Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Continental SportAttack 2
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Bridgestone R10
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart

Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Bridgestone S20
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Pirelli Rosso Corsa

Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Avon 3D Ultra Supersport
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Pirelli Rosso Corsa

Big Nose says, “The fit of the Shoei is amazing and feels super comfy on, really plush and hugs my head all over. I didn’t have chance to ride in prior to sending it to Rich-Art Concepts for the work to be done on it, so tonight I will know more about how well it performs.

“Rich has done an awesome job on the design, proper contemporary whilst keeping strong Shoei design values, I love it. Check out the rest of his work.”

No related posts.

First up is the North West 200 which runs on Saturday, and should be viewable via the BBC’s red button or BBC Northern Ireland. It’s looking like another cracking meeting, so long as the weather plays ball, as there’s rain mooted in many areas by the Met Office right now (Friday morning), along with strong northeasterly winds and a lot of cloud. Fingers crossed!

Mickey D, massive plums

Of course, the big story is Tyco Suzuki’s BSB charger, Josh Brookes, taking part in his first road race. And he’s not done too badly, either, qualifying on the second row of the grid for the Superbike outing. Not bad at all Josh! And kudos to the guy for putting his unmentionables on the line, away from ‘safe’ short circuits. Let’s hope he sticks it in amongst the regulars, if anyone can catch Michael Dunlop, that is, who is flying at the moment. The NW200′s top six in Superbike practice are below.

1 Michael Dunlop
2 Bruce Anstey
3 Guy Martin
4 Dean Harrison
5 Josh Brookes
6 William Dunlop

We look forward to perhaps what’s the equal of the TT in terms of spectacle, mostly because it’s an actual race rather than a time-trial. Bring on the madness, and the best of luck to the JHS Racing crew, too! View it live, here

Of course, we also have MotoGP from Le Mans this weekend which we imagine quite a few of you will be whizzing down to attend. Not to worry those travelling on Saturday, but there’s a chance of thunderstorms to the South and East of Le Mans, which may spill over, although temperatures should be around 16-deg’. For race day it’s cloudy with a chance of rain, surprise surprise. Well, it is Le Mans after all, it’s either wet or baking and rarely in between.

Dani P won in Jerez and was fastest this morning

So what will happen with Rossi this weekend? He’s claimed the place as one of ‘his’ circuits, and needs to reaffirm his fans’ faith in him as being back for good. Austin and Jerez were not great, they simply implied that he’s going to struggle to catch the top three of Marquez, Lorenzo and Pedrosa. We’d love to see a great result from Cal Crutchlow this weekend, but the aforementioned four could all be described as Le Mans ‘experts’ so it’s a tough ask, no matter how hard he’s charging. Rossi is his target, who he needs to aim for, especially with rumours suggesting he’s gobbed himself out of a Yamaha seat next year to make way for Pol Espagaro. Proving his worth on track is the key, good luck to Cal, Bradley, Scott, Michael, Danny and all of the other Brits racing in France – kick some arse, lads!

And let’s enjoy it while we can, while it is free and millions of people can, and do, watch it. Back to the ‘specialist sport’ dark ages next year and beyond potentially, we’re afraid. Can all be viewed via BBC, Moto2/3 online or on the Red Button and MotoGP live on BBC2, while Eurosport UK will show Moto2/3 live with delayed MotoGP coverage. And don’t forget practice and qualifying either, all sessions live across the previously mentioned platforms in the UK.

Most UK bike track days running this weekend are fully booked so far as we can see, although California Superbike School has a day at the Megara circuit in Greece, if anyone fancies a last minute jaunt and some guaranteed sun! Head to the website to find out more.

There is a novice-only day at Snetterton on Sunday via MSVR though. Never been on track before? Maybe now is the time, details here and have fun!

And there’s an ACU testing day at Cadwell Park on Saturday, if you enjoy watching guys bounding over the mountain for a few hours, with a ride there up and down the swooping surrounding roads.

As for shows, there’s the BMF Show on in Peterborough during Saturday and Sunday, where doubtless there’ll be dozens of glove-crammed bins with £20 tags on them!

The second Monks Rally is also on, at The Barn @ Beal, just off the A1 on the road to Holy Island: www.berwick.org.uk/bmc/

And a there’s a bunch of other stuff you can find online just by using search terms such as UK, Motorcycle Shows, 2013.

If quick fixes are your thing, don’t forget to watch our exclusive Tommy Bridewell blogs and latest videos here. It’s going to be really interesting to see how Tommy’s blogs progress as he gets more comfy in front of the camera. Bridewell for Kiyonari’s ride? A swap, take the pressure off Kiyo in a private team, give Tommy a chance with the best equipment? Wouldn’t hurt, we say.

TB46 is hungry

And apparently there’s some football on this weekend, and then there won’t be any for ages. Boo hoo. At least we won’t have to listen to a constant stream of “One team in North London!” by the only man in the office with his shirt off. Yes, the one in the McDonalds wrapper strewn corner…

Anyhoo, plenty to see, watch and do for you and if none of that suits, there’s nothing wrong with going for a bit of a ride, is there? Aside from that big rain front set to hit us on Saturday and Sunday. Do us a favour eh Mr Rain Front – push off, there’s a good chap.

Related posts:

1. Friday Night Is Right At The Ace Cafe

Head to our competition site to enter – and www.futurecompetitions.com/Donington2013/ and good luck!

No related posts.

