Get into Biking

GET INTO 

GET INTO BIKING 2021 

BIKING 

Motorcycling can change your life and it’s easier than you think 

GET THE RIGHT 

A D V I C E 

*How to pass your test 

*Buy new or used 

*Top riding tips 

*Easy bike checks 

GET 

GREAT GEAR 

*Safety jargon-buster 

*Top-value riding kit 

*Make sure your 

helmets fits 

GET 

OUT THERE 

*Best biking destinations 

*Why biking beats stress 

*Events that are worth 

riding to 

From the makers of 

GET THE RIGHT BIKE 

Scooters / Bigger bikes / Electric / 125s 

From the makers of 

UK £6.49

WELCOME 

to the start of your motorcycling life. Whether you’re simply curious 

about biking, want to take advantage – as many have during the 

Covid-19 crisis – of this brilliant, economical and socially-distanced 

form of transport or are determined to get on two wheels and enjoy 

all the fun, adventure and new friends and activities biking can 

bring, by buying this magazine you’ve taken an excellent first step. 

We’ll take you through not only how to get your licence with 

accounts from those that have, but also what bikes and kit to buy, 

how to look after them how to keep learning and even 

destinations and events you can enjoy. 

Maybe we’ll see you there! 

Phil West, Editor 

Editor Phil West 

Art editor Stewart Parkes 

Content Director Andy Calton 

Contributors Emma Franklin, 

Bruce Dunn, Jim Blackstock, Mark 

Edwards, Matt Wildee, Martin 

Fitz-Gibbons, Sam Creedon-Gray 

Photographers Jason Critchell, 

Chippy Wood, Matt Hull, Paul 

Bryant, Adam Shorrock 

Advertising Gareth Ashman 

Marketing Sarah Norman 

MD Motorcycling Niall Clarkson 

Group MD Chris Duncan 

Printing Walstead Roche 

Copyright Bauer 2021. 

Bauer Automotive Registered 

Office: 21 Holborn Viaduct, 

London, EC1A 2DY. 

Disclaimer: All prices correct at 

time of original publication 

3

CONTENTS 

18 

GET ON THE ROAD 

6 GUIDE TO RIDING HAPPINESS 

How to start your journey to 

getting on two wheels. 

8 APPLYING FOR A LICENCE 

But which? Our guide (and flow 

chart) shows you how. 

10 CHOOSE YOUR TRAINING 

How to find – and choose – the 

right training school for you. 

12 MASTERING THE BASICS 

The first step: Compulsory Basic 

Training, or ‘CBT’ – raw novice 

Adam tells us how he got his. 

14 PRACTICAL TEST – ‘MOD 1’ 

After CBT, Module 1 is the first 

part of the practical test. Novice 

Sarah explains what it’s like. 

16 PRACTICAL TEST – ‘MOD 2’ 

Module 2 is the final part of the 

test. Rookie Gareth tells us how he 

became ‘The Modfather’. 

18 ‘FROM THIS... TO THIS!’ 

How Sam Creedon-Gray (above) 

went from raw novice to Honda 

CBR600-owning biking whiz! 

14 

24 

46 

GET THE RIGHT BIKE 

24 TOP 10 50S 

At 16 you can ride an AM class 50 

– here’s our pick of the best. 

28 TOP 10 125S 

If you’re 17+ you qualify to ride a A1 

category 125 – but which? 

32 TOP 10 125CC+ SCOOTERS 

Two wheels don’t have to be bikes 

– here’s some of the best scoots. 

36 TOP 10 A2 BIKES 

At 19 you could be riding one of 

these 47bhp beauties. 

40 TOP 10 1ST BIG BIKES 

Some of the best big bikes for 

when you’ve passed your test. 

44 TOP 10 ELECTRIC BIKES 

Battery bikes are coming – and 

some of them are brilliant... 

46 BUYING A BIKE 

Our expert guide to buying a bike 

– whether new or used. 

48 HOW TO AVOID A DUD 

Ten top tips to avoid a wrong ‘un 

by MCN expert Bruce Dunn. 

4

88 

76 

112 

94 

50 BIKE FINANCE EXPLAINED 

Know your PCP from your HP? 

You will after this... 

SPECIAL PROMOTION 

52 BMW’S NOVICE PICKS 

From G310 R to F900 R & XR 

54 DUCATI’S NOVICE PICKS 

New Monster, Scrambler and more 

56 HUSQVARNA NOVICE PICKS 

Svartpilen and Vitpilen 400s... 

58 KAWASAKI NOVICE PICKS 

Z125, Ninja 125, Z 650 & Vulcan S 

60 KTM NOVICE PICKS 

125 Duke, RC125 and two A2 390s! 

62 TRIUMPH NOVICE PICKS 

Trident, Tiger, Street Triple & Twin 

64 YAMAHA NOVICE PICKS 

MT-07, R125, Tricity 300 & Tracer 7 

GET THE RIGHT GEAR 

66 GET THE GOOD STUFF 

We show you how to buy the right 

bike gear for a range of riding. 

76 PICKING THE SAFEST KIT 

What’s safe and what’s not? We 

explain bike kit safety ratings and 

what they mean for you. 

82 TOP 10 HELMETS 

A ‘lid’ is the only piece of safety 

gear required by law – here’s our 

pick of best – from £50 upwards. 

84 MAKE SURE YOUR ‘LID’ FITS 

A helmet’s not providing safety 

unless it fits properly – here’s how 

to make sure that it does. 

CLINIC TIPS: ‘HELP ME...’ 

86 ‘...SHAKE OFF MY L-PLATES’ 

Our riding expert helps rookie 

Gareth grow in confidence. 

88 ‘...SMOOTH OUT CORNERS’ 

Novice Rebecca learns how to 

ride better through the turns. 

90 ‘...TO STOP WOBBLING’ 

New rider Maggie gets our help to 

improve her approach to junctions. 

92 ‘...RIDE BETTER IN RAIN’ 

Even more experienced rider Andy 

benefits from our expert advice. 

HOW TO... 

94 ...PREPARE FOR AN MOT 

MCN expert Bruce shows you how. 

96 ...FIX A PUNCTURE 

Don’t be stuck with these easy tips. 

98 ...LOOK AFTER YOUR CHAIN 

Simple – but vital – maintenance. 

100 ...SAFELY FIT LUGGAGE 

It’s not as hard as you might think. 

GET OUT & ABOUT 

102 6 GREAT BIKING ROADS 

Great rides you can enjoy spread 

across the whole of the UK. 

106 GREAT DESTINATIONS 

Biker ‘caffs’, meeting points and 

more to get you out and about. 

110 GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH 

Why biking is actually good for 

your mental well-being... 

112 7 BEST BIKING EVENTS 

Want some ideas for biking events 

to attend? You’ve got ‘em! 

5

Get on the road 

Your route into riding 

“The reward 

for passing 

your test is 

freedom!” 

YOUR ROUTE TO 

RIDING HAPPINESS 

Ready to take your first steps to riding on the road? 

We show you how… 

6

Great instructors 

make the whole 

process simple 

o go from biking ‘zero’ to 

T 

fully licensed ‘hero’ there 

are a few hoops you have 

to jump though along the 

way in the form of theory 

and practical riding tests – a process 

which is also governed by your age. But 

don’t be put off – the reward is huge. 

What’s more, it’s simpler and less 

daunting than you might think. Here, 

followed by the next 10 pages we, via a 

group of novices who have done exactly 

that, take you step-by-step through 

everything you need to know... 

The first step... 

To ride legally on the road as a learner, 

you need a provisional motorcycle 

licence and Compulsory Basic Training 

(CBT) certificate. These let you ride a 

bike or scooter of up to 125cc and 15bhp 

(11kw). You must display L-plates and 

can’t use motorways or carry a pillion. 

A provisional licence is obtained by 

completing an application from the Post 

Office or online. You must be at least 17 to 

get one for a motorcycle. However, at 16 

you can get one for a moped (with an 

engine of no more than 50cc and top 

speed of 30mph). This is an AM licence. 

If you already have a full car licence, it 

may include provisional motorcycle 

entitlement, flip your card over and check 

if the categories on the back list 

provisional entitlement to vehicle 

category A. If you obtained a full car 

licence before February 1, 2001, you can 

ride a moped without a CBT. 

What’s CBT? 

Compulsory Basic Training is a course 

(rather than a test) usually taking no 

more than a day. Assuming you are 

starting from scratch, you will be taught 

everything from wheeling a machine 

around to riding safely on the road. An 

instructor will assess you throughout 

and if you’re safely in control you’ll get a 

certificate qualifying you to ride a moped 

or small motorbike (depending on age). 

CBT is valid for two years and then needs 

to be retaken unless you pass your full 

bike test in that period. 

Moving on up – Mod 1 

After CBT, if you want to progress to a 

full licence you need to pass your Theory 

Test then your Practical Test, the latter 

being composed of two parts, Module 1 

and Module 2. If you’re a two-wheeled 

virgin make sure you book training to 

pass Mod 1. Your training school will 

normally book you in for the test, which 

takes about 20 minutes and includes 

wheeling the bike around, riding a slalom 

and figure of eight, doing a U-turn and 

emergency stop etc. Once you pass you 

can attempt Mod 2. 

The end’s in sight – Mod 2 

This is the final hurdle to a full bike 

licence. Unlike Mod 1, Mod 2 is all on the 

road and involves a road riding test 

which lasts at least 30 minutes. You’ll be 

asked two vehicle safety questions 

which test you know how to carry out 

basic safety checks on a bike then you’ll 

ride in various road and traffic conditions 

– but not motorways. 

You’ll be asked to carry out normal stops, 

an angled start (pulling out from behind a 

parked vehicle), hill start (if possible) and 

the examiner will give you directions 

using a radio (normally while following on 

a bike). Then there’ll be about 10 minutes 

of independent riding to assess your 

ability to safely ride making your own 

decisions. 

7


Get your license 

APPLYING FOR A 

BIKE LICENCE 

But which? Our easy flowchart shows you how... 

8

Q: WHAT LICENCE CAN YOU APPLY FOR? 

16YRS 17-18 19-23 24+ 17-18 19-23 24+ 19-23 24+ 

24+ 

CATEGORY 

or 

less 

(Moped) 

AM50cc 

CATEGORY 

A1 

125cc 

or 

less 

(up to 

11kw) 

CATEGORY 

A2 

Up 

to 35kW & 

less than 0.2kW/kg 

can be derived 

from a machine 

producing no 

more than 70kW 

as standard 

CATEGORY 

AAny size 

NO 

DO YOU CURRENTLY HOLD 

A MOTORCYCLE LICENCE? 

YES 

DO YOU HOLD 

ANY OTHER TYPE 

OF LICENCE 

NO 

NO 

HAVE YOU HELD 

YOUR LICENCE FOR 

MORE THAN 2 

YEARS? 

CAR LICENCE 

YES 

PROVISIONAL 

MOTORCYCLE 

GET A PROVISIONAL 

LICENCE 

DO YOU HAVE A VALID 

THEORY CERTIFICATE? 

YES 

NO 

YES 

If your car licence is obtained 

before Feb 2001 you can ride a 

moped without L plates and 

carry a pillion passenger. 

There’s no need to do a CBT or 

practical test. If your licence is 

from after Feb 2001 all you 

need is a CBT and you can do 

all of the above. For other 

categories please carry on. 

DO YOU HAVE CBT? 

NO 

YES 

You must 

take your 

practical test 

within 2 years 

of receiving 

your theory 

certificate and 

CBT. 

CBT 

Once CBT is obtained you can drive an AM 

vehicle with L plates if under 17 and an A1 

vehicle with L plates if over 17. 

You DON’T need to do CBT if: 

• You just want to ride a moped and passed a 

car driving licence before February 1, 2001 

• You have a full moped licence obtained after 

December 1, 1990 

• You live and ride on some off-shore islands 

THEORY 

TEST 

AM 

Moped = < 50cc 

and < 4kW 

PRACTICAL TEST 

Must be taken on the following: 

A1 

Light m/cycle = 120- 

125cc and


Pick a riding school 

“You 

could 

spend a lot of 

time with them 

so you need to 

make sure you 

get on” 

10

CHOOSING THE RIGHT 

TRAINING 

SCHOOL 

How to track down the instructor 

who’s right for you 

1 

Ask your friends and colleagues if 

they have any recommendations 

for training schools – most of us have a 

friend, relative or workmate who’s 

ridden bikes. Ask what they enjoyed 

about their time with the school and – 

just as importantly – anything they didn’t 

particularly enjoy. 

2 

Look through your local phone 

book or go online for schools near 

you. Not having to travel far takes a lot 

of the stress out of learning. 

3 

Study those schools’ websites 

in forensic detail, and also look 

for a ‘testimonials’ section. 

4 

Ring the schools that most 

appeal. We found the best way is 

to ring up and say you don’t know much 

about the test and what goes on. They 

should be asking you plenty of questions 

so they can put you on the right course 

for the type of bike you want to ride. 

Most places we rang gave all the 

information needed for a typical day’s 

CBT and what it costs. Most importantly, 

ask them the price and makes sure you 

know exactly what is included. 

5 

If you want to see what is 

involved ask if you can come to 

watch a CBT taking place. Most schools 

also offer a free assessment to let you 

get a feel for what it’s like. The instructor 

should have questions for you, such as 

your intentions after taking the test – are 

you going to be using you bike to 

commute to work, for travelling abroad 

or for trackdays? They may also ask you 

what bikes you’re interested in. 

6 

Pop by or book an appointment to 

make a visit. You could be 

spending a lot of time with the training 

school you use so you need to make 

sure that you get on. Go prepared to ask 

questions. 

7 

See if the company is a member 

of the official governing body, the 

Motor Cycle Industry Trainers 

Association. They have to conform to 

certain standards so you know you 

should be in good hands. 

8 

Look at motorcycle manufacturer 

websites to see if they have their 

own school or ones they recommend. 

They put a lot into these schemes and 

rightly insist on very high standards. 

Here’s just two examples: 

Honda’s Approved School of 

Motorcycling has a variety of courses 

ranging from for those for raw starters 

to those who want to upgrade their 

licence to ride a bigger bike. 

honda.co.uk/engineroom/just-ride-home 

BMW Rider Training operate courses 

at numerous centres across the country 

for novices to the most experienced 

riders covering every level from 

Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and 

Direct Access (DAS) for those learning 

to ride, to advanced post-test training 

for experienced motorcyclists. 

www.bmwridertraining.com 

9 

Don’t rush. There’s no harm in 

contacting every school in your 

area until you find one you’re happy to 

spend your money with! 

11


I got my CBT 

WHO AM I? 

NAME: Adam 

Binnie 

AGE: 32 

WHO ARE YOU 

THEN? Car 

journalist and 

keen cyclist 

Binnie (not a 

good name for a 

new rider) has 

been driving for 

15 years and 

been around 

bikes all his life 

– now it’s his 

turn to ride. 

“Remember 

you have two 

ears, one 

mouth” 

MASTERING 

THE BASICS 

Your first hurdle to two-wheeled heaven is CBT. 

Novice Adam explains how he did it... 

12

BT STANDS FOR 

C 

Compulsory Basic 

Training – but it’s referred 

to most as ‘CBT’. It’s not a 

test, you can’t fail it, 

although you can be asked to come back 

for more training. Hilariously, by the time 

I came to do mine I was 32 years old, 

twice the minimum age required, had 

already been driving a car for nearly that 

many years and had been pedalling on 

two wheels for many more.... 

You start off in class... 

Here you’ll be taught about the equipment 

you legally need and the stuff you don’t 

but should have anyway. You’ll also head 

back into the classroom later before the 

road ride to discuss lane positioning and 

what the main hazards are, plus the legal 

things you need like insurance, an MoT 

and L-plates. I suspect this is also a 

chance for the instructor to gauge 

whether you’re going to be a liability 

when faced with traffic. 

We spent a while chatting about the main 

cause of a crash (rider error, not other 

people) and how to deal with mistakes 

made by other road users. Remember 

that you have two ears and one mouth 

for a reason during this element. 

What about the ride? 

This is the fun bit. It’s off road on a special 

tarmacked area and starts with a chat 

about basic maintenance and how to 

check the bike over for things like flat 

tyres or low fluid levels. Then there are 

some basic manual handling skills off the 

bike – how to move it around and put the 

stand down, why you shouldn’t grab a 

handful of brake with the bars turned and 

how to get the steering lock on and off. 

Low speed manoeuvres are next, but 

first you have to get your head around 

using the throttle and finding the clutch’s 

‘biting point’. It’s worth taking your time 

with this before moving on because 

working the gearshift and bite point and 

getting your head around how fast the 

engine revs are all vital parts. 

Coming to a stop and working out the 

timing of putting a foot (or both) down 

also requires practice. While balancing 

the front and rear brakes is something 

that would be unusual for most car 

drivers but not so alien to cyclists. 

And then you go out on-road?! 

Yes! In what felt like barely enough time 

to get over the fact motorbikes don’t 

have seat belts, we were out on the 

actual road with actual cars on it. My first 

impressions? How fast 30mph feels on a 

bike, and how much more I was looking 

around – forwards, backwards, over my 

shoulder, and into the eyes of drivers 

waiting at give way lines. 

Riding a motorbike feels like operating 

machinery. If you drive a modern car 

(especially an automatic) you’ll know how 

far away from the actual process driving 

has become. It’s essential to take enough 

time to allow the various procedures of 

changing gear or braking to a stop to 

become second nature, or you’ll use up 

all your cognitive capacity and there 

won’t be any spare to concentrate on 

looking for hazards. 

With good tuition it all slots into place 

quite quickly and before I knew it I was 

negotiating roundabouts, merging with 

70mph traffic on a dual carriageway, and 

leaning into a brutal crosswind blowing 

over the flat fields of Cambridgeshire. 

And that was that. After a very full-on 

day of concentrating, I was given my CBT 

certificate. 

ADAM’S 

TOP 

TIPS 

1 

DO! Watch reputable 

vids on bike control 

techniques online. 

Listen to your instructor, 

they’re your friendly new 

messiah, and know it all. 

Ask questions if you don’t 

understand what is 

happening. 

2 

DON’T! Presume 

that you already know 

what you’re doing. 

Be a gobshite – the 

yappy one is always first 

on the floor. 

Look down – you can’t 

see what’s happening 

ahead if you’re looking at the 

tarmac 18 inches in front of 

your nose. 

13


I got my Mod 1 

PRACTICAL TEST 

MODULE 1 

After CBT and the Theory Test, 

‘Mod1’ is the first part of the Practical 

Test – here’s how Sarah got on 

14

“Now I’ve got 

the best bit 

ahead of me 

– buying a 

bike!” 

WHO AM I? 

NAME: Sarah 

Norman 

AGE: 37 

WHO ARE YOU 

THEN? Sarah is 

MCN’s marketing 

guru as well as 

looking after all 

our sister 

publications, 

too. She took to 

two wheels like 

a duck to water, 

and loves the 

thrill of riding. 

GOT INTO BIKING because 

I 

I love the idea of getting 

out with friends on a 

Sunday, or out on my own 

with no particular place to 

go. I’ve always thought it would be such a 

release – and it really is. 

But it’s an intensive course... 

Mine was with BMW Rider Training and it 

took me through a five-day programme, 

with the Module 1 test booked for the 

third day and training taking place on the 

training pad at the test centre as well as 

out on the road. 

Going to the test centre and having a 

practice helped me feel a lot better about 

the Mod 1 test, because the area they 

use is much bigger than where we had 

been practising previously, so it all felt a 

lot less hemmed in and therefore easier. 

We also got to see someone else doing 

their test, which was really valuable as I 

could be sure the examiner wouldn’t ask 

me to do anything we hadn’t practised, 

and it reduced the sense of the unknown 

seeing someone else go through the 

motions. 

It’s all about control... 

Module 1 is mostly about establishing 

that the rider can control the machine. 

You start by showing you can get the bike 

on and off a stand and push the bike 

about, simulating moving a bike in and out 

of the garage. During training I just kept 

pushing the bike around every time we 

stopped to get used to it. My instructor 

showed me how I needed to keep the 

weight close to my thigh, and even though 

I practised it a lot it was still the part I 

was most dreading. 

Then you start the bike, put it in gear and 

ride in a slalom through some cones, into 

a figure of eight, until the examiner tells 

you to stop. Going into the figure of eight 

is just a continuation of the slalom. The 

examiner will walk ahead while you do a 

slow, controlled ride, which feels really 

slow! 

Next up is the U-turn, which many people 

dread. You do your observations first, 

then move off, get your balance and find 

your biting point, look to the right, turn 

the bars and keep your eyes moving. By 

the time you’re halfway you should be 

looking up the road – this will help you to 

keep your balance. Then the pace 

picks up. 

Heading up the far end of the area you 

have to get up to 19mph as you head 

round the corner, then accelerate up to 

32mph, where the examiner tells you 

when to do an emergency stop. I felt like 

I was shooting around the bend but then 

forgot to check the speed as I headed 

towards the examiner. Then I was just 

looking at him – waiting for his hand to 

rise – after which he told me I wasn’t fast 

enough – I didn’t have to do it again but he 

gave me a minor mark for that. Then you 

repeat the run but instead of an 

emergency stop you have to perform a 

swerve test, where you are braking quite 

hard as you steer around an obstacle. 

Again, I was slightly too slow on approach 

– another minor mark. In total I got three 

minors – but it wasn’t enough to stop me 

passing Module 1. It felt absolutely 

brilliant to have passed, allowing me to 

progress rapidly on to Module 2. 

Doing it right first time 

The training was exceptional, too. You 

learn so much about riding, but also 

about yourself. There is a load to learn, 

but the school just helped me through it 

all – I can’t thank them enough. Now I’ve 

got the best bit ahead of me – buying a 

bike, and racking up the miles! 

SARAH’S 

TOP 

TIPS 

1 

DO! Think about your 

weaknesses and discuss 

them with your instructor. 

Practise as much as you 

can, ideally on your test bike. 

Focus on slow control – it’s 

the foundation on which all 

your riding skills are built. 

2 

DON’T!! Assume that 

because you’ve done a 

U-turn once that you’ve 

nailed it forever. 

Confuse increasing speed 

with competence, they’re 

completely different things. 

Give up when it gets harder. 

15


I got my Mod 2 

BECOME THE 

MODFATHER! 

With CBT and Mod 1 under his belt, it was time 

for Gareth to embrace full-licence freedom 

16

“I encountered an unexpected horse mid-test” 

FTER TAKING TWO 

A 

attempts at the Module 1 

motorbike test (damn that 

U-turn!), where you’re 

assessed on your lowspeed 

riding skills (or lack of, in my 

case...), I was a little nervous about 

taking the final Module 2 section. 

This final piece of the puzzle shines the 

spotlight on road riding – awareness, 

safety and making reasonable progress. 

Having driven cars for years I felt a little 

better equipped to deal with this test, but 

there are plenty of additional aspects of 

two-wheeled motoring to take into 

account over and above how I’d normally 

drive a car. 

To prepare, I had a pair of plans. First, I’d 

be riding my GSX-S125 much as I could in 

varied situations. Plus, I’d be taking 

another block of training with ART Rider 

Training down in Basildon on an SV650 

so I could brush up on the things I didn’t 

already know. 

Horses, lorries and lashing 

down with rain... 

So, once I’d got another four hours of 

rider training in, it was time to head once 

again to the now-dreaded DVSA test 

centre in Basildon. I’d done enough 

training to feel slightly more relaxed, and 

it was a good job, too, because on the 

day nature threw rain and heavy wind 

into the mix. I also encountered an 

unexpected horse on a country lane, 

shortly before having to stop quickly to 

let an HGV perform a three-point turn on 

a bend, all during my 40-minute test 

ordeal. Sure enough, in the debrief the 

examiner said I hadn’t had an easy time 

of it. The examination itself consists of a 

number of activities on a variety of types 

of road, aimed at proving you’re safe and 

proficient enough to handle two wheels 

in the real world. You start with a Q&A 

session on bike safety and maintenance, 

before swinging your leg over and 

heading out onto the road. You’ll do things 

like angled and hill starts, national speed 

limit sectors and a 10-minute ‘independent 

riding’ session to look at your ability to 

follow signs and act accordingly. 

I took it on the same Suzuki SV650 I’d 

done Mod 1 on – an approachable, 

friendly and engaging bike that I’ve come 

to gel with so much I’d quite like to get 

one myself – and focused very much on 

keeping my head up and planning ahead. 

So – did you pass then? 

I did! The examiner marked me down for 

two ‘minor’ faults: a hesitation when 

accelerating and a steering fault. Frankly, 

with horses and HGVs along with the 

weather, I wasn’t sure how I’d done right 

up until the moment I learnt I’d passed. It 

was a huge load off. 

Now a world of big bikes awaits, the first 

being another 650 – Royal Enfield’s wildly 

popular Interceptor 650 – a brilliantly 

gentle and confidence-building bike for a 

new rider. 

If I could impart one nuggett of wisdom 

from this stretch of my biking journey, it’s 

this: if you’re learning to ride and 

struggling with any aspect – just stick 

with it and don’t give up on anything. The 

first time you head out on a bike, on your 

own with no L-plates flapping in the 

breeze, is a magical moment that will 

remain with you forever. 

WHO AM I? 

NAME: Gareth 

Evans 

AGE: 35 

WHO ARE YOU 

THEN? The king 

of binary finery 

as MCN’s Web 

Editor. Gareth’s 

a self-confessed 

petrolhead with 

a strong love of 

engineering, 

races classic 

cars and enjoys 

a bit of sailing, 

too. 

GARETH’S 

TOP 

TIPS 

1 

DO! Ride on the road 

as much as you can 

before your test, on all 

road types, in all 

weathers. 

Visualise what will 

happen in the test based 

on your Mod 1 experiences 

– it will help. 

Wait until you’re ready to 

attack the Module 2 with 

complete confidence. 

2 DON’T! 

Think that Mod 2 will 

be easier than Mod 1 – real 

roads are less predictable. 

Panic about the previous 

point – learn the decision 

processes and you’ll be 

absolutely fine. 

17


I did it all! 

From this... 

WORDS BY 

Phil West 

PICTURES BY 

Jason Critchell and Sam Creedon-Gray 

18

...to THIS! 

