Category: Reviews

Recently I found myself in the market for replacement steed and my category of choice was a new middleweight street bike. After months of research and looking at various models I settled on the new Honda CB750 Hornet. I’d had a test ride and absolutely loved it. Anyway, I visited my local dealer (C J Ball in Norwich, Norfolk) to let them know what spec I wanted and to place the order. Now, I’d seen snippets of information here and there about a new Suzuki that was coming out but to be honest I hadn’t really given it much thought.

Curiosity Got the Better of Me

C J Ball are a dual franchise dealer, Honda and Suzuki, and while I was there, I spotted the new Suzuki GSX 8S over on the Suzuki forecourt. Intrigued I wandered across to have a look, more out of curiosity than anything else. To cut a long story short, I test rode the Suzuki back-to-back with the new Honda Hornet and went for the new Suzuki instead. I have to say that both bikes are fantastic and if you’re in the market for this size of bike then they’re both well worth a look. I opted for the Suzuki GSX 8S because it suited my style of riding more.

A New Dawn for Suzuki

The GSX 8S (I’ll refer to it as just the 8S from now) is a brand-new model from Suzuki. There is no carryover or revamped parts from older models. As far as I’m aware, it’s the first true all-new, big bike platform from the firm since the SV650 in 1999. The 8S is a 776cc Parallel Twin producing 82 bhp @ 8500rpm and 78Nm of Torque @ 6800rpm. The engine also uses a 270° firing pattern that mimics V-twin delivery and with a twin balancer shaft layout.

The engine is as smooth as silk with zero vibration. The amount of sheer grunt available is remarkable. For example, it’ll pull in 6^th gear from as little as 2000rpm with next to no hesitation or fuss. The engine does seem to run out of steam slightly as it nears the red line but knocking it up a gear sees you’re rewarded with another surge of acceleration from that torquey motor.

Impressive new engine

A Diet Needed?

In terms of dimensions, the 8S is on the heavier side compared its rivals, its 202kg. That makes it 12kg heavier than Honda’s Hornet, 18kg more than Yamaha’s MT-07 and the about the same as KTM’s 790 Duke. It’s 2kg heavier than an SV650. It’s also a comparatively big bike, it’s the same overall length as a GSX-S1000 and has a 5mm longer wheelbase. But don’t let that fool you into thinking the 8S is heavy or hard to manage.

Flicking the 8S around on a combination of tight hairpins and long, open bends at a decent pace, the Suzuki is the perfect balance of size, weight and stability. It steers and tracks a line with reliable, predictable precision. I have found the bike so very easy to handle and not at all intimidating. It’s an easy bike to ride slowly, ideal for weaving around slow moving and stationary traffic around town.

A149 Roadside Ormesby St. Michael

The 8S comes with a 5-inch TFT display which is very clear and easy to read. It’s unaffected by bright sunlight and also self-dims automatically when it needs to: Like riding at night or if you suddenly find yourself riding through a dark wooded area. Unfortunately, there is no Bluetooth connectivity available here which is not an issue for me but may disappoint some.

Textbook: Crisp, clear and concise

Spoilt for Choice

Like a lot of modern-day bikes, the 8S comes with ABS, traction control and rider modes. The traction control has four settings including off. Additionally the rider modes (called SDMS – Suzuki Drive Mode Selector) has three settings. ‘A’ mode is the equivalent of sport mode, with the most aggressive response setting. ‘B’ mode is your everyday standard mode and ‘C’ mode is for wet/slippy conditions. A useful feature is that the traction control and rider modes can all be adjusted very easily while you’re riding. No need to stop or fiddle with complicated menus.

All of the usual stuff is also featured on the display: gear indicator, speed (mph or kmh), rev counter, two trip computers (which calculate MPG’s), clock, engine temp, fuel gauge. The TFT also lets you know which traction control and rider mode you’re currently in. Headlights and brake lights are all LED while the indicators remain old school bulbs. LED indicators are available as on option but it would have been nice for these to be standard, in my opinion.

Slick shifter

An up/down quickshifter is also standard equipment. This can be switched off in the settings on the TFT display if you prefer. I found the quickshifter to be excellent when you’re picking up the pace. Both upshifts and down are seamless and precise. My only criticism is that at very slow speed I have found it to be a tad clunky. However, when you’re in town and creeping past slow-moving traffic, then feathering the clutch for better bike control is more important than faster gear changes via the quickshifter. I’m just in the habit now of using the clutch normally around town and then enjoying the quickshifter when the pace starts to pick up when you leave the urban jungle.

Comfortable & Economical

The riding position is spread out and generously spaced. Its seat is wide, supportive and made from the right density of foam. There’s plenty of leg room, and the bars are the right angle and distance from the rider’s body to make an aggressive, but not aggravating, stance. Front suspension is non-adjustable upside-down forks and the rear shock is a mono with seven pre load settings. Even though the suspension set up is fairly basic the ride is good and is reassuringly firm. This works for me as I’m more of a fan of a firmer ride rather than something with a softer setup that feels like it’s bouncing along giving that unsure feel when cornering.

