In this issue

JEREMY McWILLIAMS COLUMN Jezza starts the off-season in style, with a monster stunt show on the streets of Belfast.

SPEED TRIPLE S TESTED Rutter hammers Triumph’s base-level naked around Donington Park to find out just how close it is to the RS model.

MOTOGP MAESTRO PB discovers what makes world title-winning Kiwi crew chief Pete Benson tick.

Down Under On Top

In 1987 Wayne Gardner became the first Australian to win the 500cc world championship. Thirty years later, the Wild Man from Wollongong recalls that amazing year of V4 dominance...

10 mins

Cheste Pains

In 1987, PB’s editor sent three grown men to the Bol d’Or on two-stroke 125s, resulting in a tale of misery, hilarity and adventure. 30 years later, we’re doing it again – but this time, it’s four-strokes, and the destination is mid-Spain, in winter...

10+ mins

Factory Fugitive

Against all odds, this HRC RC45 was saved from the crusher and ended up in the hands of PB reader Mick Loughlin, who ensures this Suzuka exotica still gets a pasting.

4 mins

The Losing Battle RC45 Vs 916

Both Honda and Ducati debuted new WSB bikes in 1994, igniting a superbike development battle that Honda could never win...

6 mins

Remy: A Chip Off The Old Block

Wayne Gardner is now in the thick of his second Grand Prix career, as father and coach to elder son Remy.

2 mins

It's All About The Battery

JAPANESE COMPANY MUGEN (owned by Soichiro Honda’s son, Hirotoshi) currently makes the world’s fastest EV race bikes.

2 mins

Got Them Over A Barrel

Michael Rutter has had one of the seasons of his life in British Superstock and on the roads. His team had no option but to agree to do it all again next year...

3 mins

Winter Of Malcontent

GSX-R fights the seasonal blues.

3 mins

Franco Says Relax

Next year Moto2 ace Franco Morbidelli will be the first VR46 rider to make it to MotoGP. But the young Roman is more laidback than any title challenger has a right to be – is that something to do with his teacher?

7 mins

Working Double Time

Rutter’s man reveals the demands of racing in both British Superstock AND British Superbikes

3 mins

New Kid Vs The Old Fave

Kar gets a chance to roll his GSX-R1000 K6 out of the garage when Chris offers him the chance to ride it back-toback with his 2017 Suzuki. But will it sway him?

2 mins

Faster For Free

The key to making a GSX-R1000R cream off a quicker lap time is staring you in the face...

3 mins

Big Promise, Or Big Let Down?

Speed, laughs and touring ability? We’ll see. KTM Super Duke GT joins the PB fleet.

3 mins

Repeating Drills

Chris is still messing with his RGV’s wobbly clutch. But, for once, he only has himself to blame...

2 mins

Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory

THE BASIC architecture of the second generation Tuono V4 is the same as the previous. But the entire front brake set-up has been replaced, from the master cylinder to the ABS system, and everything between. The forks also get new internals (lighter springs), the engine another 500rpm and there’s the must-have item for 2017, a shitting big exhaust.

7 mins

The Grand Finale

Ducati’s last V-twin superbike is a £35k dream bike, using the some of the best bits from various models. We introduced it to PB’s Ducati-loving, road-racing track tester Michael Rutter and his favourite-ever Bolognese superbike: the still-fabulous 888

10 mins

Back To The Heart Of It

Fairings off? Fluids drained? It’s getting serious for the Fireblade (again...)

5 mins

The Quest For Power

Chris’s brother is a picky sod: he wanted 150bhp, modern handling and great looks for less than £4k. But he found it, and now we’re adopting his new mini-project

3 mins

Don't Mess With The Best

New exhausts and hoses to keep Chris’s MV as Tamburini intended

3 mins

Aaron Slight

The fastest rider who never won a WSB title explains what world championship racing feels like, and how to adapt to normal life afterwards.

5 mins

Not For Show

Clive Padgett and Bruce Anstey have campaigned HRC’s MotoGP-rep road bike in the unforgiving world of road racing. It’s given Bruce new motivation, and won the Ulster GP. Clive showed PB how he turned a collector’s item into a winner.

5 mins

Flying Start, Tragic End

Success of SMT-Batham’s super-light Macau bike overshadowed by road racing’s cruel side.

3 mins

Clawing Back The Advantage

Johnny’s Blade is now on a par with the rest of 2017’s litre bikes. It only took six months...

3 mins

I Do All My Own Stunts

Rick English is a Hollwood stunt man, getting paid to do skids, wheelies (and big highsides) in pursuit of box office success. He ushered PB behind the curtain for a look into a world where riding elbow-to-elbow with Tom Cruise is part of the day job.

8 mins

Second Amendments

Our ex-race chassis bits won’t work for the road: time for fire and hammers.

3 mins

Off The Scale

Catastrophically bad fuelling found and fixed.

3 mins

First Things First

John’s new 1290 gets some must-have add-ons before the tuning starts.

3 mins

Pent Up Aggression

New-found confidence from suspension upgrades leads Whitey to make some adjustments for more committed cornering.

3 mins

Read all stories from Performance Bikes

Performance Bikes Magazine Description:

It's all about owning, riding and modifying great bikes!

Performance Bikes is the magazine that helps YOU get the most from your very fast motorcycle.
Every issue of PB comes PACKED with...
- Exclusive stories on the best modified bikes in the world
- Real-life experiences, journies and road-trips from our team of expert writers
- Real-life stories from YOU, our readers
- Road tests you can trust
- Fab photography and a sense of humour that'll have you smiling as you read
If you love fiddling with your bike as well as riding it, Performance Bikes is essential reading.