter gearing, a slightly roomier riding position, and an angrier soundtrack, it’s the most fun to ride at normal speeds. Unlike its rivals, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP never gives you the sense that the electronics are doing more than you – even when they are. It’s blisteringly fast at Cadwell, but it would shine even brighter with shorter gearing and sharper brakes. The BMW is a joy in the real world, too, with power spilling…

‘It really is a class act’ Maeving’s new RM2 moves the British firm’s electric bike story on with pillion provision and slightly more purposeful ergonomics to suit sportier riders. But it’s still the battery bike MCN has come to know and love, loaded with impressive build quality and attention to detail. It’s expensive for a 125cc petrol equivalent, but for a machine that will wow you every time you open the garage door, it’s worth it. It’s also light, easy to ride, quiet, smooth, swift, and plush. Thanks to some impressive Maeving know-how, it’s as much fun to ride out of town as it is in town. It’s so well sorted, we’d take electric over petrol power for a short daily commute all day long. It’s cheap to run, especially…

THE FACTS ‘The Elefant was to adventure bikes what Honda’s RC30 was to superbikes’ Although Cagiva are no more, 35 years ago, the brand launched by Castiglioni brothers Claudio and Gianfranco seemed on the brink of domination - with one of the firm’s highlights being the Cagiva Elefant 900ie ‘Lucky Explorer’. For it is the Lucky Explorer which not only won that year’s Dakar Rally but, in replica production trim, triumphed again in 1994. And it is the Ducati-powered Explorer which also remains as one of the most exotic ‘adventure’ bikes ever produced, so much so it inspired not one but two reincarnations – the 2022 Ducati DesertX and the 2024 MV Agusta LXP Enduro Veloce. Not bad for a brand born out of the remains of Aermacchi which then…

A Ducati Monster 797 recently graced Lamo’s Motorcycles for a routine service, but upon peeling back the airbox lid, the workshop’s technicians were greeted with what can only be described as an unexpected sight. Instead of the usual dirty air filter, what the technicians saw was an airbox full of rice. The culprit? A mouse that had been busily stockpiling its culinary hoard. Victoria Hammersley, who works at the Pembrokeshire dealership, recalls: “It was occasionally idling high. As it turns out, the reason was that some of that rice had got past the air filter and found its way into the throttle valves. “Every now and again, a bit would probably drop in and lodge itself for a while,” she explained. “The fix was clearing out the rice and replacing…

Braking challenges Paddock Hill Bend is the first major test of the lap. Riders crest the hill at high speed before braking hard into this blind downhill right-hander. The steep descent requires precise braking control to maintain stability and hit the apex cleanly while setting up for the climb to Druids. Druids itself demands heavy uphill braking into a tight 180-degree turn, where riders must modulate their brakes to avoid locking up while ensuring a strong exit down into Graham Hill Bend. The wider GP circuit effectively comes down to just four key corners. Two are attacking corners – Hawthorn and Stirlings – where riders can really push. The other two – Sheene and Westfield – are blind, rising turns that flatten out mid-corner. Both demand careful mid-corner control, because…

MICHAEL SCOTT Inside the racing paddock for over 35 years As an accolade for sporting greatness, the acronym GOAT lacks a certain dignity, calling to mind as it does a pungent ungulate with satanically cloven hooves. It’s also a bit of a nonsense. Until we can get all the GOATs of past and present to line up on equal machinery … until we can actually see Hailwood cut underneath Marquez, Agostini outmanoeuvre Doohan, or Kenny Roberts Snr go round the outside of Rossi …. there can be no such thing as an indisputable GOAT. We’ve seen Marc beating Rossi. But he still has fewer race wins. Then again (here’s the trouble with stats), should Marc carry on as he has done, he’ll eclipse Vale’s all-classes total of 115, and MotoGP…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer GREG HAINES INSIGHT Going behind the headlines in the WSBK paddock TOP STORY For the third year in succession, the World Superbike Championship will be decided in a Spanish showdown at Jerez this weekend. The past two seasons have seen the honours heading the way of Ducati and BMW, with first Alvaro Bautista and then Toprak Razgatlioglu. For the outcome of Season 38, we’re going to witness one of either two things: the Turk becoming only the fourth rider in history to claim three world titles or Bulega becoming the 20th different World Superbike Champion. Last weekend in Estoril proved yet again that things can turn on their head literally – race by race. Once Friday practice met its…

