BIke UK - August 2024

EXCLUSIVE Hizzy’s Norton We get goosebumps and tinnitus riding the 1992 Senior TT winner B r i t a i n ’ s b e s t - s e l l i n g b i k e m a g a z i n e AUG 2024 ffi-81(ǫ 23 JULY £5.99 ISLAND DNA 25th ANNIVERSARY ICON TESTED ISLE OF MAN’S GREATEST The race that made the legend John McGuinness relives his first-ever Isle of Man win The race that made the legend John McGuinness relives his first-ever Isle of Man win ‘IT WAS SIMPLY UNBEATABLE’ The finest ever TT bikes, revealed by Nick Jefferies, Jim Moodie, Mick Grant and more ‘IT WAS SIMPLY UNBEATABLE’ The finest ever TT bikes, revealed by Nick Jefferies, Jim Moodie, Mick Grant and more ‘We need this in GPs!’ MotoGP star Pedro Acosta on his love of the TT (and Michael Dunlop) One for the road Exclusive test of new limited edition Norton V4SV 588 Norton V4SV 588 PLUS: Triumph Speed 400 vs rivals ●Honda’s new E-Clutch tested ● Suzuki GSX-S1000GX to Spain IN AT THE DEEP END Flags, hi-vis and cake Bike’s TT virgin gets stuck in – as a marshal! 140 PAGE ÇÚÖÔëÄ×ÎÍÛ EDITION SPECIAL EDITION

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‘New Himalayan 450s are flying out of showrooms’ 96 58 Riding one prized Norton to ride another 90 Vitpilen 401 v HNTR 350 òÕìááà ffiffi Subscribe to – six months for just £27.50 CALL 01858 438884 ONLINE greatmagazines.co.uk/bike Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat) 4

82 Moto3 champ, then jobless, now BSB dark horse. It’s been a long ol’ journey… Front end 10 FIVE BIKES THAT MATTER THIS MONTH Hicky’s Supertwin, KTM’s big auto, café Scrambler, and more. 20 WHAT’LL IT DO, MISTER? Suzuki’s GSX-8R takes to the dyno, test strip and scales. 22 TECH Borile take aim at desmo engines with Crossbow concept. 24 GET IN GEAR Lovely leathers, brill boots, wonderful waterproofs, and more. 29 ÄÇÇÐÖÊÇÔÇÉÑÖÖÊÇÖ«ÕÊËÔÖ TT fabric from when a 120mph average lap seemed fast... 30 LETTERS Soft rubber, Laverda love, servicing costs, and more. Features and Tests 32 TT SPECIAL: 2024 IN PICTURES A selection of stunning stills from this year’s action. 36 TT SPECIAL: 25 YEARS OF MCGUINNESS Legend John looks back at the win in ’99 that started it all. 42 TT SPECIAL: GREATEST BIKES A gaggle of the island’s finest pick their favourite machines. 50 TT SPECIAL: MARSHALLING Bike’s TT virgin Tom goes and waves flags at Dunlop and Co. 56 TT SPECIAL: ACOSTA MotoGP’s newest star on why he’s a huge fan of the TT. 58 TT SPECIAL: NORTONS We ride the fab V4SV ‘588’ and most-fab Norton of them all. 68 PICOS PERFECTION But is Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX the perfect bike for it? 88 FIRST RIDE: INDIAN 101 SCOUT American cruiser flair blended with sporty ability. We like. 90 GROUP TEST: TOP TIDDLERS The small-capacity bikes punching above their weight 96 SMALL BIKE REVOLUTION Sub-500s are flying out of showrooms. Dealers reveal why. 98 ÈËÔÕÖÔËÆÇÊÑÐÆÃÅÄÔ"!ffiÔÇ«ÅÎ×ÖÅÊ Tech that makes a good bike even better? Yes please. 106 FIRST RIDE: TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 RALLY PRO It’s better than ever – all thanks to that reworked triple. 108 ADVENTURE 18-month tour of South America. 98 Clutching at straws? Anything but – it’s good tech Know How 116 BUYING Triumph Speed Twin 1200: how to get a good one. 116 OVERLOOKED Suzuki GSX-S1000: a brilliant bike and staggering value. 117 TYRED & TESTED Our GSX-R SRAD gets some modern Pirellis. That’s better… 118 TEMPTATION A selection of the MoCo’s finest thumping V-twins. 119 BIKE COP Dark visor? Loud pipe? Beware the nitpicker… 120 LIVING WITH What’s grand about the 990 Duke – and not so grand. 122 LISTINGS Your go-to place for verdicts on every bike we’ve ridden. 126 FAVOURITES You can’t beat the protection of one-piece leathers. 126 TRY THIS Why reducing pressure for trackdays is a load of hot air. 127 EVENTS Ace race meeting to add to your calendar. 127 TRIED AND TESTED Vulcanet cleaning wipes: quick, easy, and no need for polish. 132 OUT AND ABOUT An oh-so-quiet tour around the Mountain course. 138 AHEAD OF ITS TIME Ducati SportClassic is in demand. Less so when it launched. The world’s greatest race, Spanish adventure, small and mighty bikes, and Team Bike glory. Contents Sport 82 THE MAT OXLEY INTERVIEW Danny Kent talks Moto3 and rebuilding his career in BSB. 101 INSIDE: MICHELIN’S MOTOGP LAB We get a rare peep at how the MotoGP rubber is made. 130 TEAM BIKE In action at Paul Ricard. It was a momentous weekend… 135 FRANCO IN BSB What’s the point of the track walk? Time for a kerb crawl. 5

elcome to this special issue of Bike celebrating the Isle of Man TT Races – the oldest and greatest motorsport event in the world. There’s just nothing else like it: 37 ¾ miles of closed roads, racing against the clock through towns and villages, across a mountain, past people’s front doors… It’s hard to put into words how iconic this event is. As Clerk of the Course, I’m appointed by the race organiser, ACU Events Ltd, to head up the Race Organisation to deliver the racing aspect of the TT, for and on behalf of the promoter, the Department for Enterprise. I draft the TT course risk assessment, the event safety plan and the supplementary regulations for the event, and am responsible for conduct and management of the racing, incident management, opening and closing the roads, rider briefings… It’s a serious job and can have its lows. But when the sun’s shining on race day and the bikes are going past Race Control at 185mph, there really is no finer place to be. It really is a privilege. None of this can happen without the marshals. We need more than 500 marshals for every session, with chief sector marshals, deputies, and travelling marshals who are ex-TT or Manx Grand Prix racers. They’re my eyes and ears – without them I simply couldn’t do my job and the racing wouldn’t take place. And this year Bike’s production ed Tom was part of it. See how he fared on page 50. I can’t believe it’s 25 years since John McGuinness won his first race here on the Vimto Honda – he looks back at that first victory on page 36. Some other big-name TT legends reveal their greatest-ever TT race machinery on page 42. Steve Hislop’s legendary 1992 Norton is surely up there – and editor Mike rides it on page 58. And who knew that MotoGP rookie sensation Pedro Acosta is a big fan of the TT? He explains his love for our event (and for a certain Michael Dunlop) to Mat Oxley – a TT winner himself – on page 56. Enjoy this special issue – and hope to see you at next year’s TT. Not the worst office location in the world… Issue 617August 2024 Contact us: [email protected] or 01733 468000 facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine Gary Thompson TT Clerk of the Course Having trouble finding Bike? 1 Print edition to your door Subscribe to the print edition of Bike and get FREE UK delivery with 12 issues pushed through your letterbox. Better still, by taking out asubscription youoll saYe money s whatos not to like" To sign up Yisit greatmagazines.co.uk/bike. 2 Get it on your digital device As well as the print edition, you can get it on your smartphone or tablet. Download the Bike app or go to greatmagazines.co.uk/bike. As well as saYing money you get access to our archiYe, rewards and more. Thereos a print and digi package too. 3 Add it to your online shopping You can add magazines to your online, home deliYery grocery order and haYe it brought to your door with the eggs and frozen peas and pay for it with the housekeeping budget. If your proYider doesnot offer Bike, then demand that they do. 4 Still available in the shops Bike is still aYailable in the shops too so if you prefer a meander down the High Street you can pick up your copy on the newsstand or from bigger supermarkets. Or get it while you are at the railway station or waiting at the airport. 6 Hello