“As you can probably imagine, lots of people want to know why I want to race at the TT. Some common questions/comments include, ‘you’ve got bigger balls than me’ and ‘you must be frigging mental!’ or ‘have you got a death wish?’

He may have been packing some timber last year but Nibbo is super-fit for 2013…

“The last one does throw up a good conversation point. Yes, every competitor and I fully understand the risk associated with racing at the TT, so why do we do it? The stats don’t lie: it is an incredibly dangerous event. A cheesy phrase really sums it up for me – ‘If you are not living on the edge you are taking up too much room’. The buzz I get going around the TT cannot be replicated anywhere else, simple as that, and it is mainly down to the fact it is so dangerous! I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and love anything to get the pulse going, be it mountain biking, bungee jumping, rollercoasters, winding up my wife or riding on public roads at 195mph (my top speed last year on Sulby Straight).

Pic by: Gert Meulman

“The TT is the ultimate adrenaline fix and while most of what Guy Martin says is complete rubbish, I share his view on the dangers of the TT and what he said after his infamous fireball crash. We don’t go out there to kill ourselves, far from it, and we all know the risks but you cannot get the buzz you get from the racing the TT anywhere else.

“I lost my best friend a few years ago racing. It wasn’t at the TT but in his very first novice race at Mallory Park in a freak accident, where he got hit by another rider after he fell from his bike. For some that might put them off racing or riding forever, but in fact the opposite happened for me and Rick inspires me to live life to the full, follow my dreams, and not waste a moment in life. All he wanted to do was to go racing and he did it, albeit only the once, which is just the cruelty of life I guess? That is why you will see a little Rick 23 sticker on my helmet.

Pic by: Gert Meulman

“So after getting all a bit serious and sentimental, what is my point?! Well, if someone thinks I’m crazy racing at the TT, I would say I’m no way near as crazy as the man who wants to race at the TT but doesn’t do it…”

Related posts:

1. The Weekly Nibbo – A Privateer’s TT
2. The Weekly Nibbo – A Privateer’s TT 2

The two companies were effectively the same 25 years ago, and going forward Husqvarna will concentrate on its offroad market based out of Mattighofen, Austria. New bikes will be presented in October, but don’t expect anything along the lines of the impressive Nuda or Strada. Enduro, Motocross and Sportminicycles segments will all see new bikes – as well as Supermoto.

No related posts.

Ready, steady, MILF…

The Isle of Man TT is the ultimate test for a motorcycle. There were a whopping 60 entries for the new Lightweight class this season, and about 55 of them were Kawasaki ER-6s – most of the 55 were Ryan Farquhar built with Team Green backing. Taking on the might of Ninja power was a little shop in Bristol. JHS Racing entered as a privateer entity, with the previous year’s Manx GP winner, Dave Moffitt, as the pilot. The team managed an 11th place finish and was the top Suzuki, splitting a horde of Kawasakis and narrowly missing out on a top-ten due to some technical issues. Nevertheless, the JHS Racing SV650 also zapped the speed traps as the fastest Supertwin at this year’s TT, and boasted the healthiest horsey output on the TT paddock dyno. The team are racing at the North West 200 before heading back to the Isle of Man, and retiring the SVs to start developing Suzuki’s Gladius.

As you may have spotted, I been campaigned the bike on the short circuits last season with, er, mediocre success. After a year’s worth of development and tinkering, Fast Bikes decided to release the SV650 from circuit captivity and return it to its natural environment – everyday chores on Her Majesty’s highways. A nifty daylight MOT certificate and a trip to the Post Office for some road tax later, we were let loose on the TT course. The Mendip TT course.

Is it a 675? Is it a race bike? Er, it’s an SV650

There’s no doubt the class has brought excitement and a raft of new technologies, bordering on prototype material, such is the openness of the rulebook. Manufacturers of aftermarket parts and tuning bolt-ons must be rubbing their hands with glee, what with the influx of interest in the ER-6. But with all the financial shitstorms circumnavigating the world right now, do we really need a class that requires £15,000-£20,000 spent on being at the sharp end? Hell yeah…

Airbox/induction
JHS has developed a Triumph 675 intake that fits snugly to the SV’s headstock. Forced air volume is at least doubled over the standard. The true magic lies beneath the tank and if we printed what was under there, we’d be sleeping with the fishes.

Electronics
The ECU has to remain standard, but the loom is open to all sorts of, er, openness. JHS has used its experience of racing Minitwins and developed a loom using CAN-line technology. A Translogic quickshifter sharpens the shifts, while a super-light and heavy duty battery ensures the fuel injection system can fire the juices. As the year progressed, a lot of the unnecessary goodies were removed because of complications, like datalogging.

Back-end
The standard swingarm has been modified to house a 675 rear wheel, and is supported by an Öhlins shock that’s been built specifically for this bike. An underslung brake caliper speeds up rear wheel changes, not to mention makes the process much easier. Various linkages have been tested but the standard linkage rate seems to work best. And a new swingarm will be fitted later this year.

Engine
In its fifth generation, the JHS lump has severely gone under the knife. As previously mentioned, all that remains from the standard lump is the crankcases and the crank itself. Everything else is made in-house (pistons, con-rods etc), and with hours of head work and valve detailing, James has now found the limits of the internals.

