BIKE

BIKE is packed with road tests of new bikes and inspirational riding stories, with fantastic places, amazing races and extraordinary people. Created by a passionate and expert team of motorcycle riders, Bike makes you feel part of the amazing motorcycling world. Our three main areas of content are... Road tests: We ride and test all the latest bikes, from tourers to retros. Riding: We take motorcycles to the four corners of the UK, and the four corners of the world Extraordinary travel stories: amazing races, extraordinary events and astonishing bike people.

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Team Bike • 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.

BIKE

Gunning for the MT-09 • New Triumph Trident 800 has the Tiger Sport 800’s engine, the Street Triple R’s suspension and the Trident 660’s style. Sounds like a nightmare for Yamaha’s MT-09

Rise of the torque beast • Electronically supercharged Honda V3R 900 prototype could be a 140bhp, 60mpg monster with humungous torque

Dirty Ninja • Kawasaki finally get with the middleweight off-roader trend and reveal a hip new KLE500

SV650 reborn • Suzuki apply electronics and GX styling to the SV650 to create the new SV-7GX – a plausible Tracer 7 rival

Son of VFR! • Well, certainly a nephew. New Honda CB1000GT sports-tourer gets semi-active suspension, comfy seats and big power from the Hornet

2003 Aprilia Tuono • The original factory supernaked left a lasting impression on stunt rider and Bike road tester Martin Child

The perfect configuration • Inline, V, boxer – or something else entirely? Professor Jamie Turner considers the pros and cons of various engine layouts… and one that’s never reached production

GET IN GEAR • The latest word in swanky riding gear, desirable bolt-ons and must-have goodies for your pride and joy

‘Join club, get licence by post, enter race’

‘It’s winter. Get out and play’

TWELFTH TIME LUCKY • Five years and £200 million in the making, Norton is back… again. So, will things really be any different this time?

Nostalgia trip • BSA’s new Bantam 350 heads to Small Heath to explore the original company’s roots… and whether its legacy has rubbed off on their latest model

Heavy artillery • Phenomenally fast, impossibly complicated and bloody pricey, have the latest high-end superbikes completely jumped the shark? Or can today’s litre bikes still relate to regular road riders?

BMW S1000RR • The Beemer kicked off the tech-fest 15 years ago, and it’s still the bestseller today. Is it the one to have?

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP • No fancy cams or GP-bred motor: is the Blade still relevant in the techy-superbike age?

Ducati Panigale V4 S • Faster yet easier than ever on track, but do the latest Panigale refinements improve it on the road too?

Verdict

The world’s fastest superbike • Sure, 200bhp sportsbikes are all well and good – but what happens when you push things as far as they can go? Bike rides Toprak’s title-winning BMW M1000RR to find out

How on earth does Toprak ride?

Is this the perfect sportsbike? • For all the fiery talk of being ‘Ready to Race’, the KTM 990 RC R delivers on the road

‘I look back and think, why didn’t I keep my mouth shut?’ • Carl Fogarty opens up about World Superbike’s boom years, gulping down grisly bush tucker – and why he backed out of running a BSB team in 2026

Jota’s 50th birthday bash • It’s 50 years since the Laverda Jota shoulder-charged its way into our hearts. We go to the anniversary bash to see what all the fuss is about

Know your Jotas

Has China saved the V-Strom 650? •...