It was like pea soup here in Peterborough over the weekend – talk about foggy. As the last few days of British Summer Time count down, autumnal conditions have well and truly made themselves felt, which is why it was impressive to hear about the masses of riders who braved the recent Storm Amy to pay their respects to the fallen at this year’s Ride to the Wall. Travelling from near and far, thousands made the journey to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, it just goes to show that a bit of inclement weather won’t stop us, especially when it’s for an important cause. Another two riders who might have to brave a bit of wet ‘n’ windy weather for the greater good are Kyle Ryde and Brad Ray,…

Cologne Show special Shakey plans BSB return BMW K1600s to stay NEW BIKE SEASON IS GO The October 13, 2010, issue of MCN was a bumper new bikes special, with reporters on the ground at the Cologne Show in Germany. Known as Intermot, the event used to share the new bike spoils with the EICMA show in Milan but has become a far smaller event following Covid-19. 2010 was a blockbuster with mountains of new metal revealed including a radically revised Suzuki GSX-R600 and 750. The duo received a hefty weight reduction. Styling was similar to before, but brakes and suspension also had a rethink. Sadly, neither can be purchased in Europe anymore, but the 750 remains an MCN favourite. Six of the best BMW’s then General Director, Hendrick Von…

Always check the labels If you buy motorcycle clothing from a UK-based retailer – even a smaller one selling its own brand – it will generally be legitimate, tested, and certified. There are still exceptions though, mostly involving traders selling through social media. One MCN reader recently contacted me about such a company after checking advice I’d given in a previous issue. It wasn’t a new name to me; I first reported it to Trading Standards in October 2021. The reader had bought a textile jacket to wear over their certified riding shirt but was dismayed to find that it lacked the statutory ISO 7000-2618 black and white pictogram for motorcyclists’ clothing. Despite this, the seller claimed ‘extra safety’ through materials and ‘twin density foam armour’ without mentioning any relevant…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer WHAT’S NEW IN TECH Every time you change your motorcycle tyres, chances are you have the same conversation about bedding them in - going steady in order to remove that slippery outer coating and prevent unwanted and potentially expensive tumbles. It’s a scenario I personally know all too well - having embarrassingly slipped off my boss’s Suzuki Katana a few years back just outside my own front door, having had a new set of hoops installed on the driveway the previous day following a puncture. It’s a slip up I hope to never replicate… Generally speaking, it’s a scenario that all bikers want to avoid and, in a bid to help riders through this awkward phase of tyre…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com THE WORLD’S WARMEST BASELAYER R www.zerofit.co.uk…

Send your trips to yourpics@motorcyclenews.com Reader Peter Jennings The ride/destination Haddington, Scotland to Nordkapp, Norway When to do it Summer Tell us about the trip I wanted to go round the Arctic Circle, which is unrealistic, but I thought I could at least cross it in three countries and hit Nordkapp while I was about it. After the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry, I spent a night each camping in The Netherlands and Germany, then onto Maribo on the fabulous island of Lolland in Denmark. Over the bridge to Sweden for mid-summer’s eve, which is a big celebration over there. Into Norway passing ski centres still open on the way to Geiranger. The final portion of the famous Geiranger-Trollstigan scenic route didn’t reopen until later in July, so had to double back and…

