Innehållsförteckning för January 2020 från Fast Bikes

What have you got on your list for Santa? New socks? Beer tokens? Or what about a new bike? There’s something about this time of the year that gets my juices going for a new playmate (of the motorised variety), keeping me up all night as I skim through used bike ads on my phone. What do I want? That’s the big question, being up there with how much I want to spend and how on earth I’m going to get the missus to agree? The truth is there are so many brilliant options on the used market, at prices even my credit limit could afford. Right now I’m hung up between a first generation Aprilia RSV Mille, an ‘04 Fireblade and a 2005 GSX-R1000. With choices like those I…

AUSTIN RACING V3 150MM TESTED BY: Carlos MILES: 4,000+ TIME: 6 Months RRP: £849.99 WEB: www.austinracing.com I don’t entertain a lot of proverbs, but for me ‘loud pipes save lives’ makes a lot of sense – and they don’t come much louder than this utter monster from Austin Racing. See, when I picked up my ‘termer for the year, I wanted something loud and lairy that would echo that stunning scream of a 600cc, and having always fancied a stubby, the 150mm V3 can and link pipe from Austin Racing seemed like the perfect tool for the job. Firstly, it wasn’t too much of a pain in the ass to install; although it removes the main cat, the high flow cat remains in place so it’s literally a simple case…

FB: What was your aim and priority for the V2, when looking to evolve the 959? SS: It’s hard, because we wanted to improve everything. The start was the chassis, because we wanted to make the bike more enjoyable on road, while maintaining a very high level of performance. So the chassis and suspension set up we worked hard to improve, and then the engine power as well, alongside the electronic control. That is a huge improvement, and is the highest level of evolution alongside any range-topping superbike. FB: You say about the electronics being the same as a range-topping superbike… why doesn’t it have launch control like the V4s? SS: Ah, see, this bike is not completely race track orientated that way – it’s made for…

It’s all well and good ragging these things on the road, but unlike the other two, this thing almost felt like it was made for a tight and twisty kart track – and my god, was it good. There was only ever scope to use the first three gears, which played perfectly into the hands of the Husky; those 67 horses were unleashed to perfection, and there was absolutely no point where I felt I needed any more. Considering the whopping length of travel on the suspension at 215mm, and how good those Brembo stoppers are, the 701 never felt overly soft either; those WP pogos made just as fine work of the braking zones, as they did getting into, and indeed out of a corner. One thing I did…

Soft, long and heavy… no, I’m not talking about my penis again, I’m talking about the way the Dorsoduro felt when we started throwing it around our local go-kart track. It was actually quite frustrating watching the other two hoist spectacular wheelies (well, spectacular for them, anyway), out of the first and second gear bends, whilst the best I could muster was a drop-the-clutch-and-yank jobby (… I said yank), over the crest on the start/finish line. I’ll give the Aprilia its due, the brakes were bloody brilliant, mega sharp and strong, and I didn’t get an ounce of fade, but the problem with sharp brakes is that you get a ton of weight transfer, particularly with suspension as soft as the Aprilia’s. Once I’d got the hang of trying to…

DREAMS CAN COME TRUE… Got hooked on bikes by hanging off the back of a 996. The next year Ducati brought out the last 848 (Corse SE) and I was totally smitten. Imagine the quivering lower lip when I went to the speed shop only to find they didn’t have one on the floor... (Just as well, since I was a newly-minted rider on a Ninja 250 at the time.) But then the truck rolled in with a fresh shipment and I got my first look at my dream machine still in the crate. Fast forward six years and the bike in the second pic is mine. Öhlins front and rear, full Akra, and she just had to have those red BSTs. Handles beautifully, sounds evil, I am loving every…