Raw novice Sam Creedon-Gray describes how she 

went from CBT virgin to CBR600-owning full 

licence holder – and how you can too! 

19


I did it all! 

LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS 

A 

ago advertising executive 

and mum Sam Creedon- 

Gray had barely been on a 

bike, even as pillion. Yet 

today, having caught the bug, taken CBT 

to initially get on the road on a 125 then 

progressing through DAS (the Direct 

Access Scheme) to – eventually – get her 

full licence, she’s now the proud owner 

of a Honda CBR600F. She takes every 

opportunity she can to ride and is 

enjoying more advanced training and is 

even about to do a track school. 

And she says you can do it, 

too! 

We’ve followed Sam’s journey from 

complete novice to supersports-riding 

CBR owner. Here, in her own words, is 

how it all happened: 

“I’ve always loved bikes,” says the 

33-year-old. “I always thought they were 

fascinating and that motorcyclists were 

the coolest people so when I was offered 

a position in the same building as MCN 

when I returned from maternity leave, I 

pretty much bit their hands off.” 

“Until then what had put me off was 

people telling me how dangerous they 

are and that it’s scary and they don’t 

want you to hurt yourself so it’s all too 

easy to end up talking yourself out of it. 

“This time, though, I utterly fell in love. 

The first time I ever went pillion was 

October 31, 2018. The next day I booked 

my CBT – and that was only because I 

wasn’t able to do it that night!” 

Sam chose CamRider in 

Peterborough where she 

lives... 

“I know there are other places but I’d 

heard the name and knew they were 

good. At that point I’d never ridden a bike 

before, not in a field or car park – nothing. 

Although I’ve been driving a car since I 

was 19 I’d never ridden a bike.” 

But when CBT day came, she 

was the only pupil... 

“I suppose it was because of the time 

of year – November. I was seen by a guy 

called Rory who asked me what I knew 

about bikes. I said: ‘Just that they’ve got 

two wheels and go fast!’ 

“They do things with the Highway 

Code, there’s a lot of classroom work, 

then they take you out and talk you 

through the bike, how you check your oil, 

brakes, how you know the lights are 

working etc then they sorted out my kit. 

“The next thing it was just ‘get on the 

bike, put it into first and go!” 

Inevitably it was a steep 

learning curve... 

“At first we’d just be going round 

CamRider’s Tarmac off-road test area,” 

Sam remembers. “We just pootled round 

and I was getting up to third gear but then 

changing gear became something of a 

barrier and I suddenly felt very exposed. 

Because of that Rory said we wouldn’t 

go out on the road that day, we’d just 

keep practising. Then I came up too fast 

towards a fence, panicked, grabbed the 

front brake lever and the next thing I 

knew I was on the floor! 

“That’s when I learnt the importance of 

good kit because, although it was only at 

about 5mph and I was wearing the right 

jacket and helmet, I was only wearing 

jeans and ripped some of the skin off my 

knee!” 

Fortunately, although ending 

the day’s proceedings, it 

didn’t put Sam off... 

“When I went home afterwards part of 

me thought ‘I don’t know whether I want 

to do this.’ It was that whole sense of 

vulnerability. But I re-booked it for the 

next week because I wasn’t going to let it 

beat me. I saw Graham this time and 

although when I first went out on the 

road I felt very exposed, he put me at 

ease. We rode for a couple of hours, 

stopped for a break and when we got 

back he said I’d done it. I just asked: ‘Can 

I hug you?’. It was really good – one hell of 

a learning experience. 

“After that it was a case of finding a 

bike and getting out on the road. 

WHO AM I? 

NAME: 

Samantha 

Creedon-Gray 

AGE: 33 

BORN: Phoenix, 

Arizona, USA. “I 

was an airforce 

baby but my 

mum and dad 

split up and I 

came back when 

I was little.” 

LIVES: 

Peterborough, 

Cambridgeshire 

JOB: Motorcycle 

Account 

Manager, Bauer 

Media (MCN’s 

owners) 

SAM’S 

TOP 

TIPS 

“Take advantage of the 

online biker communities 

– they’re amazingly 

helpful” 

“Buy some decent kit. I 

can’t stress this enough. 

The amount of people I 

see on big bikes in just 

jeans and trainers; if they 

come off…” 

“Do as much advanced 

training as possible. It’ll 

teach you how to actually 

ride rather than just pass 

the test. You never stop 

learning!” 

“When buying your first 

bike take someone with 

you who knows what 

they’re talking about 

otherwise it’s like buying 

your first car.” 

20

21


I did it all! 

MY KIT 

“I had a fairly cheap 

helmet on my 125, along 

with a jacket and some 

boots, jeans and gloves... 

“I spent ages looking. I knew I needed a 125 and wanted 

something comfy but didn’t really know what I was looking 

for. I got onto the MCN R5K Facebook group who were 

really helpful and did a lot of research. I was a bit concerned 

about buying used and wanted a warranty. I ended up 

finding a Bullitt Hunt S, there was a dealer locally so went 

along for a look. The guy was really helpful, I bought it there 

and then and he even delivered it a couple of weeks later. 

“As a first bike it was brilliant, not fast but nippy. I 

remember the first time I got to filter I thought ‘this is 

amazing, cutting out all this traffic!’ The same day I got my 

first ever biker ‘nod’, it just really made me happy. 

“I’d intended initially to just stick with my CBT and 

provisional licence but as I started to get more confident I 

started thinking that maybe I could get my licence just to 

get rid of my L-plates. 

“The 125 was absolutely brilliant until I went on a parkway 

or dual carriageway. I had a couple of incidents where I 

had lorries overtaking me and the wind hits you and 

freaked me out. So then I just thought ‘screw it. If I could 

get a bigger bike I know it’s going to be safer, it’s going to be 

heavier so I’ll go for that and then I’ll feel more comfortable’. 

I did Peterborough to King’s Lynn, for example, on the 125 

on a day when there were rolling winds across the Fens 

and I got smacked in the side by it and I decided ‘I’m not 

doing this again. I need a bike that’s got some weight 

behind it!’. 

“So I did it mostly for safety. I wasn’t a fast rider on my 

125 – and I’m not a fast rider now. I also wanted to get rid 

of my L-plates because sometimes they seemed like a 

target for bad drivers. Plus I also wanted to go a bit further, 

to go on motorways and obviously you can’t do that on a 

125. All of it together pushed me into getting a bigger bike. 

Sam went to Wheels, a dealer in 

Peterborough, and did her DAS (Direct 

Access) course there... 

“I did it on one of their Kawasaki 650s – an ER-6n – in 

December 2019. They took me over to a car park and start 

you off by first getting used to the bike and then preparing 

for Mod 1 – what I call the ‘playground aspect’. 

“The first five minutes were pretty terrifying but you get 

used to it although I must admit I absolutely hated Mod 1. 

It’s one of those things I’m so pleased I never have to do 

again. It’s this tiny little playground environment and so 

“For my 600 I decided I 

needed a new helmet, a 

good helmet, ‘cos before I 

only bought one that was 

good for up to 60mph. So I 

bought a really good 

helmet. It’s an HJC and I 

went for one with a Sharp 

5 star rating because I 

know that is good. It was 

in a sale and I read all the 

reviews. I also bought an 

airbag vest, because I 

wanted the protection. 

“I still wear the Hood jeans 

because they’re incredible 

and I’ve got a Planet Knox 

jacket which I tend to live 

in as well. I was given a 

set of leathers for the BSB 

school and I’ve got some 

DXR boots and Alpinestars 

gloves – although I will get 

some new stuff soon. 

“I’ve also now got a top 

box – which I know is a bit 

weird on a sports bike but 

it’s for convenience: she’s 

my workhorse!” 

daunting and all so ‘test-like’. The actual practising wasn’t 

so bad but when it came to the test I was like ‘I want to be 

sick’. But the instructors are good at calming you down 

and getting you through because all those slow 

manouevres, the figure of eight and U-turns, just felt so 

unnatural and daunting. 

“The instructors did break it up, though. You do some 

manouvres and then we went out on the road and you then 

feel this is what you’re doing it for. You hit a couple of 

country roads, the feeling of flying kicks in and you go ‘This 

is why I’m doing it – and I’m going to keep pushing it and do 

it because this is why I’m doing it.’ 

“For Mod 1 I did two or three sessions, on the Friday, 

Saturday and Sunday, then did the test on Monday. I failed 

that one so did an extra training session and retook and 

passed my test – all told it was really quick. 

“Then it was Mod 2 which involved a lot more road 

practice which I felt a lot more confident with, although I’d 

already got into some bad habits on my 125! With hindsight 

I might have been better off doing it all at once. 

“Generally, though, Mod 2 was fine and being out on the 

road was more natural and enjoyable. 

22

“Passing the test is like a performance – you have to 

meet the standard. Then, after passing, I still had my Bullit 

125 but coincidentally was going back to the garage so 

asked them if they wanted to buy it back – which they did. 

Then it was a case of finding a new bike. 

“I finally bought my new bike, my CBR, at the end of 

December, she was delivered early January then I was 

riding through January, February and March until lock 

down. One of my big trips was riding to the London 

Motorcycle Show at Excel and I got into a kind of unofficial 

ride-out and the feeling, the atmosphere was really nice.” 

Sam’s also started an advanced riding 

course via an IAM gift voucher she 

received at Christmas... 

“I’ve been going out Sundays, evenings and I’m also now 

doing a British Superbike School to improve my cornering. 

I feel so much more confident now due to the advanced 

course in particular. Even my car driving has improved. 

“Overall, getting my bike and licence has completely 

changed my life. It’s a whole part of my life that I wasn’t 

expecting to completely fall in love with. It is the literal 

sensation of freedom. I was not expecting any of this. 

When I had my 125 it was really handy for getting about on. 

But now I pretty much only ride for love. I took her for an 

MoT in January. It was the first time I’d ridden since 

October and even then I whooped and cheered. It’s been 

absolutely amazing. I can’t recommend it enough! 

“I’m looking forward to exploring the UK, a few trips to 

the coast, overnight stops, that kind of thing. And one day, 

what I really want to do is to ride through parts of Spain 

and France because you see and experience so much 

more from a bike. But that’s one day – I’m not in a rush!” 

MY BIKE 

“After my 125 I knew I 

wanted a bigger bike but 

wasn’t sure which, whether 

a 600 or similar – I knew I 

didn’t want a 1000. I was on 

the MCN R5K Facebook 

group every night asking: 

‘Everybody tell me what 

your first bike was, what 

would you recommend?’ 

Then I ended up going to a 

mate and saying ‘Can you 

find me a bike you’d buy? 

This is my budget. Find me a 

bike you’d buy and I’ll buy 

that one…’ 

“So he then found this 

Honda and we went to see it 

and that was that! I know 

you’re not supposed to buy 

the first bike you see but 

that’s exactly what I did. My 

friend checked it over and it 

was fine. I checked it was 

comfortable. The weight I 

didn’t think was 

going to be an 

issue. She’s 

quite a beast. 

It’s a CBR600FS, and is 

185kg, which is ‘fun’ when 

you drop her! So, yes, I’d 

always recommend you 

check the weight. 

“She’s bigger and heavier 

than the ER6n I learnt on, so 

it was a bit of a shock, but, 

hey, she’s so fun. That first 

time I was riding to work, I 

blipped the throttle and it 

was like ‘Oh, my God!’ I 

immediately fell in love. 

“My mum was worried 

because it’s a bigger, faster 

bike so therefore ‘more 

dangerous’. I know it’s not 

– it’s about being able to get 

out of danger not into it. 

“I’ve no plans to change it. 

The only thing I’d say to 

people is to think about the 

weight – and also get some 

crash bungs! I’ve got them 

now and if you’re new 

they’re definitely 

recommended!” 

23

Get the right bike 

Top 10 50s 

TOP 

10 

50s 

When you’re 16, the world of 

biking can seem far away, but 

that needn’t be the case... 

THOUGH NOT IN 

the spotlight as much as 

their bigger alternatives, there is 

a thriving 50cc market that will get you 

on two wheels and honing your road craft 

so that, come the right age, you have a wealth 

of experience under your belt and are ready for a 

bigger machine. The first thing you’ll need to do is 

get your provisional licence, which you can apply 

for through the DVLA website. Once obtained, you’ll 

then need to complete your Compulsory Basic 

Training (CBT). It’s simple to do and doesn’t cost 

too much money. From there, you’ll be free to 

ride around for two years with L-plates. But 

which 50cc machine should you go for, 

scooter or geared motorcycle, new 

or used? Here’s our pick of 

the best… 

1 

1 2005-on Derbi Senda R 

49cc / 9bhp / 90kg / 810mm seat height 

Spanish firm Derbi are now owned by Italian giant Piaggio, who also own Aprilia, so it’s only 

natural the two brands’ two-stroke 50s are basically the same. This style of machine, being 

upright, suits taller riders and is also cool and great fun. On the downside, dealers are 

scarce and Sendas tend to get thrashed, but if you want a full-size 50, this (or the Aprilia) is great. 

£850 

(used) 

to 

£2800 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE Fairly delicate and 

highly-strung so needs to be looked after – 

which most examples won’t have been. 

Inspect carefully for use and abuse and 

check its history, too. 

24

2 3 

4 5 

2 2004-2019 Aprilia SR 50 

49cc / 3.8bhp / 90kg / 820mm seat height 

3 2004-2009 Derbi GPR50 


£600 

to 

£2400 

(used) 

If you want two wheels, but don’t fancy the hassle of 

shifting gears, a scooter is the way to go and Aprilia’s SR 

50 is among the sportiest of all. It’s been around a while 

but received a series of updates which kept it stylish, 

classy and in-demand. 

A fully-faired sports 50 version of the Senda 50 which the 

Spanish firm brought into the UK from 2004-2009. As a 

stylish, well-equipped, 49cc two-stroke from the home of 

lightweight sportsbikes it’s great fun, but still limited to 

30mph (although many have been derestricted). 

£850 

to 

£1600 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE Just like most Aprilia motorcycles, 

this scooter is very nicely put together. It’s built to be 

abused by 16-year-olds, so rest assured it has Tonka Toy 

durability. 

BUYING ADVICE Well put together when new and, left 

standard, the little two-stroke will run forever. Now 

becoming a little old, however, and reliability issues can 

arise when used and abused by first-time riders. 

£850 

(used) 

to 

£2849 

(new) 

4 2009-on Peugeot Speedfight 

50 (model 3/4) 


When it comes to scooters, there’s none more iconic and 

successful than the Peugeot Speedfight, which set the 

template for sports scooters back in 1997. The latest 

version, the 4, debuted in 2017 and was tweaked to meet 

Euro5 for 2021. It’s the definitive sports scoot! 

BUYING ADVICE Peugeot quality and reliability has 

always been among the best in the scooter class and the 

latest Speedfight maintains that tradition. They’re 

generally robust, refined, and well built. Just look out for 

the obvious signs of abuse or previous accidents. 

5 2006-on Aprilia RS 50 


This racy 50cc sportster two-stroke is little brother to the 

Italian firm’s class-leading and now four-stroke RS 125. As 

such it’s great looking, fabulously built and arguably as 

stylish, desirable and expensive as 50cc, 16-er sports 

bikes get. If you can afford it you’ll be the envy of all your 

mates. 

BUYING ADVICE Pricey, fickle and prone to teenager 

neglect and damage so you need to examine any used 

example very carefully and also enquire about servicing 

and maintenance. It could be an expensive horror story 

otherwise. 

£1500 

(used) 

to 

£4099 

(new) 

25


Top 10 50s 

‘Peugeots 

are among 

the most 

reliable 

scooters’ 

6 

£1200 

(used) 

to 

£3299 

(new) 

6 2005-on Rieju RS2/3 50 


Another Spanish brand that specialises in lightweight, 

machines with the RS its fully-faired sports option. The 

RS2 was available up to 2012 when it was superceded by 

the uprated RS3. Both boast fancy chassis and screaming 

two-stroke engines and if you’re 16 it doesn’t get much 

better. Fairly highly-strung and quite brittle, though, so 

they need to be looked after. Also, dealer back-up and 

spares availability aren’t the best. 

BUYING ADVICE The RS3 was mostly well put together, 

save for a few issues, such as the sidestand not retracting 

fully. How well the two-stroke engine holds up to abuse and 

minimal maintenance from a 16-year-old is another matter. 

7 

£1400 

(used) 

to 

£2999 

(new) 

7 2014-on Peugeot Django 50 


The stylish, two-tone Django proves that if you want a 

retro-styled scoot it doesn’t have to be a Vespa. Available 

in 50, 125 and 150 sizes, it has lots of nice details and a 

quality feel. In 50cc form it’s a little sluggish but if you’re a 

teenager who likes the style there are very few betterlooking 

ways to get yourself on to a powered two-wheeler. 

BUYING ADVICE Build quality is generally good, 

Peugeot scooter mechanicals are proven and it’s the sort 

of machine that should get looked after, so we’ve few 

concerns here. 

8 

£1350 

(used) 

to 

£3550 

(new) 

8 2005-on Vespa Primavera 50 


Vespa remains the classic, retro scooter and its reimagined 

‘Primavera’ is available in 50cc and 125cc forms 

as the easiest entry into Vespa ownership and as a roundtown 

scoot they don’t get much more classically cool. Now 

four-stroke powered, they’ve never been cheap but they 

are stylish, well-built and equipped. Small wheels make 

them a bit nervous over bumps, though. 

BUYING ADVICE The enclosed body is nicely finished 

and the chrome looks ok, but underneath the metal parts 

suffer at the hands of road much, water and salt. The 

iconic body shape is vulnerable in a crash, though. 

26

9 1998-2019 

Yamaha Aerox R 50 

49cc / 2.6bhp / 97kg / 828mm seat 

height 

Yamaha’s funky race replica twostroke 

scooter, although now 

deleted, is among the best and most 

modern of Japanese 50cc offerings. 

It’s nippy, agile, good looking and 

lots of fun. With its upside-down 

forks, fat tyres and disc brakes, the 

Yamaha handles far better than the 

average shopping scooter. Dare we 

say it, but the Aerox can be kneescrapingly 

good. 

9 

£850 

to 

£1400 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE Sports scooters 

like these are going to be used and 

abused by their 16-year-old owners, 

or wheelied around paddocks by 

racers, so they need to be durable. 

The Aerox R ticks that box and is 

well finished. 

10 2006-2018 Aprilia SX 50 


All the fun and allure of Aprilia’s saucy RS 50 sportster but in a more upright supermoto 

package – which also makes the SX great as a nimble town bike. It’s based on Aprilia’s RX 

50 trail bike but with smaller street wheels and tyres, is easy to ride, well built and 

impressively affordable, too. 

10 

£2600 

to 

£3500 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE 

As with Aprilia’s RS 50, the SX is pricier than 

most and, like all 50s, prone to teenager abuse 

and damage – so inspect carefully. At least 

with the SX there’s less bodywork to damage! 

27


Top 10 125s 

TOP 

10 

125s 

At 17, you might not be able to 

vote, but you can ride any of 

these amazing bikes... 

IF YOU’RE A new 

rider who’s aged 17 or 

older, after passing your CBT 

(Compulsory Basic Training) you can 

gain your provisional A1 licence, which 

allows you to ride a bike on the road of up to 

125cc which produces a maximum of 11KW 

(15bhp) and with a power-to-weight ratio of not 

more than 0.1kw per kg. But never mind all the facts 

and figures for now; let’s stir your soul with the 

highlights of what’s currently out there. Today there 

are more 125s than ever to choose from, ranging 

from nakeds to sportsbikes and more, with 

both new and used examples from almost all 

of the mainstream manufacturers and to 

suit all styles, budgets and riders. 

Here’s our pick of the 

current best. 

1 

28 

1 2019-on Kawasaki Ninja 125 


All-new in 2019, Kawasaki have returned to the 125cc A1 class for the first time in 25 years 

with not just one, but two new learner lightweights. There’s the Z125 naked roadster (see 

p58) and this, a fully-faired, sports-styled machine based on the same engine and chassis. 

The result is eye-catching, attractive, sporty and instantly identifiable as being part of the 

Ninja family. Performance is on par with the competition. 

£3400 

(used) 

to 

£4199 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE Still quite new so not 

that many used examples around but 

reliability isn’t a problem as the motor is 

loosely based on the old Ninja 250SL, as are 

many of the suspension and chassis parts.

2 3 

5 

£2950 

(used) 

to 

£4399 

(new) 

2 2017-on Aprilia Tuono 125 


How’s this for a sporty-looking 125? It’s styled to look just 

like its bigger brother, the Tuono V4 1100 and features lots 

of modern kit to back up the looks. Big bike cred is backed 

up by peppy performance and some of the hottest handling 

in the sector. 

BUYING ADVICE The RS4 mechanicals are good and 

build quality is decent, but inspect closely for neglect and 

wear and tear – it’s likely to have been hammered. 

4 

3 2018-on Honda CB125R 


The CB125R replaced Honda’s fully-faired CBR125R and 

brought big bike looks from the rest of Honda’s CB ‘neosports 

café’ range and has been updated again for 2021 

with a more powerful, Euro5-compliant engine. With cool 

styling, an LCD dash and inverted Showa forks, it offers 

big bike feel in an L-plate-friendly package. 

£2800 

(used) 

to 

£4299 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE Still relatively new but the Honda 

badge is more reassuring than most and the bulk of the 

mechanicals are proven and durable. 

4 2014-on Honda MSX125 Grom 


5 2014-on KTM RC125 


£2100 

(used) 

to 

£TBA 

(new) 

Most 125cc motorbikes are fun, but the Grom is on a 

different level when it comes to smiles per mile. A modernday 

mini bike, the Grom has an entire sub-culture and 

people love these little things. Updated and restyled for 

2021, test ride one and you won’t be disappointed. 

BUYING ADVICE It’s bulletproof – but look for signs of a 

ham-fisted owner. High-mileage examples should have 

valve clearances checked (a simple job). If the Grom 

doesn’t quite take your fancy, you could also pick Honda’s 

125 Monkey, a similar mini bike but in the classic Honda 

‘Monkey’ style. 

This faired, sports version of KTM’s 125 Duke has a lovely 

free-revving engine, handles well and boasts some neat 

touches like the side-mounted exhaust. Sadly, the 2017 

model wasn’t updated in the same way as the Duke, so 

you’ll have to make do without the full-colour TFT dash. 

Plus, the WP suspension isn’t properly sorted, so it does 

tend to protest and chatter a little when used hard. 

BUYING ADVICE Built in India and quality control is 

variable. Electrical woes widely reported (but fixed under 

warranty). Known to cough, splutter and cut out when 

cold and the gearbox is a bit on the weak side. 

£2500 

(used) 

to 

£4400 

(new) 

29


Top 10 125s 

“It’s hard to 

find but 

your search 

will be 

rewarded” 

6 

6 2011-on KTM 125 Duke 


£2700 

(used) 

to 

£4299 

(new) 

Classy, simple and fun supermoto-style single delivers the 

double delight of being an easy-to-ride learner bike with 

bags of street cred. It was updated in 2017 when it 

received a new TFT dash plus revised frame and styling, 

and now even has the option of integrating a smartphone 

with the dash, allowing the rider to access incoming calls 

and listen to music via a Bluetooth headset. Smaller 

learner roadsters don’t get any cooler than this. 

BUYING ADVICE Although Indian-built, the Austriandesigned 

Duke boasts a decent spec including WP 

suspension and is fairly well built, too – as long as you 

watch out for the usual neglect and abuse. 

7 

£2600 

(used) 

to 

£4499 

(new) 

7 2011-on Aprilia RS 125 


Aprilia’s two-stroke RS125 was once the last word in 125s, 

with a top speed of over 100mph. Sadly, those days are 

long gone, but it hasn’t stopped Aprilia making the 

sportiest four-stroke 125 around: DOHC, inverted forks, 

radial brakes... there’s a lot to recommend this Italian take 

on the teenage dream. It’s even better value than ever. 

Yes, it is harder to find than a YZF-R125, but your search 

will certainly be rewarded. 

BUYING ADVICE Well built, but avoid anything that the 

seller claims has been ‘tuned’. Exposed frame looks 

stunning but is prone to getting scuffed. 

8 

£2800 

(used) 

to 

£4499 

(new) 

8 2017-on Suzuki GSX-R125 


The GSX-R125 is another bike that’s built in the Far East 

(Jakarta, this time), to keep costs down but, unlike other 

Far Eastern 125s, is aimed more at the European market 

so has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and is very 

economical. It looks super, especially in the slightly pricier 

MotoGP colours and has remote keyless ignition, as well. 

BUYING ADVICE Still a relatively new model, so more 

of an unknown than others. Already recalled for potential 

loose frame bolts: check it’s had the recall work done. 

30

9 

9 2008-on Yamaha YZF-R125 


Introduced in 2008, the Yamaha took over as the sports 125 to appeal to every redblooded 

teenager thanks to its full-size proportions, good performance and R6 looks. 

Yamaha saved cash by employing a steel frame and basic unadjustable suspension, but its 

digital dash, underslung exhaust and Brembo brakes made up for that. For 2017, it got a 

new fuel injection system, revised engine internals, styling etc and in 2019 it was revamped 

once more to keep it on top – it’s now also called the R125. 

£1200 

(used) 

to 

£4800 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE It’s a learner 125, so will 

probably have been neglected by an 

unsympathetic teenager so check the 

condition of the brakes, chain and sprockets, 

as well as tyres. Finish isn’t top-notch and the 

paint has been known to bubble. But it is 

otherwise solid. Look out for crash damage. 

10 2014-on 

Yamaha MT-125 

124cc / 14.8bhp / 138kg / 810mm seat 

height 

10 

Essentially a naked, roadster 

version of Yamaha’s YZF-R125 

(above), the MT-125’s ‘Dark Side’ 

styling, taking its cues from 

Yamaha’s MT-07 and MT-09, won’t 

appeal to everyone but its engine 

has a surprising amount of grunt for 

a 125, making it more useable on 

faster roads. It’s also light and agile 

and, while not very high-tech, is a 

solid 125 with proven mechanicals 

and decent features. 

£2400 

(used) 

to 

£4649 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE The liquidcooled 

Minarelli engine has been 

used in the YZF-R125 since 2008 

and has proved reliable. The baby 

MT is put together incredibly well so 

problems should be minimal. 

