Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Fast Bikes

WELCOME It's crazy to think this is my 100th issue as editor of Fast Bikes. Back in late 2017 I bagged my dream job to edit this iconic title… a mag I'd learned to love and live by in my teens. Needless to say, FB influenced me and my mates in more ways than I'd care to admit, trying to imitate the madness and marvels we saw within its hallowed pages on a monthly basis. I never imagined in a million years I'd have a hand in working on the title, playing out countless two-wheeled shenanigans, and meeting some of the best of biking along the way. It's been one hell of a journey, and it's not over yet – and that's all thanks to you. It's no secret that…

The base model MT-09 is the cheapest on this test, cashing in at £800 less than the most expensive (the Ducati), yet it is the biggest capacity at 890cc and therefore by far the most torque, and it also has the most sophisticated suite of electronic rider aids by a country mile. It's little wonder that the MT-09 is such a hit in the showrooms. Since it was introduced in 2014, it has achieved an almost cult status and following by virtue of its brilliant engine, decent handling and distinctive looks. It's been a smash since day one, and in this, it's 10th year of existence, it got a fairly hefty update as opposed to a complete reworking. This, the fourth-generation MT-09, kept the same engine from the third-generation one…

Without getting too philosophical and putting you in a coma from my musings, I can't help but kick off my take on the Honda by mentioning that this is a bike for those who are prepared to work a little harder to reap its plentiful rewards. We live in a world where everything's instant, from the food we eat to the news hitting our phones, and the same goes for the zest of a contemporary litre bike that's dripping in performance and ready to rip your arms out of their sockets at any given moment. For that reason, I was understandably underwhelmed when I hopped on the CBR600RR and watched Timmy and Johnny burst off into the distance while the Honda's rev-hungry motor took an absolute eternity to get its…

So, we've taken three completely different bikes that have only have their price tags in common and had a couple of days out in the name of research – and at the end of the test, there were absolutely no question marks over if we had a good time. Each of these bikes, in their own way, made an impression on us, entertained us, and served up experiences which we'll remember for many years to come. Why does this matter? Well, it matters massively when the motorcycle market is in a state of transition through shifting buying habits, demographics and demands from customers. It is also a fact that money is tight for many people, and the direction of development recently with superbikes means they are all north of £20k…

What's mad, bad, and totally bonkers to ride? Yep, Aprilia's hooligan-inducing Tuono V4. And what's even more wild than a Tuono V4? A Tuono V4 1100, the bike Aprilia introduced in 2015 when the first generation of its crackers super naked needed a bit of a shot in the arm… Heavily based around the original Tuono V4, as its name suggests, the 1100's standout upgrade is a bigger-capacity motor. Developed to add extra torque to the naked bike, it's not actually 1100cc but is instead 1077cc, which is a 78cc increase on the original 999cc V4 and has been achieved via a 3mm wider bore (the stroke is unchanged). Upping its claimed peak power from 170bhp to 175bhp (rear wheel that's 155bhp from 143bhp), the torque is also boosted from…

TESTED BMW R 1300 GSA Is bigger really better? That was a question bouncing around my head as I struggled to take in the larger-than-life realities of the new GSA. Okay, it's not as if the last iteration was a tiddler, but seeing one of these in the flesh, with its all-encompassing 30-litre fuel tank, had me asking questions about BMW's sanity. Am I sold on the looks? Not really, but many people are, so I'll park my humble opinion on the styling and move on to the next factor to hit home – the sheer weight of the thing. At 269 kilos wet, you'd not want to drop this machine on your worst enemy (well, maybe), let alone yourself. But having cocked a leg over the relatively narrow, long saddle…