Regarding economy, in the two weeks of ownership the trip computer is telling me that I’ve averaged 61.5 mpg. However, seeing as I’m still running the engine in so have been taking it relatively easy, I expect this will drop a bit when I can give it some more beans. Tank size is 14 litres (just over 3 gallons) so is par for the course for this category of bike. I would’ve liked a slightly bigger tank but there you go.

Added Bling

At the moment there’s not a huge selection of accessories available as it’s a new model. I have fitted the front visor screen, which does help to deflect the buffeting that you get from a naked upright bike. A single seat cowl has been added: I don’t require a pillion seat. Finally I’ve also installed an under cowl, which is like a mini belly pan. Other mods that I’m looking at are a tail tidy. I’m not a huge fan of that rear fender and maybe an after-market exhaust system.

Speaking of the exhaust, the one on the 8S is so very quiet. When you are riding at low speed around town you can hardly hear it. However, when you hit the open road and open the throttle, you get a satisfying deep-down roar from that 270-degree firing pattern. It’s quite a short stubby exhaust with most of it hidden out of sight beneath the bike. I’m pretty sure that Akrapovic, Scorpion etc. will soon be releasing their exhausts to fit the 8S. So people can choose whether to keep things quite or if they want to be heard from a mile away.

Well Put Together

Fit and finish is excellent and the build quality appears to be top notch. For instance, using aluminium for the swing arm rather than steel. It’s the finishing touches that make all the difference: The bike doesn’t feel as if it’s lacking anything or cut price in any area. The painted subframe, bolt-specs, the colour scheme and general finish in the cockpit, the clocks, it all adds up to make the 8S a more pleasant place to spend your riding time.

Time Will Tell

Reliability is still an unknown quantity being a brand-new engine and all. However given the engine is not in a high-revving, high-stress state of tune, I’m pretty confident that it’ll soon prove itself.

Suzuki faces some tough competition in this sector of the market and time will tell if they’ve got themselves a winner, or not.

Words and Pictures: David Chan 05/06/2023

Recently I was lucky enough to have an hour long test ride today on a base specification Moto Guzzi  V100 Mandello. It looked great in white with gold wheels.

It’s a handsome beast in my opinion

For once this ‘summer’ the weather was playing ball: Dry and cool at 15c with a high overcast cloud cover. Later it got sunny close to the end of the hour. I trundled my Yamaha R7 the hour’s journey from my home in Wymondham down to Stowmarket in Suffolk.

Here I was greeted by the Mototechniks Aprilia/Guzzi/Piaggio salesman and a quick sign up to provide my licence and NI number before a demo of the controls. Always good to be given a run through as modern bikes do tend to have so many toys these days

Formalities Over Let’s Get on With it!

Heading out onto the A14. I did an 18-19 mile loop a couple of times that took in fast A road, a sweeping B road and a twisty B road with sharp bends. I also mixed in  some 30mph village and light traffic through the middle of Stowmarket.

Just under 40 miles in about 58 minutes of riding provided a reasonable overview of the bike. First impressions on moving away from the shop is a little disorientation from the polar opposite riding position and weight/balance from the R7 I’d just stepped off: The V100 is taller and the higher bars with lower, more forward pegs made manoeuvring the increased weight tricky initially. By the time I’d got the bike out onto the road and rolled up to the A14 slip road roundabout I’d acclimatised enough to give it some berries onto the dual carriageway.

Grunty

It picks up very cleanly from low revs with a good shove of grunt. Then at about 5k rpm it begins to bellow nicely from the airbox and takes off with an impressive surge. The base spec bike doesn’t have the Quick-shifter that is standard on the S model. Another thing to adjust to having just been riding the R7 with its Yamaha optional fit Q shifter.

The Guzzi  isn’t too keen on clutch-less changes unless the throttle is dipped well. So I find myself dipping the clutch for as clean a change as I can to match the smoothness of the engine. Turning off the A14 onto the A140 I press on through some long corners with reasonable elevation changes. Then past the Stonham Barns turning and onto the Stowupland junction. Here I turn onto the B road running through the rolling Suffolk countryside with a selection of S bends and sharp turns with occasional 30 and 40 limit villages.

Getting Into the feel of the Mandello Now

I’m getting the flow of the bike and starting to throw it into the turns a little more. The leverage of the bars and the excellent suspension and brakes mean it’s an easy bike to press on with: Nimble without ever getting twitchy. The Guzzi pulling up well for the tighter turns and lunging forward away from them with little effort and grin inducing noise. Returning through the outskirts of Stowmarket it’s an easy bike to manoeuvre through traffic and 30mph limits. Often balancing at standstill for a few seconds before pulling away and only then realising you’d not put a foot down.

