Giancarlo Morbidelli - AN APPRECIATION

Last month, we published Alan Cathcart’s story about the sale of Giancarlo Morbidelli’s incredible motorcycle collection. As we went to press with that issue, news came through of the death of the man himself, after a long illness, at the age of 85. Here, Alan pays tribute to the remarkable life-story of one of motorcycling’s greats.

ApriliaTuono V4 1100RR

It is easy to run out of superlatives very quickly when writing or talking about the genus motorcycle in all its modern forms. We have reached such an unprecedented pinnacle in design, technology, performance, dynamics, reliability, variety, and any other measurable parameter, both physical and aesthetic, that the only criticism one can make is often purely subjective.

KTM 390 ADVENTURE - THE GAME Changer

Small-Capacity Adventure Bikes Just Got Very Serious.

BMW R18

BMW is getting rather good at this sort of thing; showing us a concept and then following through with a production model that is extremely close to the concept.

KTM 890 DUKE R THE SUPER SCALPEL

KTM REVEALS THE NEW 890 DUKE R TO THE WORLD VIA ONLINE VIDEO PRESENTATION

A Birds Eye View

Stay safe in this crazy world

Alex Briggs: Working With The Icon VR46

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP mechanic Alex Briggs knows what it means to work with champions. He was a former motocross rider who wanted to work in Europe as a motocross mechanic, when he met Peter Luczkowski, who was a mechanic for Mick Doohan. In 1993 Jeremy Burgess (Doohan’s chief mechanic) offered him a job in road racing for Darryl Beattie and Rothmans Honda.

The Game Changer

Small-Capacity Adventure Bikes Just Got Very Serious.

To Lane-Split Or Not To Lane-Split?

That really is the question, isn’t it? As I mentioned in last month’s road safety column, we are a third of the width of a car so we can take advantage of this when threading through traffic. But it’s not as simple as that.

BMW R1250GS On The Aspoestertjie Rally 2020

Verneukpan is an alien and inhospitable place. This massive barren wasteland, approximately 50km west to east and 20km north to south, is home to nothing. Temperatures regularly exceed 40°C. Mercurial mirages shimmer the horizons and the reflection of sunlight off the white surface of the pan is blinding. It’s a legendary destination for adventure bikers. I first rode to Verneukpan in January 2008 and again in August 2010. After a decade hiatus I was looking forward to returning to the pan in 2020. The Kenhardt Hotel was our bivouac for the weekend and the venue for the 21st annual Poetic Rally. 2020 was the Aspoestertjie Rally – that’s Afrikaans for Cinderella. About thirty hard-riding men from across the country descended on Kenhardt with the express intention of riding the pan and drinking some beer in the desert. Let’s get it on!

TRIUMPH IN THE EAST

Triumph recently announced that the company would move series production of all models to its factories in Thailand, leaving the UK factory to concentrate on motorcycle development and building the Triumph Factory Custom models. Alan Cathcart was given an exclusive tour of the Thai operation.

Giancarlo Morbidelli AN APPRECIATION

Last month, we published Alan Cathcart’s story about the sale of Giancarlo Morbidelli’s incredible motorcycle collection. As we went to press with that issue, news came through of the death of the man himself, after a long illness, at the age of 85. Here, Alan pays tribute to the remarkable life-story of one of motorcycling’s greats.

CHARLEY'S CHAT

ANOTHER STORY OF CHARLEY AND FRIENDS’ MADCAP ADVENTURES...

Aprilia Tuono V4 1100RR

It is easy to run out of superlatives very quickly when writing or talking about the genus motorcycle in all its modern forms. We have reached such an unprecedented pinnacle in design, technology, performance, dynamics, reliability, variety, and any other measurable parameter, both physical and aesthetic, that the only criticism one can make is often purely subjective.

17TH ANNUAL INK&IRON 2020

This year the 17th Annual Ink and Iron – The Real Deal In Skin And Steel – fell on Leap Year – February 29. Depending on your superstitious views Leap Years are either very lucky or very unlucky.

BMW F900R, F900XR & S1000XR

- ALMERIA, SPAIN -

Important News From Triumph

Triumph Motorcycles has announced a non-equity partnership with Indian motorcycle giant, Bajaj. The ‘nonequity’ part means that Bajaj is not buying into Triumph, which will remain entirely British-owned.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

KENNY ROBERTS JNR’S 2000 SUZUKI RGV500 XR89

THE AMB 001

ASTON MARTIN AND BROUGH SUPERIOR

Where Should I Stop At A Junction?

ROAD SAFETY: PART 1

SALE OF THE CENTURY

GIANCARLO MORBIDELLI’S COLLECTION

Great Bikes

Honda Super Cub

Michael Scott QUO VADIS*, VALENTINO

("Whither goest thou")

Ducati SUPERLEGGERA V4

A power/weight ratio of 1.54 hp/kg in racing kit configuration, a record value for a street-legal bike

KYMCO AK550 ROAD TEST

Sometimes, it seems that motorcyclists are swayed too much by perceptions.

The Benefits Of Led Motorcycle Headlights

With LED technology becoming prevalent in the world of lighting, it’s no surprise that it has made its way into motor vehicle applications slowly but surely, and it’s not just the case with trucks and cars using both exterior and interior lights but also motorcycles, relying on LED globes for accent.

Benefits Of Soft Motorcycle Luggage

Riding your motorcycle across beautiful and picturesque fields covered with dense tufts and reeds is a unique sight on its own.

THE RETURN OF THE TWO-STROKE

MotoGP made the move from two-stroke engines to 4 stroke engines following a massive drive for cleaner internal combustion engines.

Kenny Roberts' 1980 YAMAHA YZR500 OW48R Trifecta Racer Test

Track test at Assen of the reverse-cylinder factory Yamaha with which Kenny Roberts won the last of his three 500cc World Championships in 1980

URBAN Superbike - ITALJET DRAGSTER 125

Exclusive first ride by any journalist of Italian company Italjet’s born-again Dragster scooter launched at 2019’s EICMA Milan Show and ready to start production in June 2020