This magazine is made by the most talented team of bike journalists, writers and photographers in the universe. Here’s what they’ve been doing this month. Team Bike Dave Collister Isle of Man resident Dave has been shooting the TT for longer than he can remember. Nobody gets the angles or captures the essence of the TT like him. 2024 in pictures, page 32 Paul Lang Being Bike’s designer means having a staggering attention to detail – and means Langy spots stuff on new bikes that the rest of us miss. He’s a fussy swine. Living with a KTM, page 120 John Westlake Proper journalist John dug deep into his amazing contacts book to find the greatest bikes of all time – and unearthed some fabulous untold Isle of Man stories. Greatest TT bikes, page 42 Dave Hewson Things you wonder but never ask: why do bike racers do track walks? Crew chief for the Rapid Honda BSB team, Dave reveals why they stroll. Ooh, never knew that… Racing, page 135 Jamie Turner Nobody knows more about internal combustion than desmodromic fan Jamie. Our tame professor of engines takes a long, hard look at the radical new Borile design. Tech, page 22 Mat Oxley Nobody spots stories quite like the planet’s greatest racing journo. Danny Kent’s tale is one that really needs to be told – and Mat’s the only person who’s got the story. Danny Kent interview, page 82 123 4 5 6 EDITORIAL Phone 01733 468000 Editor Mike Armitage Art Director Paul Lang Contributing Editor John Westlake Road Tester Michael Neeves Oddities Officer Mark Graham Sensible Adult Alison Silcox Production Editor Tom Jackson Group Art Director, Motorcycling Steve Herbert-Mattick ADVERTISING Phone 01733 468000 Group commercial director [email protected] Commercial director [email protected] Commercial manager [email protected] MARKETING Phone 01733 468499 Marketing executive Alice Burbridge Newstrade marketing manager Joe Deboo PRODUCTION Phone 01733 468341 Print production [email protected] Advertising Production 01733 468341/8397 Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, West Midlands Distributed by Frontline, 1st Floor, Stuart House, St Johns St, Peterborough PE1 1DD. 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WHEELS AND TYRES Amazingly, Hickman qualified on pole at the North West on the same wheels and tyres as he finished his last TT on. ‘They looked fine so I didn’t bother changing them’ SUSPENSION Öhlins Moto2 forks (a snip at £5000), and an Öhlins rear shock with a new linkage. Dymag wheels CHASSIS Removing unnecessary brackets is allowed but not chopping the frame about so that’s standard. The yokes for the forks were made in-house PICS: DOUBLE RED 10 A winter of fiendish work on the engine paid off handsomely at the NW Should be two fingers, seeing as he won both Supertwin races

MOTOR It’s Yamaha’s 689cc parallel twin with new cams, pistons and conrods. Hickman’s company PHR gas-flowed the head too. The gearbox is from Nova and has neutral at the top so he doesn’t accidentally hit it going from first to second FAIRING This is a copy of an old Kalex Moto2 fairing, with a modified Kalex Moto2 seat unit. PAINTJOB It’s the same as Swan Yamahas of old, made famous by Tommy Hill in BSB, and Ian Hutchinson on the roads Peter Hickman explains how he’s managed to keep this Yamaha R7 ahead of the 6XSHUWZLQKRUGHV{ ² RACING ³ hen Peter Hickman won both Supertwin races at the North West 200 recently it was confirmation that the Yamaha R7 is, at last, a race bike to be reckoned with. Of course, he did win a Supertwin race at last year’s TT, but only after the top three didn’t finish… ‘Yeah, we were gifted that,’ he tells Bike. ‘We just had no straight-line speed – we were 10mph down, and that’s a lot on a twin because you’re flat-out everywhere. It did well because we got it handling – through the twisty stuff I was really strong.’ So, over last winter, Hickman and his team at PHR (Peter Hickman Racing) set about improving the motor. ‘We did all the porting, cams, tuning, the lot. With the current regulations you can change nearly all of it – conrods, cams, pistons, crank. But we didn’t change the crank because it’s been fine. We did all the head porting by hand and changed the airbox to a twin-tube design – the R7 one is weird because it’s out the back of the motor. We made our own one-off exhaust too.’ One of the main issues with the R7 is its small throttle bodies. These are fine for road riders because the standard bike only puts out 70bhp. But racers want a lot more. ‘We bore them out as much as we can, but it’s not much [you’re not allowed to change them – Ed]. The [Aprilia] RS660 has an advantage here because its throttle bodies are bigger to start with.’ So, how much power is the engine making now? ‘We’re a good chunk over 100bhp, so we’re 40 per cent up on standard, which is a lot. But we’re now struggling with cooling. I want to add an oil cooler but I daren’t because I don’t know what it’s going to do. We don’t know the flow rates of the oil, and you’ve got to be really careful that you don’t change them otherwise the motor will seize immediately. I don’t want to wreck a £6000 engine for the sake of an oil cooler. We’re running a special Motul oil to try and conquer the heat, and we change it every time the bike has been out on a circuit because it’s so hot.’ Despite all this work, Peter was still outgunned by more powerful rivals at the North West 200 in early May. ‘Yeah, out of all the corners they absolutely obliterated me. It was only because I was so fast on the coast road [the twistier side of the NW200 triangle, from the Metropole hairpin to York corner].’ But part of that was down to weight – both the bike’s and Peter’s. ‘We’re still nowhere near the 150kg minimum limit – we’re about 158kg, so a stone over. We need to get a lot closer, especially when you put me on it. Put Coops [rival Richard Cooper] on it and it would be seriously rapid, but our top speed is now about the same as the others. ‘We just take longer to get there.’ ‘Power is 40 per cent up on standard, which is a lot’ 11

got back from the MotoGP [at Austin, Texas] last year and looked at a wrecked Sportster frame I had,’ Corban Gallagher tells Bike. ‘I thought it would be fun to do something with it, something comical, because Harley-Davidson aren’t exactly known for their race bikes.’ Corban also wanted to rail against the MotoGP’s stratospheric costs. ‘People at the GP were telling me how much the bikes cost, so I thought it would be fun to build mine on a budget. Almost everything you see is from a wrecked or salvaged motorcycle. It was a cheap build. Just a lot of labour…’ He’s a nuclear chemist who uses cutting-edge technology, but Corban designed the bike on the hoof. ‘I didn’t have designs sketched out or on CAD – it was all done as I went along. I stuck a broomstick through the steering stem to measure the trail and went from there.’ He bought a 1997 XL1200 Sportster engine from a scrapyard, stripped it and sent it away to be pepped up with 1275cc barrels, domed pistons, racing cams and a race clutch. Meanwhile, he decided to use a rear shock from a 1998 Ducati 900SS that he happened to have in his workshop, which meant fabricating a new swingarm to accommodate a monoshock. ‘I had to make it long enough so it would clear the shock, which made the wheelbase the same as that of a Suzuki Hayabusa. Otherwise, the geometry is exactly the same as the Sportster’s – I didn’t change the rake at the front at all.’ If the fairing looks vaguely familiar, that’s because it’s a replica of 1970s Triumph and BSA racers – the headlight recess was originally a vent for an oil cooler. ‘I love old race bikes, and British bikes were PICS: MYKE TOMAN the first ones I fell in love with. Originally I was going to go with a Believe it or not, this gorgeous thing started life as a 1996 Harley Sportster. The builder explains how he turned it into an über-foxy trackday bike Believe it or not, this gorgeous thing started life as a 1996 Harley Sportster. The builder explains how he turned it into an über-foxy trackday bike Believe it or not, this gorgeous thing started life as a 1996 Harley Sportster. The builder explains how he turned it into an über-foxy trackday bike [ CUSTOM BIKES ] REAR END All dictated by the 1998 Ducati 900SS rear shock and 200-section rear wheel that the bike’s creator, Corban Gallagher, already had. He built the swingarm himself REAR END All dictated by the 1998 Ducati 900SS rear shock and 200-section rear wheel that the bike’s creator, Corban Gallagher, already had. He built the swingarm himself REAR END All dictated by the 1998 Ducati 900SS rear shock and 200-section rear wheel that the bike’s creator, Corban Gallagher, already had. He built the swingarm himself 12 Five bikes...

‘I would have had it finished sooner, but the bike fell off the lift’ ENGINE Originally a shonky XL1200 Sportster motor bought from a scrapyard. Hammer Performance tuned it and fitted a set of Buell Thunderstorm heads that Corban had lying around ENGINE Originally a shonky XL1200 Sportster motor bought from a scrapyard. Hammer Performance tuned it and fitted a set of Buell Thunderstorm heads that Corban had lying around ENGINE Originally a shonky XL1200 Sportster motor bought from a scrapyard. Hammer Performance tuned it and fitted a set of Buell Thunderstorm heads that Corban had lying around FAIRING Made by Airtech Streamlining for 1970s Triumph race bikes, it needed plenty of work to fit around the massive Sportster motor. Corban painted it himself FAIRING Made by Airtech Streamlining for 1970s Triumph race bikes, it needed plenty of work to fit around the massive Sportster motor. Corban painted it himself FAIRING Made by Airtech Streamlining for 1970s Triumph race bikes, it needed plenty of work to fit around the massive Sportster motor. Corban painted it himself BRAKES The funky rim stoppers are from a 2003 Buell XB9R TANK 1950s Manx Norton tank holds both fuel and oil Norton Commando tank and then switched to a Manx, which contains both fuel and oil. ‘The Triumphs that were designed for that fairing were a much lower bike – the motors were nothing like as tall as the Sportster’s, so I dropped the fairing way down at the front to give it that angled look. Then I re-did the subframe to kick up so that it looks more like it’s diving a bit more. ‘The back half of the bike was the most difficult bit. Re-doing the seat subframe, figuring out how wide the swingarm should be to adopt the Ducati suspension… that was hard. For the upper shock mount I had to cut about 15 pieces of steel to shape around the back of the frame so it’s solid and won’t break under heavy suspension loads. That was my biggest worry.’ The bike took Corban 10 months to build, working on it during any down time in his lab (the bike lift is next to his desk). ‘I would have had it finished sooner,’ he says, ‘but the bike fell off the lift and I had to re-do all the fairing stays and repaint one side of the bike.’ He’s running-in the engine, and it’s all looking good. ‘I haven’t opened it up but it handles fine. I’ll take it on the track and cruise around town; the cops here [near Houston, Texas] are all gear-heads, so they don’t care if things are registered or remotely street-legal…’ 13 When that light glows, get a shift on Corban Gallagher: ‘It was all done as I went along…’ Sorting the back half took a lot of time – like, a lot