Lets Go Round Again…

I begin the loop again, pressing on more this time and swapping the riding mode from Road to Sport. There’s a Tour and Rain mode too, but I didn’t bother with them. I even lowered the electrically adjusted screen. I let the bike rev out as I head down the slip road onto the dual carriageway again and it is mere moments until the speedo is reading high enough that I have to roll off to preserve my licence and click the cruise control on!

Time for a chill

The cruise and other functions work well: Easy to operate and the TFT dash is clear and informative. Not only that but it’s also very pretty. Anyone with a modern Aprilia is aware how good this set of electronic equipment is. Therefore it came as no surprise that the application here is as effective as those stable-mates.

It’s my first experience of it and I’m very impressed. Back onto the twisties after another blast along the Single Carriageway stretch of the A140 and I’m able to press on more, pushing as hard as I had on the R7 on the way through earlier. Once you get used to the balance and how quickly it turns with the leverage the bars give you it’s possible to string together a lovely flowing rhythm and the response of the engine in sport mode is just a little crisper to back this up. I trundle back into the dealers after filling the bike back up in the BP station next door, before handing back the keys. Incidentally the big V Twin ‘s used just over 3 litres of fuel in the hour I was out.

The verdict?

Overall I have to say that it’s a hell of a thing. It’s a physically large bike and you can feel it’s a heavy one too. Particularly stepping straight off an R7. However, it’s been really well thought out and just works whatever you throw at it. It feels a teeny bit more top heavy than my old V11: The engine is a taller.  Still a 90° V twin it’s the overhead cams making it taller when compared to Guzzis of old. In addition moving the Fuel Injection etc to between the cylinders has put more weight higher there too. However, as soon as the bike is rolling it just flows along effortlessly.

They’ve really put effort into the build quality and components and the base spec suspension feels as good as anything I’ve ridden on the road. Certainly on a par with the Ktech kitted R7 and miles better than the stock R7 fit.

God knows how good the S model is with the Ohlins kit. Brakes are brilliant, being decent specification Brembos you’d expect that. The clutch is light yet positive: Another brembo master cylinder.

Love the Meaty V Twin and Intuitive Tech

That all new engine is an absolute hoot too. OK so 100hp isn’t setting the world alight but it’s enough to outpace regular traffic comfortably. Just as importantly the way it does it is hilarious: The Mandello sounds amazing.

The electronics and dash, along with the fun little things like the electric screen and winglets just make it fun without being gimmicky.

Can it Take Life on UK Roads?

The test bike has been in use since December and has covered over 1000 miles in all weathers and road conditions, through the months of salt and ice. Whilst benefiting from a good cleaning regimen and ACF50 it’s held up very impressively and still looks like new. I’m testing a Ducati Supersport 950S next weekend, so will decide between the Guzzi, the Ducati or another sports car  after that. Currently a Mandello S in green is top of the list.

Words and Pictures: Dave Court

Whilst I gently pondered on what to do with my slightly leggy KTM, in proper motorcyclist fashion I started to contemplate the new options. Having previously tried a couple of the Japanese Adventure bike offerings and being less than impressed, I looked a bit closer to home, Europe.  In my head there are certain attributes that all the premium European Adventure bikes have:

• BMW GS: Reliable, well supported, loads of accessories, really popular: been there, seen it, done it
• Triumph Explorer: A bigger more grown-up version of the 800 Tiger I had as my first big bike . Ridden a couple as loan bikes, impressed but not quite there for me.
• KTM1290 Super Adventure : Superbike engine in an Adventure frame, flakey dealer support….still loving mine
• Ducati Multistrada : A little more stylish than the rest, great sounding engines, horrific servicing costs.

Time to Try One Out

So, it looks like the first port of call is the Ducati Dealer in Worcester. I’ll ignore the purchase price and servicing costs for the moment and tick the V4 box. I need to get my priorities right!!

So, Saturday morning comes around and after a quick bit of admin I’m in possession of the keyless key and staring at a rather stylish looking motorbike.

The Handsome Beast (This was also the name of local Birmingham band in 1980’s you know…)

A quick run through of the controls before setting off. However, I had no intention of playing with electronic suspension or throttle settings.  I am sat astride the Italian beast ready to hit the starter button whilst I admire the LCD screen. Hitting the red button awakens the engine is a muted steady beat, unlike the usual Ducati L-twin bark. Then easily snick it into first gear and let out the light clutch and we’re underway.

Neatly presented information on the TFT screen

First impressions are that you sit slightly “in the bike” rather than on it. Possibly because of the tall tank and the location of the LCD panel. The bike is light to manoeuvre especially with the wide bars. There is something a little strange with the exhaust though; it seems to lag the throttle by ½ a second: You open the throttle expecting a joyous noise but nothing initially and then close it awaiting the thrum and bark but more of the same. When it does catch up, the noise is great, different to anything else I’ve ridden. Maybe I need to be on the throttle quicker or perhaps the engine is tuned to the seemingly obligatory Termignoni or Akrapovič aftermarket pipe that all Ducati’s are fitted with. We’ll ignore the £1000 on-cost!