Clutch/gearbox
The big difference between the TT bike and the short circuit bike is the gearbox. The ‘factory’ bike has a close-ratio ’box that allows for not only higher terminal speed, but better acceleration. The standard gearbox has country miles between certain gears, which makes gearing for certain tracks a friggin’ nightmare. Sigma (as in Neil Spalding off of the Eurosport telly box) designed and manufactured an SV-specific slipper clutch to cope with the 30 per cent extra power. Engine braking is so fierce, clutch wear was ruining a race weekend…

Front-end
The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot this SV wears a complete 675R front-end. A little stem modification, and the Triumph yokes, forks and wheel slips on nicely. The Öhlins internals have been revalved and shim stacks adjusted. The length of the fork stroke has been lengthened to aid balance.

The JHS Racing SV650 is one tricky bitch to ride in more ways than one. This is a bike honed for flat-out buffoonery, throttle tube pinned to the stop, throttle bodies battered and soaking up v-twin vibes, with the dash never hovering below 6,000rpm. The biggest problem we faced on the photoshoot though (and the KFC drive-through) was the steering lock. It’s got the turning circle of a sinking Dreadnought, although that matters little when giving it the berries.

Big Mac please…

Think race bike, think stiff and unforgiving. Not really. Even with my weight to consider, the suspension is far more progressive and controlled than OE road kit. The JHS SV has bump management that £20k superbikes would be envious of. Until active suspension is properly proven, the combination of super-gnarly bumps at Ginger Hall and baby-bum smooth Shellgrip Tarmac over The Mountain will have to be sorted via good old fashioned screwdriver know-how.

The riding position does little to nurture comfy riding, as the standard tank makes for a far reach with race clip-ons and the Daytona 675R front-end, and the super-high pegs necessary for its addiction on corner speed. After half an hour of riding, my wrists were ready for bed. But the crux of the stiffness and rigidity is down to the frame and aftermarket race components (mainly the extra rigidity of the 675R Öhlins fork).

There’s some serious work involved here

If you missed out on our adventures of Thundersport GB last season, you wouldn’t know about the teething issues we’ve had. This is a bespoke machine with bugger-all to aim for from a base setting, and radical geometry changes from a standard SV. It’s like cut-n-shutting your mountain bike, hacking off large amounts of metal and welding on some more, and expecting it to handle. Well, that’s what it feels like, anyway.

It feels long and stretched out, perfect for attacking open corners, yet with a whiff of bar, it falls on its ear without instability or any nervousness. It’s sexy cornering rolled into a 165kg mass. Apart from shitty ergonomics and the AIM dash, and having to lean it against the petrol pump to pay, not once did I think I was on a race bike.

Baldy fills her up with 95-octane fuel. James wasn’t happy…

It’s only when we edged out of town and beyond urban environments that I had to think about riding, and any limitations involved. It’s a bike that only truly functions in a small parameter of thrashing, yet is still capable of dawdling and high street window-shopping. Must be all down to those SV genes.

The Bridgestone R10s are an unbelievable race tyre, but do little to inspire confidence on the road with this set-up installed on the SV. A bit like Rossi at Mugello, when he slowed his pace a little and bust his leggy-weggy, you have to stay committed to maintain heat in the rubber. UK climes, 72-point U-turns and modelling for the camera don’t mix. This isn’t a Page Three poser, more of a sexy back-page headliner.

We started off the year with a Power Commander auto-tune unit but not even that wizardry and technology can handle the bespoke and finicky air/fuel ratio of the JHS Six-Fiddy. When you’ve got the induction intake the size of a killer whale’s vagina, gasping for gargantuan amounts of oxygen, and an intricate fuel injection system that pumps in copious amounts of gasoline, fine-tuning has to take place in realtime and ‘pinking’ has to be disciplined.

A small badger was found hiding in the intake

Many thought there would be oodles of torque and usable grunt escaping from a tuned 100bhp SV650. This puppy is relentless in its charge to the redline and has around 4,000rpm of viable power and is only really happy when the shift rod is activated and rebounding for another climb up to the rev ceiling. A big, bucket-hand fistful of throttle and an equally brutal clutch hand are needed to even launch cleanly, despite the stupidly short first gear. There’s no pussyfooting welcome here. You need to boss it.

Everything you see here is 100 per cent legal, but I still felt like I’d fondled my neighbour’s wife and was on the run. It’s not obtrusively loud or offensive, but like anything slightly idiosyncratic, this bike attracts needless attention. Two coppers fly by and I tense up, grabbing the bars with superfluous angst. Chill out, man! A quick glance later, they were off to catch proper criminals…

The majority of race bikes we ride bear some resemblance in feel, and looks, to their donors – even the triple-figure WSB bikes. But the JHS Racing SV650 is unique and offered some of the most fun I’ve had on two wheels. It’s an SV on serious steroids, and it’s legal.

No related posts.

Most are concentrating on Michael Dunlop and his current mastery of his Honda TT Legends Fireblade. He ended up topping a drying superbike practice – a country mile ahead of Bruce Anstey, who himself is looking bang on form. John McGuinness is enjoying life on the CBR600RR and is out in front here in the supersport class. NW200 specialist, Alastair Seeley is leading the contenders in the superstock category, while another local, Jeremy McWilliams is fastest of all the Supertwins.

The weather doesn’t look too bad for Thursday’s practice, so expect speeds and lap times to go in their appropriate direction. Currently we’ve not yet seen a 200mph bike through the speed trap yet (last year’s sensation Martin Jessopp managed to blow his bike up yesterday), though Dean Harrison’s superstock Kawasaki ZX-10R came closest at 199.2mph – a few mph quicker than any speed set in the superbikes. James Hillier in supersport clocked up an impressive 176mph.