31


Top 10 125cc+ Scooters 

TOP 

10 

125cc+ 

SCOOTERS 

Why big scooters are an 

affordable, fun and practical 

way of getting about... 

THE SALES OF 

125cc+ scooters are 

still booming and appeal to 

commuters who don’t much fancy the 

prospect of sitting next to the local bus 

nutter or sniffing someone else’s armpit on the 

Tube for six stops of standing misery – and 

there’s never been more choice, class, or panache. 

Bikes like Yamaha’s TMAX, Suzuki’s Burgman, and 

the Vespa GTS have elevated the humble scooter 

and the attraction is obvious: effortless to ride, big 

comfy seats with cavernous storage beneath, 

great weather protection, and levels of fit and 

finish once only dreamt of. So, if you’re 

looking for the perfect way to cut the 

cost, time, and social misery of 

getting to the office – they’re 

a no-brainer! 

1 

1 2010-on Honda PCX125 

Spec: 125cc / 12bhp / 130kg / 764mm seat height 

The PCX125 was the first ever two-wheeler to feature a fuel-saving ‘idle-stop’ system. The 

UK’s best-selling scooter is very easy to manoeuvre and the handling is stable and 

reassuring. It’s fitted with 14in wheels, which are a nice compromise, and its four-stroke 

125cc motor is good for 70mph on the clock – which is pretty nippy for a 125. 

£1600 

(used) 

to 

£3169 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE Despite the affordable 

price tag the PCX125 is well put together and 

is long established with few recorded issues. 

If its looked after cosmetically and serviced 

correctly you should have few concerns. 

32

2 3 

4 5 

2 2001-on Yamaha TMAX 560 


3 2016-2020 Kawasaki J125 


£4000 

(used) 

to 

£12,000 

(new) 

Think of the TMAX as the ultimate high-speed commuting 

tool - a fast, practical, jam-busting alternative to a car or 

expensive annual train ticket. It’s also a two-up holiday 

buddy that will swallow your groceries one minute and 

scratch ably through backroads the next. 

If you want to commute in comfort with style and reliability 

the J125 hits the spot. In any major city you really don’t 

need more than a 125. There is enough under-seat storage 

for a full face helmet and laptop and ABS comes as 

standard, as does an anti-tamper ignition system. 

£2900 

to 

£3750 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE The TMAX is screwed together with 

the same love, care and attention as Yamaha’s bikes. It’s 

robust and classy but if ridden in all weathers some bolt 

heads and exhaust welds can show signs of rust. 

BUYING ADVICE These Kymco-built but Kawasaki 

badged scoots never caught on as well as hoped so were 

deleted in 2020 but they’re a quality, stylish option at a 

great used price. 

4 2017-on Suzuki Burgman 400 


5 2007-on Vespa GTS125 


£4500 

(used) 

to 

£6599 

(new) 

A major selling point of the Burgman is its ample underseat 

storage, which puts some rival scooter’s luggage carrying 

ability to shame. Which means if you are looking at ditching 

the bus and turning to two wheels, Suzuki’s mid-sized 

scooter makes for an extremely practical form of transport 

that is right at home on city. 

BUYING ADVICE The Burgman range (including 125, 

200 and 650 versions) has been around since 1998 so 

there should be no issues with reliability. However, 

previous models have suffered from problems with 

corrosion, so maintenance through winter months is key. 

With the fashionable GTS you get all the style and ‘cool’ of 

an original 1950s or ‘60s Vespa, but delivered in a package 

with modern technology, performance and reliability. If 

you’re commute is primarily on busy city roads the engine 

and handling are spot on. But the slightly small-wheeled 

GTS struggles a little out on the open road. 

BUYING ADVICE The Piaggio Group owns Vespa and 

Gilera, among others - so they know how to build a 

scooter. The GTS is a premium, fashionable machine with 

the prices to match but it’s a decent option in the city and 

comes in a variety of specs and sizes. 

£2800 

(used) 

to 

£5350 

(new) 

33


Top 10 125cc+ Scooters 

‘They’re the 

perfect way 

to get to 

the office’ 

6 

£1900 

to 

£4000 

(used) 

6 2011-2020 Suzuki Burgman 200 


Want a bit more than a 125 without stepping up to a maxiscoot? 

How about this 200cc version of Suzuki’s popular 

Burgman maxi-scooter family? Packing 7bhp more than 

the 125, it’s got all the benefits of the smaller capacity 

machine but with more ‘go’ – which is especially useful if 

you carry a pillion. 

BUYING ADVICE Since it’s built by one of the big four, 

the Burgman is well-built compared to a lot of scooters on 

the market and reliability shouldn’t be an issue. Corrosion 

is a known issue with the whole Burgman range so take 

care of it if you ride it through winter. 

7 

£3800 

(used) 

to 

£5199 

(new) 

7 2013-on Honda Forza 300 


The Forza is a premium, good-looking, functional but semisporty 

scooter with classy features including an electric 

screen and enough performance to cope with motorways. 

As such it’s a popular mid-range choice between 125cc 

scooters and the significantly more expensive, 500cc+ 

maxi-scooter offerings. There’s also a new, 350cc version 

for 2021, too. 

BUYING ADVICE There is no reason to question the 

quality of Honda’s premium Forza. It’s a best-seller 

Europe-wide for good reason and its single-cylinder fourstroke 

engine is largely understressed and should keep 

running forever. 

8 

£2000 

(used) 

to 

£3399 

(new) 

8 2015-on Yamaha NMAX 125 


Yamaha’s rival to Honda’s best-selling PCX125 has 

received a major update for 2021 and now features stop/ 

start, Bluetooth connectivity, a fresh new style, LED lights 

and more. Affordable, frugal and easy to ride, the NMax 

offers pretty much everything to welcome new scooter 

commuters who are looking for a quick, convenient and 

cheap way to get about town. 

BUYING ADVICE For a bike costing as little as the NM 

ax, the overall quality is impressive. What’s more owner 

reliability records are good and there’s no reason to think 

this latest version will be any different. 

34

9 2014-2020 

Kawasaki J300 

299cc / 27bhp / 191kg / 775mm seat 

height 

The J300 sits perfectly between 

lighter 125cc scooters and much 

larger and heavier maxi scoots, 

combining a good spread of power 

with good, easy handling. Despite 

‘only’ making 27bhp the 299cc 

single-cylinder engine has plenty of 

go. It’s easy to overtake uphill at 

70mph and it’ll happily cruise at 

80mph. 

BUYING ADVICE The J300 was 

based heavily on the Kymco 

Downtown 300 and built by the 

Taiwanese firm, so reliability isn’t an 

issue. Unfortunately, sales were not 

great so used examples are few and 

far between but find one and it’s a 

credible offering at a good price. 

9 

£3300 

to 

£4500 

(used) 

10 2018-on BMW C400X 


A funkily-styled, effortless congestion-beater, BMW’s middleweight scooter makes for 

ideal urban transport for any city-dweller who wants to avoid overcrowded public 

transport. You get traction control and ABS, the single cylinder engine delivers great fuel 

economy and impressive drive and badge is a bonus – but it’s not cheap. 

10 

£5200 

(used) 

to 

£6545 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE This is a BMW product, so 

you can expect decent reliability all backed up 

by an excellent dealer network. There should 

be no horrors and the addition of a stainless 

steel exhaust is a nice touch. 

35


Top 10 A2-Friendly Bikes 

TOP 

10 

A2 

FRIENDLY BIKES 

Light and affordable: you don’t 

need big power to have big fun... 

IF YOU ARE 19 or 

older, after a CBT, theory 

test and two-part practical test 

you can earn your A2-licence, which 

allows you to ride a bike of up to 35kW 

(roughly 47bhp) without displaying L-plates. 

And you can even take a passenger. 

There are many bikes built specifically to hit that 

power limit. Often affordable, due to often being built 

in the Far East, A2-legal machines are also light, agile 

and bags of fun, delivering performance that makes 

them more than capable of matching motorway 

speeds if required. They also make very 

economical second bikes for those with a full 

licence looking for a weekday workhorse. 

Here are our top 10 bikes that are 

A2-compliant straight from 

the crate. 

1 

1 2018-2020 Kawasaki Ninja 400 


Replacing the already excellent Ninja 300 in 2018, Kawasaki’s 400 is in the process of being 

deleted but is a genuine sportsbike in every respect with character, great handling and a 

superb parallel twin engine. It’s also light and comfortable enough to be a useable allrounder. 

It may be A2-friendly, but that shouldn’t stop someone with a full licence giving 

serious consideration to a test ride. The older 300 is worth consideration, too. 

£4400 

(used) 

to 

£5599 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE Kawasaki’s reliability is 

practically beyond question these days, and 

if looked after the Ninja 400 should be pretty 

much bombproof. Fit and finish is in line with 

far more expensive models and the overall 

feel is of a quality item. 

36

2 3 

4 5 

£3500 

(used) 

to 

£6119 

(new) 

2 2013-on Honda CB500X 


Introduced in 2013, the X is the ‘adventure’ take on Honda’s 

A2-specific 500cc twin and is a great option for taller 

riders. Engine and chassis are easy yet useful, it’s 

practical, stylish and in 2019 gained a larger, 19in front 

wheel and longer-travel suspension. 

BUYING ADVICE As with most Honda’s there’s little to 

fear: the CB500X is well-built, durable and reliable – 

although you should inspect closely for corrosion and 

damage on older versions. 

3 2015-2020 Ducati Scrambler 

Sixty2 


The Sixty2 is Ducati’s A2 version of its Scrambler retro 

roadster. Basically the 800cc Scrambler in 400cc form 

with budget-oriented changes such as narrower tyres and 

a more basic spec. But despite just 41bhp (from 75bhp), it 

rides, looks and feels like a premium product. 

BUYING ADVICE Cost cutting such as traditional 41mm 

forks in place of bigger inverted units show, but the Sixty2 

is otherwise close in terms of class and feel to the others. 

£4200 

to 

£6600 

(used) 

4 2017-on Honda CMX500 Rebel 


5 2016-on Yamaha MT-03 


£3400 

(used) 

to 

£5799 

(new) 

Later custom addition to Honda’s A2 500cc twin family, 

the Rebel may not have the looks or authenticity of 

American V-twins but is a great introduction to biking. The 

retuned twin is gruntier and easier, there’s a ridiculously 

low seat height and the quality and all-round ability are 

second to none. And if you’re not completely sold on the 

looks, you’ll be happy to learn there are plenty of cosmetic 

accessories available, too. 

BUYING ADVICE Honda’s parallel twin motor is proven 

and understressed and build quality is good. As long as it’s 

been looked after you should have nothing to fear here. 

Based on the YZF-R3, in 2016 Yamaha stripped off its 

fairing, added funky styling and created the MT-03 

roadster. The result is an A2 city bike with a peppy parallel 

twin and decent handling. Yamaha updated it for 2020 

with new styling, forks, LCD dash, revised riding position 

and tweaked rear shock, plus altered preload and damping 

settings and a stiffer spring. 

BUYING ADVICE There aren’t many major faults so buy 

on finish and consumables. Avoid any bikes where 

corrosion has taken hold and inspect items such as the 

tyres, chain and sprockets and brake pads for wear. 

£2300 

(used) 

to 

£5300 

(new) 

37


Top 10 A2-Friendly Bikes 

“It’s solid, 

with a big 

bike feel 

and decent 

handling” 

6 

£3100 

(used) 

to 

£6149 

(new) 

6 2013-on Honda CBR500R 


An great introduction to sports bikes with a big bike feel 

and enough power from its easy to use twin-cylinder 

engine. Introduced in 2013 alongside the naked CB500F 

and adventure-styled CB500X, it was updated with an 

aggressive new look for 2016, with LED lighting, larger fuel 

tank, adjustable forks and new exhaust, and updated 

again for 2019. All are great bikes. It’s a solid all-rounder 

with a big bike feel and decent handling. 

BUYING ADVICE Corrosion due to poor quality 

fasteners is common but there are very few mechanical 

issues. Check the bearings well as they did skimp on 

grease in the factory, and be vigilant for crash damage. 

7 

£4600 

(used) 

to 

£6099 

(new) 

7 2017-on Royal Enfield 

Continental GT 650 


A 650 for around £6k? That’s right, the Royal Enfield twins 

- the hugely popular Interceptor roadster and the sportier 

and Continental GT cafe racer - represent some of the best 

value-for-money motorcycling on sale. You get retro 

styling, an air-cooled motor and a chassis tuned in the UK 

for lively, engaging handling. 

BUYING ADVICE The OE Pirelli Phantom tyres aren’t 

great (swapping them transforms the rid) but it’s a simple 

bike to work on if you have basic tools. 

8 

£3700 

(used) 

to 

£5650 

(new) 

8 2015-on Yamaha R3 


Introduced in 2015, the stylish, twin-cylinder R3 sits 

between KTM’s RC390 single and Kawasaki’s Ninja 400 

twin in terms of A2 sports performance. It’s not quite as 

slick and fast as the Kawasaki but is more substantial and 

practical than the KTM. Updated for 2019 with new styling, 

suspension and dash, it looks great, too, although the 

latest version isn’t exactly what you would call cheap. 

BUYING ADVICE The ‘made in Indonesia’ sticker may 

concern some, but the R3’s finish is generally good. 

Look out for corrosion and any signs of abuse or crash 

damage, though. 

38

9 

9 2016-on BMW G310R 


The Indian-built G310R is specifically aimed to tempt new riders into the BMW family, and 

it does a good job. At its heart is a 313cc, single-cylinder, 4v liquid-cooled engine with 

double overhead camshafts and fuel injection, plus there’s inverted forks, ABS and fourpiston 

brake calipers. The result is attractive, light, easy to manage at low speed and it 

even has a sporty side when you push it hard. Updated, restyled and refreshed for 2021 

the G 310 R is now better than ever. 

£3000 

(used) 

to 

£4785 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE BMW have kept costs 

down by designing and engineering the G310R 

at their HQ in Munich but building it in India, 

and on the whole, quality is good. Not the 

cheapest A2, but it’s stylish, easy to ride, bang 

up to date, decent quality and has a premium 

badge/dealer experience. 

10 2017-on KTM 390 

Duke 


height 

This is one bike for A2 licence 

holders to get really excited about. 

The 390 Duke is a simple but punchy 

and attitude-laden roadster inspired 

by old school supermotos. As a 

result it’s fantastic fun to ride, and 

while it’s not as sporty or exciting to 

look at as the sporty RC390, it 

makes up for it with character and 

technology. There’s even a range of 

Power Parts tuning accessories out 

there to personalise your bike. 

10 

£3300 

to 

£4899 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE Servicing and 

maintenance can be costly to factor 

that into your calculations. Our 

owners’ reviews don’t show any 

prevailing problems. 

39


Top 10 First Big Bikes 

TOP 

10 

FIRST 

BIG BIKES 

You can go big, but the sensible 

choice is a middleweight... 

ONCE YOU’VE 

attained your full, 

unrestricted ‘A’ licence, either at 

the age of 21 or older via the progressive 

route through the lesser licence categories, 

or, at the age of 24 or over, via Direct Access, 

you’re now qualified to ride anything. Obviously 

the world’s your oyster but, particularly if you’ve 

come up through the smaller categories, we’d 

recommend moving up to a middleweight machine 

of up to around 100bhp, as a sensible stepping 

stone to full-power bikes. Choices range from 

funky nakeds to practical sports tourers, retros 

and adventure bikes, all with their own pros 

and cons and many available both new 

and used to appeal to all budgets. 

Here’s our pick of some of 

the best... 

1 

1 2021-on Triumph Trident 660 


New for 2021, the novice-friendly Trident 660 is a breath of fresh air, just when you thought 

new bikes were getting ever more powerful, complicated and expensive. The three-cylinder 

MT-07 rival makes a modest but useful and fruity 80bhp, costs comfortably less than the 

Street Triple S and even has 10,000-mile service intervals to keep your bank balance happy. 

£7195 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE So new that reliability is 

unproven and used examples are virtually nil 

but Triumph has a good reputation for quality 

with an extensive dealer network so you 

should have few concerns. 

40

2 3 

4 5 

2 2011-on Suzuki V-Strom 650 


3 2011-on Honda CBR650F/R 


£3500 

(used) 

to 

£7999 

(new) 

The V-Strom is a taller, adventure-styled version of 

Suzuki’s brilliant SV650 V-twin and has been hugely 

popular since 2004. Facelifted in 2011, 2017 and tweaked 

again for 2021, it might not be the latest or flashiest, but it 

has a great, flexible engine, decent handling, real world 

ergonomics plus all the tech you need for a great price. 

Honda’s middleweight, sports all-rounder is a spiritual 

successor to the CBR600F of the 1990s, aimed at new 

riders, has been updated repeatedly since 2011 – most 

recently with Fireblade-inspired looks, digital dash and 

Euro5 tweaks, is a great stylish, sporty all-rounder – and 

the only four-cylinder in the class. 

£2900 

(used) 

to 

£8049 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE SV engine has been around since the 

nineties and is pretty much bulletproof. Cosmetics are a 

little budget and basic so check it’s been looked after. 

BUYING ADVICE Although a little ‘budget’ in terms of 

spec/finish the CBR is also proven and refined and Hondas 

have a great reputation – but watch for novice damage. 

4 2017-on Kawasaki Ninja 650 


5 2016-on Suzuki SV650 


£4500 

(used) 

to 

£7099 

(new) 

The successor to the old ER-6f, the parallel twin Ninja is 

basically a Z650 with a fairing and added sportiness. 

There’s added Ninja style, a lighter, more nimble chassis, 

added versatility and class thanks to the attractive clocks, 

decent mirrors, span-adjustable levers and even a threeway 

height adjustable screen. If you want a sporty midweight 

but don’t want a bulky four it’s a tempting buy. 

Originally introduced in 1999 Suzuki’s middleweight V-twin 

roadster has been a brilliant ‘first big bike’ over the years 

for its combination of ease, fun, practicality and value. 

Fully reworked in 2016, all of that remains true today. 

Although not cutting edge and outpaced by newer rivals 

it’s good value, fun, handles well and there’s even a semiretro 

‘X’ version. 

£3500 

(used) 

to 

£6499 

(new) 

BUYING ADVICE The twin cylinder engine has been 

mechanically solid with no major scare stories, while 

Kawasaki really seems to have upped the quality, 

particularly in terms of finishes and detailing. 

BUYING ADVICE The engine has been around for 20 

years and there are plenty of long-in-the-tooth examples 

bearing testament to tip-top reliability. Finishes and spec 

are budget, though, so watch out for corrosion. 

41


Top 10 First Big Bikes 

‘Build quality 

is superb, 

paint and 

plastics top 

notch’ 

6 

£4200 

(used) 

to 

£8600 

(new) 

6 2013-on BMW F700/750GS 


BMW needs no introduction when it comes to adventure 

bikes, as the success of its R 1200 and 1250GS testify, but 

the German marque’s smaller, parallel twin F-series, share 

that credibility. Available in both 700 and 800 form since 

2013, then updated to 750 and 850 form in 2018, it’s the 

smaller versions, with a softer tune and less-intimidating 

proportions, which appeal as first big bikes, due to being 

flexible, easy, stylish and with as much spec as you want. 

BUYING ADVICE Build quality is superb, paint and 

chunky plastics top notch and attention to detail, from 

fasteners to switchgear, all you’d expect from a BMW. 

7 

£5900 

to 

£6800 

(used) 

7 2017-2019 Triumph Street 

Triple 765 S 

765cc / 112bhp / 186g / 810mm seat height 

The Street Triple, basically an unfaired, roadster version 

of the 675 Daytona sportster, has proved a huge success 

for the British firm since the debut of the original 675cc 

version in 2007 and all remain great bikes. But it’s the base 

‘S’ version of the updated 765cc version, introduced in 

2017, we’re most concerned with here. This bike is accessible 

and affordable yet still manages to be huge fun and 

characterful, thanks to its brilliant three-cylinder engine. 

BUYING ADVICE Ride quality is a step below the RS 

version’s Öhlins but this is still a potent, fine handling, quality 

middleweight sports naked and doesn’t feel cheap. 

8 

£3700 

(used) 

to 

£6902 

(new) 

8 2014-on Yamaha MT-07 


Introduced in 2014, Yamaha’s lightweight, novice-friendly 

but great fun MT-07 has proved a Europe-wide sensation. 

Its parallel twin is flexible and punchy, its handling light yet 

involving and it’s a decent all-rounder, too. In 2018 it was 

improved with uprated suspension and tweaked styling 

and it’s been refreshed again for 2021. Pound-for-pound, 

this is one of the best bikes on the market. 

BUYING ADVICE Build quality is up to Yamaha’s usual 

high standards, although fasteners can suffer if neglected, 

while the engine has proven reliability. Check for novice 

dings and scrapes, though. 

42

9 2014-on Honda 

CB650F/R 


height 

The spiritual successor to the old 

600 Hornet was reintroduced in 

2014 as a naked, roadster version of 

the four-cylinder CBR650F and has 

much of the original’s appeal – 

smooth, brisk, four-cylinder 

performance, unintimidating 

ergonomics and stacks of naked 

style. First versions had shades of 

CB400F, it became edgier in 2017 

before a further, significant update 

with new clocks, ‘Neo Café’ styling 

and other tweaks in 2019. 

BUYING ADVICE The motor is 

tried and tested and there are no 

CBR650F-related horror stories. 

Build quality is fairly high so you can 

confidently expect it to run and run. 

9 

£3600 

to 

£7299 

(used) 

10 2017-2020 Ducati Monster 797 


Although replaced for 2021 by Ducati’s all-new Monster (see p54), the 797 remains a 

great, entry-level, used buy. With its air-cooled V-twin motor and pleasing lack of 

gadgetry it’s simple, fun, handles well, is light, pleasingly devoid of modern electrical 

assists and yet full of Italian roadster character. Just get on and enjoy! 

10 

£5800 

to 

£8300 

(used) 

BUYING ADVICE As long as it’s been 

looked after you should have nothing to worry 

about. The air-cooled engine is reliable, has 

pleasingly long service intervals of 7500 miles, 

and the quality of finish appears high. 

43


Top 10 Electric Bikes 

TOP 

10 

ELECTRIC 

BIKES 

ONE OF THE 

biggest battlegrounds 

in modern motorcycling is 

developing the electric bike tech 

that can erase the current limitations 

(price, range and charging times) and 

make them a true like-for-like petrol 

alternative. Electric bikes like the Super 

Soco TC Max, at just over £4000, are 

becoming more affordable, while 

battery life, range, performance 

and spec is improving. too. 

Here’s our pick of the 

current (!) best… 

Are you ready for the revolution? 

1 

£19,725 

(new) 

3 2016-on Zero FXS 

ZF 7.2kWh (11kw) 

‘Z-Force 75-5’ / 133kg / 44bhp / 

836mm seat / Licence required: A1 

Just like the Zero S (right), the FSX 

sneaks though as an A1 bike on a 

technicality despite producing 

44bhp and 78lb.ft torque. Bonus! 

Styled as an urban supermoto, the 

FXS uses the smaller-capacity 

7.2kWh battery pack, but will still 

carry you around 75 miles between 

£1.35 full charges. It also comes with 

a 5-year power pack warranty. 

1 2020-on Energica Eva Ribelle 

Oil-cooled three-phase AC permanent magnet motor / 144bhp / 270kg / 

790mm seat height / Licence required: A 

Energica may have been producing electric motorcycles since 2016, their 

bikes are used in MotoE this, the new super naked Eva Ribelle, comes with 

the lightest, most powerful battery pack ever fitted to an electric production 

bike, with 60% more range. 

3 

2 

2 2016-on Energica Evo 

Oil-cooled three-phase AC permanent magnet motor / 144bhp / 258kg / 

810mm seat height / Licence required: A 

The Energica Ego has one of the most exciting power deliveries of any engine 

we’ve ever tried. It’s easy to ride and handles superbly, despite its weight. 

It’s cheap to run, if not buy, and that jetpack soundtrack is a magical surprise. 

But the sheer bulk of the Ego 

means it’s not as lithe and frisky as 

a conventional sportsbike. There’s 

also a limited edition, high-spec 

Ego45 version with a fast charging 

system, Öhlins, Brembos and OZ 

wheels. 

£11,850 

(new) 

£24,999 

(new) 

44

4 

£28,750 

(new) 

5 

£14,190 

(new) 

7 2019-on 

Super Soco 

TC-Max 

Electric motor / 7bhp / 100kg 

/ 770mm seat height / 

Licence required: A1 

6 

£5,095- 

£5,335 

(new) 

7 

With a top speed of over 

60mph and around 133ft-lb 

of torque, the TC Max rivals 

the performance of a petrol 

four-stroke 125, whilst 

remaining more economical. 

It’s afordable, the removable 

lithium-ion battery fully 

charges in just four and half 

hours and offers a range of 

around 80 miles plus there 

are Brembo hydraulic 

brakes and a combined 

braking system. 

4 2019-on Harley- 

Davidson LiveWire 

‘H-D Revelation’ permanent magnet 

water-cooled electric motor / 

104bhp / 249kg / 780mm seat 

height / Licence required: A 

After years of talking and concepts 

and temptation, Harley-Davidson 

finally launched their LiveWire in 

2020 – and it’s a revelation. It 

features Showa shocks, a TFT dash 

with Bluetooth connectivity, and the 

option to fast charge the battery 

through the tank. At £28K+ it’s 

certainly not cheap and puts it in 

direct competition with the Energica 

Evo superbike – but the LiveWire has 

more gadgets... 

5 2016-on Zero 

S ZF 14.4kWh (11kw) 

‘Z-Force 75-5’ / 185kg / 59bhp / 

807mm seat height / Licence 

required: A1 

Due to a fabulous quirk within 

electric power measurement, you 

can ride this powerhouse Zero S 

11kW on an A1 licence, despite it 

peaking at 59bhp and stomping out 

80lb.ft of torque! It costs about 

£2.70 for a full charge, which will 

carry you around 100 miles on 

average and it’s also a full-scale bike 

that delivers a great ride, too. Zero is 

arguably the current market leader 

in electric bikes and with the S it’s 

not hard to see why. 