Speedy locals

As I round the corner of the Worcester city one-way I tuck in behind a local chap (Worcester dealer plate) on a newish z1000. Well, he clearly knew the local roads and wasn’t shy in showing me how quick his bike accelerated. Well, I thought I’d see if I could keep him company and give him more chances to show off. Thankfully, the Ducati was more than capable of keep up: It turns out that even after only 2 miles on a demo bike that I was quite significantly “making progress” along the dual track out of Worcester! Perhaps I should show a bit of caution. Play time stopped as we went our separate ways but I didn’t care, I was on my regular route home along the A44. A 25mile route of sweeping bends and short straight that makes for a glorious ride that I had been enjoying daily (and getting quicker) on my KTM. This should be a good comparison!!

Lived up to Expectations

Well, the Multistrada didn’t disappoint, throttle response was great, instantaneous power delivered smoothly and endlessly accompanied by a glorious blarr from the exhaust. The ride was smooth and controlled, soaking up the bumps and undulations and very little fork dive when braking for the occasional tight bend. It tipped into the corners with ease and gripped effortless. Watching the rev counter climb and looking out to the open road I was definitely “in the zone”.

Was I going quicker than on my KTM? Possibly, but not by much. What it does show is how easy a ride this bike was. Do I think that I would run out of talent long before the capabilities of the bike? Oh  yes, something to keep very much in mind! I am sure that sometime during the summer I had considered buying a lower powered bike to slow me down. Foolish boy! In short, by the time I was home I was slightly smitten.

Slim and you sit in rather than on the V4

I walked the boss-lady/financial controller around the bike. She thought it was lovely too but did insist on asking the sensible questions about price and whether I really needed a bike that was that powerful or had that many toys. I mumbled some suitable comments. Time to quickly get going on the return to the dealers before the Spanish Inquisition pointed out the blatantly obvious and I am forced onto a NC700X !

Meander Back to Base

The return trip was taken in a slightly different manner, no need to explore the limits of my skills with this bike. So my best Rossi impression (Valentino not Francis) was not required. Just a brisk blast back to Worcester in the summer sunshine, enjoying the unlimited power and its forceful push along the road along with how sweetly it turned into the corners and rode the imperfections.

Handing back the keys gave me a chance to talk to the dealer principal about costs, servicing and residuals. Turns out the servicing is not as scary as I thought. They are still eye watering but so is the KTM I currently rides. The residuals no worse than the KTM, but the kicker was the price-tag ! By the time I’d added the things to make it a daily commuter  the price tag started with a 2! Even with the £1800 promotion that was current at the time and no fruity Termignoni pipe!

So a much as I was truly impressed with the bike and it many talents, I couldn’t justify the additional £4k over the equivalent KTM. Maybe if I’m feeling really flush in the next 18 months I could be tempted….watch this space !

Words and Pictures: Stuart Holiday

The world of motorcycling has been submerged under a Tsunami of nostalgia for many years now. Arguably as far back as the 1990s and the launch of the first significant ‘retro’ bikes, such as the Kawasaki Zephyr range

As the demographic of motorcyclists has collectively aged we seem to have an increasing desire for bikes that hark back to what we perceive as simpler, happier times

Part of the Come Back

The new BSA Goldstar is aimed at that market slot. It’s almost as if the collapse of the British motorcycle industry never happened.  You can go out and buy new bikes from Ariel, Brough-Superior, AJS, Triumph, Norton, Royal Enfield and now BSA.

Ok so in the most part they come from factories all over the world, China, Thailand and notably India, but it shows the strengths of the brands that they have been so successfully resurrected

The new BSA Gold Star has been causing quite a stir hacking back as it does to one of the true legends of British motorcycling. It was with great anticipation that I set off for my first ride on an example. Has the legend being honoured or defiled?

Is it True to the Legacy?

Well it depends on your point of view. There is a school of thought that original was a very sporting bike, at the front of the pack back in the day, more akin to a R1/6 or GSXR of its time. So the new model should be in that spirit, modern and sporting. Then there is the more popular view that it should dial in to the look, feel and pace of traditional ‘Brit-bikes’, but with modern conveniences. No I don’t mean it should have toilets, rather it should be easy to use, ride and reliable

The boy is back in town

So, is it Any Good?

I am happy to report that it meets the traditional brief beautifully. As I made my way along some  typical British A &B roads through some truly beautiful Worcestershire countryside, it felt completely in tune with its surroundings. This kind of running is the new Gold Star’s ‘happy-place’. The surprisingly perky 45bhp, 652cc water cooled single provides enough pace to enable the rider to enjoy the sweeping nature of these typically British roads.

Water-cooled and emissions friendly, the engine still very much looks the part

The suspension is simple and effective. I didn’t bother checking for adjustments and setting. I just hopped aboard and rode away.  In fact the ride comfort in particular is good. The bike is composed and very controlled at the pace I was riding, hovering in and around the national speed limit. I love the Pirelli Phantom tyres. Not just for the grip and feel they yield, but they look great too. I remember many a big Japanese superbike having these fitted back in the day. Brakes are again, simple, effective and with a good feel at the lever.