As mentioned, qualifying takes place on Thursday, with two races also happening, while Saturday sees all the action in all the classes. Check in to www.northwest200.org for schedules, results and all the action, while the current issue of Fast Bikes features our ace A-Z feature on the NW200.

Related posts:

1. Yamaha Unveil 2013 MotoGP Colours
2. 2013 Ducati Hypermotard
3. 2013 New Motorcycle Guide on Apple Newsstand

Schmokin’…

In Fast Bikes’ hands, it was safe to say that Stumpy got masses of attention. From the moment it left the van, the local skanks from the Job Centre wondered if leprosy had spread into the motorcycle world. Then, during the test, a medley of low-speed shunts were caused as drivers gazed in awe.

I know what you’re thinking – how the bloody hell are you supposed to open the gasser and not fall off the back? An R6 pillion seat has been forged on to Stumpy as the pilot’s main bench. The inherent danger of having your spam-dagger and pals crushed between the rear wheel and subframe of Stumpy was slightly daunting, pre-ride. Diamond aftermarket rearsets not only provide oodles of ground clearance, but also grip assistance to stop the potential of mangled gonads.

So wrong, yet so right

Riding Stumpy is like riding (and trying to tame) an angry Pit Bull with ADHD. The riding position is relatively comfy and upright, with clip-ons mounted upside-down on purpose for a super-naked feel. And there’s more to Stumpy than just a few bolt-ons to claim exotic status; the tank has been subtly reshaped while, despite most if us adamantly insisting the headlight was from a GSR600 at first glance, a more relevant FZ1 unit is Stumpy’s shining ray of light. But it has attitude aplenty.

The bike’s suzzies were set-up at Donington Park during a few trackday sorties and, after looking at the Pipe Werx one-off slash-cut exhaust, we wondered how the feck it passed the noise test. How can something so short and menacing do such little damage? We often ask Toni Elias that very question. Keeping the Cat’ in was the answer, and the bark is relatively restrained for such an aggressive look. This also crucially means there’s no necessity for an aftermarket fuelling module; Stumpy guzzles the life juice with perfection. The motor still pulls hard and loses the fluffy restriction that comes with the hideous standard cans, with added punch in the midrange. Any more power would require a sissy-bar.

A 520-pitch conversion and shorter gearing (16t front and 47t rear) inflates the standard motor’s ego, and opens up a medley of gearing options. The addition of four extra teeth makes the delivery snappy and more willing to gargle gears. And even more wheelie prone…

All show and lots of go…

With little engine tinkering, Stumpy’s real party trick is the chassis. Öhlins fork internals slot into the standard tubes and a super-bling TTX shock sorts the rear. A GPR steering damper also boosts rigidity. This combination has dramatically stiffened the ride but also sharpened its senses, making the chassis way more responsive. Coupled with the new-found centre of gravity, weight loss, and zero weight transfer, Stumpy feels like a fully-sorted race bike that’s forgotten to get dressed in the morning. And, despite its looks, is a whole lot comfier, too.

The stiffer and higher arse puts more weight over the front-end, offering utter confidence to push on and off the throttle. The disappearance of the rear-end and associated mass, along with the TTX shock has diminished rear-end grip, and Dunlop GP Racers aren’t known for their dapper skills in shite weather conditions anyway.

Sorting the GSX-R’s shoddy OE braking set-up without remortgaging the business for Brembo calipers, Pipe Werx fitted HEL braided lines and Armstrong discs. You’re unlikely to trouble the OE master cylinder in Stumpy’s current guise, but the fade from the standard paraphernalia has gone.

Stumpy is/was packed with neat little trinkets

Stumpy certainly needs no more power. Eye candy and originality are way more significant than lap times and raw pace, but it offers impressively more go-go, along with the show-show, way more than we expected. Stumpy not only looks more badass than Jean-Claude Van Damme in a Taliban snuff movie, it’s full of intrigue and deft little touches. Ou est le indicators? Dans le LED rear cluster and the headlamp, mon amis. The bellypan is beautifully crafted, moulded into the lines of the Gixer. Even the front mudguard is a bespoke fabrication. This is a seriously polished one-off and is fresher than a carton of Tropicana. Pipe Werx, we salute thee!

Ciao, Stumpy…

Pics by: Mr Mark Manning

No related posts.

It’s 1998, and a future FB staffer is stood in front of the podium celebrations at Assen, after Carl Fogarty won an incredible race against Frankie Chili. Most know the story by now – Frankie fell off at the last turn, threw some insults and fists at Carl in parc ferme, then turned up to the press conference in his bathrobe for another ruck. Good times! Anyway, while Foggy was spraying the champers the aforementioned future FB staffer was making his way out of the scrum, and noticed a young James Toseland standing with his mechanic and then team manager, Neil Tuxworth. He was transfixed, eyes never leaving Carl, who was busy lapping up the glory. James was in his first year in WSS with Castrol Honda, yet had seen a potential debut podium go west when his gear lever fell off. So there he stood, arms folded, watching the king Carl do his thing.

You could see the passion burning in his eyes, he wanted the adulation he was witnessing but more so, the success. As it happens, we sidled up to him as we left and said, “Don’t worry James, you’ll be there one day.” The response we got said it all, “Cheers mate. I know I will, one day.”

Now, many may think that the response of a big-headed racer, full of testosterone and confidence, but that’s just one aspect of JT’s career that’s generated debate aplenty. We wonder whether or not there’s been another British racer in recent history, that’s generated and divided opinion as much as James Toseland.