6 2019-on Vespa 

Elettrica 

5bhp / 102kg / 790mm seat height / 

Licence required: AM/A1 

Italian scooter legends Piaggio have 

been a long time coming with the 

electric version of its iconic Vespa 

scooter and in most respects it’s 

been worth the wait with its unique 

blend of Italian style and green 

practicality. Two versions are 

available, the AM-compliant 45kph 

L1 (£5095) and the A1, 70kph L3 

(£5,335). Electric scoots currently 

don’t get more stylish. 


SR/S ZF 14.4kWh 

‘Z-Force 75-10’ / 229kg / 110bhp / 


required : A 

The SR/S is the first fully-faired 

offering from Californian electric 

veterans Zero. But despite the 

bodywork, this isn’t a superbike. 

With its high bars, pillion grab 

handles and optional luggage, the 

SR/S straddles the line between 

naked roadster and sportstourer. In 

essence it’s the SR/F (right) with 

more rider weather protection – it’s 

an electric VFR! 


DSR ‘Black Forest’ 

‘Z-Force 75-7R’ / 190kg / 69bhp 

(peak) / 843mm seat height / 

Licence required: A2 

An ambitious concept: an electric 

adventure bike. It does it 

reasonably well, too and, despite 

69bhp and 108ftlb of torque (that’s 

more torque than a KTM 1290 

Superduke R), current rules mean it 

can be ridden on an A2 licence. 

10 2019-on Zero 

SR/F ZF 14.4kWh 

‘Z-Force 75-10’ / 220kg / 110bhp / 


required: A 

A huge leap forwards in speed, 

sophistication and recharge time 

over Zero’s previous bikes offering 

truly comparable power, weight, 

handling and excitement to a 

regular roadster. Only range and 

price count against its positives. 

10 

8 

9 

£4249 

(new) 

£19,590 

(new) 

£19,090 

(new) 

£18,990 

(new) 

45


Buying advice 

BUYING A BIKE 

EXPERT GUIDE 

Become a buying whiz by following the 

advice of our industry experts 

NEIL MURRAY 

MCN’s used bike guru 

has devoted a lifetime to 

buying and selling bikes. 

IAN COOPER 

Founded Cooper 

Motorcycles 

in Northamptonshire. 

CIARAN PERRIN 

Runs Extreme Trading UK Ltd 

and specialises in rare and 

collectable bikes. 

DAN SUTHERLAND 

MCN’s Senior Writer has 

his finger firmly on the 

used bike market pulse. 

46

‘Do your research’ 

Expert: Ciaran Perrin 

“Know the pitfalls of the bike you’re 

buying. Do as much reading as you can 

and with anything that needs restoring, 

check how much it would cost. It may be 

worth buying a bike as sorted as it can 

be for your budget. If you don’t have the 

skills to do it yourself, you need to budget 

for the work needed. 

“I look for paperwork and make sure it 

matches what I can see in front of me. Do 

the engine and frame numbers match the 

paperwork? Should it have matching 

numbers? Not all bikes do. Was it an 

import and is that OK with you?” 

‘Be able to spot a ringer’ 

Expert: Ian Cooper 

“Hold the V5 up to the sky and look for 

the watermark. Both Welsh and English 

ones should show the letters ‘DVLA’. It 

should be visible both ways. The chassis 

number should match the one on the 

papers, too. You want to see it stamped 

on to the frame. On most bikes, they are 

on the right of the headstock. They 

should be evenly stamped and evenly 

spaced, and in a dead-straight line.” 

‘Learn to haggle’ 

Expert: Neil Murray 

“It always pays to be reasonable and 

friendly. I always emphasise the good 

points, but mention the faults in a lower 

key. Something else I do is inspect the 

bike, starting at the front and working 

through to the back, jotting down every 

fault on a piece of paper. I will then 

present the seller with an estimate of 

what fixing it all will com e to. 

“There’s no such thing as a too-low 

offer, but if they’re clued up, coming in 

super-low will just irritate them. If 

someone just wants shot of the thing, 

then you can try it. I always start with a 

low offer. Always leave your phone 

number if you walk away, in case they 

change their mind. A surprising number 

of people do.” 

‘Become finance savvy’ 

Expert: Dan Sutherland 

“There are many finance options to 

choose from when buying from a dealer 

– providing you’ve got a good enough 

credit rating. Hire purchase sees you pay 

off the price of your bike in regular 

monthly instalments of up to five years 

on fixed interest, having paid an initial 

deposit. Paying a larger deposit will lower 

your monthly payments and vice versa. 

It’s all about striking a balance. 

“Another method to consider is 

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP). This 

method is less common for used bikes 

(other than pre-reg machines). You only 

pay the depreciation, so there is a balloon 

payment to pay off if you want to keep 

the bike. before you can own the bike 

outright. Cold hard cash is still king in 

every regard, though.” 

‘Protect yourself’ 

Expert: Ian Cooper 

“I pay everybody now by bank transfer. 

I walk around with a card reader in my 

pocket, take someone’s account number 

and sort code and set them up as a 

payee in advance. In years gone by, I’d be 

driving around with a van full of cash and 

that makes me feel extremely vulnerable. 

I know people that have been mugged. 

“A bank transfer is the modern way and 

I wouldn’t take cash off a stranger in 

case it’s not real. I wouldn’t use PayPal in 

a million years, either. It’s too expensive 

and you’re handing control to someone 

else, which is a recipe for disaster. 

“According to consumer law, any 

motorcycle dealer, or anyone that can be 

described as an ‘expert’, has to give the 

purchaser of a bike a 12-month period 

within which, if the bike doesn’t perform 

to reasonable expectation, they have to 

make it better. If you buy a bike privately 

there’s zero comeback. This is just one 

part of the reason why dealers have to 

charge more.” 

TIPS 

1 

Perfect your 

timing 

Dealers have monthly, 

quarterly, half-yearly 

and annual sales 

targets to meet. They 

will always be more 

amenable to doing a 

deal on dates when 

these deadlines are 

getting close. Make it 

absolutely clear that 

you are willing to buy, 

but not yet committed. 

Do: Say “If I wanted 

to take this bike within 

the next 24 hours, 

what would your price 

be?” 

Don’t: Ask “What’s 

your best price?” 

2 

Play it cool 

Jumping on a 

bike all starry-eyed 

just tells a dealer 

you’re a sure-fire sale, 

and he can set any 

price he likes in the 

knowledge that you’ll 

still buy it. 

Do: Make it look like 

you’re uncommitted. 

You’ve got the money 

(or credit) and fancy a 

bike, but his might not 

be the one for you. 

Don’t: Say you’ve 

seen one cheaper at 

another dealer. Every 

dealer has heard this 

a hundred times and it 

only annoys them. 

47


Buying Used 

TEN TIPS TO 

AVOID A DUD 

MCN workshop guru Bruce reveals his top 

tips to avoid buying a used bike nightmare 

WHO AM I? 

Bruce Dunn 

Road tester and former 

bike mechanic with 

decades of motorcycle 

buying experience 

behind him. 

48

HEN BUYING A used bike, 

W 

the worst thing that can 

happen is that you blow 

your money on a bad 

motorcycle that’s been 

disguised as a good one. But don’t panic, 

my tips should see you right. 

Even if you’re 100% sure of the make, 

model and age of bike you want, the 

process involved with seeking out and 

buying the best example available can 

make your head spin. This guide offers 

you insider advice that will help you 

make an informed decision based on 

facts, whether you are buying from a 

dealer or a private seller. 

Once you have a specific model in 

mind, it’s crucial that you do some 

research – your first port of call should 

be the expert and owner reviews at 

www.motorcyclenews.com. If you then 

see a recurring problem owners’ have, 

delve deeper by asking owners forums 

either via their own websites or on 

Facebook what to look out for. If you 

have a good relationship with your local 

motorcycle dealer it could be worthwhile 

to ask their advice, too. 

Buying any used bike can be a 

worrying process, but hopefully this 

rapid 10-point guide should take some 

stress out of the process... 

1 

Do your homework 

Take a good look at the classifieds in print 

and online. This will give you a decent idea of what 

is out there and how much you ought to be paying 

for the bike you are after. Set yourself a budget. 

2 

Discover its history 

Once you’ve found the right bike, check its 

history on MCN Bike Check (via mcnbikesforsale. 

com). The database reveals insurance claims and 

outstanding finance. Not all owners will do that. 

3 

Look for failures 

Find the mileage recorded at every MoT 

by doing a check on the DVLA website. You’ll need 

the reg number. Look for MoT fails and advisories, 

and check that all faults have been fixed. 

4 

Has it been stolen? 

Check the frame number. The numbers 

should look neat and untampered with; anything 

that looks like it’s been etched in by hand should 

arouse suspicion and you should walk away – fast! 

5 

Check its service history 

Major services need to be done by a 

franchised dealer or a reputable independent. Do 

your research and find out how much a major 

service will cost if the bike is close to needing one. 

6 

Tyres speak volumes 

Tyres that show little signs of wear can 

indicate that the owner is a careful and steady 

rider. This type of riding also reflects on the rest of 

the bike, with minimal wear and attrition. 

7 

What’s underneath? 

A sticker can cover up a scratch or a 

walking-speed whoopsie. Be suspicious of any 

stickers that are positioned on a panel where it 

could have been damaged in this way. 

8 

Bolt-on blindness 

Don’t be dazzled into paying extra for 

bikes with accessories that you don’t necessarily 

want. You may need the original exhaust for MoTs. 

9 

Inspect it well 

Unloved chain? It’s an unloved bike. Also, 

look for stains where the bike is kept that might 

indicate oil leaks. Always view a bike in daylight. 

10 

Pre-warmed? Pre-warned! 

If the seller warms the bike up before you 

see it they could be masking an engine problem. 

Check for smoke/rattles on start-up from cold. 

49


Buying advice 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW 

BIKE FINANCE 

Confused about buying a bike on finance? 

Let us explain what it really means for you 

Is cheap finance a con? 

No: we really are the winners. 

Manufacturers often offer really good 

rates of finance on certain models, 

especially in competitive sectors. It 

works because the manufacturer pays a 

subsidy to the finance company to make 

the deal happen. 

What is PCP? 

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) 

schemes let you put down a deposit and 

ride off, paying finance based around 

how much the bike will be worth at the 

end of the agreement. The PCP deal 

specifies a Minimum Future Value (MFV) 

for the bike. The regular repayments 

reflect the depreciation of the bike, 

which keeps what you pay each month 

low, as the large balance of the finance 

is deferred – represented by the MFV. 

At the end of the term you have three 

options. First, you can pay the MFV and 

keep the bike. The second and most 

common option is to trade the bike in for 

another new one — if it’s in good 

condition and within the agreed mileage 

limit, it should be worth more than the 

MFV so this also gives some money 

towards the deposit on your next bike. 

Or the third option is simply to give it 

back and walk away. 

The benefit of PCP is that you’re 

paying less each month. The downside 

is that unless you make the final ‘balloon 

payment’, you don’t actually own it. PCP 

is best for riders who like to change 

their bike every two or three years. Our 

advice is not to put down a huge deposit 

— you won’t necessarily benefit. Before 

you sign up, see what it’ll cost over two 

years rather than three — sometimes it 

can work out better; the bike is worth 

more when it’s two years old. 

What about hire purchase? 

Hire purchase (HP) is a traditional loan 

where you put down a deposit and pay 

off the balance over the agreed term 

— usually between one and five years. 

This is best for those who want to keep 

a bike for more than just a few years, 

especially if prepared to put down a 

larger deposit. Payments are higher than 

PCP but at the end of the term the bike 

is yours, though (like PCP) you can’t sell 

it unless you first settle the finance. 

Can I pay by credit card? 

If you have a good credit rating, you can 

get a 0% credit card with a limit of 

several thousand pounds and up to two 

years before interest kicks in. It could be 

an interest-free way of buying a secondhand 

bike from a dealer. But settle it 

within the interest-free term or you’ll pay 

crazy money. Dealers generally won’t 

mind larger amounts being paid on a 

credit card, though some may have a 

limit. However, most will charge you the 

banking fee (1.7-2.0%) and nearly all will 

insist you are on the premises when you 

pay for it, as they have more protection 

if you put your PIN in. 

What about a bank loan? 

A good bank loan will typically offer 

lower interest rates than standard 

new-bike finance. It also offers more 

flexibility than a bike-specific finance 

arrangement, as you can use it not only 

to buy your bike (new or used) but also 

new riding kit or accessories, which 

may not go on an HP or PCP deal. You 

also own the bike from day one and can 

therefore can sell it. However, some 

bank loans can’t be paid off early 

without a penalty and some will be 

secured against your home. 

Can I add options to a deal? 

There are no fixed rules. A recognised 

accessory pack or luggage kit should be 

ok, as it adds value to the bike. But you 

probably won’t get riding kit included. 

What is finance protection 

insurance? 

This is the dreaded PPI. When you take 

out finance, you should be offered 

insurance on the agreement in case 

you lose your job. 

Can I swap bikes early? 

If you want to change bikes before the 

end of your finance term you’ll need a 

settlement figure (how much owed until 

the next payment) from your finance 

company. Pay this and the bike is yours, 

or sell it to a dealer, they’ll pay off the 

finance and the difference between that 

and the value of the bike is yours. 

50


BMW 

FAST, FUN 

AND FUNKY 

Around-town agility meets openroad 

ability in BMW’s G 310 R 

BMW 

G310R 

£4,670 

bmw-motorrad.co.uk 

Engine 313cc single cylinder Power 

34bhp Torque 21lbft Kerb weight 

158kg Seat height 785mm 

Fuel capacity 11 litres Fuel 

consumption 85mpg 

Licence needed A2 

FINISHING TOUCH 

The engine area now comes in 

titanium grey metallic. It gives the 

G 310 R its modern finish in 

combination with the footrest plates 

and pillion passenger grips. 

ROOKIE TO RIDER 

The BMW Rookie to Rider 

programme is a 

comprehensive all-in-one 

package that’s tailored to 

you. Book your week of 

lessons whenever you want 

them, then choose from a 

wide selection of 

motorcycles and rider 

equipment. 

We’re here to help you find 

everything you need to start 

your new life on two wheels 

– all at monthly rentals and a 

customer contribution that 

works for you. 

PASS YOUR TEST 

52 

We’re here to make sure you 

set off on the right track. 

After booking and completing 

your theory test, you’ll enjoy 

a seven-day Direct Access 

course – including your CBT, 

Module One and Module Two 

tests with BMW Rider 

Training. 

You’ll finish feeling confident 

and prepared for any 

adventure. 

LIGHT FANTASTIC 

LED headlights and LED indicators as 

standard. Turn night into day: You not 

only have a better view, you can also be 

seen better by other drivers.

Advertisement feature 

OTHER 

SUITABLE 

BMWS 

WHO ARE BMW? 

BMW F900R 

BMW stands for ‘Bavarian 

Motor Works’ and the firm has 

been specialising in luxury 

vehicles since 1916. The 

motorcycle arm of the 

business is called BMW 

Motorrad and is known for 

innovative engineering, having 

introduced safety features 

such as anti-lock brakes as 

far back as the 1980s. From 

racing to touring to roundthe-world 

travel, it produces 

market-leading motorcycles. 

£8,660 

895cc I 95bhp I 219kg 


Available in an A2-compliant 

variant with 95hp, this can be 

reduced to 48hp to meet your 

A2 driver’s licence 

requirements. You can enjoy 

the intuitive handling of the F 

900 R from the very 

beginning. 

BMW F900XR 

HANDY FEATURES 

Adjustable clutch and 

brake levers reduce the 

distance to the handlebar 

by up to six millimetres 

over four levels – for more 

safety and control. 

£9,830 



Are you just about there? 

That’s no reason to give up on 

intuitive handling and long 

distances: The A2 compliant 

95 hp variant of the F 900 XR 

can be reduced to 48hp so 

that you can ride with an A2 

driving licence. 

53


Ducati 

MONSTER FUN! 

Pure Ducati in the most compact, fun form ever! 

Ducati 

Monster 

£10,295 

www.ducati.com 

Engine 937cc liquid-cooled, V-twin 

Power 47bhp Torque 93Nm 

Dry mass 166kg Seat height 820mm 

(775mm low option) 

Fuel capacity 14 litres 


CONFIDENT STYLE 

A low 820mm seat height 

gives the rider added 

confidence on an already light 

and agile bike. There’s also a 

USB power socket, a 4.3in 

TFT colour display, a full LED 

headlight and lighting system 

and Dynamic turn indicators. 

ABOUT THIS BIKE 

With a sporty engine, it’s a 

fun bike to ride and perfect 

for an A2 rider, too. With a 

Superbike-derived frame, it 

has all that an A2 rider 

could want, but it’s ideal for 

more experienced riders, 

too. The New Monster is 

still light and easy to handle 

and with a 47bhp A2 engine 

(111hp full power), low seat 

height, weight as little as 

166kg (dry) it’s the ideal 

motorcycle to learn on. 

Want to know more? 

For more information on 

Ducati and Scrambler A2 

bikes, to find your local 

dealer, or to explore 

finance examples please 

visit Ducati.com 

SAFETY FIRST 

Ducati Traction Control lets the rider 

select one of eight levels, improving 

safety and confidence in the motorcycle. 

54

WHO ARE DUCATI? 


SEE MORE OF 

THE DUCATI 

RANGE 

CLASS-LEADING 

ELECTRONICS 

Three Riding Modes – Urban, 

Sport, Touring - give the rider 

the power to decide which 

riding style suits them and 

road conditions. There’s also 

Ducati Quick Shift, Cornering 

ABS and Ducati Power Launch. 

Ducati is synonymous with 

Italian style and sportinspired 

motorcycles with 

high-performance engines 

and cutting-edge technology. 

Style, sophistication and 

performance are the key 

words but Ducati is also 

known for innovative safety 

features like Cornering ABS, 

Ducati Traction Control and 

even Radar! 

FINANCE 

Ducati has constantly reacted 

to customer needs by 

producing great products and 

offering a range of finance 

options that make the dream 

of riding a Ducati a reality 

including TriOptions, a 

Personal Contract Purchase 

Plan, in association with 

Black Horse Ltd. Here’s a 

typical finance example... 

Monster (Red) on 7.9% PCP 

Customer deposit £2596.31 

Monthly payments 37 x £109 

Optional final payment 

£5502 

Total amount payable 

£12,021.31 

Terms and Conditions 

Credit is subject to status and is only 

available to UK residents aged 18 and 

over. This finance offer is only available 

through Ducati Finance which is a 

trading style of Black Horse Ltd, St. 

William House, Tresillian Terrace, 

Cardiff CF10 5BH. The Cash Price 

shown above includes 1st registration 

fee and road fund licence. With 

TriOptions Personal Contract 

Purchase (PCP) you have the option 

after you have paid all of the regular 

monthly repayments to: (1) Return the 

motorcycle and not pay the Optional 

Final Repayment. In this example if the 

motorcycle has exceeded 12,333 

miles, a charge of 7.2p (including VAT at 

20%) will apply per excess mile. If the 

motorcycle is in good condition (fair 

wear and tear accepted) and has not 

exceeded 12,333 miles you will have 

nothing further to pay. (2) Pay the 

Optional Final Repayment to own the 

motorcycle or (3) Part exchange the 

motorcycle subject to settlement of 

your existing finance agreement; new 

finance agreements are subject to 

status. Figures are correct at time of 

print and can be subject to change. 

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950 

£10,995 

937cc I 47bhp I 178kg (dry) 


Pure fun, endless adrenalin! 

Combining minimalism, 

aggressiveness, a lightweight 

‘Motard’ look with the latest 

innovation and technology to 

provide the essence of fun in 

a motorcycle. 

DUCATI SUPERSPORT 950 

£12,295 



Sportier in appearance, more 

fun to ride and even easier, 

safer and more comfortable 

thanks to enhanced standard 

equipment, the new 

SuperSport provides the ideal 

entry to Ducati sports bikes. 

SCRAMBLER DARK ICON 

£7,695 



Inspired by customising, this 

bike has a matt black colour 

scheme, machined aluminium 

covers and interchangeable 

side panels for you to start 

your own personalisation 

journey to fun and freedom. 

55


Husqvarna 

STYLISH 

SINGLES 

Husqvarna’s Svartpilen 

offers style and sportiness 

DESIGN FOR LIFE 

The Svartpilen 125 is an 

authentic mix of classic 

thinking and modern design. 

The lightweight and narrow 

bodywork is shaped into the 

Svartpilen 125’s design and 

intelligently allows for 

seamless movement while 

riding. It offers a rigorous look 

to match its urban exploration 

intentions. 

MOTOR CITY 

Powering the Svartpilen 125 is 

a modern, fuel-injected, 

liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 

four-stroke 125cc motor that 

sips fuel. This compact engine 

provides impressive power 

and delivers a character suited 

to both urban riding and life on 

the open road. 


The Husqvarna Motorcycles 

Svartpilen 125 delivers for 

new riders in the most 

exceptional way, with rugged 

design and accessible 

performance combining to 

form the perfect package as 

you start your life on two 

wheels. Thanks to its upright 

riding position, lightweight 

chassis and smooth, single 

cylinder engine, this 

motorcycle puts you at the 

centre of the action and 

allows you to gain 

confidence on every ride. 

FINANCE 

56 

The Husqvarna Motorcycles 

Svartpilen 125 has somehow 

been made more attractive 

with the addition of a zero 

per cent finance campaign 

applied to the bike. The 

new-for-2021 machine joins 

its bigger brethren, the 

Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 

401, on the deal, making it a 

Spring to remember for new 

owners.


WHO ARE HUSQVARNA? 

Husqvarna 

Svartpilen 125 

£4,499 

husqvarnamotorcycles.com 


15bhp Torque 8.8lbft Fuel capacity 

9.5 litres Dry weight 146kg Seat 

height 835mm Licence 

needed CBT or A1 

Swedish in origin, Husqvarna 

Motorcycles are the second 

oldest motorcycle 

manufacturer still producing 

bikes, having built its first 

motorcycle in 1903. Originally 

an armament firm, their logo 

incorporates a gun sight! 

Owned by KTM since 2013, 

the firm’s history in off-road 

is now being supported by a 

growing street range with the 

Svartpilen (black arrow) and 

Vitpilen (white arrow) at the 

forefront of development. 

They even have a team in 

Moto3! 

SUSPENDED ANIMATION 

The high quality WP suspension on 

the Svartpilen 125 ensures that 

you gain confidence with every 

mile. The 43mm open cartridge 

fork and rear shock absorber have 

been set-up to offer dynamic 

handling in busy urban settings. 

OTHER 

SUITABLE 

HUSQVARNAS 

HUSQVARNA SVARTPILEN 401 

£4,849 



The Svartpilen 401 makes use 

of its lightweight and punchy 

engine to navigate side 

streets, before taking off into 

the country to find action. 

A2-compliant, the 373cc 

motor is full of fun and easy 

to use, while the striking lines 

are simultaneously classic 

and modern. 

HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 401 

£4,849 



The light weight and 

immersive riding position of 

the A2-compliant Vitpilen 401 

guarantees miles of smiles. 

You don’t ride it as much as 

guide it with feather-light 

inputs. It reacts to the 

smallest response, moves at 

the lightest touch and feeds 

back every road texture 

through low-slung bars. 

57


Kawasaki 

LEGENDS 

START HERE 

The new-rider friendly and sporting Z125 

Kawasaki 

Z125 

Starting from £3,799 

kawasaki.co.uk 

Engine 125cc liquid-cooled, fourstroke 

single Power 15bhp Torque 

11.7 N.m Kerb mass 146kg Seat 

height 815mm Fuel capacity 

11 litres Licence needed 

CBT or A1 

FULL-SIZE CHASSIS 

The light, nimble handling 

offered by the Z125 is ideal for 

new riders to become familiar 

with operating a full-size 

motorcycle. 


The smallest bike in 

Kawasaki’s Z family is 

here to be noticed. The 

exposed trellis chassis 

blends with aggressive 

bodywork to encourage 

spirited riding from the A1 

friendly engine that is both 

new-rider-friendly and as 

sporting as you would 

expect from Kawasaki. 

LEARN TO RIDE 

58 

You can train with Kawasaki 

from your first introduction to 

bikes right through to advanced 

riding skills with one of the 

KRTS (Kawasaki Rider Training 

Services) training schools. If 

you’re new to bikes, KRTS will 

take you through all the 

steps you need to get 

you on your way. 

Call 03302 235 787 or visit 

www.learntoridewithkawasaki. 

co.uk 

TUBULAR DIAMOND FRAME 

Enables a slim, compact package that is 

easy to manage, and makes it easy to 

reach the ground.

WHO ARE KAWASAKI? 


OTHER 

SUITABLE 

KAWASAKIS 

SPORTY SUSPENSION 

The 37mm telescopic forks 

contribute to both light and 

nimble handling as well as a 

generally composed riding 

character. Kawasaki’s original 

linkage-equipped Uni Trak rear 

suspension delivers a smooth 

ride over a wide range of road 

conditions. 

Kawasaki’s story started in a 

shipyard in 1878. The 

company has been producing 

motorcycles for the past 50 

years with its first machines 

developed using information 

gathered from the 

development and production 

of aircraft engines. 

Today Kawasaki has a full 

range of motorcycles from 

learner-friendly machines to 

race-winning superbikes — 

and even supercharged bikes 

such as the power-packed 

Ninja H2 and Z H2. 

KAWASAKI NINJA 125 

£4,199 



With its responsive engine 

tuned for low to mid-range 

flexibility plus characteristic 

Ninja top-end thrills, the Ninja 

125 is a great way to start 

enjoying the thrills of 

motorcycling. 

FINANCE 

There is a range of Hire 

Purchase (HP) and Personal 

Contract Purchase (PCP) 

offers available on the new 

Z125 and customers can 

tailor an offer to suit their 

requirements. You can select 

your chosen model, add 

accessories, change your 

initial deposit and determine 

the monthly repayments by 

visiting www.kawasakikalculator.co.uk 

Example: Kawasaki Z125 on 

0% hire purchase 

Customer deposit £771 


Total amount payable £3,975 

KAWASAKI Z650 

From £6,849 



The Z650 offers ‘sugomi’ 

performance and style in a 

compact package with strong 

low-mid range torque in a 

lightweight chassis. 