GET PROTECTED WITH MCN – AT MCNCOMPARE.COM THE HOTTEST BIKES EVERY WEEK £23,699 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP 999cc liquid-cooled inline four DOHC 16v 215bhp/78lb.ft 201kg kerb weight £19,330 BMW S1000RR Sport 999cc liquid-cooled inline four DOHC 16v 207bhp/83lb.ft 198kg kerb weight £29,995 Ducati Panigale V4 S 1103cc liquid-cooled V4 DOHC 16v 213bhp/83lb.ft 187kg wet weight As superbikes have become ever more powerful and loaded with technology, we’ve come to view them more as track-only weapons. It’s all BMW’s fault. They started the crazy 200bhp race with their 2010 S1000RR, and there’s no going back. That said, superbikes still come with lights, indicators, mirrors, and number plates. They’re still produced as machines for riders to enjoy just as much on their favourite Sunday morning B-road blast as around a circuit. They…

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFFERS Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer ‘Just like BSB the ARRC is a huge deal for manufacturers’ Keep an eye out! If you’ve never watched it for yourself, it’s one to add to the bucket list. Failing that, high-quality broadcasts of every round can be found on the AsiaRoadRacing YouTube channel. When it comes to production-based motorcycle racing in the UK and the western world, we’ve become accustomed to litre-capacity superbikes at the top, supersport screamers in the middle and a flurry of ever-evolving support classes lurking around the edges. It’s a recipe that’s stood for decades, with riders progressing from smaller capacity machinery such as the current British Talent Cup, and National Sportbike Championship - through to bigger, more powerful bruisers before advancing to…

RATINGS Exceptional Very good Good Average Poor 5 months ON TEST ‘As good as it gets for jeans’ Tested by Robin Kirkley for 3000 miles AAA CE certification and Level 2 armour have made these jeans the ones I reach for first whether I am just nipping down the road or embarking on a full day in the saddle. Having done more than 3000 miles in them over the last five months, I’m convinced they are as good as it gets when it comes to denim-style riding gear. Impressively, they’ve managed to meet the requirement for the highest level of certification with a single layer of material. So even though the protective Kevlar fibres are woven in with the cotton – as well as Cordura and Lycra – the jeans…

When it comes to enhancing a bike’s overall aesthetic, there are few things that stand out more than a freshly painted engine. You can bring an old barn-find back to its factory-fresh glory, or polish parts to a mirror finish and protect them with a lacquer coat. Or, as we’ve done here, you can give a wellused engine some much-needed protection after years of exposure to road salt and muddy trails. Before you reach for that rattle-can, make sure you're fully prepared: You're going to practically dismantle your entire bike and put it back together again (and probably learn a lot in the process), so make sure you’ve got a workshop manual ready. Then you need the right tools to hand for the pre-paint prep and the spray job itself:…

SCAN THE QR CODE AND VOTE NOW! www.motorcyclenews.com/vote/ JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Revealing our expert-picked awards shortlist Racing’s greatest names have been honoured with the MCN Rider of the Year title over the years and now it’s your turn to vote for the 2025 winner ahead of a reveal at MCL at the NEC from November 15-23. Scan the QR code (top right) to cast your vote. 1 Michael Dunlop: 33-time TT winner Dunlop’s first North West 200 wins in eight years were followed by four more successes at the TT. Doubles in the Supersport and Supertwin categories moved Dunlop onto 33 career wins. The Northern Irishman received an MBE before doing the double in his first Tandagree 100 appearance since 2013. 2 Dean Harrison: TT double winner Harrison secured Honda’s first…

JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Looking ahead to the 2026 BSB championship Ryan Vickers has been thrown a lifeline with a return to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship next season after joining Honda Racing UK. Vickers left at the end of 2024 after securing a dream move to WorldSBK onboard a Ducati V4 R with Motocorsa Racing. However, despite impressing many, and having a two-year deal, Vickers found himself without a ride for 2026 due to the team’s financial issues. Vickers will be replaced by a rider who is bringing in funds. “It’s extremely unexpected,” Vickers told MCN. “They’re happy with my progress and they can see a big improvement in me being able to learn and adapt, but there are things you can’t control in racing. “The team don’t have the budget…

