Getting out there
Summer may still seem something of an age away, but it’s been fantastic to have had the odd smattering of dry and relatively warm days of late. It seems every man and his bike’s been making the most of these elusive spells to dust off the cobwebs and scratch up some knee sliders. Bravo to them! In truth, I’m bike-less right now, so I’ve been little more than an observer to these enviable antics, although I did get the chance to hop on a mate’s Daytona 675 and spend a day wobbling around Cadwell Park. That track’s got to be one of the very best stretches of tarmac known to motorcycling. Have you ridden it? If not, make that a must for 2017. It’ll blow your mind. Trust me.
Speaking of minds being blown, the MT-10SP did a pretty good job of that in sunny old South Africa. If you’re familiar with the sheer brilliance of the original MT then all you need to know is that the SP takes things to a whole new level. If you’re unfamiliar with the MT, just like Cadwell, get a test ride on your list of musts – it’s an experience you need in your life. But, as good as it is, the SP’s not without its competition, as Beej discovered in a wet and dreary Spain. He was there to swing a leg over BMW’s updated S1000R, which also promises to be a real contender in the white hot super naked category. While we’re on the topic of hot, now seems the perfect time to chat about Mr Fagan’s antics in deepest Peru. He wasn’t there searching for Paddington, but rather the chance to go mental on the 2017 Dakar course riding KTM’s new 1290 Super Adventure R; a mission he well and truly accomplished. He did eventually come home, but not by his choosing, as you’ll understand once you’ve read about the awesome experience he had out there.
But it’s not all been a case of jet setting this month, or new bikes, as we’ve been working hard to bring you contents from a little closer to home. Beej, with his rain cloud in hot pursuit, dusted off a trio of recent litre bikes and paired up with Al to evaluate the bottomless pit of virtues they possess – king of which has to be their half price costs. They were both stunned to realise just how much bike you can get for your money these days, which is food for thought if you’re considering a swap for the new season. It’s well worth a read, so get stuck in and see if it inspires you to think a little differently? We might have just saved you a fortune. Let us know.