Automotive
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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+ min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
Winter Of Malcontent
GSX-R fights the seasonal blues.
3 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Working Double Time
Rutter’s man reveals the demands of racing in both British Superstock AND British Superbikes
3 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
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 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Faster For Free
The key to making a GSX-R1000R cream off a quicker lap time is staring you in the face...
3 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Big Promise, Or Big Let Down?
Speed, laughs and touring ability? We’ll see. KTM Super Duke GT joins the PB fleet.
3 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Repeating Drills
Chris is still messing with his RGV’s wobbly clutch. But, for once, he only has himself to blame...
2 min |
April 2017
Performance Bikes
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 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
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 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Back To The Heart Of It
Fairings off? Fluids drained? It’s getting serious for the Fireblade (again...)
5 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
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 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
Don't Mess With The Best
New exhausts and hoses to keep Chris’s MV as Tamburini intended
3 min |
October 2017
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
Flying Start, Tragic End
Success of SMT-Batham’s super-light Macau bike overshadowed by road racing’s cruel side.
3 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
January 2018
Performance Bikes
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 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
Second Amendments
Our ex-race chassis bits won’t work for the road: time for fire and hammers.
3 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
Off The Scale
Catastrophically bad fuelling found and fixed.
3 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
First Things First
John’s new 1290 gets some must-have add-ons before the tuning starts.
3 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
Pent Up Aggression
New-found confidence from suspension upgrades leads Whitey to make some adjustments for more committed cornering.
3 min |
February 2018
Performance Bikes
Rude Awakening
New lad Austin jumps from a 1997 VFR to a fettled ZX-10R that does 98mph in first. Recalibration required...
2 min |