Yet one thing can’t be denied, and that’s James’ fighting spirit. It won him two world championships, both against the odds. 2004 is a perfect case in point, and you need only watch races from that year to know exactly why James is, and always should be, a national racing treasure.

We wonder whether or not he knew he had that in him, even when he was riding a teeny trike in his Mum’s back yard aged three?

“Barely!” said James during his visit to the office to say his goodbyes. “That was before my Mum met the man who sent me racing, Ken. He passed away, sadly, but Ken is the one responsible for me riding and racing, I’ll always have him to thank. I was eight-years-old when I got my first proper bike, then it seemed like no time before I’d won my first championship, which was the first I’d ever entered, the 1995 Junior Road Race title.

“Then we moved up to the Superteens championship, but made a big mistake. We bought a Cagiva 125, the same year Aprilia released their RS125, and got completely spanked. In fact, I was even lapped by none other than Steve Brogan at Brands Hatch! Less than a year later, however, I was racing against people like Paul ‘Marra’ Brown, Ian Simpson and John Crawford in British Supersport. It was because of the CB500 Cup, which I’d done a bit of winning in. Honda took notice and suddenly I was in a proper national series. What actually happened is that the rules were changed just for me, so a 16-year-old could compete on a 600. It’s a little bit of history really, because they wanted me in it so badly, and now other riders of that age can compete too. I’m kinda proud of that in many ways,” said James.

And some superb rides saw him graduate further and far faster than normal, to the World Supersport series with then WSB champions Castrol Honda. A dream move, you’d think, but that couldn’t be further from the truth, as James remembers.

“That was a really tough couple of years, super tough. At the time the CBR wasn’t competitive, or at the very least ours weren’t. Races were being mainly won by Yamahas, Suzukis or Ducatis then. Also, the Michelin tyres were a couple of steps behind the competition, so we were almost overriding the bikes to compensate. Then came Monza, and on the Friday I broke both of my ankles in a big smash, as well as suffering other injuries. Then the following day my team-mate, Michael Paquay, was killed. Not long before that, my cousin had been killed at Cadwell Park. So we were dealing with that, then Michael’s death, and me virtually immobile in a wheelchair for over a month. That period really brought home to me and my family just how potentially dangerous bike racing is. It was all a bit too close to home, and I’d risen on such a fast incline that I didn’t have time to think up until Monza. So I took stock of things, and decided to come back to Britain so I could ground myself somewhere in reality,” he said.

And that reality would be BSB, with the Vimto Honda Paul Bird squad. James would go on to highlight his talents until Cadwell Park played another joker in his life.

“I tell you what; I loved working with Paul Bird and his squad. Phil Borley was my crew-chief, and I’d been racing against him a couple of years previously. We had what was basically a kitted SP-1, and it was so slow compared to everything else, but handled beautifully. The boys had it so it felt as though it was on rails. But I still had some good performances, like beating Niall Mackenzie at Oulton Park – until going to Cadwell Park and breaking my legs,” said Jimbo.

No related posts.

This isn’t a fresh revelation. When Yamaha went banzai in 2006, tuning was tricky and still fickle, and when the variable inlets and ride-by-wire updates came on stream in 2008, wanging on an end-can did bugger all – except prompting early onset deafness. 2008’s screamer, essentially the same bike as 2010’s bar a longer exhaust and ECU revisions, can be wrestled from the used market for nearly half the price of this season’s slightly more civilised track assassin, and a few choice mods can transform it into a 675-muncher.

That’s exactly what Fast Bikes reader Bob Chivers has done. After sourcing a bargain at the now defunct George White’s, complete with a few minor bolt-on goodies, Bob set to work. He was no stranger to the R6’s unyielding will for 110 per cent, as he previously owned a 2007 model, but now was on a very similar mission to remedy his Y-Zee.

Our biggest gripes with the R6 aren’t acutely malignant, although you’ll never alter the focused attitude of the R6 – that’s no bad thing, considering the ‘user-friendliness’ and nicey-nicey nature of its rivals that are finding favour in the showrooms.

2008’s over-sprung, under-damped suspension is the first of the units to overhaul/replace, unless you like your botty bumping up and down. There’s plenty of adjustment there, but the parameters are severely limited with the stock clickers. So, Bob’s first move was to source an Öhlins TTX shock and a set of internals for the fork, which transforms its road holding and bump management. The Swedish kit also neutralises steering, allowing the chassis to cope better and offering a far plusher ride.

The TTX shock expels the soft-initially-hard-after-an-inch feel and improves throttle to arse-end connectivity. The Öhlins fork internals may have lost the twin-speed compression damping, but in return they’ve given the R6 a more controlled stroke, all the way through, rather than the two-stage action of the stock. Showing an extra 5mm through the yokes has also quickened the steering slightly.

Next on the chassis wish-list was to sort was the brakes. The standard paraphernalia is utter shit, despite the ‘Brembo’ master cylinder that leaves the factory (it’s about ten years old). Replacing pads and introducing braided lines will stop the rot, but you have to go balls-deep with the anchors for the full effect.

There’s plenty on offer but none provide the quality and feel of the Brembo M4s, not to mention ball-breaking stopping power (you’ll need fabricated 10mm caliper spacers, though). They also give the lively standard slipper clutch an easier ride and banish previous corner entry ‘mares. Bob also replaced the OE Brembo master cylinder for a proper RCS 19 unit from the Italian factory, which makes another tangible progression.