Terms and Conditions 

Credit is subject to status and is only 

available to UK residents aged 18 and 

over. Kawasaki Finance, a trading style 

of Black Horse Ltd, St William House, 

Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 5BH. 

Offer valid through participating 

Kawasaki dealers. A minimum £99 

deposit is required. Only available on 

new 2020 and 2021 models including 

Kawasaki Z 125, Ninja 125, Z650, Ninja 

650, Versys 650, and Vulcan S models. 

Also available on new 2020 Z400 and 

Ninja 400. Finance offer ends 

30/06/2021. 

KAWASAKI VULCAN S 

From £6,699 



A classic cruiser with 

contemporary styling, the 

Vulcan S offers light handling, 

a comfy low seat and relaxed 

foot-forward riding position. 

59


KTM 

NAKED 

THRILLS 

KTM’s 125 Duke offers fun in both 

town and twisties 


Looking for the ultimate 

machine to start your 

riding journey? The KTM 

125 Duke has to be at the 

top of your list. It’s the 

entry point into KTM’s 

Duke range but it shares 

the same impressive build 

quality, attitude and intent 

of the bigger bikes in the 

firm’s line-up. Its styling 

signals its intent, and the 

125cc motor and quality 

components back-up the 

bike’s looks to deliver the 

most engaging 125cc bike 

in the market. 

START STOPPING 

The 125 Duke was the first bike 

to offer ABS in its class and 

development has continued to 

offer the most effective 

braking package with a 

two-channel Bosch ABS 

system backing up the 

four-piston ByBre caliper for a 

powerful and progressive 

braking package. 

THE GO SHOW 

The 125cc four-stroke 

motor delivers across the 

rev range while the six 

speed gearbox allows the 

125 Duke to punch well in 

built up areas. It then 

stretches its legs out of 

town, but with low fuel 

consumption you can keep 

simply focus on the ride. 

START TO RIDE 

60 

You can get on a KTM 

before you even apply for a 

licence! KTM has a range 

off off-road experiences 

that can get you up to 

speed away from the 

pressures of the road. 

Learning skills in the dirt 

pumps your confidence 

levels so that the transition 

to the road is made so 

much easier. KTM 

Experiences can combine 

non-riders with riders to 

form a perfect day with 

friends or family. www.ktm. 

com/offroadexperiences

KTM 

125 Duke 

£4,299 

www.ktm.com 


15bhp Torque 8.8lbft Fuel capacity 

13.4 litres Fuel economy 116.7mpg 

Dry weight 139kg Seat height 

830mm Licence needed 

CBT or A1 

TECH TALK 

The KTM 125 Duke is packed 

with helpful technical 

components, like a crystal 

clear colour TFT dash with 

Bluetooth connectivity, LED 

lights for improved night 

vision, quality upside-down 

WP forks and Metzeler M5 

tyres to keep you 

glued to the road. 

WHO ARE KTM? 

KTM is Europe’s largest 

motorcycle manufacturer, 

making nearly 300,000 bikes a 

year. Based in Austria the firm 

is famous for winning almost 

everything on dirt, but now, 

with wins in MotoGP, there’s 

no limit to KTM’s competitive 

ambitions. With nearly 50 

dealers in the UK, you’re never 

far away from looking at the 

complete range, from kids’ 

motocross rides to the 

incredible 1290 Super Duke R. 

FINANCE 

It doesn’t get better than a 

zero per cent conditional 

sale deal and that’s exactly 

what KTM dealers are 

offering on the 125 Duke, 390 

Duke and 390 Adventure. 

You can build your own 

quote on the KTM website or 

speak to a KTM dealer for 

more info. 


OTHER 

SUITABLE 

KTMS 

KTM RC125 

£4,499 



With awesome sportsbike 

looks the RC 125 is for those 

looking for the competitive 

edge. At just 135kg it loves 

carving down corners and 

there’s also a 390 version for 

A2 licence -holders. 

KTM 390 DUKE 

£4,899 



The KTM 390 Duke is the 

bigger brother of the 125, 

meaning that you get more 

power at your disposal. If you 

have an A2 licence it’s a 

machine to hone your skills, 

offering a dynamic, exciting 

and lightweight package for 

you to exploit. 

KTM 390 ADVENTURE 

£5,649 



Want to tame the rough stuff? 

The 390 Adventure is for you. 

Built with experience of 18 

Dakar Rally wins, it’s a 

user-friendly trail bike to 

explore roads less travelled. 

61


Triumph 

IT’S A 

TRIUMPH! 

Iconic Triumph bikes you can now ride on A2 licences 

Triumph 

Trident A2 

£7,195 

triumphmotorcycles. 

co.uk 

Engine 660cc inline triple 

Power 47bhp Torque 44lb/ft 

Dry weight 189kg Seat 

height 805mm 

Fuel capacity 

14 litres 

CATEGORY LEADING 

TECHNOLOGY 

LED lighting, colour TFT 

screen, Road and Rain riding 

modes, ABS and switchable 

traction control. 


Triumph’s Trident 660 was 

launched towards the end of 

2020 and has become one of 

the most anticipated new 

motorcycles of 2021. This 

exciting middleweight roadster 

is all-new, designed to 

accomplish three principal 

advantages… performance 

from its 660cc triple engine, 

class leading technology and 

handling, and a notably 

competitive price. With a great 

soundtrack it’s just as well 

suited to the daily commute as 

it is for weekend fun. 

HAVE AN ADVENTURE! 

Triumph’s Adventure 

Experience lets riders of all 

abilities build or enhance their 

off-road skills. Located in South 

Wales and using the latest Tiger 

and Street Scrambler models, 

coaching is provided by a team 

of highly experienced 

instructors. Facilities include a 

multi-terrain arena, classroom, 

a briefing room and a 

refreshment area. 

Go to www. 

triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/ 

adventure-experience 

HANDLING 

Nissin brakes. High specification Showa 

front and rear suspension, provides 

class leading handling. 

62


OTHER 

SUITABLE 

TRIUMPHS 

TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE S A2 

WHO ARE TRIUMPH? 

£8,100 



Addictive every day fun from 

an A2 compliant ‘Street 

Champion’ with all the Street 

Triple’s attitude, style and 

dynamic handling, with next 

generation versatility, 

accessibility and capability. 

TRIPLE ADVANTAGE 

The 660 triple engine delivers 

the perfect balance of low 

down torque and exhilarating 

top end power for optimum 

thrilling and responsive 

performance. Class leading 

10,000-mile service intervals, 

great value at £80 and peace 

of mind. 

First established in 1902, 

Triumph Motorcycles 

celebrated 100 years of 

manufacturing in 2012. Based 

in Hinckley, Leicestershire, 

Triumph now have some 42 

bikes in their complete line 

up… bikes that blend authentic 

design, character charisma 

and performance, with an 

annual build of approximately 

65,000 sold through over 650 

dealers worldwide. 

FINANCE 

Triumph Motorcycle Finance is 

provided through industry 

experts Black Horse Ltd. 

offering both TriStar personal 

contract purchase (PCP) 

packages and traditional hire 

purchase. For further 

information go to www. 

triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/ 

services/triumph-finance. 

Finance example 

Triumph Trident on PCP 

Customer deposit £125 

Monthly payments 

36 x £125 


£3,867.17 


£8,492.17 

(NB A2 restrictor kit is 

additional. Refer to dealer for 

cost and fitting). 

TRIUMPH TIGER 900 GT 

£11,400 



Designed to take you 

everywhere. Agile and dynamic 

handling with state-of-the-art 

technology. Significantly lighter 

than its closest competition and 

big on spec. Offered with A2 

licence kit. 

TRIUMPH STREET TWIN A2 

£8,200 



One of Triumph’s most 

contemporary, fun and easy to 

ride Bonnevilles. Full of 

character and stripped-back 

styling that combine to deliver 

a riding experience that makes 

it perfect for today’s new rider. 

63


Yamaha 

TWIN 

PEAKS 

Best-selling MT-07 

is now better still 


The MT-07 has been the top 

selling bike in the 

middleweight class for many 

years offering the perfect 

balance of power and 

handling, making it easy to 

handle for new riders but at 

the same time delivering 

enough performance to 

appeal to experienced riders 

too. For 2021 the MT-07 gets 

a makeover that improves an 

already great package with a 

stronger front brake and 

improved ergonomics, plus a 

new look and LED lights. 

LED LIGHTING 

Cuts through the 

darkness. Compact, light 

and maintenance free 

using the latest LED 

technology. See and be 

seen. 

CP2 ENGINE 

The Crossplane twin 

cylinder engine has a 

unique character and 

makes the MT-07 fun to 

ride. Low maintenance 

and proven reliability. 

FINANCE 

The new MT-07 can be 

purchased on a PCP scheme 

or a regular Conditional Sale 

finance package with YOU 

Yamaha Motor Finance from 

as little as £75 per month. 

And Yamaha Genuine 

Accessories can be added 

into the finance package too 

meaning you can personalise 

your new MT-07 and ride 

away on the ideal machine to 

suit your needs. 

64 

Yamaha MT-07 on YOU 

Finance PCP 

Customer deposit £1,568 



£3,555 


£7,823

Yamaha 

MT-07 

£6,902 OTR 

yamaha-motor.co.uk 

Engine EU5 689cc twin-cylinder CP2 

Power 74PS Torque 67 Nm 

Wet weight 184kg Seat height 

805mm Fuel capacity 14 

litres Fuel economy 4.2 

litres/100km 

WHO ARE YAMAHA? 

Founded in 1955 the famous 

tuning fork logo of Yamaha 

Motor is instantly 

recognisable and the brand 

has produced many iconic 

machines during its 65 years. 

Renowned for quality, 

reliability and innovation, 

Yamaha produces machines 

which stir the soul and are 

rewarding to ride. While you 

benefit from their race 

winning technology and 

award winning designs. 


OTHER 

SUITABLE 

YAMAHAS 

YAMAHA R125 

£4,800 

125cc I 15PS I 144kg 

Licence needed CBT or A1 

The definitive A1 sportster. Its 

VVA engine delivers power 

throughout the range and its 

race bred Deltabox chassis 

and USD forks make it one of 

the best handlers in the class. 

FRONT BRAKE 

New 298mm discs and four-pot 

calipers offer smooth and 

progressive stopping power and 

ABS for peace of mind. 

YAMAHA TRICITY 300 

£7,802 

292cc I 28PS I 239kg 

Licence needed Car or A2 

Can be ridden on a car licence 

so perfect for drivers looking 

to avoid traffic and parking 

without taking a bike test, 

while the twin front wheels 

provide extra security. 

YAMAHA TRACER 7 

£8,202 

689cc I 74PS I 196kg 

Licence needed A 

Sharing the MT-07’s friendly 

twin but with extra weather 

protection from its stylish 

fairing and adjustable screen 

this is the perfect all-rounder 

when you want to move up. 

65

Get the right gear 

Great Products 

GET 

T H E 

GOOD 

STUFF 

Ten pages of insight into how to buy the 

right bike kit – from experts, dealers and 

those who’ve learnt the hard way 

OT THAT LONG ago buying 

N 

riding kit and accessories 

wasn't just tricky it was 

complicated further by a 

minefield of products that 

were simply not fit for purpose. Back in 

the 1990s, when MCN's sister magazine 

and product-testing specialists RiDE 

was born, it wasn't uncommon to find 

leathers masquerading as grand-prixspec 

protection which actually tore 

apart at little more than bicycle speeds. 

‘Unbreakable’ locks and chains could be 

smashed or drilled in seconds. 

Waterproof meant, well, absolutely 

nothing. And, famously, RiDE’s product 

testers once found that a pair of welder’s 

gloves offered more abrasion resistance 

than some top-of-the-range racewear. 

Thankfully, times have changed. Today 

we've never been so well-informed, had 

so much choice or been so safe-guarded 

by protective standards (see p76). But 

that doesn't mean buying bike gear is any 

easier. After all, 'what style does what?' 

and 'what features do you need?' These 

are just two of the dilemmas in the way of 

any buying decision. 

Which is where this guide to 'The Good 

Stuff' comes in. Here, in a hopefully 

accessible, easy to understand way, we 

draw on the extensive knowledge and 

experience of a pool of biking experts, 

assess the pros and cons of different 

styles of biking gear and, crucially, then 

highlight some of the very best kit you 

can buy – as determined by RiDE 

magazine's expert testing – in each 

category and over a variety of budgets. 

So, if you're thinking of buying a 'Street 

Bike' and want some stylish, but 

affordable and effective gear to go with 

it, we can point you in the right direction. 

We also do the same for Adventure bikes, 

Touring machines and pure Sports 

motorcycles, too. 

Hopefully the insights and experiences in 

the next eight pages will set you up for 

some successful shopping and enjoyable 

and safe biking – enjoy! 

66

67



TOURING KIT 

GOING THE 

DISTANCE 

MAKE LIFE 

EASIER 

Flip-front helmets have 

improved hugely in the last 

decade. You can eat/drink/talk/ 

smoke easier and they can be 

light and sexy too, like 

this carbon AGV. 

Quality and flexibility are paramount when it comes to touring 

kit. You need to be comfortable all day, be able to withstand 

a range of conditions, from freezing to 30°C (both easily 

possible on a summer ride through the Alps) and protect you from 

everything from a low-speed drop to high-speed motorway spills. 

And it is this range of properties that makes people feel like they 

need to spend a fortune on touring kit — you can spend over 

£2000 on a suit alone if you want to. 

But savvy buying and being honest about what you need means 

you don’t need to spend that amount — the £500 Dane Ikast jacket 

that won a RiDE Best Buy triangle gives you everything you need 

in a jacket without having to sell the wife (or husband). 

HEATING 

ISN’T 

CHEATING 

These RST gloves have enough 

battery life for medium-length 

days, especially if you use 

them as a warmth top-up 

with heated grips. 

TOP-NOTCH 

TOURING KIT 

HELMET 

AGV Sport Modular £599.99 

agv.co.uk 

JACKET 

Dane Ikast £499.99 

TROUSERS 

Dane Nyborg Pro £254.99 

daneclothing.uk 

BOOTS 

TCX Clima Surround Goretex £259.99 

tcxboots.com 

GLOVES 

RST Paragon Thermotec heated 

£142.99 

rst-moto.com 

TOTAL COST £1757.95 

WATERPROOF 

POCKETS 

In our experience only 

double-waterproofing works 

— so you’re looking for a 

fold-down cover AND a 

zip to be sure. 

68

LAMINATE 

OR NOT? 

Laminated jackets have the 

waterproof membrane bonded to 

the back of the shell and are 

light and easy to wear but 

are typically more 

expensive. 

BUY 

THE 

BEST... 

Finance on accessories 

and kit a smart idea? 

By Andy Davidson 

CHECK 

THE VENTS 

AREN’T FAKE 

Vital for summer touring but 

make sure the vents actually ‘go’ 

somewhere — we’ve heard of 

jackets with them for effect 

only. Honestly… 

Finance is nothing new. Buying bikes in 

monthly instalments has been around for 

eons, so it’s no surprise that you can now 

finance your leathers, boots and luggage 

too. But does that mean it’s a smart idea? 

Upfront, credit card or finance? 

As a rule you should pay for your kit and 

goodies upfront if you’ve got the cash and 

pay in instalments using a credit card if you 

haven’t — assuming, that is, you have a card 

with a low or even 0% APR on purchases. 

If, however, your card charges you high 

interest, then you could spend significantly 

more on a product overall, which is when 

finance becomes worth a look. 

Finance deals for kit and accessories 

vary enormously. There are high interest 

and 0% interest deals on products and 

everything in between. 

Most websites will show a finance 

calculator next to the products you’re 

interested in. For example, a Rukka jacket 

priced at £479 offers finance at 0% APR 

repaid over six to 12 months but take that 

to 24 to 48 months and you’re paying £44 to 

£89 more overall. 

What are the risks? 

The same as with any finance or credit card 

deal. You will need a credit check first 

(often done within minutes online). It will 

only affect your credit score if you fail to 

repay in time. You still have the same rights 

as if you bought the kit outright and it 

shouldn’t affect 

your returns 

policy or any 

warranty 

either. 

PROPERLY 

WINDPROOF 

Having a proper windproofing 

of the main opening allows you to 

control air ingress via vents. 

You want at least two zips but 

this Best-Buy jacket has 

Velcro storm cover. 

EXPERT VIEW 

CHRIS WINTERS 

sportsbikeshop.co.uk 

“Finance is just another 

payment option in 

addition to credit card 

and Paypal. We offer it to 

help spread the cost of kitting yourself out 

over a period of time, rather than paying for 

it all up front. It can also help our customers 

achieve a level of kit that they otherwise 

may not be able to afford.” 

0% 

APR 

LOOK FOR 

GORE-TEX 

There are some own-brand 

waterproof membranes but 

Gore-Tex gives peace of mind 

about waterproofing and 

breathability. Its 

performance is a given. 

LOOK FOR THESE AWARDS 

RiDE 

When MCN sister magazine 

started in 1996 destruction 

testing leathers, locks and 

anything else, it caused outrage in an industry 

unused to such editorial rigour, but RiDE 

pressed ahead anyway. That’s why you can 

trust kit and accessories bearing the Best Buy 

and RiDE Recommended triangles today. 

Motorrad 

The German magazine’s 

product testing is as 

thorough as any in Europe. If a product wins a 

Motorrad test (test sieger) or is very good 

(sehr gut), it’s a pointer towards quality. 

Sold Secure 

Lock and security test house owned and run 

on a non-profit basis by the Master 

Locksmiths’ Association. It gives three levels 

of award (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and may 

also score you a discount on your insurance 

premium. 

Which? 

The most influential 

consumer publication of 

them all, though it lags behind 

in motorcycle product testing. 

However, its generic advice on consumer 

rights is valuable and it can help on things like 

ferries, breakdown cover, jet washers, etc. 

69



URBAN KIT 

STREET SMARTS 

Dress for the ride, not the crash is an old adage for bikers, 

but with this kind of casual street-riding kit it’s easily 

possible to do both if you buy wisely. The key is getting the 

right kit — the improvement in material technology in riding jeans, 

for example, in recent times means that abrasion resistance and 

impact protection are far better than they have ever been — and 

the same goes for jackets as well. 

A sporty textile or even a classic-cut leather jacket tends to be 

the favourite here. Offering the same protection, perhaps with a 

touch more abrasion resistance than adventure for asphalt 

japes, but shorter and less bulky with a more day-to-day cut 

and feel, they won’t look horrendously out of place if you’re off 

the bike grabbing a bite to eat. 

INVEST 

IN YOUR 

GLOVES 

You only need one pair of gloves if 

you buy right. These Richa Street 

Touring gloves have a Gore-Tex 

liner, are cool enough for 

summer and undeniably 

waterproof. 

PRACTICAL & 

GOOD VALUE 

JACKET 

Spada Burnout 2 £159.99 

Spadaclothing.co.uk 

TROUSERS 

Draggin Rebel jeans £229.99 

draggin-jeans.co.uk 

BOOTS 

RST Paragon 2 £119.99 

Rst-moto.com 

GLOVES 

Richa Street Touring 

GTX £129.99 

Nevis.uk.com 

HELMET 

Shoei Ryd £299.99 

shoeiassurred.co.uk 


NO PIXIE 

BOOTS! 

Lightweight riding trainers just 

don’t offer enough protection, so 

we like full height, protective and 

waterproof boots, Look for 

proper but not intrusive 

armour and bracing. 

70

HELMET 

VENTING 

Full-race helmets are a waste of 

time on the road. We pitched this 

Shoei Ryd against the £600 

X-Spirit. The Ryd was lighter, 

quieter and more 

comfortable… 

GET 

SHORTY 

Street-style textile jackets 

should be shorter than a touring 

jacket as they don’t need the 

warmth. They don’t ruck up and 

have a sporty cut as they don’t 

need the layers, so if they 

look ‘baggy’ they’re 

too big. 

PROTECTION 

OR COMFORT? 

When it comes to riding jeans 

we’ve found ones with inner 

protective liners offer more 

safety than single-layer fabric. 

They are warmer and a bit 

less comfy though. 

BUY 

THE 

BEST... 

Crash protection 

‘Don’t think of crash protection as 

preventing all cosmetic damage’ 

CHRIS LIPPITT 

Prototype and project 

manager, R&G 

What makes a good crash 

bung, and how effective 

are they really? R&G, long 

established as the name synonymous with 

crash protection, are at the leading edge. 

Chris Lippitt is prototype and project 

manager: “It’s a mistake to think of crash 

protection as preventing all cosmetic 

damage,” he says. “Our aim, checked 

through actual crash testing, is 

to keep a crashed bike rideable. 

So if you’re going to work 

and crash on oil, our 

protection means you 

have more chance of 

picking the bike up 

and continuing. We’re 

not trying to prevent 

all damage, just to the 

bits that stop you getting to 

where you’re going.” 

Chris cites a trip in Europe last year on 

his Kawasaki ZX-10R; he crashed (on a cow 

pat). Without crash protection, he would’ve 

been stranded with a write-off. With crash 

bungs and engine covers, the bike was still 

written-off — but he could ride it home. 

“The important stuff was covered,” he 

says. “Engine covers weren’t holed, the 

radiator and water pipes were protected 

and the levers were at least usable.” 

KNOW YOUR 

CE RATINGS 

All riding kit must be CE (Conformité 

Européenne – European conformity) approved 

to be sold in the UK. The older standard was 

EN 13595 and rated the impact-protective 

ability of the garment’s armour only. In 2018, 

riding gear became classed as Personal 

Protective Equipment (PPE) and a new 

standard introduced, prEN 17092 (the pr 

means provisional, as it still hasn’t been 

finalised), which rates the protection in the 

event of both an impact and sliding. The key is 

the CE label — the older version (above left) 

will specify the standard, the area and the 

category and level of impact protection only. 

Will any old crash bobbin do the job? 

Definitely not, says Chris. “The factors for 

the success of a crash bung are bobbin 

material, bolt material and location,” he 

says. “The bobbin can be too high, too low, 

too far back, etc. And it has to be bolted to 

something structural like a frame or engine 

mount, sometimes with secondary 

bracketry to get it in position.” 

Does it matter what they’re made of? 

“The crash protector has to 

be the right type of nylon,” 

says Chris. “It has to slide 

without melting — which 

means wearing too 

quickly and increasing the 

likelihood of digging in and 

flipping the bike — but 

which wears 

consistently and slows 

the slide. That’s why aluminium is poor; it 

makes the bike bounce and more likely to 

flip. The bolt has to be right as well — too 

brittle and it’ll break; too soft and it’ll bend 

and not be in the right position. We debrittle 

our bolts with a heat treatment to 

achieve the right balance.” 

What about the value of axle bungs? 

“Front matters more than the rear,” Chris 

admits. “It helps to make a triangle as the 

bike slides, between the footpeg, the main 

crash bung and the axle bung.” 

However, the new rating system is becoming 

more common as manufacturers introduce it 

ahead of its eventual compulsory adoption and 

rates both impact and abrasion resistance, as 

well as seam and tear strength, by letters - B, 

A, AA or AAA from worse to best respectively 

(above right). As the protection increases, the 

weight and stiffness of the garment are likely 

to do so as well. See our full guide, p76. 

Interview by Simon Hargreaves 

71



ADVENTURE KIT 

READY FOR 

ANYTHING 

Adventure-style kit has the toughest requirements of any 

kind of motorcycle clothing: it has to be safe and secure for 

motorway miles at speed; it has to be warm enough to 

work in mid-winter yet also have enough ventilation and comfort 

at 15mph in summer on a green lane. 

This means that quality is very important — you want breathable 

construction, venting and a layering system. You also need to feel 

protected. 

Typically, crash speeds will be lower so while abrasion 

resistance is important, impact protection is likely to be more 

useful, especially in slippery or rutted conditions. Even with hand 

protectors fitted to the bars, you can still easily get whacked by 

undergrowth, so sturdy boots and gloves are crucial. 

FEEL 

IS KING 

Feel and flexibility are the key 

here — that’s the reason off-road 

gloves are usually thin and 

cuff-less. Although many off-road 

gloves don’t have it, 

look for knuckle, finger 

and scaphoid 

protection. 

PROTECTIVE 

NOT EXPENSIVE 

JACKET 

Oxford Montreal 3.0 £149.99 

TROUSERS 

Oxford Montreal 3.0 £129.99 

GLOVES 

Oxford Hawker £69.99 

Oxfordproducts.com 

BOOTS 

Forma Adventure £209.99 

Formaboots.com 

HELMET 

Nexx X.Wed2 £329.99 

Nexx-helmets.com 


MATERIAL 

WORLD 

Textile is the default but you 

want a decent Cordura as a 

minimum and a waterproof 

liner, which is more useful 

if it is removable. 

72

VENTING 

Venting is essential but can be 

a jacket’s weak point – look for 

waterproofing on the zips and 

enough exhaust venting on the 

back of the jacket — it improves 

airflow and stops it 

ballooning. 

LAYERING 

Lots of options is the key here 

— a laminate suit is good but 

doesn’t allow removal of the 

waterproofing layer. A thermal 

liner that doubles as a puffer 

jacket allows quick removal 

of layers and options 

off the bike. 

RUTHLESS 

ON FIT 

Obviously look for CE armour but 

check the jacket and trousers fit 

properly where the armour is so 

that it won’t shift on impact. 

This is at least as important 

as its rating. 

BOOTS 

Off-road boots are a 

compromise between comfort, 

weight and protection — a full-on 

MX boot is safe but uncomfortable 

and hard to put on. But look for a 

rigid sole, proper ankle and shin 

protection and enough 

adjustability. 

BUY 

THE 

BEST... 

Soft luggage 

‘If you don’t trust a bag’s attachment 

system, you’re never going to relax’ 

DAN SAGER 

Industry expert 

Soft-luggage expert and 

high-mile rider Dan Sager 

runs the Fab-Biker PR 

agency and has worked in 

the motorcycle industry for 30 years 

Look for rider-focused design 

Because the best luggage has it. Kriega hit 

the mark with the Quadloc harness system 

for its backpacks — it’s unbeatable. So too 

Ventura, which did the same with its 

L-Bracket system for tailpacks. 