STAR LETTER COMFORTABLY FAST Hi to all at Fast Bikes, Here's a pic of me and my pride and joy in the Yorkshire Dales. Having recently just passed the national speed limit on A-roads age-wise, I decided to buy my dream bike, a BMW M1000XR – and the feature in your magazine endorsed my decision. The older I get, the more the word ‘comfort’ creeps in to my vocabulary, but this bike manages to combine comfort with amazing performance. Having had a recent hip replacement, I'm hoping that this bike will help keep me riding for many years to come! Please keep up the great work – your magazine is always a good read. Kind regards, John Kirkham FB: Thanks for dropping us a line, John. Great choice of bike…

The MT-09 has always been a riot to ride, instantly capable of bringing out my naughty side whenever I ride one – and not just because it is one of the easiest bikes in the whole world to wheelie. It's not a one-trick pony, but the MT-09 is all about having fun and putting the thrill of motorcycling front and centre of its agenda. The combination of its riding position, its geometry, the punchy engine and classy quickshifter makes riding an MT-09 with both wheels on the ground a simply brilliant experience. It's agile, it's quick enough, it's got wonderful fuel injection, and it has an easy-going riding position, all of which makes the Yamaha a doddle to ride. But it's not perfect. The MT-09 is on the money until…

History is sprinkled with bikes that only came to exist because of an accidental throwaway comment or a corporate desire to build something for no reason other than for the sake of it. The Honda RCV213V was the result of an alcohol-fuelled conversation, the Kawasaki H2-R exists only as a statement of what they can do if they really had to, the NR750 from Honda also follows the same lines, and in case you're wondering where I'm going with this, yes, I place the all-new for 2024 Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono in that same line-up. According to Ducati, the Mono exists because one of the engine designers on the 1299 Panigale casually suggested one day that now the 1299 V-twin superbike engine had been superseded by the 1100cc V4 layout,…

PART TWO On a scale of librarian with a Horlicks versus a rock star with a bag of drugs, it's fair to say my mild Saturday night in came much closer to the former, consisting mostly of shaking sand from my kit and spending way too much time pondering whether to take on the pretty horrendous-sounding challenge of day three's hardcore route. But any thoughts of a recuperating night's sleep went to pot at about midnight when out of nowhere I started vomiting.. and I didn't stop until gone 5am. By this point, I was in a real bad place, unable to even keep down sips of water, let alone contemplate eating any food or riding a motorcycle. A sane bloke would have accepted that it was game over and…

TEST SUZUKI HAYABUSA They were interesting times, the late 1990s, and there was a lot of change going on around the world, while in the background of the motorcycle industry, some people were growing nervous about the rate at which motorcycles were getting faster. So, in the interest of not wanting to draw the wrong type of press attention and a potential backlash of regulations being imposed, all the manufacturers entered into a gentleman's agreement that from the year 2000, none of them would build a bike capable of going faster than 300kph (186mph). Suzuki saw an opportunity to get in just before the agreement kicked in and take the title away from the then fastest production bike – Honda's 1100cc Super Blackbird – by producing the Hayabusa, which is Japanese…

Legal MASTERCLASS If you've been a naughty biker, you need some decent legal advice. Get it from mail@whitedalton.co.uk Q I was knocked off my Senna F4 MV Augusta last week. I rarely take it out, and as luck would have it, a delivery driver in front of me reversed and knocked me off. I have some cuts and bruises, but my bike took a battering and is a mess. This is a limited-edition machine; I think there are 300 in the world, and I don't know how to go about getting it fixed or written off. I need some help… A You are right to lawyer up. When it comes to special metal like this, it isn't as straightforward. Parts might not be readily available, and your machine enjoys its value…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH NO LIMITS TRACKDAYS FastBikesMag.com/FastBikes-Forum Facebook.comFastBikesMagazine @FastBikesMag WANT TO WIN? To be in with a chance of winning a No Limits trackday, either send us a pic on our Facebook page or email one to letters@fastbikes.co.uk Closing date: November 23rd WINNER Here at Fast Bikes magazine, we love trackdays. So much so, we wanted to give something back to you, the reader! We've teamed up with the lovely lot over at No Limits Trackdays to offer a free trackday every month! All you have to do is send us a picture of yourself at your last trackday for a chance to win. If you're the lucky person highlighted on these pages, you've won a trackday of your choice! If it's you, get in touch with us and we'll look…