² NEW BIKES ³ I t started with Pol Tarrés riding a Yamaha Ténéré at the world’s most extreme enduro. Then last year Ducati upped the ante by sending out a DesertX. And now, surely, we have reached peak competitive adventure bike: KTM turned up at this year’s Erzberg with a prototype Super Adventure R believed to be fitted with the latest 188bhp, 1350cc V-twin. Not only that, but it was an automatic – there was no clutch lever, and up and down buttons were visible on the left switchgear. And in case spectators were in any doubt, KTM plastered ‘AMT’ – Automatic Transmission – all over the lightly disguised prototype. Though the bike’s appearance at the Erzberg was a surprise – KTM made no fuss about it – the new gearbox is not totally unexpected. KTM patented elements of an automatic last year, and the DCT Honda Africa Twin is selling so well that rival manufacturers would be barmy to not consider rival systems. Another significant difference to the current 1290 Super Adventure appears to be the nose fairing. The current bike has its lights framed on either side by KTM’s insecty boomerang things, but there’s no sign of them here. Previous spy shots of other KTM prototypes suggest they may be ditched to make more room for radar cruise control kit and cornering headlights. Plus they look weird, but maybe that’s just us. It also seems that the dash will be changed – the prototype’s TFT was in a portrait orientation, like KTM’s hardcore 450 Rally Replica bike. Of course, this might be a one-off, or something only the R would wear. In the Erzberg’s twin-cylinder class, the new KTM acquitted itself well, coming seventh. It could have finished higher, but its two-time enduro world champion pilot Johnny Aubert got a bit lost at one stage and had to wait for someone to tell him which way to go. Happens to us all, usually on the way to Screwfix. A DesertX won. The main event was the traditional carnage: 500 starters, nine finishers and Manuel Lettenbichler on a factory KTM 450 winning. Brit Graham Jarvis came fourth – not bad for a 49-year-old… ‘The bike was a surprise but the gearbox isn’t unexpected’ PICS: KTM Prototype 1390 Super Adventure R makes surprise appearance at the Erzberg Hard Enduro – and comes seventh in class KTM’s big dirty auto 15 Five bikes... Note the ‘Up’ button, bottom left of the switchgear Light disguise ÝïáââáßðåòáÝïÝ false moustache Giant trailies doing serious stuff. It’s this year’s big thing

NOSE FAIRING There are hints of the 1980s Ducati Pantah here, though that doesn’t wrap around over the tank like this one. SPORTINESS 75bhp engine and steel trellis frame are as per the standard Scramblers. The concept gets a 17in front wheel (instead of 18in), road tyres, clip-on handlebars and bar-end mirrors . SPORTINESS 75bhp engine and steel trellis frame are as per the standard Scramblers. The concept gets a 17in front wheel (instead of 18in), road tyres, clip-on handlebars and bar-end mirrors . SPORTINESS 75bhp engine and steel trellis frame are as per the standard Scramblers. The concept gets a 17in front wheel (instead of 18in), road tyres, clip-on handlebars and bar-end mirrors . TAIL Detachable cover hides the pillion saddle. You might as well leave it on though as there are no pillion footpegs. TAIL Detachable cover hides the pillion saddle. You might as well leave it on though as there are no pillion footpegs. TAIL Detachable cover hides the pillion saddle. You might as well leave it on though as there are no pillion footpegs. ² NEW BIKES ³ Ducati’s 2017 café racer Scrambler was simply a normal Scrambler with 17in wheels, clip-on handlebars, road-biased tyres and a tiddly fly screen. It was fine, but didn’t look that different from the standard bike. This new concept takes a bolder route. ‘The bodywork has an interesting futuristic café racer edge to it,’ says acclaimed customiser Calum Pryce-Tidd, whose company, deBolex, are making a run of 25 retro racers based on Ducati Monster 1200s. ‘The custom scene for the past few years has had a heritage feel, so it’s good to see something a little different with this concept. And it looks like it’ll be fun to ride.’ The concept was built by Ducati’s styling department and revealed at the Bike Shed MotoShow in London. The most striking element is a tank-mounted nose fairing that sweeps all the way to the saddle. ‘Underneath it’s got the traditional Scrambler tank with that pressed side panel,’ says Calum. ‘But I’d be surprised if it was the standard tank – it looks like they’ve kept the same basic design but adjusted it. I would have been inclined to ditch the standard tank altogether. ‘But as a custom designer it’s so easy to pick holes in manufacturers’ designs because their hands are tied. They’re thinking about production, which is a totally different ball game to what we do – we have so much freedom. There are lots of things I’d do differently, but as a production bike it’s got some interesting lines and I like the colour choice. Also, the design doesn’t look too safe, which is nice.’ Ducati won’t say how close the bike is to production and have revealed few facts about it, saying only that the fairing ‘recalls icons of Ducati history such as the Pantah and the 750SS, reinterpreted to obtain that contemporary and post-heritage look’. Calum reckons the Scrambler suits the café racer vibe better than most because of its light weight (185kg wet). ‘Most modern bikes are getting bigger and heavier. When you think about the 1960s café racers, they were small and light and the Scrambler still sits in that bracket. You can throw it around and have a lot of fun.’ ‘It’s good to see a concept that’s a little different’ ÒËÅÕÆ×ÅÃÖË°ÎÃ×ÔÇÐÅÇÊÑÙÇ New concept café racer hints at fresh addition to Ducati’s perky Scrambler range Ducati’s modern Scrambler 16 Five bikes... Ace colour is sure to turn heads if it hits production

ext month this 90kg Kawasaki KX100-powered creation will be tearing across the Bonneville Salt Flats trying to break the world record for sub-100cc bikes with no streamlining. And there’s a fair chance it’ll do it, judging by the wild innovation that’s pushed power from 24bhp to well over 40. Besides all the usual two-stroke tuning, it has two novel additions – a variable expansion chamber and a supercharger (which is traditionally deemed impossible on a two-stroke). Builder Casey Anderson explains… Let’s start with the variable expansion chamber. How? ºYou get a two-stroke powerband when you have your ignition, porting and pipe all working perfectly. But you can only design a pipe for one rpm range and that’s it. So, I’ve come up with an electronically controlled expansion chamber that shrinks and enlarges depending on the engine rpm. Then you get a powerband at all rpm. PICS: CASEY ANDERSON Well, that’s the plan. This supercharged 99cc two-stroke is off to Bonneville to WU\{WREUHDNDZRUOGUHFRUG ² TIDDLERS ³ ENGINE Imagine the most heavily tuned KX100 on the planet and you’re there: fully ported, hot rod cranks, uprated crank bearings, Wiseco Racer Elite piston – every alternative Casey tested exploded within minutes. CHASSIS Frame is built by Casey to have the smallest frontal area possible. Forks are from a Honda Cub. There’s a straight part of the expansion chamber along the frame, and a linear actuator pulls the baffle cone [the end bit of the expansion chamber] outwards against a spring, increasing the volume. It works fantastically for land speed racing but the pipe movement is too slow for any other type of racing. What about the supercharger? ºI came up with this for this year’s event. Most people say you can’t force induct a two-stroke because there’s no way to trap the boost pressure in the cylinder because it wants to blow out the exhaust port. But I thought that if I ran a supercharger generating, say, 20psi and built an exhaust system with back pressure, that would work. And it does. I can get 5psi boost that way. Normal tuning raises power [of the KX] by 20-25% [to 29-30bhp]. For every psi of boost, you get a seven per cent power increase, so with 5psi I’m getting around 40bhp and if I can bring it up to 10psi I’m getting 45bhp. The engine runs up to 17,000rpm. What’s the appeal of tiddly engines? ºI love small-displacement, single-cylinder bikes. Partly that’s because they’re cheap, but also because it’s more of a challenge to make a slow bike go fast than a fast bike go faster. For them it’s mostly about aerodynamics. For me it’s about power. 18 Five bikes...