Assured quality comes from in-house 

production 

If a manufacturer makes products in its own 

factory, it has absolute control over quality. 

When outsourced, quality control becomes 

more of a challenge. 

But you shouldn’t judge a product 

simply on where it was manufactured 

The classic Facebook discussion goes: “I’m 

a mechanic and tell you all Chinese bikes 

are crap.” Nonsense: many motorcycle 

brands have production facilities there. 

Read the online reviews but be careful 

Be sure they relate to the latest iteration of, 

say, the tankbag you want. And ask yourself 

what happens if it fails? Your contract is 

with the retailer, not the manufacturer. 

WHAT ABOUT 

ARMOUR? 

You should expect to find integral armour in 

the shoulders, elbows and back of a jacket 

and knees and hips in trousers. If a back 

protector isn’t standard, you’ll need to add one 

while some can also feature chest protection. 

Some riders prefer an armoured underlayer 

and a jacket without protection over the top. 

There are two levels of CE-approved armour 

– Level 1 and Level 2. Level 2 performs better 

than Level 1, as it absorbs more force and 

protects better. Just as important as the rating 

is the design, particularly of the back 

protector. Ideally, this should cover as much of 

the back as possible. See our guide, p81. 

Anything that goes on the back of your 

bike is a potential worry 

If you don’t trust the attachment system, 

you're never going to relax. 

In the era of PCP it’s crucial not to 

scuff your paintwork 

Always ask: does the tailpack or dry bag 

come with any anti-scuff material? 

Don’t assume it’s waterproof 

We increasingly expect kit to be but sadly, a 

lot of bags aren’t. 

And don’t forget to check and 

double-check that it will fit your bike 

The better websites will list their luggage 

applications — and a picture of it fitted to 

your bike is even better. 

Good dealers make a difference, too 

The universal nature of soft luggage means 

it’s a really good reason to buy from a 

well-established retailer. 

The internet can only tell you so much 

If you visit a dealer you can get your hands 

on luggage — tell if it’s well-made or flimsy, 

warning signs you might not see online. 

Buying smart means buying-in time 

In other words, don’t buy a tailpack or 

tankbag the day before you head off to the 

Pyrenees — do a shakedown first. 

73



SPORTS KIT 

FEEL A NEED 

FOR SPEED? 

Despite the constant march of technology, there is no getting 

away from the fact that a dead cow (or kangaroo) next to 

your skin offers the best protection from abrasion — and 

like most things in biking, you get what you pay for. After a hide is 

produced, is it split off into different sections and sold off — and of 

course the tougher, better-quality sections sell for more. Those 

unbranded fake Rossi leathers on eBay will have leather for 

handbags, not motorbikes — and that’s without talking about 

venting, linings, fit and appropriate CE armour. 

By and large, sporty riding kit, thanks to its racing roots offers 

great protection — sports gloves have protective armour while a 

good set of sports boots has decent ankle protection and usually, 

decent venting. 

GLOVES 

Sports gloves should have 

good feel thanks to simple 

construction on their leather 

palms, with hard knuckle and 

finger armour, scaphoid 

protection and wrist padding. 

Look for wrist-adjusters on 

the top, not under, the 

glove. 

SPORTY, NOT 

TOO SPICY 

JACKET & TROUSERS 

Alpinestars Motegi two-piece suit 

£749.99 

Alpinestars.com 

GLOVES 

RST TracTech Evo4 £89.99 

Rst-moto.com 

BOOTS 

RST TracTech Evo3 £129.99 

Rst-moto.com 

HELMET 

Shark Spartan GT Carbon £479.99 

Nevis.uk.com 


DON’T 

BOTHER WITH A 

ONE-PIECE 

Two-piece, zip-together jacket and 

trousers offer flexibility for road 

and occasional track users. For 

example, pair leather trousers 

with a textile jacket. 

74

PLASTIC 

FANTASTIC 

Plastic outer armour on knees, 

elbows and shoulders allow 

sliding, rather than tumbling and 

doesn’t hole, meaning kit is 

more likely to last more 

than one crash. 

BUYING 

NOT SO 

SMART 

MATERIALS 

Look for full-grain 1.2mm leather 

(or kangaroo, which is thinner, 

stronger and lighter but more 

expensive) and look for triple 

stitching in the areas that may 

have slides or be a burst 

risk. 

THEY’LL 

LOOSEN UP 

Leathers are typically stiff, 

though nowadays they tend to 

have stretch panels built in to 

allow movement and a degree of 

breathability. Remember 

that base layer though. 

TIGHT IS 

RIGHT 

Tight is good when it comes to 

leathers — that tightness keeps 

it in place in a crash and stops 

rucking and pressure points that 

cause tears in a slide. But look for 

stretch panels in the biceps, 

forearms and crotch 

area. 

BOOTS 

Obviously, they should offer 

good feel for the pegs and 

controls as well as protection, with 

armour on the shin, heel, toes and 

bracing to the ankle but look for 

ones that are narrow enough 

to go under jeans. 

‘Don’t buy kit that doesn’t fit, even a bargain’ 

Our shameful shopping 

experiences revealed... 

"In order to get the maximum storage 

capacity on my FSZ600 Fazer I opted 

for a cheap and nasty, but massive, 

£25 eBay topbox. Its ‘universal’ fit was 

so bad that, when I hit a bump, the 

moment the front touched down the 

box was ripped clear of its mount and tumbled down 

the road. Being an idiot I bought an identical box 

again and used cable ties to secure it." 

JON URRY MCN & RiDE magazine contributor 

"In 1989 I bought a dirt-cheap no-brand 

tailpack that looked as good as the 

expensive ones. I loaded it up and 

headed off on my nearly-new Yamaha 

TZR250. Unbeknown to me its integral 

bungee straps lost all elasticity within 

an hour of setting off. The tailpack slipped, jammed 

itself between the rear tyre and subframe, split the 

crankcases and totalled the TZR." 

TIM THOMPSON Ex-Editor of Bike and RiDE 

"I see it over and over again with 

customers at my bike electrics shop. 

They bolt on cheap eBay tail lights, 

indicators, ignition switches, 

switchgear. The fact is that cheap 

electrical parts fall to bits or just don’t 

work in the first place. Next time you’re about to click 

on a regulator/rectifier for £20, just pause and 

consider what minute you were born in." 

RUPERT PAUL Ex-Editor of Performance Bikes 

magazine now owner of rupesrewires.com 

"I once bought a set of Proto race 

leathers from the NEC. However, they 

fitted so badly the knee amour was 

halfway up my thigh and I had to use 

gaffa tape to attach my sliders. Moral 

of the story: don’t buy things that don’t 

fit, even if they’re a bargain. I was 20." 

MATT WILDEE RiDE editor 

"I bought a 12v battery-to-USB socket 

to power my smartphone sat nav. I 

hard-wired it to the battery, plugged in 

the cable, put the seat back on and left 

it. A week later, I had a flat battery. It 

turns out that the converter has an 

always-on LED built in. What’s the point of that!" 

SIMON HARGREAVES Freelance journalist 

75


Safety standards explained 

HOW TO PICK THE 

SAFEST 

BIKE KIT 

Understanding motorcycle safety gear can 

be a mystery – here's what it all means 

76

OTORCYCLE CLOTHING 

M 

HAS to do all manner of 

different jobs – fit right, 

look good, keep you warm 

and dry – but the most 

fundamental is to provide protection. But 

how can you tell how sturdy a pair of 

boots is? How strong the seams are on a 

set of gloves? Or how well the armour in 

that jacket absorbs impacts? 

Thankfully, assessing how much 

protection a piece of bike kit offers is 

now easier than ever. You don’t have to 

know what safety stiches are or how the 

abrasion resistance of kangaroo leather 

compares to cowhide. You just need to 

know where to look. 

It’s all down to the fact that virtually all 

motorcycle clothing is now considered 

Personal Protective Equipment. Since 

April 2018 it’s been a legal requirement 

for all such kit sold in Europe to be tested 

by an independent testing facility, 

certified by a certification body and bear 

CE marking. If you can decode the marks, 

symbols and labels, you’ll be able to tell 

basic kit from clothing offering maximum 

safety. After that, the final choice is all 

yours. So, here’s what you need to know: 

What does ‘CE approved’ 

actually mean? 

Here’s the technical answer. All 

motorcycling apparel has to conform to 

PPE Regulation 2016/425, set by the 

European Parliament in 2016. That means 

it needs to be tested by an independent 

accredited laboratory, certified by a 

Notified Body and bear CE marking. This 

is a legal requirement. 

Here’s our informal advice: The phrase 

‘CE approved’ is often thrown about in 

the hope it implies a level of superior 

quality. Don’t fall for it: often ‘CE approved’ 

just means something meets the 

minimum standard to be sold as 

motorcycle clothing. Almost everything is 

‘CE approved’, because it has to be. If a 

piece of armour, a pair of gloves or a set 

of boots don’t meet the appropriate CE 

standard or carry the correct marks, 

they can’t legally be sold as bike kit. 

Does everything I buy have to 

be CE approved? 

Almost everything. Jackets, trousers, 

one- or two-piece suits, gloves, footwear 

and armour are all covered by the PPE 

regulation, with two key exceptions. 

The first is rainwear. If a product has no 

other purpose than to keep wet weather 

from the rider – eg a thin oversuit – it's 

not covered by the PPE Regulation. 

However, if it's fitted with impact 

protectors, or even is able to have them 

fitted, it is considered PPE and must be 

tested, certified and CE marked. 

The second, rather surprisingly, is 

helmets. Lids aren’t covered by the PPE 

Regulation because they have historically 

been subject to different international 

regulation. So while they’re not 

considered PPE, there are separate legal 

requirements and CE standards that 

cover their use. 

Does everything I wear have 

to be CE approved? 

No. The PPE Regulation covers the sale 

of motorcycle clothing, not the use of it. 

So long as you’re using an approved 

crash helmet, legally you can wear 

anything else you choose. 

Doesn’t Brexit change all this? 

Not really. The PPE Regulation has been 

copied into UK national law and amended 

accordingly, ensuring the obligations are 

effectively unchanged by Brexit. 

The main change riders can expect to 

see is that the CE mark will either be 

joined by or replaced with a new UKCA 

mark (UKNI mark in Northern Ireland). 

Motorcyclists’ PPE will continue to be 

tested to the same standards, but in 

almost every case it will be both CE 

marked and UKCA/UKNI marked. 

So, what should I look for? 

Most riding kit sold by established, 

credible UK retailers will meet the 

necessary standards, because these 

are legal requirements. But if you’re not 

sure and want to check a particular piece 

of kit, there are four key identifiers which 

should be present on genuine tested and 

certified motorcycle clothing: 

» The presence of the CE mark 

» The presence of the official pictogram 

» The manufacturer’s instructions for use 

which must be supplied with the product 

» The manufacturer’s Declaration of 

Conformity, which can either be a printed 

version supplied with the product, or 

accessible via a web page link included in 

the manufacturer’s instructions for use. 

The instructions for use must explain, for 

example, how the product was tested, 

and the results achieved. The Declaration 

of Conformity must reveal the certificate 

number that covers the product and 

details of the issuing Notified Body. If 

either of these is not available, or if any 

legally required information is missing, 

then the product may not be genuinely 

tested and certified – so beware. 

You can check the authenticity of a 

product’s certification by contacting the 

Notified Body whose name appears on 

the documentation. Some offer a search 

facility on their websites, others will 

respond to emails. 

77



HELMETS 

A motorcycle lid might not be classed as 

Personal Protective Equipment, but it’s 

the only piece of kit you have a legal 

obligation to wear while riding. For a 

helmet to be legal in the UK, it has to meet 

UN Regulation No 22 – also known as ECE 

22.05 (soon to be replaced by UN ECE 

22.06). 

Providing you’ve bought your helmet 

from a reputable UK or European-based 

retailer, chances are high that it meets 

this standard. But if 

you’ve bought online, 

perhaps from the US 

or Far East, it’s 

possible it isn’t legal on 

UK roads. 

Checking this is easy. 

Lids meeting ECE 

22.05 will feature a 

type approval mark: a 

capital E in a circle, 

followed by a number 

representing the 

country where the 

approval was granted. 

It’s commonly found on 

a white label on the 

helmet’s chinstrap. 

FOR BASIC 

PROTECTION 

All road-legal helmets meet ECE 

22.05, ensuring a minimum 

standard of protection 

FOR MAXIMUM 

PROTECTION 

A lid earning a five-star Sharp 

rating has demonstrated 

superior energy absorption 

across a wider range of 

impacts. 

However, ECE 22.05 is only a minimum 

standard. It doesn’t reveal whether a 

helmet just scraped through or passed 

with flying colours. This makes it 

impossible for customers to compare 

protection levels of two lids. Whether a 

helmet costs £50 or £750, it just has to 

meet this single standard. 

Sharp, launched by the Department for 

Transport in 2007, is an initiative designed 

to give a more in-depth picture of a 

helmet’s protective qualities. For each 

helmet tested by Sharp, multiple samples 

in a range of sizes are subjected to 32 

impacts using various speeds and 

surfaces. It’s a far more rigorous and 

tougher set of tests 

than ECE 22.05. The 

results are distilled to a 

user-friendly star 

rating out of five. Sharp 

has its limitations, 

most notably that not 

every helmet gets 

tested, but they 

continue to add new 

lids all the time. You 

can see results of the 

480+ helmets tested 

so far at www.sharp. 

dft.gov.uk – and we 

recommend you do, as 

some of the outcomes 

are quite surprising. 

A helmet can be 

high quality and 

comfortable 

but that doesn't 

necessarily 

guarantee high 

safety 

78

“The CE mark on the 

label shows it's to 

standard, the A 

denotes how high” 

JACKETS, TROUSERS, 

JEANS & SUITS 

Whether one-piece or two-piece, leather, 

textile or denim, all riding garments have 

to be tested to an established clothing 

standard. Frustratingly, this is where 

things get confusing, because when it 

comes to jackets, trousers and suits, 

there’s more than one standard. 

EN17092 is the newest, so an increasing 

number of garments carry this CE mark. 

Impact abrasion resistance, tear 

strength and seam strength are all 

tested, with the results earning one of 

five scores based on how protective 

they prove. 

These are: 

AAA The highest level of protection 

against the highest level of risks. 

AA The second-highest level of 

protection, against the risks of the 

greatest diversity of riding activities. 

A The third-highest level of protection, 

expected to have the least ergonomic 

and weight penalties. 

B Specialised garments that provide ‘A’- 

standard abrasion protection, but 

without impact protection. 

C Garments designed only to hold impact 

protectors in place. 

FOR BASIC 

PROTECTION 

All garments certified as PPE 

should offer some protection. 

Even a basic ‘A’ rating under 

EN17092 means it’s been tested 

to an established, well-defined 

standard. 

FOR MAXIMUM 

PROTECTION 

Garments scoring a Level 2 

rating under the old EN13595 

standard are now rare. Today's 

most common highest standard 

is a AAA rating under EN17092. 

This scale lets riders make informed 

choices about the protection of the kit 

they buy. Confusingly though, EN17092 

isn’t the only way a garment can be 

‘approved’ as PPE… 

EN13595 preceded EN17902, yet experts 

consider it a higher standard. For 

example, its requirements for abrasion 

resistance have been calculated as being 

over 70% higher than EN17092 AAA in the 

areas at highest abrasion risk. EN13595 

assesses a garment in three areas: 

abrasion resistance; impact cut 

resistance; and seam strength, with 

each awarded a rating of either Level 1 

(basic pass) or Level 2 (higher protection). 

Other specifications also exist. A ‘French 

Protocol’ has been used by several 

brands (eg Furygan and Bering), 

confusingly offering protection 

somewhere around EN17092 AA. There 

are others (eg Rukka) whose garments 

are certified as PPE by a notified body 

from their home country. There can be 

legitimate reasons for products being 

tested to an alternative specification, but 

it can leave customers unable to compare 

the relative offered when they’re not 

tested to the same standard. 

79



BOOTS 

All motorcycle footwear now comes with 

a decent amount of information detailing 

its protection. As part of being assessed 

to the latest standard (EN13634:2017) 

boots are tested for: 

» Height 

» Impact abrasion 

resistance 

» Impact cut 

resistance 

» Transverse rigidity 

(resistance to 

sideways crushing). 

In each area a boot 

receives either a 

Level 1 (basic 

protection) or Level 2 

(higher protection) 

rating. Those scores 

are included, in order, 

on a boot’s label. Look 

for the four-figure 

sequence of 1s or 2s 

on or near the 

pictogram. The first 

number will show the 

score awarded for 

FOR BASIC 

PROTECTION 

All boots have to earn a “1111” 

standard as a bare minimum. 

FOR MAXIMUM 

PROTECTION 

Boots with “2222” plus “IPA” 

and “IPS” ratings ensure the 

most protection. 

height (1 = short, 2 = tall). The three other 

scores reveal the level of protection 

demonstrated in the technical tests: the 

second digit shows abrasion, the third is 

cut resistance, the fourth is rigidity. So a 

‘1111’ score means a short boot with 

basic protection in all three tests; a ‘2222’ 

score means a tall boot with the highest 

levels of protection. 

Boot labels also include 

further information 

about their features in 

the form of short codes: 

IPA impact protection to 

the ankles 

IPS impact protection 

to the shin 

WR resistant to water 

penetration 

FO soles with resistance 

to fuel and oil 

SRA/SRB/SRC soles 

with slip resistance 

under 

different 

conditions. 

GLOVES 

All motorcycle gloves are tested to the 

same standard (EN13594:2015) and will 

carry a label confirming this. Gloves are 

assessed to different criteria, including: 

» Cuff length 

» Resistance to removal when fastened 

» Tear strength 

» Seam strength 

» Cut resistance 

» Impact abrasion resistance 

» Impact protection to knuckles 

Gloves satisfying the basic Level 1 

protection will show a ‘1’ in the pictogram 

on the label. Those also offering tested 

knuckle protection display ‘1 KP’. The 

highest rating for gloves is ‘2 KP’, 

indicating they meet the tougher Level 2 

pass criteria for all of the above areas. 

Also note that CE-approved gloves are a 

legal requirement for riding a motorcycle 

in France, including pillions. 

FOR BASIC 

PROTECTION 

All gloves should meet Level 1 

as a bare minimum – but check 

the label to be sure. 

FOR MAXIMUM 

PROTECTION 

Gloves with a “2 KP” rating 

remain relatively rare, but offer 

the highest levels of safety. 

80

'–– 

“You might 

need to take 

the garment 

apart and pull 

the armour out 

to check” 

ARMOUR 

We call it armour, but to people who write 

the rules they’re 'limb joint impact 

protectors'. Whatever you call it, it has to 

meet the criteria defined by standard 

EN1621. The oft-heard 

'CE approved armour' 

is actually almost 

meaningless, because 

by definition all armour 

is CE approved. If it 

isn’t, it can’t legally be 

called, sold or 

advertised as 'armour'. 

But that doesn’t mean 

all armour is equal. 

First, there are 

different types for 

different body parts: 

S (shoulder) 

E (elbow) 

H (hip) 

K (knee) 

L (lower leg / shin) 

K+L (knee & shin) 

All of these can be 

sized as either Type A 

(smaller) or Type B 

(larger). While back 

protectors have their 

own classification: 

FOR BASIC 

PROTECTION 

All armour has to meet at least 

the Level 1 standard, but it’s still 

a good idea to check to sure. 

FOR MAXIMUM 

PROTECTION 

Armour showing “2 T+ T-” will 

offer maximum protection 

across the widest range of 

temperature conditions. 

FB: (full-length protection); 

CB: (centre-back protection only) 

LB: (lower-back protection only). 

All armour is impacttested 

and gains either 

a Level 1 (basic) or 

Level 2 (higher) rating 

for ability to absorb 

energy. It's tested at 

ambient temperature 

but can also be tested 

at high and low 

temperature to 

indicate protection 

when hot or cold. 

Those passing the ‘hot’ 

test (40°C) get a T+ 

marking; the ‘cold’ 

(-10°C) T- . 

The pictograms 

revealing these results 

are either moulded into 

the armour itself, or on 

a label which is useful, 

but might mean you 

have to take the 

garment apart and pull 

the armour out to 

check for sure. 

81


10 great helmets 

TEN GREAT NEW 

HELMETS 

You only get one head, so wrap it in a decent 

helmet... from just £59.99 

DUCATI PEAK V5 

£299.00 

Ducati-branded sports-touring helmet 

designed by Drudi Performance is 

derived from AGV’s K-5S model and 

has lightweight fiberglass/carbon fibre 

shell, washable lining and integral 

drop-down sun visor. 

SIZES XS-XXL 

WWW.DUCATI.COM 

82

SHOEI GLAMSTER 

£399.99 - £499.99 

King of the comfortable retro helmets, the 

Glamster blends 70s style with 2021 tech on a 

multi-composite shell. There are three shell sizes, 

multi-density EPS layers, a double D-ring strap 

and a washable liner. 

SIZES XS-2XL 

WWW.SHOEIASSURED.CO.UK 

SHARK SPARTAN 1.2 

£269.99 - £299.99 

The Spartan is very good value for money and 

comes in a wide range of designs. Great venting, 

top build quality, and a MaxVision Pinlock visor as 

standard, and one of the easiest visor swap 

mechanisms going. 

SIZES XS-2XL 

WWW.NEVIS.UK.COM 

ARAI DEBUT 

£299.99 - £379.99 

The Debut is a UK exclusive that brings high-end 

Arais into the realms of affordability for. It uses 

the Japanese firm’s Super Fibre Laminate shell 

construction and boasts lots of venting, 

replaceable cheek pads and a Max Vision visor. 

SIZES XS-XL 

WWW.WHYARAI.CO.UK 

BOX BX-1 

£54.99 - £59.99 

How much? Yep, it may be cheap but it still has a 

4-star SHARP rating. The synthetic shell has five 

vents and a surprisingly plush liner, quick-release 

visor and removable breath guard. 

SIZES XS-2XL 

WWW.OXFORDPRODUCTS.COM 

HJC RPHA 90S 

£399.99 - £499.99 

This RPHA 90S has dual homologation for open 

and closed riding, and anti-fog/scratch visor, 

drop-down sun visor, micro-buckle fastener, 

tool-less visor change, and is Bluetooth-ready. 

SIZES XS-2XL 

WWW.OXFORDPRODUCTS.COM 

SCHUBERTH E1 

£449.99 - £529.99 

Not cheap, but the E1 is a 3-in-1 helmet: peaked 

adventure, normal full-face, and a flip-front. It 

comes with a 5-year warranty and has a built-in 

antenna for the firm’s comms system. 

SIZES XS-3XL 

WWW.BIKERHEADZ.CO.UK 

BELL MX-9 ADVENTURE MIPS 

£149.99 - £159.99 

Ths Mips-enabled Bell is also one of the most 

keenly priced in the adventure sector. The 

polymer shell comes in three sizes, it uses a 

normal full-face style visor, D-ring closure, has 

full EPS coverage and a 5-year warranty, too. 

SIZES XS-3XL 

WWW.BELLHELMETS.CO.UK 

MOMO FIGHTER CLASSIC 

£149.99 

Momo are style icons, and the Fighter Classic is a 

superb lid, too. Understated styling, lovely quality 

and a seriously retro feel, it uses a micro-buckle 

closure, ABS shell, has a washable liner and a 

unique visor system. 

SIZES XXS-XL 

WWW.MOMOHELMETS.COM 

LS2 VECTOR HPFC EVO 

FROM £159.99 

LS2 helmets are great value. The High 

Performance Fiberglass Composite shell is 

available in three sizes, has a quick-release visor, 

MaxVision Pinlock, a removable/washable liner 

and drop-down sun visor. 

SIZES XXS-3XL 

WWW.LS2HELMETS.COM/UK 

83


Helmets 

MAKE SURE YOUR HELMET FITS 

2 

Push it back 

Do the strap up tight — it should be flush to your chin 

leaving no slack so you shouldn’t be able to get more than a 

finger or two in the strap. Grab the chinbar with both hands 

and try to push the helmet up while keeping your head still. 

Some movement with your skin is fine but if the helmet slides 

around or the chinbar blocks your eyeline, it’s too big. 

4 

1 

Basic checks 

A helmet should not slip on 

effortlessly and instantly — that’s a 

sure sign it’s too big. You want to 

feel some resistance as you pull the 

helmet down onto your head. Once 

in place the helmet should be 

close-fitting, with an even, gentle 

snugness all the way round your 

head, while cheekpads should be 

making firm contact with your 

cheeks. It definitely shouldn’t be 

loose like a hat, but equally shouldn’t 

be tight enough to cause any pain or 

pressure points. 

Move it side to side 

Return the helmet to its normal position and then, 

holding the chinbar again with both hands, try to twist it to the 

left and the right around your head, all the while holding your 

head still inside the helmet. Lateral movement should be 

minimal — any slack in this area could affect the helmet’s 

ability to protect you in the event of an accident. 

3 

Pull it down 

Next, reach up and behind your head to hold the back 

lip of the helmet with both hands and try to roll it forwards, as 

if you were trying to pull the helmet off the front of your head. 

Again, you’d expect it to move slightly but the helmet shouldn’t 

move so much that the top of the visor aperture travels so far 

down your forehead that it covers your eyes. 

5 

Roll it sideways 

Finally, try to roll the helmet sideways off the top of 

your head — as if trying to pull your ear down towards your 

shoulder. The helmet should only rotate a few degrees off 

vertical. If all is still well at this point, keep wearing the helmet 

around the shop for at least five minutes, ideally 10. It should 

leave no obvious marks when you take it off. 

84

Clinic Tips 

Lose the L-Plates 

HELP ME 

‘SHAKE OFF THE L-PLATES’ 

New rider Gareth Evans wants to build his 

skills now that he’s passed his test 

THE STUDENT 

Gareth Evans, 

36, Northants 

Gareth’s problem: “My 

riding until now has been 

geared to passing the test. 

Now I’m keen to start 

learning how to become a 

better rider.” 

THE LESSON 

THE TUTOR 

Mark Edwards, 

Rapid Training 

Mark’s plan: “I’m going to 

give Gareth a few more 

advanced riding tips so 

that he can shake off his 

learner habits and become 

a smoother rider.” 

