Innehållsförteckning för August 2024 från Fast Bikes

FEATURE BMW M1000XR Every now and then, a bike comes along that really challenges what you know – or thought you knew – about how a given type of bike feels and behaves. The new BMW M1000XR is one such bike. It’s hard to know where to start with the latest ‘M’-spec addition to the BMW range. In some ways, it’s an obvious and relatively simple statement maker – just bolt a full-blooded S1000RR superbike engine into the existing S1000XR and in a stroke you’ve added enough power to justify swopping the letter S for the letter M. If you’re wondering what the power gain is, 31bhp extra is the exact figure, which takes the M1000XR up to 201bhp – a figure that dwarfs everything else in the ever-popular ‘crossover’ sector.…

In years to come, the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R will be looked on as a motorcycle that allowed the firm to achieve outstanding sporting success. This generation of Ninja, with a bit of help from the genius of Jonathan Rea, dragged Kawasaki back from racing obscurity to complete dominance in World Superbikes. It’s highly unlikely that any manufacturer will be able to repeat the truly unbelievable run of six straight titles that Rea achieved from 2015 to 2020 (and Tom Sykes also won the 2013 title, remember) – and Kawasaki won’t as it’s withdrawing from WSB at the end of this year. Okay, the new Bimota racer that will replace it on the grid may be powered by a ZX-10R engine, but it isn’t green, it certainly won’t be called…

Sub-litre NAKEDS TRACK IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRIDGESTONE 2nd Where do I start with the KTM? I need to talk about the looks. KTM has been very open that it knows the styling of the 990 is not for everyone, and if you don’t like the look of it, then buy something else. I’m not a huge fan, to be blunt; I think it’s frighteningly ugly and would use it to scare the kids at Halloween. I also don’t think KTM has done it any favours with the full black colour option we had on test. Black doesn’t really show off any of the lines or angles ofabike, and I’ve seen the 990 Super Duke in orange and it does look less ugly (I nearly said prettier, but I couldn’t use the…

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: July 27 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…

TRIUMPH BREITLING EDITION SPEED TRIPLE 1200 RR We’re kicking off with this, the Triumph Breitling Edition Speed Triple. It’s based on the excellent 1200 RR Striple, with its cheeky 178bhp motor, electronic semi-active Öhlins suspension, Brembo Stylema calipers, performance riding aids package and slick style. And that style has been dialled up even more thanks to a tie-in with the fancy Swiss watch maker Breitling. The bike comes with a unique paint scheme complete with gold highlights, gold Breitling tank badge, and a special logoed rear wheel axle cap. There’s lightweight carbon fibre bolt-on parts, a special French-stitched leather saddle, and a one-off Akrapovic end can. You also get a fancy Breitling watch thrown in. It’s a Chronomat B01 42 in titanium and 18k red gold, with a brown leather…

FEATURE IN ASSOCIATION WITH When Bruce asked if I wanted to try to break a lap record at Cadwell Park, I agreed before even giving him a chance to tell me what bike it would be on. Silly move? Maybe, but I love a challenge – especially when it involves going fast and pushing the limits. I could tell Bruce was excited about this bike. Given that he’d been out to Spain earlier in the year for the world press launch, I gathered he had a rough idea of what it was capable of… that, or he was trying to stitch me up. The bike in question is Suzuki’s new GSX-8R – an 800cc twin-cylinder stomper, but a road bike at best, and undoubtedly not the first bike you’d think…

FEATURE APRILIA RS 457 "THE RS 457 COULD NOT BE ANY LIGHTER OR MORE POWERFUL." With more than 50 world titles to its name and numerous GP wins this season alone, Aprilia is one of few marques that let its achievements do the talking. So, when you’re gifted with the chance to hear how the Italian brand’s engineers go about their business, there’s no better time to shut up and listen, as I did during the during the presentation of the all-new RS 457 at Modena, in Italy. Long, in-depth and littered with facts that would fry even the smartest of brains, this was my chance to soak up the workings-out of the new model and grasp its road to fruition that arguably could have come about a whole lot quicker,…

Last month we gave this awesome foursome a good thrashing on the roads to work out the best from the rest, but knowing how popular these kinds of bikes are on trackdays now, it would have been sacrilege to have forgone a track shootout to see if the pecking order remained the same following a few hot laps of Cadwell park. And to make sure those laps really were hot, I called in my good mate Joe Akroyd, fresh from World Endurance duties, to help ascertain the fairest of the lot. Needless to say, we had a belter of a time, learned a hell of a lot more about these bikes, and were able to push them to levels we simply couldn’t on the road without finding ourselves as guests…

3rd The heritage and racing history of MV is rivalled by so few, and seeing how this particular test was at a race track, I couldn’t wait to see what the Brutale had in store. I have to say, this bike was one of the outsiders for us here at Fast Bikes. We were not really sure what to expect, but luckily, I pride myself on taking each bike as they come, and I always try my best not to get on any bike with a preconceived expectation or opinion of what I’m going to find. Firstly, I want to talk about the styling. You show me someone who doesn’t love a single-sided swingarm and I’ll show you a liar! They look full factory, in my opinion, so when you…