PENAL SERVITUDE PREVENTOR The Fast Bikes Legal Clinic is compiled by Andrew Dalton, and his bike riding barristers and solicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors. They deal with personal injury claims and their sister company, Motor Defence Team, deals with all the motoring offences. They know everything about bike law. Andrew is a former London motorbike courier turned barrister and solicitor, and we know he’s good. All the White Dalton lawyers are qualified barristers, or solicitors, or both, and they all have full bike licences, too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution. They are Britain’s most specialist law practice, and if they don’t know the answer to your question, there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insurance appointed solicitor, get proper independent advice.…

How on earth have we already got to the end of 2019? I mean, even though I’ve done thousands of miles on my beloved ZX-6R, it still just doesn’t quite feel like enough. See, when we first nicked one of these beauties from Kawasaki and rode it all the way down to Spain in January, I never thought I’d end up falling in love; yet here we are, near enough a year down the line wishing I could keep it. And you know why? Because the ZX-6R has been the perfect little weapon for me. I absolutely love a Sunday rip, and it’s just so much fun. I love taking the other half for a ride, and it’s surprisingly good for a pillion. I even love big ol’ journeys, and…

Coming into the last race weekend of the year at Valencia, it seemed that everything was going to be, well, uneventful. All of the championships were already sewn up, the weather was looking to be fairly predictable, and everyone was ready to unwind after what has been an incredibly hectic season. Then, in comes Lorenzo like a wrecking ball, announcing his retirement. At the first sound of the Press conference being called it was the only feasible outcome, but still, I can’t get over it. Seeing the #99 race has been utterly incredible, and still to this day the man is the only one to race with and win titles against all of the modern greats: Rossi, Stoner, Marquez and Pedrosa. He took it to Rossi from the start; he…

GERBING XRL HEATED GLOVES Yeah, it’s bloody cold outside, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop riding – oh no. Gerbing, with their new range of heated clothing for 2020, want to keep you rolling all-year round, and their new XRL gloves will do just that. Featuring new MicroWirePRO heating elements throughout, the gloves offer a greater distribution of heat than ever before, while a battery harness and Y-lead allows them to be charged either directly from the bike, or via a rechargeable battery. It’s not just about the heat though, as the XRL gloves also offer complete knuckle protection, an integrated visor wipe and a touch screen pad on the index finger – alongside a lifetime guarantee on the heating elements. Nice. £179.99 www.gerbing.co.uk ALPINESTARS LIMITED EDITION MOTEGI…

I had a mate who owned a Husaberg 650 motard; it broke his leg. Not from crashing it, but from kick starting the damn thing. Thank god those days of sweating profusely, standing tall over your steed and kicking over a lifeless engine until you or it finally gave up are long gone. Never mind kicking, I wouldn’t even try to bump start the 939cc L-twin that powers Ducati’s box-fresh Hypermotard; the thing’s enormous, weighs a hefty 200kg, and if it did burst into life it would no doubt rip your arms clean out of their sockets. On face value, it’s nothing like the motards of yesteryear, by I’m ok with that. I first took the 950 for a blast on its launch earlier this year and it proved as…

If any of you lot reading this recognise this bike, it’s because Fast Bikes magazine’s own Bruce Wilson borrowed it a few months back for a ride… but at least now you can see it in all its glory! Now, it’s actually not mine, as it really belongs to my other half – I’ve got an RC30 and an RSV4, so she really fancied a V4, but nothing too powerful. She’s a biking fan and when we saw this one, we couldn’t resist! When we bought it, it was a bit tatty mind you, but we got it fairly cheap. To be honest, it was a bit dreary and needed a full overhaul. The bike ran fine, but it looked very second-hand, so the first thing to do was sort…

I’ve never been one for sand. As Boothy put it, ‘It get’s in your knickers’. I can’t quite figure where he was going with that one, but I get the sentiment – I’ve had many an ice cream ruined by the stuff. But today was no day for building sand castles, for stretching out with a four-pack of Stella, or for ad hoc donkey rides on an ass named Fred. Today was the day I was to lose my beach racing virginity, and I was bricking it. I like riding off-road, but it’s something I dabble with only once or twice a year… at a very slow, risk averse pace. The idea of taking on Skeggy’s gruelling, 4.5km track, littered with towering dunes and axle deep ruts seemed pure stupid,…