Without serious input (ECU hacking), you’re never going to eradicate the motor’s hunger for redline action. The R6 doesn’t function below 10,000rpm but Bob gave the motor some loving without opening the crankcases, a la superstock spec.

An Akrapovic full-system plumps up the midrange slightly and then howitzers the already frantic top-end. But it’s the all-round package that makes this R6 special in the pants department. Bob opted for the Power Commander V with a Dynojet quickshifter wired in. There’s also a K&N filter, without the backing plate, and the result is a healthy 118bhp.

This is a class example of how to renovate a bike like the R6 without catastrophic cost and over-doing things. The package means that 1000cc pilots won’t make a getaway on the roads as Bob has essentially fixed the 2008 R6. There are a few trivial bling items that Bob reckons he has reasonable alibis for, other than looking full-factory, but aside from a quick-action throttle to further exaggerate the power delivery, there aren’t many options left. Carbon wheels on an R6 wouldn’t work as it’s lively at the best of times, so reducing unsprung weight would encourage even more sketchiness. It’s job done.

We’ve seen low-mileage 2006/7 models going for £4k all day long, and you can live without the YCC-T and over-complicated electronics. A few grand on top of the donor bike will see you good for a suzzie overhaul, a few extra ponies, and a trick anchor setup. There are no excuses now, so what are you waiting for?

No related posts.

My mum always said, “Bikes are dangerous, you can’t have one.”
But as a kid I was a massive fan of Kickstart. I used to ride my BMX doing all the trials stuff, but any suggestion of riding a motorbike was written off by mum and dad.

When I was 18, I moved to London and bought a Honda City Express.
I was going to get a proper bike to do my gigs on rather than take the Tube. Then I discovered that because I was a comedian, the insurance would be horrendous. Even for my Ford Fiesta it was £2,500. I was pricing up insurance on a 125, and it was in the thousands. The 49cc Honda City Express still cost me 1500 quid to insure! It was an old pizza delivery bike, and if I got a puncture or something went wrong, I used to go see this Greek bloke who serviced the pizza bikes and he’d do it for free. Then I got a Kawasaki KMX. It was when the insurance started going down, that the collection grew!

I toured Australia  and I decided that I was going to do the whole tour without planes.
So I did an 80 date tour and travelled 26,000km on a BMW R 1150 GS. I picked the best touring bike possible. When I lived in Oz, I lived quite near Phillip Island, so started to get into trackdays.

My love for off-road started when I bought an old trials bike.
We used to live in a national park, with hundreds of miles of riding land. It went from being happy on firetracks, to finding single track stuff, then searching for logs and rocks. The next thing you know I’m racing. The first race I did was a 24 hour enduro and then I got into the extreme stuff.

I did the Red Bull Romaniacs race last year.
I finished it, did the full five stages and came 12th in the hobby class. Half the field don’t even finish. Don’t get me wrong, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and the thing I’m most proud of. Before doing the Romaniacs you’d get people being a little snide about things, but I proved a point. There are quite a few media types that are into bikes, but are more into posing. I’m not a double-denim wearing biker who rides my Harley up kings road, I genuinely love riding bikes.

I’d like to have a go racing.
Maybe in the Triumph Triple Challenge. It’s possible. The next thing on the list is going off to do the Roof of Africa in November, which people say is harder than Romaniacs. I’d also like to do the Scottish six-day trial. I like the dirt stuff, as it’s constantly changing and there are a few ways of doing it. Road racing is the same thing, with grip changing dependent on tyres and you’re talking centimetres and millimetres. But it’s easier to practice off road; I haven’t got a full size track in my garden…

My wife bought me a 1976 Norton Commando for Christmas.
I’ve got a day-to-day Triumph Tiger 800 XC that I go to London on and to the shops on. I’ve got a Daytona 675R track bike and a Ducati Streetfighter. Now that’s an awesome bike – it’s my ‘oh, shall I risk my license going down the shops’ option. Stuntman, Paul Gower, took me up to an airstrip doing wheelies. You move your arse back a centimetre on the seat and the front wheel just launches. It’s just an unnecessary bike in every sense, an utter hooligan, it’s too powerful and too fast, and you can’t even take it out and park it because it’ll get nicked. It’s totally impractical, but I love it.

I’ve also got a Triumph Scrambler.
If I’m off to a craft fair or agricultural show, that’s the bike to have. And then I’ve got my dirt bikes, a KTM 350 XC, a Gas Gas 250 Raga rep, and a Husqvarna 510 SMR. If anyone wants to buy it at a cheap price, let me know. I’d just like to point out I do have a incredibly expensive security system. My wife pointed out the cameras should be pointing to the house where my family is, not to the garage…

I’ve got a bike for all occasions.
I was looking at the Ducati Multistrada, especially after watching the Pikes Peak race. I look at it and think, ‘that’s perfect’, but then realised I’ve got a bike for everything already.

I don’t really have a dream bike.
It’s probably something that’ll sit there and not get ridden. I like the Desmosedici and I’d get one if I was going silly. Maybe one of Troy Bayliss’ old Ducatis, or if Rossi had an old bike kicking around I’d have that.

Rossi back to Yamaha is great.
I wanna see him win again just to show Lorenzo how to do the victory celebrations. I’ve got no gripe with Lorenzo, but he’s such a plagiarist when it comes to bringing out the flags and all that. I don’t mind the guys who hate the interviews and media stuff, and I’m a huge fan of Casey Stoner and he doesn’t like any of it. I love the way he gets arsy about everything away from his day job and clearly all he wants to do is ride bikes.