‘The power is great – it’s like a plane taking off’ DASH This, amazingly, is what Casey looks at Ýïäáãëáïàëóêðäá ðîÝßçĉÛëñàëêĊðèëëç óäáîáõëñĊîáãëåêã ÞáßÝñïáõëñîäáÝà ãáðïåêðäáÝåîâèëóÝêà ïèëóïõëñàëóêÛëñ use your peripheral vision to stay between the flags on either ïåàáĊÔåãäðõëñÝîá SUPERCHARGER Casey runs an Aisin 300 supercharger with a custom åêðáîßëëèáîÝêàÝ"ffiìïåâñáèåêæáßðåëêïõïðáé VARIABLE EXPANSION ÃèåêáÝîÝßðñÝðëîìñèèïÝéëòáÝÞèááêàïáßðåëêëâðäááôìÝêïåëêßäÝéÞáî ßäÝêãåêãðäáòëèñéáÅÝïáõóëîçïåðéÝêñÝèèõóäåèáîåàåêãðëéÝðßäîáòï And I love the Bonneville challenge – it’s the only place where a garage builder like me can compete with a million-dollar set-up. I’m up against teams with trailers full of workshops and built-in dynos. That’s very appealing. Why go to all the trouble of superchargers and variable expansion chambers? ºI really wanted to innovate rather than imitate. That means I have a higher risk of failure [he blew up two engines last time out], but I don’t want to do the same as everyone else. I don’t want to ride a slightly modified bike. What is it like to ride? ºIn its current form, I don’t know! I can’t just go outside and test it. But going on last year’s bike it’ll ride well. The front end is off a Honda Cub and I thought it would be too soft, but it’s fine. Turning is problematic, obviously. But the power is great – it’s like a plane taking off. 19 A cone-ing innovation to boost power Good to know what each dial is for when you’re face down doing 130mph-plus Quick glance and it’s still belted. Onwards…

What’ll it do, Mister? New bikes versus our dyno, scales and datalogger Damp track, cool tyre, and an engine with easy-access performance: perfect for some traffic light showboating Suzuki’s first new sportsbike in yonks is a parallel twin with a focus on usability. So, does it still have the performance to be the modern-day GSX-R? Time to extract answers with the Bike dyno, scales and datalogger… By Mike Armitage Photography Adam Shorrock 20

SUZUKI CLAIM TESTED BY BIKE Mode A is sharpest, B is in the middle, C is softest. All figures recorded in A. Wet-track figures don’t reflect the bite and power of the front brakes. 81.8bhp Suzuki’s new 776cc parallel twin has the power of 82.9 metric horses. This is what it means in old-fashioned, pint-drinking imperial nags. 75.4bhp This is eight per cent down on the claim, which is more than we expect these days. Still more gee-gees than a Yamaha R7, mind. 67mpg That’s quite a big number. Suzuki’s test rider must enjoy short-shifting the torquey motor rather than exploring the revs… 55mpg …as our on-road shenanigans mean the twin has a bit more of a thirst. This means 169 miles from the modest 14-litre tank. 57.5 lb.ft Decent wallop: it’s more than any competitor. It’s also a couple of grunts more than the last GSX-R750, and at far more usable revs. 54.3 lb.ft Down on claim, but still more shunt than any rival’s claimed torque. And the best bit is where in the revs it’s delivered – see graph below. 136mph Japanese manufacturers aren’t in the habit of boasting about top speed. This is what the colour TFT dash says when flat in top gear. 129mph About the same as an early ’90s grey import GSX-R400. 4uite fast enough, of course, and brisk enough for any trackday antics. 205kg The 8R isn’t a bloater, however this is quite a bit more than any smaller bike. And chunkier than its predecessor, the GSX-R750. 205kg Suzuki’s dyno might need calibrating but there scales are cock-on. Hurrah. Its extra kilos over rivals give the 8R sure-footed handling. £8899 Pricing is spot on: it’s almost identical to the Yam R7 (£8916) and only a few quid more than a Triumph Daytona (£8595). £8899 On-the-road costs are included, so list is what you pay. Pop down £1831.88 (or part-ex your runaround) and the 8R is just £79 a month. 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Power 75.4bhp @ 8200rpm Torque 54.3 lb.ft @ 5400rpm Suzuki’s grunt is at work again here: it’s 2 secs quicker than an R7 and 9 secs (yes, nine) ahead of a Kwak ZX-4RR. 40ǫ80 ROLLǫON 6.79s Acceleration falls away at the end of the quarter, so the time’s not ace – it’s about what an ol’ GSX600F teapot does. 1Ǭ4 MILE 12.1s Stopping in 54m is what we’d expect, but a wet test strip means the ABS cuts in. Better than losing the front, though. 70ǫ0 MPH 56.4m Half a second quicker than a Yam R7, and as swift as Kwak’s ZX-10R. Usable grunt is your friend for quick starts. 0ǫ60MPH 3.6s ON THE DYNO AT THE PROVING GROUND Ignore the fact Aprilia’s RS660 has 15bhp more. Instead, look at that hefty midrange. Peak grunt is at the sort of revs where the RS – and also the old GSX-R750 – are yet to wake up. This accessible clout is what makes the 8R real-road speedy. POWER WEIGHT MPG TOP SPEED PRICE TOR4UE 0 7000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 8000 9000 10,000 11,000 21

Small Italian outfit Borile have a brand-new desmodromic engine design. Jamie Turner rubs his hands together and dives in… Photography Pietro Rizzato So, we have a new desmodromically-valved engine in the Borile Crossbow. For those who aren’t familiar, a desmodromic (or ‘captive running’) valve train uses a mechanism to positively close the valve, rather than relying on a spring. As such they have some advantages, but the main one was historical – valve springs were a major failure point in engine technology for a long time, so engineering them out was an attractive undertaking. Unfortunately, it was also an expensive one, which is why only Ducati have ever productionised it. The new Borile system is certainly interesting mechanically (aren’t all desmos?) and represents a very interesting take on the positive-valve-closure challenge as it also reduces engine height. However, doing this enforces some compromises – which is what you’d expect, since there’s no such thing as a free lunch. While I consider myself to be at the saddest level of engine addiction, I’ve not seen its like before, and that makes it even more interesting. There is one person who may have, but we’ll return to him later… Stubby camshafts The core of the Borile has a conventional four-valves-per-cylinder combustion chamber layout and a single piston, with all the advantages that brings for the sorts of bikes Borile make (mostly trials, trailies and café racers). However, from this point on things get more interesting and, to be honest, a little weird. Instead of overhead cams or pushrods to actuate the valves, the pairs of inlets and exhausts are each attached to a cross-piece which in turn is joined to stanchions running up each side of the cylinder, in the same plane as the valve stems. This cross-piece arrangement presumably allows some of the valve clearances to be set at the top via a simple locknut arrangement. The fact the axes of the stanchions and valves are all coplanar means they can all slide up and down together, given a driving input somewhere. This drive input is where the desmo bit comes in. Down at the crankcase end, and on both sides of it, are two stubby camshafts – one above the other – whose axes are also in the plane of the stanchion/valve assemblies. Each stubby shaft carries a single cam which runs against a roller, which is connected to and between two legs of the stanchion (it splits into two towards the crankcase). Those legs are in turn slotted to allow the camshaft to pass between them. One of the two cams pulls the assembly down, opening the valves, and the other pushes it up, closing them. 22 Reasons to be desmo Borile claim that, being titanium, the push/pull assembly is very light. While I’ve not handled or measured the parts myself, to me it looks like it must be much heavier than the inertia of a couple of rockers. Another challenge must be the flexibility of the cross-piece at the top. As the assembly moves, the inertia of the valves attached to it in the middle of the cross-piece will cause it to deflect. This will tend to pull the stanchions in or out depending on the direction the valves are being accelerated in. The valve stems themselves would be pushed more against their guides; while this may help to counteract some of the distortion there must still be some, as well as an increase in friction. Even if the stanchions don’t distort so much that there is sliding friction, fatigue must be considered. Solving these issues is all part of the engineering, though. Now we come to the reason I think they’ve made it a desmo. A simple spring arrangement could have been used to push the valves shut; if this was at the top, on the valves themselves, then as the valves are being opened, in addition to the effect of their inertia, the opposing spring forces would make any distortion even worse. This is because of the old desmo advantage: in a sprung system you put in the energy to close the valve while you are opening it, whereas in a desmo you don’t do that until you are actually closing it. As a counterpoint though, you could put springs anywhere on the assembly, even at the bottom: the upper section would then function in exactly the same way with the spring forces going in at a less disadvantageous point. Brand new yet retro A peculiarity of the design is that due to their inclination and the positioning of the camshafts at the bottom, the two separate push/pull assemblies pass each other at an angle. I guess this gives rise to the ‘Crossbow’ epithet. Another thing is that putting more than one cylinder in a line along the crankshaft would be impossible without massively increasing the cylinder spacing and, with it, block size. So, a single (or perhaps V-twin) is perhaps an ideal application. A further peculiarity (as if there weren’t enough) is that most of the valve gear is exposed at the top. That is super-retro – although I don’t really know how the stems are supposed to be lubricated (very few run absolutely dry). How the stanchions are sealed with the cam chest at the bottom is another uncertainty. Anyway, lots of opportunity to mince up your pinkies as you point out the very mechanical nature of this arrangement to amazed onlookers. Umberto Borile (left) and the firm’s gaffer Massimo Fracassi 22

Tech Because motorcycle engineering is beautiful ‘Lots of opportunity to mince up your pinkies as you point out the arrangement to amazed onlookers’ 23 ONE AND ONLY The engine Borile showed at MBE 2024 (motorbikeexpo.it) in Verona, Italy, was a single cylinder – it’s the configuration they always use, and it suits the Crossbow design. Hard to imagine an inline four… QUAD CAMS There are two short camshafts on either side of the crank, which give the desmo operation – one cam opens the valves and the other closes them, with no springs. THE CROSS IN CROSSBOW The push/pull assembly for the valves is made from titanium, with each stanchion on the same plane as the valves it controls. Imagine what this all looks like when it’s flying about at 6000rpm. Borile’s valve controlsystemdrastically reduces engineheight.Where you’d normally expectto findcamshaftsor rockers, there’s… well, very little. Jamie Turner is Professor of Engines at KAUST. He owns a BMW K1200S and loves two-strokes. Cloosterman will know… That’s my initial take. But there is someone far better qualified than me to know if this sort of thing has been done before – a Ducati fan from the Netherlands called Henk Cloosterman (check out desmodromology.nl). They call him Henry Desmo, and together with Francisco Tijsse Klasen he wrote a book on the subject titled Desmodromie that contained over a hundred different desmo types – classifying them was a great undertaking. I checked my copy (he only printed 240 apparently, most going to Dutch Ducati fans) trying to find something similar to the Borile in any of the illustrations, but to no avail; I would have read it to find more information, but I don’t speak Dutch, which is a bit of a problem. For what it’s worth, from his classification I think the Borile system is a type 1.A.4 system. Actually, being a huge desmo fan myself, the book is one of my cherished possessions, along with 507 Mechanical Movements – I’m sure there will be something like the Borile in there, but you soon get mechanism blindness looking at it. I know, I’ve tried… 23