LONGTERMERS TIME ON TEST: FOUR WEEKS BHP: 124 GAIN: 0 NEXT AIM: GET RID OF THE EURO 5 GUFF THIS MONTHIHAVE MOSTLY BEEN… putting a smile on my face. When I spent a few days on the ZX-6R a few issues ago, I was so taken by it that I dropped Kawasaki UK a line and asked if I could keep it on long-term loan. To my delight, the reply came back in my favour and I’m now the proud (if temporary) owner of the very same ZX-6R you saw. And I couldn’t be happier – because I absolutely love this bike. Typically, the Kawasaki has entered my life at a particularly busy period each year, which means getting any quality time with it has been in short supply. I…

KEEPS GETTING BETTER Hi guys! This is my 2004 (K4) GSXR 1000. It's had so much done to it. I’ve owned it since 2016 and it’s gone through a raft of changes since then. From tatty ‘streetfightered’ road bike to fully faired road bike, to track bike, and lastly to highly modified track bike. I've taught myself a lot working on this bike over the years. It has been featured in You & Yours previously, but since then it went for a tumble (and roll) in the gravel at Paddock Hill, so it’s undergone another hefty change. I really enjoy the oldergeneration bikes. They just feel raw – or I’m just stuck in the past! One of the two. The list of modifications is long, but I’ll have a go!…

WUNDERLICH CLICK SYSTEM TANK BAGS Magnetic tank bags were a lifechanger when they appeared about 100 years ago – but the growth of plastic ‘tank covers’ has ruined their appeal a bit (plus, they can scratch paintwork). Enter the clip-on systems, like this Wunderlich set-up. A small bracket bolts onto the fuel cap and a range of bags attaches quickly and easily, with no magnets and no fuss. Available for a wide range of BMWs including the GS, M1000 and S1000, and with a choice of small, medium or large bags. RRP: From £30 (fitting kit); £135-£219 (bags) www.nippynormans.com ALPINESTARS GP PLUS V4 STELLA JACKET The GP Plus is Alpinestars’ top-end leather jacket, packed with smart design and premium material, and is now in its fourth version. It’s ideal for…

We’re keeping it real this month, with a look at a brand-new British race bike aimed more at the vital grassroots sector. It’s the new Daytona 660 – a light-middleweight sportsbike aimed at novices on the road, but which is also eligible for the new Pirelli National Sportbike championship which supports the BSB series. That class covers a wide range of machinery, from the Aprilia RS660, Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Suzuki GSX-8R twins to this, the Daytona 660 triple. The bikes are all balanced in terms of performance, with weight limits, rev limits, torque restrictions and air restrictor all available to match up the bikes. The Daytona Sportbike is being run by a few teams, with Peter Hickman Racing (PHR) organising the bike preparation and running a team…

Sub-litre NAKEDS TRACK IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRIDGESTONE 4th Last year we did the Homologation Special test on the Isle of Man, where we pitched the Ducati Panegale V4R, BMW M1000RR and Honda Fireblade SP against each other to see which came out on top, and it wasaresounding victory for the Duke. I’m a HUGE Ducati fan and always have been, having grown up in an era watching Troy Bayliss, Ruban Xaus, Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom kicking arse in World Superbikes and John Reynolds, Sean Emmett and Michael Rutter in BSB. So, whenever I get the opportunity to ride a Ducati, I’m likeadog with two dicks. Looking at the Streetfighter was no different: the thing looks like it means business. The Italians always know how to make their bikes stand out,…

Sub-litre NAKEDS TRACK IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRIDGESTONE 1st To many of you, it won’t come as a surprise that the Trumpet came out on top. When this bike launched back in early 2023 at Jerez, all the journos raved about what Triumph had done with the 765 Street Triple. It’s no secret that I used to be involved in the development of many of the bikes Triumph produced, but the truth is that I haven’t or a few years now, so when I rode the 765 at Cadwell, it was myfirst time on the newest version of Triumph’s sub-litre naked sport bike. Also, it’s important to tell you that I have no bias to Triumph when I write or test – and I had the same work ethic when I worked…

While the majority of bike launches take place somewhere sunny and warm, with a prerequisite of exciting roads with minimum traffic, Honda chose the south of France for the e-clutch versions of its CB650 and CB650R. This sounds idyllic but let me point out that the hotel was in Marseilles, France’s second most populous city, known for its narrow streets and heavy traffic. Not what you’d expect for a bike launch, and initially the thought was that it perhaps wasn’t really ideal. However, it turns out that this was, in fact, an absolutely perfect way to demonstrate the brand’s new e-clutch and its benefits. And, once out of the city, there were indeed some truly stunning roads to ride, through some amazing scenery. While the launch covered two models –…

Are you wondering why bikes are getting harder and dearer to insure? Read this… Q I have been trying to get my bike reinsured. The insurer has come back with a comedy high quote; another has told me it won’t insure me. What can I do? Is there something going on with the insurance markets? A This is a good time to mention this as we have a general election in full swing as I write this. The short answer is, yes, something is going on. Those of you with good memories will recall the insurance industry promising to reduce premiums by at least £35 for every policyholder. This was in about 2018 when certain reforms were passed by the Government to reduce insurers’ exposure to legal costs and costs…