To keep up with Ross’ twitter travels, click here

No related posts.

Now, it’s his first ever go at something like this, so give the lad some time and do hang on to watch it all. The most amusing part of this, for us, was watching someone who can’t normally shut up, clam up initially in front of the camera. Anyone out there who knows Tommy, also knows this usually isn’t an easy feat! It’s also brilliant to listen to Tommy without a single F-bomb being thrown in the mix! But as his blog goes on, true Tommy shines through now and then, and are moments to be savoured.

Anyway, we love Tommy here at FB, he’s always been a breath of fresh air and his ascendancy up the BSB ranks means there’ll soon be another straight-talking, exciting competitor hopefully looking at wins in the near future. We want Tommy on a ‘factory’ seat eventually, or at least the closest thing to one because we believe that’s all that’s missing, to make that next step up for regular podiums.

Click here to view in YouTube. Enjoy!

No related posts.

“So for this week’s blog we’re discussing the budget for competing in the TT. Great idea: I just hope my wife doesn’t read this…

“Now you might guess that racing at the TT is fairly expensive? Well you would be half right: it’s fecking expensive! You might also assume the organisers pay for all the riders to compete? Well on that one you would be wrong, very wrong. Many competitors like myself this year totally fund racing at the TT themselves except for a nominal travel allowance that doesn’t even cover your ferry. To give you an idea the cost to get my race van and camper van to the island this year is £744!

Exemplary landing at Ballaugh

“Motorcycle racing at any level is expensive but the TT really does strain the purse strings. Due to the nature of the circuit, you need your bike to be in top condition, you need lots of spares for when things break, and you do a year’s worth of racing miles in two weeks! Every night of practice sees you burn a tank of fuel and a set of tyres. You need a few chains, various sets of brake pads, bodywork and screens get destroyed, and the list goes on. So how on earth does a working Joe like me afford this madness? Sponsors!

“I am lucky to have two great mates helping me with supplying the bikes. I have a ZX-10R from my good friend Stuart Tromans of Astro Racing, who has previously run bikes at BSB. And a Triumph 675 from my friend, sponsor and Manx GP competitor, Les Liney Vehicle Hire. Without them I wouldn’t be doing the TT, simple as that, and an ingenious sponsorship idea has got me to the Ulster GP, 2012 TT and now this years TT.

Onnit…

“I kept pestering my boss for some sponsorship (which worked to a degree to be fair) and he said why don’t you get your mates to give you a small amount of cash for their name on the bike? Well, why not indeed! So this year, through my Facebook page, I have arranged a load people to have their names on my bikes and a signed photo from the TT for £50. That money is a big help towards the costs and it is a cool way of friends, family and supporters can get involved at an affordable cost. The total cost of the TT is probably between £2000 and £5000, excluding buying and preparing bikes – my ZX10R stands in around £12k and the Triumph about the same, not helped by when I stuck it into Mallory Park’s tyre wall in fifth gear which almost wrote the thing off. That has been a £2000 unplanned bill I could have done without and fortunate for me, my friend Rob runs RJS Superbike at Mallory, and he’s taken on the job of a full rebuild project ready for the TT. Once the frame was straightened, the forks, tank, swing arm and anything that bolts to it got replaced.

“Basically without my friends, family, sponsors, supporters and work I wouldn’t be at the TT so when I pick up my replica and get some beer down my neck at the presentation, it’s going to taste pretty sweet! Only 3 weeks to go…”

Related posts:

1. The Weekly Nibbo – A Privateer’s TT

Coverage will be hosted on-site with additional studio coverage from BT Sport’s new facilities at the Olympic Park in London. The MotoGP line up will also feature additional motorcycle-related programming in between Grand Prix weekends.

The shitter is, unless you’ve got BT broadband it won’t be free. In fact it’ll cost £15, which is enough to deter a huge amount of folk.

BT Vision and YouView viewers will be able to catch up on any live action they miss as BT Sport will make the programming available on demand, on television and on digital.

Simon Green, Head of BT Sport, said: “The agreement with MotoGP is really exciting. We want BT Sport to offer a wide range of sports that appeal to many different audiences and MotoGP is a thrilling sport with a massive and committed fan base in the UK and Ireland.”

As for presenters, who knows? We’re betting on the return of Keith Huewen to partner Julian Ryder.

Related posts:

1. Jerez MotoGP Test – Photo Spesh
2. Yamaha Unveil 2013 MotoGP Colours
3. New VBOX Sport Datalogger

I’m not saying this picture is particularly special, but it does illustrate the idea. The annual problem that is The SuperSports Grouptest came round again, and basically I just thought I’d stand at various points and hope that things would occur. It was windy so I used the 180mm lens instead of the 300, which at least meant that those “various points” were different to last time.

I call it a problem because showing a 600cc motorcycle’s track strengths is a challenge. Its lap time advantage is in the corners, and in riding it hard but precisely using all the available track. Giving an impression of that kind of thing with a series of images is a task, getting it in one picture is a vague hope.

Simon was routinely running up the kerb here so I thought well that’s something, and when I moved nearer and framed it up he turned on the photo style a little bit. From one sequence of four frames, this one shows a tiny gap under the front wheel. That’s the bit extra, the little surprise that says “thanks for looking”, the end of the conversation between creator and viewer. That tiny gap ends the story that’s started by the position of the rider on the bike, the bike on the track, and the track in the frame.