The latest word in swanky riding gear, desirable bolt-ons and must-have goodies for your pride and joy º Oxford NEXUS 1.0 one-piece suit WHAT IS IT? One-piece leather suit for the mostest protection should intentions and capabilities become muddled. Constructed from 1.2mm cowhide with extra reinforcements at impact zones, with a CE rating of AAA and level 2 armour at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The suit also has large stretch panels to give easy manoeuvrability and lots of perforations to keep you cool. Two-piece version is available as well. WHAT DO WE LIKE? Nowt gives protection like a one-piece, and with top CE ratings this will give peace of mind should you be club racing, doing a trackday, or posing outside the Fox & Hounds. Oxford have shown how to make fine kit at affordable prices in recent years. This continues the trend. Three colourways available. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £499.99, oxfordproducts.com 24 PRICE £499.99

25 ‘These days everything is fussy and complicated – this isn’t’ PRICE £39.99 PRICE £149.99 PRICE £149.99 º FIVE RFX 3 EVO gloves WHAT IS IT? The first pair of mitts from Five (the French glove manufacturers, not the jigging late-90s boy band) to use the swanky new AirGO Protech Performance shell – a hard thingummy giving level 2 protection that also has ventilation. Elsewhere you get goat leather, a dual close system, cuff slider, and an anti-twist stretchy band between the final two fingers to stop them being pulled apart in a mishap. WHAT DO WE LIKE? Pretty much everything. We’ve been impressed with the existing RFX 3 glove – Langy is particularly smitten for sunny road capers, sweaty trackdays, and even any household duty that requires him to be gloved-up – and so the new EVO version should be even more splendiferous. If you suffer from trypophobia – anxiety from seeing clusters of holes – don’t look at the knuckles, mind. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £149.99, five-gloves.com º TCX Tourstep WP WHAT IS IT? Booties intended for urban trundling and big tours, with a microfibre upper and breathable, waterproof membrane for all-weather usability. An Ortholite insole gives comfort, a Groundtrax rubber sole gives grip. Closure by band and Velcro lace-up gubbins. WHAT DO WE LIKE? Boots that’ll keep your hoofs warm and dry, but that don’t look (or, we assume, feel) like wellies once you’re off the bike. Smashing. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £149.99, sportsbikeshop.co.uk New ïðñĞ Clobber for you and your motorcycle º Pyramid Duffle Bag WHAT IS IT? Made from a seamless 500D PVC shell to keep the rain, road filth and anything else off your pants, butties, laptop, whatever. Temperature-tested from -30°C to 70°C. Mounts by looping around your rack, rails or grab handles. Decent 40-litre capacity. Roll top closure. Available in black or grey. WHAT DO WE LIKE? These days everything is fussy and complicated. This isn’t. We don’t want umpteen pockets, removable whatnots or an app to tell us what’s in a bag; we just want simple, waterproof, easy-to-use luggage that won’t fall apart. Or cost a packet. Like this duffle bag, basically. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £39.99, pyramidmoto.co.uk

‘Roadskin’s stuff will last and keep you dry’ 27 PRICE £250 PRICE £69.98 º Muc-Off mobile jet wash bundle WHAT IS IT? Battery powered, portable pressure washer for trackdays, trail riding, motocross, or any off-grid cleaning shenanigans. Integrated 20-litre water tank. The 40V lithium-ion battery should give up to 24 minutes of operating time. Comes with a range of lances for different cleaning capers, five metres of hose, and a litre of Muc-Off’s Nano Tech cleaner. WHAT DO WE LIKE? You may well question how much use you’d get out of a portable washer. If you enjoy weekends away on the trails and hate leaving your bike caked in filth for the duration, you won’t. It’s jet washing for campers. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £250, muc-off.com º Roadskin waterproof jacket and trousers WHAT IS IT? Roadskin’s two-piece waterproofs are available individually, as jacket or trousers, or in this bundle in a free pouch. Bonded seams, a mesh lining for comfort and breathability. Sizes from S to XXL. WHAT DO WE LIKE? Waterproofs. That’s it. But Roadskin’s stuff is good; these will last and keep you dry. HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £69.98, roadskin.co.uk º Ruroc Eox helmet WHAT IS IT? Latest motorcycle hat from Brit firm Ruroc. The Eox (pronounced ‘ee-yos’) gives a sleeker feel to the brand’s usual streetfighter-ish look, with an aerodynamically shaped carbon composite shell and a large 215° field of view through the window. Uses their ‘Right Fit’ design to ensure it’ll fit a wide range of different bonce shapes. WHAT DO WE LIKE? Few helmets give the sense of safety and quality of Ruroc’s existing Atlas 4.0, but its styling (and colours) are a bit too ‘grrr’ for some. We like the classier and more refined look of the Eox. We’ll be testing one long-term this year. Review to come… HOW MUCH AND WHERE FROM? £399.99, ruroc.com FROM £399.99

Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA Telephone 01733 468000 Email: [email protected] facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine ²ÄÇÇÐÖÊÇÔÇÉÑÖÖÊÇÖ«ÕÊËÔÖ³ ËÈÛÑ×ĊØÇÉÑÖÃÐÑÎÆÖ«ÕÊËÔÖ LIKE GRAHAM’S AND FANCY SEEING IT IN BIKE, TAKE A PICTURE OF THE WHOLE SHIRT, ARMS INCLUDED, AND EMAIL IT TO THE ADDRESS AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE. IF WE PUBLISH IT WE’LL SEND YOU A NEW TǫSHIRT. ‘120mph average speed looked ïßÝîõâÝïðÝððäáðåéáĊ I bought this CRS Britten T-shirt at the 1994 Isle of Man TT. However, it was a tragic year for the CRS team as rider Mark Farmer died in a practice crash at Black Dub. John Britten was understandably extremely saddened by the incident. I can’t remember if the remaining pink-and-blue-painted bike was raced [Nick Jefferies rode it in the Senior and Formula 1, retiring from both, but not before a 118mph lap from a standing start in the Senior; see page 48 – Ed]. Steve Hislop won the Senior and Formula 1 races on a Honda. His average race speed in both races was just shy of 120mph – looked scary fast at the time… Graham Bell 29

Tyred of soft rubber I’ve been a biker for 51 years and never had a year without a bike – it’s fair to say I have a lot of miles under my belt. My first bike was a BSA 250cc SS80 on Avon SM MkII tyres. It’s a square tyre, so not suitable if you like to ride head down, back side in the air. But they never got a puncture or wore out. Today’s tyres are too soft. I’ve had punctures at 190, 410 and 518 miles, and had to have a new tyre. It was a ZR tyre; I was told I couldn’t repair it. Everyone goes on about being environmental, so why can’t manufactures make tyres hard wearing – even, dare I say, square for people who want to do more upright riding? The only time I get my knee down is when I check the oil level. I understand some riders want more grip and softer tyres. Let them have that – it suits their needs. But I am a rider who likes to get mileage out of a tyre. There’s also the cost of replacing the tyre, and the hassle. David Statham, Melton Mowbray Off-tract Forgive me for my tardy response to the May issue. It arrived here in the US about May 10, not March or April 10. I am a big fan of Mark Williams, having bought the first issue of Bike all those years ago and read most of them since. In the May issue he wrote about the Laverda Jota, which was voted number six in The greatest Italians of all time. That’s okay by me, even though I would have chosen the Laverda 750 SF2 – surely a better bike? What wasn’t okay was to continue the nonsense that Laverda made tractors. Laverda ‘Agricola’ started with wine presses and ended with combine harvesters, never a tractor. Today the brand is very hard to find on the farm having been bought, sold and merged any number of times. Interest in the motorcycles seems, however, to be secure if not increasing. I still ride a Laverda every summer, my 50th year of ownership. Long may you remain a printed monthly magazine. Tim Parker, Stillwater, Minnesota If we had rubber roads, would it allow tyres that lasted 200,000 miles or more…? Recommended read I read Riding is good for you (Bike, July) and the reference you made to Neil Peart of rock legends, Rush. You mentioned his book Ghost Rider, the story of his ride after the sad loss of his daughter and wife. An old work colleague of mine is a big Rush fan and told me about this book some years ago, and another book by Peart titled Roadshow, and I can truly recommend them. I am not a Rush fan, but Peart was a great guy and a wonderful writer. Both books are a great read and you really get to know Peart and all his adventures. Both these books just kept me enthralled. I still have these books and they are going nowhere. It was a sad loss as Peart died in 2020 from a form of brain cancer. A great mention for a great guy. Eddie Forty, Worcestershire Cost of service rating I have been an avid reader for many years and enjoy reading the group tests. But they lack a realistic review of the future costs of ownership. As an example, a friend has a KTM 1290 with a fair few miles under its wheels. It’s a fantastic machine. But besides worn tyres, the chain and sprockets need replacing and it’s due a major service including a valve check and plug replacement. This is costly. ²STAR LETTER ³ EACH MONTH WE GIVE AWAY A CABERG DUKE II HELMETAND A YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION TO BIKE FOR THE MONTH’S STAR LETTER. ON YOUR MARKS ‘Other Laverdas do exist… just’ I t’s not all about the Jota in the Laverda world (Bike, May). Others do exist… just! Like my M-reg 650 Sport, out recently in Cambridgeshire. Number 27 of the 100 kevlar specials, with WP suspension, Brembo Goldlines, and so on. Bought new in 1995. Showing 37,490km on the clock. Over the years most faults and issues that have been thrown at me (Italian character) have been fixed. It’s an old bone shaker of an engine but fully old-school analogue, no riding modes, ABS, IMUs… I have only seen one other red one and, even rarer, a green one. This and previous bikes – a Honda NC35 and Ducati Monster 797 – have been used on the track with around 70bhp or less. Ignore the trackday trophy hunters and enjoy yourself. Neil Dunham Piaggio own the Laverda name. New bike time? 30 Write off