EASY RIDER CUP – We kid you not, this happened. Think Bobbers, Sportsters, Cruisers, American-style V-Twins, British Twins in custom trim, Japanese Bobbers and Choppers, all scraping their way around Lydden, with the radios blaring. Bants. DEVITT STREET BIKE CUP – Everyone loves a new wave of retro bike, which is where the Street Bike Cup aimed. Think BMW RnineT, Yamaha XSR700, or Ducati Monster – hell, even SV650s and such like were welcome. Not for any insanely quick machines, though. RETRO-RACER CUP – Now this one was cool – calling all carbed sportsbikes to come and play. ZXR750s, 900SS, TZR250, Slabside GSX-R… you get the idea. Essentially for first-time racers rather than seasoned veterans, the Retro-Racer Cup was incredibly popular, for two and four strokers alike… HERALD 125CC CUP…

To be in with a chance of winning this most tasteful of tops, just email us (letters@fastbikesmag.co.uk) or post on our Facebook page with a pic of you, your bike and a few words about it, where you’ve been on it and why you rate it so highly. We’ll then pick our favourite post each month and that lucky person will be the proud owner of their very own Fast Bikes hoodie – which is proven to make you at least 60% faster!* *Disclaimer: May not actually make you any faster. Send yours to letters@fastbikes.co.uk…

FAST BIKES MAGAZINE: So, Leon Haslam has finally been announced with the Factory Honda squad in WSBK. Good move, yay or nay? Here in the office we think that the new 'Blade will be pretty naughty... Cragman Seven: Of course it’s a good move, they get the expertise of Leon’s riding and the experience and knowledge of Ron thrown in. Great way to develop the new Honda. Shane Ballantyne: Happy to have him back on a Honda. Awesome move in my opinion. Paul 'Erik' Coombes: I don't think Honda will set the world on fire in 2020 but I hope they will be putting something together for a good 2021 challenge. I would put money on Rea again. Danny Simpson: Good move for him and maybe someone for Honda to…

The introduction of the winter months are a bitter-sweet time on Fast Bikes. Yes, there is the excitement of an influx of new metal that will enhance these pages for the coming 12 months, but on the flip-side it is also time to say goodbye to old friends that have seen us all through the summer months as the long-term fleet is recalled. There is a big gap in my garage now, well, two actually, as my own personal Honda showroom is now empty with my CB500 race bike having a new home and the CBR650R back with its rightful owners. As I drove away from Honda with ratchet straps rattling in the rear of the van bereft of the strain of securing the 650, I was far more aggrieved…

It may have been the end of the year, but after a late phone call and some last-minute flight booking, I got myself to Aragon for the first of the 2020 World Superbike tests, even though we are still technically in 2019... but are these tests really important, and what can we take from them? Some new faces and some old were present at the two-day test. Aragon, basically on a hill in the middle of nowhere, was still a victim of November weather and both days started miserably. For the first few hours, apart from the occasional engine start-up, no one ventured out on circuit. Although special mention has to go to Ana Carrasco, who was first out and almost last in on both days, completing more laps on…

FB: It’s fair to say, the crown jewel in the Ducati range this year is the Streetfighter. When did you start designing it, what was the aim and where did your inspiration come from? JF: They asked me back in 2017 to start the design for the Streetfighter V4, and from the beginning we all wanted something that looked mad. Although strangely, the brief was that this bike must be very usable in the city – as good as it is on track! Ducati wanted it to be good in every situation, from slow speed traffic, to long journeys with a pillion – but to also perform as a superbike, which was crazy at the time for us to create. This is why a lot of inspiration for the design…