At Ease With Life

This is just what the bike is made for: No particular place to go and no rip snorting hurry to get there. Just ride in a flow in unison with your machine. Take in your surroundings, the sights, the aroma, the feel. Then rock up at a local pub, cafe or bikers hang-out for a cuppa and butty. The perfect way to spend a day, especially when the sun is on your back.

Just head to a Country Pub. What’s not to like??

Build quality on the example I rode seems good. Evenly applied deep paint, lustrous chrome and neat castings and mouldings. All better than the Mash 400 I tried a few years ago. I would say its comparable to the other big player in this market place, the Royal Enfield Interceptor.

Looks are convincing in isolation, especially when viewing the right had side of the bike: The exhaust flows down and back in true Gold-Star manner. For future updates I’d point the chaps at BSA towards the other side of the bike. In addition the integration of the radiator needs a little more work

Some good details

Cool Clocks

I really like the simple analogue clocks, that sweep, just like the original, across the lower halves of the dials. Quirky and kind of cool. Bit weird at first, but you soon get used it. I also like the nod to the old Brit-Bikes where the circular warning light pack was integrated into the headlight pod, where often an ammeter or some such would reside.

Forget the Past?

So have BSA pulled off a fitting tribute to the original ‘Goldie’? Having never ridden the original it is hard for me to definitively say. No it doesn’t emerge from a factory in Small Heath, Birmingham (as an Aston Villa fan this makes me happy). Yes the engine does have its roots in a 90’s BMW F series Rotax unit. However none of this matters.  The new Goldie, is an enjoyable, good looking bike that is an easy-going pleasure to ride.

The Beezer would be the perfect foil to your modern gizmo laden sports or adventure bike. For days when all the fhaff that goes with those bikes is rather tiresome. You just want to ride, find a nice place to stop and have a chat with likeminded folk, while the sun glistens gently off the bike’s paint and chrome. Perhaps you have a traditional old British bike and don’t want to be tickling carbs, kick-starting a big single and performing running repairs. Or maybe you are one of the new generation bikers who just love the look and vibe of a traditionally styled machine. It ticks all those boxes

For £6500-7000 (March 2023) it represents a good value way to get your yourself onto a stylish enjoyable machine. Get yourself down to your local dealers, try one and maybe come back with a piece of the action

Words and pictures: Tony Donnelly

My name is Rachelle and I have been riding motorbikes for 34 years. When I started riding there weren’t many ladies riding motorbikes or if there was we didn’t know about it because social media wasn’t a thing. I had to play out with the boy’s. Thankfully with the rise of social media lady riders have now shown their faces! Quickly I realised there are more of us than we ever knew. Apparently there are 5 million full motorcycle license holders in the UK of which 525,000 are women, excellent news!

In the Beginning

I started with the good old two strokes: First a Honda Ns125f and then on to the wild RGV 250 SP.  Finally I settled down with my old faithful my 2009 Honda CB600F Hornet FA-9 ABS.

Before that however I bought a 1999 Hornet from the Motorcycle Mart in Kidderminster in 2013. This was a carburetor fuelled variant. My husband adopted this one in 2015 when he passed his test. He loved it, lucky boy but my current Hornet is one that I bought in 2015 from Sutton Honda in Bromsgrove is on a different level. I aim to keep it because I believe the traditional 600 class may be dead and buried with the advent of euro5.

The 1999 Hornet, that became the ‘Hubby Mobile’

So What’s it Like Then?

Right on with the good stuff, my bike is a dream to ride but it really gives you good feedback if you ride it like you stole it. People really underestimate these reliable little tools: Often they are seen as a starter or a commuter bike, but it has a lot more to give: The in line four cylinder 16v engine develops a useful 101bhp 16v engine. OK while the motor has lost around 16bhp when compared to the RR, it has the same 47ft.lb of torque and that’s what really matters on the road. Not top end power figures. Let’s face it none of us can out run a speed camera!

This fairly grunty little engine is stuck in a light, chuckable and agile chassis. The whole package weighs in at only 173kg. This makes the lithe little Hornet a bit of a weapon a wolf in sheep’s clothing if you like.

The Honda boasts  Ø41mm upside-down forks and high speed stability is flawless. The Hornet thrives on being cranked into a bend. However a slight adjustment on my rear shock was needed, because I was scraping the belly pan on the floor. Opps!

Honda’s Dual breaking ABS system stops you when you need it too but who needs breaks eh?

Sensible Too!

The bike will, if ridden with restraint, return you around 62mpg from its 19 litre tank. However the fuel injected engine  saps the juice if you spend most of your time keeping up with the big boy’s! Hey ho, that’s what makes it fun!

The Hornet’s RR-derived engine is incredibly reliable and has very few faults. I have had the occasional regulator/regulator  failure. This is a bit of a Honda blind spot. On the whole though it has never let me down. The only advisory it’s ever had on its MOT history was tyre close to worn. I can live with that!