Bike, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA Telephone 01733 468000 Email: [email protected] facebook.com/bikemagazineUK twitter.com/BikeMagazine Guzzi’s sticky-out bits and missing chain. That’s cash saved, is that After and before of Neil’s mutant BMW. Should have put the bikini fairing back on to add confusion… So, let’s look at two similar machines Bike might test in future: the Honda Africa Twin and Moto Guzzi Stelvio. The cost of tyres will be the same, but with shaft drive and easy-access valves, surely the cost of higher-mileage servicing will be much less – and quite possibly within the scope of competent home mechanics – for the Guzzi? To that end, can you please add a considered cost of ongoing ownership appraisal (or a rating) for each bike? Nick Brewer Only Bike does this ‘Oh for crying out,’ I thought after scooping the July issue off the mat. ‘Another test of the BMW R1300GS.’ However, for a split second I’d forgotten that I subscribe to Bike and that this means I don’t have to endure the same every-detail-must-match road tests that all other publications insist on doing. Seeing the new 1300 compared to the Royal Enfield 450, Yamaha 700 and Honda 1100 was both refreshing and eye-opening. Thank you for looking at the bigger picture and for printing tests that are entertaining, as well as useful. My other half is less enthused though, given I’ve ordered a new 450… Jason Buckminster Instantly recognised Loved Mat Oxley’s Slap in the face Yams feature in the July issue. As someone who got into bikes in the 1980s, every brand still has its own distinct colours in my head. Yams should be yellow and black, or white and red (depends on the vintage). Hondas should be red, blue and white, and of course it should be an offence to buy any Kawasaki in anything other than green. Blue and white for Suzukis, please. I’d never really thought about where these colourways and the memorable, striking schemes came from. Thanks for enlightening me. Also, many thanks for convincing me that I really do need a red and white Yamaha XSR900 GP waiting in the garage… Jeff Hardcastle Hasta la vista One or two crackers in your articles on people building their own specials (Bike, June). Back in the late ’80s I wrote off a BMW R90S. It sat in the garage for six months looking sad, then I read KTM and BMW used the same head bearings. I sourced a motocross front end… and yep, it fitted. Next was an enormous pair of WP shocks for which I fabricated a rear subframe out of deck chair tubing (honestly), a Suzuki RM250 seat and a load of cheap bits and pieces, and we were ready. An indestructible, 125mph off-roader. We named it Arnie. I sold it to a photographer who covered the Bosnia War on it. He was somewhat surprised when looking for front brake pads to find they were the same as a Yamaha FS1E as well as some Garelli mopeds. Neil Leigh, Spa, Belgium Not-so-quiet pint I’m in a pub in the South Downs. Everyone in it hates motorcycles, including me… and I’m a biker. The A29 Bury Hill has attracted plenty of bikes to it, which is great. But the noise from the bikes going past is ear-splitting to the point I’m embarrassed to be a motorcyclist. There’s no need for such loud pipes. Chris Taylor, Lancashire

AGO’S LEAP… OR JUMP? RST Superbike TT, lap two, and Davey Todd hurls his TAS Racing BMW M1000RR to second place. Photographer Dave Collister has been shooting the TT for 40 years, but never seen air like this at Ago’s. AGO’S LEAP… OR JUMP? RST Superbike TT, lap two, and Davey Todd hurls his TAS Racing BMW M1000RR to second place. Photographer Dave Collister has been shooting the TT for 40 years, but never seen air like this at Ago’s. AGO’S LEAP… OR JUMP? RST Superbike TT, lap two, and Davey Todd hurls his TAS Racing BMW M1000RR to second place. Photographer Dave Collister has been shooting the TT for 40 years, but never seen air like this at Ago’s. 32

For two weeks each year a small rock in the Irish Sea becomes the centre of the biking world. Time to celebrate the bikes, heroes and sheer oh-my-goodness of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy festival Photography Dave Collister For two weeks each year a small rock in the Irish Sea becomes the centre of the biking world. Time to celebrate the bikes, heroes and sheer oh-my-goodness of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy festival Photography Dave Collister 2024 IN PICTURES Glossy, fabulous, stop-and-gawp images from this year’s races. Page 32 25 YEARS OF MCGUINNESS John relives his first win in his own words, a quarter of a century on. Page 36 GREATEST TT BIKES EVER TT legends pick their favourites. The results are surprising… Page 42 YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? Bike’s Tom has never been to the TT… so we sent him to marshal. Page 50 ACOSTA AND THE ISLAND GP star Pedro Acosta talks TT with (TT winner) Mat Oxley Page 56 THE WHITE CHARGER We take Norton’s V4SV on a trip to ride a rather special machine. Page 58 2024 IN PICTURES Glossy, fabulous, stop-and-gawp images from this year’s races. Page 32 25 YEARS OF MCGUINNESS John relives his first win in his own words, a quarter of a century on. Page 36 GREATEST TT BIKES EVER TT legends pick their favourites. The results are surprising… Page 42 YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? Bike’s Tom has never been to the TT… so we sent him to marshal. Page 50 ACOSTA AND THE ISLAND GP star Pedro Acosta talks TT with (TT winner) Mat Oxley Page 56 THE WHITE CHARGER We take Norton’s V4SV on a trip to ride a rather special machine. Page 58 2024 IN PICTURES Glossy, fabulous, stop-and-gawp images from this year’s races. Page 32 25 YEARS OF MCGUINNESS John relives his first win in his own words, a quarter of a century on. Page 36 GREATEST TT BIKES EVER TT legends pick their favourites. The results are surprising… Page 42 YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? Bike’s Tom has never been to the TT… so we sent him to marshal. Page 50 ACOSTA AND THE ISLAND GP star Pedro Acosta talks TT with (TT winner) Mat Oxley Page 56 THE WHITE CHARGER We take Norton’s V4SV on a trip to ride a rather special machine. Page 58 The epic bikes, amazing people and landmark events in your special section: [CONTENTS ] 33 SPECIAL EDITION

‘Is there a better illustration of what makes the Isle of Man TT so special?’ THERE’S JUST NOWHERE ELSE LIKE IT James Hillier leads John McGuinness and James Hind away from the Bungalow during practice. Is there a better illustration of what makes the TT special? Love the retro paint on Hind’s GSX-R. THERE’S JUST NOWHERE ELSE LIKE IT James Hillier leads John McGuinness and James Hind away from the Bungalow during practice. Is there a better illustration of what makes the TT special? Love the retro paint on Hind’s GSX-R. THERE’S JUST NOWHERE ELSE LIKE IT James Hillier leads John McGuinness and James Hind away from the Bungalow during practice. Is there a better illustration of what makes the TT special? Love the retro paint on Hind’s GSX-R. 34

INTO THE RECORD BOOKS Michael Dunlop led Supersport qualifying after swapping his Triumph 765 for his Yamaha R6. Here he’s at the end of Cronk-y-Voddy, on his way to winning Supersport Race 1 and equalling his uncle Joey’s tally of 26 wins. Michael then won Supertwin Race 1, making him the most successful TT rider of all time. THE ICONIC LOCATION Given riders plunge down from a standing start, it’s no wonder Bray Hill is so popular. This is Dean Harrison on the factory Honda – both wheels off the ground, out the seat, at about 170mph. THE ICONIC LOCATION Given riders plunge down from a standing start, it’s no wonder Bray Hill is so popular. This is Dean Harrison on the factory Honda – both wheels off the ground, out the seat, at about 170mph. THE ICONIC LOCATION Given riders plunge down from a standing start, it’s no wonder Bray Hill is so popular. This is Dean Harrison on the factory Honda – both wheels off the ground, out the seat, at about 170mph. BMWs TOP THE SPEED FIGURES Peter Hickman at Bishopscourt. The FHO Racing BMW M1000RRs of him and Josh Brookes were consistently fast in the Sulby Straight speed trap – how’s 205.6mph sound? BMWs TOP THE SPEED FIGURES Peter Hickman at Bishopscourt. The FHO Racing BMW M1000RRs of him and Josh Brookes were consistently fast in the Sulby Straight speed trap – how’s 205.6mph sound? BMWs TOP THE SPEED FIGURES Peter Hickman at Bishopscourt. The FHO Racing BMW M1000RRs of him and Josh Brookes were consistently fast in the Sulby Straight speed trap – how’s 205.6mph sound? 35 TT special