I don’t know about you lot, but for me a supermoto is an extreme, full-blooded fun machine, with no exceptions, no remorse, and absolutely no maturity. This meant that the choice was an utter no brainer –after testing KTM’s 690 SMC R a few months back I opted to go for its (almost) twin brother, and it’s fair to say, Supermotos don’t come barer. But to be honest, that’s just what I love about the Husky 701 Supermoto; at a time when saying the wrong things can get you in a lot of trouble and even a lack of ABS seems to offend people, something still so raw, feisty and fun is exactly what’s needed. We all love a bit of spice. Yeah, it may only be packing 74 horses…

Now the Dorsoduro 900 wouldn t be my first choice for an out-and-out supermoto bike If we were going to be heading to a full-on supermoto track complete with off-road section massive jumps and hordes of screaming fans I think I would have gone for something a bit little more motocross-y But I knew this test was going to involve as much road riding as it would track stuff so I opted to bring a slightly more sensible steed to the party Yes at £8 999 it s a few hundered quid more than the Husky but its two grand less than the Ducati and it s reasonably quick reasonably comfy and with its reasonable amount of tech I reckoned the Dorsoduro was going to be the mummy bear of…

“Last year we did a one day-er, and although the event was great, the problem was it was called the Café Racer Cup, so we had to turn away everyone who didn’t have a café racer! This year we wanted more time to ride, more fun, and more variety – from when we announced it, we had to keep on adding classes because of the amount of interest we had, and we just wanted to say yes to pretty much everyone, no matter how crazy! Couple that with the fact that we wanted people to have a few beers on Saturday and a chill-out on a Saturday night, and it all made sense to run a weekend festival. We wanted to drag out the fun, and add some elements, like…

MAG & A PINT? Spain a yearly trip and I always take a Fast Bikes to read on the 24hr ferry! Martin Biggs FB: Yes Martin! You know how to party. We love a 24hr ferry TANK! Down to Marazion for a coffee and toastie on my Super Blackbird, bought after turning my J1 ZX-6R into a dedicated track bike. Built like a tank, reassuringly fast, and not bad two-up. Amazed what a bargain these still are... Barnaby Taylor FB: Fair play! Bet the ZX-6R feels pretty nimble in comparison though!…

TALE OF THE TAPE The Facts Position 1st Points 697 QualifyingPoles: 5 FastestLapPoles: 3 FrontRows: 10 BestGrid: Pole Races: 27 Wins: 11 Podiums: 9 BestResult: 1st FastestLaps: 6 ANDREW IRWIN Wipe out…. “The least said about my coming togethers with Andrew the better, I think! I was relieved I didn’t hurt my damaged leg when he took me down at Silverstone and then we clashed again at Thruxton, which cost me a podium. Then that optimistic move at Cadwell was the final straw, which is why I went ballistic with him, all of which was picked up by the cameras. “He apologised though, and he’s not a bad kid, he just needs to calm down a bit! I saw him in a bar in Amsterdam after Assen and we had…

While we’re all mucking in on the mince pies and mulled wine, it’s fair to say that there’s a group of individuals who won’t be indulging hard this Christmas – they’ll be spending their time hitting the gym, smashing the salads, and most importantly, prepping for 2020. Trust me, it’s all I’m seeing plastered over their social medias, but then again, who can blame ‘em? I mean, there’s been some serious announcements over the past few months, which means that with the 2019 champ vacating to the world stage, the 2020 shark pit is open for business. But, who do I think will end up at the sharp end come next year? I think the smart money heads towards the Italian side of proceedings, with Brookes and Bridewell having the…

I may be just writing this at the aftermath of all the shows, including the Motorcycle Live show up in Birmingham, but I’ve got to say, after seeing the new metal and signings for 2020 in person over the last few months, I’m pretty damn excited. Perhaps even more excited than Alex Rins was to meet me, or to see my masterpiece of a picture we’d submitted for Jamie Whitham’s show pass! I mean, we’ve got supercharged this, wings that, 200+ horsepower floating round like it’s nobody’s business… when will the craziness end? I have to say hopefully never, because I bloody love it. There were a lot of people floating around at the show eyeing up all the new bikes, so I really hope there’s going to be a…