Stefano Manzi claimed the World Supersport title with an emphatic Sunday victory, the 26-year-old Italian having celebrated 10 wins from 22 races. It is the 12th World Supersport crown for Ten Kate Racing. Dominique Aegerter is set to return in a two-rider Kawasaki team alongside Alberto Surra, while Can Oncu could switch to Ten Kate. Josh Whatley was 21st and 22nd on his MV Agusta debut. Four-way fight in Supersport 300 Kawasaki claimed their seventh Manufacturers’ title from nine seasons before Supersport 300 is replaced by World SportBike next year. The champion will be crowned this weekend in a shootout between Beñat Fernandez (109 Kove), Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki), David Salvador (Prodina Kawasaki) and Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha). Chloe in with a shot at victory Following another rapid…

JOHN McGUINNESS TT Legend John McGuinness MBE in MCN every week I raced at Darley Moor at the weekend at the Stars of Darley – one I do every year. The first time I rode there was in 1991 on my Kawasaki KR-1S; the drive into the circuit is the same and the concrete where you park is identical, which is testament to that concrete! The track has been re-surfaced in places, but the only real difference is the toilet now has a roof, so you don’t get wet when you have a poo! The first time I raced the Stars of Darley was in 1998. I was riding the 500cc Honda V-twin two-stroke, Michael Rutter won it on a Honda RC45. Ian Simpson, who was Rutter’s teammate on another…

Husqvarna have unveiled their 2026 Pro enduro line-up, consisting of the TE 300 Pro and FE 350 Pro. Both gain tweaked WP suspension, new polished springs, a new pressure reservoir, and a one-piece hydrostop, plus updates to the compression and rebound settings. The 300 arrives from November priced at £11,749, with the 350 version following next January at £12,049. BMW Norwich showroom opens A new BMW Motorrad showroom has opened its doors at Group 1 Norwich – currently sharing the showroom floor with both BMW cars and Minis, with a purpose built premises expected to be ready by Spring 2026. With a demo fleet and test rides available, the venue becomes Group 1’s second BMW motorcycle showroom – with a separate site already up and running in Brighton. Tomorrow’s racing…

SAVE £3701 £19,994 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R The Rocket 3 is excess incarnate and with almost four grand off, this one is a bargain – its truck-sized motor churns out torque by the tonne in any gear. It’s surprisingly agile too, despite that imposing weight figure. This being the R version of the 2.5 litre bruiser, you get a little extra sportiness, but it’s still all-day comfortable. bikes.fowlers.co.uk £14,695 Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE SAVE £1880 Kawasaki’s Versys is a no-nonsense tall rounder, offering plentiful touring performance, excellent comfort and proven reliability. www.cobbandjagger.co.uk • Engine 1099cc • Power 133bhp • Weight 257kg • Seat height 840mm £6999 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom SAVE £1400 Suzuki’s ‘Wee’ Strom has been around forever and it may have been superseded by the 800, but the…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer More than 10,000 people battled the winds of Storm Amy and descended on the National Memorial Arboretum for the annual Ride to the Wall (RTTW) last weekend. Now in its 18th year, the event sees motorcyclists gather to honour the 16,000+ military personnel who have lost their lives since the Second World War, and whose names are remembered on the Armed Forces Memorial wall. “I got interviewed by GB News, and weirdly, because I’ve been doing it for 18 years, it becomes a bit normal,” says RTTW organiser Martin Dickinson. “But there is a moment every year where it hits me. This year it was when I rode in, and emotion washed over me.” This year, singers from…