Evidence of quite a bit of TT success – and the 1999 race is what set it in motion šÝêàðäáffl%%%îÝßáåï 36 SPECIAL EDITION

In 1999, a young hotshot won the Lightweight TT – and it set him on the way to becoming an Isle of Man legend. On the 25th anniversary, John McGuinness tells the story of his first-ever win By Jon Urry Photography Adam Shorrock, Pacemaker Press and Bauer In 1999, a young hotshot won the Lightweight TT – and it set him on the way to becoming an Isle of Man legend. On the 25th anniversary, John McGuinness tells the story of his first-ever win By Jon Urry Photography Adam Shorrock, Pacemaker Press and Bauer Getting fruity over Ballaugh Bridge on the way to his very first victory Sealed with a kiss – and it’s perfectly natural behaviour given what the 250 means to John 37

FANCY MATERIALS The 17in Marchesini wheels are magnesium with Dunlop slicks. Ëêffl%%$™%%ðäáðáÝé experimented with carbon wheels and carbon discs – John even tested with one carbon disc and one steel to see what effect it had… FANCY MATERIALS The 17in Marchesini wheels are magnesium with Dunlop slicks. Ëêffl%%$™%%ðäáðáÝé experimented with carbon wheels and carbon discs – John even tested with one carbon disc and one steel to see what effect it had… FANCY MATERIALS The 17in Marchesini wheels are magnesium with Dunlop slicks. Ëêffl%%$™%%ðäáðáÝé experimented with carbon wheels and carbon discs – John even tested with one carbon disc and one steel to see what effect it had… ‘If I hadn’t won the 1999 Lightweight TT, I don’t think I’d have gone on to win as many’ s I was in the waiting area ready to roll up to the start at the top of Bray Hill, Paul Bird whispered in my ear: ‘It’s your time now… go out there and get it won.’ He was right. It was my fourth year at the TT, so I had the experience, and the bike was amazing – it was a case of now or never. Honestly, if I hadn’t won the 1999 Lightweight TT, I don’t think I would have gone on to win as many as I have. I simply wouldn’t have had the belief in myself that you need to push as hard as you have to at the TT. I debuted at the TT in 1996, took my first podium in 1997 and podiumed again in 1998, but 1999 was different. I knew I was on the best bike on the grid with the Paul Bird Racing Vimto Honda TSR250 and my season was going incredibly well. Riders sometimes hit a bit of a golden patch and 1999 was one of those years where I could do no wrong. Although I was only a few races into the 250 British championship I was leading the way [John was on the podium at every round and won the title] and I won at Daytona, the Scarborough Gold Cup, everything aside from the North West 200 – job was on fire! I was at one with the TSR250. I remember coming out of the trap and by the bottom of Bray Hill the bike was absolutely singing. It was perfectly on the pipe and I remember thinking to myself, ‘yep, it’s now or never, get your head down John.’ And I had no worries at all about the bike because it had been put together by Stuart Bland. Blandy is a whizz when it comes to two-strokes. He used to get out his barometer, look at the skies and then dig out needles and jets and off we went. Throughout practice the bike ran perfectly and as I only had it and the NSR500 to ride [John raced the V-twin 500GP bike in the Formula 1 race], I was totally dialled into both the bike and TT course. I ended up breaking the lap record from a standing start and then upped it again on lap two, so to be honest the race was pretty straightforward. That might sound blasé, and no TT win is easy, but after the pit stop I had a good lead and rode the race to my pit boards. And the expected challenge from Joey Dunlop didn’t happen. ‘I’m the winner!’ And not a bead of sweat to show for it 38

ATTENTION TO DETAIL John’s bike came with one A-kit silencer, so Stuart Bland made an identical kevlar replica for the other side for the FW Developments stainless-steel expansion chamber pipe. ATTENTION TO DETAIL John’s bike came with one A-kit silencer, so Stuart Bland made an identical kevlar replica for the other side for the FW Developments stainless-steel expansion chamber pipe. ATTENTION TO DETAIL John’s bike came with one A-kit silencer, so Stuart Bland made an identical kevlar replica for the other side for the FW Developments stainless-steel expansion chamber pipe. ZINGING STROKER 249cc (54 x 54.5mm), two-stroke, 75° V-twin. It runs Avgas with a 33:1 premix. PROPER FAST Honda RS250s made 85bhp-ish – John’s TT bike had an A-kit motor with a strong 90bhp. His average TT race speed was 116.79mph; at Daytona, åðàåàffl" éìäåêðäáïìááàðîÝì PROPER FAST Honda RS250s made 85bhp-ish – John’s TT bike had an A-kit motor with a strong 90bhp. His average TT race speed was 116.79mph; at Daytona, åðàåàffl" éìäåêðäáïìááàðîÝì PROPER FAST Honda RS250s made 85bhp-ish – John’s TT bike had an A-kit motor with a strong 90bhp. His average TT race speed was 116.79mph; at Daytona, åðàåàffl" éìäåêðäáïìááàðîÝì 39 The perfect bike John’s wife Becky has only ever let two bikes into their house: his 130mph-lap HM Plant Honda Fireblade, and his beloved Vimto Honda TSR250… º This isn’t actually my 1999 bike – I have no idea where that is. After the 2000 season it was sold to a lad called Lawrence Hopper and I’m led to believe he cartwheeled it a few times. I’ve had people come up to me and say ‘I’ve got your 1999 bike’ but it certainly isn’t complete or as I raced it. Mine is a replica, but one you can ride and enjoy and is as close as possible to the 1999 bike in every detail. The chassis is built by Japanese firm Technical Sports Racing, and in 1999 you bought one of their chassis [which arrived in parts] with its WP suspension and VWXFN{LQD+RQGD56HQJLQH,QffiffiffiP\HQJLQHZDV an A-kit motor but this bike runs a standard production RQH2QO\{WRSOHYHOUDFHUVJRWWKH$NLWsLWKDVGLIIHUHQW crankcases, a different crank, different gearbox, different cylinders, magnesium carbs, an advanced LJQLWLRQDQGPRUHJDLQLQJDERXWEKSRQWKHSURGXFWLRQ motor and pushing it to 90bhp. The 17in wheels are magnesium and made by Marchesini, and the brakes are 1999 Nissin calipers which were a nightmare to get hold of. Period Brembos are much more plentiful but I pestered the Nissin guys when I was in the 2012 Endurance World Championship and they dug some out from an old cupboard. The bike was painted by Ally at Bike Paints, who has sadly just died. He did the paint in 1999 and the British championship sponsors’ stickers are lacquered over while the TT sponsors’ stickers aren’t. This is as the bike was in 1999 as once the TT was over, we peeled the TT sponsors’ stickers off and the fairing was back in British trim. I still get the bike out, but I don’t ride it much as parts are so hard to come by. When I do it is lovely to ride, though DGPLWWHGO\LWGRHVQoWIHHODVJRRGDVLQffiffiffis{PDLQO\DV,oP heavier. Back then I was moulded to the bike and it felt just perfect; now my belly sits on the tank and it breaks my heart! 25 years of McG

My only disappointment about the whole day was the fact Joey had a bad ride – he had won the previous two Lightweight TTs that I’d had podium finishes in and was the man to beat on a 250. In 1999 he started number 12, which was odd as he usually went off 3, and I was looking forward to using him as a marker to track down. I don’t know why he went off 12 but James Courtney crashed in front of him at Greeba Castle and that seemed to put him off his stride as he finished fifth. There again, I broke the lap record and race record that had stood since 1990 – so it was a proper win and far from an easy run. On the final lap you’re always listening for any odd noises, whispering to the bike and changing up gears a bit earlier than normal, as it’s a long race and anything can happen. But you still need to go at a fair pace to keep your concentration up. You are never finished until you cross the line and a silly tip-off at the Creg or Governor’s Bridge can easily wrench your fingertips off that trophy. Crossing the finish line was an odd feeling – I look back at the interviews I gave afterwards, and I just spoke a load of shit. It was almost a massive anti-climax, I was left wanting more but I’d achieved something I’d wanted to do since I first went to the TT in 1982 on a BMX when I was ten. You can’t help but look back at all the sacrifices you and your family have made to reach that point, it’s a very emotional and surreal moment. That night we all got bladdered and blew the roof off the Villa Marina – it was the days before me and Becky had kids – and then it was back to normal life. I had to hand back the big trophy, as you only get that for the podium pictures, but I took the winner’s trophy back to Becky’s house. I didn’t have a home in 1999 – we were living with her parents and I was on the sofa, so I think it lived on their dining room table for the rest of the year! After I’d taken it to bed with me a few times… ‘I broke the lap and race record that had stood since 1990 – it was a proper win’ …but it was the first step to becoming a TT heavyweight. No wonder he enjoys the fruits of his success Guinness nail it once again with their ad slogans as McGuinness rounds Parliament Square Fresh as a daisy and in the zone. It was a Lightweight win… 40 25 years of McG