Handsome Beast

The Hornet was shaped by Honda’s European design studio in Italy, and built there at the factory in Atessa. I had to Google that!

But this is my Baby!

The seat height is 800mm. Adding to this the seat is quite wide and comfortable. The down side of this is that it restricts a lot of women, who are often vertically challenged from being able to touch the floor easily. Although there are options of lowering the bike and scooping the seat out available if you hunt about.

The digital LCD display is basic but sufficient. Ok it doesn’t have all these fan dangled riding modes like all these modern bike’s, but in my eye’s that means there is less to go wrong.

Tough too

My little bike lives outside under an Oxford cover and has never failed to start. OK except on one occasion when I took it for its last MOT and it laughed at the MOT tester when he tried to start it up. It needed a new battery as the old one had given up after about 5 years service. With regular servicing and a bit of love, care and attention these little bikes should reward you with many years of fun!

I will leave it there so as not to bore you all, but do not underestimate these little bikes, because they have a sting in the tail!

Words and Pictures: Rachelle Hornby

Recently I passed a (very) minor milestone on my Ducati Scrambler Classic: I clocked up my 1,000th mile on my pretty little V twin. It has taken me around 18 months of ownership to reach this point, and here resides the crux of the problem:

As I said, I had owned the Ducati about 18 months and covering only 1,000 miles over that time can hardly be described as ‘sweating your assets’ to use an industry term.

The odd thing is the bike is an absolute hoot to ride. In addition it is comfortable for the limited distances I have traversed on it. So why have a managed such a meagre amount of miles?

It has Competition

Well a few factors have played their part. The Scrambler has competition for my precious ‘biking-time’: I am lucky enough to own another couple of bikes. One of these in particular is a supremely comfortable and capable sports-tourer. So that tends to get the nod for my longer distance, longer term outings. The other in older 600 with a Givi rack and box. So that tends to get the slot for the odd bit of commuting I do in the summer months.

The other key thing counting against the poor old thing is just how good looking it is and the excellent condition it’s in for what is now an eight year old bike. the result is I don’t like going out in bad weather or on grubby, muddy, wet or salty roads: It would seem cruel!

It’s a good looking bike

Therefore before the Ducati gets the nod I have to be going fairly locally in decent weather and not carrying anything other than me!

However whenever I do use the bike the thing is an absolute pleasure. But not perfect. Read-on:

Performance is brisk and plenty quick enough to nip past any traffic with ease. The little Ducati is a ‘naughty’ wee thing and it seems almost to ‘egg-you-on’. Honestly officer…Oddly this perkiness puts me in mind of my barmy Spaniel dog! Always into mischief! Laid back, the Scrambler isn’t. The  delicious rasp from the Termignoni high-level exhaust, just adds to this character.

The Termi pipe does a bit of fizzing and popping on the over-run which adds to the fun. Can be a tad embarrassing in some situations, but worth it. Throttle response low down the rev-range can be slightly ‘fluffy’. However I can live with it to be honest, so clearly it’s not that intrusive

Good in the Twiddly Bits

The handling remains great on the road. Islands and roundabouts can be attacked with some verve. Although a second disc on the front brakes would be welcome. The retardation available when compared to the S2R1000 Monster I ran previously just isn’t as good. However the bike still loses speed plenty well enough.

The forks are very road biased in feel. I certainly don’t think the off-roading capability would be that great if you were to venture away from anything much worse than a graded gravel track. Despite the high rise exhaust, engine bash plate and the  dual-purpose tyres fitted. I might go for straight road tyres if I keep the Ducati for a while.

Dependable

Reliability has been total, but in 1000 miles on a low mileage bike so it should be! The Scrambler is only on a total of 4000 miles now. Finish is still virtually perfect, but the Ducati lives snuggled up in a  garage under a tartan blanket!

So the main problem is that the Scrambler is too pretty and in too good a nick! There are worse problems to have in life it has to be said! A service is looming, so let’s see what that brings….

Words and Pictures: Tony Donnelly

It has been a while since I did a running report on my mighty 1290 Super Adventure. My KTM has been my faithful daily transport to and from work racking up 200 – 300 miles a week. All without much issue apart from the usual servicing and fuel any bike would need. The odometer is now showing 33,000 miles. Not bad for a four  year old bike. I get a sense of  shock and  horror from FWR’s when I mention the mileage.

Man and machine in harmony. Isn’t that a hairspray?

The bike continued to prove to rapid transport on A roads and dual carriageway roads in the main. I wont mention my Banzai approach to high speed filtering,  but having a super bright LED headlamp is very useful to alert drivers: Assuming they’re not playing on their phones. It’s comfy on poorly surfaced B-roads and reasonably manoeuvrable in an urban setting, accepting the fact that it’s a physically big bike with a lumpy V-twin engine.

Unsurprisingly its not all plain sailing….