1 2 

Start to move about in 

your lane more 

Schools teach to stay in a lane’s centre but advanced riders 

should move around to maximise the view. Ride where a car’s 

wheels would be, depending on the upcoming corner. 

Become an observation 

master 

Don’t do ‘lifesavers’ every time you move. They take your 

eyes off the road. Instead, develop awareness by constantly 

scanning mirrors. Only ‘lifesave’ if not sure what’s behind. 

86

HOW TO BECOME 

A BETTER RIDER 

PROGRESS 

REPORT 

3. PLAN AHEAD 

Coordinate vision and 

awareness to plan of how to 

tackle a hazard before you 

reach it. This allows you to 

be decisive. 

2. USE MIRRORS 

Use constant observation to 

boost your awareness. Only do 

a lifesaver if you think you’ve 

missed something. 

1. DON’T STAY PUT 

You have three positions in 

your lane you can place your 

bike: centre, or over to the left 

or right depending on the 

hazard. 

4. LEARN MORE 

If you have a near miss 

or wobble, analyse what 

happened. Be self critical and 

see if you could’ve done 

anything differently. 

5. PRACTICE PERFECT 

There’s no substitute for 

experience. As your bike 

control becomes second 

nature, you can devote more 

time to roadcraft. 

6. BRAKE POWER 

Most stopping power comes 

from the front so learn to use it 

more as it’s the more effective 

way of stopping. 

‘L-plates are a 

faint memory’ 

“You may think doing rider 

training straight after 

passing my test is a tad 

‘previous’, but Mark’s 

advice has had a massive 

impact on my confidence. 

Much of the guidance for 

passing Module 2 focussed 

on keeping out of trouble 

– but at the expense of 

making good progress. You 

take every corner in the 

middle of the road and it’s 

foot-on-brake-pedal 

whenever you come to a 

halt at traffic lights. But 

Mark showed me a style of 

riding that embraces the 

best thing about bikes: 

freedom. My riding became 

smoother and comfier and 

I no longer felt such a fish 

out of water. I’ve arrived 

on two wheels and 

L-plates are a faint 

memory. Heartily 

recommended.” 

That’s better! 

Mark says: “It’s true the 

moment you pass your test 

is the point when the real 

learning starts. Gareth’s 

only been riding a short 

time but he has good foundations 

and, importantly, 

the right attitude. The tips 

I’ve given will make his 

riding smoother and slicker 

but also form the basis for 

more advanced techniques 

later. Once the actual 

process of operating the 

bike is second nature he’ll 

be able to develop his 

situational awareness and 

road reading skills.” 

3 4 

Put your best foot forward 

(and down) 

When stopped at traffic lights, go into neutral both to rest 

your clutch hand and prevent clutch wear. Put your right foot 

down and have your left foot primed to select a gear. 

Take the straight and narrow 

Now you’ve passed your test, don’t feel you have to 

diligently arc a roundabout in your ‘correct’ lane position. If 

there’s no other traffic, ‘straight-lining’ can be the safest and 

easiest way through as you’re able to keep the bike upright. 

S C O R E S 

BEFORE AFTER 

Observations 5/10 7/10 

Planning 5/10 7/10 

Positioning 5/10 8/10 

Confidence 7/10 9/10 

Smoothness 6/10 7/10 

87

Clinic Tips 

Improve cornering 

HELP ME 

‘SMOOTH OUT CORNERS’ 

New rider Rebecca Mutlow wants the 

secret to gliding through bends 

THE STUDENT 

Rebecca 

Mutlow, 

38, Northants 

Rebecca’s problem: “I 

threepenny-bit around 

corners. I’m making too 

many inputs and just can’t 

figure out a way to glide 

through in a smooth arc.” 

THE LESSON 

THE TUTOR 

Mark Edwards, 


Mark’s plan: “Turning too 

early and not turning hard 

enough is a common 

problem for many riders 

and can result in too many 

steering inputs.” 

Don’t go into the bend too fast 

1 Inexperienced riders can feel anxious on the 2 

approach to a turn, worrying about how hard to brake, how 

fast to go and whether their tyres will grip. In a hurry to get 

the corner over, they often turn too early. 

It all starts with good position 

Approaching a right-hander, placing the bike towards 

the left of the lane will extend your vision. Slow the pace right 

down. It’ll feel too slow but be patient because it will pay off 

as you reach the exit. 

88

LEARN THE ART OF 

SMOOTH CORNERS 

TOO EARLY! 

Initiate the turn too early, 

and you’ll be in the kerb, then 

out again, then back again – 

‘50-pencing’ the corner. 

4. SEE THE EXIT 

As soon as you spot 

the exit, make a firm and 

positive input onto the inside 

bar to set the bike into the 

corner. 

3. HEAD UP 

Turning your head 

towards the exit while your 

bike’s still going straight will 

help you work out when 

to turn. 

2. WAIT FOR IT 

Resist the temptation to 

turn in too early. It’ll feel totally 

alien at first but go with it, 

and keep practising. 

1. DON’T RUSH 

Slow down before you 

reach the corner. You will feel 

that you are going too slowly 

but don’t worry about 

that for now. 

PROGRESS 

REPORT 

‘It’s made a 

world of 

difference’ 

“I must admit, when Mark 

showed me where I should 

be starting the turn 

compared to where I was, 

it made me hold my breath 

on the entry to the corner 

we were practising on, just 

because my gut instinct 

was screaming at me to 

turn earlier. But turning 

only when I could see the 

exit of the corner has 

meant that I’m no longer 

taking numerous bites at 

the corner, which has 

made both me and the bike 

feel so much more settled. 

It’s meant that my exit line 

is much safer too – I’m 

coming out of the bend in 

the middle of my lane and 

not drifting close to the 

centre line, or running the 

risk of standing up and 

running wide. Prior to 

coming today, I made an 

investment in a set of 

Michelin Road 5 tyres 

which have transformed 

how my bike feels and also 

given me more confidence 

to lean over.” 


Mark says: “By slowing 

down her corner entry 

speed and also giving 

herself more time to plan 

ahead, Rebecca will now 

be less inclined to want to 

turn too early. Then, by 

keeping calm, she can also 

keep her vision lifted 

towards the exit and begin 

to turn deeper, thus 

improving her exit line.” 

Spot the exit and then turn 

3 At a reduced speed, keep your line and run deeper 4 

into the corner. Initiate your turn only when you can see the 

exit. This will eliminate ‘50p cornering’ but you’ll have to hold 

your nerve and not be tempted to go too early. 

Take a safer line through 

Turning later with positive input to the inside bar puts 

the bike on a smooth arc in the middle of the corner, away 

from the centre and safe from oncoming traffic. With practise 

you’ll soon find smooth cornering comes naturally. 

S C O R E S 

BEFORE AFTER 






89

Clinic Tips 

Tackle junctions properly 

HELP ME 

‘JUNCTION WOBBLES 

PUT ME OFF’ 

New rider Maggie Day suffers from 

nerves approaching intersections 

THE STUDENT 

Maggie Day, 

61, Leicester 

Maggie’s problem: “I get 

nervous at junctions and 

feel a bit wobbly and 

vulnerable. It gets so bad 

that I often avoid going out 

altogether so it’s a vicious 

circle.” 

THE LESSON 

THE TUTOR 

Mark Edwards, 


Mark’s plan: “I’ll analyse 

Maggie’s approach and 

give her solutions to make 

her feel more in control so 

nerves doesn’t have a 

chance to creep in.” 

Stopping short 

1 Anxious about being able to stop in time, Maggie isn’t 2 

reaching the Give Way markings at the edge of the junction. 

Instead she pulls up short and then inches forward. This 

makes her feel unstable and limits her view. 

Slowly does it 

Mark advises Maggie to lift her vision up to the 

junction and ride up to the Give Way markings slowly by 

rolling off the throttle and lightly applying the brakes. She 

should aim to stop just before the white line. 

90

HOW TO TACKLE 

JUNCTIONS 

PROGRESS 

REPORT 

Stopping at the Give Way 

markings maximises your 

view of the road, as well as 

making you more visible 

to other traffc. 

1. VISION UP 

Looking down narrows 

your field of vision and 

makes you nervous. Keep 

your eyes up towards the 

approaching junction. 

4. GET SECURE 

Putting your left foot down 

at a stop makes you more 

secure and allows you to 

cover the rear brake if 

needed. 

3. HIT THE MARK 

DANGER ZONE 

Stopping short and 

then paddling up to the 

junction puts you at risk of 

losing your footing and 

dropping the bike. 

2. SMOOTH STOP 

Approach the markings 

slowly by rolling the throttle 

and gently braking to bring 

the bike to a controlled 

stop. 

‘I feel more in 

control now I 

can see more’ 

“Mark’s tips have made me 

feel so much more secure 

at junctions – especially 

putting my left foot down 

rather than balancing 

between one or the other 

and creeping up to the Give 

Way markings. I feel much 

more in control now that I 

can see more so I’m 

definitely getting there. 

“My lack of confidence has 

been getting me down and 

is the reason I only ride 

1000 miles a year. But I 

invested thousands into 

passing my test so I’m not 

going to give up. I just need 

to believe in myself a bit 

more – although I must 

admit that I had a bit of a 

setback during a recent 

trip to Belgium when I had 

an accident on the way 

home. 

“Practice makes perfect so 

I’m just going to keep at it 

and find excuses to ride, 

rather than reasons not to. 

The lesson I’ve learned 

today has definitely given 

me a boost to get out there 

and ride more.” 


Mark says: “Nerves can 

have terrible knock-on 

effects on your riding. You 

can break this cycle by 

having a plan to busy your 

brain. Boosting vision also 

helps alleviate worry. 

Maggie soon had more 

control and confidence. 

She just needs to keep 

practising. She’ll soon feel 

much better in general.” 

Just put one foot down 

3 Maggie was anxiously paddling towards the junction 4 

using her feet. This actually made her more unstable. Mark 

advised putting her left foot down would make her more 

secure when she came to a stop at the junction. 

Vision is everything 

On a secure footing with vision maximised, Maggie 

has the perfect platform to plan how and when to pull out of 

the road junction. With her vision lifted towards where she 

wants to go, she can smoothly and confidently pull away. 

S C O R E S 

BEFORE AFTER 






91

Clinic Tips 

Master wet conditions 

HELP ME 

‘RAIN DAMPENS MY 

CONFIDENCE’ 

More experienced rider Andy 

Jackson wants to boost his wet 

weather riding skills 

THE STUDENT 

Andy Jackson, 

37, Ruislip 

Andy’s problem: 

“Although I’m out on my 

bike in all weathers, I still 

lack confidence around 

corners in the wet. Are 

there any tips to help me?” 

THE LESSON 

THE TUTOR 

Mark Edwards, 


Mark’s plan: “Not many feel 

completely at ease in the 

wet, but there are 

definitely techniques you 

can use to feel safer and 

more confident.” 

Switch your vision on 

1 Making sure you know what’s ahead is doubly 2 

important in the wet. Keep your eyes up and looking forward 

to give yourself time to assess the approaching corner. Vision 

is knowledge and knowledge is confidence. 

Compromise your position 

Keep assessing the turn ahead: are there any hazards 

like manhole covers or big puddles? You may have to 

reposition to avoid them. Smoothly reduce speed by rolling 

off power and gently applying both brakes. 

92

HOW TO CONQUER 

SOAKING CORNERS 

TYRE CHOICE 

Modern sports-touring tyres 

are great in the wet but make 

sure the pressures are correct 

so they can work their 

magic. 

2. MIDDLE BETTER 

Without surrendering forward 

vision, try to ride on the crown 

of the road as it’ll be the driest 

part of the tarmac 

in rainy conditions. 

PUDDLE JUMPING 

Avoid areas of standing 

water – you don’t know what 

lurks beneath. Potholes, manhole 

covers, dead 

badgers... 

4. STAY OPEN 

Don’t be tempted to close the 

throttle, no matter how slowly 

you’re going. Coasting will rob 

you of feel and control. 

FEEL THE BIKE 

Keep your arms relaxed and 

squeeze the bike 

with the inside of your calves 

and thighs to gain more 

feedback from it. 

3. RIDE ‘MX STYLE’ 

Keep the bike as upright as 

possible by consciously pushing 

it away from you, MX style, at 

the corner mid-point. 

ANTI-LEAN 

Put your bike on a line that 

allows you to get around the 

corner using minimal lean. 

Square the corner off. 

1. SEE MORE 

Look as far ahead as possible 

and fit a Pinlock to your visor 

so that you can keep it locked 

down to prevent drips and 

steaming up. 

PROGRESS 

REPORT 

‘I feel more in 

control now I 

can see more’ 

“I ride in all conditions year 

round. I don’t mind a bit of 

rain but, if I’m honest, 

cornering in the wet is an 

area I definitely wanted 

more confidence with. 

Our day had some of the 

most treacherous 

conditions I’d ridden in for 

ages – which was perfect 

to brush up on my wet 

weather riding skills. 

“We all know in the wet 

you need smooth braking, 

acceleration, less lean 

angle etc but Mark helped 

me read the road with 

huge attention to detail so 

you can predict where 

water is likely to collect 

and navigate the safest 

route through at all times. 

“It was an incredible day, 

superb training. Now I 

want it to rain every day 

so I can practise. Well, 

sort of!” 


Mark says: “Riding in the 

rain means you have to 

adopt a completely 

different style: you go into 

‘Safe Mode’ and engineer 

your ride to keep yourself 

as smooth and upright as 

possible. Andy was 

already aware how to keep 

himself safe in the wet but 

a few tweaks to his vision 

and road reading on faster 

roads allowed him to work 

out exactly what he was 

going to be faced with and 

let him plan ahead. With a 

plan in place he found his 

confidence was boosted.” 

Square it off for the best line 

3 In slippery conditions the ideal solution is to ‘engineer’ 4 

your line around corners to allow you to get round with the 

least lean possible. You should also keep the bike as upright 

as possible as this ensures maximum traction. 

The throttle can help you 

In poor weather it’s tempting to stay off the gas 

through corners – for fear of spinning the rear wheel – but if 

you keep a small-but-constant amount of throttle on it will 

boost feedback from the bike and make you feel secure. 

S C O R E S 

BEFORE AFTER 






93

I 

How To 

MoT Masterclass 

1 

HOUR 

PREPARING FOR YOUR 

MOT 

2/5 

These 10 simple steps will guarantee your ticket to ride 

D 

F 

I 

F 

I 

C 

U 

L T 

Y 

R 

A T 

N 

G 

Nothing upsets an MoT 

tester more than a dirty 

bike, so take a few 

minutes to give yours 

a good clean! 

1 

This is no time to be a show off 

All bikes over three years old require an MoT. As well as being vital for 

ensuring it’s safe to ride, the inspection checks whether a bike conforms to regs 

– and the numberplate is just one aspect. The size and shape of lettering as well 

as the dimensions of the plate will come under scrutiny, so if you’ve got a fancy 

‘show plate’ now’s the time to switch it back to standard. 

2 

That’s a bright idea 

If indicators are fitted then they must flash in accordance with the 

regulations; aftermarket indicators won’t necessarily cause a fail but any that 

flash as rapidly as a strobe will not pass. Check for front and rear brake light 

operation, sometimes the rear switch may need adjusting. Check the dip and 

high beam operation and that heights are set correctly. 

94 

3 

The silence of the cans 

Aftermarket cans are fine as long as they aren’t marked with ‘not for 

road use’ or similar, and aren’t noticeably louder than the original. Other parts of 

the system need to be in good condition, with no blowing or rotten collector 

boxes. Some of the regs have been updated with regards to silencers, so there 

is a degree of subjective judgement from the tester. 

4 

Do your legs have leaks? 

Fork seals wear over time and when they do they usually leave a smear 

of oil on the stanchion and will need replacing. You can also visually inspect for 

leaks by removing the dust seal. The damping action of the suspension must be 

in good order; when you push the bike down and release it, the return rates 

should be evenly damped without bounciness.

5 

Lost your bearings? 

Check the head bearings’ condition by raising the front wheel and 

pulling the bottom of the forks backwards and forwards to feel for any play or 

knocking. Also, again with the wheel in the air, turn the steering fully left and 

right, it should be smooth with no binding or notchiness. 

6 

All tired out 

Make sure you have sufficient tread; any bike over 50cc must have 

1mm across three quarters of the width of the tread marks. It’s also worth 

making sure the size and type of tyre is correct. Look for cracks, bulges or cuts. 

Any tyre fitted should also have the rotation arrow positioned correctly. 

7 

Braking good or braking bad? 

There needs to be an obvious amount of usable friction material still in 

place – the lower limit is 1mm on sintered pads and 1.5mm on organic type pads. 

Check both back and front brake calipers. Also, you need to assess the condition 

of the discs – spin the wheel and make sure they run true and that they are not 

damaged or cracked, or below the minimum thickness. 

8 

Assess chassis bearings 

Check your wheel bearings by first spinning the wheel; it should not 

bind or rumble. With the wheel in the air, hold the wheel at opposite sides and try 

to move it from side to side looking and feeling for any ‘play’. Check your 

swingarm bearings by feeling for play when pushing and pulling on the rear 

wheel – there shouldn’t be any noticeable movement. 

9 

Adjust tension and check condition 

The drive chain and sprockets need to be in good condition. The drive 

chain should be adjusted correctly with no signs of significant wear. If a link is 

fitted it should be secure, and if it’s a split link it should face the right direction, 

open end facing backwards when the link is on the top of the rear sprocket. The 

sprocket teeth should show little or no signs of wear. 

10 

Don’t be fuellish 

The fuel system needs to be in good order and this means there should 

be no evidence of leaks. The petrol cap must close properly, and have a rubber 

seal fitted. The fuel hoses must be in good condition with no perishing, and they 

must be secured with clips. Finally, the petrol tank itself should be securely 

fitted to the motorcycle. 

95

I 

How To 

Fix a puncture 

F 

I 

F 

I 

C 

U 

L T 

Y 

R 

D 

A T 

HOW TO FIX A 

PUNCTURE 

A roadside puncture doesn’t need to stop your riding fun 

1 

HOUR 

1/5 

N 

G 

Get into the habit of 

taking a kit with you 

on every ride 

1 

Get-you-home fixes 

Designed as a temporary fix, a tubeless repair kit will get you going 

again very quickly. When using a kit like this it’s essential that you stick to the 

instructions, especially when it comes to the size of the repair and your 

maximum speed afterwards. Equally important is to make sure you get the 

temporary repair looked at as soon as possible. 

2 

Choose your kit 

You have two options when choosing a temporary repair kit. The 

first is the aerosol type that inflates the tyre using a combination of gas and 

sealing liquid that seals the hole as it squirts out. The other type of kit uses 

a plug to patch up the tyre before you deploy carbon dioxide gas canisters 

to reflate the tyre and get you going. 

96 

3 

Listen and locate 

Get down to ground level and listen for the tell-tale hiss of air 

escaping. Locate it and see if there is something like a screw or nail in the 

tyre. If the puncture has made a small, round hole then you are in luck 

because these are the sorts of problems repair kits are designed to deal 

with. Slashes and tears will mean a call to the pick-up truck. 

4 

The aerosol fix… 

Remove the object causing the puncture. Turn the wheel so the 

valve is at the 12 o’clock position. Attach the dispensing tube to the valve, 

hold the can upside down and empty the contents into the tyre. The tyre 

should slowly inflate and the sealant should find its way to the puncture. 

Ride the bike straight away at a reduced speed to distribute the product.

5 

Get some support 

If you suffer a puncture while you are out riding, the heat in the tyre 

walls may make them too supple to hold the bike up on its sidestand. To remedy 

this, move the bike to a raised kerb, find something to lean the bike on, or chock 

the front wheel up. 

6 

The plug fix… 

This Gryp kit consists of CO 2 

cylinders, plastic plugs, valve adaptor, 

chalk and a pair of pliers. Find the cause of the puncture and circle it with the 

chalk, then use the pliers remove the screw or sharp object. Remember that this 

is just a get-you-home solution. 

7 

Plug the hole 

There is no glue or compound to mess about with here, it’s as 

straightforward as twisting the coarse-threaded plastic plug into the tyre. The 

plug needs to be screwed into the tyre until it reaches the shoulder of the insert. 

Because of this, it won’t work with any puncture damage that is an elongated cut 

or small slash. 

8 

Snap off, screw on 

Once you have screwed the plug in as far as the shoulder, you can snap 

off the end. The plug is designed with a weak spot which will fail when force is 

applied to it at 90 degrees. The next step is to fit the valve adaptor which will 

allow you to screw on the kit’s CO 2 

canisters. You may need to rotate the wheel 

to give yourself the best access to the valve. 

9 

Time to inflate 

Attach the valve adaptor and make sure the carbon dioxide bottle has 

the plastic gauze around it because the metal will become extremely cold as the 

gas escapes and may freeze to your fingers. Empty the canister and the tyre will 

partially inflate. You will probably have to use four to six canisters to inflate a 

180-size rear tyre. 

10 

Set the pressure and ride away 

With the tyre fully inflated, make your way to the nearest service 

station to check and set the pressure correctly. Then continue your journey 

without exceeding the maximum speed specified in your kit’s instructions. At 

your earliest convenience, get the tyre checked by an expert for a professional 

repair or replacement tyre. 

97

I 

How To 

Maintain a chain 

0.5 

HOUR 

D 

F 

I 

F 

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR 

CHAIN 

1/5 

Bust grime and rust to make those links look good as new 

I 

C 

U 

L T 

Y 

R 

A T 

N 

G 

1 

Lift and spin 

Put your bike on its mainstand or a rear paddock stand. Spin the wheel 

to check the chain for tight spots and overall condition. It should run smoothly 

over the sprockets with no snagging or jingling of the rollers as they interact 

with the sprocket teeth. Place a tray or an old towel on the floor under the chain 

to catch the dirty run off from the cleaning process. 

2 

Chemical warfare 

Spray on a dedicated chain cleaning product; the idea is to clean the 

sideplates of the chain, not degrease it completely. Chain lube attracts a buildup 

of dust and road grime which over time acts like grinding paste, damaging the 

rollers. This is what we want to clean off. Spray on the cleaner and let it dwell – 

this allows it to get absorbed by the crud. 

98 

3 

Little by little with the bristles 

Start to work the cleaner into the chain using a dedicated chain brush 

which cleans both the rollers and side plates simultaneously. Work on a small 

area at a time, regularly flushing away the grime with blasts of fresh cleaner. Use 

a clean cloth to wipe away any residual solution before turning the back wheel 

and moving on to the next section. 

4 

Don’t forget the insides… 

The outsides of the chain can be cleaned quite easily, but the inside of 

the side plates can trap a fair amount of muck and debris, too, and so shouldn’t 

be overlooked – this is about more than making your chain pretty. Use a flat 

brush that will allow you to get into the inside of the chain inbetween the rollers. 

Do both sides of the chain and flush out with fresh cleaner as you go.

Only use a nylon brush 

– wire brushes can 

damage delicate 

o-rings 

5 

Time for the big guns… 

If your chain is exceedingly dirty, now’s the time to break out the power 

tools. You can purchase a range of nylon brushes to attach to your drill to allow 

you to attack more stubborn build-up. Spray on plenty of chain cleaner as you do 

so to speed up the process and get a good finish. 

6 

Now clean your teeth 

The build up of grease and grime can be seen around the circumference 

of the sprocket, a bit like a tidemark around a dirty bath. This can also be cleaned 

off using the cleaning product and a cloth. Any stubborn deposits can be agitated 

with a brush and then wiped clean. 

7 

Time to rinse 

Most chain cleaners will need to be rinsed off with fresh water once 

the scrubbing is complete, check the instructions of your specific product, as it 

may cause damage to the chain if not fully removed. When the product is 

completely rinsed away, you should give the chain a wipe all over with a clean 

cloth until it is dry. 

8 

Treat it to a blow dry 

As the chain needs to be totally dry before you start to lube it, it’s a 

good idea to blast away residual water with a compressed air line. Aim the 

nozzle of the air line on and inbetween the individual rollers to fire out any 

remaining droplets of water, turn the wheel at the same time to make sure the 

whole chain has been blasted with air. 

Check your manual to 

see if the bike should 

be on the stand 

or not 

9 

Set the tension 

Read the manufacturer’s guideline for checking chain tension. The 

manual will also give a range of acceptable freeplay in mm, and where to 

measure it. Quite often this is the middle point between the front and rear 

sprockets, halfway along the swingarm. At this point the slack can be the 

greatest; typical spec will be between 18-25mm. 

10 

Lubrication’s what you need 

When lubing it’s important not to overdo it or make a mess. Place an old 

rag or newspaper behind the run to protect the background from overspray and 

spray the lube on the inside of the rollers little by little, slowly rotating the rear 

wheel and treating little sections. Leave the bike for a short while to let the lube 

penetrate the rollers and the solvent evaporate. 

99

I 

How To 

Fit soft luggage 

F 

I 

F 

I 

C 

U 

L T 

Y 

R 

0.5 

HOW TO FIT SOFT 

2/5 

LUGGAGE 

HOUR 

D 

A T 

N 

G 

How to enjoy hassle-free touring with strap-on luggage 

1 

Wipe your rear end 

Soft luggage is the perfect solution to give even sports bikes the 

capacity to carry any extra essentials for extended trips. You can quickly 

convert your roadster or race rep into a tourer by fitting a tail pack, panniers and 

a tank bag. Before you start, read the instructions and make sure the rear panels 

of the bike are free of dirt. You don’t want to scratch the paint. 

2 

Perfect your perch 

Tailpacks are designed to fit onto the back end of more or less any bike. 

It doesn’t matter if your bike has a combined rider/pillion seat, bench seat or just 

a removable pillion pad. Regular tail packs like this should not be fixed to a seat 

hump or rack, both of which will need removing first. Remove the seat, turn it 

over then place the seat on the up-turned tailpack. 

Apply gaffa tape to the 

panels beneath the 

bungee to prevent 

damage 

100 

3 

Get a grip 

Make sure the tailpack is facing the correct way then, wrap the wide 

Velcro straps around the seat and tighten. You should aim to have more than 

15mm of overlap on the strap, this will give the Velcro a large enough area to grip 

securely. The straps are long enough to accommodate the widest of seats so, in 

the case they are way too long, trim the ends with scissors. 

