Bike_UK_July_2017

Contents
FRONT END
HITTING THE NEWS APEX
Not exactly
suck, squeeze,
bang, blow
10 NEW BIKES
Triangular rotors and epitrochoidal
housings – bringing 200bhp to a dealer
near you soon (ish). Plus this month’s
tasty buy-them-now bargains.
STREET
ON
THE
COVER
Hardly-Drivingson?
We beg to differ
12 FIRST RIDE: H-D STREET ROD
It doesn’t really look like a Harley, and
doesn’t really ride like one either.
14 RACING
New Blade and GSX-R struggle to make
their mark. Meanwhile we beat Guy
Martin using a 2013 superstock Blade.
16 CLASSIC S
A tribute to an inspirational motorcycle
author, plus increasingly daft prices.
18 CUSTOMS
Man with tattoos and beard predicts
the demise of tattoos and beards. Yep.
20 OFF ROAD
Speedway: the what, why and where of
biking’s easy-access must-see sport.
23 LETTERS
Praise for honesty, umbrage over PCPs
and bird deaths by bike.
26 SUBSCRIBE
Your latest Bike delivered, at a bargain
price, and with a handy gift to boot.
4
Traction control
not included
FEATURES & TESTS
YOUR MAIN COURSE, SERVED WITH SIDES
28 BRITAIN’S BEST BIKE
Spanking new 765cc Street Triple RS goes
wheel to wheel with 2007’s classic.
36 NEW: YAMAHA SCR950
It’s like a cruiser, but also like a scrambler,
with flat track thrown in. And it’s good.
43 THE PERFECT TT LAP
Isle of Man sector times analysed and
explored by Mat Oxley and Steve Plater.
48 INSIDE: THE PRIVATEER’S TT
Putting your house on the line is serious.
Bike visits Gary Johnson’s mad world…
56 SPORTSBIKE GROUP TEST
This year’s 1000cc headcases tested on
road and track. Truly staggering...
72 CULT OF THE V-STROM 650
The brilliance of Suzuki’s middleweight
adventurer, by the people who ride them.
76 NEW: SUZUKI V-STROM 650
First test of the new enhanced-for-2017
Suzuki, hot from its launch.
80 ADVENTURE BIKE NIRVANA
Not Mr Cobain on a GS, but KTM’s ace
new 1090 Adventure R in the US desert.
About as good as
your adventure
biking gets, p80
ON
THE
COVER
A man who likes his
motorbike, p72