TEST £10K KICKS The middle ground is often overlooked in many areas of life. We are all guilty of focusing on the extremities and the niche, instead of where all the actual action and fun regularly takes place. In the case of the motorcycle market, which as I type is in the throes of experiencing something of a transformation, manufacturers are putting much more emphasis on affordable options as opposed to big-ticket mega bikes as buying habits change. Many of us mourn the loss of over-the-top, over-powered, over-priced bikes, while simultaneously welcoming with open arms much-needed bikes that provide an entry point into motorcycling, but it's easy to miss that there's been much activity at or about the £10,000 mark this year. This is important, because if you're on the market…

How can it be seven years since the CBR600RR was discontinued? It feels like only yesterday when Honda announced it wouldn't be making the 600RR anymore, citing a lack of interest in hardcore 600cc supersport bikes and ever tighter emission rules which were suffocating the small-capacity engine. It was a far cry from the heady days only another seven or so years before that when supersport bikes mattered just as much as superbikes, and when updates came thick and fast, and when they flew out of the showrooms by the container-load. It was a sad day when not just Honda, but also Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph and finally Yamaha all withdrew their supersport bikes from the market. It was especially hard to watch the likes of the 600RR disappear for me,…

When I first laid eyes on the Ducati 698 Hypermotard, I knew it was something special. With its angular bodywork, two-tone wheels, striking decals and bold number ones across the panels, it commanded attention. So, when Bruce mentioned he was off to Spain for a press launch, I couldn't help but feel a bit envious. Thankfully, my turn came, and I had an entire private runway to explore what this bike could do–mainly with the back wheel squealing and the front wheel in the air. From the moment I swung my leg over the wide, comfortable seat, I felt at home. The riding position is roomy and inviting, with tall, wide handlebars and low footpegs that offer a solid sense of control, leverage and comfort. Despite its muscular look and…

Honda's had not one but two brand-new CBRs for 2024. One wasn't such a big surprise – an overhauled CBR1000RR Fireblade. But the other came right out of the left field – a totally revised CBR600RR, ready to assault the supersport class. And what a hit it's been, under top man Jack Kennedy in British Supersport. The 37-year-old from Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland, has four previous BSS titles under his belt, all won on Yamaha machinery, but he jumped ship to the Honda for 2024 with amazing success, with a slew of wins and podiums this season – and he took the title from close-runners Ben Currie and Luke Stapleford with a win at Brands Hatch in the final race of the season. As debuts go, you could say the…

Don't meet your heroes… I hear this all the time, but I think if you're referring to bike racers, then it's absolute rubbish. Bike racers are some of the most down-to-earth people you can ever wish to meet, and I can confirm that double World Superbike champion, former Moto GP racer, musician, now WSBK presenter/commentator and fellow Yorkshireman James Toseland is no exception. I first met James a couple of years ago. We chewed the fat about a few things while we were being treated by the same specialist and I remember thinking he was a proper sound bloke. He was a hero of mine growing up (although he likes to remind me that he's only got a few years on me!) and although I don't get star stuck, I…

LONGTERMERS TIME ON TEST: SIX MONTHS ODOMETER MILES BHP: 16BHP/126 BHP WITH RAM-AIR (MEASURED) GAIN: 8 BHP NEXT AIM: Would so love to go on track again. MONEY SPENT: FULL EXHAUST SYSTEM, £1300. DYNO TIME AND MAPPING, £367.50. After the euphoria of last month's highly productive trip to MSS Performance with my ZX-6R and Arrow exhaust, I've done nothing more to the bike – apart from ride it whenever I can –for a couple of reasons. One is that it's just an absolute joy to ride, and what with the nights drawing in, daytime temperatures falling, and the general state and grip levels of the roads, chances to take the Kawasaki out are fewer and further between. I did harbour an ambition to get in one more trackday before the…