4 

Air on a D-ring… 

Re-fit the seat and make sure it locks securely. Check the tailpack’s 

position, ensuring it’s mounted in a way that maximises the contact area of the 

seat. Use bungee straps linked to the pack’s D-rings, tension the front mounts by 

stretching the bungees downwards with a bias to the front of the bike. Rear 

D-rings should be pulled down with a backwards bias.

5 

Check the tension 

Bungees should be equally tensioned and have sufficient strength to 

maintain position. Most bungees offer the best range of tension between 150% 

- 175% of their original size. Ensure the bungee hooks are clear of any bodywork 

and also that they’re away from exhausts and moving parts. 

6 

Get familiar with your throw-overs 

If you’re fitting panniers instead/as well, read the instructions and make 

sure you understand how the panniers secure. This is really important – it’s 

possible for a poorly-fitted pannier to get caught up in the rear wheel. Lay the 

panniers out and work out where the straps go and which way 

7 

Sort out the straps 

These Oxford panniers have six Velcro straps that fasten around the 

pillion seat and tail piece. The two ends of the central strap are designed to loop 

under the seat, so fit this strap first by removing and then refitting the seat. The 

Velcro strap needs at least 15cm of overlap to give the desired contact strength 

and stop the ends simply ripping apart when called on. 

8 

Tilt the panniers inwards 

Attach the remaining two Velcro straps, again they should overlap by at 

least 15cm. At this point the panniers will sit fairly loosely on the bike. Check that 

there is sufficient clearance between the panniers, the exhaust and any moving 

parts, then take a look from the rear of the bike and tension the Velcro straps so 

that the panniers appear to tilt inwards at the top a bit. 

Check the straps 

whenever you stop 

and re-tension as 

required 

Never use indicator 

stalks as mounting 

points, they’re not 

strong enough 

9 

Strap up 

These Oxford panniers come with six adjustable straps that attach to 

the bike to allow correct tensioning of the panniers. The front straps should pull 

down and in with a forward bias, the passenger footrests are ideal if there are 

no hook points. The rear pair should be tensioned downwards and back. Always 

keep in mind any moving parts or hot exhaust gases. 

10 

Jiggle, click, check and go 

With all the straps installed and tensioned the panniers should not 

move at all. Give them a jiggle around and rough them up a bit to make sure they 

are secure. Double check that the seat has been fitted and the locking mechanism 

has clicked in. Do a final check making sure that there are no moving parts or 

exhaust/silencers in close proximity. 

101

GREAT 

BIKING 

6ROADS 

The UK has huge variety of great biking 

roads – here are six for new riders to try 

1 MIDLANDS 

CHURCH STRETTON 

TO ASTERTON 

2 SOUTH-WEST 

MINEHEAD TO 

BARNSTAPLE (A39) 

3 SOUTH 

STANMER TO 

DITCHLING 

4 NORTH 

WINDERMERE 

TO A66 (A592) 

5 SCOTLAND 

MOFFAT TO 

SELKIRK (A708) 

6 WALES 

BRYNAMMAN TO 

LLANGADOG 

(A4069) 

1 

THE MIDLANDS 

CHURCH STRETTON 

TO ASTERTON (BUR WAY) 

START 52.542161, -2.813899 

DISTANCE 5 MILES | TIME 15 MINUTES 

A plain back-road leading away from the smart 

Shropshire market town of Church Stretton leads 

to the ancient track of Bur Way, a slightly daunting, 

narrow climb but you can take reassurance that 

it’s fairly short and more than worth it for the 

spectacular views and sense of achievement 

you’ll be rewarded with. 

After climbing and winding its way seemingly 

relentlessly into the clouds it then, thankfully, 

finally plateaus into a single-track run across vast, 

empty moorland. If you’ve been unable to tear 

your focus from the road yet, pull into the large 

layby on the left after a mile or so — there’s 

plenty of space to park up, stand back and 

take in the astonishing rolling landscape. 

Watch out on windy days, though… 

You then carry on along as this single ribbon of 

asphalt cuts through the dense heathland. You’ll 

never know when you’re up there but Bur Way 

eventually turns into The Port Way, another 

ancient track. This then slowly begins its descent 

towards Asterton, before finishing with a dramatic 

flourish as it teeters down a sheer 25% drop past 

a gliding club (which should give you some idea of 

the height involved). This is not a road to be ridden 

in bad weather or alone, nor for raw novices who 

It’s short 

but Bur 

Way is a 

good 

work-out 

aren’t yet totally comfortable with the size, height, 

weight and low-speed handling of their machines 

but it is steady and brief and when you’re up on 

top of the moorland, with nothing but sheep for 

company, it’s bliss. 

102

2 

THE SOUTH-WEST 

MINEHEAD TO BARNSTAPLE 

START 51.200858, -3.499838 

DISTANCE 37.7 MILES | TIME 1H 15M 

This one basically follows the spectacular A39 

and is very varied. It kicks off with a steep, 

1-in-4 climb up Porlock Hill and the descent into 

Lynmouth is quite daunting, too, so plan 

accordingly, but the rest, whether 

skirting the coast with its spectacular 

views, or cutting through rugged 

gorges or sweeping over the moor 

tops before cruising picturesque 

towns, is a joy – just watch out for 

summer tourist traffic! 

Carry on 

past 

Barnstaple 

and you 

can pick 

up the 

Atlantic 

Highway 

Ditchling 

Road gives 

full South 

Downs 

experience 

3 

THE SOUTH 

STANMER TO 

DITCHLING 

START 50.869868, -0.119160 


Short but sweet, this cascading wiggle up to and 

down from one of the highest points in the South 

Downs is most impressive ridden from south to 

north, with the steep bit ridden as a downhill. Turn 

off the A27 near Brighton, cruise a quiet couple of 

miles up to Ditchling Beacon, then try to keep your 

eyes on the road as the spectacular view opens up 

in front of you. 

103

Get out and about 

Great Biking Roads 

4 

THE NORTH 

WINDERMERE TO A66 

START 54.386061, -2.915318 


The A592 from Windermere to Penrith is 

the definitive Lake District ride. Things 

go from good to great when you pass 

through Troutbeck and the road climbs 

up to the Kirkstone Pass. Before you 

know it, you’re dancing between dry 

stone walls and dumbstruck by the 

daunting, dizzying valley you’re riding 

though. But even when that finishes, the 

road still has another huge treat: a 

gorgeous meander around the 

spectacularly beautiful Ullswater lake. 

When you finally hit the A66 near 

Penrith, you’ll want to pause at the 

petrol station just to catch your breath. 

The A592 

has 

everything 

that’s 

brilliant 

about riding 

in the Lake 

District 

104

5 

WALES 

BRYNAMMAN TO LLANGADOG 

START 51.819911, -3.858286 

DISTANCE 11.5 MILES | TIME 21 MINUTES 

What begins as an innocuous-looking ride into the 

hills along the A4069 swiftly becomes one of the 

greatest motorcycle rides in the UK — the 

legendary Black Mountain Pass. The road to the 

top is sweeping and spectacular, with a clear line 

of sight through several turns ahead, but it’s the 

dramatic descent that makes this run truly special. 

Intricate twists and steep technical turns provide 

a challenge to be relished and an experience that 

beats any thrill an amusement park ride has to 

offer. It’s short, but oh so sweet and just begs to 

be ridden again (and again…) 

On days 

like this, 

the 

A4069 

offers 

amazing 

riding 

The 

amazing 

view 

over St 

Mary’s 

Loch in a 

glacial 

valley 

6 

SCOTLAND 

MOFFAT TO SELKIRK 

START 55.331241, -3.428525 

DISTANCE 32.6 MILES | TIME 50 MINUTES 

The A708 is tight and technical to begin with and 

packed with hidden dips and twists but this 

incredible road is an absolute gem. Set in a glacial 

valley among purple-peppered peaks, the 

backdrop is nothing short of spectacular. And 

while there’s plenty to watch out for on the climb 

up to the top of the plateau, the ensuing skim 

along the unbordered edge of St Mary’s Loch is 

sublime. The definition of open countryside. 105

Get out & about 

Destinations 

GREAT 

DESTINATIONS 

You’ve got your licence and your bike, now get out and enjoy it! 

There’s no better 

excuse for going out for a ride 

than having somewhere to go to – 

and the most obvious of these is a biker 

café for a great British breakfast or brunch. 

Great ‘caffs’ like the Super Sausage in the 

Midlands, Penny Garth in North Yorkshire or 

Loomies in the south are on the edge of some 

great biking roads and make a brilliant place to 

stop for a chat and something to eat. 

And although many have been closed during 

much of the pandemic, many have been 

offering outside or takeaway services 

and have plans to open up more fully 

for the summer – but check 

before you go! 

‘COME FOR THE 

ROADS, STAY 

FOR THE CAKE’ 

THE PENNY GARTH CAFÉ 

HAWES, NORTH YORKSHIRE, DL8 3RD 

It’s said throughout the Dales that ‘all 

roads lead to Hawes’ and it’s certainly 

true when it comes to great biking roads, 

not least with the regulars we met up 

with when we dropped in. 

“I’d give it 10 out of 10,” said David Short, 

who rides in at least once a week with 

mate Neil Burnett on their Bonnevilles. 

“The food is superb, there’s always a 

friendly atmosphere, plus it’s a great 

riding area.” 

Charles Crowley and Peter Benbow 

agree. “The reputation speaks for itself,” 

said Charles. “There’s good food, quick 

service and excellent facilities.” 

Best of all is owner Christian Westen’s 

home-made brownies. 

“We make it all fresh,” said Christian’s 

number two Ryan Iveson. “We 

understand bikers, so we’ll make sure 

groups are all served hot food at the 

same time, we provide visor cleaning 

facilities and a 24-hour webcam so that 

you can check on the weather before 

heading over.” 

59.9-MILE RIDING LOOP 

GOING DALE DIVING 

Head for Aysgarth, then dive south towards Skipton, 

looping back up to Halton Gill, then south for 

Stainforth, then hook right up to the Ribblehead 

Viaduct for a leg-stretch, then right again on the 

B6255 for another cake at the Penny Garth. 

106

LONDON’S 

‘GO-TO’ BIKER 

HANG-OUT 

THE BIKE SHED OLD STREET, 

LONDON, EC1V 9LT 

Head deep into the centre of London, 

and you can check out one of the most 

fashionable kids on the biker café block, 

the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club. 

The Shed is a unique destination, 

located amongst a series of railway 

arches just off Old Street, there’s the 

café/restaurant, a barber, tattooist, 

apparel shop, chill-out and meeting 

area, exhibition space and free, secure 

parking for around 100 bikes. 

“It’s the only reason we’ve come to 

London,” said Alex Turner, who’d ridden 

from Leamington Spa on his Hornet. 

“The steak salad is amazing.” 

The menu is more exotic than a greasy 

spoon, but the old favourites are still 

there, with a gourmet twist. We had a 

bacon and egg brioche and it passed 

with flying colours. They’re London 

prices but surprisingly keen. Shed head 

honcho, Anthony ‘Dutch’ van Someren 

said: “For camaraderie you really can’t 

beat the Bike Shed.” 


LOOPY LONDON 

This lap of the North and South Circular is quite a 

giggle. Just head south over Tower Bridge before 

hugging the river to Kew Gardens, then pick up the 

North Circular at Chiswick, and hold on to it all the 

way back to the Bike Shed. 

Photos by Amy Shore Photography 

107


Great Destinations 

3 GREAT 

SUNSET 

LOCATIONS 

‘THE SOUTH’S 

BEST-LOVED 

BIKER CAFF’ 

LOOMIES MOTO CAFÉ 

WEST MEON, GU32 1JX 

Just a few years ago Loomies was in 

danger of disappearing for good. Luckily, a 

new owner came forward in the shape of 

Paul Fullick, who stepped in to ensure that 

this popular hangout has not only survived, 

but has gone on to thrive. “It’s been a 

labour of love,” said Paul. “We love the 

place, we love the people and we all love 

bikes. Every accountant told us not to do 

it, yet here we are.” 

The passion invested by Paul and his 

team is apparent in the attention to 

detail, from the helmet store and visorwash 

station to the toolbox coffee table 

and engine-block cutlery holder and, of 

course, the food. “It took us months just 

to find the right sausage,” said Paul. “We 

now have our own butcher and go 

above and beyond to source the best 

ingredients locally.” 

Whether you choose the full fry-up or 

one of Loomies’ trademark gourmet 

burgers, leave room for cake! 

Loomies feels more like a clubhouse 

than a café, where the staff treat 

customers like family. 

HUMBER BRIDGE, 

LINCOLNSHIRE 

The metalwork of the 1.4-mile 

suspension bridge is best seen when 

silhouetted against the burnt orange 

of a receding sun. Best seen from the 

banks of the River Humber. 

POOLE QUAY, DORSET 

The south of England has some of the 

best sunsets in the UK and the light of 

a golden summer sun reflects off sea 

and sand. Poole Quay is a popular 

spot and bike night is any Tuesday 

night between May and September. 


WEST SUSSEX SIZZLER 

Head East on the A272 to Midhurst, then south to the 

A285 and Duncton Bends and over the hill towards 

Chichester. Stop at Goodwood for a cuppa, before 

heading North on the B2141 to Petersfield, pick up the 

A32, then dip South to Loomies. 

LOCHINVER, SCOTLAND 

Mountains combine with Lochinver’s 

natural harbour and purple-orange 

skies. Best seen mid-summer after a 

late ride, when sunset is at 10.30pm. 

108

‘IT’S CERTAINLY LIVED 

UP TO ITS REPUTATION’ 

THE SUPER SAUSAGE CAFÉ 

POTTERSPURY, NN12 7QD 

The Super Sausage Café on the A5 near 

Potterspury is something of a sensation, 

having won several Best Café awards. 

But what makes it such a compelling 

destination? 

“First and foremost is the ‘Q’ factor,” says 

Chris Murray, who runs the Sausage 

along with his wife Gail and son Simon. 

“From the quality equipment we use in the 

kitchen, to the quality food we serve to 

the customers and the team who work 

here. Quality is everything.” 

And that ethos certainly shines through. 

Our breakfast left us with no complaints 

at all and the staff are very attentive, 

though never intrusive, providing a level 

of service that many top restaurants 

often fail to deliver. 

We quizzed a few biking visitors as to 

what they thought. 

Nigel and Chris Hankins were first- timers, 

returning to Grimsby after a short break 

in Brighton. “It’s certainly lived up to its 

reputation,” said Nigel. “That’s one of the 

best BLTs I’ve ever had.” 

“It’s spot-on, but once you’ve been here, 

you’ve been spoilt,” added regular, Dave 

Buckman. 

The big car park also makes the 

Sausage a popular meeting place, or, as 

with Kim Taylor, Bob Rhoades and 

friends, somewhere to split off from. 

“We’re on our way back from Prague,” 

said Bob. “The good food, quick service, 

friendly staff and superb access make 

it the perfect place to end our trip.” 

61-MILE RIDING LOOP 

RIDE IN, PIG OUT 

From the Super Sausage, head towards Towcester, 

then snake down the lanes to Silverstone, after the 

A43 nip onto B-roads to Banbury. Head south on the 

A361 before looping east through Deddington and 

Buckingham, before heading back up to the Sausage. 

CHECK OUT 

YOUR LOCAL 

BIKE MEET 

If all of these are a little too far afield for 

you or the ride itself still seems a little 

daunting, why not check out your local 

bike meet? Most towns have bikerfriendly 

cafés and pubs which hold 

regular meet-ups and ride-outs, you’ll 

be genuinely surprised at the friendly 

welcome you’ll receive and you’re also 

more than likely to make new friends 

who will be more than happy to help 

you with every aspect of your initiation 

into biking. If you’re not sure where to 

go, checkout MCN’s weekly Events 

pages, search online or pop into your 

local motorcycle dealer(s) who’ll have 

notices and news about local events. 

109

Get out and about 

Improve mental wellbeing 

WHY BIKING IS 

GOOD FOR 

YOUR HEALTH 

A charity to improve bikers’ mental health 

has had record growth but can biking 

improve your wellbeing? 

NE IN FOUR UK adults will 

O 

experience some sort of 

mental health issue in their 

lifetime. The good news, 

though, is that riding a 

motorcycle can actually improve your 

mental health. 

The facts 

Riding is pleasurable and, as such, helps 

your body to release endorphins (happy 

chemicals), which generate a sense of 

wellbeing. Researchers at the University 

of California (UCLA) confirmed this when 

in a 2018 study into the correlation 

between riding motorcycles and reduced 

stress levels. 

The research discovered that riding a 

motorcycle for just 20 minutes helped 

reduce the hormonal biomarkers of 

stress by 28%, as well as bringing about 

a reduction in cortisol levels which helps 

lower anxiety, headaches, memory 

problems, insomnia and the risk of heart 

110

attacks. The social side is another plus; 

social interaction is a known link to our 

sense of wellbeing. 

Riding is, as we know, an activity that 

demands complete engagement. In 

terms of mental health improvement, this 

is another benefit. Stress, anxiety and 

depression often go hand in hand with 

worry, for whatever reason. Thinking 

about these things feeds anxiety and 

depression and yet, when you ride, you 

have little, if any, thought capacity left to 

dwell on outside issues. So riding time is 

time away from the things that have a 

negative effect on our mental wellbeing. 

There’s more to back it up. Japanese 

neuroscientist Dr Ryuta Kawashima 

conducted a study into the benefits of 

regular riding. As well as confirming the 

relationship with positive mental health, 

the experiment concluded that regular 

riding improves cognitive function and, in 

particular, memory and spatial reasoning 

capacity. In other words, the more you 

ride, the greater the benefits. 

Biking for mental health 

Paul Oxborough recognised the link 

between riding and improved mental 

health when he set up Mental Health 

Motorbike, a charity specific aimed at 

helping those with mental health. It has 

already helped 41 people in crisis by 

placing them in support bubbles with 

trained mental-health professionals, and 

there are big plans for the future. 

“We lost a friend to suicide,” says Paul. 

“And the idea of a charity to help others 

who are desperate came from that. 

Being a lifelong biker, I recognised the 

benefits of biking to our sense of 

wellbeing — something that can make us 

feel better and help combat the effects 

of depression. 

“Our membership is growing all the time 

and in the past year, we’ve seen how 

lockdown has affected people. They 

can’t get out on their bikes and they feel 

trapped. We have a forum where bikers 

can chat and assist each other. If 

someone asks for help, we put a support 

bubble in place and come to their aid. 

“We’ve been working in partnership with 

another organisation called Doc Bike 

which is made up of doctors and 

paramedics who get to accident scenes 

quicky on high-performance bikes to 

save lives. Part of our remit with them is 

researching the correlation between 

riding and improved mental health. We’re 

able to use motorcycles as a tool to help 

break down barriers around what’s still a 

taboo subject.” 

What you can do 

Mental health isn’t the easiest subject to 

talk about or even broach, but if you’re 

experiencing issues around depression, 

anxiety, low mood or even symptoms 

you’re struggling to understand, riding 

your bike can be one of the most powerful 

ways to overcome these debilitating 

feelings. Lockdown made getting out on 

our bikes harder, but there are still ways 

to ride and get the benefits. 

If getting to work requires a commute, 

use your bike. Don’t go crazy — keeping 

safe is more important than ever, but so 

too is reaping the positive effects of our 

favourite interest. What’s more, 

summer’s approaching and for bikers, 

that means good times. 

3 WAYS 

TO GET 

YOUR 

BIKING 

HIGH 

1 

Tinker with your 

bike This can be 

anything from cleaning, 

prepping the bike for your 

next ride or a full-on 

service. It’s a great way to 

get to know your bike as 

well as learn a new skill. 

2 

Plan your next 

ride 

If you haven’t been in the 

saddle for a while, keep 

the route local and short. 

As well as using maps, 

Google Earth is an 

excellent tool for 

plotting a ride. 

3 

Talk bikes online 

There are plenty of 

forums and websites (like 

MCN’s R5K Facebook 

page) where you can 

engage with others keen 

to talk about their bikes, 

rides and plans. 

‘BIKING SAVED ME’ 

Alex Belokon owes his life to being a biker and, more 

specifically, the Mental Health Motorbike charity 

Alex was knocked off his Honda 

VT750 Shadow last July suffering 

a badly broken ankle, which left 

him house-bound for the second 

half of 2020 and caused his 

mental health to deteriorate. 

“I was in a bad place. I’d 

discovered MHM and was 

impressed by how they supported 

each other. 

“When I was feeling really low I 

told Paul (Oxborough) and he 

immediately put a support bubble 

in place for me. 

“I’d been self-harming to try to 

relieve the pain, so MHM had 

someone contact me every four 

hours. It made a big difference. It’s 

no exaggeration to say I wouldn’t 

be here without them. 

“I’ve had mental health issues 

for 20 years and am bi-polar, but 

when I can get out on my bike it 

helps me go to a better place. 

Riding and the Mental Health 

Motorbike charity are two things 

that have definitely helped me.” 

Useful contacts 

https://mhmotorbike.com 

www.mind.org.uk 

www.samaritans.org 

111


Events 

7 OF THE BEST 

BIKE EVENTS 

Races, shows and festivals mean you’re spoilt for choice 

EXPERIENCE 

THE GLORY OF 

GOODWOOD 

GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED JULY 8-11 

GOODWOOD REVIVAL SEPTEMBER 17-19 

The 

Coronavirus 

pandemic may have 

devastated not just biking but all 

outdoor events but thankfully there 

are signs that some may restart, albeit 

under restrictions. As this magazine 

went to press the following events were 

still scheduled to go ahead – although it’s 

worth checking nearer the time. Be 

sure to visit the relevant websites for 

the latest news and to see what 

conditions may be in place in 

order for them to go 

ahead. 

These are the highlights of the classic motorsport 

calendar. FoS is a vast, garden fete-style motoring 

jamboree and hillclimb at Goodwood House while the 

Revival is classic racing recreated at Goodwood Circuit. 

Both are car-centric but there’s still plenty of bikes and 

stars all in a fabulous, uniquely British setting. 

www.goodwood.com 

112

HAVE A GREAT 

WEEKEND 

AWAY 

DEVITT MCN FESTIVAL OF 

MOTORCYCLING, PETERBOROUGH, 

SEPTEMBER 4-5 

A superb event and well worth a 

weekend away – even if we say so 

ourselves – as there is loads to see and 

do. A weekend camping ticket costs 

just £35 in advance and gives you 

access to a charming array of twowheeled 

delights. From live flat-track action 

to trade stands, classic bike displays and 

even the chance to test-ride loads of brand 

new 2021 models. It’s a fantastic weekend 

of biking and is rapidly becoming a mustvisit 

date in thousands of bikers’ diaries. 

www.mcnfestival.com 

113


Events 

TAKE IN ONE 

OF THE BIKE 

SHOWS! 

SAMPLE THE BEST OF 

BRITISH MOTORCYCLE 

CIRCUIT RACING 

MOTOGP, SILVERSTONE, NORTHANTS, AUGUST 27-29 

The British Motorcycle Grand Prix; the UK round of the 

world championship MotoGP series is the two-wheeled 

equivilent of F1 and unquestionably the very pinnacle of 

the British bikesport calendar. 

Held at the massive Silverstone complex in Northants, in 

the middle of the country, it covers three days with the 

main event on Sunday, August 29. Not cheap (adult race 

day tickets start at £65), but for glamour, speed, big 

crowd atmosphere and masses of sideshows, nothing 

else comes close. 

www.silverstone.co.uk 

BRITISH SUPERBIKES, CADWELL PARK, 

LINCOLNSHIRE, AUGUST 20-22 

The British Superbike championship, or BSB, is the UK’s 

leading national bike race series and is a superbike 

formula, similar to World Superbikes, in being based on 

production road bikes, such as Yamaha’s R1 or Ducati’s 

Panigale, rather than the prototype formula of MotoGP. 

This year, due to coronavirus, running from June to 

October, 11 triple-header rounds visit all the leading UK 

circuits and offer a great, packed weekend (or day) of 

racing – but Cadwell’s traditional Bank Holiday event, 

highlighted by its spectacular Mountain leap, is right up 

there with the best. 

www.britishsuperbike.com 

UK RACE DATES 

MOTOGP 

www.motogp.com 

August 27-29 Silverstone, 

Northamptonshire 

WSB 

www.worldsbk.com 

July 2-4 Donington Park, 

Derbyshire 

BSB 

www.britishsuperbike.com 

June 25-27 Oulton Park, 

Cheshire 

July 9-11 Knockhill, Fife 

July 23-25 Brands Hatch 

GP circuit, Kent 

July 30-August 1 Thruxton, 

Hampshire 

August 13-15 Donington 

Park national circuit, 

Derbyshire 

August 20-22 Cadwell 

Park, Lincolnshire. 

September 3-5 Snetterton, 

Norfolk 

September 10-12 

Silverstone national 

circuit, Northants 

BSB SHOWDOWN 

September 24-26 Oulton 

October 1-3 Donington GP 

October 15-17 Brands GP 

MOTORCYCLE LIVE, NEC, 

BIRMINGHAM, DECEMBER 4-12 

The UK’s premier and biggest bike show 

is a must-visit for any motorcycle fan. 

Although trimmed back due to 

Coronavirus and it’s exact form is yet to 

be settled it traditionally has all the 

manufacturers displaying their latest 

bikes (so is the first chance to see next 

year’s new models in the metal), has 

stacks of classics, customs and dirt 

bikes, there’s stunt shows, star onstage 

interviews, demo rides and even 

free bike parking – something for any 

bike fan new or old, in fact. Advance 

online day tickets usually are around 

£20 for adults, although as we write 

they’re yet to go on sale. 

www.motorcyclelive.co.uk 

MCN LONDON BIKE SHOW, 

EXCEL, LONDON, DATE 2022 TBA 

If you can’t make it to the NEC in 

Birmingham, MCN’s own three-day 

show held at ExCeL in London’s 

Docklands in mid-February is certainly 

the next best thing. Along with 

manufacturer stands with the very 

latest bikes there are classics, racers, 

themed displays and talks plus starstudded, 

indoor entertainment – you 

can’t afford to miss it. 

www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com 

114

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