One morning, the “Ready to Race” button decided to not work which left the bike completely incapacitated. Not even a flashing LED! Thankfully, it happened in the garage at home so the bike was safe. A quick call the KTM assistance resulted in the local recovery mechanic coming out and reviewing the problem. In spite of trying to dissemble the switch surround (he went further than I did) but we agreed that it was unresolvable in-situ and recovery to the dealer was required. Unfortunately, he didn’t come in a suitable van so his colleague was called and he departed.

So, a couple of hours later the colleague arrives in a suitable vehicle and we start to try and remove the bike. However, as the button was not working, the steering lock could not be disengaged! This in turn meant that it would only track in a large radius arc. This wouldn’t have been a problem but the bike was next to classic car and there was a high possibility that we would have run out of space and damage the car. At this point he wasn’t prepared to take the risk, advised me that I’d need to call KTM assist again to get a specialised bike transport company to come out and collect the bike and promptly left !! Useful. A disgruntled call to KTM Assist resulted in a promise to send out a more dedicated operative would be with me tomorrow: Doubly useful, not.

A New Day Dawns

The following day, with the new guy, a bit of planning and the deft manipulation of the bike on the side stand, between the two of us we man-handled the bike into the van. Once strapped in off  it on its merry way. I ring the dealer to forewarn them and returned to my kitchen table so that could continue to WFH.

The next day, I give the dealer a call to find out about progress, to be told the bike hadn’t arrived !! Now slightly perplexed and panicking that the bike had evaporated, I ring KTM Assist again. Turns out the guy who collected the bike was on holiday that day and the bike wouldn’t be delivered until the following day. Good job this isn’t my primary transport for work then isn’t it. FFS

After three days the bike finally arrives at the dealers. However not before the transport guy had snapped the grab rail by lifting the whole weight of the bike on it. In fairness the offending part was replaced at his cost. The dealers diagnosed a faulty switch and ordered a replacement from Austria. A week later I collected it from the dealers and normal service resumed.

Feeling the Pressure

Whilst riding home one summer evening the TPMS warning flashed up to warn of a pressure drop in the rear tyre. Thankfully, I wasn’t too far from home so with a level restraint, something I’m not known for, I nursed the bike home. Removing my helmet so I could investigate further resulted in a “hiss” greeting my ears. No, its not my Tinnitus from driving classics for years. Clearly, the TMPS is working and it must be a big hole if the leak is audible. Sure enough once I’d spun the rear wheel around a suitably big hole duly appeared.

Crisp, well presented information allows you spot flashing warnings with ease

The following day I wheel the bike out onto the drive to give it a clean before removing the rear tyre to get a new one. It’s a much nicer job if all the road grime is removed. Easy up onto the centre stand and washing commenced. All was going well and the cleaning complete, I knocked the bike off the centre stand and onto the side stand prior to wheeling it into the garage to remove the wheel. I settled the bike on the stand, released my grip to move the hose pipe out of the way to make a clear path and promptly watched my bike topple over!

More Damage

B@lls. It landed with a crash on the drive-way. The hand guard shattering into a thousand pieces. With my rage induced super strength I pick the 200Kg bit up and put it back on the centre stand to survey the damage: Hand guard smashed, mark on the wing mirror (thankfully nothing smashed), bent rear brake pedal  and a big scar on the tank side panel. Double B@ll’s!  Back into the garage, ring the dealer to order a new hand guard. The side panel replacement was put on hold whilst I pondered on a local repair at paint shop or wrapping the whole bike.  Finally out came the rear wheel out and off to the tyre shop. A week later the hand guard is in and fitted and the new tyre already had 200 miles on it.

Covid Strikes

Covid brought a drastic change in my riding. Six months with no job meant that the bike sat languishing whilst I hunted for a new position. In the middle of summer I managed to find a temporary job that was not very well paid but better than nothing. The KTM was pressed back into service as my daily transport. Thankfully I have a massive top-box on the bike so I could carry all the gear I need. Whilst I was travelling, I was noticing some hesitation in acceleration Initially I chose to ignore this and nurse the bike along until I got a better paid job so I could afford to get it investigated. The the prime suspect was chain and sprocket which were showing some level of wear at 18k.

Respect the Limit!

Things were going well until early one summer  morning. There I was barrelling along the main road to work: Suddenly I had a lack of forward motion and an easy revving engine. Having coasted to a suitable layby, it was time for an investigation. Well it would appear my suspicions were spot on: The chain had escaped like a python in the night and that would explain the lack of motion.  Another call to KTM assistance (thankfully my policy was still valid!) and the bike was eventually in the back of a van and on its was to the local bike shop. Thankfully it was still open.

They ordered a new DID chain and sprocket kit and I returned home to go and get the car and off to work.  Three days later the bike was collected along with a comment that the front sprocket had no teeth on it and I was lucky when the chain came off that it didn’t wrapped around my leg or wreck the crankcase !! Mental note: 15K on an chain and sprocket is the limit !