The bit extra is the reward for paying attention, and the confirmation that yes, if you get it, this is for you – and that our time and effort were well spent.

Jonny Gawler

Related posts:

1. Moto Photo: The Photo Nerd
2. Moto Photo: The Slideshow Story
3. Jerez MotoGP Test – Photo Spesh

He doesn’t just spin tyres. James Packwood is also a DJ, don’t you know

No related posts.

We’re hosting our first ‘Forces Trackday’ where combatants from the Army, Navy and RAF can battle each other on the International circuit. There’ll be three groups based on ability and you’ll get seven 20-minute sessions – all for a measly £129. We’ll be checking IDs!

We’ve got some hoofing plans to make it a very special day. In the meantime, head to the Silverstone website for details, requirements (an ACU licence is acceptable for all you Thundersporters) and updates will follow.

Related posts:

1. International Ride To Work Day – Monday 17 June
2. Fast Bikes Magazine Issue 275 – June 2013 – ON SALE NOW!

With only a few weeks until practice week kicks off, we thought we’d treat you to first-hand insights on what it’s like to race the Mountain Course, and what it’s like to prepare for the toughest race in the world.

Nibbo at Cadwell in the R6 Cup…

Most racing fans will already know Mr Michael Niblett. ‘Nibbo’ came to fame in the early days of the R6 Cup but spent most of the following years smashing himself up and trying to imitate Jorge Lorenzo in his early MotoGP seasons. Famous for gargantuan crashes and paddock banter, Nibbo realised that racing was becoming an expensive hobby and is now a dealer manager at Stratstone Triumph. But he still wants to race and last year, he completed his first TT. He’s returning in 2013…

Nibbo’s infamous crash at Paddock Hill, Brands Hatch

“Going to TT 2012 was a very surreal experience.  The build-up is incredibly stressful because there is just so much to prepare for a whole two weeks of racing around a 37 mile road circuit.  For months I would spend every spare hour watching on-board laps, playing the Playstation game or reading my notes I had scribbled on previous visits.

“What both my family and I found odd was that once I was at the TT, I was not nervous at all!  I was calm and relaxed and just looking forward to getting on with it.  The feeling sat on the bike and working your way down Glencrutchery road to be set out for your first lap was pretty surreal though.  My group of four riders did our controlled lap following Keith Amor, who was thrashing the tits off a FZ1S road bike decking it out everywhere. The first lap on the next night when you head off from the start/finish alone was weird, but by the time the front wheel comes up as you past St Ninnians your mind is totally focused on the job!

It’s ok. He’s leaving the 40mph zone

“The overall experience was awesome but there were some hard lessons learnt: don’t use an old shonky bike for one.  The TT course will soon wear out any tired out parts not up to the job!  I love the mountain section but the worst part is from Ginger Hall to Ramsey because the road is that bad your whole bike is shaking like a sh**ting dog, and it is a job just to see which way you are going.  My favourite corner is probably on the end of the Cronk y Voddy, where you flick the bike right in top gear and you pull a massive wheelie.  There are not many places you can do that!

Low rider…

“Preparation for the TT this year has been hard work. For your TT Mountain Course license, you need to compete in 6 races in the 12-month period running up to the TT, so this meant I had to plan some racing early in the season. Unfortunately this meant I ended up riding my Triumph at Mallory Park in the snow during March, which was about as much fun as pushing piles back in.  My ZX10R preparation was being seriously hampered by short supply on engine parts needed to carry out a blue-print tune.

“In April with my ZX10R still in component kit form, I decided to try and get some laps under my belt on the Triumph in the dry on a Wednesday afternoon at Mallory.  It was a bit cold so I took it easy. Obviously not easy enough because on the 4th lap I lost the rear exiting The Esses: one of the fastest bits of the circuit.  It was a pretty spectacular get off with the poor little Trumpy nailing the track side barrier pretty hard.  The damage was pretty severe with a bent frame, bent forks, smashed tank, bent exhaust, bent Subframe, ripped brake lines, smashed air duct, smashed clocks, bent bars, bent footrest and of course destroyed bodywork.  Not cool.  The net effect of this is that the final few weeks of preparation for the TT, rather than fine fettling, have been full rebuilding of a bike which is far from ideal.”

Next week in The Weekly Nibbo, we’ll talk budgets…

No related posts.

If ever there was an illustration that a still image can have a power beyond its time frame, the slideshow is it. Add some appropriate music and, if you’re lucky, some audio interview from one of the subjects, and if it all goes well you can end up with something that’s quite compelling.

I think the main problem with my attempt is the missing images. I mean if this was a stab at covering the story I’d have had more coverage, I’m sure you’ll notice that there are two pictures that would complete the scene here. So what I’ve got is a personal account, a what-I-saw-that-day, so the end result will always be a complete story but visually incomplete. If I was in the mood for some art bollocks I could say hey, it’s about what you don’t see, but really I can’t see that standing up. So it is what it is.

Related posts:

1. Moto Photo: The Photo Nerd
2. Jerez MotoGP Test – Photo Spesh
3. Moto Morini’s New Groove

Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Metzeler Racetec Interact K3
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Michelin Power Pure

Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Metzeler Racetec Interact K3
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Bridgestone S20

Related posts:

1. FREE Tyre Test Download – Dunlop SportSmart
2. FREE Tyre Test Download – Bridgestone S20
3. FREE Tyre Test Download – Continental SportAttack 2