LOOKING FOR GREAT BIKE KIT DEALS? Oxford Rainseal all-weather oversuit £29.99 Make your winter commute a breeze Commuting through the winter on a bike is not for the faint of heart. It’s a time when the kit that has served you well through the summer can suddenly and inconveniently show its age, leaving you soggy and chattering with cold long before you make it to your destination. Well, rest assured, whether you have already been rudely awakened by a less-than-waterproof jacket or know that your oversuit has been left mouldering in the deep recesses of the garage, we’ve put together a list of some of the best deals to level up your daily ride. No commuter’s toolkit is complete without a waterproof one-piece. This fluorescent yellow masterpiece from Oxford folds…

mcn.letters@motorcyclenews.com motorcyclenews motorcyclenews MCNnews RTTW ’25 ride was a wonder A huge thank you to all the organisers and volunteers who made the annual Ride to the Wall possible this year despite storm Amy! It was the first time I've been and as a veteran with colleagues’ names on the wall, I found the day emotional but also warming to see so much camaraderie. It was very moving to see all those who turned out by the side of the road and on the bridges to wave to us. Thank you also to the men and women who run and care for the National Memorial Arboretum. It really is a wonderful place and well worth a visit if you haven’t been. The weekend was all the better for meeting up…

‘What would you do if your lottery numbers came up this evening?’ I’ve been incredibly busy this month, although most of it has consisted of dealing with a very hectic workshop! The last time we spoke, I had just been to Mugello on my superstock Fireblade, and I’d had a cracking time seeing so many of you at MCN’s 70th birthday bash at the National Motorcycle Museum. It’s a bit different this month, as I’m chatting to you after a day of replacing fork seals on a ‘well used’ Kawasaki, changing tyres on scooters and wrestling a mousse – an enduro tyre that is, not the animal or dessert. But there is more to life than that, and I’ve been thinking about the things I’d really like to do –…

1 October 19 ’Normous Newark Autojumble Don’t fret. It’s not too late to grab yourself a bargain in 2025! The ’Normous Newark Autojumble is back this Sunday with earlybirds welcome from 8am for £10 and general admission from 10am for £7 – and even cheaper if you book your tickets beforehand. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 2 October 17 & 20 MSV trackdays The nights are drawing in and the weather is turning autumnal, but there is still time to get out on track. MSV have a handful of trackdays before the year is out, including Cadwell and Donington this week. Prices start from £89, so go and have a blast before the winter blues sink in. bike.msvtrackdays.com 3 October 17-19 British Superbikes The Showdown finale is taking place this weekend at the Brands…

FIRST RIDE When Husqvarna burst back onto the scene back in 2015 under KTM ownership, it was the 701 Enduro and Supermoto that led the charge. The 701 offered a more accessible take on the 690, a philosophy that remained until 2021 when it received a hike in power and handful of tweaks to set it on a par with its orange cousin. Now identical in every respect (save the bodywork – so pick your favourite brand/colour, there are no other differences), the 2026 version gets the most powerful single in production, along with a suite of rider aids. But does that elevate it beyond the average rider’s ability? 1 Redefined thumper The 692.7cc LC4 engine has been reworked to produce 77.9bhp and 53.9lb.ft, with the latter figure giving it…

We’re here at an MSVT Bike Trackday at Cadwell, just for a bit of fun. We’ve just dropped tyre pressures and switched riding modes to their raciest settings, just like most road riders will. We’re only interested in having a good time, not lap records, control tyres, or spending hours setting up electronics or suspension. Cadwell gives us a chance to stretch our superbikes’ legs. When it comes to making riding fast on track feel effortless, the Ducati Panigale V4 S is hard to beat. With its roomy, modern, track-focused position, eyeball-bulging brakes, and rider aids that help you get the best out of its fiery V4 motor, it’s almost supernatural. The Panigale V4 S will look after you on track in a way no other superbike has done before.…