Keeping it Local

A new job in the autumn brought another change to my riding pattern. Now I had a mere seven mile door to door commute! It took me longer to get changed than riding to work! Clearly, such a short run is not sufficient to charge the battery. Especially if I used the heated grips and seat. So the heated seat was turned off and Fridays turned into ‘Flying Friday’s’ as I did a quick 20mile loop around the back roads to charge the battery. This served to blow the weeks cob-webs out. It seemed to charge the battery but the longer I rode the bike the more crunchy the gear shift was getting.

Pump it Up

It clearly wasn’t a chain and sprocket issue. I assumed that the clutch slave cylinder was on the way out as pumping the lever seemed to improve the situation. A new Oberon cylinder was ordered after a bit of forum surfing and the local guys fitted it one afternoon. All seemed to be ok initially but after a week, the issue returned. I immediately thought that the new cylinder was the problem, so I rang Oberon who were then very helpful and sent out a replacement. Whilst awaiting its arrival, I rang the local boys and booked in a slot for replacement. The replacement duly arrived and the bike was in the workshop and the strip down started. However, when they took the old cylinder off they notice an accumulation of engine oil behind the cylinder. This is feeling like it could get expensive!

They took off the crank case cover and there was a weep from the clutch rod seal. What was happening was that the oil was leaking out of the crank case and into the cavity behind the slave cylinder. This then prevented the cylinder from working properly. Only with the use of excessive lever force could the cylinder rod move by pushing the oil out of the cavity. It might explain the slight oil misting around the cylinder I had noticed. To be honest I’d not paid attention to as it was in the area where front sprocket caused an oil mist build up previously. One partial strip down and rebuild and I was back up and running.

Back on the Long Slog

Another new job in the summer again changed my riding pattern. This time is was a 45min trip along some glorious sweeping A roads and bypasses: Suffice to say I regained my biking mojo. I was  starting to re-profile the very square tyres of the last 12months: My chicken strips were becoming a dying breed.

The bike was absolutely awesome on this sort of going. Pulling fast out of corners on demand, barrelling down the dual carriage ways, stopping with vigour when required and generally looking after me when I over exceeded my talents. The consistency of the route mean I was getting quicker and quicker but still well within the capabilities of the bike.

Unfortunately, all this enjoying myself and using the bike how it should be meant that I needed the 28K service all too soon. Thankfully this is not the big one when they adjust all the valve clearance etc. Whilst it was at the dealers, who were nearly as cheap as the local guys, had a quicker lead time and offered a loan bike, they pointed out that the tyres, chain and sprocket, disc and pads were all getting to the end of their life.

Weighing it All Up

They gave me a quote for replacing everything and I went away to have a ponder. Without the tyres it was nearly £1500 inclusion of  the fitting. This raised the question; could I find a better bike for money. Whilst I was there, I enquired about a new bike. However the PX price offered by the dealer was frankly pitiful! I concluded after some consideration and discussion that refreshing all the parts would be the most cost effective solution.

They’re What!?

Biting the bullet, I ordered all the parts in advance of the two week of the fitment date. A week before the fitment date I rang them to make sure that the parts were in. KTM can sometime be a bit flaky with the parts delivery. I didn’t get an answer. I left a message hoping for a call back. After the weekend, I tried again but no reply so I pinged them an email this time. Still nothing. A couple of days passed and emailed again. Then followed up with another call only to hear ‘Kestrel Motorcycles have now ceased trading, please refer to the receivers for any further enquiries’

Oh No! More than slightly panicked I made some enquiries. It seems that even if they had my parts, which they couldn’t confirm, I was 6 weeks away from getting them.  Assuming I could prove they were mine. Thankfully, I had paid for all the items on my credit card. A a quick call to them resulted in them refunding me and going into battle with the administrators to get the money back.

This gave me a chance to ponder my decision again: Do I continue with the repairs with the other local dealership or the local boys, neither of which inspired me with confidence or do I go for a change??? The decision is a story for another day.

Overall, a Great Workhorse and a Huge Smile Generator

In the 33k miles the bike has been continually awesome. Regularly it caused me to chuckle inside my crash helmet like a naughty school boy. It has done everything that I have asked it to do. Apart from the above minor issues has been reliable in all seasons. In snow, with temperatures down to -7ºC and summers up to 38ºC. In torrential rain, wind and every other permutation between. No, I never did anything than commute on it or even change any of the settings on the bike. Simply there was no need. The KTM was that good.

A dependable, but potent friend

Quality wise, it was top draw apart from the small component failures. The powder coating was going matt on the rear wheel. However in fairness I think that was from me continually trying to clean off the chain oil residue. This being a function of running a Scottoiler. The orange paint on the crank casings had faded too, caused I think by my cleaning regime again. There was a little bit of engine paint lift where a small rock had hit it.

In short it the KTM significantly more reliable and robust than the very popular German rival that I rode previously. For anyone in the market for a upmarket full sized adventure, buy a KTM 1290 Super Adventure. You won’t regret it based on my experiences

Words: Stuart Holliday

Pictures: Stuart Holliday and Tony Donnelly