Mark Lancaster

ARCHIVE: The frames of the 1993 GP season

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Mark Lancaster

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14th January 2025

VJMC’s Steve Cooper remembers… The best-laid plans of mice and men – things went a little sideways for Yamaha at the start of the 1993 season and didn’t end well either. With everyone pretty much happy with the revised big bang motors, the factory decided to focus on the chassis. Using extruded alloy sections rather…
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BUYING A USED Kawasaki ZZR1400

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Mark Lancaster

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13th January 2025

Jon Urry tells us what we need to know… If you want serious performance, you need a ZZR… There is an old adage that goes, ‘There is no replacement for displacement’ – a statement that rings very true when it comes to Kawasaki’s mind-bending hyperbike, the ZZR1400. Although when the supercharged H2 SX was launched…
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TORQUING POINT: Single-Sided Rear Swingarms

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Mark Lancaster

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11th January 2025

An unravelling from Alan Dowds… Ever seen a red squirrel? Unless you live in the right part of Scotland, it’s unlikely; the ginger rodents have been outcompeted by their dull sciuridaen relatives from North America, the eastern grey squirrel. And we all prefer the tufty-eared red variant over the grey, don’t we? Why is that?…
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DAY RIDE: Wales in the winter

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Mark Lancaster

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8th January 2025

Heading from Shropshire over to Cardigan Bay, this stunning 84-mile joyride is sure to put a smile on your face. Dave Manning reveals all… The ride in brief: The route covers roads great and small. This is not a fast ride; the roads can be busy, and they are best enjoyed at a leisurely pace.…
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BMW: Concept & updates

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Mark Lancaster

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6th January 2025

BMW’s ‘F’ range has sometimes been overlooked in the past, which is a shame. The Bavarian bike-mongers was ploughing a lonely furrow in the parallel-twin world nearly 20 years ago with the original F800 models, and now everyone’s in on (arguably) the dullest of the two-cylinder layouts. It must be fuming. But not too much,…
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CFMOTO: V4 Engine

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Mark Lancaster

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3rd January 2025

Here’s one from the left field: Chinese budget bike maker released imagery of an all-new V-four superbike-spec engine at the Milan Show – and just about no facts about it. Dubbed the V.04, it’s a 999cc 90° V-4, making around 210bhp, and will, according to the firm, be ‘competition ready’ which, we assume, means a…
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DUCATI: Panigale and SF V2

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Mark Lancaster

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2nd January 2025

Last issue we got our first sight of the new Ducati V2 engine – an 890cc DOHC non-desmo 90° V-twin, making 115 or 120bhp, but with a new lighter construction, tipping the proverbial scales at 54.5kg. We pondered whether such a unit would be phat enough (he means powerful enough – plain English Ed) for…
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HONDA: 750 twins updates

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Mark Lancaster

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31st December 2024

It’s fair to say that both of Honda’s latest 750 twins – the XL750 Transalp and CB750 Hornet – weren’t crying out for any updates… Alan Dowds tells us what we need to know… Launched less than two years ago, the naked roadster and upper-middleweight adventure machines have wowed customers with their solid performance, high…
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SUZUKI: DR-Z4S/M

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Mark Lancaster

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30th December 2024

Alan Dowds reports… There were plenty of famous guests wandering around Birmingham NEC at Motorcycle Live last month, and we half expected to see Marty McFly and Doc Brown on the Suzuki stand. Because it was back to the future for the Japanese brand, which unveiled the new DR-Z4S and SM at the show. The…
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MV AGUSTA: F3 Competizione

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Mark Lancaster

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28th December 2024

Its parent firm Pierer might be suffering financial woes, but MV Agusta keeps turning up to bike shows with outstanding machinery. This F3 Competizione is a solid upgrade to the firm’s 800 supersports weapon, with radical aerodynamic bodywork, and an even more radical weight loss programme all over. The engineers have cut wet weight to…
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APRILIA: 2025 updates

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Mark Lancaster

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27th December 2024

Alan Dowds reports… Aprilia had a heap of updates and new kit at the Milan show, with the neat little Tuono 457 catching the eye. As with the RS457 sportsbike, the mini-Tuono has kept things premium, with the only aluminium frame in its class, together with preload-adjustable suspension: 41mm USD front forks and a rear…
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NEW KIT: RST Tractech Evo 5 Leather Jacket

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Mark Lancaster

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24th December 2024

The RST Tractech Evo 5 Leather Jacket is the ultimate choice for riders who demand style, safety, and performance. Designed with track-inspired precision, this jacket is perfect for the road or the circuit. Key Features: Whether you’re carving corners or cruising highways, the RST TracTech Evo 5 delivers top-tier performance with unmatched style. Available now,…
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BUYING A BIKE: Smart ways to do so

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Mark Lancaster

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18th December 2024

If you’re on the hunt for a new bike and looking for the best way to fund it, you might want to have a read of this. Alan Dowds explores the smartest, cheapest, and best ways to finance a new bike… For most of us, a bike is one of the biggest things we buy.…
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ARCHIVE: 1992 Honda Vs Yamaha

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Mark Lancaster

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17th December 2024

With all the players now running V4s most were at or about the same level. Chassis, tyres and riders made the significant differences… well, until Honda fired up their 1992 NSR. Firing all four pots within 70 degrees of each other provided smoother torque and delivered the power to the tyre more effectively. Cagiva, Suzuki…
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COST EFFECTIVE CLASSIC: Suzuki GSX-R 750 SRAD

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Mark Lancaster

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16th December 2024

Big sports bike thrills for relatively small money, VJMC’s Steve Cooper reports… The sports bikes scene isn’t what it once was here in the UK but there’s still enough of a following for the various 600, 750 and 1000cc missiles that were once so dominant on Britain’s roads. Trends come and go, even on high-end…
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Mark Lancaster

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