ºI’m torn. I love the Yamaha TZ350 because you could take it out of the crate, put some Dunlop tyres on, get the jetting right and win a TT. But my favourite is the Kawasaki KR750. Nowadays there are road bikes with more horsepower, but at the time it was cutting-edge technology which was very exciting. And it was fast – in 1977 I was timed coming down towards the Creg at 190mph. But back then things broke. In 1975 I set the lap record then the chain broke. In 1976 the clutch went on the line so I only did a lap. In 1977, while I won the race, we had to adjust the chain every time I came in for fuel, and it was jumping the sprockets on the final lap. We didn’t have much to do with settings, because we didn’t have them. You could change springs and the oil in the forks, and that was about it. Once I got the KR so I could hold it flat down Sulby Straight, I knew I had it sorted. We didn’t worry about anything else. It was really exciting because I’d do a Bank Holiday meeting at Brands Hatch on my number one factory KR, jump in a private plane parked at the back of Brands and fly to the Isle of Man for practice that evening. I didn’t even take my leathers off. It was brilliant. The KR drank fuel though. There used to be a commentary point at The Bungalow, where Ian Cannell worked, and I told him that if I had a big lead I was almost certainly going to pit on the fifth lap to splash some fuel in, to be on the safe side. I told him that as I came past his commentary position I’d lean over and point down at the fairing if I needed fuel. In the race I had a minute and half lead, so I pointed at the fairing as agreed, and he said on the PA, ‘oh it looks like Mick Grant has a problem’, so Nigel [Everett, Mick’s mechanic in the pits] knew I was coming in and got the quick filler ready. It was a good system. But I changed my mind – so I came past the pits at 160mph and could see Nigel struggling to hold the quick filler, standing there with his mouth open. ,{ZDVJLJJOLQJDOOWKHZD\GRZQ%UD\+LOODQG cruised round the final lap to make sure the fuel lasted [it did, he won – Ed]. MICK GRANT 7 WINS 16 PODIUMS We asked a gaggle of some of the finest TT riders to pick their favourite bikes. And the choices might not be what you’d expect… By John Westlake Photography TTRacePics.com, Dave Collister, Bauer We asked a gaggle of some of the finest TT riders to pick their favourite bikes. And the choices might not be what you’d expect… By John Westlake Photography TTRacePics.com, Dave Collister, Bauer 42 SPECIAL EDITION

43 ‘It was cutting-edge technology at the time. And it was fast – in 1977 I was timed coming down towards the Creg at 190mph’ 43 Greatest bikes

º The first one that comes to mind is my own Honda CBR600 that I won my second TT on in 1993 – I blitzed the race on a bike I’d built myself during the winter. That was satisfying. It was unbeatable – I won the British championship, North West 200 and TT, all on a bike with a standard rear shock. I’d made the bike so light that it worked fine. The CBR only made 108bhp, but I got it down to 140kg, so the power to weight was phenomenal for the time. I’d replaced every single bolt to make it lighter, and the ones I couldn’t replace I’d drilled out the centres. $OO{WKHHQJLQHEROWV ZHUH{KROORZ It was a steel frame back then and I ground it away – I left the headstock strong but I ground away any unnecessary brackets, then just skimmed the whole thing. I lost 2.5 lb from the frame alone. I drilled the rear subframe until it looked like a Swiss cheese – there were holes everywhere. It wouldn’t have crashed very well but ,{ZDVQoWZRUU\LQJDERXWWKDW+RQGDZHUHORYLQJLW EHFDXVH{,ZDVZLQQLQJDOOWKHVHUDFHVZLWKSUHWW\PXFK standard equipment. The only rival to that is the Honda NSR500 V-twin I rode for Padgetts a couple of times. That was fantastic. I didn’t win – I got a second – but it should have won. If they’d made a tyre for it, it would have definitely won a TT. It was very light and lively and was hard to ride, but I loved it. You were on the back wheel almost everywhere. Moodie and NSR, so close you could get a high-five. No other event gets you so close to the action. Iconic viewpoint, too JIM MOODIE 8 WINS 12 PODIUMS 44

Moodie and the CBR600 – an unbeatable combination ‘I blitzed the race on a bike I’d built myself during the winter. I won the British championship, NW200 and TT – it was unbeatable’ 45 Greatest bikes

º One of my biggest regrets is not keeping my 2013 Kawasaki ZX-10R and tweaking it from year to year – like McGuinness did with the Honda Fireblade. If I’d stayed on that bike it would have made my career. I bought it myself in 2013 and fitted K-Tech forks and shock. It only had 181bhp but I led that year’s Superstock TT until the final lap when there was a breather fault and it sprayed a bit of oil on to my boot, so I backed off [coming second – Ed]. The following year we refreshed it – it made 186bhp – and I led the North West 200 until I had a quickshifter fault on the final lap when I was four seconds ahead; I ended up third. Then at the TT my first practice lap was 130.4mph from a standing start with a couple of hold-ups. I got stuck behind Dean Harrison – who went on to do a 129mph lap, so wasn’t hanging about – and Michael Dunlop. Michael knew he was holding me up, so put his leg out – I passed him and cleared off. That’s how fast the bike was. It would have been the lap record without them. Unfortunately, in the race I hit a damp patch and it nearly killed me. But it was so easy to ride, and silky off the bottom end [Gary had a Power Commander on the secondary injectors to smooth the fuelling out]. Also, we extended the fuel tank, which put more weight on the front, and the 2013 bikes had a massive screen which acted like a big wing, pushing even more weight on the front. It just would not wheelie, so I could keep the throttle open. I should have had a TT win on the ZX-10R, and if I’d kept it I could have won more. Instead, I moved teams and it was never the same. º,{ORYHG my Yamaha FZR400RR SP. It was a wonderful bike to ride. It didn’t drain you like a big bike and there are sections of the course where if you got them right, they were flat – the sense of achievement from getting a series of corners perfect, going really fast and not shutting the throttle is immense. I had some good results on it [four podiums - Ed]. But because I was doing well, there was a bit more pressure, whereas with my FZ750, I didn’t have any. It was a standard road bike I developed, and it became very fast – that was more me. Also, the original Yamaha GTS1000 was unexpectedly good [Steve was sixth in the ’95 Senior TT on the sports tourer with the funny front end], and the second version gave me great satisfaction because I’d made it – new frame, the lot. That was joyous [Steve came tenth in the ’96 Senior on that one]. But my favourite is the Manx Norton. Riding one round the place it was designed for was fantastic. The original one I rode in 1992 was a wondrous thing. And it’s not just me – I was there when Dean Harrison got off Ted Woof’s Manx at last year’s Classic TT [winning and doing a 111mph lap in the process] and said ‘that’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden’. There’s something about a Manx on song in the Isle of Man – the chassis and engine are perfectly matched and it’s got a big flywheel set low, so it’s amazingly stable. You don’t think you’re going fast so you can keep it lit. Many bikes now are road bikes turned into racers; the Manx was a race bike. GARY JOHNSON 2 WINS 5 PODIUMS 46 STEVE LINSDELL 0 WINS 7 PODIUMS Greatest bikes

Dean Harrison, Manx Norton, Classic TT – a match made åêäáÝòáê ÙäÝðßëñèàäÝòá been – Johnson wishes he kept his ZX-10R ‘If I’d have stayed on the ZX-10R it would have made my career’ 47

together. Those laps were a lot of fun – I remember all of us came into Parliament Square together. My bike was standard with a set of plugs and a tooth bigger on the front. I finished fourth behind Leach, Foggy and Ward. What a fantastic race that was. The Britten was fun to ride, too. Its main problem was it was unreliable. I did a 118mph lap on it, which doesn’t sound much now, but was pretty good 30 years ago. Sadly, in the race the gearbox and clutch extracted themselves from the engine cases and went flying out past my right leg and down the road to visit Phil McCallen behind me. There was just a big hole where there used to be a clutch and gearbox. I rested the bike against a hedge, walked down a side road towards the coast for 50 yards and suddenly I couldn’t go any further – it had been a hell of a two weeks. I lay in a hedge and fell into a deep sleep for half an hour. That was the Britten experience. Unforgettable in DOO{ZD\V ºI did 99 TT races and rode a mix of bikes – Britten, K100RS, CBR1000F, RC30, RC45, OW-01… so picking one is difficult. But the bike I enjoyed most was the FZR400RR SP in 1990. I rode the OW-01 in the F1 the same day and came second to Foggy, finishing at 4pm. They started the 400 Supersport race at 5.30pm, so after the rostrum and press conference I just had time for a wash, then put my leathers straight back on. Fresh as a daisy I was not. I set off down Bray Hill and it was running on three cylinders, so I’m thinking ‘what a waste of time’. I was gutted, but I thought I’d carry on and see if it cleared. Even on three it was a lovely bike to ride – flat as a fart, but lovely. Going up the hill out of Union Mills I noticed I was catching Steve Hislop, and I assumed he must also be having bother. I went flying past him and that’s when I realised it wasn’t on three – it was on four, but just felt slow compared to the OW-01. After that Foggy and Dave Leach caught me, then we caught Steve Cull, Steve Ward and Brian Reid and we all URGH{URXQG The Britten: fun, unreliable – and unforgettable NICK JEFFERIES 1 WIN 10 PODIUMS 48

Jefferies on his FZR400RR SP: standard apart from plugs and gearing, good enough for fourth Jefferies on his FZR400RR SP: standard apart from plugs and gearing, good enough for fourth ‘Foggy and Dave Leach caught me, then we caught Steve Cull, Steve Ward and Brian Reid and we rode round together – those laps were a lot of fun’ ‘Foggy and Dave Leach caught me, then we caught Steve Cull, Steve Ward and Brian Reid and we rode round together – those laps were a lot of fun’ 49 Greatest bikes

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