CATCH UP WITH OUR LONGTERM TESTS Go online now: www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn-fleet @emma1dinger Semi-reformed club racer, enjoys the odd trackday. Hates small fuel tanks. Ninja is a name synonymous with performance, yet as I queue in the Donington Park pitlane surrounded by Panigales and track-prepped R1s, the 1100SX SE is starting to feel like a big, green fish out of water. After my recent revelation that the riding position is actually not all that sporty, combined with memories of the last time I rode a sports-tourer on track (Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GT and how much of an understeering handful it was), I wasn’t holding out much hope. Ninja vs Craner I was wrong, very wrong. Powering out on to Donington’s wonderfully smooth surface, gliding on the Ninja’s equally mellifluous power delivery, the first tip…

GET 12 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 Subscribe to MCN now at: greatmagazines.co.uk/mcn-offer Saving you money on essential bike maintenance with easy-to-follow tips YOUR EXPERT BOB TEAHAN Bob is Director of The Machine Shop, Hinckley – a workshop that operates like a gym and offers its members access to tools, workbenches, knowledge and help. Bob's been engineering, racing and welding for over 15 years, and he’s as comfortable chasing records as he is teaching in The Machine Shop workshop. When he’s not fabricating or racing, Bob’s passion is passing on hard-won skills to the next generation of welders and riders. •www.the-machine-shop.co.uk BOB’S TIPS If your engine is peeling, it's time to paint. Exposed metal is vulnerable to rust 1 Secure for removal If the paint on your bike’s engine has started to…

For the Rule Breakers. Reigning British and World Superbike Champions JOSH CLOSE INSIGHT Reads the runes ahead of the Showdown finale All signs point to Kyle Ryde becoming the first rider since Shane Byrne (2017) to successfully defend the Bennetts British Superbike Championship crown this weekend. Ryde holds a 30-point lead over Bradley Ray, he’s on a ridiculously consistent run of 57 consecutive point-scoring results, and that proves he isn’t prone to making mistakes out on track. Ryde remains cool under immense pressure and found himself in a much closer scenario last year against Tommy Bridewell. In a final showdown where everybody expected Bridewell to essentially outmuscle Ryde to the flag, the latter fought harder than he’d ever fought before to reach his dream of becoming a British Superbike champion. And…

GREG HAINES INSIGHT Delving behind the headlines at the Estoril round ‘Petrucci’s hand struck a girder in the gym’ With the top two in another tier this season, the three-pronged battle for third is riveting. There are 62 points left up for grabs in the Jerez World Superbike finale this weekend but only eight cover Alvaro Bautista, Andrea Locatelli and Danilo Petrucci in the contest for ‘best of the rest’. Would you risk putting money on it? Perhaps the most spectacular element of this fight is the fact that Locatelli is a Yamaha rider, holding a real chance of third in the championship in another season dominated by the mighty Ducatis and Toprak’s BMW. With only three races left, Locatelli remains the only rider other than Razgatlioglu and Bulega to have…

ROUND 11 ESTORIL 16 Gerloff 72pts 17 Montella 64pts 18 Rea 50pts 19 Vickers 30pts 20 Sofuoglu 23pts 21 Mackenzie 20pts 22 Rinaldi 10pts 23 Garcia 6pts 24 Rabat 6pts 25 Nagashima 2pts 26 Zaidi 1pt WSB POSITIONS RACE 1 16 Nagashima +52.375 17 Fong +59.589 18 Lopes +1’11.502 DNF Sofuoglu 16 laps, Lecuona 17 lap, Montealla 20 laps WSB POSITIONS SP RACE 11 Vickers +16.521 12 Gerloff +17.923 13 Mackenzie +19.027 14 Sofuoglu +19.555 15 A Lowes +27.494 16 Nagashima +30.356 17 Lopes +30.398 18 Fong +33.515 19 Montella +57.359 DNF Rabat 1 lap, Rea 4 laps, Rinaldi 6 laps WSB POSITIONS RACE 2 RACE 1 WSS RACE 2 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 Manzi 425pts 2 Oncu 343pts 3 Booth Amos 233pts…